The Vampire Diaries 5.03 Review: A Woman Scorned

For all those that have yet to watch tonight’s episode of The Vampire Diaries, entitled ‘Original Sin’, I suggest you go and do so now. As always, this is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

To start off, I have to just say how bad the writing has gotten in this series. Ever since Elena became a vampire (something I very much looked forward to), the writing has just gotten terrible. I honestly think that was the point the creators had planned up to, then they just threw Silas into things, which sounded interesting in the beginning, but has just become something terribly plotted out. Someone please tell me if I’m wrong, but I could’ve sworn that Elena – and Katherine – came into being to enact the curse on Klaus so that he’d be able to be his full badass hybrid self. Now they’ve added it into this whole doppelganger Silas story, where the universe has been trying to set up him and Elena for two thousand years. Do they not understand the whole continuity angle? Did someone at least watch the episode where they explain where Elena’s doppelganger lineage started?

Also, if Elena now stems from the handmaiden Amara, shouldn’t she come from the line of travellers as well? And boy was that a stupid addition to the series. They’ve honestly gone too far this time. Travellers are gypsies? Why? Still, I continue to watch, like a train wreck it is still captivating.

All the scenes set in Greece were badly done. While it was intriguing to learn this woman was Katsia, even her scenes in the past were badly filmed. Plus, Paul Wesley trying to play ancient Greek Silas, the guy just seemed like another version of Stefan. It was disappointing. Maybe that’s more to do with how bad the acting has gotten, than how bad those scenes were. Nina Dobrev’s differentiating Elena and Katherine too has grown bad. I figure Katherine used to enunciate differently, and was more facial movements than the subtle Elena, but it’s hard to see a difference between the two other than the hair sometimes. Zach Roerig’s portrayal of Matt, however, has grown much better. In the scene where he plays the Gregor character in his body, just splendidly done. Ian Somerhaulder, as always, was wonderful.

A few questions about the episode. Why couldn’t Stefan and Katherine end up together instead of Elena? Is it because the cure is in her veins? Does that mean she has to be drained dry for the cure to work? Or could any vampire or immortal that bit her or simply drank a bit of her blood become mortal again? That provides for a more lucrative story to go to, so I hope that’s the way the writers will choose to go. Disappointingly, I doubt it.

Must the writers continue to play this whole love triangle up? I know Elena and Damon are together now, and she made her choice, but by throwing in this whole destiny angle adds another obstacle that they didn’t quite need just yet. Basically it just feels like they’re trying to pander to the Stelena fans, when Delena works so much better. (Okay, yes, I’m a Delena fan, so maybe I’m biased.) Either way, there’s only so much back and forth love triangle the audience can take, and four seasons of it was enough. Do it again, and I’m done.

My rating: 6 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“Alright, play nice, or I’m gonna revisit the deep dark well idea.” – Damon tells Katherine.

“Okay, trains leaving the station. Choo, choo.” – Damon says to the room.

“Me too.” – Katherine blurts out, popping out of the back seat (which is probably funnier than the line).

“Fine, I was snooping.” – Katherine tells the traveller holding her captive. When you’re caught red-handed, best to own up to it.

“You are my life.” – Damon says to Elena, in a beautifully sweet moment between the two, before Stefan says he recalls neither of them.

Okay, I’ve made up my mind; Grey’s Anatomy is up first. After that it’s The Crazy Ones, and then smooth sailing from there. No Best Performances of the Week tonight, though, that’ll be up tomorrow. I’m going to do some writing, I think. Anyways, stick around for more.

The Vampire Diaries 5.02 Review: Surviving Together

If you have yet to watch this week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries, entitled ‘True Lies, then now would probably be a good time to do so, if you don’t want the episode to be ruined. As always, this is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

What is there to say about this episode? There’s not really much to review about this show. It’s passed its prime, time to put it to bed, let Ian Somerhaulder get a better series to act in because he’s honestly one of the best things this show has going for it.

There were some funny lines to this episode, but other than that, I literally have one note about it. That note would be a complaint about the showrunners still trying to play up the love triangle. It’s over, Elena’s made her choice, why are you trying to make it harder on Stefan?

While last week Elena and Katherine kind of seemed to blend together, this week they were a tad better. It’s interesting that Katherine’s having to depend on Matt and Jeremy, especially since she seems to have grown a little attached to Jeremy. Or at least as attached as Katherine Pearce can be attached to anyone. Her shining moment, I believe, was the point where she explains all the things she’s survived, but a sinus infection is going to do her in.

On the other hand, Elena’s shining moment was when she impaled her leg into the chair to stop Silas’s mind control from forcing her to kill Damon. Was anyone hoping her love for him would end up overpowering the hate trigger? But no, it was the sinking pit in her stomach that told her something was wrong with Stefan that stopped it. And what is it about that, anyway? This isn’t True Blood, and the last I checked Damon had sired her, so shouldn’t he be the one – if any – she feels when they’re in serious peril?

Otherwise, I’m bored of this whole Silas deal. The whole build up to this guy, and he doesn’t even beat Klaus in the baddie department. Honestly, why did he have to be Stefan’s doppelganger? It’s just completely ludicrous, and feels like it was just thrown in there last minute, just because they liked Paul Wesley’s acting when he played Ripper Stefan. See, that was done over on Buffy, and Wesley is no David Boreanaz, but they just gave the guy a spinoff, not another, terribly written, role to play. Elena (and Katherine) is the doppelganger, turning Stefan into one makes that whole significance less special.

So basically, this episode was nominally better than the premiere, but still not good enough to warrant a sixth season. Then again, this is a series on The CW, they’re going to milk it for everything it’s got. (See proof via Smallville and Supernatural.)

My rating: 6 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“A bullet would’ve been more effective, but we’re trying to be nice.” – Jeremy says to Katherine, emulating Damon rather well.

“You do realize you’re dating a reformed serial killer right?” – Damon rhetorically asks Elena, in a rather dead on definition of his own character.

“It’s because you haven’t had sex with me.” – Damon tells Silas.

“Plus, I work out.” – Jeremy remarks to Silas, as he gives him a beat down.

Okay, that’ll be all for tonight. My head is killing me, I’m not quite sober yet, and I’m just plain exhausted. I’ll hit this place up with my review of Grey’s Anatomy and my Best Performances of the Week first thing tomorrow. Then it’ll be the review of Haven, followed by tomorrow night’s reviews of Once Upon A Time and Revenge. I’m off to go watch the Glee’s memorial episode.