Moonlight shines down on an empty clearing in the woods, casting everything in an eerie glow. Nearby, empty cans of beer and the smoldering remains of cigarettes – and other smokeables – litter the ground, evidence of a party that has recently broken up. The moonlight glistens off a recently used flamethrower, laying next the the charred body of a creepy-ass former bar-tending vampire. The detritus of some arcane magical spell tell those knowledgeable in such things exactly what occurred here.
With a creak and a groan, and old stone doorway, inscribed with a pentagram, slides slowly open. A man stands inside, looking at the desiccated corpses of starved vampires all around him. He clambers out of the tomb, and stands blinking in the moonlight.
Thomas: How long have we been in there? How long have we been trapped in that tomb?
Producer: A long time, son.
Thomas: How long? Tell me, I can take it.
Producer: (after a long, pained silence): Six weeks.
Thomas: Nooooooo!</vader>
Producer: (puts a comforting hand on the man’s shoulder) It’s all right, it’s all right. There’s a lot you need to know…
Thomas: (steadies himself) What’s happened?
Producer: Well, previously, on The Vampire Diaries….
Previously, on The Vampire Diaries
Thomas: just realized that if Isobel is Elena’s mother… Alaric might be her father. God, I hope she doesn’t think he’s hot…
Average-Looking Hiker Dude: Hikes through the forrest, in the middle of the day, with cheerful sunlight beaming down on him, nary a care in the world.
The Vampire We’re All Pretending Wasn’t a Slave: Dude, what day is it?
Average-Looking Hiker Dude: Saturday.
The Vampire We’re All Pretending Wasn’t a Slave: What year?
Average-Looking Hiker Dude: Um… two-thousand… ten…?
The Vampire We’re All Pretending Wasn’t a Slave: Woah. Bummer. Well, it was nice to meet you! Fangs!
Thomas: So, all of Katherine’s vampire buddies have Rings of Not Exploding in the Sunlight. We’re less than a minute into this, and already the Plot: thickens.
The Vampire We’re All Pretending Wasn’t a Slave: Aaaand since you aren’t using these clothes anymore… yoink!
Elena Gilbert: Hey Bonnie I love you Bonnie and I miss you Bonnie and I’m sorry your Grandma died but I know what that’s like because my fake mother died only I didn’t know she was my fake mother so it really really sucked and I hope you come back soon because it’s in your contract and the producer would get all angry again! Bye bye!
Aunt Jenna: So, who wants to know about their biological mother?
Elena Gilbert: Oh, oh, I do, I do! Pick me, pick me!
Aunt Jenna: Okay! So I borrowed the medical records from you fathers practice, because HIPPA doesn’t apply on television, and then I used my awesome detective skills to track your mother’s sister-cousin-whatever down!
Elena Gilbert: You mean you used-
Aunt Jenna: That’s right! Bing!
Thomas: Eff you, show.
Stefan Salvatore: Wait, so your biological mother might be Alaric’s wife? But she’s dead!
Elena Gilbert: Oh no! That would mean both my mothers are dead! Pout.
Stefan Salvatore: Nah, it can’t be. There’s no way your mother was married to a vampire slayer, and got eaten by Damon.
Elena Gilbert: Wait, what?
Stefan Salvatore: Hey look at the time got to go Damon needs me see you later call me babe! Two fingers, miming a phone.
Damon Salvatore: Is mourning Katherine’s loss/betrayal/indifference. And by “mourning,” of course, I mean “cavorting with and snacking on a bunch of mostly naked sorority chicks.”
Stefan Salvatore: So… did you eat Elena’s real mother?
Damon Salvatore: Oh, probably. Who can keep track, amiright? Anyway, I need to go exploit some women! TTFN!
Thomas: Really doesn’t have to change Damon’s dialog to make it funny.
Matt Donovan and Caroline Forbes: Cuddle on the couch, watching some kind of sports show.
Caroline Forbes: This is boring. We should do something not boring.
Matt Donovan: Like…?
Caroline Forbes: Sexy time!
Mamma Donovan: Oh god, not on the couch.
Matt Donovan: Ah!
Caroline Forbes: Eep!
