TV Review: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – Season 3 – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

By SEAN ELLIOTT / Contributing Writer

Posted: October 27th, 2011 / 03:42 PM

Michael Trevino and Candice Accola in THE VAMPIRE DIARIES - Season 3 - "Smells Like Teen Spirit" | ©2011 The CW/Bob Mahoney

Stars: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder
Writer: Julie Plec & Caroline Dries, Based on the book by L.J. Smith
Director: Rob Hardy
Network: The CW, airs Thursday nights
Original Telecast: October 20, 2010

I am consistently pleased with the way that THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is re-writing its own rules and making all kinds of changes in practically every episode. It seems like every single week the cliff-hanger this season is something completely unexpected and I love that about this show!

“Smells like Teen Spirit” is no exception to the way the show is bending and twisting this season to accommodate new storylines and characters and all kinds of plot developments to keep the audience guessing.

I guess one thing that I didn’t realize, since this episode officially kicks off the characters’ first day of Senior Year of high school, is that the first two seasons of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES took place over the course of one school year and summer. It’s not like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER where every season represented a new school year, and this actually increases the longevity of the show, keeping Caroline (Candice Accola), Elena (Nina Dobrev), Bonnie (Katerina Graham), and Tyler (Michael Trevino) in High School for at least another season beyond this one.

Following hot on the heels of last week’s episode, Tyler is settling in a little bit too nicely to his new role as Klaus’ (Joseph Morgan) first successful werewolf/vampire hybrid. He’s leaning a bit too much back towards being douche Tyler from the first season and it takes an intervention by Caroline to straighten him back out…but then it seems that everything might be undone with the appearance of Rebecca (Claire Holt) and a tasty teen girl treat for him to kill. It remains to be seen exactly what Tyler’s ‘sire syndrome’ will mean ultimately for his friends.

All kinds of ghost mischief goes down in this episode with Vicki (Kayla Ewell) convincing Matt (Zach Roerig) to bring her across to the physical world through blood magic. Of course once she’s here she reveals that she has to kill Elena to stay since she promised the original witch on the other side to put a stop to Klaus’ army building. As usual Vicki is a great source of irritation and disappointment and I didn’t shed one single tear to see her disappear back to the great beyond from whence she came.

Katherine (Nina Dobrev) spends some quality time with the vampire that hunts other vampires, Michael, in an attempt to get him to respond to blood and wake up. Her needs are simple; she wants him to kill Klaus. His needs are even simpler, he wants to drink Katherine dry and revitalize himself through her blood. So is this the end of her? I hope not! I like Elena, but I love Nina Dobrev when she’s Katherine, just because she is so fun when she’s bad!

The big twist is the return of Tyler’s uncle Mason (Taylor Kinney) tossing Damon (Ian Somerhalder) around like he was nothing. Guess who is Klaus’ number two successful Hybrid kids?

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Click on Link: TV Review – THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – Season 3 – “The Hybrid”

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Click on Link: Review of THE SECRET CIRCLE – Season 1 – “Pilot”

Click on link for Exclusive Interview with THE SECRET CIRCLE executive producer Kevin Williamson

Click on Link: Exclusive photos of THE SECRET CIRCLE stars at PaleyFest 2011 CW preview

CLICK HERE for AX’s interview with THOMAS DEKKER on THE SECRET CIRCLE

CLICK HERE for photos from The CW’s THE SECRET CIRCLE

Click on Link:10 Things We Want To See On VAMPIRE DIARIES – Season 3
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Click on Link: For more VAMPIRE DIARIES reviews and interviews
Click on Link: For AX’s exclusive interview with CANDICE ACCOLA