The Originals 2.01 “Rebirth”

Best part of the Season Two premiere of The Originals? Klaus in a very subdued mood. Oh, he and Elijah are plotting, moving things along behind the scenes to reclaim their control of their neighborhood, but for all intents and purposes their French Quarter domicile is a shadowed and empty husk, with everyone either in mourning or exile. Rather than raging at phantoms, Klaus is depressed. This is good, because Klaus is only ever sexy when he’s depressed. He’s a wounded child-man, and brooding on his losses is much more welcome than throwing a tantrum.

The weirdest part of this episode? The usurping Correa family of secret wolves (despite their sexy ability to lope up and down whole etagers of buildings and stairs in a few bounds) is dealt with pretty summarily, and quickly. This despite their alliance with the witches, as personified by a weirdly well-informed trio that came out of nowhere last season, led by a precociously confident teenage girl.

I suppose she’s the anti-Davina, who was always more powerful than she was wise. Though she also has her ace in the hole now, as she’s keeping Mikael prisoner until ready to unleash him on Klaus. She’s more loyal to Marcel and Josh, who are at a distance on the other side of the river but still open to negotiations with Klaus and Elijah, if approached carefully.

That Cami is being their mediator is an interesting touch, as she seems to have figured out her way around the vampires, though she still hates the witches and especially the wolves.

Somehow this leaves Hayley still searching for her long-lost family, even though every involvement she’s had with wolves has led to tragedy. She’s equally estranged from Elijah and Klaus now, despite being a hybrid, due to longing for her daughter.

The secret of course is that the new characters (the cutest of which is flirting with Davina) are really Mama Mikaelson, Kol and Finn, reincarnated somehow in new bodies. So that’s going to be our next big event, when Elijah and Klaus (and hopefully not Beks, off blissfully guarding the baby) have to face Mommy and Daddy Dreariest yet again. Okay, show, bring it on. Let’s finally get rid of the last White Oak stake once and for all.