TVD 3.10 thoughts: "the slow spiral into insanity...."
Okay, so I haven't written episode reaction posts in a long time. But, this show, you guys. I feel like I need to do this for my own sanity (and for an episode obsessed with the idea of sanity/insanity, that's fitting). Also, I re-watched it this morning and it was good, it's always good without ad breaks, isn't it?
Speaking of insanity, to start, I ( Read more... )
Speaking of insanity, to start, I ( Read more... )
It stood out to me, and I think it's funny, when Elena was talking about her paranoia, and Bonnie goes, "I don't blame you [for being paranoid]. YOU tried to kill him. Now here's what's driving ME crazy." It's amusing because it seems like she's so over Klaus. She was already scared of dying and then she did die, now it's these darn coffins that are keeping her awake. It keeps with The Reckoning when Klaus appeared behind her and....she just looked at him. The days of Bonnie being scared of a vampire (as opposed to maybe what that vamp wants to do) have been over since Damon attacked her.
"I'm not saying you have any attractive looks. I'm just saying this is my least favorite one." Nina might as well have completely swallowed that second sentence.
"This is the way things are. It sucks. But I just gotta get used to it."
And I am so angry for him that once again people are robbing him of his agency and treating him like the child he stopped being way back in season 1.
Smh. That's the thing. It feels like those two mentalities are happening at different points, writing-wise. The first one sounds like someone who's realized the ways of their lives (she said pretty much the same thing after she compelled Jeremy the first time), the second one seems like the action of someone just starting out and trying to hold on to what they knew before, like the beginning of the story. What I'm thinking is, narratively-speaking and writing-wise, there's nothing interesting about a character who keeps getting the reset button. There's interest in/for the people pushing said button (JP talked about the desperateness to protect the people you love), but not the one who's being acted on which is probably why Jeremy's going to offscreensville because...what's the point in telling the same story twice? We've seen it already and we already know he'll be feeling like something's missing. This is the way things are and you gotta get used to it, but there's nothing wrong with complaining or wanting better even as you get used to it. Complaining might be the last thing keeping these people from going completely crazy. Complaining might be what reminds them that other people don't live like they do and their lives aren't the norm, lol. To that end, Alaric told Elena that worrying about her brother where she can handle Hybrids and the like is proof that she's still human.
Klaus: has a convo with Damon and Elena at the Grill, lets Damon leave, and then shows up at his house two scenes later to continue the conversation......Thinking about the events, this conversation would have been more poignant had it happened between Klaus and Elena instead of Klaus and Damon. Klaus is trying to make a point to Damon...so he targets Jeremy (why not Ric or Elena), and then Elena ends up making a deal with him instead of Damon. He should have spoken to Elena, showed her his reach by targeting Jer, even mentioning his name while he's on the phone since Elena wouldn't be able to reach him fast enough, and then Elena makes her deal, mindwipes Jeremy, etc.
Tyler: Elena was even worse with him than she was with Caroline back when ("I was so mad that you'd spy on me and Stefan for Katherine"). There was a lack of caring from her and Alaric. It was just, "You gonna report to your master now? Are ya, are ya?" Unlike Caroline's case though, I doubt there will be a scene of Elena softening. Her and Tyler aren't best friends. Caroline will welcome Tyler back whenever it happens, Tyler will apologize to everybody, and everyone will smile at him and move on. Tyler is in the situation Elena maintains Stefan was in: he has no choice but to do Klaus' biding.
I'll come back later to comment on everyone else.
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I feel like Bonnie has this hard core of fearlessness that's really interesting to me. It's troubling in some respects and yet it's really fucking badass and awesome in others. And really, she was ready to DIE twice last season to get rid of this dude; in "The Reckoning", she was down to do it again without even blinking. I tend to think she's one of the best "soldier" or "warrior" figures in this show (which is probably one of the reasons I like her so much), in that she's able to compartmentalize, almost militantly, so well to get the job done. And she can be fearless when she needs to be. And that loyalty, which sometimes gets in her way (which is a thing I actually LOVE), is sauce. Sorry this is a conversation for another day and has nothing to do with anything but let's talk Bonnie some day (lol, we talk about Bonnie EVERY DAY together).
