With Smallville's fate still undecided after this season, is the CW's future more undead than superheroic? The network has picked up book series The Vampire Diaries to turn into a weekly dose of Twilight.

We want to be cynical about the network's move to turn LJ Smith's series of vampire romance novels into a possible replacement for the once-teen soap opera that is Smallville, but dammit, they're making all the right moves to turn it into a trashy must-see: Being produced by Gossip Girl production company Alloy Entertainment? Check. Showrun by Scream and Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson, and bringing along Kyle XY writer Julie Plec to write and produce? Check. A set-up that involves two warring vampire brothers (One good, one evil, of course) and the woman who can't choose between them? Check, and check. It's as if they knew exactly what we wanted to see on a regular basis before we did. Now all we need is James Van Der Beek as a smarmy vamp and we'll be all set.

CW picks up 'Vampire Diaries' pilot [Variety]