Just two days prior to the series premiere of The Vampire Diaries, L.J. Smith has a request of TV fans.

The author that penned the book series after which The CW show is based posted the message below on her website this week. She really wants you to give The Vampire Diaries a chance:

May I make a plea for everybody to try to be patient (especially with the pilot episode)? The Twilight Zone feeling rapidly diminishes after that. Ian Somerhalder is being recognized as a superior villain; and I feel sure that under those brown curls Elena’s scheming mind is simply waiting for an opportunity to emerge... I’ve waited this long to speak out, and my verdict is: give it a chance.

Smith is mostly responding to criticism that the series is too much like the Twilight Saga. Producer Kevin Williamson made a similar point earlier this summer.

Having seen the first couple installments of The Vampire Diaries, we have to agree: the show is very much worth a viewing.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.