The Vampire Diaries 1x20 Review, Part 1
May. 4th, 2010 09:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaBlood Brothers
This episode left me a little disappointed actually. It was okay but definitely not one of my favourites.
What I Liked/Loved
• Elena. I thought she was awesome. I love her. She just makes me happy. Her confrontation with John was excellent. I loved how steely and in control and firm she was with not only John but also Stefan. I loved her casual “He has to eat.” without even hesitating on those words and her stumbling over asking Damon what Stefan’s favourite blood type is because while she has become used to and accepting of him being a vampire it is still weird. Oh, and I loved that too – her willingness to go and somehow acquire Stefan’s favourite type of blood in order to tempt him. I loved her patience and support with Stefan. I loved how at home she seemed at the Salvatore manor. And I loved the ease of her relationship with Damon. Oh, and that she called him on contributing to Stefan’s unhappiness by making his life miserable for the last century and some.
• “Our actions are what set things in motion but we have to live with that.” – Elena. ♥ She was so mature this episode and this was the top to the whole thing. I loved this. I love how she has been feeling guilty over her role in her parents’ deaths all this time and we never knew because she hasn’t been whining or brooding about it but rather calmly dealing with it and working through it herself. So much love for that. Also I really feel like Bonnie would benefit from Elena telling her this too.
• Elena/Stefan. They were wonderful. I loved how Elena was so un-intimidated by Stefan, even when he was trying, because she refused to give in on this and refused to give up on him. She would not accept him giving up so he could just suck it up. Her continued belief in him is definitely foolhardy and I can’t help but feel it’s going to come into play at some later date to hurt her but for now her complete loyalty to Stefan is really impressive. Her going into the cell, casually offering Stefan the blood bottle and then not backing down when he got scary in her face was both stupid and awesome. (And not stupid in the same way the human Salvatore’s were – Elena would have had the sense to take Katherine and run.) I loved her firm “No” when vamp-faced Stefan screamed in her face. How she said it – firmly with steel and unyieldingness behind it – I loved it. How does she manage to be so foolhardy and yet awesome at the same time? (Because this isn’t the first time.)
- I loved Elena being so open and honest with Stefan and, dare I say, mature. She was so mature in her approach to their relationship it was wonderful, and Stefan responded to that. After hearing about how he made his father his first vampire meal Elena responds with – “We need to be able to talk about these things, Stefan. I need to hear them.” Seriously, Stefan, at this point you need to never let go of this girl. I also liked her confessing her own guilt over her parents deaths in her quest to connect to him, opening up the same way she told him that he needed to.
- “It’s your choice.” – Elena. I thought this was really awesome. She tracks him down, gives him her spiel on why he should live and then... she leaves. She doesn’t stay and beg and plead with him to live, she doesn’t break down and weep, she doesn’t even say “I love you.” She makes it about him – what he’s going through, what his future holds. It’s not about her and in the end its Stefan’s choice. The more I think about it the more awesome it becomes.
- Oh also a point I found interesting is that when Elena is trying to convince Stefan she brings up her own feelings of guilt (re: her parents) instead of say pointing out the good that Stefan has done (re: saving her life).
• Elena/Damon. I accidently caught something about them out of the corner of my eye on an LJ post which seemed to indicate that this was going to be a bad episode for them, so I was worried after how wonderful the previous episode was, but I thought they were wonderful. This whole episode felt as if it was all about how much Elena has become a part of Damon’s life. I loved how accepting he is of her basically moving into his house. When she wonders if there’s a problem with her staying the night, he jokes that she’s “a complete nuisance” and is very obviously joking about it (Elena even laughs a bit). It feels like more than him just being accepting; it felt like him wanting as well. Plus it all just seems really homey. Like... well, like Elena lived there too and she belonged there. When Damon returns home he asks “Are you still here?” but it’s completely rhetorical. He knew she would still be there, was expecting it and I think was exactly how he wanted it. And, just as important as Damon’s comfort, is that Elena appears to be perfectly comfortable basically living at the manor. I loved his concern and caring for her. I mean I don’t know any other way to spin him asking if she would be okay if he left and then telling her that she shouldn’t be downstairs by herself. He was concerned for her and his final words as he left “I won’t be long.” were just so... domestic. I loved how when Elena told him he shared some blame for Stefan’s current situation Damon was visibly upset and to me he looked hurt as well.
- My favourite moment was when he arrived home to find Elena sitting on the couch working and he walked over, lifted her feet, sat down beside her and put her feet in his lap. There may have been a slight squee there. It’s just so...*handwaves* It felt like home and family and closeness and I loved it.
- “I don’t have any friends Elena.” – Damon
“Right.” – Elena.
