The Vampire Diaries: Fade Into You Review

Okay, so: I’ve almost reached a point with The Vampire Diaries that I reached once upon a time with Bones. Allow me to contextualize. Once, for reasons heretofore still unknown, I wound up watching the entire run of Bones over the course of one summer. I caught up just in time for Brennan to announce her pregnancy and for her and Booth to magically get together without us, the long-suffering viewers at home, getting to see any of the grand hook-up we had been waiting for so diligently.

Because of this, I dropped the show like the proverbial cock-tease it was: I still scowl when I inadvertently come across commercials for it and the like. What does this have to do with TVD? I’m so glad you asked. Up until right about now, I’ve been quietly impressed with how they’ve managed to grow the relationship between Stefan and Caroline. It’s felt real and sustained and juicy and great. After this Thanksgiving feast, I am no longer sure.

Don’t get confused – I’m not giving up yet, but I’m concerned that the show might be juuuust about to drop the ball (of romance, it’s a thing) and that it could get it ugly. Maybe it’s because I refuse to allow myself to enjoy nice things like Stefan’s epic apology speech to Caroline. It’s true, he did unload a lot of explanation as to his behaviors towards her that needed ‘splaining. But it didn’t end the way that sort of conversation would end in life: With a frenzied probably still ill-advised makeout session. TLDR story made short, I’m worried that rather than progress naturally, the show is now deliberately baiting us with these two, and that means I’ve got to break out the purple shorts because I’m do to Hulk out any second now.

The whole mountain of Stefan and Caroline stuff required a palate cleanser of the highest order. Weirdly, Elena and Damon served in that role just fine – well, in fact! I enjoyed the French-Farce aspect that was Elena quietly deducing that disclosing the full extent of her supernaturalness to Liam was a terrible, terrible idea. Who hasn’t ended a relationship and quietly wished that they could compel the other party into thinking that it had never happened? We’ve all been there. I’m glad Liam got the boot, and glad that Elena is doing what she always does – acknowledging that she’s got feelings for Damon. Sure as the sun rises and sets each day, Gilbert is ride or die for Damon, it’s a tale as old as time. This and other cliches.

I was really, really into the whole Jo and Kai being twins deal, though it was hardly revelatory if you’ve been paying attention and have read a book. The Gemini coven? Clearly there were going to be twins involved. Not sure how I feel about this whole twins-fusing together, strong one absorbing the weak one’s strength, but I’ll go for it for now. I like Jo more and more each week. The fact that she banished Kai to 1994 continued to kick her up a couple more awesome notches for me.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that’s your thing!