You know, for all of the ranting I’ve done about season three this year, The Vampire Diaries remains as one of my favorite series on television today. (Check back with me next year.) And season 3, while as a whole was rocky at best, was still entertaining…mainly if you downplay the enhanced love triangle drama in your memories. Otherwise, it was The Love Triangle Show. But anyway…
Season 3 still provided some truly genuine shocks and somehow did gore and suspense like we’ve never experience on this show before, in the best possible way. And after everyone started erroneously linking to my top moments of the first half of season 3 weeks ago, I decided I should make another, more official list of my favorite moments (and aspects, really) of this third outing without the need to feel cheeky or comedic. I know it’s been a long time since the end of the season, but as my mother always says: Better late than never!
Here they are…
Sometimes, it’s not really hard to make a good scene: just put two really good-looking people together and have them pant a lot. Anyway, that’s what made this scene work.
Katherine is the best. No arguments here. So her final episode this season needed to shine the light on her and all of her glory…which it did. But my favorite part, even though we all knew it was Katherine once she got stabbed, was her reveal that she duped everyone into thinking she was Elena (yet again, but still). And that “Ka-boom!” Please, Katherine: come back, pronto!
Seeing that I have an unnatural obsession with Anna on The Vampire Diaries, it’s no surprise that she’s on my favorite moments of season 3 list. And while her return should merit its own slot in this list, I was most excited when Jeremy and Anna shared a kiss. Their chemistry is absolutely undeniable, even when she’s dead… or undead for that matter.
After a series of repetitive episodes, came “The Murder of One” which dropped this little bomb on us: if you kill one Original vampire, all the vampires in its bloodline will die as well! It was one of the most “TVD is BACK!” moments — and it very much helped propel momentum during the hiatus, proving that that Vampire Diaries still has a trick or two up its sleeve.
I don’t like that Caroline’s dad died, but I love this scene because it’s one of the few moments on The Vampire Diaries where it tugged at my heartstrings. And more so, Candice Accola and Jack Coleman played it beautifully, especially off each other. More so, I love the idea behind why Bill wants to die: “My strength is all in my beliefs.” Beautifully stated, and something this show oftentimes forgets about its moral code.
I’ll be the first to admit that it wasn’t as hot as Katherine and Damon’s in season one (and not as hot as Damon and Elena’s kiss later on in the season) but something about this scene is so quaint and beautiful, right down to the music. “It’s everything you wanted, it’s everything you don’t…” you know me so well, TVD. This episode even had me fangirling!
The Original Family really started to come on this show and crowd things up, but surprisingly over the course of several episodes I found my favorite in Rebekah. Again, I don’t know if it’s fantastic writing or if Claire Holt is an amazing actress or both, but this scene with her mother where she explains that she hasn’t “lived at all” almost killed me as it perfectly portrays all of her insecurities.
Stefan the Ripper has been universally loved, but one of his best scenes was sort of his origins, when Damon asks him to drink a strange woman’s blood — what follows is Stefan going off the rails and completely beheading her. Paul Wesley’s “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry” thereafter was creepy, to boot!
I absolutely love 3×08 “Ordinary People” as a whole (including Rebekah crying in the beginning of this video), but for all of the Damon and Elena moments (including about three other in-bed scenes) during this season, my absolute favorite is their bed scene during this episode. It was the first moment I truly understood what all the Damon and Elena fans were seeing between both of the characters, and the quiet rhythm they played off each other was just a perk.
There were also a ton of Stefan and Elena scenes — and while 3×03 “The End of the Affair” was a good episode for the couple overall, my favorite moment of perhaps the entire series is this closet scene. The tension is absolutely palpable, and I mean the threat of immediate danger. And that little fake out (“look what I found!”) was just cruel, in a very satisfying way. I love the suspense of this scene!
I’m only half serious. Honestly, I’m extremely glad that they have at least given Bonnie a foyer and a bed and so this scene with Jamie where she actually has a house was an absolute plus. That said, even though the writing for Bonnie can sometimes be lacking, it’s mostly a metaphor for her character. She got a few good scenes this season: telling her mother off a bit, a reunion with her grandmother, making decisions for herself in the finale, and maybe veering into the darkness…who knows?
