Vampire Diaries: The Dinner Party

“Thus ending our werewolf chapter and bringing us to Elijah.”

I’m starting to feel like my Vampire Diaries reviews are getting a bit redundant. But I can’t help it—this has been a wonderful season, and every episode leaves me with a big wacky grin on my face. Can the show possibly keep this up?

I hope so. This week’s entry was so jam-packed full of goodies that I didn’t even mind the two minor quibbles: too many flashbacks, and not enough time between Elijah’s death, resurrection, and other death. I might be in the minority in this, but I don’t love the VD flashbacks. They add depth and are necessary to explain Stefan’s and Damon’s past actions, but I start to zone out whenever I see ruffles and cravats. Having said that, though, I thought it quite interesting that Elena reading Jonathan Gilbert’s diary reminded Stefan of Lexie, which made him remember some of the grievances he has against Damon. Will that matter down the line? Doesn’t everything on this show?

Stefan’s fond memories of Lexie also helped him deal with Elena’s tragic impending martyrdom. Normally, I’m horrified by the idea of a wise boyfriend helping a young girl realize something about herself, but I never felt uncomfortable with what Stefan was helping Elena work though. He does have more experience with many of these problems, and he managed to provide guidance without being patronizing, just as Lexie did for him.

During his dark period, Stefan didn’t turn to Damon—just as Damon tends not to ask Stefan for help or support when he needs it most. The two brothers really are not communicating well, and while that means good things for Stefan and Elena, it means that Damon is left only with civilian friends who might not fully understand where he’s coming from. Alaric is right: compelling Andie Star, news reporter, is “too weird.” Stefan would address the issue directly, but Alaric just sidesteps it in that way men sometimes do with their friends.

All that personal stuff, though, pales in comparison to this episode’s major moments: Elijah, Elijah, Elena, and Katherine. Even though I know VD is fast-paced and action-packed, I’m still surprised every time they refuse to draw a story out. I thought Elijah’s death would come at the end of the season. Instead, he died—not once but twice. The first death was shocking, but I was still reeling from it when he resurrected. A few more minutes in-between would have increased the impact of both events, I think.

Nevertheless, Elena stabbing herself blew me away. All this time, I’ve wondered that no character has thought of the obvious vampire solution to the problem of Elena’s sacrificeability. Turns out, Elena had thought of it—she just wasn’t talking about. On a less-skilled show, this might have felt like a solution ex machina, but instead it gave some depth to Elena’s martyrdom. She has thought through the range of possible solutions, she just hasn’t brought them up to Stefan. Understandable, given the circumstances. Maybe Elena’s way, whatever it is, really will help defeat Elijah.

And now, Elijah is dead and daggered, resting in the basement cell of the Salvatore house. It’s too bad they can’t just burn him. In fact, can they burn him? Or would that disintegrate the dagger? Plus, now that his compulsion is undone, Katherine is free. That’s so incredibly cool.

Less cool are the problems brewing between Alaric and Jenna. Alaric is so damn desirable, and he was such a hero with the secretive stabbing that came out of nowhere. Jenna should know how cool her boyfriend is. (I hope they have a heart-to-heart soon.) When Alaric put the ring on the sideboard, I really thought he was going to punch Jon Gilbert/Sark!. What he actually did—just walking away and sacrificing near-immortality for Jenna—is so much cooler.

But it leaves us with a bunch of new problems: Elijah in the cell is sort of like Katherine in the tomb: a problem waiting to happen. Katherine herself is back in the game, as is the moonstone. Alaric has lost his ring of power, and Bonnie has lost her powers. Stefan seems to have regained his sense of anger at Damon. And it turns out that Elena’s death is on the table as a possible plot point, and Katherine is willing to help. Or pretending to help. Probably the latter.

Bites:

• Damon: “Yes, Stefan, I’ve become you. How tragic for both of us.”

• Elijah: “It’s a joke, Ric. Lighten up.”

• Alaric: “This is too weird.”

• Andie: “I am so grateful that Damon tells me everything.”

• Damon: “There’s no such thing as a bad idea. Just poorly executed awesome ones.” That’s a bumper sticker waiting to happen.

• Damon: “Let me guess. In addition to the moonstone, the doppelganger, the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe…”

• Damon: “Elijah, did you know that Jon is Elena’s uncle-slash-father? Of course, she hates him, so there is no need to keep him on the endangered species list.”

• Damon: “We’re at irreparable odds.” This was such a nineteenth-century Spike line.

And Pieces:

• In this week’s facial hair report, Alaric bought a new razor, but lost it again. Sadly, Elena has fallen victim to this season’s trend for thicker eyebrows.

• What does Elijah want with the witch-massacre ground?

• I love to watch vampires do dishes. Like pictures of dogs playing poker, it never gets old.

• The song playing over the awesome Katherine reemergence scene contained a line about someone named, you guessed it, Katherine. I didn’t quite have the right effect.

Four out of four sexy vampire shower scenes.

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

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