It’s a difficult thing when you begin to review a television show. I mean, obviously, I’m just here reviewing it for my own blog — not anywhere important — but still, you begin to look at it differently. I suppose I can still watch an episode and find that there’s a great entertainment value in it, but otherwise it may have fallen flat…and yet that’s still very hard for me to do. It’s difficult to separate yourself from the entertainment value and the storyline and the characterization.
Should I just begin reviewing on entertainment value alone? I feel as though in the beginning of this season, I was doing just that — and certainly, tonight’s episode was entertaining. It always is. But now, I focus way too much on the ifs and hows and whys in the quest of who these characters are.
For example, when Tyler found the drawing Klaus made for Caroline and questioned why she had kept it, I questioned the same thing. Why would Caroline keep the drawing the mass murderer in town who tried to kill her twice and sired her boyfriend and threatened everyone she loves made? Why? It mostly irks me because in the beginning of the episode, it seemed like Caroline’s heart was set straight. But if that scene was actually inputted to test whether or not she’s reciprocating feelings, I don’t know how this is a logical step for her character.
The same goes for Elena who planted one on an almost-half-naked Damon as they then proceeded to dry hump against a column only to be interrupted by her brother. In other words, they were interrupted by the guy Damon killed close to six months ago (in show time) who happens to be Elena’s brother. Can we actually forgive that? As I was watching with my sister, I reminded her of that and she responded with, “Ah! He’s a vampire! They do those things!”
Those things? Like kill people? I mean — what now? It’s completely unforgivable. Completely! Now, Stefan obviously has murdered countless people, but it wasn’t her own brother. And what gets at me the most is that Elena is not one bit attracted to Damon’s darkness. Not at all. They aren’t even trying to make you believe that’s what’s happening. She only stares him down when she learns of how he put Rose out of her misery, because it displays the “good” in him. It’s only a hard decision to admit her feelings for Damon because he very well may be “good.” I mean, she admitted herself that if he had screwed up, the decision would have been made for her.
Listen, everyone knows I’m rooting for Stefan and Elena. But that doesn’t make me some dramatic weirdo who just cannot stand Damon and Elena together. Make it happen. I couldn’t care less. But do it in a way in which when I watch it, I’m not thinking Elena’s attracted to the exact same aspects in these brothers. It’s hard enough for me not feeling any chemistry between the two characters, but I’m also watching a relationship develop from the idea of the former relationship with the other brother. I don’t understand it.
And so when Rose said that Stefan’s love is “pure” but Damon’s may be the best or worst thing because it makes her question life, I’m still dumbfounded. First off, what is so awful about pure love? Second, who is Rose to be an authority on Elena’s relationship with Stefan? (Because she’s a ghost creeper?) And third, what else in Elena’s existence isn’t making her question life? The girl, just in the past two years or so, has lost her parents, her biological parents, may be losing her guardian, found out vampires existed, found out werewolves existed, found out witches existed, became the number one commodity between these beings, learned she was a descendant of doppelgangers, lost her boyfriend to his own darkness, and had to navigate it all without dying every single day. What is there to question? Evilness exists.
At least, with the Alaric storyline, the show has decided to ride that level of ambiguity a bit better. Although, Stefan did have to basically state it explicitly: there is darkness in all of us. And thus, with that statement, it seems the show is headed into a place of allowing the characters to acknowledge their own evil but being “okay with it” as long as that evil doesn’t overtake them. Or something to that effect. I guess, for the most part, I’m fine with this definition of “good” on the show. (Even if, as aforementioned, it completely contradicts the Elena and Damon relationship, which could be a great storyline.) Though, I’m not exactly a fan of Stefan determining that everything he went through is all for not if Elena has feelings for someone else. YOU COULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT JOURNEY FOR YOURSELF. Elena is not the end all and be all for justification.
And if I don’t stop there, I will continue with this topic forever. So let me get on with what else happened.
Elsewhere, this was a pretty shipper-heavy episode. Caroline and Tyler did it and then had issues. Damon and Elena went there with their hot and heavy kiss. Stefan and Elena are a bit estranged during the episode. Klaus and Caroline are mentioned. And Rebecca and Matt have sparks. Rebecca is perhaps my favorite Original at this point, mostly because she very well may be the most well-layered character this show has ever created. She’s just fantastic — either the writing, or the acting, or both, but you can just see how much goodness there is inside her, just how vulnerable she is. And her line, “I haven’t lived a day in my life,” just absolutely killed me. And then her mother had to possess her. Nice going there, mom. In any case, I think Matt is becoming the Caroline of the show, where people may start shipping him with everyone. And since, over the past few episodes, I have become a huge fan of Rebecca’s, I’m okay with Matt and Rebecca.
