Is This The New Normal? Review: The Vampire Diaries - "Bring It On"

Season 4 Episode 16

Air Date: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 8/7c on The CW

RATING: ★★★★★

“With her emotions off, she’s the worse version of herself.” – Stefan Salvatore

While I expected a bit more bang for my buck, I didn’t realize having no emotional attachments meant turning a vampire into an über bitch. That said, I am sorely disappointed in “Bring It On.” It didn’t really… bring it. Something has been lost and it isn’t just the cure for immortality. At least the music is good.

Observations and thoughts:

I didn’t realize Stefan was taking on a parental role in Elena’s life.

I was expecting a change in Elena (Nina Dobrev), even reveled in the fact she wouldn’t be the same whiny teen I’m used to seeing. But I’m not sure if I like how drastic this change is. I appreciate the fact Elena isn’t her old self because I was tired of that. Dobrev takes her character in a new direction, but I feel she’s trying too hard to be the bad girl. Rebellion should come naturally to Elena, yet her actions seem forced. This new Elena, while full of attitude, is manipulative and just wants to have fun. But you know what’s odd? She’s behaving more like a teenager than I’ve ever seen before. I can almost remember this show is supposed to be about teens. It’s actually quite refreshing to see the adult edge being taken off. Texting while holding conversations seems like such a teenage thing to do, and Dobrev pulls off the nonchalance of a 17-year-old like a pro. I wonder how she kept from laughing during her scenes. I know I chuckled a bit watching her give Stefan (Paul Wesley) only half of her attention. He seems so much like an adult that I don’t remember the brooding teen he used to be, either.

Now that Damon (Ian Somerhalder) knows Elena isn’t under his thrall anymore, why doesn’t he seem happier about it? He’d been trying to undo their sire bond so… why the long face? Not only that, he seems a bit out of sorts. Unsure of how to rein Elena in is disconcerting to him. Damon always knows what to do and how to fix things except, when it comes to the love of his life, he’s stumped. I think he depended on the sire bond more than he realized. Since losing that ounce of control, he’s resorting to a “let’s show her some fun” attitude to fix her. I say, let the girl run free until she finds her way. “Be honest, you like me better like this.” I kind of agree with Elena’s statement. I think Damon does appreciate her new persona even if her behavior is a constant reminder of the Salvatore brothers at their worst.

Damon isn’t afraid to be who he is: a vampire.

I was excited to see the writers remembered to showcase the vampires as vampires. Their abilities, including, but not limited to, super speed, hearing, and ruthlessness make a welcome appearance during “Bring it On.” I got the feeling I was actually watching a vampire show. I hate how humanized the vamps act when we know they have an unrelenting blood lust simmering beneath their happy-happy-joy-joy faces. Caroline (Candice Accola) is the biggest offender though I know how much she loves to be a vampire (funny we don’t get to see that anymore). With her focus solely being on Tyler (Michael Trevino), she’s lost some of her edge.

And Hayley’s (Phoebe Tonkin) back. I like this girl. She knows how to play the bad girl with panache. While I hate seeing her with her grubby little mitts on Klaus (Joseph Morgan), I think she’s going to make a major impact on the scene. She’s not afraid of anyone and uses what she has to get what she wants. You have to admit, the girl has survived this long on her own, she must be doing something right. I’m curious to see what Rebekah (Claire Holt) thinks about the wolf pup hanging around her brother’s place.

Memorable/funny lines:

Damon to Klaus: “I just came up with a list. It’s called ‘things you suck at’.”

Rebekah to Damon: “That’s impressive. You’re like Sherlock Holmes but with brain damage.”

Damon to Stefan: “You know, I’m really not in the mood to Scooby Doo our way through ‘The Mystery of the Stolen Blood Bags’.”

Please tell me this isn’t a new relationship in the works.

Somerhalder tries his best to bring humor to the episode, but I don’t think it was enough to sell me on this week’s hour of entertainment. I guess I was looking forward to Elena breaking free without having to worry about babysitters. I don’t understand why the vampires are telling her to act more human. She’s a vampire! Even with the supporting cast doing their best to move the plot along, I just wasn’t that into “Bring It On.” Hopefully, next week’s fare is better. Sinking into a lull won’t do well for the exciting momentum that was implied built after Silas’ awakening.

Tune in to The Vampire Diaries Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

For more on the show, visit the official site.

LIKE The Vampire Diaries on Facebook.

Follow The Vampire Diaries cast on Twitter: @ninadobrev, @iansomerhalder, @josephmorgan, @katgraham, @paulwesley, @michaeltrevino, @candaceaccola, @claireholt.

[nggallery id=528]

Biography of the Author(Read Below)..
Latest Posts (view them )..

Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle