[Review] The Vampire Diaries 101: Pilot

[tmbreck]

Writer: Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
Director: Marcos Siega
Actors: Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Sara Canning, Katerina Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Kayla Ewell, Michael Trevino
Guest: Chris William Martin, Benjamin Ayres, Cindy Busby, Steve Belford, Marci T. House

Four months after the tragic car accident that killed their parents, 17-year-old Elena Gilbert and her 15-year-old brother, Jeremy are still trying to cope with their grief and move on with their lives. Elena has always been the star student; beautiful, popular and involved with school and friends, but now she finds herself struggling to hide her sadness from the world. As the school year begins, Elena and her friends are fascinated by a handsome and mysterious new student, Stefan Salvatore. Stefan and Elena are immediately drawn to one another, and Elena has no way of knowing that Stefan is a centuries-old vampire, struggling to live peacefully among humans, while his brother Damon is the embodiment of vampire violence and brutality. Now these two vampire brothers - one good, one evil - are at war for Elena's soul and for the souls of her friends, family and all the residents of the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.

My Thoughts:

You may find yourself asking why I, a 30 year old woman, am watching a show geared toward teens. For one simple reason: I adored the books when I was younger. Speaking of which, I should really find those and buy them for old times sake. Anyway, onto the show!

And, of course, it opens on a very ~dramatic~ voice over. Though, I'll give it this, Paul Wesley does have a very nice voice. Another thing I can give this show so far is the music. It's angsty and pop just like a the music for a teen show should be, but it's music I'd actually listen to! Oh, and we open on a conversation about music:

Darren: He sounded like James Blunt.
Brooke: What's wrong with that?
Darren: We already have a James Blunt. One's all we need.

Okay, I have one question. What kind of Rube Goldberg wannabe vampire sets himself up to be hit by a car in order to get a meal? Really now! He could have just hitch-hiked or even snuck up on some kinds at make-out point like any self-respecting monster does! Sheesh, no one has any sense of tradition anymore! And while I'm on the subject, GET OFF MY LAWN

Sorry, I'll stop.

Since everyone and their brother is comparing this to Twilight, let me join the rank and file. This one episode alone has put The Vampire Diaries leagues beyond what Twilight could ever hope to be. First, the main female protagonist doesn't sound like some teen-age drama queen who feel in love with a few nifty words and decided to pepper her journal or inner monologue with them. Also, a reasonable explanation is given for why the main male protagonist is in high-school. He just would do anything to be in her life. Still not as creepy as sneaking into someone's room to watch them sleep or removing the parts from their truck so they can't go to someone's house. Just saying.

It's probably going to take me a few episode to determine if they're handling the aunt in a decent way, or if she's just another clueless buffoon like too many teen shows make adults out to be.

I'm also impressed that a teen show manages to have a storyline involving drugs without making it into an after school special and also without glorifying drug use. That's all I'll really say about that for now.

Another thing I think this show handles well is showing, not telling. You see how close Elena and Bonnie are, as well as the tension between Elena and Matt. The scene in the classroom where Stefan is staring at Elena, she's catching peeks at him, Matt is watching with growing jealousy and Bonnie texts Elena was well done, IMO. Had to laugh at Matt trying to see what Bonnie was texting.

HAWT-E.
STARING @ U.

And, yes, I did get a giggle out of them bumping into each other outside the men's restroom.

So, I have a question. Is the crow shown always Damon's pet, or is it sometimes Damon? I choose to believe that it is sometimes Damon and he was in the cemetery laughing at Elena's angsty diary writing the same as he would laugh at Stefan's. I like Damon this way.

Back to our main girl. I like how she's portrayed as actually taking steps to move beyond being the girl who's parent's died, while admitting, albeit non-verbally, that she hasn't really moved on. Though, the diary bits she does voice over with do admit it. And her voice, in some parts especially, sounds extremely approachable. It's hard to explain any other way.

Speaking of diaries... poor little Stefan and his emo-vamp diary. Don't get me wrong, I love Stefan. However, he is a little emo-vamp who keeps a diary, regardless of if they're calling it a journal. And when we get to the end, and they have the dueling voice-over readings of their diaries? I nearly lost it. However, what keeps me from thinking this show actually takes itself seriously are the potshots that Damon takes at Stefan. I also like how they acknowledge how corny Stefan's 'loss of control' face was.

"I was impressed. I give it a six, miss on style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole face grarawr thing. It was good."

Does anybody else actually feel sorry for Caroline? Just me? Okay.

All in all, it's good, clean, cheesy fun that doesn't seem to take itself too seriously. I'm very much willing to stick around for more.

And, finally, a list of songs from this episode and trailers so far, aka: songs I need to get:

The Raconteurs - Consoler of the Lonely
Placebo - Running Up That Hill
Bat for Lashes - Siren Song
The Fray - Never Say Never
MGMT - Kids
One Republic - Say (All I Need)
Katy Perry - Thinking of You
Silversun Pickups - Sort Of
Mat Kearney - Here We Go
White Lies - Death
The All-American Rejects - Back to Me
Stars - Take Me to the Riot
Fefe Dobson - I Want You
Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
The New Addiction - Salvation
Metric - Help, I'm Alive
The Dead Weather - Hang You from the Heavens

List from Vampire-Diaries.net