The Vampire Diaries

QueenSix wrote:
So as you can see, my lack of problems with so much of the episode shows why I post here and not TWoP. I have pity for my television, I cannot lie!!! Heh.

Same here! I guess I'm just really into liking things these days. TWoP hates pretty much everything, so liking stuff more than they do isn't that surprising, but even shows people in my real life have problems with (my mom thinks 'Burn Notice' jumped the shark, both my parents think 'Leverage' sucks, my bff can't stand the Eleventh Doctor, tons of people hate what was done with Irene Adler in 'Sherlock') I'm loving with unreserved enthusiasm. How the hell did I end up so easy to please? This is strange to me.

Lily Rose wrote:I loved Damon casually stabbing his little brother for daring to save him again. This show has the best nonchalant stabbings ever.

It totally does! And it makes me laugh every time, because I have emotional problems.

Truecrystal wrote:Plus, I honestly think his storyline is incredibly interesting.

Me too! I'm loving this whole complicated back story they've come up with for the Originals. Speaking of that, it only occurred to me, like, four days ago when I was rewatching the start of this season for the millionth time that the witch on the other side who was pushing Vicki through to the land of the living so she could kill Elena was probably the Original Witch. I can't wait to find out more about her and about the other members of the Original family who are stored away in those coffins.

Raksha wrote:

Lily Rose wrote:I loved Damon casually stabbing his little brother for daring to save him again. This show has the best nonchalant stabbings ever.

It totally does! And it makes me laugh every time, because I have emotional problems.

That reminds me of every time I watch Hot Fuzz, the scene where Danny gets lamped in the head with a bin by the Andy's makes me howl with laughter. In real life, that would be pretty damn serious, I know, but I find it hilarious in that film.

Not that I'd go so far as to say Klaus is "good" and Elena and company are "evil", but rather that's the point -- it's all morally relative when it's *your* family and friends.

Absolutely the moral relativity of this show is my favorite thing about it, as one of my favorite movies pointed out there are no good guys and bad guys, there is just a bunch of guys!

I have to say I was surprisingly okay with everything that happened in this episode, I loved the Bonnie/Stefan/Damon deal, I loved the Elena/Klaus deal, I loved how bad Nik has it for his sissster, could he be any more torqued up? Hee.

And I actually do buy that Elena thinks Stefan is lost to her, that's pretty much the ONLY reason I can see her going with that kiss, and that she is just using Damon to get through this difficult time. I like that Damon pretty much knows that...and doesn't care. Heh.

I had a little more difficulty with Jeremy leaving, because I love Steve McQueen's hot ass, but as long as it is not permanent than okay. I do think it makes sense for Elena to want him out of town, I'd kind of love it though if Katherine goes and finds him and vamps him, just to show her how once your in this supernatural tar pit you can't get out.

I was also glad to see that Alaric's ring faltered when he was injured in a non-supernatural way, he also looked really great in that scene with Meredith. My only disappointment was we didn't get to see what was in that magically sealed coffin, I feel like that's two episodes in a row that ended without the patented HO SHIT ending.

Maybe it's the remains of the Original Witch? Do we even know her name?

That's my theory too -- Original Witch is Klaus's mom, right? I love this show but I was sort of confused a bit this week. It was a LONG hiatus. I sort of forgot whose dead body was where.

I am sure Jeremy will be back, in the most inconvenient/dramatic way, but I was still a little sniffily when Damon compelled him away. He's so HOT.

Delena just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I mean I get capitalizing on the chemistry between actors who are dating, but it's just icky to me. Even though it was inevitable I just don't like it.

I think Dalena was meant to happen regardless of whether Nina/Ian were dating, the triangle is the entire premise of the show, it's just weird that Ian/Nina's chemistry as Elena/Damon is so...weak, while their chemistry as Kat/Damon is much much better.

I didn't think it was the Original Witch/Klaus' mom if only because I assumed he was cash and carrying the vampire family members he could revive by removing the daggers, I can't remember how he killed her though I guess it's possible she's revivable.

Whatever, I needs me some Eligah and I needs it yesterday!

