Writers: Bryan Oh and Andrew Chambliss
Grade: A
Anna sucking off Jeremy’s hand was disturbingly hot, but it seems like she actually has some issues with feeding directly from the source. She looked a bit unsettled when Frederick was feeding from Ms. Gibbons in that opening scene, and I don’t think it was only because she was concerned that the poor woman was going to drop dead or start suffering from anemia. Feeding from Jeremy seemed like an irresistible splurge. (Not that I can blame her. Despite his distracting hair, I kept wondering if Jeremy had somehow gotten even cuter. Those soulful dark eyes are just… guh. Anyway…)
I have a feeling I may end up more depressed than thrilled by where the Jeremy/Anna storyline is heading. For one thing, Pearl was very quick to denounce the idea of Jeremy as Anna’s boyfriend, and Anna is clearly having a hard time adjusting to being a teenager again after spending over a century on her own. Not to mention, if the Jonathan Gilbert/Pearl relationship is anything to go by, Jeremy and Anna may end up pretty tragic. I’m afraid that Anna may have to kill Pearl to protect Jeremy, either accidentally or in an impulsive “crime of passion” sort of way. I can’t help but think that would be a death knell for their relationship.
I was a little thrown by Matt’s comment to Caroline about how she should try to be nicer to his mom, because Caroline has been nice, like trying as hard as she can and smiling until her face hurts nice. Then I realized that Matt was probably being sarcastic, but their exchange was cut short by Matt laying eyes on Stefan/Elena kissage, so the effect was sort of lost in the shuffle. If he was actually being serious, I can only assume it was a form of denial about his mother. He’s a very proud person with a lot of insecurities, particularly about being poor and having a trashy absentee mom. When it’s just Kelly and him, he can call her on her shit, but around other people, he’s defensive about his mother because he can’t stand the idea of anyone feeling sorry for him.
Elena and Matt both treated Caroline pretty badly. I didn’t appreciate Matt stupidly making googly eyes at Elena and then telling Caroline she was being paranoid, nor did I appreciate Elena not even bothering to empathize with how Caroline might be feeling or deny that Caroline is her backup Bonnie. I’m kind of okay with being annoyed at Matt and Elena, though, because I think it’s really hard to create characters that are flawed but still likable, and these writers are doing a hell of a job.
I also had no problem with Jenna drinking with Damon and Kelly. Yes, she’s Elena an Jeremy's guardian, but she’s also still in her twenties and is allowed to blow off some steam. I think some viewers may have been annoyed that she was seemingly making a play for Damon when she’s interested in Alaric, but a) it’s not a crime to be interested in two people at the same time, and b) I don’t actually think she would have gone home with Damon. I’m also not sure Damon would have let her go home with him—considering that Elena just found out he turned her mother, he may consider boinking her aunt to be off limits. I think it was just harmless flirting.
Finally, the director and editor did a great job of creating a sense of tension and danger. Considering how Elena kept talking about having a normal night, and considering that Frederick found out where the Salvatores lived, I was fully expecting Matt and Caroline to get attacked when they took Stefan’s car for a spin. When that didn’t happen, I thought Caroline and Elena would be attacked on their way home. That didn’t happen, either, but I can appreciate the fact that I feared that it would. This is a show about vampires, after all, so maintaining that sense of danger is important!
Other Stuff
-I really wasn’t expecting Pearl to gouge out Damon’s eyes or “spoon” Frederick. Badass doesn’t even begin to cover it.
-I’m so happy that Elena had the sense to use an unsent text to tell Stefan about Frederick calling her Katherine. It’s so refreshing to watch a show where the characters actually have brains! If TV Sookie Stackhouse were that smart and resourceful, I might like her more.
-It’s totally minor, but I thought it was really weird that Jeremy just opened the bathroom door on Elena without even knocking. It’s been over ten years since I lived in the same house with my brother, but when I did, we didn’t barge in on each other in the bathroom.
Quotes
Matt: “Is there anything you’re not good at?”
Stefan: “Double dating. This is all kind of new to me. I usually keep to myself—I don’t always fit in.”
Matt: “That’s because you’re that guy.”
Stefan: “What guy?”
Matt: “The guy who seems like he has everything, so the people that don’t kind of run the other way.”
Stefan: “Is that what I seem like?”
Matt: “Pretty much.”
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