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Vampire Diaries: The Turning Point

“Oh, that sucks.”

This is it! This is the episode of Vampire Diaries that made me a convert, back during the CW’s marathon in December! Looking back, I think the past five episodes have been pretty darn awesome. I also realize the comedy inherent in being turned by an episode called “The Turning Point.” But I felt all nostalgic during my re-watch.

It’s Damon’s conversation with Logan that did it for me. It’s hilarious that Logan can’t get into his house. It’s even more hilarious how deadpan Damon is about it. In most shows, a warehouse full of bodies, a crazed wooden-bullet-shooting vampire, and a serious need for information would turn into a dark version of Reservoir Dogs. But not on VD. This show doesn’t just change registers, it inhabits the tragic, the comic, the mundane, and the insane all at once.

Especially where Caroline is concerned. She’s such a convenient victim, all pretty and confused. If only Logan were better at being sneakier, he might have gotten his vengeance on more effectively. As is appropriate for a journalist, though, he also reported some pretty interesting news to Damon: someone else wants the tomb opened. Who could that be? How many vampires are in Mystic Falls?

We got a bit more Tyler tonight, too. As well as a long shot of the full moon as he worked out his anger issues and the repercussions of his dad’s anger. My vote is still on werewolf. (I haven’t read the books, so I have no idea if that’s what happens.)

I didn’t mention anything about Elena and Stefan breaking up in the last review, mostly because I don’t think anyone thought the break-up would last. And, sure enough, we got some spectacular make-up sex tonight. He didn’t even turn evil afterward. The real turning point wasn’t them having sex, though. It was Elena discovering what we’ve known for a long time: she’s a dead ringer for Katherine. She’s also trapped in a car with a dark silhouette headed her way. Is she a dead dead ringer?

Bites:

• Damon: “We could try out for the Amazing Race.” I think that is the most brilliant spin-off idea ever. The Amazing Race, Vampire Edition.

• Bonnie: “What kind of future could you have had with him, anyway?” [Banner reading ‘The Promise of YOUR Future’ falls on Elena.]
Elena: “Did you just?”
Bonnie: “No, really. No.” Fate, again.

• Logan: “Dude, it’s not like the welcome wagon was waiting with a bundt cake and a handbook. It’s been a learn-as-you-go process... Next thing I know, I can’t get into my house because my foot won’t go through the door.”
Damon: “You have to be invited in.”
Logan: “I know. I live alone.”
Damon: “Oh, that sucks.” This was the line that made me a convert.

• Logan: “What about walking in the sun? I’m a morning person.” And this was just icing on the cake.

• Jenna: “Career Night is the new bowling.”

• Damon: “I was ambushed, I was shot, and now I’m vengeful.”

• Damon: “I don’t side with anyone. You pissed me off, and I want you dead.”

• Logan: “I know you think this makes you brave, but actually it makes you pretty stupid.”
Alaric: “Either way, here I am.”

And Pieces:

• Jenna referred to herself as a “psychology major.” Real graduate students do not refer to their area of study as a “major.” Therefore, she must be a plant. I’m onto you, girl.

• Logan said he just wants to bite his girlfriend—is he referring to Jenna? Does he really love her?

• The Sheriff’s code for vampires is “V-5.”

• In Matt and Caroline news: they’re running the risk of turning into ‘we-people.’

• Did anyone else think of School Hard when Logan infiltrated Parent-Teacher night?

• Alaric is so fabulous. Even if he did just accidentally do Damon a good turn by staking Logan.

• This episode began with a bite and ended with a car-crash. In the original airing, it was also the winter finale. Hence the cliff-hanger.

Three and a half out of four dead ringers.

(Screencap courtesy of vampire-diaries.net. Thanks!)

Josie Kafka is a full-time cat servant and part-time rogue demon hunter. (What's a rogue demon?)

8 comments:

  1. Loved this one, too. Bad vamps everywhere, Stefan and Damon teaming up. (What an amazing chest Paul Wesley has. He doesn't look quite human. BID.) I was definitely getting Buffy vibes, especially of Buffy kissing Angel at the skating rink.

    My favorite line was "I was ambushed. I was shot. Now I'm vengeful." It's not that funny written down, but his delivery was perfect.

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  2. "My favorite line was "I was ambushed. I was shot. Now I'm vengeful." It's not that funny written down, but his delivery was perfect. - Billie, Ian Sommerhalder playing Damon delivers even a HELLO perfectly.
    The bromance in VD is, I think, one of its biggest attractives. It`s very funny to see how different people (vampires included) with different agendas get together to get things done. Alaric is an amazing character, played also by a drop-dead gorgeous actor, and his relationship with the Salvatore brothers and their complicated relationship as well are very interesting to follow. I`m missing VD already...

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  3. So here's the turning point line. :) Funny indeed.

    So far the best episode, but that's normal when almost every episode improves over the previous one.

    I'm glad that Elena found the photo. Thus we can get all the staples of vampire romance out of the way. Finding out he's a vampire, finding out he's not telling the whole truth. Unlike a certain mind reading waitress who got around to the second part just now after 3 seasons.

    Come to think of it the pacing is similar to Moonlight. Which is a good thing of course. I liked how they handled it in that show. The storyline progress logically and offer payoff. Again unlike True Blood.

    Count me in as a total covert.

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  4. Patryk, I'm glad you're enjoying it. It keeps getting better and better, too.

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  5. I can't remember any more exactly when I knew I was hooked on this show, but it was right around this point. Ian Somerhalder could read the dictionary and deliver it perfectly. The one-liners he gets just keep getting better and better.

    And, the characters have already improved so much from the beginning. None of them (except maybe Tyler) is the one-note personality we had in the beginning and I am beginning to care about all of them.

    What a great addition Alaric is to the cast. But, could the men of Mystic Falls be any more good looking? I'm just saying...

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  6. They later contradict the invite rule, few episodes from now. Later you can enter if the house has no owners that are alive (how very Buffy of VD), yet Logan can't now enter his own home...

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  7. Logan not being able to get into his house was funny but didn't exactly make sense. No one lives there so he shouldn't need an invitation.

    Is the school mascot the werewolves? I saw half a sign.

    I noticed Vicki is still in the cast. (She might have been all along, and I only noticed now.) I wonder if she'll be making an appearance?

    I have to say, every time I see the show referred to as "VD" I giggle on the inside. Yes, I'm that immature.

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  8. Marianna, Billie and I got some mileage out of that joke with this poll:

    http://www.douxreviews.com/2011/09/tb-vs-vd-which-is-more-infectious.html

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