"Legacies" is boldly going where no other "Vampire Diaries" show has gone before: Monster-of-the-week stories.

During the TCA summer press tour, Julie Plec announced the spinoff's plan for a new format to differentiate it from the other shows in -- yes, this is a thing -- The Vampire Diaries Universe (TVDU).

Julie Plec: "There is definitely an overall big bad that we slowly hint at, but we're doing something on this particular series that I have never done before, which is embracing, not always but often, a monster of the week."

Danielle Rose Russell (Hope Mikaelson): "It's something we've been so, so excited talking about. We're like, 'This is what's going to make our show different. This is what's going to make our show so good!'"

"Legacies" is technically a dual spinoff of "The Vampire Diaries" and TVD's spinoff "The Originals," set at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. It focuses on 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson (daughter of the newly departed Klaus and Hayley); but also Alaric Saltzman's (Matt Davis) twins, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman; among others.

"The Originals" star Danielle Rose Russell and "The Vampire Diaries" star Matt Davis will be returning to their characters. TVD's Zach Roerig will be around as Sheriff Matt Donovan, and it was recently revealed that Steven R. McQueen will also join the group in at least one episode as TVD alum Jeremy Gilbert, who teaches at the school.

One character who won't be around toward the start is Caroline Forbes (Candice King), despite co-running the school her twins attend.

Julie Plec: "We’re going to hear her and feel [Caroline] a lot. I don’t know when we’ll see he. The girls are dealing with the fact that their mother, who has raised them, is a little absentee lately. And they believe she’s off on recruiting missions, and Alaric knows that she’s actually off doing other things that have to do with the long-term survival of their daughters. So the mystery of ‘Where is Caroline? Why isn’t she coming home for their birthday?,’ that kind of thing is going to be part of our story, in the hopes that one day we’ll be able to have her walk through the doors as well."

"Legacies" premieres Thursday, October 25 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.

[Via: TV Guide, TVLine]

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