What’s on TV This Week? (1/29 – 2/4) – Spoilery Sneak Peeks from Once Upon a Time, Gossip Girl, PLL, Glee, and TVD

[ Gossip Girl’s “G.G.” and PLL’s “A Kiss Before Lying” recaps are both on their way!  I wanted to take a little extra time with these. Gossip Girl just celebrated it’s 100th episode, after all.  (That just doesn’t happen every day!)  Check back for both recaps within the next 24 hours . . .]

Greetings TV fans!  One of my absolute favorite new TV Trends is the Episode Sneak Peek, i.e. the Web Clip.  More and more lately, networks are releasing key scenes from their upcoming television episodes, a week early, in hopes of generating buzz about their shows, and, possibly, increasing ratings.

The way I see it, this is a win-win situation for both the network and spoiler-loving TV viewers like myself.  From the network’s perspective, it gives the corporate suits the opportunity to control which spoilers are leaked about their upcoming episode, while still giving impatient fans something to chew on, while they wait for the actual episode to air.

From the fan’s perspective, we sort of get to feel like we’re “cheating” the system, by getting the early scoop on select parts of upcoming episodes that only the most spoiler savvy of viewers get to see . . .

“Beating the system .  . . one YouTube video at a time . . .” 

This week, was particuarly exciting for me, because I managed to find webclips for nearly EVERY show I watch!  And these aren’t just throwaway scenes, either!  Some of the sneak peeks I found offer up some genuine hints as to what these shows’ upcoming episodes have in store for us.

From a torrid fairytale affair . . . to a royal wedding that positively NO ONE wants to happen  .  . . to a heart-wrenching betrayal . . . to a Michael Jackson-inspired sing-off . . . to an out-and-out war between two sets of vampire brothers, something tells me that this week’s television fare is going to be setting the internet a-blaze with heated discussions for weeks to come . . .

So, without further adieu, I proudly bring to you, This Week’s Collection of Spoilery Sneak Peaks . . .

Once Upon a Time

“I see youuuuu!” 

Episode 11 – Fruit from the Poisonous Tree

Airs: Sunday, January, 28th, 8.p.m. EST on ABC

Though I was initially drawn to this fairytale fantasy, due to it’s uniquely original concept, and wealthy of unabashedly nerdy literary nods . . . the complex, and suprisingly dark, love story between Snow White, Prince Charming, and their respective Storybrook counterparts, is one of the main reasons I keep returning, after week.

How much of a role should amorphous concepts like fate, instinct, and chemistry play in one’s pursuit of happiness?  Is it acceptable in life to hurt and betray others, in the name of True Love?  These intriguing questions are central to Once Upon a Time, in general, and Mary Margaret’s (i.e. Snow White’s) and David’s (i.e. Prince Charming’s) story, specifically.

In this first webclip from the upcoming episode, David and Mary Margaret sneak off for a romantic forest picnic, of which their fairytale counterparts — who memorably met one another in, more or less, these same woods — would most definitely approve.  And yet the happiness of this romantic reunion is shadowed by the fact that David is married to another woman, one who has been doing everything in her power to make their ailing marriage work . . .

What’s so interesting about this couple is how many complex emotions they bring about in the viewer’s subconscious.  On one hand, everybody knows that Prince Charming and Snow White belong together.  This is something we’ve taken for granted, since we were kids.  No one else will ever be quite as right for these two individuals, as they are for one another . . .

And yet, as far Mary Margaret and David are concerned, their life is not a fairytale.  They aren’t princes and princesses, but, rather, real people, with real responsibilities . .  both of whom (while, generally, still loveable) have some genuine character flaws.  And this raises a  difficult question: Does the fact that, in alternate universe, these two individuals lived Happily Ever After, justify what they are doing in this universe?

I guess that’s really up to the viewer to decide . . .

Our second webclip introduces us to the plot that I suspect will take up the bulk of the episode.  We know him as Sidney Glass, once-editor of The Mirror (Storybrooke’s local paper), and, up until this point, one of the malevolent Mayor’s strongest allies.

But in Fairytale land, he was the Evil Queen’s Magic Mirror.  And judging by the below scene, in both worlds, his tendency to portray the world exactly as he sees it, might end up leaving him shattered . . .

Anytime Once Upon a Time focuses an entire hour on one of its minor characters, it takes a risk of alienating fans who are watching the show, more or less, just for it’s leads (i.e. Emma, Mary Margaret, David, and the Mayor).  Some minor character episodes have been highly successful, at least in my humble opinion.  In fact “The Price of Gold” (which featured Cinderella’s story), and “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” (which featured the now-dearly departed Sheriff Graham / The Hunter) were actually among my favorites of the entire series.  And yet, other minor character episodes, like “That Still Small Voice” (about Shrink Archie Hopper, i.e. Jiminey Cricket), and “True North” (about Nicholas and Eva, i.e. Hansel and Gretel) felt a bit flat to me.

