Vampire Diaries
Recaps

A new vampire in town. A likely werewolf revealed. And red hot sex between two main characters.

No wonder this episode was titled "The Turning Point," as The CW drama gave viewers plenty to think about until its return on January 14.

As you mourn the loss of entertaining Thursday nights over the next two months, let's go over the reasons why this was yet another outstanding installment of the best new show on television...

Brothers, united! When the show kicked off, there seemed to be nowhere to go with the Damon/Stefan relationship. The former sucked (literally!), while the latter wanted nothing to do with his brother. But we've seen a (somewhat) softer side to Damon over the last couple weeks; and tonight we got to see the Salvatores team up and battle a common enemy.

They may never truly be on the same side, but a good show finds interesting ways to develop characters and keep their interactions fresh. The Vampire Diaries is a good show.

Damon, thwarted again! Any Lost fan will find it ironic that Ian Somerhalder's character is once again obsessed with a mysterious apparatus in the ground. On Lost, season one ended with the opening of a hatch. On this series, Katherine's tomb has provided Damon with a purpose, one that might not be at the forefront of every episode, but the more he's denied entrance to it, the more the suspense builds and the more exciting it becomes when that tomb is unearthed.

Stefan's abs: Holy six pack! Stefan doesn't even need fangs. He carries lethal weapons around on his stomach everyday. How did Elena wait this long to jump his (ancient) bones?!?

Full moon, Tyler rising: Looks like we know the answer to a question we asked earlier this month. Does Tyler really not know what he is? Does his father have an idea, and is that the reason he urged Tyler to fight Jeremy, to bring out the creature that lurks inside his offspring for some reason?

We haven't even touched on Alaric as a vampire slayer (cool character, but can Matt Davis pull of the necessary intensity during certain scenes?); Or, of course, who/what the heck Elena ran into on the road. Any theories on this individual?

For now, we'll leave you with a few of our favorite quotes from The Vampire Diaries cast this week...

Elena: If you walk away, it's for you. Because I know what I want. Stefan, I love you. | permalink

Mayor Stratton: Do I look like a student?
Alaric: You look like a full-grown, alpha male douchebag. | permalink

Logan: I was one of you.
Sheriff Forbes: Now you're one of them. | permalink

Logan: I'm inflicted.
Damon: Welcome to the club. | permalink

Sit back and get comfortable, Vampire Diaries fans. A whole lot went down on this week's episode!

Those that missed the action, or wish to relive it, should read our recap of "History Repeating" before going any futher. All caught up? Let's get to the review...

Bring on the vampires! Matt Davis debuted as Alaric Saltzman, a beloved figure from the book series. Call us crazy, but we're not buying his line about having just moved to Mystic Falls because his wife passed away. We've seen that type of ring before, we know why he remained at the door following his date with Jenna.

The only question that now remains: is he a good vampire or a bad vampire? We'd ask the same about Logan, but we think we already know the answer. Did anyone expect him to show up at the end? We didn't.

Sound off on this week's episode in our Vampire Diaries forum!

Bravo, Bonnie! Oops, our bad. We've complained for most of the season that the Bonnie storyline had been dragging on, as we demanded a pay-off to all this witch business. Safe to say we got it. The series took time-worn, cliched concepts like a seance and a haunted necklace and turned them into a great deal more.

We understand why Caroline freaked out and left, but we weren't going anywhere. We were glued to our TV screens as Bonnie transformed into Emily. Who knew that ghosts could actually be so well-meaning? Way to stand up to Damon, Em!

Solid storytelling! There's nothing sweeter to a television critic that sensible storylines, plots that actually take awhile to develop and come together perfectly when they do.

For weeks, we've been wondering why Damon returned to Mystic Falls and now we get a creepy, albeit rational, answer: for love... and revenge. It all made sense when he referenced the comet, which took viewers back to the show's second episode. Everything has been building from there, and even small details such as why Damon couldn't just use his powers on Bonnie to take her necklace were answered.

We almost felt bad for Damon at the end, too, which says a lot about Ian Somerhalder's performance, considering what a murdering jerk Damon actually is.

Great stuff all around. Did we leave anything out? Below, we've listed a few of our favorite Vampire Diaries quotes from the episode:

Elena: You don't have to push me away. I can do this.
Stefan: I can't. | permalink

Damon: I could rip your heart out and not think twice about it.
Stefan: I've heard that before. | permalink

Caroline: Let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do. | permalink

Bonnie: I'm gonna scream.
Damon: No. Don't do that. Let's stay on point. | permalink

Elena: A simple 'I didn't kill my brother text would have sufficed.'
Stefan: I didn't kill my brother. | permalink

Stefan turned 162 years old this week on The Vampire Diaries - and he celebrated by almost killing his brother!

