If you want a break from the mushy-gushy stories of erratic and eternal teenage love, I suggest you begin feeding from “The Vampire Diaries.”

In this new TV series, 17-year-old Elena Gilbert is trying to cope with the recent loss of her parents. She meets Stefan Salvatore, a mysterious newcomer to Mystic Falls whom she snags as her own. After Stefan's arrival, citizens of the small town begin reporting they have been attacked by a wild animal, or so they think.

Turns out, Stefan is a century-old vampire, as is his brother, Damon, who is the cause of the “animal attacks.” By staying with Stefan, Elena is soon submerged in his dangerous world, in which Damon takes pleasure in making his brother suffer as much as possible, turning the peaceful town inside out in the process.

You may be thinking, This sounds awfully familiar, but “The Vampire Diaries” strays far from its overexploited origins. For example, Elena's younger brother Jeremy copes with the death of their parents with drugs, a theme that is out of the ordinary for fans of goodie-two-shoes plots. The show is surprisingly complex and dark, with clues leading to unexpected twists. And the typical vampire tendencies being dramatic, suspenseful, and slightly more graphic. The best part by far is the return of old-school vampires that actually burn in the sunlight.

So, if you're ready to drop your sparkly, stalker-vibe vampires and single-minded heroines, then immerse yourself in the exhilarating realm of “The Vampire Diaries.”