A very good day to one and all! Radz (Aradhna) and myself (Bhav) warmly welcome you to the first edition of the Mystic Musings, our (partly insane) episode analyses!
It's a little long, mainly 'cause the two of us had way too much fun writing this, but do bear with us and we guarantee you'll have fun! 😉
The colour scheme goes like so:
Orange will represent Bhav's thoughts, while purple, Radz's. We certainly hope you don't get confused, and if you do, we offer our sincerest apologies!
Without any further ado, Radz and Bhav proudly present...
In the Beginning
Episode 1: Pilot
The First Five Minutes
So Bhav's first five minutes are more the first two minutes before the opening credits. And it must be noted that she is viewing this the second ' no, wait, the third time around. And she's finished the entire season, so she knows what happens. And why in the world is she referring to herself in the third person? *blinks* Moving on!
I quite enjoyed the eeriness of the first two minutes, what with all the darkness and the fog and the sudden appearance of a supermegafoxyawesome'being'that we never get to see (except for the ring! AHA! A clue!) but if you've read the books you kinda already know that it's Damon, and that gets you totally revved up to see Damon's appearance'
With regards to it setting the scene for the rest of the show, considering it's the pilot episode, IBO (In Bhav's Opinion) it sets the show up to be something really'dark'Okay, yeah, that's pretty obvious, but you know what, I don't care. *sticks tongue out**then remembers that she should probably be nicer to the readers, so offers up a conciliatory plate of cookies instead and slinks away to watch the rest of the episode*
The eeriness of the opening has got to be one of my most favourite things about this show ' most shows don't delve straight into the scary and freaky, they try to establish some fun and normal atmosphere, but not this. Straight away, we have that amazingly sexy voice say he's a vampire, an eerie fog, a couple being killed by a mysterious figure ' it establishes that this show is not for the faint of heart. It's a very good thing I don't get freaked out so easily. If I had been anyone else, watching this show alone would give me nightmares.
And then the juxtaposition of the thoughts of the mysterious vampire on the roof and the thoughts Elena pens down into her diary ' it sets a more tame theme to the story. I loved how the dark and scary beginning contrasts against how normal Elena's routine is. And then the freaky comes back with the crow, and the accident, and Bonnie's conversation with Elena. The first five minutes really sets up to how her life is going to be completely changed, once again.
Dissection:
The crow.
Holy cow I LOVE the whole thing with the crows! Especially if you've read the books and know that Damon can morph into a crow. And it just totally lends this creepy vibe to the show, already giving it a sense of foreboding and stuff'
Special effects.
The vampire makeup here just blows my mind. It's pretty understated, for vampire makeup, but it's the understated-ness that makes it totally amazing.
Vampires Have Descendants!
Okay so this is one thing I positively do *not* understand. Vampires are, by right, supposed to be completely dead and not have any bodily fluids left in them. So how in the world can Stefan and Damon have a nephew? And how in the world can Elena resemble Katherine so completely?
Bonnie's a Witch!
One thing I really enjoyed about the show is that while the vampire storyline is dark and scary, the reactions from the girls to Bonnie's heritage is lighthearted. The way they make fun of her being psychic is realistic, because in this age and time, not many people believe in such things. Of course, when she does actually have her visions, they freak not just everyone else but her as well. I think that was handled really well.
The Who?
The friendships and relationships in the shows are established very nicely in the first episode as well, and within the first ten minutes. We have:
the flighty aunt, relegated to being a guardian when she can barely take care of herself (come on, Elena was taking care of Jenna more than Jenna of Elena. I think it's cute ' it adds an element of fun, and easiness to their relationship);
the sad, lonely girl who just lost her parents and is trying to find her way;
the angsty younger brother, who is angry at the world (so many potentials for this one, so many! Here alone I could see this going in so many directions, all of them interesting and maybe convulated, because this doesn't seem like the writers would want anything simple.);
the supportive (and apparently psychic) best friend (again, so many ways this could go in, there could be conflict between the friends, between the mysterious vampire voice, and the shadow that attacked the couple in the beginning);
the slightly ditzy but very lovable other best friend (I think she may be one of my most favourites, I would love to see how learning of the supernatural world would affect her, would love to see her by her friends' sides as they find their way);
the brooding ex-boyfriend (though he's not so much brooding as sulking, I feel. It'll be interesting, the dynamics in these relationships.)
and then everyone else. So many characters are introduced in this one episode, and they're all so different and with so many shades to them, it could be hard to keep track of, but it's been handled nicely, and everyone is given just enough time to get to know them, and want to learn more about them.
