The Vampire Diaries Season 3
Starring: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Stephen R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Candice Acolla, Zach Roerig, Michael Trevino, Matt Davis, Joseph Morgan
Speaking for the majority of TV series out there, by the third season, things normally fall into place. All of the writers have found their groove with the characters they’ve created and know what works for them, the stories have evolved well enough to keep the audience invested, and all of the actors are totally comfortable in their own skin. Such is the case with the third season of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ which has yet to make a major misstep so far. I’m in love with Rebekah, the whole Stefan gone bad thing reeks of Buffy Season 2 in all the right ways, Caroline still remains the most bad-ass vampire Barbie ever to grace our screens and the signature twists and turns are still in full swing. One thing I adored was the inclusion of all of the old characters/vampires that had bitten the dust over the first two seasons. I really appreciated the wonderful Anna finally getting the resolution she deserved, and her reunion with Pearl is up there as the show’s sweetest moment to date. The flashbacks were one part of the series that had the tendency to get a little dull, but so far this year all of them have been done with remarkable style and flare, the kind of thing only courtesy of a show that is fully confident in itself.
Best Episode: 3.08 'Ordinary People' – This is one of the fantastic flashback episodes I just mentioned. Not only were all the historical elements fascinating, they were necessary and went a long way in making Rebekah one of the series best supporting characters.
9.5/10
The Secret Circle Season 1
Episodes: 1.01-09
Starring: Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker, Gale Harold, Shelley Henning, Phoebe Tonkin, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Louis Hunter, Ashley Crow, Chris Zylka, Natasha Henstridge
It’d be easy to simply attack this series for not following ‘The Vampire Diaries’ handbook to a T. So far it has yet to boast the neck-breaking pace and crazy twists that it’s older sister does but as a series in it’s own right, it works. It makes fabulous use of its role as a teen soap by using the magic as a tool for expressing all the pent up feelings these young men and woman have for one another. That’s something that you’d forget about ‘Diaries; it’s still a teen show. ‘The Secret Circle' is growing week to week, with new plots being divulged each episode, and my love for it only seems to be growing. There is still room for it to blossom into a series that will rival ‘The Vampire Diaries’ in time, but for the development stage it’s in right now, it’s doing quite well indeed.
It’d be easy to simply attack this series for not following ‘The Vampire Diaries’ handbook to a T. So far it has yet to boast the neck-breaking pace and crazy twists that it’s older sister does but as a series in it’s own right, it works. It makes fabulous use of its role as a teen soap by using the magic as a tool for expressing all the pent up feelings these young men and woman have for one another. That’s something that you’d forget about ‘Diaries; it’s still a teen show. ‘The Secret Circle' is growing week to week, with new plots being divulged each episode, and my love for it only seems to be growing. There is still room for it to blossom into a series that will rival ‘The Vampire Diaries’ in time, but for the development stage it’s in right now, it’s doing quite well indeed.
Best Episode: 1.09 'Balcoin' – A fantastic conclusion to the first part of the season. Though it could have done with some more fireworks, it was still a fitting mid-season finale on all fronts.
8.5/10
Starring: Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, Holly Marie Combs (!), Ian Harding, Lara Leighton, Chad Lowe, Sasha Pieterse, Bianca Lawson
Still as addictively entertaining as always, ‘Pretty Little Liars’ second season has so far lived up to the first on all fronts. If this were any other series, I would be tearing it a new one for its completely convoluted mystery, oh-so-obvious last-minute re-writes & re-casts and terrible acting from some of its cast (Holly Marie Combs not included obvs) but in a way, that’s part of its charm! It’s total shit, but it knows it. It has all that a teen drama needs, and more. My one major issue that I’m finding hard to ignore is the length of time that the show’s mystery is being dragged out for. It keeps us coming back by adding in new questions constantly, but it never answers any of them. Once you think you’ve finally found the truth, you get another slap in the face. It’s fun, but if we don’t get some answers soon, I have a feeling I won’t be the only viewer who loses interest.
Best Episode: 2.12 'Over My Dead Body' – This is the first episode that took it’s storytelling to the next level with some fantastic back and forth’s between the present and past, and ends on a terrific cliff-hanger.
8/10
I don't watch any of these shows, but Pretty Little Liars seems like the kind of show I'd enjoy. But, I don't know, even with Holly Marie Combs and Sydney from Melrose Place, I've never really checked it out.
ReplyDeleteLove the new color scheme, by the way. Festive, heh.
I think that there's a certain amount of Pretty Little Liars that you might like. You'd have to check cynicism and realism at the door sometimes, but it's always a tonne of fun. I'd watch a few episodes before I'd make my decision too.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks. Just wanted to celebrate the holidays! It will be changing to a new layout in the new year.