'Vampire Diaries' on CW - New TV Pilot Preview

Note: This is not a review, merely our first impression of an unfinished product. A show can go through many changes between the pilot stage and its official broadcast debut.

'Vampire Diaries'

Premise: Elena is putting her life back together again after the death of her parents, but drug-dealing brother Jeremy and heartbroken ex-boyfriend Matt aren't making things any easier. Then she instantly connects with a handsome new student, Stefan, who's keeping a dark secret -- he's a vampire.

Cast: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Ian Somerhalder

What Works: We like our teen dramas pretty and angsty, and this 'Twilight'-meets-'Dawson's Creek' entry doesn't fail to deliver on either score. And Nina Dobrev as Elena has that "It girl" quality that reminds us of (dare we say) Katie Holmes.

What Doesn't: The characters are a bit cookie-cutter -- the sensitive jock, the perky blonde, the slimy popular guy. And the lack of adult supervision in the town is ludicrous -- seriously, where are all the parents?

Our Excitement Level (Out of 10): 7

Premiere Date: Thu., Sept. 10 at 10PM ET on The CW