And here’s why I like them more than Caroline and Klaus: Rebecca feels. And that’s really all that matters. Besides, it’s not so out-of-nowhere. And she didn’t try to kill everyone. I mean, she does want to kill Elena… so it’s complicated. But if the show has to go there, I think it makes a bit more sense.
Meanwhile, Kol is finally useful and was fun as the ruthless villain. And now the Scooby Doo Gang has no idea where they descended from. Ruh-roh! I’m sure there has to be a way to get around this. (It’s probably that the Originals will stay indefinitely.) Needless to say, I’m only okay with this storyline if it actually goes somewhere. And, to be frank, I don’t care if both Klaus and Tyler are collateral damage. Buh-bye. Something’s gotta give. These people cannot just stay around if there’s no purpose.
Speaking of which, I don’t know what to make of this whole possessed story…only because, as I mentioned, Rebecca is my favorite. So I want her back. Other than that, it’s most certainly compelling. I mean, here I am not caring which Originals die, but knowing that if one of them dies, all the vampires in their bloodlines die — and it’s like a game of Russian Roulette, so now I have to care. It’s a fantastic storyline, currently. I enjoyed Damon, Elena, and Jeremy hunting down clues and Kol pushing Elena down. Good stuff.
In that sense, the episode had great entertainment value. I would categorize this as one of the more interesting episodes this season. But I still find myself questioning a bit of the characters’ actions. I don’t think I’ll be able to judge the episodes by one aspect or the other, solely, anytime soon, and I think that’s okay. I think it’s okay to either love or hate an episode because you thought it was entertaining or made no sense or was boring or was true to the characters. Personally, there were enough twists to keep me on my toes. But I’m hoping that seeing this season through pays off in what I think is lack of sensical development. But hey, it’s an hour of TVD — so it was good.
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i really like what you said about Elena only being attracted to the good side in Damon, i never thought about it that way but it makes sense after this episode! and thats why it seems like Elena would never choose Damon because his darkness is part of who he is. i guess thats why ppl even though i like Delena i dont see Elena in love with Damon, because she doesnt accept all of him yet she has tried to accept Stefan's dark side. :(
also, since the Mary Potter (?) vampire died, wouldnt Rose be able to connect with her since they will both be ghosts?
i am really excited about the Rebecca being compelled story, but at the same time it reminds me of Alaric as Klaus...it is very interesting but at the same time it seems like a recycled storyline!
anyway i enjoyed this episode but found it a bit slow. TVD is becoming disappointing and this is so sad cuz i love it so much!!!
Hmm I feel like I need to see it all again from the beginning. See seasons one through three all the way and then judge those three factors because I feel like with all the breaks between episodes this season that it needs to all be seen again through fresh eyes. Maybe opinions I have now about why people are acting the way they are might change when there are weeks between one scene and another. :]]
I had considered starting to blog about tv shows I loved but I found myself not about to just get lost in the emotions of the episode and I guess for me that's the end all of these shows "how do I feel about the characters and the story" for me it doesnt have to be completely explainable by logic and reason why a character or characters do what they do if I'm emotional in favor of the choice :]]
Hey Mike <3 Long time since I've commented lol
I kind of feel like you. I can't see Elena in love with "Damon". I see her in love with the idea that even monsters like vampires can feel love and can be good - the thing is, she fell for Stefan before she learned he was a vampire, so it feels a little truer to me. As for Damon, I cannot shake the idea that he loves Elena because of Katherine - because he's fascinated by her and by who he is when he's around her. It reminds him of how it was to be human and how it was to love, like before he was turned. So, for me Elena wants a Stefan and Damon wants a Katherine, so I just can't buy their relationship : I see chemistry though :)
As for Caroline/Tyler. Oh well. Let's just say I kept wondering if Tyler was jealous of Caroline or of Klaus when he saw the drawing? Hahaha. And they keep trying to shove Klaroline through our throats.. But I must say. The only Car ship I'm digging right now is Matt/Caroline.
Kol must be ridiculous but he sure looks like a improved Elijah. And I feel bad for Rebekah as well. I want them all to die but I don't, at the same time. It's a hard life. Hahahahaha.
<3
Nom.