Yeah Elena didn’t seem convinced. But if it’s true it’s only because that is how he’s made it and even if he denies it he wants them (or at least one person he can count on, it basically explains his relationship with Elena). I suppose it’s still too soon for Elena to say ‘I’m your friend.’ even though I think it’s true even if she won’t or can’t accept it yet. I can’t wait for the day that she can say it and mean it.
- We’re not told how long it’s been since the last episode but I’m imagining at least one instance now where Elena and Damon cook a meal together in the kitchen (and probably one time Elena left her bathroom in a towel to find Damon in her room). I want to read about this now.
• “What do you think your mother would say if she knew you were dating a vampire?” – John
“(pause) Which mother?” – Elena
Ooo, direct hit! That was awesome. It was an interesting move on his part to bring everything out into the open with her. What was he hoping to gain?
• The scene between Stefan/Giuseppe worked for me. When Stefan noticed the blood on his fingers and became spellbound by them it gave me a shiver and when he pushed Giuseppe’s hand away from his wound and touched it with this awestruck and captivated look it was one of the creepiest moments on this show. Really well done on PW’s part.
• Damon/Alaric continue their winning streak. The phone call was excellent (and I loved the whole thing with Damon going back and forth between Alaric and Elena) and I really enjoyed their man-date. They almost seemed like friends there for a moment. There were two exchanges I really liked:
“I’m not going with you. You tried to kill me.” – Damon
“Yeah, well you did kill me.” – Alaric
“Can we not kill anyone tonight, please?” – Alaric
“You just brought me along for my company?” – Damon
• I love the intercutting at the beginning of dying human Stefan seeing Damon and Katherine and vampire detoxing Stefan seeing Damon and Elena. That was well done.
• Jeremy and Anna continue to be really cute together.
• The Anna/Pearl scene really worked for me and I am going to miss them. I loved Anna’s “Please mama.” which made me go ‘aww’. And I loved Pearl finally treating her daughter as the adult she is when she told her that it was her decision on what she would do. Though really if Anna had chosen anything other then what she did (ie: Pearl) I would have lost a lot of respect and trust in TPTB. [Hmm, let’s see – a) my mother who I spent 140+ years waiting and scheming to get back and whom I love or b) the human boy I’ve known a couple months. Geez, so tough.] Anna’s reaction when she found her mother’s body was heartbreaking. When she pleaded with her corpse “Please don’t leave me again.” I got teary-eyed and if it had gone on for longer I may have cried. I need a fic now where the three of them left Mystic Falls and created a fabulous life for themselves.
• Stefan basically forcing Damon to turn because he wanted his brother to be with him forever. Oh, boys.
This episode left me a little disappointed actually. It was okay but definitely not one of my favourites.
What I Liked/Loved
• Elena. I thought she was awesome. I love her. She just makes me happy. Her confrontation with John was excellent. I loved how steely and in control and firm she was with not only John but also Stefan. I loved her casual “He has to eat.” without even hesitating on those words and her stumbling over asking Damon what Stefan’s favourite blood type is because while she has become used to and accepting of him being a vampire it is still weird. Oh, and I loved that too – her willingness to go and somehow acquire Stefan’s favourite type of blood in order to tempt him. I loved her patience and support with Stefan. I loved how at home she seemed at the Salvatore manor. And I loved the ease of her relationship with Damon. Oh, and that she called him on contributing to Stefan’s unhappiness by making his life miserable for the last century and some.
• “Our actions are what set things in motion but we have to live with that.” – Elena. ♥ She was so mature this episode and this was the top to the whole thing. I loved this. I love how she has been feeling guilty over her role in her parents’ deaths all this time and we never knew because she hasn’t been whining or brooding about it but rather calmly dealing with it and working through it herself. So much love for that. Also I really feel like Bonnie would benefit from Elena telling her this too.
• Elena/Stefan. They were wonderful. I loved how Elena was so un-intimidated by Stefan, even when he was trying, because she refused to give in on this and refused to give up on him. She would not accept him giving up so he could just suck it up. Her continued belief in him is definitely foolhardy and I can’t help but feel it’s going to come into play at some later date to hurt her but for now her complete loyalty to Stefan is really impressive. Her going into the cell, casually offering Stefan the blood bottle and then not backing down when he got scary in her face was both stupid and awesome. (And not stupid in the same way the human Salvatore’s were – Elena would have had the sense to take Katherine and run.) I loved her firm “No” when vamp-faced Stefan screamed in her face. How she said it – firmly with steel and unyieldingness behind it – I loved it. How does she manage to be so foolhardy and yet awesome at the same time? (Because this isn’t the first time.)
- I loved Elena being so open and honest with Stefan and, dare I say, mature. She was so mature in her approach to their relationship it was wonderful, and Stefan responded to that. After hearing about how he made his father his first vampire meal Elena responds with – “We need to be able to talk about these things, Stefan. I need to hear them.” Seriously, Stefan, at this point you need to never let go of this girl. I also liked her confessing her own guilt over her parents deaths in her quest to connect to him, opening up the same way she told him that he needed to.