One of my favorite pairings this season is Matt and Elena! Together, during the back half of the season, they broke into Meredith’s home, got busted, shared important conversations, and even killed an Original! They were like a weirdly competent human being team that sometimes made a mistake or two. And they were glorious.
I seriously regard this as one of the creepiest moments on television. (Well, y’know, network television.) In the 1920s, when Stefan was in full Ripper mode and hanging out with Rebekah and Klaus, he was a “sick freak!” Including this moment when he makes Liam drink his own wife’s blood. It still gives me the jeebies!
Can we just be honest here and say Klaus was mostly peaked as a villain during episode five? Okay, good. Because he absolutely excelled in episode 3×05 when he was an actual threat to anybody — I mean, he turned Tyler into a hybrid. And that slap he gave Elena, whoa! Basically, Klaus was absolutely flawless in 3×05 “The Reckoning” as he always should have been. Unfortunately, it’s mostly downhill from here — he catches feelings, starts drawing, and is never again believable as a threat.
3×09 “Homecoming” has been called sloppy and uneven by many, but it’s perhaps my favorite episode of season 3. And just as I was beginning to fall in love with Rebekah, Elena stabs her in the back — figuratively and literally. And it was amazing, both as a viewer and for the Elena character. It’s always best when Elena harms not herself.
The only saving grace for the second half of this season was “Evilaric,” which is Alaric in all of his evilness. It finally actually put people in danger and used characters that the audience actually cares about. And this scene above where he attacks Meredith, no matter how much I don’t care about Meredith, was one of the very few moments in Vampire Diaries history where suspense was in full force. Even I was screaming out “RUN!!!!” And of course, it was all played masterfully by Matt Davis. Evilaric: thank you for making season 3.5 bearable.
And that about wraps it up for my favorite moments from season 3. There were others, I’m sure, that I won’t be able to list without rewatching, but that should sum it up. Hopefully there are a ton more in season 4!
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The slap of Elena may be my favorite moment of the entire series (yes, including future episodes). I've wanted to do that to her since episode 1.
Hahahaa!! Poor Elena Gilbert, seriously. Why do people dislike her so? Tsk tsk!
I'd do a list but 1) I'm still disappointed and 2) Caroline would be in half of them.
1. I'm with you. 2. I'm not surprised!
What about the scene where klaus is trying to get into the gilbert house and starts throwing the pickets from the fence? totally the most memorable scene from the season!
Also, I thought the first Delena kiss was super cheesy hahah. The soap opera camera angles just kinda ruined it for me :P
Hahaha I mentioned this below that it's not a favorite of mine for…reasons…but it's definitely memorable. Maybe if this were another list xD
It may have been cheesy but I kind of like it. Much more than the BREATHING HAHHHHH NOM NOM NOM, WHOOPS YOUR CHEEK IS IN MY MOUTH PANT PANT BREAAAATHEEE scene y'know?
I'd have to say the hotel kiss would be my favorite moment of the season... only because I had been waiting for that since the very first episode when Damon appeared and said "Hello brother."
Delena gives me all the feels
(I feel like as though I'm too old to say that last sentence since I'm 30, but oh well)
NEVER too old to say "All the feels." NEVER. And 30 ain't old anyway!
I would have put Anna's other reunion on that list - you know the one I mean.
On another subject, I'm really hoping you're going to show True Blood some love. This season looks like it's going to have much of what made this season on TVD so good - epic bromances, a deeper look at the in-show mythology, an incredibly powerful and deranged adversary and plenty of really hot sex. It would be awesome to see some of your reviews and photo recaps of that :)
With her mother? Yes, basically anything that involved Anna was awesome.
Re: True Blood — I'm watching, but I'm not reviewing it or recapping it. Someone else will be doing that on the site (or is supposed to). If I had to, I'd probably cry.
