The Vampire Diaries says goodbye to "The Departed"

CW's The Vampire Diaries ends its season with "The Departed." Big bad vampire vampire hunter Alaric (Matt Davis) resists the others' attempts to fool him, and locates Klaus (Joseph Morgan). With the Original who turned the entire main cast of vampires staked, everyone awaits their deaths, and begins saying goodbye. This is surely the series finale, right?

Not so fast. With the popularity of The Vampire Diaries, it's hard to ever build suspense over whether Stefan (Paul Wesley) and / or Damon (Ian Somerhalder) might die. They won't. Tyler (Michael Trevino), sure, and maybe even Caroline (Candice Accola), but never the brothers. Which means that either Klaus lied about creating their bloodline, or he isn't really dead.

Spoiler alert! It's the latter. But what is really shocking is how he manages to survive. That really is Klaus's body that Alaric stakes, but clever Bonnie (Kat Graham) transfers Klaus's essence into Tyler's body. So it appears that actor Morgan is gone, but the character remains. What an interesting and unexpected way to go!

Tyler is likely chosen because of his bond to Klaus. After all, Bonnie wouldn't do that to one of her friends if she had much of a choice, would she? She allows Klaus to hijack Tyler's body because it saves the life of Caroline and her own mother, primarily. Does it also save Tyler? Is he still aware in there somewhere? Will Bonnie be moving Klaus to a new host? This particular plot point provides much more mystery than anything, and the rules about this transference are not at all known. What is probable is that Klaus is not lying about the bloodline, so he must stay alive somehow in order to keep the main characters breathing.

As Tyler writhes in pain in front of Caroline, one may be forgiven for assuming he's dying. The whole sequence is built very well, to provide maximum ramp up. But there's also a sneaking suspicion that, perhaps by turning into a werewolf, he can somehow avoid the death. It's a very touching moment when Caroline and Tyler must say goodbye, one of the best scenes yet for these two performers. The delight that the characters live on erases any cheapening that might happen because the goodbye is premature.

It is likely that Klaus won't want to leave Tyler's body anytime soon. After all, he is in love with Caroline, and Caroline loves Tyler. It's hard to imagine that Bonnie won't spill the beans, rather than watch Caroline be fooled. Unless Klaus holds some sort of threat over Bonnie, which also seems pretty likely, given his track record.

The simple fact of the matter, though, is that The Vampire Diaries has killed off so many main characters, they can't kill off many more without gutting the cast. Last season's finale is a bloodbath, but "The Departed" can't afford to be. Alaric is permanently dead, sadly, and gets a very sweet goodbye with Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), though Jeremy is more upset about someone else at the time. But that's it. Though how cool would it be if Alaric could become Jeremy's permanent ghost companion, thus keeping the actor in the series? Alas, that does not appear to be the path that The Vampire Diaries is choosing.

Jeremy and Matt (Zach Roerig) step up to the plate in "The Departed." As Elena's (Nina Dobrev) only human friends left, they decide that they need to remove her from this crazy vampire war, so they drug her and sneak her away in the night. These two have contributed to the good fight before, but somehow this seems more heroic than past deeds. It might be sneaky, but Elena needs protection, and they strive to offer it. Sadly, they fail, as Rebekah (Claire Holt) succeeds in killing Elena, thus removing Alaric's threat towards herself.

Elena is now a vampire! This may just be the biggest twist The Vampire Diaries has ever embarked upon. Watching Elena die is completely unfathomable, and fans wait with baited breath for the other shoe to drop. But to make her a vampire, despite the precedence set by Twlight (and possibly The Vampire Diaries books?), it's still hard to see coming. This will change her life and her character forever. Now, at least everyone can stop whining about protecting her!

What will Elena's transformation mean for her? For one, she will have increased appetites. This just might make her rethink her decision about which Salvatore brother to love. See, earlier in "The Departed," when Elena believes both Stefan and Damon are dying, she asks Matt to take her to Stefan. This is a very clear choice, one made, in part, she claims, because she meets Stefan first.

But Elena did not meet Stefan first. She met Damon, and he (kindly?) erased her memory of the encounter. Being a vampire now, this memory will come back. Also, Stefan saves Matt, leaving Elena to die. Yes, this is Elena's choice, as she signals frantically for Stefan to do so. But might she also hold some sort of grudge that Stefan didn't manage to dive back into the lake and save her, too? Plus, Stefan has vampire strength. After he frees Matt, couldn't he pull Elena out, too, and take them both to the surface at once?

Really, Elena's new self is a total game changer in her relationship with both Damon and Stefan. And without yet seeing this new vampire Elena, which is only glimpsed in "The Departed," it is impossible to predict in what ways the game is going to change. Arguments can be made for her to fall for each brother, depending on which way the writers decide to go with her personality, and how she is affected by this.

