Courtesy of The CW
The return of my favourite bitchy original sister, a daggered good guy in the hands of the enemy and the attempted self-inflicted abortion of a magic baby…what more could we ask for? So does the second instalment of this new spin-off leave me with a better impression than the deja vu I felt last week?
Let’s bitch it out…
Oh no he didn’t! Tell me Marcel (Charles Michael Davis) did not just ask that pre-pubescent teenage witch to find a way to kill my Elijah (Daniel Gillies)! While I’ve learned to expect the unexpected from the writers of The Vampire Diaries (and now The Originals), I have faith that I don’t need to worry too much about my favourite characters just yet. With a vow between siblings to get Elijah back whatever it takes, I have a feeling that Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and sister Rebekah (Claire Holt) will be successful in saving the good brother. But wow, talk about turning on your “family” there, Marcel.
Speaking of family… did anyone else have a WTF moment when Rebekah said that Klaus loves Marcel like a son?!? I knew they were close, but I was expecting “like a brother”… you know, considering they look the same age and have a relationship like brothers rather than father and son. I’m still trying to figure this one out: so Klaus saves the slave boy and gives him a warrior name and the siblings take him in. Now Marcel, whose whole life has been defined by his status as a bastard child and a slave is now living in the lap of luxury with vampires as his family? Which would mean Rebekah is like his aunt, right?
I raise this because some of this gives me a pseudo-incest creepy vibe. Their familial relationship is clearly not on either of their minds when Marcel talks about how sweet the water in the stream is and pushes Rebekah up against the wall. Yikes. Something about this just feels very off to me. It feels like the writers were rushed trying to determine what Marcel’s back story is and just tossed this particular one together. Plus how many times have we seen the “Rebekah love interest story gone wrong”? I guess this just seems on par for the writers, but I’m not buying what they’re selling on this one.
Moving on…I’m also getting a little tired of the creatures that can’t be killed and are more powerful than any that have come before. The Originals are vampires that can’t be killed, and we’ve seen seemingly countless seasons of The Vampire Diaries dedicated to Klaus’ hybrid status (which means he really can’t be killed)…it’s all just a bit much. Now we’ve got Davina (Danielle Campbell), the teenage witch who is more powerful than any witch we’ve seen before thrown into the mix. Plus she can play with the minds of our immortal Originals. Isn’t this story a little overplayed by now?
Courtesy of The CW
Other Observations:
- I am a bit surprised at how Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin)’s self inflicted abortion is handled. This is a risky subject and I feel like the writers are veering into dangerous territory, but in the end, we get our ‘after-school special’ moment and all is right in the world again. Umm…okay?
- Oh Rebekah, how I missed your quick wit and verbal sparring with anyone and everyone. Lines delivered to perfection and oozing with sarcasm remind me why I love this girl so much.
- There are way too many flashback scenes from the 1800s, and I groan in anticipation of how many more we’ll have to sit through in the future. I mean, some of those hairstyles and wigs are just atrocious. If this show is going to make us sit through these scenes, at least they can a little put a little effort into them.
- I’m wondering if I was too easily wowed by Marcel’s “I am King” speech last week. That speech made me feel in awe of the actor, but I didn’t see any of that greatness this week, and in fact, Charles Michael Davis is extremely awkward in his flashback scenes with Rebekah. I have seen a glimpse of his brilliance so I look forward to another day in the future when that will shine again, but in this episode, I’m not feeling him.
- I know it sounds like I am really negative about this episode…but I’m not unhappy with the show. Rather, I’m confused as to whether this whole storyline is going to fly with me. I’m used to Klaus and co. in Mystic Falls and in one box so to speak, and now we’re in a new city and another box. I’m still trying to get settled with the new box I think. We all know my love for these characters, so I have faith that that love will see me through, but I also am trying to keep it in check so that I’m not blind to the elements of the show that aren’t working.
What did you think of the second episode? Did you like it better than me? Do you feel more settled in after this episode or are you having growing pains like I am? What do you think the story is with Davina? Sound off below!
The Originals has now moved to its permanent home at 8pm EST on Tuesdays on the CW.