First of all, thanx for posting this, Price did his some time ago and I was wondering if you would do one!
Ok, so here are my fav moments of season 3, I'll go by episode
1. The Birthday - Stefan "playing darts" with Ray was just...wow, I mean, I know we have had a glimpse into Stefan's bloody blasts from the past but this was something different and scary. As funny as it may seem but even though season 3 was so much about DE, I found it quite interesting that they gave SE a few minutes in almost every episode and those minutes were enough to reassure me that they are still the real deal. So that's why Stefan's call to Elena at the end of that episode - well done, TVD, I like you like that!
2. The Hybrid - Klaus's "You have heard of me, fantastic" line to the bunch of his experimental werewolf....Joseph Morgan delivered that one line and you knew instantly, this guy means business!
3. The End Of The Affair - Stefan being a real creep..."offering" that guy to drink his wife's blood...Can you feel disgusted and amazed at the same time?
4. Disturbing Behavior - I have a dilemma here, can't choose between the torture scene and Rebekah kissing Stefan and magically knowing he was lying to her. As a female I loved both because with the first one, TVD stayed true to itself and continued giving audience shirtless torture scenes (almost one in every 5 episodes and they rotate the Salvatores perfectly), with the second one, I wish I had that girl power!
5. The Reckoning - Klaus slapping Elena (because secretly many viewers wanted to be in his place) and Stefan actually attacking her, again Joseph Morgan as Klaus is so powerful you can not NOT obey his orders when he shouts "TURN IT OFF!"
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Rebekah doing those splits!
7. Ghost World - Lexie smashing Stefan's head into that window...Again, GIRL POWER!
8. Ordinary People - The Original Wigs, lol!
9. Homecoming - Katherine's Ka-BOOM!
10. The New Deal - Stefan and Damon at the witch house, Stefan was just so cool while Damon was burning! Sorry, but only people with siblings will understand that!
11. Our Town - This episode had two moments which I think nobody saw coming - Stefan ACTUALLY threatening Elena of that bridge AND Klaus suddenly being interested in Caroline....With both I was like WTF just happened?
12. The Ties That Bind - Elijah re-entering the story in the best way possible - ripping out some guy's heart...I swear, even Klaus did not see THAT coming!
13. Bringing Out The Dead - the dinner scene with the Original brothers vs the Salvatores brothers...Intense, funny, awesome!
14. Dangerous Liaisons - Klaus DRAWS? Likes HORSES? I though I was watching some twisted version of the Bachelor - evil by day, sweety by night.
15. All My Children - The coin toss between the Salvatore brothers...because that is how I sometimes think the writers decide the fate of their characters.
16. 1912 - Stefan's "I am so sorry" to that dead body and trying to that head back on....Paul Wesley was amazing this season! He deserves to be on that list of nominees for an Emmy!
17. Break Through - The Devil's Threesome!
18. Murder of One - Bloodline twist, not because it was an OMG moment, but more like an OMG not another problem! TVD made it clear - No Originals - no show!
19. Heart of Darkness - Fine, I'll give it to the DE fans, the fact that Elena for once initiated that kiss...Yay, progress! I wonder how many seasons will it take for her to say ILY!
20. Do Not Go Gentle - Elena finally realizing that when she says "I won't let anything happen to him/her" that character's days are numbered.
21. Before Sunset - I can't believe you did not list this - Klaus trying to break into the house! Finally TVD got its mojo back and gave us an episode that many named the best of the season!
22. The Departed - No, not Elena dying, or DE's first meeting, or her choice...nope. The scene where Ric stakes Klaus and then closes the coffin...those 5 seconds gave me hope that a) Klaus will not be killed; b) Joseph Morgan can come back to play Klaus again!
I apologize for this long posts, but even though I did not like the entire s3, those were the moments I felt I had to give credit to!
