TVD Thoughts
Sep. 16th, 2011 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
next_to_normalMY SHINY VAMPIRE SHOW IS BACK, YOU GUYS!! Which reminds me that I never actually wrote the post-s2 review I was planning on. Oops.
Before we begin, let's recap the things I want to happen this season:
1. Alaric living with Elena and Jeremy and being their pseudo-father figure.
2. Elena and Damon searching for Stefan.
3. ROAD TRIP.
4. Dark!Stefan
5. Dark!Elena
6. Addressing this Andie business soever_neutral is reassured that the writers aren't totally made of fail on consent issues.
7. More Elena/Bonnie/Caroline friendshippy stuff.
8. Damon/Alaric BroTPing.
9. Elijah coming back.
Let's see how we did!
* So, we start right in on the killing! And Stefan seems to have either totally bought into the evil thing, or he's putting on a superb show for Klaus. Either way, he is fully committed to upholding his end of the bargain to save Damon and doing whatever Klaus wants. (That's one!) The plan, apparently, is for Klaus to experiment on werewolves until he figures out how to make more hybrids like himself. Which is interesting and makes sense, and it's better than just randomly killing people up and down the coast, but I'm still not sure why he needed Stefan in particular for this mission. Stefan's ripper thing does seem more sadistic than the show had previously let on (very Angel-like, if we're making BtVS comparisons), but I still don't see what's so unique about him that Klaus couldn't have found someone else to do it. Or compelled someone else, since we know Klaus can compel vampires. Maybe it's the parallels between them? The brothers, the involvement with Katherine, maybe he likes the idea of corrupting Stefan in particular and using his love for his brother to do it (much the way he played on Elijah's love for his family to get what he wanted from him). I don't know. It seems like too much of a coincidence for Stefan to be somehow "special" and therefore uniquely useful to Klaus (like how Katherine and Elena are special by being doppelgangers), but I feel like I want SOME kind of explanation for "why Stefan?" otherwise it seems a bit contrived.
* Alaric IS still living at the Gilberts'! (TWO!) He's kind of a terrible father figure, but he's grieving just as much as Elena and Jeremy are. I don't really blame him for not wanting to stay in that house, or for not wanting the responsibility of parenting these two kids. I think he sort of knows he should stay and be a father figure, since he was dating their aunt and is sort of Elena's step-father. He's the only adult left in their lives, but at the same time, this is not what he signed up for. I do think he'll be back, though, once he gets his shit together and starts to recover from Jenna's death. In the meantime, I want him crashing with Damon. It's not like he's gonna go back to his apartment where ALL THE WORST VAMPIRES EVER have an invitation, right?
* Love the callback to Elena's "Everything's fine" pretense in the pilot. She's still playing that game, setting a good example for Jeremy, putting in an appearance at a party she severely doesn't want, even being strong for Stefan when he needs her encouragement. And yet, people are STILL harping on her to "move on" (which, I was not totally clear on whether they meant Jenna or Stefan there). You people! You have no idea how little of Elena you even see. Seriously, I just want Elena to fucking LOSE IT at some point. Like, totally off the rails. She deserves the chance to just FEEL ALL HER FEELINGS.
* So... Damon and Andie are still together? Or back together? I don't understand. Andie is clearly less compelled than she was last season, but it's unclear whether she's with him totally of her own volition. And, if so, WHY? I appreciate that Damon seems to have learned that having a compelled slave isn't all its cracked up to be (if the relationship has to continue, at least it's on better terms), but it looks like they're not actually going to address the consent issues. Meh.
* Elena and Damon ARE looking for Stefan (THREE!), but Damon's got an extra side-investigation of his going on. I liked that Sheriff Forbes was helping them out with leads, but I wish we'd seen more Liz/Damon interaction. I want to know how things stand with her now that she knows (and has seemingly accepted) that the people she trusted are vampires.
* Bonnie is visiting her family? I AM SO CONFUSED NOW. I assumed Bonnie lived with her dad in Mystic Falls after her grandmother died. Because, you know, teenagers require legal guardians and all. Apparently not. Does this mean Bonnie has been living on her own for the last two years???
