The Vampire Diaries
Season 8 Episode 14: “It’s Been A Hell Of A Ride”
Directed by Pascal Verschooris
Written by Brett Matthews & Shukree Hassan Tilghman
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice King, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey
The CW
Air Date: Friday, February 24th, 2017, 8:00pm

Last time on The Vampire Diaries, we saw how Kai Parker (Chris Wood) escaped halfway from hell, via bell tolling. He started deteriorating and revealed evil intent (surprise) to Damon (Ian Somelhalder), before stealing away Elena’s coffin (and after promising to bring her back). Dorian kidnapped Stefan (Demetrius Bridges, Paul Wesley), and shot him for destroying his life in the past… then called Matt with regret. Stefan and Cade (Wolé Parks) had a talk when Stefan was on the brink of death, but Stefan wanted to live. Alaric told Caroline (Matthew Davis, Candice King) the girls were magically acting out.

Spoilers below.

The Vampire Diaries
Season 8 Episode 2: “Today Will Be Different”
Directed by Pascal Verschooris
Written by Melinda Hsu Taylor
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice King, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey
The CW
Air Date: Friday, October 28th, 2016, 8pm

Last week on The Vampire Diaries, Enzo and Damon (Michael Malarkey and Ian Somerhalder) acted as bloody errand boys for a watery monster aka The Siren (Nathalie Kelley), who demands the flesh of evil. Damon coped by shutting off his humanity switch, while Enzo used all of his will to keep his innermost thoughts to himself, while leaving clues from Homer’s Odyssey for Bonnie (Kat Graham). Alaric’s nanny almost died, but Caroline vamp-runned home in time to knock out the culprit (who bit out her own tongue instead of talking), saved the nanny via vampire blood, and check on the savvy children.

Spoilers below.

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 1: “Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take”
Directed by Pascal Verschooris
Written by Caroline Dries
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somehalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Scarlett Byrne, Teressa Liane, Justice Leak, Jaiden Kaine
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, October 8, 2015, 8pm

Who else is still reeling from the season six finale of The Vampire Diaries? The tearjerker episode capping off a twisty-turny, dramatic, exciting season saw the end of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). After finding out early on that this was Dobrev’s last season and making my way through the episodes, I remember asking myself: Can a show go on without its main character? But, as I thought about those she left behind, I felt myself caring so deeply about what happens to them, particularly Alaric (Matthew Davis). This guy is arguably the most tragic character in the entire series, and that’s saying a lot since they have all had some pretty bad things happen to them. I found myself describing the main group of young friends — Elena, Jeremy (Steven McQueen), Matt (Zach Roerig), Tyler (Michael Trevino), Bonnie (Kat Graham), and now Caroline (Candice Accola) — as a “generation of orphans.” Thank God they have Alaric…but will he be able to fulfill his fatherly role through all of his understandable grief?