THANK YOU!! For stating the truth. I could care less if Delena happens, but if it does, it needs to make sense. And this Klaroline ship is going absolutely no where. I can't wait for the photo recap.
The technical quality of a storyline, episode, or series is directly related but not directly equivalent its entertainment value. All fiction requires some suspension of disbelief. The rule of cool covers a multitude of logical sins.
Retcons can be good or bad. Additionally, one must consider the theme of the series and its target demographic.For example, I'm fairly certain that many viewers of the episode think the episode was amazing or total crap based purely on the Delena scenes and conversely don't care that Damon beat up Kol easily despite their extreme age difference.
I liked the episode. I thought it was a good episode. Good pacing and plotting. I liked Caroline's plan to get out of planning the dance. I liked Becky's line about never living a day. Esther possessing Becky was a cool reveal. I liked the Stefan/Alaric scenes. Still, Rose was extremely anvilicious, Tyler and Caroline had drama for drama's sake which is bad. I understand Caroline keeping the drawing not because she likes Klaus but because she likes the gesture. However, Caroline would have thrown it out or put it away somewhere if she was going to be with Tyler at her house. If Tyler is so in love/devoted to Caroline then a note/drawing shouldn't make him act super petty. A rushed storyline. I won't write about the love triangle since it's the point of the series but it is stupid and ridiculous.
Excellent points. This is also similar to Stefan leaving the picture of Katherine out while Elena was around. Too easy.
I don't think they made any mention of Bonnie throughout the entire episode. Not unusual but given what happened in the last episode I wanted something. I mean we're "planning" another school dance for peat's sake. No one can take a break to inquire regarding her whereabouts? No search party? No scene with her visiting the school counselor to discuss her trauma (as all the characters should be doing)? But then that would take too much attention away from the real characters . . . I find it hard to believe they could not give her a moment for emotion and self-reflection especially given that she hardly exists within her circle of so-called friends.
Also why is it a suspenseful moment that Damon doesn't care that by killing Klaus Tyler might die? I mean, Bonnie and her mother's lives were decided on a coin toss. Damon would "heroically" let Bonnie die to save Elena. Damon has raped Caroline and raped and killed several characters, predominantly female, on this show. His brother is certainly no better and I don't like how they try to liken his murderous rampages with an actual disease.
I would only hope that killing Klaus means that Tyler can revert back to his original form. And with his new-found comfort in transforming into a werewolf perhaps he can better deal with the way he is. And perhaps his activity as a hybrid may bestow upon him some amount of control over his transformation. I don't see them killing him b/c they would have no werewolves in the main cast unless by inducting someone new into the main group. With that in mind it would be funny if they got rid of Bonnie and just replaced her with another black witch.
I can better understand where Rebecca is coming from. I do like her character. She and I share a similar level of dislike for Elena. And I can understand that since she's lived in a vegetative state in a coffin for most her eternal life that has lead to some arrested development in her case. So far she's adjusting to life without that limitation. But still there are challenges.
And I liked Kol getting "even." It's okay for Damon to suffer a bruising here and there. Damon can be an incorrigible beast for all I care, but I'd like to see him face some realistic consequences for wrong-doing. Same goes for Stefan. I don't feel these sorts of things go out the window if you happen to be supernatural. And Elena, she's never really going to be in any real danger. Although she's suffered some terrible circumstances, such as being force-fed vampire blood.
Comparing the love scenes, Damon and Elena seemed a bit ridiculous to me. It didn't make any sense and it's upset many fans from what I've seen. The music, the wind, the kissing. I just wasn't feeling it. Tyler and Caroline was okay.
And you're right that Damon could not possibly be the only thing that has challenged Elena in these two years. Stefan challenges her as well, since clearly he can't be what she wants entirely so she will have to accept him for what he is.
Caroline should have told Tyler something with more conviction. Like: "Oh that old thing, I forgot to to throw it away. Surprised you even found it here."
Twist at the end was nice. Hope Rebecca comes out of it in one piece.
Well, rhey didn't need a spell so why would Bonnie show up? That and the fact that this eisode is full of DE has made me skip it. Just enjoying all the recaps instead. If the SL actually improves I might consider watching the rest of the season.
Haha I know. But must they remind me of how much she doesn't matter all the time? My heart can only take so much abuse. I figured I would keep watching until the end of this season and then make my decision. Mostly likely I'll quit watching and just stick to the recaps, too. I was considering doing the same with True Blood, but since Alan Ball will no longer be working on that show I might wait and see what's in store for next year's season.
