This is our male perspective review of the episode. You can read our female review of “The New Deal” by clicking here. No sexism intended.

Elena and Damon making googly eyes at each other during The Vampire Diaries episode 3.10 "The New Deal" airing January 5th, 2012.

I have vehemently been a “Stelena” fan (for those that are sane enough to stay out of the fandom in that sense, that is the Stefan and Elena couple name). That for sure is no secret. Everyone knows. There’s plenty to love about that couple because they just fit together well on screen that the show even has to make Elena believe that Stefan “betrayed” her (ugh.) to have her act on the feelings she has for Damon. Also, because it would be kind of slutty and incestual if they just entered some ménage à trois type relationship with Stefan in the mix.

Guess we’ll leave those for True Blood scenes with about zero payoff.

And I know no one actually cares what I think, but I started seeing what the Delena (Damon and Elena, again just in case) fans were seeing with the couple during their bed scene earlier this season. And with “The New Deal,” I’m seeing it again. It started in the kitchen scene — and I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s the music, maybe it’s the fact that it was basically said either Stelena or Delena are going to kiss and I was anxious already — and then progressed to the porch scene, but I could not stop saying, “Oh! Oh! They’re gonna — oh! They’re going to kiss! Wait… no… not now… oh, he’s walking away then… AH! WAIT!”

Basically I fangirled, which embarrasses me for two reasons: (1) I thought I was better than that; (2) I’m a guy.

Then I took a look at Tumblr and felt slightly better. Whew.

I do have a major problem, however, with the kiss (other than following Jeremy’s scene that made it feel a bit rushed). It was sweet, yes, but therein lies the problem. I think Stefan and Elena has a following because they’re sweet. What Elena and Damon need to be is something else entirely; they need to ignite my television screen with undeniable, heavy, unrequited, unequivocal, steamy sexual tension! Otherwise I’m seeing a Stelena transplant — and I got that in the freshman season. Though I appreciate the slow burn the couple is taking, you have to ask yourself what’s the difference between Damon and Stefan if they aren’t actually different; so one is a perfect gentleman and the other is a perfect gentleman… what does one bring that the other can’t? It’s a definite problem, for me personally, that seems to be getting no answers thus far.

I can deal with Damon and Elena brewing when he’s the bad boy even if I don’t see chemistry with them in that sense because at least we know what need or want he’s satisfying for Elena.

I know, I know… I’m basing this on just the one kiss and no information from the future. So moving on, since I’ve spent way too much time on one kiss:

Earlier this week, we got word that Jeremy was going to leave Mystic Falls (well, “someone” but come on) but I was kind of irked at how they did it. What the hell? Jeremy was making absolutely perfect sense: “We need to get out of here before we die, hello! Does no one understand? Everyone’s dying. Let’s bounce!” Then he comes to terms with it. And then Elena meddles in his (16 year old ha yeah right) life yet again? Why? Because that was such a popular moment in season one?

I know she did it out of love and trying to save his life, but as Damon said in the scene prior, “Stop saving me.”

It goes without saying, but I would much rather have seen a scene where Jeremy was absolutely sane and on his own will decided to leave because it makes sense to leave a town where everyone is dropping left and right. I can only hope that the writers have something planned for Jeremy’s return (if he does return) because if they just needed someone to leave the show, there’s a better candidate. (Hint: it’s someone you didn’t even notice wasn’t in this episode. His name starts with an “M” and ends with an “att.”) I appreciate the show, however, actually humanizing the events. There are so many supernatural beings that it’s easy to forget some of these people are, well, people. And Jeremy’s descent into realizing this as well was good, just underwhelming and anticlimactic.

Meanwhile: Tyler’s siring continues to freak me out, though I love how he talks about it as if this problem is just some simple high school thing he and Caroline are going through. I know I talked about romance a lot in this review, but Alaric’s new love interest (Paul Wesley’s wife!) sort of felt out of place for me; I feel like there’s more that’s going on that we don’t have time to develop Alaric’s love life a few months after Jenna’s death but we’ll see. Though, I am glad that Klaus has once again proven himself to be someone you should fear, almost killing Jeremy and Alaric in the process. I know I said the appeal to Stefan and Elena is how sweet they are, but I’m also enjoying when they’re not so sweet; case in point: that slap. And this is once again another episode in which I wish the show was on cable; just imagine how much more gross that chopping-off-head scene could have been — and it was pretty gross already.

I know this episode will be on the top of many fans’ list, but unfortunately for me I feel like the story was just halted a bit for a certain something else (above). I mean, when Bonnie walked in with Stefan towards the end of the episode looking at the coffins, I was like “Oh… right… the coffins and that story….”

Here’s to hoping an Original wakes up sooner rather than later. Especially if it’s Rebekah, please!