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Having always been a sucker for characters who don’t always necessarily walk on the “straight and narrow,” but who, deep down, have a good heart, I found myself intrigued by Sidney Glass, ever since we met the character, early on in the series.  Even though he’s definitely a minor character, I think his story has a lot of potential, particularly, if it’s written in a way that illustrates him as a darkly complex character and morally ambiguous, as opposed to just another schlub the Wicked Mayor managed to buy off . . .

Oh, and The Stranger . . . he’s TOTALLY one of the Brothers’ Grimm, looking to rewrite fairytale history.  It’s SO obvious!

Gossip Girl

Episode 100, “GG”

Airs: Monday, Janury 30th at 9 pm. EST on the CW

As hit or miss as Gossip Girl has been lately, there was a time, not too long ago, when it was one of the best things on television.  The clothes were eviably hipper than most of us could afford.  The couplings and sexcapades were WHITE hot . . .

The plot lines ranged from laugh-out-loud funny to jaw-droppingly, OMFG, scandalous.  And there were enough snappy, snarky quotable lines in each self-contained hour to . . . for lack of a better phrase .  . .  fill a book . . .

It’s for this reason that I am SOOOO incredibly excited about this episode’s 100th episode extravaganza.  If the rumors are true, this hour of television will be jam-packed with homages to GG’s raunchiest moments, eye-popping blot twists, and most deliciously evil schemes and insults.

In short, it will be like Season 1, all over again.  And I, for one, can’t wait to celebrate the show that taught me, once and for all, that “tights are NOT pants!”

Of course, there’s that little unavoidable matter of Blair’s sham of a wedding to that cyborg Price of Dull, Louis-bot . . .

Ahhh . . . Chuck Bass . . . the only man who can cross his legs, and still look masculine doing it.  And that voice . . . I could listen to that voice reading a Depends commercial, and still get turned on.

Don’t worry, Chuck.  Blair CANNOT go through this wedding . . .  It would be positively un-holy for her to do so . . .

That said, you may want to get that adorably toned little butt of yours, over to the church, stat!  Because it looks like she’s actually made her way down the aisle, without angry GG fans tackling her, in protest . . .

Pretty Little Liars

Episode 18 – “A Kiss Before Lying”

Airs: Monday, January 30th, 8.p.m. on ABC Family

When you are being stalked by the mysterious “A,” who literally knows your every move, and can ruin your life for the slightest infraction, lying is pretty much part of your “job description.”

Throughout two seasons, we’ve seen the Rosewood foursome lie to practically everybody they know about something . . . their parents, their significant others, their siblings, even the police.  But when it’s revealed that one of the girls might be starting to crack under the pressure, and her boyfriend just might have the key to bringing down “A,” once and for all, the Pretty Little Liars find themselves in the unique predicament of actually having to lie to eachother . . .

Honestly, as far as webclips go, these were kind of disappointing.  After all, we already knew coming in to this episode, that the rest of the PLL girls were working with Caleb to continue hacking into A’s cell phone, and that they had all controversially decided to leave Hanna out of it.

That said, the show’s Season Finale is not too far away.  And with it will come the much-awaited reveal of “A’s” identity . . . Now, that we know this story actually has an endgame, the probability that the writers will drop important clues into upcoming episodes, like this one, is increasingly high . . . .

Glee

Episode 11 – “Wanna Be Startin Somethin'”

Airs: Tuesday, January 31st at 8 p.m., EST on Fox

After last week’s Yes/No episode, Gleeks were talking more about whether or not Rachel would accept Finn’s proposal of marriage, and less about the musical performances that dominated the hour.

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I suspect that for this week’s episode, which will feature a homage to the works of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, the opposite will be true . . .

Truth be told, in the past Glee’s artist-centric episodes haven’t been among their best received.   Both the Britney Spears and Madonna-themed episodes were harshly panned by the critics.  And, for me, Glee’s Fleetwood Mac-inspired “Rumors” stands out as one of the worst episodes in Glee history.  Only the Lady Gaga-inspired episodes, “Theatricality” and “Born this Way,” seemed to manage to stay above the fray . . .

Well . . . almost . . . 

All negativity aside, I actually think “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”  has the opportunity to become a Glee classic.  For one thing, Michael Jackson’s soleful and diverse catalogue of music . . . combined with his flare for flamboyant costumes, and seamlessly choreographed numbers . . . seems to dovetail really well with the things that Glee does best.

Plus, whereas the Britney Spears and Madonna-themed episodes’ so-called plotlines were eye-roll inducing in their ridiculousness.  (Laughing gas induced fantasy sequences?  Seriously?), the reason why all these Glee-kids are suddenly all hopped up on MJ, despite having been infants through most of his heyday actually makes sense . . .

And it’s all explained, quite succinctly, here . . .

How I adore this clip, let me count the ways . . .  For one thing, I’m thrilled to see New Directions actually THINKING about their Regionals set list, ahead of time, for a change, as opposed to . . . oh, I don’t know, coming up with it five minutes before the episode actually airs?

I was also a big fan of Artie actually admitting that he was just a year old, when Michael Jackson moonwalked.  (In truth, he was actually not even born yet, but  I digress.)  So, many times, I’ve wondered how the Glee kids’ music taste often vastly pre-dated my own (see Fleetwood Mac episode).  In this case, at least the writers are inserting some recognition of that disconnect.