Thanks to this show/thread, the other night I had a dream that I was being chased by thugs with crossbows. They shot my friend with a regular gun first, but when they came for me, it was crossbow time.

I normally think Damon/Elena have much better chemistry than they did in this episode. I haven't seen it much this season, really, but I just figured it was because their moments have been cute rather than hot recently, since Damon's gone (mostly) reliable lately. I literally could not wait for the episode to end, because they were kind of starting to make me cringe in the house at the end. And Damon went for the kiss, and I was like, "WHAAAAAT? Now??? Really???"

Or maybe I'm just being hyper-critical because my shipper heart beats only for Stefan/Elena, and I'm not handling the inevitable Damon/Elena as well as I thought I would.

Oh! One thing I forgot about that kind of bugged me is the way everybody treated Tyler. Maybe I don't properly understand how siring works, but I'm under the impression that Tyler's blind loyalty to Klaus isn't really a choice. It's different from compulsion because Tyler has control over his individual actions, but the loyalty that drives his actions isn't something he can control? Does that make sense? Everybody was screeching at Tyler about how much he sucks for being a Klaus groupie before anything even happened to Jeremy, but I thought their approach was all wrong. They were going at him the way you do when a douchey, sexist, racist, homophobic uncle is making horrible comments that are ruining Thanksgiving. They were acting like all of this is his choice, and I'm under the impression that it's not. So either I'm wrong, or these guys need to change their tactics. They are right to want to stay away from him for now and not invite him into the house, but snotty interrogations really don't need to be thrown into the mix.

I think the Damon/Elena kiss worked for me precisely because it wasn't a good moment for it. Damon's been a good friend to Elena this season and he wasn't pushing his romantic interest at all, really, so I liked that he finally just said, "Fuck it" and went for it. I wouldn't buy it or like it if Damon became SO understanding that he just patiently waited for Elena to initiate it, or if the first kiss came about in the middle of his comforting her, and those were the two scenarios I was afraid of. Damon's a better person than he was but he's still not a saint, and I do believe Elena thinks that Stefan is lost to her and was so overwhelmed by everything else going on that she let the kiss happen.

It worked for me and I'm surprised that it did. I'm still all about Stefan/Elena but this detour is not bothering me, and I'm actually enjoying it. Poor Elena. She's so damn lonely. But I do agree that this was a rare weak episode for Nina, acting-wise.

I am stamping my foot impatiently, though, because I WANT ELIJAH BACK NOW.

Ulp.

Guys, I don't know. I really don't know how Stefan can come back from this. I felt literally sick during the race up to the bridge, and the scene that followed. My stomach twists when I see what this is doing to Elena, and...god.

It's really fucking good television but damn, I don't know if I can still ship them after this.

Also that scene between Klaus and Caroline was super creepy and hot. Is he, like...into her now? Holy crap.

So I'm a johnny-come-lately, but I've just spent the last two weeks in a super Vampire Diaries marathon haze AND I LOVE IT!!! THIS SHOW IS AMAZEBALLS!! Why has no-one told me to watch it before?

OH SHOW.

Also that scene between Klaus and Caroline was super creepy and hot. Is he, like...into her now? Holy crap.

I...kinda hope so. Because damn. If I didn't already love Klaus, that would have sealed the deal. He's a sexy, murdering, villainous, charming romantic. Who stalks with diamonds. I do love him so much.

Before the diamonds, when Klaus was just creepily offering to save Caroline's life, I was like, "What the hell is happening here? Am I shipping this now? I think I totally am." And then there were diamonds, and now it's even more WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE? It's creepy and awesome. Creepy because Rebekah kind of reminds me of Caroline, and Klaus was already really into Rebekah. It's like Caroline is going to be his Rebekah replacement that he can also make out with. And I just grossed myself out.

Oh, STEFAN. Way to out-crazy Damon, dude. I don't know how he and Elena can come back from all of this either, especially because I think things are still going to get worse. But if crazy-ass Damon is the hero now, then anything is possible. I still love Stefan/Elena's angsty chemistry more than Damon/Elena's angsty chemistry. And Paul Wesley always puts that extra little something in his eyes during the Stefan/Elena scenes. Stefan totally still cares/loves her/wants her, but it's buried under a metric shit-ton of self-loathing and an extra healthy dose of anger.

I'm hoping there's going to be more to Meredith than just being Alaric's new girlfriend. I'm not sold on her yet. Her scenes were my least favorite of tonight's episode.

OH. I almost forgot. So Carol and Liz both just straight-up know that Damon and Stefan are vampires? I couldn't remember if Liz knew or if Caroline always compelled her to forget, but I definitely did not know that Carol Lockwood knew. Unless she doesn't know, and that whole conversation happened while she was under Klaus' thrall, or whatever. Does Carol know? How? What am I forgetting?

And finally, have hybrid bites always been fatal to vampires the way werewolf bites are, or is this the first time that's been officially confirmed? Damn, this show needs to not have such long hiatuses. I forget everything.

OH. I almost forgot. So Carol and Liz both just straight-up know that Damon and Stefan are vampires? I couldn't remember if Liz knew or if Caroline always compelled her to forget, but I definitely did not know that Carol Lockwood knew. Unless she doesn't know, and that whole conversation happened while she was under Klaus' thrall, or whatever. Does Carol know? How? What am I forgetting?

IIRC Carol found out Caroline was vampire (when Caroline saved her from the ghosts or something?) and wanted her staked until Tyler forced Carol to watch him transform during a full moon. I guess they didn't compel her to forget all that.

Raised by wolves wrote:

OH. I almost forgot. So Carol and Liz both just straight-up know that Damon and Stefan are vampires? I couldn't remember if Liz knew or if Caroline always compelled her to forget, but I definitely did not know that Carol Lockwood knew. Unless she doesn't know, and that whole conversation happened while she was under Klaus' thrall, or whatever. Does Carol know? How? What am I forgetting?

IIRC Carol found out Caroline was vampire (when Caroline saved her from the ghosts or something?) and wanted her staked until Tyler forced Carol to watch him transform during a full moon. I guess they didn't compel her to forget all that.

I remembered that, but I didn't realize that finding out about Caroline meant finding out about the Salvatores. Because she's taking that part remarkably well, considering her relationship with Damon.

I still love Stefan/Elena's angsty chemistry more than Damon/Elena's angsty chemistry. And Paul Wesley always puts that extra little something in his eyes during the Stefan/Elena scenes. Stefan totally still cares/loves her/wants her, but it's buried under a metric shit-ton of self-loathing and an extra healthy dose of anger.

Oh me too, I love ALL of it and I think Paul is doing some amazing work here. My problem is that, while I find Stefan absolutely fascinating, I don't want Elena to have to be around it, like ever again. The car/bridge thing was a dealbreaker for me. These writers are SO GOOD that they can probably move past it, but right now, I can't see how. All I can see is Elena's pain, where she still can't fathom how this wonderful guy she loved turned into this, and while the part of me that loves good TV is lapping up her scenes with Stefan, the other part of me just wants to protect Elena from having to deal with him ever again.

Also, I love that Bonnie was super mad at Elena for arranging for Damon to compel Jeremy, and I love even more that she is STILL super mad about it by the end of the episode.

Also, WHERE IS ELIJAH.

queenofdenile wrote:

I still love Stefan/Elena's angsty chemistry more than Damon/Elena's angsty chemistry. And Paul Wesley always puts that extra little something in his eyes during the Stefan/Elena scenes. Stefan totally still cares/loves her/wants her, but it's buried under a metric shit-ton of self-loathing and an extra healthy dose of anger.

Oh me too, I love ALL of it and I think Paul is doing some amazing work here. My problem is that, while I find Stefan absolutely fascinating, I don't want Elena to have to be around it, like ever again. The car/bridge thing was a dealbreaker for me. These writers are SO GOOD that they can probably move past it, but right now, I can't see how. All I can see is Elena's pain, where she still can't fathom how this wonderful guy she loved turned into this, and while the part of me that loves good TV is lapping up her scenes with Stefan, the other part of me just wants to protect Elena from having to deal with him ever again.

