The Vampire Diaries 6×06 “The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get” Review

Damon’s Back in Action, Stefan Gets His Hero Hair On and Alaric Turns Human Again

This week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries had all the makings for an epic romantic reunion between the series beloved couple, Delena. Damon returned from 1994 land and all Elena (Nina Dobrev) had to do was ask Alaric (Matt Davis) for her memories back. Unfortunately, like most episodes past something always seems to get in the way of these two being together. Elena spends most of the episode avoiding Damon and in doing so finds out Jo (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) is a witch.  While in an effort to make amends,  Stefan (Paul Wesley)  and Caroline (Candice Accola) decide to rescue Enzo (Michael Malarkey), but discover he’s missing.  Matt (Zach Roerig) does some digging in Tripp’s (Colin Ferguson) and learns his friends are all in danger. And of course, because Damon’s life always seems to be in danger, he ends up being captured as well. The others concoct a plan to save him and Enzo, but things go awry as they always do and the Damon, Enzo and Alaric cross the border to Mystic Falls. Stefan puts on his hero hair and saves Damon and Enzo, while Jo saves Alaric, who now happens to be human again.  Let’s not waste anymore time and start discussing because so much happened in this week’s episode.

A Huge Mythology Fail

One thing that really stuck out in this week’s episode was the inconsistency in the series mythology established in previous seasons. We learned in season two and then again in season four that if an Original vampire dies the compulsion they used fades away. That being so, why did Alaric’s compulsion on Elena wear off and her memories of Damon return. Yes, it was a creative way to have Alaric return to a human state because let’s face it, he kind of sucked as a vampire. However, with all magic being removed, doesn’t that include compulsion? As many TVD viewers can remember, in season two, Elijah (Daniel Gillies) compelled Katherine to stay in the tomb after the spell was lifted. However, when Alaric and later Elena daggered Elijah, the compulsion keeping Katherine in the tomb wore off and she later showed up in Damon’s shower. Then again in season four, Kol (Nathaniel Buzolic) compelled Damon to kill Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) in an effort to stop the hunter’s map and keeping them from resurrecting Silas. And again, when Jeremy killed Kol with the white oak stake, the compulsion on Damon wore off and he no longer wanted to kill Jeremy. So why not with Alaric? Like much off the audience, we’re left scratching our heads at this one. It very much seems like a not-so-creative obstacle yet again thrown in the way of Damon and Elena being together.

Let’s Get Bromantic!

Even though this week didn’t have the reunion most viewers were probably looking forward to the most now that Damon is in 2014, the episode did offer two bromanctic reunions to get viewers’ feels going.  First the reunion of Damon and Alaric or Dalaric. Choosing to have them first meet up again in Alaric’s office, the two pick up right where they left off, drinking bourbon and talking about their problems. The scene had a very familiar feeling to it reminiscent of past seasons when the guys sit at the Grill together bonding over bourbon and witty banter. They might not have been able to reunite at the Grill because of it’s no magic status, but viewers got the next best thing and an instant feeling like no time passed between them.

“Look Damon, she loved you too much and it was killing her…I get it Damon, but she’s happy and I’m not going to take that away from her until she asks me too.” – Alaric.

Alaric the rational and very sensible ying to Damon’s impulsive and emotion fueled yang. Insisting he erase Elena’s compulsion whether she wants it or not, Alaric is very quick to point out to Damon how devastated she was losing him and remains firm that he will only do so at her request. There is just something cathartic about Matt Davis and Ian Somehalder together that makes our hearts melt. The dynamic between the two is pure magic. Both are so natural in their scenes together making the audience really sense the friendship and bond between them. Or maybe, it’s just all that hotness in one scene, but it is definitely good having Team Badass together again.

And if the Dalaric reunion wasn’t enough to bring on the audience’s feels, another great bromance rekindled this week reuniting Damon and Enzo. Besides the obvious overload of sex appeal on our TV screens, Ian and Michael Malarkey have great chemistry together and easily convey to viewers the friendship between the two of them and feed off each other so naturally. First meeting in the cells of the horrid Augustine vampire torture experiments, it was fitting the two reunited under similar circumstances, both trapped in Tripp’s creepy vampire murder van. Luckily, the gang saved them and Stefan put his hero hair on and crossed the border to rescue them Keeping hope alive for the ultimate bromance between Damon, Alaric and Enzo. How amazing would that be?

