The Vampire Diaries 4.20 “The Originals”

Lip service is paid to Elena being locked up, but she’s still under the effect of the vervain injection and unconscious at first. The Brothers Gross plan to get only more intense when she wakes up, letting her desiccate (what vampires do when they’re starved) without any blood bags. When she proves stoic about that fate, they give her blood and plan torture for next week! Don’t tell the warden about their prison games! And don’t tell me the punishment is for her own good anymore, liars.

Slightly less distasteful is a visit to New Orleans, where Klaus has been convinced (by Katherine, least trustful of sources ever) that some witches are out to get him. What he finds seems not to cause worry at first: Marcel, his former protégée, the very smarmy cock of the walk and king of the city, and the witches forbidden from doing any real magic by his mysterious domination.

Also, Elijah goes down to help out, and see what the witches are really up to. Also, Rebekah takes a pass, content to continue her humanity exploration in Mystic Falls for the present. Also, though Silas has the cure, he’s apparently not yet been able to trick Bonnie into performing the spell for him. Meanwhile, back in New Orleans …

… Hayley is there, looking for her estranged family, on a lead Klaus gave her. The witches use it to trick her into capture, because the unthinkable has happened: her assignation with Klaus has left her pregnant. No, vampires can’t reproduce sexually, but werewolves can, and Klaus is a hybrid. His sperm are eternally good. Hayley is not that bothered by the demon baby now gestating inside, until the witches threaten to kill her in order to have leverage with Klaus and/or Marcel. Phoebe Tonkin does a great “Wait, what now –?” reaction shot to this news.

On the Klaus/Marcel front, all is hunky dory on the surface, as Marcel is happy to have his old mentor around as long as he joins the party. His many minions start working Klaus’ nerve by being insufficiently respectful, forcing Klaus to make his one play and bite one with werewolf venom – only his blood can save the vampire victim, as he’s already done with Caroline and didn’t do with Rose.

Whither the Klaus who rips out hearts and pulls off heads when someone looks at him askance? Not very useful as a protagonist for an ongoing show, apparently. This week Jeffrey Morgan gives us the wimpy, misunderstood loner version of Klaus, who has time to brood over a street painter and meet cute with a brave, blonde bartender who doesn’t at all bear a striking resemblance to Caroline (whose stay in Mystic Falls is likely to be much more pronounced than Rebekah’s, who’s expected in the Big Easy any day now).

Yeah, he’s a sensitive soul who just wants to make brooding paintings and date a beautiful blonde. That’s fine, Morgan is good at that stuff, and he also does well as the cad who could care less (at first, because he’s a whiny child-man) that he’s left one-night stand Hayley with child, however improbably. But that’s what Elijah is there for, to make him see a higher wisdom, and really the best thing in this episode is that sinister half-smile Daniel Gillies is so great at making mean an infinity of potential things, and the calm poise he brings to every scene.

Will I watch the Originals next season (yes, it’s already been picked up, what else does the CW have?). Short answer, yes. If Elijah and Rebekah are there, and if the witches get their revenge on Marcel. Also, I wouldn’t object to Klaus ripping out Marcel’s heart, he’s far too full of himself for his rosy vamp world to be as stable as he pretends.