I totally feel you on this. In that scene at the end with Matt and Elena at the bridge, I was like, "Run away together, you two! Ruuuunnnn! You can still have really cute babies if you RUN AWAAAAAAYYYY." And then when Matt didn't get it done and instead chose to be all, "Whatevs, your life wasn't all that great back when you had parents and normalcy and me as your boyfriend. This is good, too!" I kind of wanted that Sassy Gay Friend guy from YouTube to show up and give Elena that "Look at your life, look at your choices" speech. It's so sad to watch that girl come to grips with the fact that this is her life now. And sure, you could say that she chose it and therefore she shouldn't bitch, but she is just so damn cute. She makes those sad eyes and I want to hug her. Matt was right about her being stuck. Sex with the Salvatore boys might be great, but her life is just straight-up worse than it was before she met those guys.

Also, WHERE IS ELIJAH.

SERIOUSLY. I am growing very impatient over here.

Sex with the Salvatore boys might be great, but her life is just straight-up worse than it was before she met those guys.

Is it, though? Even without them, she's still the Petrova doppleganger. She still has a supernatural connection that can be exploited no matter what Stefan and Damon do. Elena's kind of fucked no matter what, and it's hard to tell whether Stefan and Damon showing up in her life makes it an improvement, or is just delaying the inevitable tragedy, or a weird combination of both.

I LOVE THIS SHOW.

truecrystal wrote:

Also that scene between Klaus and Caroline was super creepy and hot. Is he, like...into her now? Holy crap.

I...kinda hope so. Because damn. If I didn't already love Klaus, that would have sealed the deal. He's a sexy, murdering, villainous, charming romantic. Who stalks with diamonds. I do love him so much.

I KNOW!!! If you'd have asked me yesterday if I wanted Klaus and Caroline to hook up, I would have said "no way in hell" and gone on and on about how poor Caroline has been through enough already. But then that scene came along, and I just kept thinking "Is he genuinely trying to connect with and encourage her? I think I really want him to mean all this. I...think I want her to want him to mean it, too." It's bad and wrong and 11 kinds of fucked up, but I want it so bad I can taste it.

Also, Candice Accola has always been freaking adorable, but was it just me or did she seem more, like, grown-up sexy in this ep?


I loved this episode so much I'm having trouble being coherent in my glee. Maybe I'll just make a list.

Things I Loved In No Particular Order:

* Damon and Stefan being all blase about killing that hybrid at the very beginning. Stefan's face was hilarious! Paul Wesley is delightful.

* Damon being cheerful and kind of smug at Stefan at the very beginning. Oh, boys.

* Elena and Alaric at the beginning. I love their strange little label-defying relationship. It's sweet.

* Damon and Alaric slowly rebuilding their snarky bromance.

* Bonnie, Elena, and Matt trying to throw a surprise birthday celebration for Caroline. I loved the reminder that before all this craziness, they were just a normal group of friends. It was nice to see them all getting together, not to face down some terrible supernatural threat, but because one of their friends was having a birthday and this is what you do when your friend has a birthday!

* Tyler. That poor kid. I think my heart hurts for him maybe more than most of the others, since at least they have friends. But he's become so isolated and he's not even in control of himself, thanks to his sire.

* Stefan during that whole threatening-to-drive-Elena-off-the-bridge scene. I've always said he was the scarier Salvatore brother. Damon's fucked up and only understands "impulse control" in a purely theoretical, academic sense, which certainly causes problems. But Stefan? That boy is actually more fucked up than Damon and has absolutely zero sense of proportion. He's all or nothing. He's either entirely abstaining from human blood or he's ripping people apart. He's the dream boyfriend because he's doing everything he knows how to try to be "worthy" of Elena or he's threatening to turn her into a vampire in the most horiffyingly cruel way he knows how because he's trying to drive her away because he doesn't believe he "deserves" her. Reguardless of the fact that he's clearly doing this not because he really wants to hurt her, but because he doesn't feel he deserves to be "saved" or accepted back into Elena's life because of what he's done, it really should make Elena put as much distance between the two of them as possible anyway (but it won't, because that girl is powerful fucked up too).

