THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Friday Night Bites

You know, I’m kind of loving this show. I feel a little bad about it because I’m definitely not a teenager anymore, but then I also have no shame so I don’t feel THAT bad. I’ve been excited for it to come back on all week—it’s basically the fall equivalent of summer beach reading, and who doesn’t love that?

I continue to love Stefan, but once again, Damon (and more to the point, Ian Somerhalder) stole the show. And while I thank the editors for the shirtless Damon sleeping shot, it was more the subtleties of the character that drew me in this week. There has been some discussion over the past few weeks about the dialogue being uneven and sometimes a little cheesy.  There are many who find  it all a bit on the hammy side, which I can see, but I feel like this week eased those concerns for me, at least when it comes to Damon.

I had been hearing a bit about how the Stefan, Elena, Damon connection was going to form into a love triangle of sorts, but I wasn’t seeing how it was going to come together.  I just wasn’t feeling it between Elena and Damon in either direction.  I thought maybe we’d see Damon tricking Elena into a false romance for his own evil entertainment, but then again I really didn’t the show was going to go there.  But with no real connection between Elena and Damon, what was going to be the catalyst to draw these two together.

But then this week happened.  The turning point came when Elena shared her condolences for Damon with regards to the loss of Katherine.  Not one to usually receive human sympathy, Damon looked genuinely shocked. And it was SUCH a great moment of acting—I REALLY bought it. That look, coupled with Stefan’s accusation that Damon was torturing Stefan because big brother too loved Katherine really gave us some important insight into Damon. But none more so than the sweet (or was it evil) way Damon stroked a sleeping Elena’s cheek. But if Damon’s really feeling for something for Elena, it’s not going to be easy to win her over.  Although, that slap in the parking lot was pretty major – the thin line between love and hate?

Damon is nothing if not emotional. Damon killing the history teacher in such a vicious, arbitrary way was a defense mechanism to prove to Stefan (but more to himself) that he wasn’t susceptible to human emotions.  But we all knew what was going on beneath the surface and I for one am glad that we’re FINALLY starting to get to see some cracks in the Damon façade.

Speaking of him killing the teacher, though—seriously, what now? He was only one of two adults on the whole show (if Aunt Jenna counts as an adult), and now he’s dead. It’s so weird—no one has parents and their school only has one teacher (and one football coach? Really?) and kids drink out in the open at pep rallies. I mean, maybe I’m just getting old but aren’t you at least supposed to go have a party in the middle of a field where your parents can’t find you, or get drunk in someone’s basement or something? Have sex in the backseat of a car, as opposed to in your own room with SCREAMING involved, Carolyn? I mean, help me out here, teenagers! Am I really that behind the times?

And there’s also some weird “rape” themes with this show that I’m not especially a fan of, although I suppose it does give it that darker edge that I think they’re going for. The whole Damon and Carolyn interaction, where he’s basically compelling her so he can do whatever he wants to her, is gross. Stefan said so, but I think maybe not strongly enough. That is seriously messed up. And Vickie still liking Tyler after that whole episode in the woods … I mean, WTF? I know that she’s switching over to Team Jeremy but you have got to get real. And why wasn’t Matt more upset with Tyler about that? If someone claims that your friend tried to rape your sister, would you just let that one drop? COME ON! I don’t know if the show thinks that because this crap is being pulled by the so-called “bad guys” that it’s clear that it’s completely unacceptable, but I think they could be a little harsher on this point, actually. Especially since both of the ones doing the raping or quasi-raping or attempted raping (however you want to call it) are super hot. It could potentially be easy to glorify it, however unintentionally.

Oh, and on the topic of weird sex, how crazy was that dream Elena had? I was watching this like, whoa, that is hot kissing, and then I’m like, ARE WE GETTING TEENAGE VAMPIRE SEX ALREADY??? But then Stefan turned into Damon. Whoa!  That paired with Elena’s scream was a really cool moment.  I had NO idea what was happening, whether Damon had compelled her into thinking he was Stefan or what, but then she woke up and we saw the crow and it all made sense. But it was pretty intense there for a second.

Interestingly, almost all of the other characters continued to grow on me. I would’ve thought there’d be one I’d have started hating by now, but not so. The one that I’m iffiest on is Bonnie, and it’s at least partially because her lower jaw seems to do something weird, or maybe she just has some kind of underbite, but it distracts me and I’m kind of bored with just seeing her make a freaked out face. I don’t really have anything AGAINST her, I just want her to be more interesting.