No apologies needed! Thanks for sharing. I'll just comment on one because…well…holy Jesus, woman! :D
I liked Before Sunset but I still maintain that my favorite episode is "Homecoming" this season. And while yes, I will remember the throwing stuff scene, it wasn't exactly a *favorite* of mine. I was basically just laughing. I don't think it had the effect it was supposed to have on me. xD
I loved those moments, too... But I have to put the phone call is 3x01. It was one of the most powerful scenes of the series for me. I thought you were pro Stefan&Elena as a pairing, though...
Yes I love that scene as well! I also love their breakup in 3x03 and when he says that he knows she never stopped loving him later on in the season. I think the call scene is one of the most powerful in the series…regrettably, I didn't list it. But the others, I love these moments just a tad bit more :) And yes, I'm still pro-Stelena.
I loved that phone call scene because this is what TVD does so well, no matter which couple you ship, the show makes sure they all have their great moments AND this is the way TVD tells us there is light at the end of the tunnel!
I agree with some of ur choices like the D/R and J/A hook ups,Evilaric and Katherine's 'kaboom' but I have to say that as a hardcore Stefan fan, I'm feeling a little hurt that you had Bonnie's house above Stefan's "I'm so sorry,I'm so sorry",b/c that scene deserved the second place (first place is reserved for Evilaric forever and ever).Well,my favorite moments from season 3 (in random order):
*The phone call scene from 3x01,b/c anyone who didn't cry while watching it is made of stone!
*David Gallagher as Ray,b/c I simply loved him in that role!
*the end of the affair from beginning to end!It's probably the definition of a perfect episode!
*Alaric deciding to join the Council b/c this scene reminded me of the badass vamp hunter he used to be back in season 1.
*Stefan trying to fight Klaus's compulsion to bite Elena so he threw himself on lockers and walls and then staked himself!Have I mentioned that Stefan is perfect and P.W. is amazing??
*Caroline's "evil blood slut" comment and her being protective over Matt.
*J/A kiss!I can't believe I shipped them in this season far more than I did in season 1!
*Pearl and Anna hug and find peace!*tears forever*
*Damon frees Stefan from the cell b/c a)he loves him soooo much and b b/c he knows that putting him in there was a stupid idea in the first place!
*Katherine!Why can't we have her as the lead female character???
*Jeremy cutting the hybrid's head off with a meat cleaver!
*Matt!I'm surprised how much I liked him this season!He's a human but he still has the courage to turn Rebekah down,he killed an Original and his breakdown upon hearing that Tyler died was a total tearfest!
*Kol b/c I'm a girl and I have eyes!
*Stefan and Damon bonding scenes in '1912'!I'm love their relationship!
*Stefan chopping someone's head off and trying to put it back together while saying 'I'm so sorry,I'm so sorry' .Meanwhile Damon looked so scared of what he did to his little brother by suggesting that he should drink human blood again.
*Damon and Alaric sharing a goodbye kiss in 'Do not go gentle'.What do you mean that never happened??Why am I still watching this show??? Fine,Damon and Alaric's last moment,whatever!
*Evilaric!Special mention to the scenes where a)he staked Klaus b/c enough with him and his tears and simply because Evilaric was awesome while doing it.b)when he said to Elena that she can't tell right from wrong anymore which is totally true and c)when he told Elena that Caroline deserved to die b/c she's a killer.Of course I love Caroline and I don't want to see her die,but Evilaric made me think"hmm....the guy has a point there".
*"I'm not ur little bitch anymore".Oh Tyler!Team Tyler and Team Forwood took a major hit (many hits actually) this season but I never stopped rooting for both teams!
*Tyler and Caroline's plan to run away together,b/c even though they're immortal creatures,they're still teenagers and this is THE teenage dream and they are so adorable together!
Paul Wesley and Matt Davis did an excellent job this season and they are the reason I'm not pretending that s3 never existed!
Yes, I agree so much on this entire post!!!!!!!
Some of these were my favorite moments too! Much as I love this show, I will admit that I found this (the third season) to be the worst of them all. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to season 4!
I basically agree with you in everything, but I'd have to add the scene where Damon comes back for Elena in 3x05 and saves her on the hospital, Klaus throwing things at the Gilbert's house and Kol being on screen even though he's useless. xD