* Elena acknowledging that having Damon compel Jeremy to leave is wrong, but still going through with it anyway because she doesn't know what else to do and she can't stand to risk yet another family member dying. This felt very real to me. Like, sometimes people do things not because it's the right thing to do, not because they've even managed to rationalize it to themselves, but because they're desperate and can't think of anything better. And this particular "solution" felt very believable as something Elena, in particular, would do. And I loved that Bonnie acknowledges all of this, but she's not absolving Elena of the wrongness of it either.

* Damon and Sheriff Forbes' scenes. They were short, but awesome. I've missed the friendship they had in S2. I'm glad to see them slowly rebuilding it. And the scene at the end? Awesome. What is up with that murder? I'm intrigued by this new mystery.


Oh, Show. I love you. Never leave me.


ETA: Found this spoilery picture:

Spoiler:

Damon's fucked up and only understands "impulse control" in a purely theoretical, academic sense, which certainly causes problems. But Stefan? That boy is actually more fucked up than Damon and has absolutely zero sense of proportion.

What makes THIS SHOW so great is that they've managed to take something incredibly attractive in Stefan and make it scary and awful and they're not white-washing or hand-waving it away. And what makes THIS SHOW even greater is that while Stefan's behavior is obviously impacting the triangle by driving Elena closer to Damon, it's not about jealousy or Stefan being focused on what Damon and Elena are doing together which would be totally obvious and, quite frankly, would get on my nerves after a while. Stefan's behavior makes the possibility of Stefan/Elena harder to imagine, but to me it's also not completely off the table because in all its fucked-upness, there's a warped sense of selflessness that I can appreciate. (Also, as a Buffy-lover aside, here's where I give the side-eye to Angel because for all his self-loathing he sure was selfish. Yes, it's been over forever and I am STILL BITTER about Angel the "champion".) I'm still hopeful for them to get back together--I'm still stuck on Damon *actually killing* Jeremy and Elena getting over that with no problem. Different, yes. But also IMO even more horrific.

I'm also sorta obsessed with Klaus/Caroline right now. Even though I know nothing real could ever come of it--Could it, SHOW? COULD IT?!--it's so twisted and wrong that I can't help but want it to happen. The Rebekah angle alone would be enough to have me sold. But then there's the part about how Klaus continues to be impressed with how love makes people do the wacky, and like the psychopath he is he's got to go get him some of that. And then there's the part about how they could both play each other to get what they want - it would keep Tyler in line with Klaus but could also potentially be his way out of Klaus' control. And THEN there's the part where they have smokin' hot chemistry. If I can't have Bonnie/Klaus, this will certainly do.

truecrystal wrote:

Damon's fucked up and only understands "impulse control" in a purely theoretical, academic sense, which certainly causes problems. But Stefan? That boy is actually more fucked up than Damon and has absolutely zero sense of proportion.

What makes THIS SHOW so great is that they've managed to take something incredibly attractive in Stefan and make it scary and awful and they're not white-washing or hand-waving it away. And what makes THIS SHOW even greater is that while Stefan's behavior is obviously impacting the triangle by driving Elena closer to Damon, it's not about jealousy or Stefan being focused on what Damon and Elena are doing together which would be totally obvious and, quite frankly, would get on my nerves after a while. Stefan's behavior makes the possibility of Stefan/Elena harder to imagine, but to me it's also not completely off the table because in all its fucked-upness, there's a warped sense of selflessness that I can appreciate.

Yes! Since this show is kind of built on a love triangle (or a few of them, rather), I was worried that it would get just plain tedious after a while. But thankfully, they've managed to make the triangle about more than just "they both love her and she loves them and can't/won't choose and it's driving a wedge between the boys and everyone gets really whiny about it." This is so, so much better. It's not quite Farscape-level unique (they did a love triangle with only two people!), but it's a fresh approach for this type of show, especially since it doesn't even really belabor the "Stefan's driving her away and into Damon's arms" aspect of that whole storyline.

(Also, as a Buffy-lover aside, here's where I give the side-eye to Angel because for all his self-loathing he sure was selfish. Yes, it's been over forever and I am STILL BITTER about Angel the "champion".)

Oh, jeez. Don't even get me started on Buffy and Angel. Or Angel and Cordelia. *sigh* Those kids.

