Katherine

I don't know how to feel about the wedding happening in the musical episode. On one hand, I'm just happy it's happening at all. And I'm glad it's in a big episode that's getting lots of promotion. On the other hand, the fact that it's happening in 6.20 makes me scared that the finale will be light on Captain Swan and more likely to focus on other relationships, like the one between Emma and Regina. I shouldn't be surprised by this, but part of me really believed the final season would culminate in an Emma and Hook wedding in the finale. Then again, maybe there will still be plenty of focus on CS in the finale. The writers can't make them get married in one episode, only to have them barely interact in the next...can they? Don't answer that. I, like most fans it seems, am really disappointed with how this season has gone, especially if it turns out to be the final one (or at least the final one with all of our regular characters). CS is my favorite couple on TV. It's because of them that I've followed spoilers religiously for the past 4 seasons. But now when it comes to what should have been the most exciting spoilers ever (the proposal and wedding), I'm not nearly as pumped up as I would've been before. Like others have said, there's been no build-up whatsoever so the engagement just doesn't feel earned :( All that being said, despite the many mistakes Adam and Eddy have made, I can't see them letting this show finish with anything other than a happy ending. If they get word that this is in fact the final season, I can't imagine that they'll actually go through with a flash forward to CS being separated and Emma having lost the chance to raise another child. I know, I'm probably in the minority on this one. Adam and Eddy have let fans down one too many times. But when it comes to the final farewell for this show, I'm going to try to have hope :)

I feel like I need to do a rewatch to figure out my favorite seasons, but off the top of my head I would say: S1, S2, S3, S6, S4, S8, S7, S5. Seasons 1 and 2 are really close for me. I think S2 was written better overall, and it had some great moments and twists, but I have a soft spot for season 1. It's the one that sucked me in; it had the first Defan flashbacks, as well as (IMO) the best season finale. I'm also torn between seasons 3 and 6. I think the writing quality was better in S3, and I was much more invested back then, but S6 had some really great Bamon moments, as well as my favorite brothers scene ever (the reunion hug). On the downside, S6 had Elena's whole Damon-amnesia thing, which got old fast. And I really disliked when Damon decided to take the cure to be with Elena. As for S4, I remember it as the season where TVD began to disappoint me on a consistent basis, starting with how Elena's transition to vampire was handled, followed by the sire bond, followed by her turning her humanity off. There were some good moments in there, but not enough to make me want to rewatch. I wasn't expecting to rank S5 last, but it's the season where I got closest to quitting. I lost the desire to watch the new episodes right away. Delena as a couple turned out to be kind of a trainwreck, which was a big disappointment for me because I had really shipped them before. And worst of all, I found Elena intolerable. I think, for the most part, my enjoyment of this show coincides with how likeable I find Elena. S5 was an all-time low. I know a lot of people figured the show would tank after Nina left, but I actually had high hopes. I was so over the Elena character that I was really looking forward to more emphasis on other pairings, especially the non-romantic ones. I can't believe how badly the writers wasted that potential. It was like they were trying so hard to hold on to Elena (and Delena) fans that they couldn't ever fully embrace the show without Elena. They couldn't let Damon do anything that might resemble moving on from her, they had to keep bringing her name up, and they had to keep putting her in danger. I understand that Elena was an integral part of the other characters' lives and it wouldn't have been realistic for them to just forget about her, but at the same time, the show must go on. The writers didn't do anyone any favors by having so much of the show (and Damon's motivations, in particular) revolve around Elena. It just drew more attention to the fact that she was gone. IMO, the writers really messed up what could have been an interesting new direction for the show. Obviously they were bound to lose a lot of fans with the departure of Nina, but that didn't mean that the quality of the show necessarily had to drop (not that it had been great the past couple of seasons anyway). And the fans who were firmly against watching after Nina left probably weren't drawn back in by the constant Elena shoutouts. It was like the writers were pandering to an audience that was (in large part) no longer watching anyway, so what was the point? Instead, they could have tried to right some of the wrongs that had plagued the last few seasons and make the show more respectable again. If they didn't want it to look like they were replacing Elena, they could have left Damon single but instead placed more meaningful emphasis on the growth of his other, non-romantic relationships, which (IMO) had often taken a backset to his relationship with Elena. In S7, a big part of Damon's story was his decision to abandon Bonnie and Stefan in favor of desiccating with Elena, and there wasn't a particularly satisfying resolution to this; yes, Damon apologized, but I feel like it was a blow that the Bamon friendship never recovered from. Instead, Bonnie ended up in a rushed romance with Enzo, which a lot of fans couldn't get invested in, since there was barely any screentime devoted to its build-up. I'll just never understand why the writers made the decisions they did for the final two seasons. It was like they were just going through the motions, waiting to be cancelled. So much lost potential :( Regarding the above conversation about the female characters' personalities, I've been watching these characters for 8 seasons and I honestly have no idea who's more introverted vs. extroverted, logical vs. emotional, etc. I agree that Bonnie has been consistently written as the most self-sacrificing and the one who cares most about the greater good and the lives of those beyond her immediate friends circle. Beyond that, I don't know much about Bonnie's personality. I can see the argument for Caroline being the most logical; we also know that she tends to be very organized and sometimes controlling. I can also see Elena as being the most emotional, but I'm not sure how I would define her beyond that. I find it interesting that this is such a hard question to answer. It shows either that the writers struggle to write well-defined female characters, or that they're brilliant at writing complex, layered, multifaceted characters. Since the show is almost over and I'm really going to miss it, let's go with the latter :P