Matt Donovan: Strategically places a pillow on top of Caroline.
Aunt Jenna and Alaric Saltzman: Hang up a sign for the Mystic Falls Meat Parade
Aunt Jenna and Alaric Saltzman: Smootch!
Aunt Jenna: So… this seems like a convenient time to ask… were you married to Elena’s mother?
Alaric Saltzman: No way, Isobel never had a baby.
Aunt Jenna: You sure? Here, look at this photo I have on my Product Placement iPhone.
Alaric Saltzman:
Elena Gilbert: Is now driving a Product Placement… car I don’t recognize. But it’s sporty!
Elena Gilbert: So, do you know Isobel Flemming? And did she happen to look a lot like me when she was a teenager?
Trudi Peterson: OMG you’re her daughter!
Elena Gilbert: Well that was easy. Do you know who my daddy is?
Trudi Peterson: Yes I do, and holy hell does that answer scare the crap out of me. No, no I most certainly do not. Oh, tea’s done! Lemme go grab that!
Trudi Peterson (on her cell phone): She’s here!
Alaric Saltzman: So about your brother eating my wife…
Stefan Salvatore: Dude, now is seriously not the time.
Alaric Saltzman: …and Elena’s mother…
Stefan Salvatore: Jaw clench, angry pout, close face.
Millions of Teenage Girls Around the Nation: Kiss him kiss him kiss him!
Stefan Salvatore: I’ll deal with it. Stalks away angrily.
Millions of Teenage Girls Around the Nation: They never kiss. Pout.
Alaric Saltzman: So whatcha up to babe?
Isobel Flemming: Nothing much. Just researching vampires!
Trudi Peterson: Hey, I’ve got some photos to distract you until the creeper I called shows up show you! And you haven’t touched your tea which I roofied!
Elena Gilbert: Hey, this tea tastes like anti-vampire pot!
Trudi Peterson: Hey look at the time well it was nice talking to you now could you please get the hell out of my house now k thnx bye!
Creepy Ass Old Guy: Lurks creepily in the middle of the street.
Ominous Music: Lets us know that we should be afraid. Thanks, music!
Alaric Saltzman: Deals with his grief in the traditional manner: alcoholism.
Damon Salvatore: Hey bro, mind if I join you! Being sober is depressing!
Alaric Saltzman: You aren’t the type to get depressed.
Damon Salvatore: Do you… know me?
Alaric Saltzman: What me no never saw you before and I’m sure not looking for revenge for you eating my wife!
Damon Salvatore: Note to self: eat new history teacher.
Damon Salvatore: Hey, Sheriff Forbes! I’m mourning the loss of my psycho vampire ex! And your husband went gay! We have so much in common! We should be drinking buddies!
Sheriff Forbes: Hey, do you want to be part of our Bachelor Raffle?
Damon Salvatore: A room full of women, clamoring for a date with me? Sounds… tasty.
Thomas: Really, I just quote him. That’s all I need to do.
Damon Salvatore: Oh, and can you check out Alaric Saltzman for me? He seems shifty.
Creepy Ass Old Guy: Thanks for letting me know the kid showed up.
Trudi Peterson: Dies.
The Vampire We’re All Pretending Wasn’t a Slave: Culture shock!
Some Woman on a Park Bench: Meaningful look.
Elena Gilbert: Stephan?
Damon Salvatore: Even better! Me! And I’m mostly naked!
Millions of Teenage Girls Around the Nation: Squee!
Stefan Salvatore: So… your mom was totally banging your history teacher.
Elena Gilbert: OMG WTF I have to talk to him.
Stefan Salvatore: Yeah, so… could you not?
Elena Gilbert: What? Why?
Stefan Salvatore: Because Damon killed your mom and Alaric wants him dead. Oh, no reason. Innocent whistle.
Aunt Jenna: Sorry I had to tell you your wife had a kid! But now you can be bestest friends with her daughter, my niece, and your history student: Elena!
Alaric Saltzman: Hello bourbon, my best and only friend! Clang!
Caroline Forbes: My boyfriend is cougar bait!
Mamma Donovan: Hey Elena! You broke my son’s heart! Hey rebound girl from the couch!
