Before Sunset

[krickets]

So basically my feelings about the recent Vampire Diaries episodes can be summed up outside of a cut because nothing I feel right now is spoilery. Because I'm a delusional non-canon shipper.

Pretty much what you need to understand is that I am a gross person who ships everything in the universe that she shouldn't ship. Whatever you saw on your screens the past two weeks did not actually happen in my brain. What really happened (read: did not in any way happen) was this:

Jeremy/Matt! Caroline/Stefan! Klaus/Rebekah! Elena/Tyler! Stefan/Tyler! Klaus/Stefan! Elena/Jeremy! Jeremy/Tyler! Matt/Tyler! etc. (And I really do mean etc. - at this point I am just sparing you my crazy.)

I know.

I'm sick and I can't be helped.

You might as well leave me to it.

Comments

[rabiya-al-basri.livejournal.com]

In that case, you're watching a better show than the rest of us, and I'm jealous.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Hahaha. You should be. It is fucking glorious from over here. (All kidding aside I have enjoyed these last couple of eps a lot! Even without my crazy shipping nonense!)

Spoilers ahoy!

[rabiya-al-basri.livejournal.com]

I'm enjoying them too, I'm just annoyed by the androcentric, meaningless, 4th-wall-painting love triangle "choice" crap. With the exception of Klaus's "just between us girls" line, which was brilliant but I'm not even really sure why I like it so much. ...Stefan, especially, should know better, he used to be good at caring about what Elena wanted.

Elena's death being Alaric's weakness was pretty great, or it would be if they hadn't used the exact same plot device last season. IDK I actually still liked it, but really? ... It did answer the question of why he didn't immediately turn her for insurance against the Bonnie and the Salvatores (this should be a band name), which otherwise he should've wasted no time in doing. It was pretty sensible of Mama Original to make that his weakness, it was pretty smart for Elena to figure that out, and then the unintended consequence of her revelation was also great.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Yeah the love triangle stuff is getting old but mostly because it's not being done in a way that could be considered organic AT ALL. Caroline's "The Bachelor" line pretty much sums it up. The whole idea of that show is so damn contrived and the idea that Elena's relationship with either Stefan or Damon should be anything like it is just insulting... but that is pretty much what they've pared it down to. Love triangles are not always poorly done. They can be done in a way that doesn't make you want to punch your TV. But what's been happening for several episodes is that the writers of this show are basically talking to the audience through the characters. Which I think is what you're getting at. It's so annoying. Especially for a show that has done so many things right. Why is this one central element so ridiculously bad? I don't get it!

I also had to side-eye the guys when immediately after Elena telling them she doesn't want to lose them they make a pact to leave town if she chooses the other brother. WHAT? Were you even listening to her, you dimwits? REALLY?

Bonnie and the Salvatores should definitely be a band name. In fact I might start it myself, haha.

[rabiya-al-basri.livejournal.com]

Love triangles are not always poorly done. They can be done in a way that doesn't make you want to punch your TV.

Haha true. They just...haven't been. There was a point when the Caroline/Matt/Tyler triangle was well done, even, and the love triangles on Buffy (except the ones involving Bangel, those got SO ANNOYING) didn't annoy me. But, then, there weren't so goddamn many of them. And then there's the bisexual love differential equation of Card Captor Sakura, which makes me overjoyed but is rarely particularly angsty.

But what's been happening for several episodes is that the writers of this show are basically talking to the audience through the characters. Which I think is what you're getting at. It's so annoying. Especially for a show that has done so many things right. Why is this one central element so ridiculously bad? I don't get it!

UGH YES. That's a big part of what I'm finding annoying. But just as much as that--or, partially, as a consequence of that--it's your other comment that's really getting to me:

I also had to side-eye the guys when immediately after Elena telling them she doesn't want to lose them they make a pact to leave town if she chooses the other brother. WHAT? Were you even listening to her, you dimwits? REALLY?

EXACTLY. No one's asking what she wants for her life and whether she could get that with one, both, or neither; no one's asking about what's important to her, or what her needs would be, etc. And on that rare occasion when *she* finally asks those questions, she's promptly ignored. ARGH. The triangle is only being examined through the lens of how it affects the two male characters, and not how it affects Elena.

...Also, just...even when they're not being passive aggressive about it Damon and Stefan are being seriously passive aggressive. It's par for the course for Damon, but I'd've expected better from Stefan.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I feel like at this point I can barely even take it seriously. But yeah. They're handling it terribly in all manner of ways.

[rabiya-al-basri.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

I do, in fact, want Stelena back, but not in a form that would or could actually happen at this point. (Basically, pre-S3 Stelena)

The more I think about it, though, the more I'm starting to think this whole shtick is smoke and mirrors for setting up Elena/Matt, which might have some of that wholesome, positive relationship stuff. Regardless I'm sick of this, make it stop.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I am really hoping Elena/Matt happens. I am pretty much in favor of any advancements that involve Matt not dying.