The Vampire Diaries Season 4

27th Aug 2013

The Vampire Diaries really is just one big toothy soap opera. Every season has a twist and turn each episode, the constant switches of villain and who loves who becomes dizzying, betrayals, evil twins, new mythology and plots emerge every other episode. As noted from listening to the writers and producers talk about the season in the extras it is blatantly clear they go into each season with no friggin idea what is going to happen. Is this is a good thing or a big bloody mess? Sometimes it really is both.

The only story arch that was always inevitable was Elena (Nina Dobrev) becoming a vampire and after three season they finally get to the point in season four. This throws up a whole host of fun ways to take the story. How will Elena deal with being a vampire? Is she good? Is she bad? When she’s bad how bad can she be? And with the show being of the style of everything and the kitchen sink we get the whole spectrum in this season. And of course any season of The Vampire Diaries wouldn’t be complete without the Elena, Steffen, Damon love triangle taking on new angles. Lets all just admit it, however they play it Elena is a bit skanky constantly switching between brothers.

Season four, far more than the other seasons, does begin to feel like a bit of teen vampire television déjà vu. You do have to wonder if Joss Whedon should have copyrighted the “big bad” phrase and its now become common language amongst these shows and The Vampire Diaries certainly has it in doses. So we have the nasty vampire who begins to show a softer side through love (Spike in Buffy), the witch who can’t handle her powers, gets sucked into dark magic and begins to work for the wrong side (Willow in Buffy). The bad girl getting exasperated by the good girl (Buffy/Faith) then the bad girl wanting to redeem herself (Faith). While there are no outright spoilers here let’s just say the cliff hanger of the season is rather reminiscent of a certain Angel situation. Must be those broody handsome vamps, they’re just asking for this to happen. Our key “big bad” this season though is Silas although they do try and bring back many other baddies. Buffy had thought out story arches, Whedon knew where it was going. The Vampire Diaries surprises audiences week to week because the writers don’t even know what is going to happen. Now this may make exciting soap opera stories but lets all remember the cautionary tale of Lost. Think it through writers or be warned. There is one continual nod to next season between two characters though. You may have suspected it could be a development for a while but they certainly lay the ground work this season.

If you can get past the soap opera of the show or are already a massive fan (apparently their everywhere, kind of like vampires in Mystic Falls), this season is hugely enjoyable. Nina Dobrev has always been more fun to watch as Katherine and by the end of the season you’ve seen so many spectrums of how she can play Elena (thank goodness it’s not just simpering Elena anymore) you have to give the woman kudos. Characters this season come and go, although even when they go in this show they then don’t go, relationships start changing and their is one relationship I was routing for that appears it won’t get a pay off for now with a character being removed from the action with a lame spin off episode.

Overall an easily criticised but great fun season. You’ll certainly be left wanting to watch season five to find out where they are going to make things up as they go along next. And you have to give it to The Vampire Diaries, as shown in the extras, they really do value their fans.