- “It’s your choice.” – Elena. I thought this was really awesome. She tracks him down, gives him her spiel on why he should live and then... she leaves. She doesn’t stay and beg and plead with him to live, she doesn’t break down and weep, she doesn’t even say “I love you.” She makes it about him – what he’s going through, what his future holds. It’s not about her and in the end its Stefan’s choice. The more I think about it the more awesome it becomes.
- Oh also a point I found interesting is that when Elena is trying to convince Stefan she brings up her own feelings of guilt (re: her parents) instead of say pointing out the good that Stefan has done (re: saving her life).
• Elena/Damon. I accidently caught something about them out of the corner of my eye on an LJ post which seemed to indicate that this was going to be a bad episode for them, so I was worried after how wonderful the previous episode was, but I thought they were wonderful. This whole episode felt as if it was all about how much Elena has become a part of Damon’s life. I loved how accepting he is of her basically moving into his house. When she wonders if there’s a problem with her staying the night, he jokes that she’s “a complete nuisance” and is very obviously joking about it (Elena even laughs a bit). It feels like more than him just being accepting; it felt like him wanting as well. Plus it all just seems really homey. Like... well, like Elena lived there too and she belonged there. When Damon returns home he asks “Are you still here?” but it’s completely rhetorical. He knew she would still be there, was expecting it and I think was exactly how he wanted it. And, just as important as Damon’s comfort, is that Elena appears to be perfectly comfortable basically living at the manor. I loved his concern and caring for her. I mean I don’t know any other way to spin him asking if she would be okay if he left and then telling her that she shouldn’t be downstairs by herself. He was concerned for her and his final words as he left “I won’t be long.” were just so... domestic. I loved how when Elena told him he shared some blame for Stefan’s current situation Damon was visibly upset and to me he looked hurt as well.
- My favourite moment was when he arrived home to find Elena sitting on the couch working and he walked over, lifted her feet, sat down beside her and put her feet in his lap. There may have been a slight squee there. It’s just so...*handwaves* It felt like home and family and closeness and I loved it.
- “I don’t have any friends Elena.” – Damon
“Right.” – Elena.
Yeah Elena didn’t seem convinced. But if it’s true it’s only because that is how he’s made it and even if he denies it he wants them (or at least one person he can count on, it basically explains his relationship with Elena). I suppose it’s still too soon for Elena to say ‘I’m your friend.’ even though I think it’s true even if she won’t or can’t accept it yet. I can’t wait for the day that she can say it and mean it.
- We’re not told how long it’s been since the last episode but I’m imagining at least one instance now where Elena and Damon cook a meal together in the kitchen (and probably one time Elena left her bathroom in a towel to find Damon in her room). I want to read about this now.
• “What do you think your mother would say if she knew you were dating a vampire?” – John
“(pause) Which mother?” – Elena
Ooo, direct hit! That was awesome. It was an interesting move on his part to bring everything out into the open with her. What was he hoping to gain?
• The scene between Stefan/Giuseppe worked for me. When Stefan noticed the blood on his fingers and became spellbound by them it gave me a shiver and when he pushed Giuseppe’s hand away from his wound and touched it with this awestruck and captivated look it was one of the creepiest moments on this show. Really well done on PW’s part.
• Damon/Alaric continue their winning streak. The phone call was excellent (and I loved the whole thing with Damon going back and forth between Alaric and Elena) and I really enjoyed their man-date. They almost seemed like friends there for a moment. There were two exchanges I really liked:
“I’m not going with you. You tried to kill me.” – Damon
“Yeah, well you did kill me.” – Alaric
“Can we not kill anyone tonight, please?” – Alaric
“You just brought me along for my company?” – Damon
• I love the intercutting at the beginning of dying human Stefan seeing Damon and Katherine and vampire detoxing Stefan seeing Damon and Elena. That was well done.
• Jeremy and Anna continue to be really cute together.
• The Anna/Pearl scene really worked for me and I am going to miss them. I loved Anna’s “Please mama.” which made me go ‘aww’. And I loved Pearl finally treating her daughter as the adult she is when she told her that it was her decision on what she would do. Though really if Anna had chosen anything other then what she did (ie: Pearl) I would have lost a lot of respect and trust in TPTB. [Hmm, let’s see – a) my mother who I spent 140+ years waiting and scheming to get back and whom I love or b) the human boy I’ve known a couple months. Geez, so tough.] Anna’s reaction when she found her mother’s body was heartbreaking. When she pleaded with her corpse “Please don’t leave me again.” I got teary-eyed and if it had gone on for longer I may have cried. I need a fic now where the three of them left Mystic Falls and created a fabulous life for themselves.
• Stefan basically forcing Damon to turn because he wanted his brother to be with him forever. Oh, boys.