* ROAD TRIP! (FOUR!) I was hoping for Damon and Elena, but BroTPing with Alaric makes an excellent substitute. (FIVE!) Also, hahahahahaha Stefan feels remorse so he puts the bodies back together after he rips them apart. That is so fabulously hilarious and sick.
* I am still "meh" on Caroline and Tyler. Sorry, guys. I mean, Caroline's totally my girl, and they're cute together, but I just have a hard time feeling invested in the relationship. Maybe because it's too functional? I like my couples desperately in need of industrial-strength therapy, thanks. But seriously, as much as I loved Caroline's development last season, so often it felt like she might as well have been in a completely different show from everyone else because she was off with Tyler all the time (or worse, harping on the Matt/Caroline/Tyler triangle) and completely separate from the plot. So, I mean, I'm fine with them being together, just don't shunt them off to the side in some sort of supernatural Odd Couple routine. This business with Mrs. Lockwood looks promising, at least...
* I like this Jeremy/Matt development. I was worried about how Matt would fit in, since he didn't have much to do last season except have relationship issues with Caroline, but considering that Vicki is something he and Jeremy have in common, it makes sense to work him into the "I see deadpeople vampire girlfriends" thing. Which... I was hoping for more development on that front, but I guess they can't deal with everything in the first episode. It's interesting that Jeremy's been seeing Vicki and Anna for two months and didn't tell anyone.
* Aaaaand, Andie's dead. I'm pretty pissed that they brought her back this season SOLELY TO BE FRIDGED.
* On the other hand, this feels like a turning point for Stefan, so it's interesting that it involves Andie, who seemed to represent a turning point for Damon last season. They're going in opposite directions: Damon's becoming more human, and Stefan's losing his humanity. Through Andie, we see Damon's progress: S1 Damon wouldn't have given a crap about Andie's death - in fact, he probably would've been pleased to see his brother back in touch with his evil side. S2 Damon could barely keep from killing her himself, but at least he felt bad about it. And S3 Damon feels guilty for getting her killed, for not stopping Stefan, and probably for putting Stefan in this position in the first place.
Meanwhile, Stefan isn't just killing random people anymore. This is someone he knew. Someone who (by some definition) was his brother's girlfriend. And it's not to feed or because Klaus made him do it; it's simply to make a point. He could've sent Damon a message any number of ways, but he chose this. And while I don't think the show would be so bold as to prove Damon right (that Stefan is gone and won't be back in Elena's lifetime), I do think he just made it that much harder for himself. I am curious what Elena will say when Damon tells her about Andie, whether that'll convince her to stop looking for Stefan. We already know that she can't save Damon, but what happens when she realizes that she can't save Stefan, either?
* It occurs to me that Caroline and Tyler are the only people in this entire town with parents. Apparently, Social Services has never heard of Mystic Falls, because they'd totally have a field day. Which is to say, I am skeptical that Elena turning 18 is really enough to be her brother's legal guardian. Sure, Elena's legally an adult, but just BARELY. No disrespect to Alaric, because like I said above, I get why he wouldn't want this, but it seems kind of irresponsible to leave an 18 year old and a 16(?) year old completely on their own. But of course Matt and Bonnie are basically on their own, too, so. PARENTS. WHO NEEDS 'EM?
So, the final tally of things I wanted to see seems to be 5 out of 9. Not bad for a first episode.
Before we begin, let's recap the things I want to happen this season:
1. Alaric living with Elena and Jeremy and being their pseudo-father figure.
2. Elena and Damon searching for Stefan.
3. ROAD TRIP.
4. Dark!Stefan
5. Dark!Elena
6. Addressing this Andie business so
ever_neutral is reassured that the writers aren't totally made of fail on consent issues.7. More Elena/Bonnie/Caroline friendshippy stuff.
8. Damon/Alaric BroTPing.
9. Elijah coming back.
Let's see how we did!
