Bringing Out the Dead brings us another chilling, tension-filled episode of one turn after the other. In every episode things develop so much, characters are pushed to their limits and beyond. Seeing the way they react can often push them in to a completely different point than seems to be in their character. The writers have really done a great job in creating material that is always taking on challenges and ends up being rich, exciting, and always changing.
One of the many interesting elements of the episode was Mr. Forbes’ material. Just as he is starting to get on better terms with Caroline their relationship is ripped apart from them as the vampire blood in his system has an after death response. He is now the creature he has been fighting his entire life. I couldn’t have been more excited when this happened as it opened up so many possibilities. The dark and intriguing potential they could have gone with the character is endless. They could have explored the monster within, him hating himself just as he did every vampire he sought to destroy or “save” through his disturbing and vicious methods. It might have been even more interesting if he did find a way to use these extreme methods on himself and become the creation he always thought he could train Caroline in to being.
The show went a different direction with Mr. Forbes’ character. Although, it wasn’t the scenario my mind was racing towards, when this change came in to place it still offered some great material. Candice Accola gave an incredible performance. Caroline is so conflicted, she shows equal amounts of love and hate. She is unable to let him go and yet is so disgusted by what he did to her and how unaccepting he is of her nature.
The level of emotion Accola delivers and her range shows what a tremendous actress she is.She has brought Caroline to life in such a thrilling, genuine, and complex way that I never would have dreamed the Caroline of the books could have ever been. It was really when she turned in to a vampire that I instantly fell in love with her. This was something far behind her undead nature; it was her amplified human qualities that made her such a kick ass vampire. She’s still somewhat tortured since this is never what she wanted for herself; to be a prisoner to blood lust, forever frozen in time. Still, she embraces what she is and her new life.
This week’s episode also brought the return of Elijah, which was even more revenge-filled, intense, and satisfying than expected….and I’m a Klaus fan. Really, I am kind of indifferent to Elijah, but the material and the direction his involvement turned things towards was too good not to enjoy.
We learn of a lot of similarities between Klaus and Elijah and the Salvatores; they both had a similar tragic love triangle that turned them towards their vampiric nature. If only love triangles in real life resulted in bad ass, intriguing vampires. Until that day, at least we have The Vampire Diaries.
