TVD - 3x21
NYC is having an early-morning storm, complete with lightning and rolling thunder that I assume is secretly saying, "Rise! Rise! Write down your thoughts about last night's episode of The Vampire Diaires!" Okay, thunder. OKAY.
So it was better than last week! I mean, in the grand scheme of things, I don't think that's actually saying much, considering last week was so divorced from anything I thought we were supposed to be learning from Season 3, but whatever. Whatever! You win some, you fuck some up royally. We will never speak of it again, or at least not until I am less lazy.
THE CONS (because I am a jerk):
+++Can't believe I'm saying this, considering my true television age = an immature 14, but I think the love triangle is getting really tired. It has bags under its eyes, and falls asleep every time it tries to read in bed. It's too tired to even attempt nuance any more. Like, I don't know if you guys caught this, but Elena has to make a choice? Between the Salvatores? Oh, and they're brothers who have finally repaired their relationship after a century and a half of bronenemy-ship? . . . Seriously, one scene where we address this and telegraph finale intentions would have been fine--I don't think we need all the other characters chiming in and forcing the issue. I half expected Bonnie to whip out her new wi-fi tablet and say, "And see? It comes with a helpful program for Pro and Con lists--perfect for when you need to make a choice between two equally unstable vampire brothers, Elena." (Please note: this criticism does not extend to Klaus's "Just between us girls." That was magnificent).
+++I'm so done with witchcraft--I mean, personally, because I will never get that friend back or that stain out of the carpet, but also on the show. Every time someone starts yammering about a spell, my eyes glaze over; as much as they tried to make us think that Jeremy was in danger of dying permanently from having his heart stopped, I never thought for a moment that it would actually happen because the constant success of magic in solving problems has lowered the stakes. In the first two seasons, it felt organic, because it was largely a story about BONNIE discovering her own powers, and viewers were discovering how this world worked. Now it's just storytelling duct tape when the writers have written a character into a corner. I really think the boldest and most ambitious move they could make right now would be to take it off the table, once and for all. Get Bonnie out of MF, turn her dark, cut her magic off and really, actually, let us see her deal with it, and that would make for a fresh story. And throw Esther in the Atlantic while you're at it, please. No more magical items that are combined with other magical items to make an even stronger magical item. NO MORE MAGICAL ITEMS. Except for new wireless technology. (Bonnie: "Look, I did a spell and found us a restaurant for tonight!" Jeremy: "That is actually just a Yelp ap.")
+++I liked the whole damn Defan speech at the end, until Stefan said "She's a very special girl." AURGH! Is he writing greeting cards now? (Actually . . . that is not a bad idea). It just reminded me why I really dislike Good And In Love!Stefan: he can come off sounding really grandpa-ish Damon agreeing was also gross. However, I did enjoy laughing at how it was immediately followed by Elena falling down and bleeding, specially, from the nose, having consumed tequila on top of her concussion and almost exsanguination.
+++Stop torturing Caroline. Stop it. It makes me sad.
THE PROS (because I am nice again, like Stefan):
+++Jeremy's shit-fit toward Stefan when he shows up to "check on them," or the First Time Anyone Ever Called Stefan Out for the Potential Selfishness of Good!Stefan. I honestly don't see that as anything more than him trying to get back into Elena's good graces, which is fine, I understand why he wants and needs that, but I don't think it's selfless, just like his "You Have Me" wasn't in the previous episode. (I'm talking about it. I lied).
+++KLAUS/ELENA'S HOUSE. My new OTP. If they had wanted to stretch this scene out for the entirety of S4, I would have been okay with that. Each episode could have him searching for a new thing to throw through the window, culminating with that him throwing that weird neighbor who was lurking in the background when Damon and Stefan were walking Elena back to her door. But as it was, Klaus's delight at finding the fence posts and Damon's "Missed me!" was a nice bit of humor. PLEASE CONTINUE.
+++Caroline/Rebekah moment in the gym. I really hope that Rebekah sticks around, and gets to go to at least one high school dance.
+++I need a gif of Alaric dragging Caroline into the gym. I laughed--was I supposed to laugh? I can never tell anymore.
+++Klaus saving Caroline in the school. I AM NOT MADE OF STONE, okay. For all that I've heard D/E being recced as a new pairing for people who liked Robin Hood's Guy/Marian, Klaus/Caroline is actually the pairing I think is the most similar to that dynamic, even as briefly as it's been developed here. The difference is that, while I wrote about 120,000 words of epic G/M fanfic, I wouldn't ever really want to see K/C in the show, but it's something to ponder.
+++Despite the above, I'm also glad that Klaus is incapacitated, and I hope to God he stays down for a good long while. Also loved Klaus being dessicated by Stefan, and how they made it a big sloppy Klefan *moment.* An epic kiss would have made it perfect.
+++The Klaus is Dead! Party, and everyone's original friend bonding. Although being part of all those committees, I sort of expected Caroline to have thematically-appropriate decorations. (Horses? Coffins full of frozen family members? Vials of family members' blood that you just happen to have on hand? Hmm. I guess, technically, Elena is a thematically appropriate decoration).
OKAY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FINALE? I am having a finale party next Thursday, and will have a prize pack for whoever wins the "Guess the Love Triangle Development" Game or manages to fill up their TVD Bingo Card. Squares will contain things like "Damon rolls his eyes," "Inappropriate Product Placement," and "Elena Says 'The People I Love.'" More suggestions are welcome like . . . something that rhymes with welcome.