Also, it must be said that Damon watching Alaric die, knowing that it means Elena is dying, too, is truly wrenching. Never has Damon been exposed so raw, and Somerhalder really sells the scene. What a triumph for the show!

Huge episode! The Vampire Diaries is known for delivering, and "The Departed" exceeds expectations! Thank goodness it has already been renewed, and will return to the CW next fall!

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"1912" is a great year for The Vampire Diaries

This week's entry of the CW's The Vampire Diaries is called "1912." Sheriff Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) arrests Alaric (Matt Davis) for the serial killings happening in Mystic Falls. Elena (Nina Dobrev) is convinced that Dr. Fell (Torrey DeVitto, Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill) is the actual guilty party, so she and Matt (Zach Roerig) break into Dr. Fell's house to search for evidence. Damon (Ian Somerhalder) would also like to help Alaric, but becomes more concerned with Stefan (Paul Wesley), whose cold turkey method of quitting blood drinking is brewing trouble. Damon's memories of 1912 tie Stefan and the killings together via Sage (Cassidy Freeman, Smallville), an important vampire in the brothers' lives.

While flashbacks are important in the story of The Vampire Diaries, they haven't made for the best episodes. They reveal important milestones in the growth of who Stefan and Damon are, but are rarely exciting on their own. "1912" is a little different because of the addition of Sage, and the point in the personal history of the Salvaores that it chooses to show.

Damon and Stefan both struggle with the urge to drink human blood with varying degrees of success. Fans know that both have gone through differing periods where their personalities have changed. Stefan's issues stem from a tendency to swing to the extremes, whereas Damon, while complex, remains more consistently true to himself. However, that doesn't mean that Damon isn't capable of growth or regret. Feeling guilty for failing to stop Stefan's mistakes in the past, "1912" finds Damon stepping up, taking a proactive role to keep Stefan from having another freak out.

Sage is a mysterious lady, with her intentions for Mystic Falls remaining a mystery. She helps Damon see what feeding should be to vampires, and a way to do so without turning into the hunted monster of the town. But why she does so isn't clear, nor is what happens to her after her brief story in "1912." Luckily, she will be returning to present day events in The Vampire Diaries next week. It's lucky, because Freeman proved her skills as an actress in another CW series, especially in mixing threatening, sexy, and vulnerable, and it's wonderful to see her bring those talents to bear again.

There is also some great Damon / Rebekah (Claire Holt) interaction in "1912." He may treat her poorly, but there are indications that they could possibly have a real relationship, once Damon begins to get over Elena. Not saying they're going to get a happy ever after, but they could make a go of it for awhile.

In the present, much is made over the Gilbert tendency to go insane, not unlike Stefan, but through no fault of their own. Samantha Gilbert is the serial killer in "1912," so it's not without merit that one may begin to wonder if Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) has returned to town, and is behind the latest slaughters.

Alas, no. The Vampire Diaries has done a masterful job, yet again, of tossing in the unexpected twist. The latest being that Alaric really is the one responsible, and Dr. Fell is going to great lengths to help him. Which makes her a character very much worth having around, and hopefully, she will stay in town. Of course, why she didn't just come clean in the first place doesn't make a lot of sense. But still...

It's very possible that the fault lies in Alaric's ring, but will removing it stop him from killing? And no ring leaves Alaric highly vulnerable. The Vampire Diaries has a history of killing off any human who isn't supernatural or has major supernatural help. Alaric isn't as valuable to the Salvatores as Elena, so he could be screwed without that ring, unless he wants to hang up his vampire hunting ways forever. No matter how awesome it is to see Alaric getting some meaty screen time, it's not worth it if it takes him off of the show for good.

Most episodes of the series are terrific, but sometimes it is nice to slow down the action and let half the cast take a week off. This week's episode is the perfect example of that. "1912" is great because it takes the time to focus intimately on a couple of characters and plots, rather than trying to fit in everyone.

One will not want to miss what happens next! Watch The Vampire Diaries Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here to read every review of The Vampire Diaries I've ever written. To purchase The Vampire Diaries books, DVDs, or watch streaming episodes, please go here.

The Vampire Diaries celebrates "The Birthday"

     The CW's The Vampire Diaries just happens to begin its third season on Elena's (Nina Dobrev) 18th birthday, hence the title of the episode, "The Birthday." Caroline (Candice Accola) throws Elena an unwanted party, and ends up hooking up there with Tyler (Michael Trevino). Too bad Tyler's mother, Carol (Susan Walters), shoots Caroline with tranquilizers as she tries to sneak out post-relations. Elena doesn't enjoy her party because she's concerned with the still MIA Stefan (Paul Wesley). She's not too happy to learn Damon (Ian Somerhalder) has been secretly tracking Stefan... or rather, the path of bloody bodies Stefan is leaving.