Sheriff Forbes: So I did some checking. Alaric Saltzman’s wife was murdered. Her name’s Isobel. Here’s here picture!
Damon Salvatore:
Damon Salvatore: Hey Alaric! Did I ever tell you how I met your wife? Had a drink with her once. She was… delicious.
Thomas: Seriously. Direct quote.
Salt and Wound: Meet.
Stefan Salvatore: Facepalm.
Elena Gilbert: OMG WTF you rat bastard!
Damon Salvatore: Oh relax, he’s just the history teacher.
Elena Gilbert: That was my mother!
Damon Salvatore: …well that’s awkward.
Creepy Ass Old Guy: I have a message for you. Stop looking for your mother. She doesn’t want to know you.
Elena Gilbert: My mother’s alive! I have to find her.
Creepy Ass Old Guy: That’s… kind of like what I had in mind. But whetevs, my mission here is done. Plays in traffic.
That: Ends splat-ily.
Damon Salvatore: Are you really that stupid?
Alaric Saltzman: Yep! Stake lunge!
Damon Salvatore: Falcon punch!
Falcon Punch: Solves teen pregnancy. And vampire slayers.
Alaric Saltzman: What did you do to my wife?
Damon Salvatore: Slept with her, of course. Oh, and turned her into a vampire. And then slept with her again. Stab!
Alaric Saltzman: Gurgle, gurgle, dying.
Stefan Salvatore: WTF man? These are nice carpets!
Damon Salvatore: Whatevs, man. I’m going to go back to obsessing about Katherine. Later!
Alaric Saltzman: Twitch, groan, oh god I almost wish I was still dead.
Stefan Salvatore: Um, so you a vampire now?
Alaric Saltzman: Nope! My wife gave me a Ring of Not Dying When Damon Rams A Stake Through My Lung! The little strumpet.
Elena Gilbert: Dials the Creepy Ass Old Guy’s phone
Isobel Flemming: Was there a problem?
Elena Gilbert: Mommy?
Isobel Flemming: Click
The Vampire We’re All Pretending Wasn’t a Slave: Meets up with Pearl and Anna-No-Last-Name.
The Plot: Is already pretty thick, thank you very much.
[...] On to the next episode! [...]
I have to comment before I finish reading – Elena’s new car is a MINI Cooper(specifically, S version, JCW convertible model). I’m very sad that you don’t recognize it, mostly because I drive one and everyone should love them. Best. Car. Evor.
Good catch on “bing.” I would have groaned if I’d noticed it last night.
*after reading the rest*
<span class<span class="Am surprised you didn't note how every single photograph of Isobel makes her look uber scary and demonic. I found that sort of funny, myself.
oops. Good thing that wasn’t really a spoiler, because I apparently suck at copying/pasting.
Haha, “I Binged it” almost made me pee. It was the only time I’ve flat-out been like, “Hey, TVD, that might be a little heavy on the product placement.”
Great episode though, and great recap (as usual). Especially…
Elena Gilbert: Mommy?
Isobel Flemming: Click
You know, if it hadn’t been a convertible, I think I would have recognized it as a mini cooper. From The Italian Job, if nothing else. In my defense: those things are about the size of a roller skate to me, so I don’t think about them much. I’d never fit in one.
I actually didn’t think she looked all that demonic. Though I’ve dated some frightening girls, so…
“I Binged it” is my new least favorite phrase. Bing is not a verb, it’s a wannabe, second rate search engine.
Thanks, guys :-)
It’s kinda not a spoiler because it’s how the show ended, but I kinda wish people would actually stay dead every once in awhile
That was a hilarious recap =)
Thanks Erica :-)
And to be honest, I’m surprised at how often people do stay dead on this show. Vicki isn’t coming back, the Evil History Teaching Coach is toast, and so on.
[...] Previously, on The Vampire Diaries [...]
So true about the damon lines, almost the sole reason i watch the show
He makes the show. It really wouldn’t be the same without him. And I’m talking about both Damon and Ian Somerhalder.
The Plot: Is already pretty thick, thank you very much.
Seriously, you could pretty much put that at the end of every episode, I think. And I’m not still stalking you…
Hehe :-)