I frequently have troubles with Nina's enunciation as Elena. I have to actually strain to get some of the words that she's saying. And it's weird because as Katherine she almost over-enunciates in this pronounced drawl? So I don't know why that is a thing.
LOL, Klaus is ever so lame, it's my main source of hilarity in this show along with many things that come out of Tyler's mouth. Well, I think he went to see Damon specifically because he thought Damon was the only one who could physically, at least, get him what he wanted at the time? Although, that whole scare tactic was specifically to scare Elena so I guess he's putting his eggs in many baskets (we mustn't try to reason with a crazy man, Alta). I think it was deliberately mimicking the situation with Katherine last year - like this must be a skill she picked up from Klaus, how to scare people into doing what she wants or just simply scare them. And for those reasons, even if Klaus didn't know that detail, it worked. Because I'd think Elena would have to have gone right to the image of her watching Jenna die right in front of her and that probably added to her hysteria and irrational need to "protect" Jeremy. Except, she should know (and I think a part of her does) that THIS mind-erasure crap, this withholding of information, this doesn't work. It didn't work for Jenna. And it won't work for Jeremy. And the fallout, good grief.
Yeah, the Tyler scene was funny for me because since we all know my feelings on Tyler - I honestly don't like to feel like anyone has any obligations to feel sorry for him. I will say that it's a marked difference to last year when Tyler was riding around with his wolf posse and being similarly terrible, and Elena found it in herself to feel compassion for him then and even give him a magic hug. But the Elena of almost exactly one season ago is not the same Elena we have now, and that's a choice that makes sense to me? That she would be somehow less giving and compassionate in some cases, and that is accompanied by a level of hypocrisy (see: Stefan) but I sort of get why she's so cold to him here?
It's remarkable how I can talk myself into liking an episode when my immediate reaction was utter apathy. What is my life, dude? What is my life?
I can't wait for more of your thinky thoughts!! Travel safely today!
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Lmao.
Maybe because Katherine's supposed to sound like she's playing with you all of the time.
Because I'd think Elena would have to have gone right to the image of her watching Jenna die right in front of her and that probably added to her hysteria and irrational need to "protect" Jeremy.
If ever there was a sign that I wasn't completely tuned in to Elena and her experiences, this would be it. I didn't even connect the attempt on Jeremy's life with the attempt on Jenna's life last year (probably because they've given all references of Jenna to Alaric?), but had this been Bonnie, I would have connected everything.
But the Elena of almost exactly one season ago is not the same Elena we have now, and that's a choice that makes sense to me? That she would be somehow less giving and compassionate in some cases, and that is accompanied by a level of hypocrisy (see: Stefan) but I sort of get why she's so cold to him here?
I like this explanation a lot. I just don't feel the way the show seems to be backing her up in some way? This goes back to the muddy line between the show's intention and Elena's intention.
It's remarkable how I can talk myself into liking an episode when my immediate reaction was utter apathy.
Funny enough, I'm having the opposite reaction. I was passionate about the episode (even if it was mostly negative, lol), but in these days following, I'm falling into apathy. I'm dreading the fallout (or lack of fallout) about Jeremy's compulsion from the other characters. I fear there won't be degrees of dubious/grey when it comes to the opinions, that they'll all just fall in line and be like, "Oh yeah, he deserves a better life. Not us though, funny enough. Bye Jer!!!!" Lbr, I'm only worried about Bonnie, but Caroline as well as Matt should have something to say (even if it's just to each other/behind Elena's back) as people who have been compelled to keep them from dealing with stuff (and Caroline as someone who's compelled someone to keep them from dealing with things). Tyler's inability to throw shade at Elena is not making me feel good about next ep (why am I looking to Tyler as a litmus for anything, I know). Jeremy tried to throw shade, but it was framed as him spiraling, and Elena called him rebellious right before he gave attitude (and then asked where the attitude was coming from when he turned attention to the company she keeps), and then he apologized. Ugh. I think the only thing that will get me to shut up about this is the new episode. Even I'm tired of thinking about it. If everyone goes with the okie doke, trust I will be banging on your ask box so you can make it make sense, lol.
Thank you! The train ride was good. Slept for a good part of it, more than I usually do. And then my roommate and I cleaned the apartment as soon as I got there.
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