The good, the bad and the ugly: Why to (not?) watch The Vampire Diaries
First of all, I swore to myself I'd never watch it. I knew about the books stories and didn't like any of it, I saw the previews and hated them. I don't like Buffy or Angel or Twilight.
Then I got bored and decided to watch it. It was ok, not really bad, although the graveyard and the diaries... And then I watched the second episode. And started to like it. So I'm not the biggest fan, but I see potential of a good show, I have to watch it. In my defense, I watch a LOT of TV shows as long as they have interesting storylines and passable actors when it's summer and I don't have anything to do...
Characters
The protagonist
The GoodThe BadThe Ugly
She started out as a Lana Lang type. And seems to develop from Lana-Sue into a character with sibling-issues, bonding with her aunt and all.
She's a little sarcastic. I like that. Doesn't just trust Stefan and fall for him in the most corny way, but has a cute crush on him instead. Which is a good start.
Sure she's very very VERY thin, but she still looks great. A little early Miriama Smith like, but in a more classic way. Maybe that's why I like her. Her hair... envy! Great clothes. They don't have to find an excuse for me in why the hell she can afford them, I just enjoy looking at them.
And more importantly, looks 17 not 20something which is rare on TV.Her ex-boyfriend she doesn't seem to look back at in anger or is sorry that she broke up with him. Just so the slate is clean for Stefan story-line-wise. A little disappointing - you don't just stop to care like that.Do I really have to talk about her diary?
The Stefan thing will annoy me very very soon.
The "Nice" Vamp
The GoodThe BadThe UglyNothing much. Well, his brother is fun.
Good body.Creepy in an almost Edward-Cullen-style. At least he doesn't break in windows yet and stalks sleeping girls, but that's all there is. Also, he looks more creepy and ill in a junkie way than hot.
Walks around in the daylight. Because of jewelry. That's just... wrong
His diary. Corny, annoying, unnecessary. He'd be hotter without it.He's a vampire. Going to high school.
Every one of his dialoge lines sounds stereotype for the troubled-good-guy image.
How the hell did this old dude get into a high-school without everyone getting suspicious?
The Evil One
The GoodThe BadThe UglyHe's fun. He even makes Stefan-scenes fun.
Doesn't pretend to be a high school student. When did vamps start doing that anyway? It's bullshit!
Creates Drama. Gets the plot going like hell YES!
Looks kinda hot.
Nice bad-vamp-boy linesCould be hotter. Should look younger.
He and Elena seem to have zero chemnistry. Shouldn't there be a love-triangle or something?
Kills a lot of cliche-horror-c-movie couples. Really bad ones. And they're all couples, so the beginning of both episodes was really annoying until now.He looks sligthly like a pedophile in all his flirting scenes with blondie.
The out-in-the-day-thing.
The best friend
The GoodThe BadThe UglyShe's kinda cool.
The actress improved a little from the pilot to Episode 2.The black girl who is psychic and you know why? Because she knew Obama was going to be president. More stereotypes...
At least they didn't give her a baggypants wearing music-video styled black boyfriend yet and I hope they're not gonna do that. She's got potential, after all.
The actress isn't exactly great.I read on wikipedia that she wasn't black in the books. So they just needed a black girl for quotes now? Also, most of her lines have black-cliche-sidekick all over them, Wallace Fernell style. That's not exactly the opposite of racism, people. Just saying.
Wait for the stereotype black boyfriend, then we're talking.
The Wanna-Be
The GoodThe BadThe UglyHer Damon-storyline seems to be fun, even with all the pedophile looks he's giving her.
She's got self-confidence issues and thinks her whole teen-drama is very meaningful and all. Which is, now I think of it, at least realistic.Is she trying to look like Jamie Lynn Spears?
She's a cheerleader who puts out fast and encourages everyone to do so. A blond one. Pretends to be a friend of the girl she's jealous of. Stereotype much?Nothing much, just her being-a-stereotype problem
The Ex
The GoodThe BadThe UglyHas a life. Doesn't just hang around as Elenas ex.
