THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Family Ties

Man, you guys, I REALLY enjoyed last night’s episode. A lot happened, but it was focused, which I liked. And there were parts that were seriously, SERIOUSLY funny. And cool. Shall we … sink our teeth in? (Sorry, I had to.)

I was hooked on this episode before we even got to the title card. It was fun to start the show without a kill of the week, and instead go for Stefan having a nightmare about Elena. And I love how that transitioned straight into brotherly bitchiness.

Damon KILLED me this week (no pun intended, although you know I’ll never apologize if it is). I am usually not into the super pretty boys, which he undoubtedly is, but I’m also a sucker for villains, as we’ve discussed. Every time the camera panned between Stefan and Damon, I couldn’t decide who I had a bigger crush on, so way to go, casting department! It’s a good problem to have. Anyway, Stefan throwing the knife at Damon was pretty great, but the real pay off there was when Damon jabbed it between Stefan’s ribs, telling him, “Dude, this shirt is a [blah blah designercakes]. Dick move.” Hee! I love those two.

The first part was loaded with Damon goodness as he watched Caroline picking out a dress for the founders’ party. I love how she’s so strong-willed and sassy with him, but then he finally gets irritated and gets in her head to get his way. They have such a great dynamic—not as a functional couple, obviously, but a real treat for the viewer. Like when he finally made her invite him to the party, and he just turned back to his book, and was like, “Not if you’re wearing that dress.” Hilarious!

And speaking of hilarious, that’s a perfect segue into Damon reading Twilight. GENIUS. Of all the characters on this show to pick that one up, he is THE ONE you would want to see do it. Loved the complaining about Edward being whipped (Damon would hate that) and the sparkling (“I live in the real world, where vampires burn up if they go in the sun,” and, “I have a ring. It’s complicated.”), and saying how he missed Anne Rice and how she really got it right, which I’m thinking may provide some insight into the mythology (and I have GOT to get my hands on a paperback of “Interview With the Vampire”—I am too into vampires and it gets referenced way too often for me to put that off any longer—we really need a TV book club, no?).

Since we’re already on the subject of Damon and Caroline, we might as well just finish talking about them now. I kind of love those two. That scene where she asked him if he was going to kill her and he was all sweetly, “Mmmmhmmm, but not yet,” was just great, and then at the end when she made him so, so angry and he got his temper under control, I thought it was yet another great moment of acting from Ian Somerhalder. He’s really good at portraying a lot of really complex emotions and I think in the hands of another actor, Damon would me much flatter. I know he tried to kill Caroline, but I did like that it seemed to be more out of self-preservation than actual anger. And I like that Caroline seems to know that he’s a vampire, although I’m not sure if she only knows when she’s under his spell or if she knows all the time—I can’t really tell. But I was glad Damon wasn’t able to finish the job. Those two need to be paired up for a good long time.

The other couples, although a little less thrilling for me and than Damon and Caroline, were also pretty good this week. Stefan and Elena had that hot makeout session before Stefan vamped out, which makes me wonder if we’ll get to see TEENAGE VAMPIRE SEX! if (and I assume “when”) Elena finds out about him. And I bet it will be The Hot. Was anyone else expecting someone to walk in on them? I totally was, except oh wait! This show doesn’t believe in adults! (Although that turned out to be less true this week, but we’ll get to that.)

Things finally quit being all sunshine and roses for Elena and Stefan when they got into their first fight. Well, Elena got into a fight, Stefan wasn’t really participating, which, can I just say, is something that I haaaaaate. Someone who won’t fight with me is cause for a break-up. Just saying. But anyway, she was bugged by him being so secretive all the time, thanks in part to both Bonnie and Damon planting some seeds of doubt in her mind. She stomps off to the bathroom and sees Caroline, and notices the bite marks on her, and go gives Damon one of her Big! Threatening! Lectures! that Jeremy has become so familiar with. She then heads off to Stefan to tell him he was right about Damon and then freaks out at him AGAIN when she realizes that he knew Damon was up to something pretty horrible.

I mean, on the one hand, I’m glad that they aren’t just still making googly eyes at each other, because really, how long can you keep doing that? I mean, I guess you can do it for AWHILE, if you have things to occupy your time together, if you know what I mean. And they don’t, because whenever they make out, one of them gets veiny bloodlust eyes. So it puts a damper on things.

They were really cute at the party, though—I loved when he had one more dance for her (even though it ended in fighting), and did anyone else love Elena’s Bump-It? It kind of inspired me that I might need my own. Although I wonder if combing my hair over a steel wool pad would give the same general effect, but for cheaper and more convenient. Hmmm. Oh, and while I’m being shallow, Elena’s boobs were CRAZY in that dress. In the good way.

And finally, for all of our young teenagers in love, we have Vickie Donovan, who seriously, I love more each episode. I felt really bad for her with Tyler being such an ass at her job, and then for him making her avoid his parents. Who wants to be THAT girl, that your guy is so obviously ashamed of? And seriously, I still can’t believe that Vickie wants to go out with that douche after the whole attempted rape in the woods thing, but she’s clearly effed up so I suppose stranger things have happened. I was glad when she bailed on Tyler though. I sort of believed him that he actually likes her, but I’m sure his mom makes his life difficult. That mom was DELICIOUS. More of her please. (And it looks like I’ll get my wish!)

Vickie headed on over to Jeremy’s where she pretty much proceeded to pick him, and it was so sweet—two messed up kids finding each other, and you don’t even get the feeling that it’s doomed to end badly (although it probably is, if it’s anything like real life). Jeremy was much better for me this time—more just sad, than anything, and I think that’s really relatable. He’s lost his parents, AND he’s a young teenage guy, which is rough, and his dream girl is hanging out with AN ATTEMPTED RAPIST (I cannot stress this enough—that is gross). I like the more subtle Jeremy.

I mentioned to Billy that Jeremy is Steve McQueen’s grandson, and asked if he knew who that was. He was like, “Um, hello, of course,” because apparently it’s required as a dude that you know who Steve McQueen is and think he’s awesome. I’ve heard of him and his awesomeness many times, but I wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a crowd, and furthermore, I didn’t recognize the title of one single movie of his that Billy rattled off to me. But based on young Steve R. McQueen here, I totally believe that he is very hot and very cool.

So finally, our most shocking development this week—there are actual ADULTS in Mystic Falls! WTF, right? And confession time, I’ve gotten so used to there NOT being adults and just putting it out of my mind, that when Aunt Jenna ran into her old newscaster boyfriend, I was like, “Seriously? We’re giving her a storyline now?” But the truth is, it didn’t take long before I was hooked. When he was following her around, and she was telling him to piss off, and he was like, “You’re exactly the same,” and she said, “Actually, I’m a lot meaner now,” I just identified so much and really fell in love with her. And when he was begging her for a second chance to prove his loyalty, I was like, NO! It never ends up well! Run! I thought she might actually go for it, but then she brought up the person that he presumably cheated on her with, and I was like, “Go girl!” So now I guess I’m aboard the Aunt Jenna love train. I’m getting so old, you guys.

But the real genius of all of this was that it ties into the actual vampire plot and doesn’t just exist to take up airtime. Apparently, the adults we were introduced to at the party, INCLUDING Tyler’s mom, who I LOVE, are in some sort of vampire protection circle of trust (I don’t really know what you’d call it), and they need a bunch of heirlooms passed down through the generations, including a pocketwatch that was left with Jeremy and which scummy newscaster ex vows to find. I LOVE the introduction of this plot, and speaking of heirlooms, I also can’t wait to see what on earth that little jewel was that Damon fished out and that Caroline ended up with, and how that plays out.

I can’t believe we’re only four episodes into this season, because I’m already so invested in the characters, including the side characters, and the story is both getting set up and moving along nicely. I thought this episode was a good balance of having plenty going on, but remaining focused and not having an overwhelming amount of things happening. And it’s just building up nicely.

How about you guys? What are your thoughts on Damon and Caroline, on Stefan and Elena fighting, on Bonnie lighting candles with her mind, and on actual grown-ups having an actual presence on this show? And how about Zach’s vervain garden? Hash it all out in the comments!

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.