A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 3-16

So I think I owe the CW website an apology. I quite frequently criticize them for their lackluster turnaround time for getting their shows online (coupled with the fact that you can only view them on the CW website, and not other sites like Hulu). Well, something must have changed, because this past week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries was up the day after it originally aired. So, bravo kind network!

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This episode picked up where we were left off before the brief hiatus. Apparently Alaric survived his gunshot wound, as Dr. Fell gave him vampire blood before turning him into the police. The twist at the end of the episode, which I did not expect before the build up to the big reveal, was that Alaric actually did commit these murders and that his super ring was actually making him lose time. It seems being the Kenny of this show DOES have repercussions. I’m interested in seeing where this is going.

Another thing I liked about this episode? It incorporated the diaries aspect of the series without pounding you over the head with it, like they did at the beginning of the series. I remember cringing during one of the first episodes when Elena very awkwardly said, “I just want to sit in my room and write in my diary.” Forced much? Who speaks like that? There will still be scattered scenes where Stefan is writing in his diary, but for the most part the show has drifted significantly from that theme. This was a rather refreshing call back to an early central motif, and it felt really natural and was an effective way of telling the story.

Furthermore, the diary stuff provided us with some awesome Stefan/Damon moments. These two have such a rich, complex relationship that anytime you put them together, you’re pretty much guaranteed gold. On top of their obvious brotherly bond, I like how they feel so much guilt towards each other (how twisted does that sound?) Stefan blames himself for Damon becoming a vampire. Damon blames himself for Stefan turning to the dark side. Now, hundreds of years later, they’re still trying to make up for their past sins, even when they’re evil or simply aren’t getting along. And hey, it was nice having them “hang out” without the topic of Elena dominating their various scenes. Really good stuff.

And actually, it was an overall really strong Damon episode. In addition to his great episodes with Stefan, his twisted friendship with Alaric is also a constant source of entertainment. You just had to love that Damon was the first person to come to Alaric’s defense when he was in prison. And he was the one who led the investigation to clear his name. Much how I love that Stefan feel s a constant devotion towards Stefan, I also really appreciate the fact that Damon has this irresistible loyalty towards Alaric. Considering all they’ve gone through, they have a really fun friendship (from a viewer’s perspective, anyway).

It was a surprisingly light Elena episode. I’ve felt this for the past several episodes but it was REALLY accentuated this week, but are they building towards a Matt/Elena relationship? I first noticed it the episode that Matt and Elena spoke on the bridge and it was furthered when she asked Matt to stay when they discovered Alaric had been stabbed, but this was the first time that the development was so transparent. I’m not opposed to it, as he’s a good guy and Elena hasn’t ever been with a “normal” person since the series began – but it’s obvious they won’t end up together. And how many times should this guy get beaten and hurt? Seems to happen a few times each season.