Diary This New HD Hit

TV2’s newest HD drama, The Vampire Diaries (8.30 tonight), has more merit than its “Gossip Girl meets Twilight“ description suggests.

It’s no True Blood, which resumes on June 30 (Prime, 9.30pm), but the premiere is freaky, creepy, sleekly-made escapism that doesn’t suck as much as you’d think.

The Los Angeles Times likened it to a True Blood Lite or Transylvania 90210, Entertainment Weekly predicted “a season of sharp-tongued amusement” and the New York Post thought it “more fun than a cemetery full of psycho zombie killers on Halloween” .

Diaries was co-created by Kevin Williamson, whose credits range from the post-modern horror franchise, Scream, to TV teen soap Dawson’s Creek.

Being in 720p is another bonus, although you’d scarcely know it from TV2’s otherwise impressive promotion of the series.

It’s noted as being in HD on TV2’s online schedule but not on FreeviewHD’s EPG and wasn’t highlighted in the billings TVNZ sends to media.

Meanwhile, TV2’s Wednesday night movie initiative boosted its ratings at the expense of TV One and TV3, with the latter’s HD hit, Underbelly: The Golden Mile, slipping into single digits for the first time: last night it was watched by only 8.8% of 18-49 year-olds, compared with 13.5% last week, when it aired opposite FlashForward.

By the way, in addition to Underbelly being re-made for US TV, Australia’s Nine Network has commissioned three made-for-TV crime movies from the show’s producer Screentime that will air under the brand, Underbelly Files.