Read all about it in our recap of "162 Candles." We also got to meet Lexi, though we might not be seeing her ever again.

This episode started out slow, but when the action picked up, it really picked up! Let's review a few of the plot points that worked and a couple that need work:

THIS WORKED: The casting of Marguerite MacIntyre as Sheriff Forbes. She's hard to read, which is always a good thing for a character. Does she really believe Damon has pure intentions? Or is she on to him, at least just a little bit?

THIS WORKED: The relationship between Stefan and Elena. They're not together, but they're certainly not not dating... if you know what we mean. That's actually how high school relationships often work; and we're glad the show is giving these characters constant interactions and connections, instead of playing the "will they or won't they?" card.

THIS NEEDS WORK: The secondary characters. With the exception of Forbes, it's hard to get into Caroline, Matt or even Bonnie. The first is just your stereotypical cheerleader; the second seems too nice to be real; and the witch storyline has taken too long to develop. Based on the conclusion of the episode, perhaps the latter will now change. And based on a werewolf rumor, perhaps there will soon be another side to Matt.

THIS NEEDS WORK: It's not clear to me why Stefan spared Damon. No one is advocating for Damon's demise, far from it. That guy rules! But Stefan's speech about all the mayhem and death Damon has caused made perfect sense. We know they're brothers, but come on. Once Stefan had made up his mind, as he claimed to Elena moments beforehand, wouldn't he have gone through with it?

Agree with this review? Disagree strongly? Weigh in now in our Vampire Diaries forum.

Also, check out a few of our favorite quotes from the episode:

Stefan: Everywhere that I go, pain and death follow. Damon follows. No more. | permalink

Caroline: I'm worse than shallow. I'm a kiddie pool. | permalink

Damon: Does it get tiring, being so righteous?
Elena: It flares up in the presence of psychopaths. | permalink

Damon: Stefan smiles. Alert the media! | permalink

Stefan: Elena is warm and kind and caring and selfless and it's real. When I'm around her, I completely forget what I am. | permalink

RIP, Vicki.

For those that missed this week's episode of The Vampire Diaries, or would simply like a refresher, check out our "Haunted" episode guide now. Below, we review the hour through a series of questions...

Is ignorance bliss? Did Vicki make the right decision by having Damon brainwash Jeremy? He might be free from the painful memories of Vicki's death, but it doesn't seem like a good idea for a vampire to mess with her fragile brother's head. Who knows what sort of connection Damon now has to the Gilbert family. Will be interesting to keep an eye on.

Is Mrs. Stratton more than human? It was almost an unnoticed footnote to the episode, considering the major death that took place later on, but Damon's failure to hypnotize Tyler's mom was fascinating. We already knew she's hunting vampires... but might she be one herself?!? Or might she, and the Founder's Council, possess the secrets to overcoming their powers?

Did Elena really guilt trip Damon? This was the question foremost on our minds after the episode ended. Why did Damon actually erase Jeremy's memory? Sure, Elena laid on the guilt rather thick after Vicki was killed, but Damon never seemed like the type to be affected by, well, emotions of any kind. He must be up to something. We can't wait to see what dastardly plan Damon has in mind.

One thing we can do without: anything involving Bonnie and her over-the-top grandmother, played by Jasmine Guy. When we're actually witnessing the violent actions of vampires, it's hard to get invested in mere stories about witches.

What was your favorite part of the episode? Below, we've listed a few Vampire Diaries quotes from the evening...

Elena: You did this. This is your fault.
Damon: You confuse me with someone with remorse. | permalink

Damon: Come on Vicki. Live a little. No pun intended. | permalink

Jeremy: Why does everyone have to die on me? | permalink

Vicki: Why do I need to pee? I thought I was dead. | permalink

Everything you know, and every belief you know, is about to change. Are you ready for that?

Vampire Diaries viewers had to ask themselves the same question last night, as the game changed last night. No longer is this a series about Stefan hiding himself from Elena.

She now knows... everything.

Stefan and Damon are vampires. They wear rings that protect them from the light. They've been this way since 1864. What role did Katherine actually play in their lives? And what has happened to Vicki?

You'll need to read our detailed recap of "Lost Girls" for those answers.