Katherine, 1864
There is the matter of the photograph. Katherine, 1864 ' Elena's doppelganger. Are they related? is Elena Katherine? It's freaky, but it's obviously going to play a big role in the story or else there wouldn't be so much focus on it. If you've read the books (which I have, and loved) then like me, you'd have preconceived notions of the storyline. But I'm not going to expect anything, they've already changed a bit, so I'm going to go along with it and keep my theories to myself (for now, until I reach the finale at least).
Character intros!
Stefan Salvatore: I love the way they don't show him till like halfway in the show, to keep up a sense of mystery. If you think about it, they're kinda playing up to the stereotypes of vampires as mysterious and alluring, which I guess is what makes all of us coming back for more vampires! (Sparkling!Vampires do not count.) (A word of caution: Bhav is highly against Twilight, and will try her best to not insult it too much, but any slips must be taken with a pinch of salt because Bhav is totally crazy. Which can be seen in the way she refers to herself in the third person. She really must stop'*shakes head*)
Elena Gilbert: Elena's introduction is very much tied up with her parents' deaths, so this is clearly something of importance. I suppose the rest of the show tries to show how she moves on with her life once Stefan comes into the picture? I did NOT like their pehli mulaqat, though. Way too Twilight-y, which is so not cool considering we already have a Twilight and this is TVD and Book!Stelena were way better.
Jenna Gilbert: I like how Jenna's introduced as this totally flustered character, trying hard to be a responsible adult figure to Elena and Jeremy. She doesn't appear to want to take over the parental role, seeming instead to try to be the 'cool aunt', which works fine with me and with Elena and Jer, I would say!
Jeremy Gilbert: Cute as heck from Act One Scene One. (Or, well, Act One Scene'*counts* Three? Four?) You can't really gather much about him from his first scene (with Elena), though, except that he seems to be tired of Elena constantly (presumably) worrying about him. And then we find out he's doing drugs and he used to be such a good boy (again, presumably). Poor, poor baby'=(
Bonnie Bennett: Interesting how Bonnie's first lines are about her witchy ancestry. The Powers That Be (TPTB) a.k.a. the producers are making it clear from the start that Bonnie is a witch, and that defines who she is. Which upsets me a tiny bit, because I'd rather have seen the velociraptor sisterhood thing that Book!Bonnie, Elena and Meredith have, but I suppose she could have been trying to distract Elena, which is supported by the prediction she makes for El. So I guess we've got a different kind of velociraptor sisterhood!
Matt Donovan: AWWWW I swear I just wanna give Matt a big hug! It's so sad that they introduced him all sad over breaking up with Elena, although I suppose that makes sense, considering they kinda develop his storyline along his love life, what with his behaviour towards Stefan and his relationship with Caroline and all'If I'm not making sense, it's because I really have no idea what I'm rambling on about.
Caroline Forbes: Caroline's introduction was hilarious! They show her as such a ditz at first, like she's just another dumb blonde, but the development her character goes through, even in the first episode alone, is just awesome.
Vicki Donovan: Okay so honestly Vicki doesn't make a very good impression in her introduction. I mean, she's taking pills from Jeremy (Jeremy does drugs? OMG NOOOOOO! *dramatic wail*) and then making out with Tyler in front of JerBear. It just seriously sets her up to be some sort of'cheap, easy chick. So yeah, she doesn't make a very good impression.
Tyler Lockwood: Immediately we see a character who is a TOTAL jerk. I mean, there doesn't seem to be more to him than a tough, jerky exterior and a guy who likes to pick on people. So I quite like how as the show progresses, we get to see just why he's like that'
Damon Salvatore:
Admit it, you totally swooned
when he said "Hello, brother" with that gorgeous smirk on his face. The way he
so relentlessly aggravates Stefan, even from the get-go, blatantly, explicitly
suggests that he loathes his brother. Not hate, but full-fledged loathing. He is portrayed as someone
completely'psychotic'like, Drusilla-from-Buffy-the-vampire-slayer kind of
psychotic, but at the same time you simply cannot tear your eyes off him. And
the whole thing with Katherine, even though not much is explained, is clearly
to blame. Which begs the question: Is Damon in MF to screw with Elena and
torture Stefan as much as Damon feels (presumably) tortured by Stefan?
Okay, considering that B has like, gone into depth about EVERYBODY she could (I'm surprised she didn't bring up Mr Tanner too *rolls eyes* why am I friends with her again? Oh right, she bakes for me! [ILYB!don'ttakeawaythecookies!]) I thought I'd just add in a bit of my thoughts.
Did anyone else love how only Stefan and Damon got the foreshadow-y, mysterious introductions? I love how we see Stefan's back for so long, hear his voice, have Bonnie's stunned look at how he looks after she prays for him to be hot, and then only really see his face (though he's got stunning eyes, and that mouth! *swoons* wait, right, gotta stop fangirling!) when he bumps into Elena.
