Summer TV is usually a wasteland filled with cactus dramas and tumbleweed reality shows. And this summer was no exception. Thankfully, there were a few oases in the desert of summer TV that slaked our thirst for TV until fall.

Both fortunately and unfortunately for “Vampire Diaries,” the CW’s new show has premiered this week at the height of the vampire mania surrounding “Twilight” and “True Blood.” Yes, this helps the show find a larger audience, but it also gives way to more comparison among all of the vampire shows and movies.

Following an extremely successful viral marketing campaign, the second season of “True Blood” premiered on June 14 to a staggering rating of 3.7 million viewers. This premiere was the most watched program on HBO since “The Sopranos” finale two years ago.