Like another commentator stated, I'm mostly here for a few characters not including the main trio. But I can't support a show that is so blatantly racist, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic. I think that the show can be salvaged, but it feels like the writers are feeling so above reproach that they're probably having a fart sniffing party every time they write a new episode.
Well, I have to admit I kinda want Delena to happen because... well, that has to be the hottest kiss/make out session ever seen on TVD. I mean id you see Elena, she was ON, ON!, you guys.
Nevertheless, I don't see that relationship justified on logic. Then again, I don't se Stelena as logic, either, so whatever. I'll keep hoping for ehr to hook up with Matt in the end.
Also, I went to the forums and read this girl who wrote something among the lines of "Delena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameBLAHBLAHBLAHDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgameBLAHBLAHBLAHDelena is endgameDelena is endgameDelena is endgame" So maybe she rubbed on me.
As whole, I think this episode was OK and interesting. It certainly tops that branch of episodes that gave a lot of trouble to like, but I wouldn't count is as one of the best. It was good, looking forwood (see what I did there?) for the 1920s Decade Dance, which by the way means they have two of this per year, they surely got a lot of money in Mystic Falls, I wonder what do people do for a living there...
And I love Rebekah, can't say no more, gonna marry that girl one day I promise.
ITA about Rose comment...terrible..I really love Stefan's character and I don't like it when they use that words like good and save to reflect the SE relationship because it doesn't reflect it at all. We all know DE has to happen, so be it, but to reduce SE on being good feels so wrong. I mean Damon might challenge Elena about plans, risking more in a plan and he also tried to push her to admit what she feels for him, but Stefan challenges her imo more. He wanted her to find out what she truely feels and he wanted her to be honest with herself and him and Damon. He wanted her to be honest about not becoming a vampire in 2x20 and about her to acknowlege his rippah rampage in 3x04. He offered her to talk with him about their future, but he is not forcing her into things. He is talking with her, trying to get her to places she doesn't want to go herself. This is for me a challenge. It is a different one then the one Damon is challenging her, but it's a much more personal challenge and i don't like that they don't adress to that. Feels like a failure. Ughhhh
Definitely agree with your statement and glad you brought up that pivotal scene from 2x20. It was right on the heels of Damon force-feeding Elena his blood. There's a lot of bad things associated with both Damon and Stefan, so it's odd that they keep using this good brother/bad brother dichotomy. Given their list of sins they're both pretty bad.
Michael,I love this review!I will hit the tweet button until it breaks!You 're right!Stefan should accept himself for himself not Elena!She won't be around forever-he will!
I liked this episode, but still, I've seen better.
I totally agree with you about Damon and Elena! He killed Jeremy for god;s sake! it was just lucky coincidence that Jeremy was wearing this ring. But he wanted to kill Jeremy just for fun, just because he was angry. And she is just kissing him like that.
I am not rooting for Stefan and Elena. They were so boring together and when I was seeing them so sweet and too perfect I just wanted to turn off my tv. Seriously.
As I said before I don't know what in this show character supposed to do to be hated by others. Alaric killed Caroline's father and everyone is ok with that. Stefan is a killer and Damon is a killer and everyone is like, ok, you are a vampire/this was just your bad alter ego. This is just pathetic!
Rebekah is awesome and well, I knew that Esther is up to something, but I didn't expect her to posses Rebekah's body.
And yes, I think Rebekah and Matt would be perfect for each other. And I am so sad that she'll be suffering again.
Caroline and Klaus is the funniest relationship ever. But not in a good way. Seriously, Klaus murdered a lot of people she knew, he turned Tyler into hybrid, he told Tyler to bite Caroline, he is just bad and she is still into him. It is so wrong!
I loved Kol since I saw him. the faisty one, something was definitely wrong with him, but he have something! In this ep he was funny and I loved him with baseball bat and I was woowing, when he hit Damon couple of times, but... Well Damon killed Finn and Kol just wanted them to be even and he just hit him a couple of times and he called that even? Seriously? I mean, vampires can regenerate so those hits were just like spider's bite, it was hurting for a while and then it was gone. I am so not happy about that. I mean, even Rebekah was torturing Damon and that was better than faisty Kol trying to show off.
Agree with you. Especially Kol's part. I think he seems like the Damon of S1. Wish he hadn't said "now we're even". They'll never be even unless Kol kills Stefan. THEN they're even