As much as this show was a part of my teen years (it ran from my 8th grade year to age 21- well I was 20 almost 21), and I enjoy is a comfort show, find myself conflicted.
This show has taught me to grieve, even as a teen and I'm grateful. At age 20, the only deaths were my grandparents and I saw it coming. I at age 28 have had an aunt pass away prematurely, Jenna's death has hit me differently now.
But at 29, I see the racism, the favoritism of the certian actors behind the scenes, the awful treatment of certian actors behind the scenes, the terrible plots from Plec's stupid mind she concocted; I partly hate myself for keeping on re watching. Its like this crutch I cant let go of, that this show has an odd hold on me.
Part of me wishes I could let go, and permanently ditch any rewatch, watch better meaningful shows (and I do have better ones I truly love more than tvd) but the other part of me knows this is like mindless entertainment. And it can have these super emotional scenes.
Maybe Its ok to just leave it at conflicted. Its like junk food tv and its OK every now and again.