Did you like the episode? Sound off in our poll now. Also, check out a few classic quotes from the hour below:

Damon: I think I know what can help you.
Vicki: What's that?
Damon: Death. | permalink

Stefan: I've been 17 years old since 1864. | permalink

Stefan: I'm a vampire. | permalink

Stefan: That's the thing about Damon. He doesn't get mad. He just gets even. | permalink

The Vampire Diaries never disappoints. Least of all tonight.

We may have seen the last of Vicki (below), because you-know-who got out. Sorry if we spoiled it for you, but you had to know Damon Salvatore wasn't goin' out like that.

In addition to the evil one's escape from incarceration, tonight's other big story line was Elena's epiphany that her new love interest may be, like, um ... he's not normal.

As she said to Stefan just before the credits rolled, "What are you!?"

How did the dramatic events in Mystic Falls unfold this evening?

Follow the link for a full recap of "You're Undead to Me."

Be sure to check out our library of Vampire Diaries quotes from every episode of the most bloody great show on TV. Some of our favorites from tonight included ...

Stefan: [to Elena] If you're going to dump me, I figure you should at least know who you're dumping. Let's start with Katherine. She had this perfect olive skin. She had this perfect laugh. She was also impatient, impulsive. Enter Damon. He claims he was with her first. I don't know. I do know I did some things I'm not proud of. My biggest regret is not being able to make things right before she died. I miss her, but I'm not crippled. | permalink

Matt: [to Stefan] I'm saying this because of Elena. She's big on trust. The more you try to hide whatever it is you're hiding, the more determined she's gonna be to figure it out. | permalink

Elena: I want so much to make things right but every instinct in my body is telling me to be careful. What you don't know can hurt you. | permalink

Zach: You don't visit, Damon... You appear. Periodically. Reminding me that this isn't my house, that you're only allowing me to live here ... allowing me to live.
Damon: Someone had to mow the lawn. | permalink

Damon: I'm stronger than you think.
Stefan: You always have been. But you're not stronger than verveine. And you know it. I'm sorry. It didn't have to be this way. | permalink

Elena: [to Stefan] What are you?! | permalink

What a great episode of The Vampire Diaries.

Throughout the hour, viewers learned more about the history of the Salvatore brothers, as well as Mystic Falls in general.

We also met Caroline's mother and Tyler's parents, all of whom seem to have something sinister up their sleeves in regard to Damon and Salvatore.

Read all about "Family Ties" via our detailed episode guide.

Below, we've compiled a few of our favorite Vampire Diaries quotes from the installment...

Damon: You're dead, dude. Get over it. | permalink

Caroline: Are you gonna kill me?
Damon: Hmm-mmm. But not yet. | permalink

Damon: What's so special about this Bella girl? Edward's so whipped!
Caroline: You've gotta read the first book first. It won't make sense if you don't.
Damon: I miss Anne Rice. She was so on it. | permalink

Damon: It's cool not growing old. I like being the eternal stud. | permalink

Note to viewers of The Vampire Diaries: don't tell Damon Salvatore he has any humanity. At least not if you value your life.

On this week's new episode, Stefan tried to find pieces of his brother that were remotely human. In the end, he found nothing... and another innocent lost his life.

Who was killed? And why does Elena think something is off about her boyfriend? Read a recap of "Friday Night Bites" for the answer!

As always, we'll publish a list of music heard during tonight's episode at some point tomorrow. For now, browse through a few Vampire Diaries quotes from the hour:

Stefan: Katherine is dead. And you hate me because you loved her.... and that, my brother, is your humanity. | permalink

Elena [to Damon]: Let's get one thing straight: I am not Katherine. | permalink

Elena: Some things could matter again.
Damon: Maybe. But it seems a little unrealistic to me. | permalink

Bonnie: I touched Stefan and I got a really bad feeling. | permalink

The second episode of The Vampire Diaries delved more deeply into Damon Salvatore, a character brought to life with scary, eerie, humorous intensity by Ian Somerhalder.

He met Elena for the first time, an encounter that left the beauty questioning whether she should be dating Stefan or not.

By the end of the hour, though, she had made up her mind. What did she decide? And why will Caroline soon have a lot in common with Vicki? Our recap of "Night of the Comet" has all the answers!

Read through it now, leave a comment with your take on the episode and even purchase music from the show! No other fansite on the Web can make such an offer.

We've listed some of our favorite Vampire Diaries quotes below:

Damon: It's good to be home. I think I may stay awhile. | permalink

Stefan: You wanna expose me?
Damon: No. I want you to remember who you are! | permalink

Damon: We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it. | permalink

Damon: I'm Damon, Stefan's brother.
Elena: He didn' tell me he had a brother.
Damon: Well, Stefan isn't one to brag. | permalink