And Damon? *shivers* I was anticipating his arrival the whole episode. First, we have mysterious shadow-y figure preying on young couple in the fog. Then we have crows (CROWS! THEY KEPT THE CROWS!) and then we have more fog, in the cemetery ' with a crow! (yes, I have an unhealthy obsession with the crows. Don't judge me.) where he semi-stalks Elena. And only after all of that, do we have his entrance, with his brother.
Foreshadowing of relationships much with these two? Stefan and Elena romance/attraction, Damon and Stefan angst-brotherly-frenemies? Funtimes are afoot.
Fave scene:
My fave scene totally has to be the one with Mr. Tanner grilling them on the battle of Willow Creek. He's definitely one of those people that you want to strangle, and he makes it clear by being a total jerk to Bonnie, Matt and especially Elena. So when Stefan pretty much disses Tanner's knowledge of his facts, it's a well-deserved slap in the face. That, and he totally steps in to save Elena. Stefan 1, Tanner 0.
Though I thought Damon's entry had a great impact, and just wow, well done with the acting in that scene, and the first scene with the attack (and the graveyard scene with the fog and crow and Stefan meeting Elena officially) was made really well, and acted really well ' my favourite scene of the episode would be the conversation between Caroline and Bonnie near the end, where we find out that Ms Ditzy is actually this really vulnerable and broken girl. It gave her a whole new dimension.
Fave quote:
My fave quote comes predominantly from Caroline.
Why didn't he go for me? How come the guys that I want never want me? I'm inappropriate, always say the wrong thing and Elena always says the right thing. She doesn't even try, and he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks. For everything. And I try so hard and I'm never the one...
Like I said, Caroline is portrayed at first as this stereotypical blonde airhead. But even within the first episode itself we get'okay, well, maybe not character development, but an insight into her character. Her insecurities, her vulnerabilities. She's not as'unbreakable'as she portrays to the world. And I think that makes her a really interesting character.
Every quote in this episode (well almost every) was quote worthy. I thought Bonnie's 'please be hot' was perfectly placed, and Damon's 'hello brother' was delivered so well. But my absolute favourite would be at the end, the bit between Elena and Stefan where they have the conversation about whether Elena is okay. The honesty in her reply to him 'ask me again tomorrow', that sets this whole thing up for the epicness that will be there relationship.
Fave character:
Caroline, for the above reason.
I think, for this episode, I really, really loved Bonnie's character. We see her being this great friend to both Caroline and Elena, and to Matt, and we see this whole other side of her, where she's freaked out about being psychic, because she doesn't fully believe it. She's got this quiet, unassuming strength about her, that comes across very nicely in the first episode, and I want to see more of that in the rest.
Favourite storyline:
The Vicki storyline, now that she's been bitten, and still alive, would be an intriguing one, and the StefanElena storyline, and their burgeoning relationship seems like it would be a sweet one, and even Bonnie's heritage would be interesting ' but what I want to know is what is Damon playing at with Caroline? That smirk hints of evil and diabolical plans. I don't want anything to happen to Caroline, she's such a sweetheart and so vulnerable. I want her to stick around!
Fave actor:
Hands down Ian Somerhalder. He is Damon, each smirk, and the swagger, and the heat. He is the Damon in the books, and it would be so easy to believe that he is that way in real-life, all arrogance and flippancy. He just floored me.
Final Last Words:
I liked how for a pilot episode, this one quite seamlessly introduces all the characters and their little side-stories (although I think there may be WAY too many characters), sets up a sense of foreboding in so many aspects and presents the show as something dark. What I did NOT like, though, was the way Stefan and Elena's love story is presented. Having read the books beforehand, I honestly thought that their love story in the show was influenced way too much by Twilight.
I'd probably give it 4 out 5 stars.
Vicki saw the vampire? Will Matt believe her? What does Damon want with Caroline? One episode in, and we've got questions already. I personally think Matt won't disregard his sister, but won't know what to believe either. Logic states vampires and the supernatural don't exist, but his sister was just attacked. What would she get from lying, right? And Damon? I think he's going to use Caroline to get to Elena. After all, he did take Stefan's words as an invitation.
A great way to open up the show, I'd give it about a 4 out of 5. It was a nice blend of dark, and funny, and sexy, and mysterious. Each character and storyline was handled very well, and if the show continues to be handled like this, I think it'd become one of my favourites, up there with Supernatural.
And so we come to the end of the first edition of Mystic Musings! We do hope you enjoyed reading this, and we look forward to reading your responses to our thoughts, as well as anything that you'd like us to comment on in subsequent editions or what you want us to leave out and so on and so forth!
Please bear in mind, though, that we respect everyone's opinions, so let's try not to bash anyone, mmmkay?
Take care, and see you at the next edition!
Love,
Radz & Bhav (:
... Sorry I'm a little hyper 😆...
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