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And I hate to say it, but I’m REALLY digging Sebastian as Glee‘s new super villain.   After all, Sue Sylvester can only try to bring down Glee club so many times.  And not since Jesse St. James stint with Vocal Adrenaline has the New Directions really had a worthy adversary, who wasn’t afraid to “fight dirty” to win the competition.

Speaking of worthy adversaries, there’s something incredibly enjoyable about watching Sebastian go to head-to-head with Santana.  They say “Greed is Good.”  But I say “Mean is Better.”

And these two have that down, in spades.   Plus, dare I say it, for two gay characters, these two have an astounding amount of sexual chemistry. Don’t believe me?  Check out this musical sing-off to MJ’s iconic “Smooth Criminal” . . .

(By the way, did anybody else find the cello players oddly constipated looking facial expressions during the number a bit disturbing?)

And, of course, no Glee artist-centric episode would be complete without an ensemble number in which every cast member dresses up in one of the artist-in-question’s most memorable outfits . . .

(I think Blaine is supposed to be Michael Jackson from the beginning of the Thriller video.  Am I wrong?)

The Vampire Diaries

Episode 312 “Bringing Out the Dead”

Airs: Thursday, February 2nd,  8 p.m. EST on the CW

TVD webclips are notoriously heavy on Damon snark and Eye Thing, while frustratingly light on actual plot points . . .

I suspect this has to do with head writer Julie Plec being a bit of a spoilerphobe.  But with good reason!  After all, apart from the immensely attractive cast, and interminable shipper wars, it’s really this show’s game-changing plot twists that keep us tuning in, week after week.

This week’s webclip features a shirtless Stefan (Haven’t seen that one, in a while!) . . .

 . . .  and a rather smug “I kissed Elena, and you can’t take that away from me” Damon . . .

 . . .  doing what they do best, bickering and scheming  . . .

Just to be clear, Damon and Stefan were TOTALLY eye-f*&king in this scene, weren’t they?  Clearly, I wasn’t the only one who noticed that . . .

One of the things TVD does best . . . apart from it’s unimaginably erotic and unbelievably addictive love triangles, of course . . . is it’s parallels and role reversals. Last season, Elena un-daggered Elijah, in hopes of finding a way to eliminate Klaus as a threat, without hurting the people she loved.

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Stefan dutifully went along with her plan.  While Damon was angrily outspoken about his mistrust for the Original Vampire (with good reason, as it turns out), and ended up taking matters into his own hands, in a way that neither Elena nor Stefan approved . . .

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Now, less than a year later, Damon is the one who has un-daggered Elijah . . .  (CAN I GET A HELL YEAH?)

 . . . and is now looking to him for a possible alliance.  And Stefan is the mistrustful one, who’d prefer to take matters into his own hands . . .

But, of course, the parallels don’t end there.  There’s also the little matter of Damon locking lips with the girl Stefan always presumed was his own . . . despite the fact that his recent behavior has made a reunion between the two former lovebirds nearly impossible.

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And though, on the surface, these two brothers are fighting about vampire wars, and the efficacy of “old-fashioned” sitdowns, just beneath that surface lies a slow burn of love for the same woman, and with it, decades of jealousy, betrayal, and heartbreak . . .

That’s a whole lot of angst and complexity for one minute and 21 seconds, isn’t it?  You can imagine then, how intense the rest of the hour will be . . .

And there you have it, an entire week’s worth of juicy television, condensed down into a few short webclips.  I know I’ll definitely be tuning in . . . Will you?

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

Degrassi: In Too Deep — Anatomy of Two BRAND NEW Promos!

REJOICE, DEGRASSI FANS!  THE NEW PROMOS ARE FINALLY HERE! 🙂

Last night, Teen Nick aired two much anticipated trailers for Degrassi‘s upcoming new season, entitled In Too Deep, which is set to premiere on February 11th at 9 p.m.  The first trailer was relatively short (lasting only about 30 seconds).   However, it was comprised almost entirely of NEW footage, never before seen by Degrassi fans . . .

The second trailer was double the length of the first (clocking in at about 1 minute, 30 seconds), and was an amalgamation of scenes from the first trailer, scenes from the trailer that Teen Nick aired last season, and some extra “bonus” scenes . . .

So, now that you’ve seen them, let’s discuss what we’ve learned.  Shall we?

Fadam is ON! / Fiona is still drinking. / Fiona may be gay (and into Holly J)?

When we last left our favorite (and only) transgendered Degrassi student, Adam Torres, he was putting some major effort into wooing the object of his affections, Fiona Coyne.  He even went so far as to throw a genuine New York-style ball, fit for a Princess, in her honor.  However, up until this point, Fiona’s feelings for Adam have shown little evidence of venturing beyond the platonic.  She might be aware of Adam’s attraction to her, but she hasn’t done much to show that she reciprocates those feelings.  In fact, she BAILED on the party he threw for her — a major NO-NO, in Relationship World.

But if the promos we’ve seen for next season are any indication, all of that is about to change, BIG TIME . . .