Carolyn continues to be more and more awesome, though. I love her as a frienemy and a kind of closeted Mean Girl. She and Damon are a glorious pairing and I loved the insight she provided into pre-orphan Elena. And again, I think the show is doing a decent job of showing-not-telling on a lot of these backstories.

I’m late to the party, but I am jumping on the Matt train. He’s just too cute, and too nice, and well … let’s face it, I was also on Team Jacob so it makes sense (but to be clear, I don’t want Elena to choose him over Stefan, at least not at this point).  I kind of want him and Stefan to be friends, although … AWKWARD! But his little chat with Jeremy about Vickie making him work for it was the sweetest thing ever (even though Jeremy ruined it by being a turd), and he just seemed a little less “hurt puppy” this week, which I liked. We need to get Matt moving on with his life and with a fun girl!

Speaking of Jeremy, I finally saw the Jeremy hotness that everyone has been going on about for the first time this week. And with Vickie coming around, I think we might get to see some Happy Jeremy in the near future.

And finally, the vamp himself, Stefan. Was anyone else totally turned on by him remembering the dates? I can’t help it, I like ‘em smart! I thought the “we’re a work in progress” line was a little much (it made me barf and it totally had a cheddar aftertaste), but the forehead bump was cute enough that I forgive it. And her watching him play football … it’s such a high school cliché but who even cares? If I had a boyfriend that played football in high school, I would’ve been totally into it too. And did you guys see the cute little looks across the bonfire? LOVED that. I know everyone doesn’t agree, but I do get the chemistry between those two, big time.

I like that they’re having Stefan actually participate in high school instead of just being crazy obsessed with one girl (Edward), and that he does actually like football instead of sitting around playing classics on his piano (Edward).

The cut hand was a nice touch. We learned a little bit more about TVD’s vampires.  Stefan can injure himself but he heals super fast (same with the broken finger), and it planted some seeds for Elena. When is she going to find out that he’s a vampire?!?! Every single episode makes me more tempted to read the books.

I liked how he was the only one writing in the journal this week. I really don’t mind the diary entries (since it does make sense, given that it’s … The Vampire DIARIES), but cutting back and forth between them writing the exact same things was a little much, so this was a nice toning down without losing the entire concept.

It was sweet to see how much Stefan wants to protect Elena from Damon.  But he knows the power of his brother.  Knowing he can’t be around all the time, he gave her that charmed necklace which gave him a way  to protect her without smothering her.   I know the necklace made her immune to Damon’s compulsion, but I wonder if it also weakened him a bit since he seemed to feel it when she slapped him. That would be cool.

So I was pondering before I started writing this whether it was a bad thing that I’m always comparing this show to something else. But just keepin’ it real, if you’re going to do a show about vampires in the middle of a huge vampire trend and on top of that bring in the Dawson’s Creek dude? You’re kind of asking for comparisons to be made. I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, Billy and I were discussing this show after it aired, and I asked him what he thought. Being a boy (and not as into vampires as I am right now), he’s a little less emotionally involved than I am, and he said, “Yeah, it was pretty good but it’s just one of those shows where I know how it’s going to go for the next seven seasons, you know?” And I DO know … or at least FEEL like I know, which is sort of the same thing at this point. And while I was rolling that around in my head, he went on to say, “More than anything, I feel like it’s Smallville.”

WHAT! Wow. That is SCARY accurate. It’s even in Smallville’s old time slot, which is blowing my mind right now too. Think about it—a good guy (Stefan/Clark) and a bad guy (Damon/Lex), who have brother or pseudo-brother relationships, battling it out for the cute brunette (Elena/Lana). We have the lovelorn friend (Matt/Chloe), a potential power-weakening element (necklace/Kryptonite), AND the hiding of super powers, all while taking place in a high school. Crazy! On the other hand, this show definitely feels darker, and it isn’t following a monster-of-the-week format like Smallville did, especially in its earlier seasons. Elena is fine with me, unlike that stupid Lana. And Stefan isn’t whiney like Clark. So I guess what I’m getting at is that yes, there are definite structural similarities, but while I love Smallville (I do! I swear! I just yell at it a lot, which is kind of my M.O.), I think this is a better-done show.

Please tell me you are all loving THE VAMPIRE DIARIES as much as I am?

SB has many interests, including photography, her pets, entertainment, traveling and writing. She does have a day job, but that mostly amounts to her being a sarcastic young woman with a lot of time on her hands, which is why she appreciates the opportunity to recap.