The Vampire Diaries isn't the only series set to air a backdoor episode this year that will likely turn into a full-fledged spinoff in the fall.
NCIS: Los Angeles will go the same route in a few weeks via "Red," an installment that introduces a team of mobile agents who solve crimes all over the country - and we can now count Edwin Hodge as one of those agents.
The actor (Cougar Town, NCIS) will guest star on that special episode, Deadline confirms, and will become a series regular if/when the spinoff is ordered to series by CBS.
Look for Hodge to portray Kai Ashe, an incredibly bright and likable technical assistant who knows a thing or two dozen about computers. He's generally considered an expert on everything, network insiders say.