TVD Season 1 Episode 1
Get ready for an Epic Journey
Episode Synopsis:
After the deaths of their parents, teens Elena and Jeremy Gilbert do their best to keep going. Elena has trouble concealing her grief, while Jeremy risks everything as he dabbles in drug use. Then new student Stefan arrives, and Elena realizes that she is drawn to him, but she does not know about his strange origins.
Reeling from the death of her parents, 17-year-old Elena becomes interested in a handsome new student named Stefan, who's hiding a dark secret.
Thoughts
For a pilot episode, this is pretty good. The episode does a good job of setting up characters and the beginning of their arcs. After watching this series a couple of times through already, I always love seeing them so young again! And also seeing all of the callbacks that the series eventually uses like the June wedding and Bonnie's psychic powers.
I absolutely loved the way that Stefan's face stays hidden until he meets Elena. I loved all of the artistic angles and directive choices made in this episode, it made it stand out among other pilot episodes. We get the first preview that something is up when we see the photo of Katherine from 1864 and then another mystery/moment of intrigue when Damon says that he promised Stefan an eternity of misery.
The writing is a tad cringy - "We have history together", omggggg - but it is so cute. Stefan is so intense in this episode, it is a bit much which Paul Wesley never fails to point out. I never really noticed until now. He doesn't talk like a teenager, he sounds much older. Which I guess makes sense. It is interesting how much writers are able to establish such little details through the writing, and each person's talking style!
Use of music - Running Up the Hill could have been used in a much better place in the series. I love how music is used in these teen dramas, they get most of it right but that one felt out of place
This teacher drives me nuts. He laughs at everyone else not knowing but Elena he goes off and calls her parents death "person excuses". Stefan proving him wrong makes me instantly love him. I know it is so we hate the teacher and love Stefan quickly but that seemed like a bit much
There was a good establishment of vampire powers, although a bit creepy listening in on Elena's conversations. For this coming out in 2009, they did good at making the effects look real! I am pretty impressed with it!
There are multiple times throughout the episode that it feels like it should have been obvious that either Stefan is a vampire or that the supernatural exists. Granted, if you have no idea, it would be easy to dismiss it. But cmon! Stefan sucked at coming up with excuses. I am going to document "Vampire Flags" (like red flags) when the characters should have guessed that something was up and how many flags it took them to know. I was going to forgive ep. 1 since it is the pilot episode and the plot/story lines had to be set up buuut I change my mind. Check out the post TVD Tracking for all of the updates!
In this episode we learn that Damon can control fog and a crow (maybe other animals too?) but that eventually falls off, I am curious how far into the season this continues. That is something from the books. (Which I haven't read) It is definitely something to watch out for! With that, when Elena mentions fog and a crow in the cemetery, does Stefan not know Damon has those capabilities?
Other things that were interesting was that it seemed like Elena was no longer scared of cars by mid episode when we hear about her needed to take Jeremy home and going to the Grill. I wish that storyline had continued more, and we saw more of the grief/character development from grief. It is one of the many things that I feel like that passed over too quickly.
This episode sets the precedent that vampires who feed on humans are stronger but there are definitely multiple mentions of who is stronger throughout the series. And how long was Damon in town beforehand to know that Caroline is the person to target to do his bidding? While this is a decent pilot episode, there is a lot left unexplained or quickly passed over. I have hope that there will be some explanation but it is a pilot so not a lot of hope for it.
My last tidbit - It is so interesting to see the different sets. TVD was filmed in Vancouver, and then changes to Covington in next episode!
Timeline:
1792 - Cemetery established
1864 - picture of Katherine
1994 - last time Damon and Stefan saw each other
Sept. 7, 2009 - series starts, most of the main characters starting Junior year (Jeremy unknown)
Supernatural Flags:
Elena - 7 (graveyard scene had four, Stefan not coming in, Bonnie's vision at the party, Stefan constantly showing up so quietly behind her)
Caroline - 1 (military family would be so easy to find out it isn't the truth)
Everyone/Group Setting -1 (distant comment in class)
Vicki - 1 (getting bitten)
Jeremy - 1 (finding Vicki)
Matt - 2 (seeing Stefan leave the party, Vicki saying vampire)
Favorite:
Song: Never Say Never by the Fray - gotta love the emo song
Line: "You won't be sad forever Elena" - Stefan
Episode info:
"Pilot"
Director: Marcos Siega
Writers: Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec
Songs:
"Here We Go" by Mat Kearney
"Siren Song" by Bat for Lashes
"Never Say Never" by The Fray
"Back to Me" by The All-American Rejects
"Death" by White Lies
"Running Up that Hill" by Placebo
"Kids" by MGMT
"Thinking of You" by Katy Perry
"Say (All I Need)" by OneRepublic
"Consolers of the Lonely" by The Raconteurs
"Sort Of" by Silversun Pickups
"Take me to the Riot" by Stars
"Kuh" by Lalala