* So, we start right in on the killing! And Stefan seems to have either totally bought into the evil thing, or he's putting on a superb show for Klaus. Either way, he is fully committed to upholding his end of the bargain to save Damon and doing whatever Klaus wants. (That's one!) The plan, apparently, is for Klaus to experiment on werewolves until he figures out how to make more hybrids like himself. Which is interesting and makes sense, and it's better than just randomly killing people up and down the coast, but I'm still not sure why he needed Stefan in particular for this mission. Stefan's ripper thing does seem more sadistic than the show had previously let on (very Angel-like, if we're making BtVS comparisons), but I still don't see what's so unique about him that Klaus couldn't have found someone else to do it. Or compelled someone else, since we know Klaus can compel vampires. Maybe it's the parallels between them? The brothers, the involvement with Katherine, maybe he likes the idea of corrupting Stefan in particular and using his love for his brother to do it (much the way he played on Elijah's love for his family to get what he wanted from him). I don't know. It seems like too much of a coincidence for Stefan to be somehow "special" and therefore uniquely useful to Klaus (like how Katherine and Elena are special by being doppelgangers), but I feel like I want SOME kind of explanation for "why Stefan?" otherwise it seems a bit contrived.
* Alaric IS still living at the Gilberts'! (TWO!) He's kind of a terrible father figure, but he's grieving just as much as Elena and Jeremy are. I don't really blame him for not wanting to stay in that house, or for not wanting the responsibility of parenting these two kids. I think he sort of knows he should stay and be a father figure, since he was dating their aunt and is sort of Elena's step-father. He's the only adult left in their lives, but at the same time, this is not what he signed up for. I do think he'll be back, though, once he gets his shit together and starts to recover from Jenna's death. In the meantime, I want him crashing with Damon. It's not like he's gonna go back to his apartment where ALL THE WORST VAMPIRES EVER have an invitation, right?
* Love the callback to Elena's "Everything's fine" pretense in the pilot. She's still playing that game, setting a good example for Jeremy, putting in an appearance at a party she severely doesn't want, even being strong for Stefan when he needs her encouragement. And yet, people are STILL harping on her to "move on" (which, I was not totally clear on whether they meant Jenna or Stefan there). You people! You have no idea how little of Elena you even see. Seriously, I just want Elena to fucking LOSE IT at some point. Like, totally off the rails. She deserves the chance to just FEEL ALL HER FEELINGS.
* So... Damon and Andie are still together? Or back together? I don't understand. Andie is clearly less compelled than she was last season, but it's unclear whether she's with him totally of her own volition. And, if so, WHY? I appreciate that Damon seems to have learned that having a compelled slave isn't all its cracked up to be (if the relationship has to continue, at least it's on better terms), but it looks like they're not actually going to address the consent issues. Meh.
* Elena and Damon ARE looking for Stefan (THREE!), but Damon's got an extra side-investigation of his going on. I liked that Sheriff Forbes was helping them out with leads, but I wish we'd seen more Liz/Damon interaction. I want to know how things stand with her now that she knows (and has seemingly accepted) that the people she trusted are vampires.
* Bonnie is visiting her family? I AM SO CONFUSED NOW. I assumed Bonnie lived with her dad in Mystic Falls after her grandmother died. Because, you know, teenagers require legal guardians and all. Apparently not. Does this mean Bonnie has been living on her own for the last two years???
* ROAD TRIP! (FOUR!) I was hoping for Damon and Elena, but BroTPing with Alaric makes an excellent substitute. (FIVE!) Also, hahahahahaha Stefan feels remorse so he puts the bodies back together after he rips them apart. That is so fabulously hilarious and sick.
* I am still "meh" on Caroline and Tyler. Sorry, guys. I mean, Caroline's totally my girl, and they're cute together, but I just have a hard time feeling invested in the relationship. Maybe because it's too functional? I like my couples desperately in need of industrial-strength therapy, thanks. But seriously, as much as I loved Caroline's development last season, so often it felt like she might as well have been in a completely different show from everyone else because she was off with Tyler all the time (or worse, harping on the Matt/Caroline/Tyler triangle) and completely separate from the plot. So, I mean, I'm fine with them being together, just don't shunt them off to the side in some sort of supernatural Odd Couple routine. This business with Mrs. Lockwood looks promising, at least...