I agree with so much of what has been said. I have always hated the idea of Klaus and Caroline. I really dislike Klaus as a character. I find him whiny and not remotely compelling, and I just don't see any chemistry between him and Caroline. Add that to the fact that Klaroline was never really a focal point in the writing (the most I remember is the pony drawing and then the random hookup in season 4 or 5), and it baffles me that the pairing has such a big fanbase. To each their own, I guess! During the first few seasons, Damon was my favorite character and I really shipped him with Elena. I remember being so frustrated that they got together right when we found out about the stupid sire bond. I enjoyed the season 4 finale when Elena officially chose Damon, but that was the last time I can remember ever enjoying a scene between them. They were written so terribly in season 5 that the pairing was completely ruined for me, to the point where I can't even enjoy their scenes from the first few seasons anymore. I'm not sure if it's entirely because of the writing or if it's something in the acting, but I just can't root for those two to get a happy ending together. I was never a fan of Stelena, mostly because I felt like they were a little too forced. I hated being told how "epic" they were, and I thought for sure the writers intended them to be endgame, with only a brief Delena interlude. But now I much prefer Stelena to Delena. There's been a reversal where Delena feels forced to me lately. I understand Elena's attraction to Damon--I think we saw that as early as season 1--but I just don't know how or at what point he became "the love of [her] life". It felt to me like a case of being told, rather than being shown. Maybe I'm just contrary :) I also feel like Delena happened to coincide with when Elena became much less likeable and relatable, so that might be partly why I stopped shipping them. When the idea of Steroline was first introduced, I think I enjoyed their friendship but didn't want it to go beyond that, maybe because I figured she would be viewed as a sort of consolation prize for Stefan, always coming in second to Elena. But in season 5 or 6, I started to really love the idea of Steroline. I thought there was some nice build-up during Liz's illness. I remember being excited about their first kiss and happy that they were taking this direction with Stefan. I loved the idea that his epic love wasn't at all what he expected; it turned out to be someone who started as his best friend and whom he never really considered. But then the writers messed it all up when Caroline turned off her humanity. I feel like the pairing never really recovered after that, and now I just don't see any chemistry at all. It's interesting that the two relationships with the longest build-up--Delena and Steroline--ended up, IMO, suffering the most from weak writing once the couples actually got together. I really dislike Bonnie and Enzo together. The lack of build-up combined with (IMO) a lack of chemistry makes the relationship feel so inorganic, like they just threw together these two characters to give them something to do (and maybe to quiet Bamon shippers). It's frustrating because Bonnie deserves better. I appreciate that the writers appeared to be trying to give Bonnie this epic love story through scenes where she and Enzo waxed poetic about their romance, but it just never rang true for me. So I guess the only couple I would actually like to see end up together would be Caroline and Tyler (though this obviously isn't going to happen). They had such a sweet build-up in season 2 and I'll probably forever ship them because of that (even though, once again, the writing wasn't that great once they actually got together). I also kind of love the idea of Bamon, but I feel like the way the Steroline move from friendship to romance was handled suggests that Bonnie and Damon are probably better off staying friends. Plus, it was obvious that Bamon was never a real possibility as endgame, since Damon would never choose Bonnie over Elena. And I also totally understand those who hate Bamon simply because of Damon's past treatment of Bonnie. So now to end on a positive note. I've said it many times before, but my favorite part of the show is the relationship between Stefan and Damon. Paul and Ian do such great work together. Right from the beginning, I was sucked into the family dynamic. I love their flashbacks. And I feel like some of the most powerful moments of the show have come when the focus has been on Damon and Stefan as brothers. Their season 6 reunion/hug might be my all time favorite TVD moment.