Though Fiona and Adam’s first kiss may be the result of a drunken (at least on Fiona’s part) game of Truth or Dare (as suggested in the first promo), clearly their relationship extends far beyond this “momentary indiscretion,” as the season progresses.  We know, from last season’s promos (plus, many of those scenes were repeated in the new trailers), that Fiona and Adam (or Fadam, as the cool kids like to call them) engage in a full on, Horizontal Couch Makeout Session, later on in the season.  And it is this couch session that Holly J. unceremoniously interrupts. 

Sounds great, right? 

Well . . . maybe not . . .

When we first watched the earlier promos, many of us Degrassi fans speculated as to the “logistics” of Fiona’s and Adam’s relationship.  Specifically, we wondered how Fiona would react, when she learned  that Adam was born female (and still has lady parts).  Based on the promos we saw last night, Fiona’s knowledge regarding Adam’s trangender status doesn’t seem to be the issue . . .

Both promos feature Fiona telling Adam that “drinking makes it easier to be with [him].”

This line suggests three things: (1) that Fiona is still abusing alcohol; (2) that she is aware that Adam is transgendered; and (3) while that knowledge has not caused her to stop seeing him, it still makes her feel at least somewhat uncomfortable.

But here’s the REAL twist . . .

Could Fiona actually be a lesbian?  Is she merely using Adam to “safely” evaluate her attraction to people of the same sex, while secretly vying for her bestie, Holly J?  This would be an interesting plot development indeed!

Sound crazy and completely out of left field to you?  Here’s my take on why this might be a real possibility . . .

For starters, Fiona has always been someone for whom relationships seemed more about status and convenience, than about genuine attraction.  She briefly dated Riley (before he was officially out of the closet) because she thought he was a nice guy who would keep her away from the advances of douchebags.  The fact that Riley was gay, and would likely never want to be intimate with her, almost seemed like an added bonus, as far as Fiona was concerned.

Fiona dated the ultimatey abusive Bastard Bobby, back in New York, because he was rich, popular, and had the right family name. 

She hooked up with her brother Declan (INCEST!  GROSSSSSS!) , because she worried that she was losing him (He was her only friend, at the time,) to Holly J.  So, she assumed that, by being DISGUSTING, she  could scare her brother’s boyfriend away . . .

So, we’ve never actually seen Fiona exhibit feelings of attraction for a man of the opposite sex.  And, based on the promos, she does seem more open to beginning a relationship with a transgendered male, than most heterosexual women her age, and in her situation, probably would be.  In conclusion, what initially might have seemed like a bizarre “out-of-character” plot twist the Degrassi writers inserted into their story to appeal to a considerable fanbase of “Dudes Who LOVE HOT LESBIANS,” makes more and more sense to me, the more I continue to think about it . . .

As for Holly J. . . .

Apart from her scenes with Fiona and Adam, we really don’t get to see all that much of her in these new promos.  However, the above shot, seems to suggest that she gets injured at some point during this season.  She may even end up in the hospital, as a result of said injuries?  (Based on the white background, behind Holly J., I thought she might be laying on a hospital bed in the picture above.)

Could Holly have somehow been involved in the EPIC CAR ACCIDENT to which all the Degrassi spoilers keep referring?  And, if so, why did the hospital choose to cope with injuries, by merely pasting a cheap bandaid over them?  (Random Canadian Hospital FAIL!)

Ali gets in trouble again. /  She runs away from home, is robbed, and wears an UGLY wig?

When Alli told her parents that she wanted to be transferred to private school, she never expected that they would ship her off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Although we didn’t learn too much more about Alli’s predicament than we had already deduced from previous promos, these new trailers helped us fill in a few of the blanks as to what actually happens to Alli during this season.  First, we see her at home, in her school uniform, complaining, that while she tries to be “good,” bad things continue to happen to her . . .

Combine this scene, with the one from the earlier promo, in which she is arguing was Sav (“You are ruining MY life,” he screams at her.) and you can deduce that Ali got into some trouble at her All-Girls private school, and shamed the family, as a result.  She may have even been EXPELLED from that school.  After all, we do see Alli later on in the promo, talking to Clare, at what appears to be a Degrassi Dance . . .

There is no way of knowing for certain whether this “Dance Scene” comes before or after Alli runs away from home.  But we do know that she’s on the run at some point during the series, and is away from home long enough to be declared a Missing Person . . .

This information is all but spelled out for us, when we see Alli at home, threatening to run away . . .

We then see her out in the street dressed in that RIDICULOUS OUTFIT, ripping down Missing Person posters of herself . . .

I didn’t know Lindsay Lohan was on Degrassi!

After that, Alli gets mugged by some lowlife, who steals her purse and runs away (probably, because he thought she was Lindsay Lohan, and that he could see the purse on Ebay for some serious dough.  He was probably super disappointed, when he found out that the purse he stole belonged instead to “some chick from Degrassi”).

Then, finally, Alli’s dad, and Sav go out searching for her in the family car, during a rainstorm.  Presumably, they find her, and bring her back home  .. . just in time for the Degrassi Dance!

YIPPEE!

And now for the storyline, you’ve all been waiting for . . .

Eli flips out. /  He becomes super possessive of Clare.  / She dumps him.  / And he gets into a car accident on the anniversary of his dead girlfriend’s death?

Of all Degrassi’s upcoming season storylines, I’d say Eli’s and Clare’s is the one about which fans are the most excited.  And why not?  After all, the Degrassi: In Too Deep Season finale is set to air on April 22, 2011, precisely two years (maybe one in Degrassi world), since the tragic and untimely death of Eli’s former girlfriend, Julia, who was hit by a car.

I know that, in real life, this is the picture of a model in a bad black wig.  And yet, “Dead Julia” still gives me the creeps every time I look at her . . . kind of like that Freaky Chick from The Ring movies . . .

To add fuel to the Eclare fire, Degrassi Writer/Producer Stephen has publicly admitted that the Eli/Clare/Dead Julie saga will be featured prominently in the latter episodes of the season.  He also teased that something will happen to a creepy “picture” of Julia, and that Eli is in that picture as well.  Speculation as to what Sohn meant by this cryptic statement has ranged widely from the literal (a picture of Eli and Julia is stolen during the finale) to the practical (Eli accidentally ran Julia over with his car), to the outright BIZARRE (“Julia” is actually Eli in a black wig, a la Psycho)

This eye-catching shot from the extended promo seems to show a bereft, and tear-stricken Eli clutching Julia’s picture while standing next to his trusty hearse Morty.  The question is, where the heck is he?  The library?  (There are shelves of books shown behind the car); His garage? (Where else do you put a car indoors?)  Degrassi High?  (Did he DRIVE THE CAR INTO THE SCHOOL?)

In the promos, we see that things between Eli and Clare aren’t nearly as rosy as they were last season — back when the pair bonded over Eli’s hoarding issues, and Eli helped Clare cope with her parents’ impending separation.

Suddenly, Clare is talking about “taking a break” and “needing space” from Eli.  This is an unusual turn of events, especially considering that in previous episodes, it was Clare, who seemed the more “clingy” of the couple, while Eli was a bit more standoffish, and constantly required time alone to “sort things out.”

“Could someone tell me when exactly I became the GIRL in this relationship?”

Now, suddenly, Eli never seems to want Clare to leave his side . . .

Whenever they are together, he constantly has his arm wrapped around her protectively, as if he is afraid that if he lets go, she will get run over by a carhe will lose her forever . . .

The usually adorable Eli is suddenly saying creepy lines like the guys in the Lifetime movies do . . . right before they go after their girlfriend with a hatchet.  (“If I can’t have you, NO ONE CAN!”)

“You promised me you’d never leave me,” he tells her in one scene.

“We need some time ALONE together . . . just you and me,” he says to her in another.

It seems obvious that, as the date on the calendar creeps closer and closer to the anniversary of Julia’s death, Eli is becoming more unhinged.  He copes with these feelings, by sticking close to Clare, the only person who has the power him feel safe. 

But Clare almost makes Eli nervous.  After all, Eli presumably felt “safe” with his last girlfriend too, and look what happened to her!  So, just like Eli “hoarded” random objects in his room, to preserve Julia’s memory, he is, in essence, “hoarding” Clare now, to keep her out of harms way.

But Clare isn’t an old notebook, or smelly shoe.  She’s a person, who needs her own space.  Clare confides this in Alli at the school dance.  So, Alli suggests that Clare be honest with Eli about how she’s feeling . . .

Ummm . . . Clare?  1993 called . . . And they would really like that lipstick back!  (Seriously, why does the wardrobe department always insist on dressing this character like a 43-year old Soccer Mom?)

But was this the right advice?  In both of the promos, we see Clare confronting Eli, frustratedly telling her boyfriend that he is “suffocating her.”

Needless to say, Eli does not take this accusation (or possibly being dumped?) very well.  In the final scenes of both of the above trailers, we see Eli driving his car recklessly into the night, with tears streaming down his face . . .

Though a clearly anguished and incredibly guilty feeling Clare, calls Eli repeatedly on his cell phone, begging him to answer her, we can see that he does not do so . . .

Could THESE be scenes from April 22nd’s Season Finale, entitled “Drop the World?”  Could this be the Massive Car Crash Degrassi spoilers have been teasing us about since last year?  Is Julia’s picture in the car with Eli, while he’s driving?  Could Eli’s reckless driving, be construed as a suicide attempt, as a result of guilt over his girlfriend’s death?

I guess we will just have to wait until February 11th to find out.  (But until then, speculations and spoilers are always welcome in the comment section, and would be much appreciated. 🙂 )

[www.juliekushner.com]

The Vampire Diaries Episode 2.12 “The Descent” – Let’s Spoil and Speculate!

Well, hey there, Damon!  Long time, no see!  No really . . . it’s been too long . . . WAY . . . TOO . . . LONG!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I hope that’s true.  Because, with The Vampire Diaries on hiatus for another two weeks, that’s all us fang-banging fangirls have got to tide us over until Thursday, January 27th, at 8 p.m . . . some pictures (along with an awesome extended promo and some pretty juicy spoilers, of course).

“Oh Rose, darling!  You must tell me where you get your makeup.  That shade of lipstick you are wearing is simply TO DIE FOR!”

By now, many of you have probably already seen the photo stills that CWTV.com released for its midseason premiere episode of The Vampire Diaries entitled “The Descent.”  Now, normally, when the CW releases these photos, I tend to flip through them relatively quickly, and then save them to my laptop (in an electronic folder entitled “Delena,” no less — my personal biases are a secret to NO ONE, least of all my personal computer), so that I can use them later in my recaps.  This time, however, I thought I’d do something a bit more fun with these photo stills than simply file them away . . .

If anyone understands the allure of a good photograph, it’s Vampire Katherine.

Here’s how our little game is going to work.  I’m going to post each of the photo stills CW released to promote “The Descent.”  Then, I’m going to speculate a bit about what each photo might mean to the episode, including relevant episode spoilers, to the extent that I have them. 

 

Fear not, Spoilerphobes!  I’ll always try to give you fair warning, before I start “spilling the beans” . . . or, perhaps I should say, “the fangs” on a particular episode plot point.  Though, in all honesty, if you ARE a Serious Spoilerphobe, and you noticed the title of this post, before starting to read it, in the words of Damon Salvatore . . .

I mean no offense, of course . . . I’m just trying to avoid having my head bitten off, later. 🙂

You understand . . . right?

Now, that we’ve gotten that part out of the way, this is the fun part.  After each picture, I’m going to include a poll that allows YOU to speculate about what YOU think will happen in the upcoming episode.  (Further, more detailed, speculation on your part in the comment section is encouraged, and much appreciated, of course.)  Then, when the episode actually airs, we can look back fondly on our speculations.  And depending on how we did, we can either boast about our obvious psychic abilities . . .

 . . . or hang our heads in embarrassment and shame, for how incredibly off our predictions actually ended up being . . .

So, strap on your vampirically-compelled thinking cap, and let the GAMES BEGIN!

I am actually going to group these first three pictures together, since they all seem to be related (and likely come from the same scene) .  . .

The stylish new gal with the bangs, and the skinny jeans, and the heels that seem way too dressy to be worn late at night on a deserted street in Mystic Falls is Ahna O’Reilly.  (At least, that’s her real name, her character’s name is Jessica.)  If you recognize Ahna, it’s probably for one of two reasons: (1) you saw her in the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall; (2) you read one of the MANY articles, in which she told anybody and everybody who would listen, that her boyfriend, James Franco, is most certainly NOT GAY!  (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

Though some articles seemed to suggest that these two were “getting cuddly” in the above pictures, I think the fact that Damon’s compelling Jessica in this picture seems pretty obvious, based on the way he’s holding her shoulders . . .

Connor from “Brave New World” would likely agree with my analysis . . . if he was still ALIVE. 

. . . the intense Svengali-esque expression on Damon’s face . . .

 . . . and the vacant obedient expression that Jessica seems to be wearing . . .

Now, that’s what I saw, when I looked at these pictures, here’s what I know.  WARNING!  MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW.  (Avert your eyes, and scroll down to the words END SPOILER, if you don’t want to know.)

WetPaint.com had these VERY SPOILERY things to say about the Jessica character, and what may very well be her ENTIRE story arc!

Jessica: 22 year old girl. Driving along road when she almost hits a guy laying in the road. She runs out to make sure he’s okay, she’s scared and can’t see his face. After guy pulls a bottle out, she comes to the conclusion that he’s drunk. She gets smart and starts to return to her car. Guy vamps out and compels her not to move. He then starts talking outloud to himself, wondering if he should kill her or not. She pleads with him not to. He says, “I have to”, and rips into her throat.

By “Guy”, I’m pretty sure they mean “Damon.”  After all, Damon learned to hunt from Katherine.  And, if you recall, this was precisely the way Vampire Katherine obtained her “meals,” back in 1864.  The difference here, of course, is that unlike 1864-era Katherine, Damon doesn’t NEED to kill in order to drink blood.  In fact, he’s got a freezer full of conveniently packaged, Blood Juice Boxes, back at La Casa de Rich and Awesome . . .

You also might have noticed, that since he’s gone all lovey dovey about Elena, Damon’s been laying off the thrill-killing human sauce quite a bit these days.  The above-synopsis suggests as much, when it notes that Damon is actually debating with a compelled Jessica (and his conscience) about whether he should kill her (much like Stefan did with HIS compelled Potential Female Meal in “Miss Mystic Falls.”)

So, why Jessica?  And why now?  My guess is that Damon’s dilemma has a lot to do with Rose and the Werewolf Rabid Zombie disease  that Jules inflicted on her last week, by biting her, while in werewolf form.  I’m thinking mere Blood Bags aren’t enough to salvage the sick Rose’s thirst.  So, a very guilt-ridden Damon (After all, Jules only bit Rose to get back at HIM, for what she’s pretty sure he did to HER friend, Mason), has likely been forced to head out, and do a little human “grocery shopping.”

But, here’s my question for YOU:

And here’s one more:

END SPOILER

On to the next set of stills . . .

Poor Damon!  It seems like every few weeks he gets a new recurring character enemy, who’s out to make his life a living hell.  (No pun intended.)  Not that the guy doesn’t bring it on himself sometimes, but, you’ve got to admit, it happens pretty darn often.  In the pre-hiatus episode, “By the Light of the Moon,” Michaela McManus’ Jules proved herself to be the next member of the TVD Villain of the Month Club.

First, she stalked into town, asking the WRONG types of questions about a certain missing Lone Wolf Lockwood . . .

Meet October’s Now-Dead Villain of the Month!

Then, she had the audacity to OPENLY threaten TEAM BADASS, in the Only Bar / Social Establishment of Mystic Falls of ALL PLACES!

FOR SHAME!

Then, she gave Damon’s new f&*k buddy, Rose, Were-Rabies!  (See “Ugly Rose” picture up top, as evidence.)  If the episode synopsis for “The Descent,” and the rumors surrounding the episode, are any indication, the showdown between Damon and Jules will get MIGHTY heated, in the upcoming episode . . .

Of the three pictures of Jules in the forest shown above, the first one seems to be the most telling, at least in terms of plot points to come.  Jules is seen setting fire to SOMETHING (a body?  evidence? something of particular value to Damon?)  Behind her in the picture, is what appears to be a crudely-designed cross, fashioned out of some tree bark, a wooden stake, and what appears to be a ripped t-shirt.  Perhaps, Jules built the cross, because she belived it would provide her with some kind of protection against the town vampires.  It also might have been used in some weird werewolf fire ritual.

Whatever it is, Jules is doing, she doesn’t look particularly happy to be doing it.  In the first picture (the only one featuring the fire) she appears solemn.  In the second (in which she is simply standing, and looking into the distance, she looks serious, and determined.  The third picture is interesting, in terms of Jules’ expression.  On first glance, she seems frightened, as if she is being pursued by a deadly predator (Damon?).  But when I looked at the picture again, I saw something else . . . grief, and sadness.  Perhaps, Jules has just learned for certain that Mason is dead, and is mourning the loss of her dear friend . . .

That’s what I saw in those pictures.  Now, it’s YOUR turn . . .

Here we have a very sick-looking, and extremely depressed Rose, seated on a leather Ottoman in the library of La Casa de Rich and Awesome, presumably right in front of the fire.  (Jules did mention in the promo that “chills” was one of the first signs of Were Rabies).  She’s got a near-empty highball glass of blood in her hand, but it doesn’t seem to be offering her any solace or comfort.  Standing above Rose, is a very concerned looking Damon, holding a Bag-of-Blood.

I’m thinking that this scene takes place earlier in “The Descent.”  After all, Rose definitely looks ill, but she doesn’t yet resemble the Bat Sh&t Crazy Zombie Vampire we saw stalking Elena toward the end of the promo for this episode.  We know from the past few episodes, that Damon has developed a sexual relationship with Rose, but also a friendship.  He likes her, and feels incredibly guilty for being the indirect cause of her pain, and quite possibly, the end of her VERY long life.

The promo poster for this season that teased Damon about his “emotions showing,” seems highly applicable to this scene.  After all, the Damon we knew, back in early Season 1, cared more or less only for himself, and the two women he loved (Katherine and Elena).  Now we see Damon caring deeply about a friend.  This is new territory for him.  Slight spoilers have teased that Elena and Rose will have a discussion this week, that will bring to the forefront Elena’s true feelings for BOTH Stefan and Damon (YIPPEE!). 

Rose already knows how Damon feels about Elena.  However, it is highly likely that Rose and Damon will discuss their feelings for one another, and ELENA’S feelings for Damon together, during this episode.  A wise commenter once suggested to me that the only cure for a Werewolf Bite should end up being the Blood of a Petrova Doppelganger.  I love the idea!  There’s a certain poetic justice to it.   And it would definitely be a catalyst for all these “feelings” discussions, the castmates are supposed to have during this episode.

And yet, such a solution to Rose’s Werewolf Bite would suggest that Rose could survive this episode.  And based on another released photo still that I will post below, I’m not quite sure she will . . .

Here come those polls again . . .

Ahhh . . . There’s nothing like a heated argument to get the collective Delena blood boiling, and their passions for one another, overflowing, ready to erupt, at a moment’s notice!  These two LOVE to fight with one another, and always seem to have something NEW to fight about.  In this particular case, I’m thinking this fight between Damon and Elena, is over one of four things:

(1) The deal Elena made with Elijah last week, in which Elijah agreed to free Stefan, and keep all of her friends safe, in exchange for her letting him use her as bait, to draw out Evil Vampire Klaus, and eventually KILL HIM . . .

Something tells me Damon will NOT be happy about THIS at all!  We all remember how he reacted the LAST time Elena voluntarily went on a “Suicide Mission” to protect the Salvatore Brothers, and her friends in Mystic Falls . . .

(2) Damon’s handling of the vengeful Jules.  (Something tells me Damon is going to want to go BALLS TO THE WALL against Jules for what she did to Rose.  And Elena — worrying about DAMON getting bitten too — won’t think that’s a wise idea at all.)

