Thank Goodness This Season Is Over! Review: The Vampire Diaries – “Graduation”

Season 4, Episode 23

Air Date: Thursday, May 16, 2013, 8/7c on The CW

RATING: ★★★★★

“Hell will freeze over before I let anyone cancel graduation.” – Caroline Forbes

The veil doesn’t need to go back up, right? The return of the most missed characters (in my opinion) makes “Graduation” a hundred times better than the entire season combined. OK, not really, but this episode could have been incredible. The writers of The Vampire Diaries (TVD) pull out all the stops to make this season finale a spectacular flop.

Observations and thoughts:

One of the few highlights of the episode. Confession time!

I have many thoughts about “Graduation,” one of them being “WTF did I just watch?” I’m not saying it was horrible, but it wasn’t good. There are only three parts of this episode I actually enjoyed—the appearance of the sexy vampire hybrid, the indecisive doppelganger admitting her true feelings, and a lost brother being found. Even the ending doesn’t do much for me in the way of a cliffhanger, especially considering season finales of the past that TVD knocked out of the park. I wasn’t even shocked with this one. I’m so over Silas (Scott Parks) stabbing people with an imaginary stake and getting away with it. And don’t tell me this twist with Silas is supposed to work. As an aside, wasn’t Stefan (Paul Wesley) part of an evil twin plan before? I know this whole charade has been done previously—with better results. I was expecting something much more exciting than what we got.

I forgot Alaric (Matt Davis) went all vampire before he died. I kept wondering why he was appearing places faster than humanly possible. Hey writers, if there’s a way for him to come back, please make it so. Please. He’s needed. And I love Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), but he shouldn’t have been killed just to bring him back like this. I’m kind of disappointed in the way this comes about. It could have been done better.

I’m a bit confused with the Matt (Zach Roerig) and Rebekah (Claire Holt) back and forth. Are they an item or not? First, they like each other, then they don’t; then Rebekah likes Matt but he hates her, and on and on. If we’re supposed to care, I’m not sure it’s working out to plan. I just want Matt out of harm’s way once and for all. He’s the only leverage left in town for an evil supernatural to threaten the goody-goodies with, and I can’t say that’s fair to him.

“Stefan, the only person worse at being a vampire than me is you.” Elena (Nina Dobrev) finally does right by Stefan. So why doesn’t he take her gift of the cure and start life anew? That would have been an interesting twist. That would have been something I looked forward to watching next season. Instead, we get the return of Evil Stefan and more of the blah, blah, blah. And at the risk of being nitpicky, why does Stefan gasp for breath as water closes in on him? Vampires don’t need to breathe! They’re dead. Gasping for air is a human trait. Just saying.

How could they not tell Bonnie was a ghost?

Damon (Ian Somerhalder) finally hears the words he’s been yearning to have uttered to him. I’m happy for him. Somewhat. Somerhalder delivers his monologue with the passion and heartfelt emotion I’ve come to expect from him. I look forward to him exploring his character now that he’s free to focus on Damon’s romantic side.

Food for thought:

Since when do ghosts returning to the real world through “the veil” make them corporal? I understand them walking the earth, wreaking havoc, and being indestructible but having physical manifestations of themselves that are actually… themselves? Not believable. Convenient, but not believable.

I’m not sure why graduation is such a top priority to teens who only seem to go to school on occasion, and even when they do go, it’s to attend the dances.

The explosions were pathetic. Hooking up a bomb to six cars should produce more than tiny fireballs and a little boom-boom noise. Come on, production department! I know you can do better than this.

All right, Caroline (Candice Accola) now has to admit she knows Klaus (Joseph Morgan) is head over heels for her. He showed up just for her. Do you get how big a deal that is? Huge! *cough* Tyler (Michael Trevino) who? But it probably won’t make a difference and that saddens me.

Bonnie (Kat Graham), I must say good riddance. Time for a new witch to mosey into town. Or not. I think Mystic Falls can survive without a witch to complicate things. Besides, you know Ketsia (actor not shown) is bound to show up at some point.

Memorable/funny lines:

Elena: “What was that?”

Damon: “Nothing.”

Elena: “Take off your shirt.”

Damon, looking at Jeremy: “Elena, there are children present.”

Stefan: “She’s the love of my life. I’d go back to her in a heartbeat.”

Klaus to Caroline: “He’s your first love. I intend to be your last. However long it takes.”

(Tell me this man ain’t romantic!!)

Hats off! Klaus will decapitate a witch just for kicks.

After watching “Graduation,” I think I’m finally ready for The Originals to premiere. It means more Klaus and less of the Silas bullshit. I’m looking forward to seeing how this spin-off plays out in conjunction with the TVD world. Hopefully, Katherine (Dobrev) won’t lose her spark now that she’s… human. Say what?!

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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