* I like this Jeremy/Matt development. I was worried about how Matt would fit in, since he didn't have much to do last season except have relationship issues with Caroline, but considering that Vicki is something he and Jeremy have in common, it makes sense to work him into the "I see dead
* Aaaaand, Andie's dead. I'm pretty pissed that they brought her back this season SOLELY TO BE FRIDGED.
* On the other hand, this feels like a turning point for Stefan, so it's interesting that it involves Andie, who seemed to represent a turning point for Damon last season. They're going in opposite directions: Damon's becoming more human, and Stefan's losing his humanity. Through Andie, we see Damon's progress: S1 Damon wouldn't have given a crap about Andie's death - in fact, he probably would've been pleased to see his brother back in touch with his evil side. S2 Damon could barely keep from killing her himself, but at least he felt bad about it. And S3 Damon feels guilty for getting her killed, for not stopping Stefan, and probably for putting Stefan in this position in the first place.
Meanwhile, Stefan isn't just killing random people anymore. This is someone he knew. Someone who (by some definition) was his brother's girlfriend. And it's not to feed or because Klaus made him do it; it's simply to make a point. He could've sent Damon a message any number of ways, but he chose this. And while I don't think the show would be so bold as to prove Damon right (that Stefan is gone and won't be back in Elena's lifetime), I do think he just made it that much harder for himself. I am curious what Elena will say when Damon tells her about Andie, whether that'll convince her to stop looking for Stefan. We already know that she can't save Damon, but what happens when she realizes that she can't save Stefan, either?
* It occurs to me that Caroline and Tyler are the only people in this entire town with parents. Apparently, Social Services has never heard of Mystic Falls, because they'd totally have a field day. Which is to say, I am skeptical that Elena turning 18 is really enough to be her brother's legal guardian. Sure, Elena's legally an adult, but just BARELY. No disrespect to Alaric, because like I said above, I get why he wouldn't want this, but it seems kind of irresponsible to leave an 18 year old and a 16(?) year old completely on their own. But of course Matt and Bonnie are basically on their own, too, so. PARENTS. WHO NEEDS 'EM?
So, the final tally of things I wanted to see seems to be 5 out of 9. Not bad for a first episode.
no subject
Date: Sep. 16th, 2011 05:56 pm (UTC)Kind of got this one, LOL.
8. Damon/Alaric BroTPing.
They were already in fine form!
9. Elijah coming back.
I'm so pleased Elijah made your list. :)
Let's see...
I'm also wondering about 'Why Stefan?' Why does Klaus care? Is Stefan that much worse and that much more special than any vampire ever?
In the meantime, I want him crashing with Damon.
YES, please.
It's not like he's gonna go back to his apartment where ALL THE WORST VAMPIRES EVER have an invitation, right?
If they seriously have him move back into his apartment, I will hurt someone. Because living there again is NOT A SMART THING TO DO.
And yet, people are STILL harping on her to "move on" (which, I was not totally clear on whether they meant Jenna or Stefan there).
I know. If they mean Jenna, way to be tacky. If they mean Stefan, it's only been two months, why wouldn't she still be looking/hoping?
I don't understand. Andie is clearly less compelled than she was last season, but it's unclear whether she's with him totally of her own volition. And, if so, WHY?
I don't understand, either.
but I wish we'd seen more Liz/Damon interaction. I want to know how things stand with her now that she knows
I need some Liz/Damon interaction! I want to know what went down after she shot at him when he was all crazed last season.
