Rather than starting with yet another doomed couple (like the previous two episodes had), this episode begins with Caroline (Candice Accola - who, to me, looks like a hybrid of Rachel Nichols and Elizabeth Harnois), post-vampire bite. Amazingly, Damon's decided NOT to kill the irritating blonde. She attempts to sneak out of the room, past the vampire (yeah, not gonna happen). Sadly, the creaking wooden floors (and door handle) give her away.
Nitpick: Damon (who's supposed to be a *vampire*) can clearly be seen BREATHING on the bed, not once...but TWICE when we cut back to him. Now, I realise they can't exactly tell Ian Somerhalder, "Stop breathing!", but they could have at least gotten him to hold his breath for the few second shots we lingered on him. It's just so damn obvious, and totally ruins the moment. No, vampires aren't real...but actors who can hold their breath for a few seconds sure as hell are! Ian Somerhalder just isn't one of them, apparently.
Aside from this, the scene's actually quite good. I liked the reveal of Damon no longer being in the bed behind Caroline. Even better was Caroline throwing all manner of object at Damon (even after he warned her not to). Lamp, something (I couldn't tell what it was), pillow...because, yeah, after the first two hard things didn't work, I'm sure a soft fluffy pillow is going to have more effect. Way to go!
Other positives of the episode: Any scenes with Elena, Stefan and/or Damon. For starters, the scene with Vicki's dumb jock boyfriend hurling the football at the back of Stefan's head, only for Stefan to spin around, catch it and hurl it right back at him with much more force. That showed him! I also liked Elena's name for herself (when asking Stefan to dinner so that her friend, Bonnie, could get to know him a little better and not be so against him): "Gloomy Graveyard Girl". Yep, that definitely sums up Elena (at least in the 'Pilot').
One of the best scenes of the episode was Stefan putting that "asshat" History teacher in his place (yet again) by knowing all the dates of events the teacher rattled off. It was great to watch. By the way, good job not even being sure of your supposed "facts", teacher (getting students to look up the discrepancy for you - in regards to one of the dates Stefan gave). When we cut to him coaching the football, though, I was little confused. History teacher/football coach? Really?? Anyway, Stefan on the football team was another good scene. Thankfully, Matt is a halfway decent character now. Him not being a jerk to Stefan (while Tyler was), apologising to him/helping him up when he got knocked down on the football field and then even going so far as to shake hands with him there at the end of episode showed that he's at least making some progress, character-wise. Good for him. Though while Elena was busy checking out Stefan on the field, all I was focusing on was her looking "perky" (as Damon later says) in her short-shorts.
I wasn't all that interested in the stuff with Bonnie knowing where Elena's kitchen utensils were, but the dinner scene made up for it (especially when Caroline and Damon showed up). Damon awaiting his invitation into Elena's home, while Stefan attempted to convince her not to let him, was good. As was the scene with all five of them together (Caroline really has to learn when to shut up, though). Damon - with his bringing up Katherine, however, was well-played. I also liked the scene between him and Elena, as they packed the dishwasher. The way both actors played the scene was really very good (especially Somerhalder, when Elena said she was sorry about him losing Katherine). I also liked Stefan and Caroline's scene (the bit with her scarf), then Damon returning and putting his whammy on her to get her out of the room. Damon's threat of what he can now do to Elena - thanks to her invite - was pretty creepy. Elena dreaming that Stefan became Damon partway through their make-out session was also kind of unnerving.
Everything from Stefan giving Elena that piece of jewelry (which we later learned makes her immune to vampires' powers of persuasion) was good. I liked seeing Stefan come to the rescue of Elena's brother (even though he didn't deserve it), and although his cover story that he fed Elena (about his cut hand) was rather lame, you do kind of feel for him and how panicked he probably was about her finding out about what he really is. To her credit, though, she didn't buy his BS. Elena's no fool, as evidenced in her scene she shared with Damon by her car. The way he went from being relatively nice (if somewhat creepy) to full-on creepy with her was very effective. Shame he had to ruin things, when he could've continued the charade of playing "nice" a little longer before revealing his true nature. At least she walloped him good (not that it probably even hurt him - but it was amusing watching him work his jaw). Also good was Damon's scene with Stefan. Not only was his "Or I could just eat her." threat against Elena unsettling, but we got treated to what I've been waiting for these last three episodes: The History teacher/coach's death! THANKYOU, Damon, for that! Oh...but now the school has not one, but TWO positions to fill. Still...I'm glad that guy's dead. Nice creepy ending to the episode, with Damon standing over Elena as she slumbered. Wonder if Bonnie can pull a Willow and cast a spell to rescind Damon's invite into Elena's home? Probably not.
Negatives: Any of the scenes that focused on Elena's brother, Vicki and Vicki's boyfriend, Tyler. Their scenes were just not interesting at all.
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