I'm still hopeful for them to get back together--I'm still stuck on Damon *actually killing* Jeremy and Elena getting over that with no problem. Different, yes. But also IMO even more horrific.

I'm not sure she's necessarily gotten over it. I think there's just soooo much other shit that's more of an immediate priority (like the impending Klaus-ageddon, Jenna and John dying, Damon nearly dying, Stefan disappearing and then turning to the dark side, Tyler being sired, Alaric nearly dying, Jeremy's whole deterioration, etc) that there's really no point in harping on it, since Damon seems to have made a genuine effort lately to reign in his massive tantrums. That, plus the fact that she and Damon have become eachother's support system after Stefan disappeared then went off the rails, probably doesn't let her think about that too much. If she tried to hold all of that fucked-up-ness and wildly contradictory feelings in her head at once, it would explode. Also, I read an LJ post a few weeks ago that explored Elena's evolving feelings toward Damon in S2 (like, how could she possibly go from him killing Jeremy at the beginning, to working with him, to deathbed smoochies) and it really shines a light on just how fucked up Elena really is and from that perspective, it makes sense that she would at least put that grudge on the back burner. The LJ post explained it so much better than I did (it's 3 am and I'm bordering on incoherent), so I'll try to look it up again tomorrow.

I'm also sorta obsessed with Klaus/Caroline right now. Even though I know nothing real could ever come of it--Could it, SHOW? COULD IT?!--it's so twisted and wrong that I can't help but want it to happen. The Rebekah angle alone would be enough to have me sold. But then there's the part about how Klaus continues to be impressed with how love makes people do the wacky, and like the psychopath he is he's got to go get him some of that. And then there's the part about how they could both play each other to get what they want - it would keep Tyler in line with Klaus but could also potentially be his way out of Klaus' control. And THEN there's the part where they have smokin' hot chemistry. If I can't have Bonnie/Klaus, this will certainly do.

I'm also sorta obsessed with Klaus/Caroline now. It's so intriguing! I really hope something real comes of it. There is so much potential for twisted, awful, gross WRONGNESS of such magnitude, that it may even outshine that of Elena and her boys.


I really need to stop flailing and go to bed.

I don't know which I loved more, the Stefan/Elena scene or the Matt/Elena scene. Leaning toward Matt & Elena because they know each other so well and have been through so much. Also I'm now convinced that they were each others "First". That scene showed how they are a rare comfy place in a long friendship that included sex and life changing tragedies.

Klaus and Caroline? Wow. never saw it coming, but I'm ready to go where ever the show takes me.

Poor ForeverAloneBonnie. She gets no lovin'

I think for me Stefan/Elena will never be off the table, because of a) that chemistry and b) this show. I have so much faith in this show. Its so weird. I just am like I don't know how, but I know you will have me rooting for them by the end of the season.

I also loved Klaus/Caroline. I actually would find it kinda awesome if it did become something long term and real. Just because of yet another layer it would add to Klaus. He really has become my favorite character on this show.

Poor Bonnie. I still think she and Damon should hook up at some point.

The thing is, Klaus has mad chemistry with EVERYONE! Damon, Stefan, Elana, Rebekah,Alaric, Tyler, Bonnie, The Mayor, Random Hybrids who get decapitated, pizza delivery men, potted plants in the foyer, etc, but he really seemed to turn it up for Caroline. I mean, seriously, SWOON. Klaus gets to stay forever, right? I think THIS SHOW needs to be done like a soap opera and be on every damn day.

Kiran wrote:I think for me Stefan/Elena will never be off the table, because of a) that chemistry and b) this show. I have so much faith in this show. Its so weird. I just am like I don't know how, but I know you will have me rooting for them by the end of the season.

The thing about this show is that NOTHING is ever off the table! I love that. I love Stefan and Elena together, but I'm equally interested in Damon & Elena together because it's not done in a super clichéd way and there is a real reason for the two of them to have grown closer after Stefan's departure with Klaus.
I'm just enjoying the journey to be honest and seeing what happens next.

Klaus and Caroline was nicely done. It was suitably creepy but also a bit poignant when you realise that Klaus has been without the people he cares most about in the world and had to experience most of those things on his own. Granted, he was without those people because of something he did but still.