(3) Seeing that a very sick Rose has become a threat to Elena, Damon might suggest killing his former f*&k buddy, before she can cause any more harm than she already has.  The Lately Suicidal Martyr Elena would certainly not approve of this plan . . .

(4) Rose snitches to Damon about Elena’s feelings for him.  Or better yet, Damon confesses to Rose about how he told Elena he loved her, and compelled her to forget about it.  Then, the dying Rose decides to let Elena know the truth.  (Maybe BOTH happen!)  Forced to confront their mutual feelings for one another, Damon and Elena engage in a heated and passionate argument about love, truth, and honesty.

I would LOVE for the fight pictured to be about #4.  But, unfortunately, I suspect the writers feel it is too early in the season for that to happen.  So, my vote’s with #1.  Damon is scolding Elena about the deal she recently made with the not-particularly-trustworthy Elijah . . . 

And you?

Of course, us Delena fans have been jumping for JOY over this picture!  While the earlier “fight” pictures seem to take place inside Damon’s La Casa de Awesome, earlier on in the episode, this picture seems to have been taken at night, during the episode’s final moments (though Damon and Elena are wearing the same clothing in both).

This looks like the same woods were Jules had her bonfire.  Only, that scene was shot during the day.  This is clearly a night time shot.  But look at the light in the background.  That might be another bonfire!  Or is it the same one?  If so, how has the whole forest not gone up in flames by now?  What keeps these fires so contained?

Wait . . . what am I talking about . . . you guys don’t care about the fire!  You care about the HUGGING!  You care about Elena’s sympathetic eyes, and the way she’s consoling a seemingly heartbroken Damon.  You may even be remembering a nearly IDENTICAL scene from last season (which also took place in the woods at night), during which Elena comforted a very emotional Damon with a sweet hug, after he learned that Katherine wasn’t in the tomb.

But WHY is Damon so emotional THIS TIME?  What happens in this episode, to make him react this way?  And why is Elena so quick to hug him, after she just spent quite a bit of time fighting vigorously against him in the previous set of photo stills.  The most obvious answer would be that Rose has died.  Damon, of course, feels responsible, and regrets not being able to save her.  Elena is, once again, touched by his humanity, sees how much he has grown to care for Rose, and wishes to take some of his pain away.

Of course, I could be wrong . . .

Why does everybody always think that pictures have to MEAN something?  Can’t we sometimes just appreciate art for art’s sake?  (OR hot for hot’s sake?)  Above are two stills of Damon from “The Descent.”  In the first, he is in “La Casa de Rich and Awesome.”  It looks like Elena has just arrived.  (If you look at the right hand corner of the picture, you can see the shirt she is wearing in the other stills.)

On the surface, it’s a picture that doesn’t provide you with much information.  But look again.  Look at the expression on Damon’s face, as he sees Elena, for, possibly, the first time in this episode.  The last time they were together, Stefan was locked in a tomb, and Elena was under . . . “house arrest.”

So, Damon might be a bit surprised to see Elena.  You can see an element of that in his face.  He also might be a smidge annoyed, that she undid his plan to keep her safe so easily.  I see a little of that as well.  He also looks a tad impressed, for the same reason.  But mostly, I see love.  Damon’s eyes are dilated.  His lips are pursed.  This is the look of a man who has just laid eyes on the woman he loves unconditionally. This is the picture of tummy butterflies . . .

The second picture is more intense.  It is taken at night, in the forest, possibly just a few moments before that epic embrace Damon and Elena are about to share.   He looks haunted . . . or hunted.  Perhaps, a little bit of both.  That second picture show’s a man  . . . well, a vampire . . . ready for action.  Damon’s adrenaline is pumping.  It’s fight or flight time, and he’s both the predator and the prey.  Your move, Damon Salvatore . . .

So, now we’ve discussed ALL of the photos CWTV released to promote “The Descent.”  But what about the photos that weren’t there.  For starters, having watched the previews, we KNOW that a major portion of the episode will deal with the budding Matt-Caroline-Tyler love triangle, which will culminate in not one but TWO swoon-worthy Ambush Kisses . . .

Now let’s break this down . . .

Here’s Matt . . .

 . . . and here’s Tyler . . .

Now, I’ve made no bones about where I stand on this issue . . . I’m Team Taroline (Forwood / Cyler) all the way . . .  But this post isn’t about me, it’s about YOU . . .

Also rumored to be in this episode:  some Stelena sex . . .

Just to recap, we’ve got TWO kisses for Caroline, and sex and a SEXY hug for Elena.  It looks like our Mystic Falls girls are going to be VERY busy during the Season premiere . . .

Don’t worry, Bonnie!  You’ll get your turn soon too!

Well, there you have it folks.  A smorgasboard of spoilers and speculation to whet your whistle, while you wait for TVD to return to your television screen.  But there’s GOT to be some spoilers out there that I missed, or ideas I failed to consider.  So, I hand the baton over to you, fellow fangirls.  Speculate away!

[www.juliekushner.com]