Unpleasantville (S1E12)
★ ★ ½
13-09-2026
There are too many vampires in the vampire show already. Found this episode a little bit annoying, but it was nice to see Elena fighting back. I hope she trains in the future so she is not a total damsel in distress. I can't wait to find out what the big deal about Katherine actually is because this is getting a bit ridiculous now. Glad Jenna caught on about the Isobel thing but I just know she won't mention it to Elena. Somehow I do not think Isobel is dead. Also interesting that not only can vampires not detect each other, but they also cannot intuit if their compulsion is not effective due to vervain. Way too much going on and none of it that interesting. Also did they just ditch the diary framing of these episodes?
Bloodlines (S1E11)
★ ★ ★ ½
12-09-2026
So much going on this episode. Damon just has so much chemistry with whoever he shares a scene with, including Jessica Pearson. I am really surprised by how early all these bombshells, like Elena being adopted, are dropped. I wonder how Damon is going to get out of the Alaric situation because surely he is protected by vervain. I can't be asked for the Jeremy stuff, though at least this girl is more age appropriate. I don't necessarily "ship" Damon and Elena, but I like seeing him more because he is a better Vampire. I hope they don't redeem him *too* much.
The Turning Point (S1E10)
★ ★ ★ ½
12-09-2026
WEREWOLVES??? I said "Oh no." out loud when I realised Elena was going to find out Katherine is her twin. Understandable that she is upset right now, but it is so idiotic of her to get rid of the vervain necklace. Poor girl getting into another car crash... I sure hope that guy was Damon or even Alaric and the crypt vampires aren't escaping. Logan is very annoying so fingers crossed he stays dead this time. I am quite picky about vampire sex in general, and while I am sad Stefan's fangs don't come out, I appreciate his face turns all vampire-y. Elena asking if he was thirsty afterwards was funny.
History Repeating (S1E9)
★ ★ ★ ½
12-09-2026
The brothers roleplaying as each other was adorable. It is interesting to see Shit Get Real, but to be honest I don't really care about Katherine right now. Stefan and Elena's relationship still does not feel convincing enough to shift the focus onto her, and their episodic "I can't be with you even though I love you" holds no impact for me. I am excited that Bonnie has found out about the vampire thing, and wonder if the two will collude to keep it from Caroline, further isolating her. Assuming Alaric turned Logan to save him, and built rapport with Jeremy on purpose? Presumably because of the family's history with the council? I have no evidence, but it sort of feels like he is a self-loathing vampire who wants to destroy all the others or something, sort of Blade or Vampire Hunter D? Way less cool looking either way. He just reminds me of a less insane Van Helsing from Young Dracula, which is to say hunter, but then why would he be wearing the ring?
162 Candles (S1E8)
★ ★ ★
12-09-2026
I was wondering when Damon would frame someone. I almost expected it to be Vicki before she died, and it is unfortunate it was Lexi instead because she seemed pretty cool and I'd have liked to know her better. Unfortunately I saw it coming the moment she was introduced. Perhaps Damon's betrayal would have hit harder had she lasted a few episodes. His attempt at ingratiating himself into the council is also very smart, though sooner or later Zach's disappearance has to raise alarm, right? It is so sweet that Bonnie immediately trusts Elena with her powers, and I am sure she is going to be Pissed that Elena was keeping the vampire thing from her. I pity Caroline, the way Damon treats her, and how she does not seem to have any meaningful friendships at all, even though she is supposedly in a trio with Bonnie and Elena.
Haunted (S1E7)
★ ★ ★ ½
08-09-2026
Finally feels like there are some stakes (pun intended) at hand. Surely that council member is suspicious of Damon, right? It would be foolish of him not to be careful. Damon’s necklace belonging to Bonnie’s ancestors and just ending up in her hands feels contrived, unless part of its magic is to locate its rightful owner or something like that. I cannot say I am sorry Vicki is dead, because she was really annoying. I was not expecting Jeremy to discover the existence of vampires so early on, but of course he gets Eternal Sunshine-d. I cannot help but think that won’t hold in the long term and will come back to bite Elena in the ass and I hope it does, because she might have good intentions but it is unethical as hell and robs Jeremy of his autonomy.. An act of kindness from Damon, but I would not be surprised if he added something else into Jeremy’s head while he was there.
