4.8 We’ll Always Have Bourbon Street The episode didn’t seem overly concerned with all those life or death crises that are still looming, as we spend the hour with Damon and Stefan as they take a trip to New Orleans. The point of this isn’t clear, as the one-in-a-million chance of a human being tied to a vampire has apparently happened to Damon twice. Thinking that he’d cured his former sired girlfriend back in forties, the brothers search for the witch who had promised him the problem-solving spell. The only problem is that Charlotte has been hanging around their meeting spot for seventy years, hoping he would return one day. This doesn’t bode well for his finally-realised relationship with Elena, who is spending the weekend with Caroline and Bonnie. The sleepover, fuelled by the extensive Salvatore wine collection, starts off in the irritatingly girly way you’d imagine (lots of giggling over absolutely nothing), and then descends into a mess of judgement and resentment. Coming mainly from Caroline, who is of course aware of the power Damon may have over her friend, it seems boys can still drive a wedge between the friendships of teenage girls, no matter how super-powered they are. We’re left on a cliffhanger, somewhat ruined by the teaser for next week’s mid-season finale, as Elena pushes against Damon’s desire to order her out of his life. The only way out of the sire bond, which only happens when a human has feelings for her vampire before they’re turned, is to force them to move on. This might be one rule too far in a MacGuffin-filled season that’s testing even the most experienced The Vampire Diaries fans’ patience. We already have a sire plot going on with Tyler and his hybrid army, and to introduce another variation on these rules this late in the game just insults our intelligence. It doesn’t help that the ongoing Tyler vs. Klaus storyline is really, really dull. At this point, Caroline’s allegiances are to Stefan more than anyone else, and it’s not clear whether she and Tyler are even in a relationship anymore. We meet a new hybrid every couple of weeks, when they either get killed or turn against alpha-Tyler, and there’s absolutely no time to get to know the most important one – Hayley. Secret Circle fans will know and love Phoebe Tonkin, but those just being introduced to her as Hayley will have no sense of the actress’ talents. Which is the point, isn’t it? I might be the only one, but isn’t The Vampire Diaries more interesting when it’s preoccupied with things more important than the love stories? The show is at its best when these relationship issues are wrapped up in action and intrigue, and to have several episodes entirely focused on who Elena is in love with is a big snooze for a certain section of viewers. Next week is the mid-season finale, and I really hope it gets back to business. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news, reviews and trailers revolving around the world of geek.