Cares for his sister instead of being involved in his own drama, which is a great thing to do.
Tries to be friendly but honest with Stefan. Why did Elena break up with this boy again?
Would make a good boyfriend for the best friend of Elena, Bonnie.
Cute.Doesn't have own story-line, just visits Elenas, Elena/Stefans, his sisters love triangle.
Little to classic good-guy.------
The Hot Girl
The GoodThe BadThe UglyHas character facets. The actress presents them really well, too.
Makes an adorable pairing with the too-young-not-asshole-enough-for-her boy, Elenas brother.
Has a great attitude, drug problem and a weakness for a fifteen-year-old, but is embarassed about it. Everyone would be, so that works in her favour.Will probably stay with the poser jerk for a long long time, hurting the boy who really cares for her.Her stereotype jock-asshole-chauvi boyfriend who is a jerk to basically anyone.
The little brother
The GoodThe BadThe UglyGood casting! The actor is really able of expressing teen troubles.
Character instead of side-kick. Deals with his pain in an immature way, takes drugs, has a hopeless crush on the hot older popular girl and tries to be there for her. Makes his aunts life harder.
He's a teenager alright!He looks kinda ok for his age, but when he stands besides Elena, he looks older than her and not a bit like her. Aren't they supposed to be brother&sister?Nothing. He's pretty great to give this show some depth.
Parenting skills much?
The GoodThe BadThe UglyShe's cute. Very likable.
Was the wild child, took drugs and stuff. Never prepared to take kids in. And the only person she fakes for is the douche teacher. Of course she wouldn't be a good parent right away, but she cares at least.
The teacher breaks her so she searches the kids room for drugs, which is both responsible, an invasion in privacy and also, since she feels bad about it, makes her even better.Might not be around much.
Should try a little harder to protect her niece&nephew from drugs and stuff.-------
The Relationships
Brothers/Sisters
The GoodThe BadThe UglyReal care, but they're not fake-close 90210 style. Try to look out for each other. Sibling-like chemnistry between the actors? Check.
The difference makes of course the Damon/Stefan relationship, which is also very interesting to watch.Wouldn't exactly win look-a-like contests. Any of those supposed brother/sister or brother/brother couples. Which is a very US-cast thing. Why, actually?-----
The main love-triangle
The GoodThe BadThe UglyWell, it's always a plotline that works.
Stefan is fun making trouble.Stefan and Elena... cute, but boring. Damon/Elena - zero chemnistry. It doesn't really work yet, although the drama inscenation works.-----
The interesting love-triangle
The GoodThe BadThe UglyHot girl/younger emo punk boy: Works. Cute, troubled chemnistry, best pairing so far.
I really like how cool Elenas bro tries to be and fails with the jock.Of course the jerk wins for now and she'll stay with him, because she forgot he almost-raped her. The goof point is for now.Is the jerk in the sports team and looks down on his rival in a very cliche way? Yes, but on the other hand, we need a little cliche for every tv-show.
More...The GoodThe BadThe UglyThere's less of them diaries in the second episode.
Some good side-characters like the mean teacher are there.
Storyline seems to get better.
No insufferable credits with slow-mo-scenes and stuff.
None of the vamps sparkle.They're very VERY corny diaries. And what is worse, there are two of them.
What's with the fog? And the graveyard-obsession?
Do they have a real going-to-school life or will it just function as a plot-filled background for flirting in classrooms?
We need background on Elena. And something needs to increase the Damon/Elena chemistry.
The city name. Yuck.Did I mention corny diaries?
Some Twilight reminders for the mainstream-public are existent. PLEASE let them vanish during the next weeks.
More irony, less Stefan-Elena dialogues including the word "epic" please. You gotta earn that.
They need to get better actors and lines for the people they always kill off in the beginning. Otherwise it gets to cheesy.