Posted:
S3E01: The Birthday
Yes, I happen to be going backwards. Oh don't say it doesn't make you wonder what I can say about things I already know will change. Because you know it does.
The Musings from episodes past will definitely be shorter than the Musings of the newer episodes - but they won't be any less interesting for it.
[gifs from tumblr]
Overview
I have no idea what I was expecting when the season started. All the spoilers had me worried - because I want my Stefan back, and I want Stefan and Elena back and every spoiler I was coming across had nothing to do with that. (Which is why I tend to avoid spoilers. They make me unhappy.) So the season premiere? I didn't watch it until the a few days before the second episode aired.
I didn't think it was possible for this cast to get any more gorgeous, but I was proven wrong. Each season has these people looking better and better. It's unfair.
But I digress.
Ultimately, two things made this episode for me: the unexpected (but in no way unwelcome!) Matt/Jeremy bonding scenes, with Matt actually getting screentime! and getting a potential storyline - and of course, the StefanElena phonecall. Without these two scenes, this episode would not have been as good as I found it.
The Blood Trail
The fact that Stefan apparently rips his victims apart then puts them together before leaving the scene of the crime is creepy. Very, very creepy. And a little sad. But mostly creepy.
Damon recognizing that it's Stefan's victims, not Klaus', simply from the newspaper articles shows in some way that he does care about his brother. And he realizes with each article that his brother is losing the humanity that makes him so different from Damon. And I think a part of Damon hates that it's his fault. Yes, he will blame Stefan for being 'St. Stefan', but he knows that if ever he were in that position he'd do the same and so he can't completely fault Stefan. The difference being Damon would revel in the destruction, but Stefan? Damon knows as much as Stefan pretends otherwise, he's not completely switched off his feelings and so Stefan feels guilt and it's tearing him apart inside.
Even Stefan killing Andie (in a manner that gave me chills because Stefan sounded simply as if he were conversing with his friend rather than making her kill herself) has Damon beating himself over it. He won't show it, or say it, but you can tell he feels it because Stefan is this way because of him. To save him. And Damon hates Stefan for this.
Their relationship is so convoluted and messed up and I love it. Really one of the best relationships on this show, and so underrated. Ultimately, this story isn't that of a girl in love with two brothers, but rather of two brothers, in love with the same girl, and struggling to see if they love each other more, or themselves. Because I think if it came down to it, if Elena chose Damon, Stefan would leave, never see them again, because he'd want them to be happy, because he loves them both, but it'd kill him to stay. At the moment, I can't say the same for Damon. But I think, if we were talking about pre-Katherine, 1864 Damon? He'd have done the same for his brother.
Ghosts Of Girlfriends' Past
Jeremy seeing Vicki and Anna was expected. Why he was seeing them, him not telling anyone, him taking drugs again? Not expected. But his pot-smoking buddy was a welcome surprise. It's no wonder Matt's doing drugs ' absentee mother, dead sister, god-knows-where (or who, or anything about him really) dad and then having to work to put himself through school and pay the bills and then on top of that finding out his girlfriend is a vampire, best friend is a werewolf and apparently might have feelings for each other? How much can one person take?
The male bonding was fun then, a respite from all the seriousness of the rest of their lives. I'm still wishing for a Matt/Jeremy/Tyler friendship because I think they'd be awesome in how messed up their lives are and the epicness of the bromance would be unparalleled. Seriously.
I did not like the CarolineTyler hook-up. Yes, it was hot as hell. (Michael and Candice do have buttloads of chemistry, I just wanted one platonic friendship in this show, is it too much to ask? *sigh*) I did not see Carol shooting Caroline in the back (literally) coming. At all. So props to the writers for knowing how to write cliffhangers.
Birthday Wishes
I loved that Elena got her one birthday wish. That call, it was heartbreaking. You can literally see Stefan's heart shattering and being pieced together with Elena's words and him struggling not to break because if he breaks and talks, and cries to her like he wants, she'll break and he won't be able to push her away and then Klaus will kill her, and he cannot live without her. He can live with the distance, but if he loses her for real? Stefan won't be able to take it. And it's there, all there in Paul's eyes and face in that scene, and really, that man is a stunning actor. Phenomenal.
And the song playing in this scene? I've loved this song for a very long time so to hear it (finally!) being used on one of the shows I watch was epic. Especially when you take into account the way it was used for Stefan/Elena and gosh, how much it applies to them.
So I'm going to end with the song.
Cricket
Bollywood
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