     What may be most shocking about "The Birthday" is that Stefan's actions don't feel so surprising. He's a vampire who is good in every episode of the past two seasons, but going bad suits him. It might help that The Vampire Diaries doesn't actually choose to show Stefan's brutality towards innocent humans on screen very much, saving the torture for a new werewolf named Ray Sutton (David Gallagher, Seventh Heaven). Telling us that Stefan rips bodies apart and puts them back together instead of showing it almost makes it seem untrue. A few tortured glances, and an anonymous phone call to Elena, show that the Stefan that fans love is still in there, so it's not as big a deal as one might think.

     Oh, except for when he kills Damon's "girlfriend" right in front of his brother. That's pretty wicked, and not at all expected of the "nice guy."

     Damon's actions are understandable, as despite being more of a jerk than Stefan, usually, he is a very honest character. What you see is what you get. He has been hiding what Stefan is doing from Elena because he doesn't want to see Elena hurt. Damon genuinely cares for Elena, no matter what he says, and the kiss they share last season makes him act a little more kindly towards her. He probably doesn't really expect to win Elena as a romantic partner anytime soon, but he does want to protect her, and he would like to be with her. Both of those things motivate him to only tell Alaric (Matt Davis) what is going on.

     What is going on, exactly? All that is known for sure is that Klaus (Joseph Morgan) wants to make more of his own kind. Roy becomes the first, presumably, since Klaus feeds Roy his blood, then snaps his neck. By next week's episode, Roy should be the newest vampire / werewolf hybrid on The Vampire Diaries. Whether such a "gift" will win Roy over as an ally, and spur him to lead Klaus and Stefan to his pack, remains to be seen. What Klaus plans on doing with his creations, possibly an army, also remains a mystery thus far.

     As for Elena, it's hard to know what she will do. She seems a bit desperate in "The Birthday," trying to be happy, and also holding out hope for Stefan. She is somewhat warm towards Damon until she discovers the secret he is keeping from her, but still holds her heart for Stefan. Will she blame Damon, the messenger? Will she be able to forgive Stefan? Either is possible, and both are hinted as likely. But it would certainly help her if Alaric didn't move off of her couch, as she seems to need someone else around, and when her friends and family keep dying, the possible list of companions is short.

     Caroline and Tyler are breaking some sort of serious vampire / werewolf hate pact with their sexual dalliance in "The Birthday." Yet, the chemistry between the two, building for awhile now, is strong. This must mean that the hatred between the species is a learned behavior, not the way things must be. That's good news for the happy couple, but bad news for the townspeople who think werewolves are OK, but vampires are evil. Of which Carol must be among the group. Tyler cares enough for Caroline that he will probably defend her from his mother, if he learns what is happening on The Vampire Diaries.

     Which might not be the case. After all, Tyler is sound asleep when Carol assaults Caroline. Since Carol is never involved in the town's anti-vampire stuff, it's kind of unexpected that she takes this action, and definitely knows what Caroline is. What she will do with Caroline is certainly a question left hanging.

     It's a shame, because that sex scene between Tyler and Caroline is all sorts of hot. Tyler needs to get back, immediately! After all, where else will he and she satisfy their "super horny" supernatural urges?

     As obvious from last year's finale, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) continues to see dead people. Namely, former love interests Vicki (Kayla Ewell) and Anna (Malese Jow). Is it happening more now because Bonnie (Kat Graham) is out of town, or does that just give Jeremy more time to dwell on it? Either way, it's enough to keep Jeremy's mind off of his dead aunt, and on to more immediate concerns. Hopefully, the horrors won't drive him back into the hard drugs; he already indulges in a little pot in "The Birthday." But there is hope when he finds a brand new buddy to bond with over the whole thing: Matt (Zach Roerig).

     Matt still misses Vicki, his sister, and with the whole supernatural world of The Vampire Diaries only recently visible to him, he surely has lots of questions. Elena is busy, and while there are still some unresolved issues with Caroline, he doesn't want to be around her much right now, understandably. So he finds his way to Jeremy, providing a pairing the series hasn't tried up til now. Considering they are two of the few humans left in the cast, it makes sense. With Matt entering this world with an angry revelation, maybe Jeremy can ease him into things a bit more gently. If Matt doesn't die first, since at this moment, Matt seems the most expendable main character left.


     The Vampire Diaries airs Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     To purchase The Vampire Diaries books, DVDs, or watch streaming episodes, please go to here.

Article first published as TV Review: The Vampire Diaries - "The Birthday" on Blogcritics.