Lost Girls (S1E6)
★ ★ ★ ½
02-09-2026
Interesting choice to change the Salvatores from being Italian to Confederates. I cannot say I am fond of it. Even so, as evil as he is, I cannot help but enjoy every moment Damon is on screen. I mean, come on, he is imprisoned and dancing to Enjoy the Silence! Stefan’s coming out is hilariously similar to Edward Cullen’s and it astounds me that Twilight was allowed to get away with ripping the books off like this. I did not expect this but I am very impressed with how smart Elena is as a protagonist here, wary of danger and relatively level-headed for everything that has happened. This episode was FUN! Definitely the most enjoyable so far, it seems like now things have really started gaining momentum.
You’re Undead to Me (S1E5)
★ ★ ★ ½
02-09-2026
Elena put the vampire thing together pretty fast. This is the first episode so far I can say I somewhat enjoyed, with all the development creating so much tension, but the concept of a teenage “sexy” car wash is concerning. Poor Zach and poor Vicki too, I suppose, even though I find her character very grating. I liked the little moment between Bonnie and Stefan, and hope they have more like it. I am a sucker for rapport between two freaks. I wonder how long Elena will suspect Stefan of being the “wild animal” terrorising Mystic Falls, if at all. Surely if she has figured out Stefan is a vampire, Damon is implicit in that too. I also like the non-expositionary manner in which it is revealed that these vampires can be staked.
Family Ties (S1E4)
★ ★ ★
01-09-2026
Is it just me or is Jenna not visibly the same age as the high school protagonists? It really tests my suspension of disbelief. As before, Bonnie is the most interesting part of the show right now, and it is exciting seeing her powers develop. Damon is also interesting, because he is the only one of these brothers who actually feels like a vampire. Those bite marks… I appreciate them looking like proper imprints rather than neat little pinpricks, a little grotesque. I especially enjoy a monster with a sense of humour. Watching him reading Twilight, which is so obviously a blatant rip-off of the Vampire Diaries series, is particularly amusing. I cannot imagine him staying trapped long. Not a particularly strong episode, but it seems to have set everything up for the real meat of it to finally begin. I have not read these books since I was in primary school, but I am tempted to revisit them because surely they were not this meandering?
Friday Night Bites (S1E3)
★ ★ ★
20-08-2026
Both brothers being able to walk in the sun due to their rings feels like a bit of a cop-out, but I am glad it is balanced out somewhat by vampires still requiring an invitation to enter someone’s home. This episode is still not that special overall, but more enjoyable due to Damon. He is so manipulative and selfish, monstrously impulsive and predatory in every sense of the word - everything a vampire ought to be. He also already has so much more chemistry with Elena than Stefan. Stefan is still boring. Damon might be a bit cartoonish, but he and Bonnie are the only interesting characters as of now.
The Night of the Comet (S1E2)
★ ★ ½
20-08-2026
So far I am feeling absolutely none of the chemistry that would warrant all these strong feelings Elena is supposedly having for Stefan. He is so boringggg, and the whole “tortured by his own nature” thing is not really working for me here. This man makes BILL COMPTON feel like the most compelling character of all time. To be fair, for a protagonist, Elena is also quite flat, but hopefully her personality will come through when the plot becomes more active. I find the fact they do not show Bonnie’s visions directly so far quite interesting, and wonder if they will do anything with that. Of course, it could just be to save time and money LOL.
Pilot (S1E1)
★ ★ ½
19-08-2026
A very generic first-day-of-school episode save for the smattering of vampires. It sets up all the characters and their future storylines well enough, but is generally a little boring for a pilot. I wish they had lingered on the Stefan-being-the- primary-danger red herring a little longer, for at least another episode, but he is quickly set up as a good reformed vampire unlike his murderous brother. Damon is supposed to be dangerously sexy, I think, though he is acted almost exactly like Devon Bostick's Rodrick. Not that Rodrick does not have his appeal, but it feels out of place in a semi-serious teen drama. I do enjoy this stylistically though; Elena's outfits, the Pete Wentz reference, an extra who shows up for a split second with the most authentic emo hair of all time, all resonate with me deeply. More so than the vampires, funnily enough.