Ratings

In its original American broadcast, "The Originals" was watched by 2.24 million; up by 0.1 from the previous episode.^[4] On TV Fanatic, the episode has an average rating of 4.9/5, based on 2081 votes.^[5]

Reviews

Eric Goldman of IGN rated the episode with 8.7 out of 10 saying that the it was a solid success. "'The Originals' was, of course, a backdoor pilot episode, focused on the characters and world of a potential Vampire Diaries spinoff series for this fall. And on that score, it was a solid success, doing a great job of establishing a new dynamic, using several pre-existing characters – and a few new ones."^[2]

Caroline Preece of Den of Geek gave a good review to the episode saying that "it was pretty darn good" to "spend an hour in New Orleans with Klaus and Elijah (with Rebekah to join them soon)", "taking a moment away from the tedious and troubling goings on back in Mystic Falls". "The Originals borrowed a few problems from its parent show but, by and large, this was a darker, more adult take on the world the exec producer Julie Plec and co. have already spent four years building. [...] It's really nice to review an episode of The Vampire Diaries without dwelling on the various love triangles. The Originals won't be trifling with such matters of the heart, for this is a show about family and the power that familial loyalty can offer you. [...] The dynamic between the two brothers was the most exciting thing about this episode, and it reminded me of a time when The Vampire Diaries was also about the broken bond between Damon and Stefan."^[6]

Mirjana from Geek Syndicate rated the episode with 4 out of 5. "The Originals has been picked up for a full series, which is great news. There's definitely a more adult vibe to it, and New Orleans provides such a sultry backdrop for the whole thing, it's almost like a character on its own."^[7]

Lindsay Sperling from We Got This Covered gave a mixed review to the episode: "This episode was beautifully shot – New Orleans provides an equally organic and dramatic backdrop for the narrative – and written. [...] It showcased the characters who will likely become season one heavyweights: Klaus's vampire protégé Marcel (Charles Michael Davis), influential witch Sophie (Daniella Pineda), and brave human Camille (Leah Pipes). If you took out the scenes taking place in Mystic Falls, it’s not hard to imagine that with a few re-writes, this could have been a completely legitimate pilot. As it stands, it was still an extremely compelling effort." However, she felt that as "the single most frustrating casting choice on The Vampire Diaries", the character Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) "has only served to bring about the same lackluster performance we have come to expect. [...] It is even more disheartening that she will be taking on a leading role in the new endeavor."^[8]