The Vampire Diaries – Elijah, Abby and Bill — oh my!

“I wonder what my exes would call me?” – Alaric
“Nothing. They’re all dead.” – Damon

Why is it that tonight’s episode of The Vampire Diaries, “The Ties That Bind,” felt so much … quieter to me than usual? It’s not like a lot didn’t happen — we met Bonnie’s mom and her future Greg Brady, had some annoying hybrid action, Tyler’s got a Giles, Elena confessed her lip-locking to Stefan and several lives were saved in unique ways. And I’m not really complaining, because I enjoyed the episode. But something about the way the tension mounted was more “slow burn” as opposed to the usual “OMG!”

There’s no denying that all of the storylines are moving ahead in very interesting ways. I wasn’t sure we’d see Bill Forbes again, but his helping Tyler is bringing me toward sympathy for that whipped, biting hybrid d-bag. We haven’t seen Tyler’s sensitive side in a  while, and I literally said, “Awwww!” out loud when he presented his new idea — and her dad — to Caroline. He’s really committed to making things work with her … at least he was until Bill told him he needed to turn again and again. Too bad for him that he’s about to become the third wheel in the hottest love triangle since Stefan-Damon-Elena. Yep, I’m holding to my theory that Klaus and Caroline are hooking up sooner than later.

Meredith is becoming simply fascinating, I must say. She’s not just a doctor who wonders about Alaric, who happens to be on the Council, who maybe killed her ex … she steals vampire blood to heal her patients. I didn’t warm to her right away — she played it far too coy with Alaric and she may have learned her flirting skills from her strip-o-gram job that put her through med school. I needed the layers of Meredith that were revealed tonight … and I also needed Elena to interrupt that kiss. I’m not quite ready to like her enough for Alaric to like her.

So … Bonnie’s mom put Mikael in his coffin for 15 years — she was one powerful witch in her day. I’m not sure how Bonnie will help her get her magic back, but it’s a given that she will. When will we find out what’s in the locked coffin? Bonnie softened a bit when Abby revealed that she didn’t know Grams had died, but Bonnie’s got about a gazillion reasons not to trust her.

I’m not sure what I expected from Stefan’s reaction to Elena and Damon’s kiss, but it wasn’t silence and walking away, and then an apology (for the kidnapping and life-threatening bridge adventure) and a compliment (“You’re better than me, Elena. You’re better than both of us.” ). He’s been so angry lately, and I guess that side of him came out when he punched Damon. Stefan recognized how much stronger Elena has become, and it’s almost as if he knew any reaction of his wouldn’t matter to her. It’s pretty clear that he’s protecting her for reasons other than Klaus, and that he’s got more control over himself than when the season started. Maybe we’ll have two raging love triangles during February sweeps.

When Stefan and Damon were talking at the end and Damon showed him the dagger, I didn’t quite connect the dots … until Elijah ripped the still-beating heart from Klaus’s hybrid of the week. I don’t remember Elijah being off his rocker, but he sure seemed this side of crazy in that small moment. Eh, he’s probably just a little pissed at Klaus … a little.

“The Ties That Bind” set up some spectacular February sweeps episodes, and you know that some of these storylines will wrap up faster than we expect and in ways we never saw coming. Bring it on, Vampire Diaries. I will even forgive you for not having a new episode next week.

And one last quote:

“Looking for a bunny. You’re good … for now.” – Damon to Alaric

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jan 19, 2012 @ 22:21 EST5EDT