I didn’t think it would happen for another season, maybe two if I was lucky, but I’m falling out of love with The Vampire Diaries. I thought season 3 was a little dodgy: Stefan went off the rails, Damon spent too many episodes making moon eyes at Elena rather than being his typical bad ass self, the writers made Alaric evil, then killed him off, but something still worked. Then season 4 happened. The writers decided to thrust the Sire Bond nonsense upon us, and this once entertaining and intriguing TV show descended into mediocrity, as far as I’m concerned anyway.
Elena & her vampire men
(Photo from http://www.cwtv.com)
I’m still watching it every week. But hey, I watched Lost to the very end and shook my head at myself for every hour I wasted on a story going nowhere.
The Sire Bond Nonsense:. It first reared its ugly head when Elena and Damon slept together. Caroline decided Elena must not be able to think for herself and that the only possible explanation for getting together with Damon must be a sire bond. She’s under his control, and anything he tells her to do, she must do. Stefan immediately went along with this, rather than asking himself if his descent into decapitating murderer in season 3 may have given Elena pause when it came to her feelings for him.
We always have the 80s decade dance, Stefan tells Rebekah.
(Photo from http://www.cwtv.com)
In New Orleans, we learn sire bonds apparently form when the human already has feelings for the vampire who turns her. From my thinking, many vampires become vamps because they want to be with the person they love forever. Wouldn’t that mean that thousands of vampires in the world are therefore sire bonded to their maker? Damon was in love with Katherine before he was turned, yet he never listened to her. Plot holes galore. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the writers will redeem themselves by the end of this season and expose the sire bond as bullshit.
Characters have to evolve as the years go by, but they’re not supposed to veer so far off their path that they make absolutely no sense anymore. Elena was held up as the epitome of compassion, yet she recently orchestrated the mass murder of vampires all over the world without a sliver of guilt. I watched her discuss her plan for genocide calmly with Jeremy, and my mouth hung open. Who is this person? I wondered. I then realised I no longer knew who to root for on this show. Our ‘good’ vampires aren’t actually good people. They’re as bad as Klaus and every other murdering vampire they’ve fought against in the past. Earlier this season, our ‘good’ vampires sacrificed a hybrid buddy of Tyler’s in cold blood so Jeremy could kill him and develop his Hunter’s tattoo. Our ‘good’ vampires are killers, and Elena could be seen as the worst of the lot. When the viewers stop caring about the characters, there’s only trouble ahead.
These guys are leaving Mystic Falls for their own spin-off show soon.
(Photo from http://www.cwtv.com)
Stefan is unrecognisable from the man he once was. Elena has become very like Katherine. The only person left who is somewhat like himself from the beginning is Damon. And thank God for Rebekah and Klaus. At the moment, they are about the only people I enjoy watching on this show – and they’re leaving for their own show. I hear Elijah is coming back soon. Hopefully he can do something to salvage the boring nature of season 4.
So far this season, there have only been perhaps three of four excellent episodes. The rest have been mediocre, and don’t get me started on the show’s penchant for killing off characters. Okay, I’m taking a deep breath. Rant over. I’m simply frustrated that one of the best paranormal shows of recent years has fallen so far from greatness, in my eyes anyway. At least I’ll always have my season 1 and 2 boxsets to remind me of the good old days of Mystic Falls.
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Sound off in the comments. Do you think I’m completely wrong. Is season 4 your favourite? Are you going to watch The Originals?
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Before I go, Jen Naumann interviews me over Paranormal YA and has a giveaway going on of my short story collection, The Awakening & Other Stories. Have a great weeekend.
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Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 