He’s Back and Back in Action

Ian Somerhalder was extraordinary in this episode. Determined to see Elena again and have the memories of her love for him come rushing back, Damon remains focused on getting the love of his life back. The way Ian portrays Damon in the scene where Damon first goes to see Elena at her dorm, viewers can sense the longing Damon feels and need to see her again. The tone of his voice, so breathy and vulnerable. The expression on his face as he pleads with her to open the door to see him shows the audience how much he needs her and then again when he senses where her hand is and placed his hand exactly opposite of hers on the other side of the door.

“It’s not real. You know what’s real? What you felt for me. You told me it’s the most real thing You’ve ever felt in your life.” – Damon

Ian did a good job expressing Damon’s gratitude in the scene when he calls Bonnie’s (Kat Graham) voice mail. The audience really sees by the sad expression and tone of voice, he really wishes she could have returned with him and her sacrifice didn’t go unnoticed. After making plans to meet Elena, the way Ian has Damon tidy Elena’s bed, check his appearance and fix his hair really shows the audience how he’s adorably nervous to see his girl again.

Another actor who stood out this week was Jodi Lyn O’Keefe and her portrayal of Jo this week. Viewers have to love how badass she comes across in the scene at the hospital when she confronts Elena about the girl she healed from the corn maze accident. Obviously knowing Elena is a vampire, Jodi has Jo approach Elena unaffected by that knowledge. Her body language oozes a confidence that leads the audience to believe she is strong and ballsy woman and that’s before its revealed that she’s a witch.

“Don’t. I know what Alaric is. I know what you are. If any more blood bags go missing, I know who to come to.” – Jo.

Then when Jo comes to Alaric’s side as the magic drains from him, she conveys a sense of calm by her positiviiy and unwavering voice reminds viewers she’s no stranger to tragedy. Thar coupled her witch status and fact that Kai (Chris Wood) confessed he had a soft spot for one of his sisters is enough to make us wonder if Jo is her. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

FINAL VERDICT

This week’s episode of TVD, “The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get,” set viewers up for a lot of great reunions, but ended in the ultimate let down taking the wind out of the proud Delena fans’ sails.  Yet again another obstacle was placed in the way of the couple’s path and honestly is becoming little overdone. Episode writers, Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux did come up with a creative and clever way to revert Alaric back into a human, but a bit half-assed. Why strip away the magic making him a vampire, but conveniently keep Elena’s compulsion intact? They fail to maintain the continually of the mythology established in earlier seasons. No, this is not the first time writers have thrown mythology to the side to achieve the desired effects, but never has it been so painstakingly obvious. Beside the mythology blunder, the episode did offer some pleasing elements. There were great reunions between Damon and Alaric, Enzo and Damon and some brother boding between the Salvatores. There was an unexpected twist with Alaric returning to a human and the reveal of Jo’s witch status. That all coupled with a stop and rescue mission adds up to a solid episode of TVD. Director, Garreth Stover did a great job capturing the impact of the van crash showing not only the point of view of a bystander, but also inside the van using just the right camera angles to make viewers feel as if we’re tumbling along with Damon and Enzo. Stover’s decision to focus on the door knob in both scenes between Damon and Elena really dialed up the anticipation level for viewers. Adding to the anticipation of the final scene, music supervisor, Chris Mollere’s selection of Jamie Scott’s “Unbreakable” was the perfect fit for a moment filled with the promise of so much joy or either heartbreak. Unfortunately, that’s where TVD left us and an entire week to wait yet again for the fate of Damon and Elena’s relationship.

Questions, Comments, Concerns:

• R.I.P. Ivy (Emily C. Chang). We’re pretty sure this one’s permanent, but stranger things have happened.
• Steven R. McQueen did a great job really conveying Jeremy’s pain when he has a meltdown not being able to remember Bonnie’s pin.
• Um hello, WTH is going on with Bonnie? Last time we saw her she was stabbed by an arrow.
• So glad the old Stefan is back and donning his hero hair just when we needed it!
• Loving Matt’s new confidence and double agent status. Who knew he could get any sexier.
• Sarah (Gabrielle Walsh) has some definite Salvatore traits especially her sarcastic comments that seem very Damon-esque.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES 6×07 airs THURSDAY, NOV. 13 at 8/7c on the CW