So it was better than last week! I mean, in the grand scheme of things, I don't think that's actually saying much, considering last week was so divorced from anything I thought we were supposed to be learning from Season 3, but whatever. Whatever! You win some, you fuck some up royally. We will never speak of it again, or at least not until I am less lazy.
THE CONS (because I am a jerk):
+++Can't believe I'm saying this, considering my true television age = an immature 14, but I think the love triangle is getting really tired. It has bags under its eyes, and falls asleep every time it tries to read in bed. It's too tired to even attempt nuance any more. Like, I don't know if you guys caught this, but Elena has to make a choice? Between the Salvatores? Oh, and they're brothers who have finally repaired their relationship after a century and a half of bronenemy-ship? . . . Seriously, one scene where we address this and telegraph finale intentions would have been fine--I don't think we need all the other characters chiming in and forcing the issue. I half expected Bonnie to whip out her new wi-fi tablet and say, "And see? It comes with a helpful program for Pro and Con lists--perfect for when you need to make a choice between two equally unstable vampire brothers, Elena." (Please note: this criticism does not extend to Klaus's "Just between us girls." That was magnificent).
+++I'm so done with witchcraft--I mean, personally, because I will never get that friend back or that stain out of the carpet, but also on the show. Every time someone starts yammering about a spell, my eyes glaze over; as much as they tried to make us think that Jeremy was in danger of dying permanently from having his heart stopped, I never thought for a moment that it would actually happen because the constant success of magic in solving problems has lowered the stakes. In the first two seasons, it felt organic, because it was largely a story about BONNIE discovering her own powers, and viewers were discovering how this world worked. Now it's just storytelling duct tape when the writers have written a character into a corner. I really think the boldest and most ambitious move they could make right now would be to take it off the table, once and for all. Get Bonnie out of MF, turn her dark, cut her magic off and really, actually, let us see her deal with it, and that would make for a fresh story. And throw Esther in the Atlantic while you're at it, please. No more magical items that are combined with other magical items to make an even stronger magical item. NO MORE MAGICAL ITEMS. Except for new wireless technology. (Bonnie: "Look, I did a spell and found us a restaurant for tonight!" Jeremy: "That is actually just a Yelp ap.")
+++I liked the whole damn Defan speech at the end, until Stefan said "She's a very special girl." AURGH! Is he writing greeting cards now? (Actually . . . that is not a bad idea). It just reminded me why I really dislike Good And In Love!Stefan: he can come off sounding really grandpa-ish Damon agreeing was also gross. However, I did enjoy laughing at how it was immediately followed by Elena falling down and bleeding, specially, from the nose, having consumed tequila on top of her concussion and almost exsanguination.
+++Stop torturing Caroline. Stop it. It makes me sad.
THE PROS (because I am nice again, like Stefan):
+++Jeremy's shit-fit toward Stefan when he shows up to "check on them," or the First Time Anyone Ever Called Stefan Out for the Potential Selfishness of Good!Stefan. I honestly don't see that as anything more than him trying to get back into Elena's good graces, which is fine, I understand why he wants and needs that, but I don't think it's selfless, just like his "You Have Me" wasn't in the previous episode. (I'm talking about it. I lied).
+++KLAUS/ELENA'S HOUSE. My new OTP. If they had wanted to stretch this scene out for the entirety of S4, I would have been okay with that. Each episode could have him searching for a new thing to throw through the window, culminating with that him throwing that weird neighbor who was lurking in the background when Damon and Stefan were walking Elena back to her door. But as it was, Klaus's delight at finding the fence posts and Damon's "Missed me!" was a nice bit of humor. PLEASE CONTINUE.
+++Caroline/Rebekah moment in the gym. I really hope that Rebekah sticks around, and gets to go to at least one high school dance.
+++I need a gif of Alaric dragging Caroline into the gym. I laughed--was I supposed to laugh? I can never tell anymore.
+++Klaus saving Caroline in the school. I AM NOT MADE OF STONE, okay. For all that I've heard D/E being recced as a new pairing for people who liked Robin Hood's Guy/Marian, Klaus/Caroline is actually the pairing I think is the most similar to that dynamic, even as briefly as it's been developed here. The difference is that, while I wrote about 120,000 words of epic G/M fanfic, I wouldn't ever really want to see K/C in the show, but it's something to ponder.
+++Despite the above, I'm also glad that Klaus is incapacitated, and I hope to God he stays down for a good long while. Also loved Klaus being dessicated by Stefan, and how they made it a big sloppy Klefan *moment.* An epic kiss would have made it perfect.
+++The Klaus is Dead! Party, and everyone's original friend bonding. Although being part of all those committees, I sort of expected Caroline to have thematically-appropriate decorations. (Horses? Coffins full of frozen family members? Vials of family members' blood that you just happen to have on hand? Hmm. I guess, technically, Elena is a thematically appropriate decoration).
OKAY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FINALE? I am having a finale party next Thursday, and will have a prize pack for whoever wins the "Guess the Love Triangle Development" Game or manages to fill up their TVD Bingo Card. Squares will contain things like "Damon rolls his eyes," "Inappropriate Product Placement," and "Elena Says 'The People I Love.'" More suggestions are welcome like . . . something that rhymes with welcome.