I do think he just made it that much harder for himself. I am curious what Elena will say when Damon tells her about Andie
I am interested to see how they're going to bring Stefan back from this, given that he doesn't have a 'soul switch' like Angelus did.
no subject
Date: Sep. 17th, 2011 03:06 pm (UTC)And yeah, I'm curious how they bring Stefan back from this, too. But I am enjoying Dark!Stefan, so I wouldn't mind if they didn't. :)
no subject
Date: Sep. 17th, 2011 03:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sep. 17th, 2011 11:37 am (UTC)I STILLL WANT THIS BTW.Yes to your list of Wants. I'm starting to think I will NEVER get #6, but… LET'S TALK OF HAPPIER THINGS, LOL.
In answer to your first question: Klaus is madly in love with Stefan. This is canon until proven otherwise.
OMG PLEASE HAVE GAY HOUSE-SHARING TIMES WITH DAMON, ALARIC. :O
I WANT ELENA TO LOSE IT SO FUCKING BAD. LIKE YOU KNOW HOW DAMON SMASHED UP STEFAN'S ROOM AT THE END? YEAH, THAT. Also, because I'm sadistic and am currently super mad at Damon, I would like for Elena to totally treat him like crap for a while just 'cause he's the closest person to her right now and she needs to project her anger outwards for a change.
Andie is clearly less compelled than she was last season, but it's unclear whether she's with him totally of her own volition. And, if so, WHY? I appreciate that Damon seems to have learned that having a compelled slave isn't all its cracked up to be (if the relationship has to continue, at least it's on better terms), but it looks like they're not actually going to address the consent issues. Meh.
Yeah, meh. I would prefer to go with the option that Andie's feelings for Damon really were genuine after all (ergo, that scene in "Klaus" where she came up to comfort him of her own volition), because at least that gives her SOME agency. Where we picked up in this episode, my guess is that she's only being compelled to keep his secret. Like, the Katherine/Stefan situation. As for why Damon would go there again… well, I've figured that out. Andie is useful to him. She's a news anchor; she has access to information that benefits his search for Stefan. He evidently liked and cared about her to some extent, but The Mission to Save Stefan took precedence there. It's Damon being ruthless for the people he loves as per usual, moral development be damned.
WOE @ CAROLINE BEING PUT THE WRINGER AGAIN! lmfao @ Mrs. Lockwood waiting for her to FINISH HAVING SEX WITH HER SON before capturing her. um.
I like the Jeremy-Matt development too. I also was worried Matt would just… disappear, after breaking up with Caroline, but fortunately not.
On the other hand, this feels like a turning point for Stefan, so it's interesting that it involves Andie, who seemed to represent a turning point for Damon last season…. And S3 Damon feels guilty for getting her killed, for not stopping Stefan, and probably for putting Stefan in this position in the first place.
OMG. I did not consider that. TY for that insight. I am still MAD AS HELL that Andie was fridged like that. Man, Andie is such a tragic casuality to the Salvatores' reprehensibleness.
I am very much looking forward to Elena's belief that she can ~save Stefan being… torn to shreds. It'll be painful as hell, but totally necessary for her development. AND WILL PROBABLY LEAD TO EXCELLENT DARK!ELENA.
no subject
Date: Sep. 17th, 2011 03:18 pm (UTC)Hahahaha, but you already wrote pretty much everything I would've said! STOP BEING SO SMART.
As for why Damon would go there again… well, I've figured that out. Andie is useful to him. She's a news anchor; she has access to information that benefits his search for Stefan.
OH. Yes, good thinking. That makes sense. And like I said, Damon is clearly being more careful with her, not compelling her into a mindless fuckpuppet anymore, so I feel like he DID learn something, but he'll do ANYTHING to save Stefan (like he would do anything to save Elena last season), even if it means being the bad guy.
no subject
Date: Sep. 19th, 2011 03:36 pm (UTC)You know what I want? I want Elena to get in touch with her anger. Shit has been done to her, and I want her to get all rage-y about it (this is also my desire for Season 9 Buffy, and why I am subsequently so disappointed with the direction Season 9 is going. But major digression). I want Elena to get in touch with her inner bitch, and I want to see her explode. I think it's the only way for her to get rid of the "everything's fine" schtick she's so big on.
