Television
“Vampire Diaries” Is Back For Its Fourth Season
By LaDale Anderson
Oct 15, 2012 - 4:35:47 PM

HOLLYWOOD—“The Vampire Diaries” is unlike any other series on television.  It’s a guilty pleasure that any avid fan cannot afford to miss.  If you miss one episode, you will find yourself in turmoil.  Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson, the creative minds behind the series are geniuses. Just how they are able to deliver twist after twist amazes me.  Last season, the biggest jaw-dropper of all time was revealed when Elena (Nina Dobrev) tragically died in a car accident while attempting to save Matt (Zach Roerig), but the writers had another twist up their sleeve; Elena is now a vampire! 

Indeed it is a game changer.  The one person the Salvatore brothers Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) have been trying to protect since day one has become an elite member of their group. Seeing Elena’s transformation in the amply titled “Growing Pains” was stellar; sensational acting on Dobrev’s part.  Damon is at odds with his brother for not rescuing Elena first over Matt.  There was not much bonding between Elena and Bonnie (Kat Graham) in the episode as she found herself at the mercy of Klaus (Joseph Morgan).  He threatened the lives of the people she cared about if she did not get him back his old body.

The Council made it their mission to rid Mystic Falls of all vampires and started with Caroline (Candice Accola).  Joining her were Rebekah, Stefan and Elena.  While in transition, Elena recalled some vital moments where Damon expressed his true feelings for her.  Klaus, who has a soft spot in his heart for Caroline rescued the damsel in distress after hearing about her capture.  She was so happy to see Tyler (Michael Trevino) alive, the duo got hot and heavy in the woods.  She soon realized that Klaus had possession of Tyler’s body.

Bonnie and Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) worked diligently on a spell that would change Elena back to her human form.  As Bonnie got close to changing her dear friend’s fate, her grandmother appeared preventing her from practicing dark magic.  She is indeed a true friend; she nearly died trying to save Elena.   Klaus pissed with Bonnie, chose to rip out Tyler’s heart if she did not get him back to his old body. Bonnie had a terrifying encounter with her grandmother that is likely to haunt her. 

The cast of "The Vampire Diaries."

Rebekah enjoyed seeing Elena suffer as her transition to vampire was impending.  Without any vampire blood, Elena was sure to perish, but Stefan had other plans.  I was praying that Elena would not transition to vampire, but alas she is now one of them.  Her first piece of business involved rescuing Matt from a vindictive Damon.  Klaus and Rebekah had a brother/sister fight which led to him snapping her neck; this guy is a tool.  Family means absolutely nothing to him.  Elena called Damon’s bluff about their first encounter, but in the end she chose Stefan.  I must admit I could not be happier to see those two together; they have been through a lot.  The episode concluded with the pastor addressing The Council about their next move.  Little did they know he was about to blow them all sky high. 

There are just so many unanswered questions from last season that will obviously be answered this go around. For starters, what deal did Klaus make with Bonnie for her to spare his life?  Did he have something on Bonnie or divulge information that she could not resist bargaining with the Devil?  Where does Alaric (Matt Davis), the vampire hunter who went psycho and made it his goal to eradicate the vampire race play into this?  

While it is believed that Klaus turned Katherine into a vampire and spawned everyone else’s bloodline, there is more to this story the audience has yet to discover.   Remember, if the original dies so does everyone else in their bloodline. What’s even more scary is that Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) appears to have a similar ideology; the town of Mystic Falls would be safer without vampires.  Not to mention the town already has witches and werewolves on the loose.  Rumor has it a new vampire hunter by the name of Connor (Todd Williams) is heading to town, and he’s more brutal than Alaric and Mikael.

“The Vampire Diaries” airs Thursdays at 8pm on the CW. This series sure knows how to get a viewer hooked.  Catch my recap every Thursday, and share your thoughts on what you think will happen.