(S1E4)
Friday Night Bites (S1E3)
★ ★ ½
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.