The Vampire Diaries - "As I Lay Dying"

     The CW's The Vampire Diaries did most of its blood shedding last week, killing off four characters, including poor Aunt Jenna (Sara Canning, who will be missed), an original series regular. So what was left for the season finale, "As I Lay Dying," last night? Instead of massive amounts of death, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) slowly grows weaker as the poison of the werewolf bite consumes him. His brother, Stefan (Paul Wesley), goes to evil original vampire/werewolf hybrid Klaus (Joseph Morgan), quite likely the most dangerous being on the planet, as Klaus's blood is the only thing that can cure Damon. But Klaus will only hand it over if Stefan gives up the restraint he has carefully constructed and go wild evil himself. It's a tough decision. Can Stefan save his brother knowing that the consequence may be Stefan will not be able to stop killing innocent humans?

     Long have viewers heard of the "evil" Stefan, who is a ruthless hunter, ripping out scores of throats of hapless victims. Never has he been seen. Klaus begins activating him by forcing Stefan to chug blood bag after blood bag, sparking the lust and powerful instincts within him. There is no telling if Stefan can come back from this. He has before, but it is unknown how. It is easy to believe Stefan is just playing along at first, knowing his limits. But to save Damon's life, Stefan may have passed what he can handle.

     At first, it is easy to believe that Stefan is just playing along with Klaus's game. He has to drink, or Klaus would stop humoring him completely But at some point, it must become more than Stefan can handle. How else to explain Stefan chasing down and killing an innocent human woman at the end of the episode? This is not a price the Stefan featured these past two seasons would deem acceptable. Yes, it is his brother's life on the line. But Stefan has always been a pacifist who would find another way. This is a sure sign that the blood has taken over, and a different Stefan has emerged.

     As for Damon, no surprise, he is healed. Damon is one of the "essentials" in The Vampire Diaries, and is in no way expendable. Katherine (Nina Dobrev) brings him Klaus's blood after she escapes Klaus. What is interesting is that Katherine goes to Damon at all, instead of selfishly fleeing. She obviously cares for him somewhat, a fact that has been in doubt for quite some time. It is unlikely Katherine is looking to stick around with Damon for any length of time, but she has some respect for his life, or she wouldn't even have taken the time to stop by.

     Elena (also Dobrev) cares for Damon while he's sick, and even kisses him as she believes he is dying, just before Katherine shows up. The show has always had some romantic tension between Elena and Damon, but this is the first time she has really allowed herself to return any of his affections. One wonders how involved Elena may get with Damon next season, as they will surely by looking for Stefan, spending long hours together, and the more she hears about what Stefan is doing now, the less she may want to see her boyfriend. His brother is sweeter.

     In "As I Lay Dying," an extremely important series of events occurred that will have long last effects on the entire cast of The Vampire Diaries, and has nothing to do with the Salvatore brothers or a Dobrev character, believe it or not. Sheriff Liz Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) aims her gun at Damon, but instead fatally shoots Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen). Bonnie (Katerina Graham) does a magical spell to bring Jeremy back, angering the witches and upsetting nature. Because the supernatural saves an innocent, Liz is able to begin to accept her vampire daughter, Caroline (Candice Accola). But Jeremy is soon visited by two dead ex-girlfriends: Vicki (original cast member Kayla Ewell) and Anna (Malese Jow).

     There is no telling what Vicki and Anna are or what they are doing here. Are they ghosts? Figments of Jeremy's mind? Can he now see the dead because he was dead and some part of his brain remains tuned into death? Will they just appear to him? Will others see them? Will they be nice or mean to Jeremy? Will they help or hurt people? Will others follow them? The questions are endless.

     Bonnie made the mess, and no matter why the girls have shown up, it is a mess. Seeing dead people is never a good sign in any story, The Vampire Diaries will be no different, and it is inconceivable that it will not have to be fixed. Bonnie has grown arrogant with the great power she now has. Will this be a turning point for her, when she realizes she needs to think about the consequences of her actions, instead of just doing whatever spell she feels is necessary in the moment?

     Liz has been determined to wipe out vampires in her town for a very long time. Her going soft on Caroline could have repercussions. As part of the Council, by now she has to have told others, most likely at least Carol Lockwood (Susan Walters), about Caroline, Stefan, and Damon. So will Liz be able to stand up for her daughter, when everything she has worked for her entire life has been against what her daughter has become? Can she fight against the people that were her co-conspirators in keeping the town safe? It's a very tough position to be in, but at least Caroline has opened Liz up to the fact that vampires are people, too. They are not all soulless, murdering monsters.

     Finally, Alaric (Matthew Davis) hasn't had a lot of self-driven plot as of late. With girlfriend Jenna dead, he seems to be offering Jeremy a father figure. Hopefully, we can look forward to some good development for the teacher slash warrior, who has proven with his large heart and loyalty he deserves a place in The Vampire Diaries.


     The Vampire Diaries has been renewed for a third season and will return to the CW in the fall.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     To purchase The Vampire Diaries books, DVDs, or watch streaming episodes, please go to here.

Article first published as TV Review: The Vampire Diaries - "As I Lay Dying" on Blogcritics.