▁first ▁season ▁total ▁script ▁order ▁to ▁six teen ▁episodes . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁The ▁C W ▁renew ed ▁the ▁series ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁season . ▁The ▁second ▁season ▁premier ed ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁On ▁January ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁the ▁series ▁was ▁renew ed ▁for ▁a ▁third ▁season . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁production ▁was ▁shut ▁down ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 – 2 0 ▁coron av irus ▁pan demic . ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁six teenth ▁episode ▁that ▁a ired ▁that ▁same ▁night ▁would ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁spring ▁finale ▁as ▁the ▁production ▁team ▁had ▁run ▁out ▁of ▁episodes ▁to ▁air ▁following ▁the ▁production ▁shut ▁down . ▁ ▁Cast ing ▁It ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁that ▁The ▁V amp ire ▁Di aries ▁veter an ▁Matt ▁Davis ▁would ▁repr ise ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Al ar ic ▁Salt z man ▁and ▁that ▁Daniel le ▁Rose ▁Russell ▁would ▁star ▁as ▁Hope ▁M ika el son . ▁Qu in cy ▁F ouse , ▁Jen ny ▁Bo yd , ▁Kay lee ▁Bry ant , ▁and ▁A ria ▁Shah g has emi ▁were ▁also ▁set ▁to ▁star . ▁Shah g has emi ▁would ▁debut ▁in ▁the ▁tw elf th ▁episode ▁of ▁the ▁fifth ▁season ▁of ▁The ▁Originals ▁as ▁Hope '