BROTHERS. The real romance of this show. I'm enjoying Damon/Stefan in a way I never could enjoy Spike/Angel because there's actual love there, not some fucked up vampire family crap because Angel is a dick, souled or soulless. 'Nuther digression. I liked seeing Damon's anger about Andie; I was angry about Andie as well, but I suppose she's getting out of the way for some Damon/Elena reason later in the season.
Bonnie being gone? Boo.
Caroline and Tyler are enjoyable because they feel like a different show. They're the frothy and fun romance that gives then show a break from the strum und drang of the Stefan/Elena/Damon/Klaus plot. I'm gaining an appreciation for them. Don't necessarily ship them yet, but I appreciate them.
no subject
Date: Sep. 19th, 2011 08:51 pm (UTC)WORD.
I liked seeing Damon's anger about Andie
I actually thought Damon's anger was less about Andie and more about Stefan. I mean, he obviously liked Andie enough to want to save her, but at the end of the day, she's not the one he'll grieve over. It's what her death represents that upsets him so much - that he's losing his brother, maybe already has lost him. Despite playing it cool with Elena, he'd been clinging to the possibility that they'd find Stefan just as much as she was, but actually finding him dashed the hope he had that Stefan could be brought back from the brink.
All of which is to say that I am very conflicted about this development, because it's fabulous and gut-wrenching stuff for my favorite brothers.
AND YET. ANOTHER WOMAN IN A FRIDGE. :\
I suppose she's getting out of the way for some Damon/Elena reason later in the season.
Huh. I wasn't thinking that at all. For one thing, I don't see Andie as standing in the way of Damon/Elena, just because Damon's feelings for Elena are so obviously stronger than his feelings about Andie. I have no doubt that Damon would dump her in a heartbeat if he had a chance with Elena.
But more importantly, I don't see them going to D/E this quickly. I know a lot of people were expecting it to happen while Stefan's away, but I can't see either one of them wanting to betray Stefan.
I think (hope) this season will be the tearing down of the Stefan/Elena we know - Elena will have to come to terms with ripper!Stefan and the fact that she can't save him. Maybe she'll accept him anyway; maybe (I HOPE) she will be disillusioned and then we'll see a darker Elena. And only then can I see her getting with Damon. But then again, the pacing on this show is wild, so who knows? We could blast through all of that in half a season and have D/E by February sweeps. :)
no subject
Date: Sep. 21st, 2011 08:21 pm (UTC)Apparently, Social Services has never heard of Mystic Falls, because they'd totally have a field day.
RIGHT? I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop on the supernatural explanations for the terrible government. Possibly Carol Lockwood is a possessed leprechaun and is being forced to bottleneck all non-Council-related civic functions. that would be okay.
actually, that could be awesome.
Also, hahahahahaha Stefan feels remorse so he puts the bodies back together after he rips them apart. That is so fabulously hilarious and sick.
Seriously. There is no doubt that he is cartoonishly unhinged. It is fantastic.
no subject
Date: Sep. 21st, 2011 08:31 pm (UTC)Yeah, although I am less mad at Alaric because (1) Alaric wasn't functioning as their father figure before this (he always seemed like more of a contemporary, weirdly, considering he's their history teacher), (2) Alaric is only leaving the house, not the country, and (3) Alaric's LIFE CALLING does not involve supervising and mentoring Elena.
But for real, grown-ups. DO NOT LEAVE ORPHANED TEENAGERS TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. Either suck it up and take responsibility or CALL SOCIAL SERVICES. CHRIST.
I am just waiting for Damon to try to pass himself off as their guardian now (like how supposedly he was Stefan's LOLOLOL), because that would be FUCKING HILARIOUS.
Possibly Carol Lockwood is a possessed leprechaun and is being forced to bottleneck all non-Council-related civic functions.
This is now canon. *nods*
no subject
Date: Sep. 21st, 2011 08:51 pm (UTC)But seriously. He should've called someone. He's kind of Elena's stepfather twice over, with Isobel and Jenna; surely he at least has that level of responsibility, if not how it is just what people should do.