Vampire Diaries/Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice/Fringe

The Vampire Diaries – The Sacrifice

     I think by now you all know I really love this show.  I think the acting is excellent, and the writing and direction are usually superb.  However, I have a couple of issues with this episode, related to Katherine’s cave.

     I absolutely hated the whole “we have to get the moonstone” in the most convoluted way possible plan.  Here is my confusion:  I know that once a vampire is trapped behind the invisible barrier they can’t get out.  So, they decided to have Bonnie try a spell to take barrier down briefly so Stefan or Damon could speed in, get the moonstone and speed out before Katherine could react (since she’s not feeding she is weak).  Bonnie also created some kind of powder that would render Katherine unconscious for a couple of minutes.

     Jeremy decided to take the initiative and go after the moonstone himself, on his own, with only a portion of the powder to assist him.  I understand that he was trying to protect Bonnie, and trying to help keep Elena out of harm’s way, but really?  REALLY?  Even after Damon insulted his ego, it just seemed really reckless, even for Jeremy,

     I guess I don’t understand why several things happened/didn’t happen.  Why did Jeremy try to do this on his own?  Why couldn’t Bonnie just walk in there with him, toss the powder on Katherine and do a binding spell or something while he searched for the stone?  Why didn’t Jeremy just stake Katherine when she was unconscious?  He had at least one stake with him, and the barrier isn’t physical; he could have thrown the powder in her face from his side of the barrier, she would have gone out, and he could have staked her and it would have been done.

     Even after all of Jeremy’s mistakes, when Bonnie and Stefan arrived, I still don’t understand why Bonnie didn’t just go in and get Jeremy.  I assume they were afraid Katherine would overpower her, but if Katherine killed Bonnie, would she ever be able to escape the cave?  This whole plan and plot had so many holes in it I just couldn’t get past it.  It felt like lazy writing.

     I also think Elena was being stupid and reckless, but I can get past that because she was scared and angry and upset.  Besides, the heat between her and Damon made her whole plot this week worth it.  I absolutely find them really powerful when they are together.

     I liked Caroline and Tyler together again in this episode.  I am ready for him to turn, and I think it’s going to be in next week’s episode.  I wonder if Caroline will stay with him during the full moon.  I don’t know if I see them as a couple, but I do want her to be there for him when he needs her, like Stefan tried to be for her. 

Grey’s Anatomy – Adrift and at Peace

     I think Cristina is finally starting to heal.  Her time on the boat with Derek, the quiet that she finally allowed herself, may have been the first little step.  I like that these two are developing an actual friendship, outside of their individual relationships with Meredith.  I think when the characters, and audience, look back on the story of Cristina’s PTSD, her loss and her return; Derek will be the person most responsible for her recovery.  He is giving her everything she needs from a friend right now.  I also really love that there is absolutely no sexual chemistry between them; at no point have I worried that they are thinking something inappropriate about the other.  It’s nice to see a show that realizes a man and woman really can be friends without sex or sexual chemistry being an underlying factor.

     Callie and Mark are the opposite of this, their friendship has a TON of sexual chemistry, and they took advantage of that, each to try and make themselves feel better.  It didn’t really work, but any reason to have Eric Dane shirtless and wet works for me!  I liked that both of them realized it really wasn’t helping and it just made them miss the people they want to be with more.  Mark finally kissed Lexi again, and while they do have issues, and I don’t think they are getting back together right away, he obviously caught her attention with that kiss.  Arizona showed up on Callie’s doorstep, and gave Callie an impassioned speech about how much she missed her.  Callie, who had an awesome, kick ass, day, shut the door in Arizona’s face without a word.  I have no doubt these two are going to get back together, but I was SO happy Callie did that!  Because she saw her self-worth all day, from the shower with Mark, to the work on the hip replacement, she was able to be strong and take a stand, instead of just being grateful for Arizona’s return.  The strong, amazing woman that Callie was at one point, but then wasn’t for so long, may have finally returned and I am glad.

     Teddy offered to marry a patient, so he could get on her health insurance and she could save his life.  Granted that patient is Scott Foley who looks great (and the green shirt bringing out his green eyes was a great wardrobe choice for him), but does she really have to marry him?  I get that she is floundering in her personal life, feeling guilty for failing Cristina in her professional life, and just looking for a way to make it up somehow, but I don’t know if this is the way to do it.  I think it will be interesting to see where this story goes.  As long as it doesn’t turn into Denny 2.0 I will be happy, since I hated that storyline then and still hate it now.

   

Private Practice – Just Lose It

     I have read that some people are angry at Cooper for his behavior in this episode, specifically him kissing Amelia.  I don’t feel that way.  Cooper is dealing with his own trauma, in addition to trying to help Charlotte deal with hers, and he is having a tough time too.  Both of them are trying to be strong for the other, neither realizing the other just wants them to open up and be honest about their feelings. 

     Cooper has always been highly sexualized, and for Charlotte to not even want to be touched has got to be very hard for him.  Actually, it’s hard for both of them.  Then for the prosecutor to tell them that because of Charlotte’s past behavior and her lying about being raped and not identifying her attacker in the first line up they aren’t going to prosecute the rapist felt like she was blaming Charlotte.  That didn’t make either of them feel better about anything.

     I think Cooper kissed Amelia because he was looking for comfort, but also because in his heart he knew it wouldn’t go any farther.  He knew one of them would stop it before it really went to a place he and Charlotte wouldn’t be able to recover from.  If he wanted just sex, he could have hired someone for that, and he knows it.  It was about connection and sadness and need and fear and pain, not about sex.

     I think Sam and Addison have a long way to go before either of them is ready to co-parent.  They are both being selfish about having a baby (she wants one, he doesn’t particularly) and they really aren’t communicating well at all.  I like them together, but I don’t want them to bring a baby into their relationship.  She also needs to stop internalizing every patient’s story and making it about herself.  She judges everyone by her own desire to have a baby.  Thanks to Amelia, at least there is someone I can relate to regarding the non-desire to have a baby.  Not every woman feels the need to procreate, and Amelia seems to be most like me in that respect.

Fringe – Entrada

     Finally, the Olivias (Olivii?) are both back in their respective correct universes.  I am so glad to have our Olivia back here, but the repercussions and ramifications of the time they were switched haven’t even begun to be felt.  I also don’t believe we have seen the last of the alternate universe.  I think there is still so much to explore over there, I don’t think we will just go back to focusing solely on our universe. 

     I was sad that alt-universe Broyles is dead, but he made the ultimate sacrifice in the hopes that our Olivia was telling the truth, and that both universes can survive simultaneously.  It amazes me that those in the alt-verse believe we are already at war with them, but most people here don’t even know they exist.  I think if our world did know about them, war might be inevitable, so I hope our Fringe team can keep their world a secret.

     I felt badly for Peter, because he really had started to fall for Fauxlivia thinking she was Olivia.  I think both Peter and Olivia are going to have a difficult time dealing with what all of this means.