You're totally right that the essence of Damon's character has been that he doesn't need Stefan in the same way Stefan needs him; the writers have been pretty consistent in writing romance as Damon's number one priority. I guess I was just hoping that this was all eventually heading towards him realizing that maybe Stefan is even more important to him than he's realized up until this point, and in fact, maybe Stefan is his true number one. Like you said, Damon has been chasing romantic fulfillment for the entire series, and IMO sometimes not in the healthiest of ways, so maybe that's why I felt like growth for him would be to realize that, in the end, he doesn't need romantic love to be a worthwhile person and to lead a fulfilling life. Again, it's not that I have anything against romance; it's just with this particular character, I've felt more compelled by the brotherly dynamic. That being said, I can see why many fans would be dissatisfied if he didn't get that romantic fulfillment he's always craved.

I completely disagree that romantic love should "always win out" over familial love, nor am I saying that familial love should always win out. I think it's terrible to have to make that kind of choice, and I hope that it never comes to that for anyone in real life. But if it did, I admit that I don't like the idea that romantic love should automatically win (though I acknowledge that many people view the issue the same way you do). It's different for everyone. I personally have a really close bond with my family and I can't imagine viewing my love for them as secondary to my love for anyone else. I don't think I need to be told to "be realistic". This is simply how I feel, and yes, it affects how I view this particular TV show. My favorite part of the show has always been the relationship between the brothers. I've found this relationship more compelling than any of the romantic relationships, and so that's why I would like to see more emphasis on Damon putting Stefan before Elena. I acknowledge that this isn't going to happen and probably wouldn't happen in the real world either. It's just what I happen to be hoping for in this fictional teenage drama. We all have our favorite characters and our favorite dynamics. Just like other people root for the romantic relationship Damon and Elena, I root for the brotherly bond between Stefan and Damon. There are other shows where I do root for the romantic relationship. I think I also have a different take on the relationship between Stefan and Damon than you do. You say that Stefan has never had to choose to die. I don't remember all past episodes, but I feel certain that Stefan has willingly sacrificed his life for Damon multiple times, just as Damon has done for him. We already know that they would die for each other. What I was hoping for was that Damon would decide that Stefan was the person he needed most. I loved the moment in the season 6 finale where Stefan told Caroline that in the end, he needed Damon more than he needed Elena. I would love to see a similar realization from Damon (but obviously don't expect it to happen). And for the record, I certainly do not rank the importance of different types of relationships in the real world, nor advocate for choosing one person over another. This is just a TV show, so I approach it differently. I was simply expressing what I hope to see happen to these characters I've enjoyed watching for 8 seasons. We clearly aren't going to agree, and that's okay. I just find it fun to discuss how it could all end and what the writers may be thinking as they provide closure to these relationships.

I think there's been quite a bit of discussion about the writers' tendency to care more about shocking the audience rather than satisfying them. They aim to write twists that no one can see coming, and it's often at the expense of good (and logical) storytelling. I saw this article about the general trend of "no spoilers" and it immediately made me think of Once: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/03/30/the-people-v-o-j-simpson-proves-our-no-spoilers-culture-is-utterly-ridiculous/?tid=a_inl-amp&utm_term=.ef3d86b5c970 Sometimes it seems like Adam and Eddy get this weird sense of pleasure from teasing the audience and taking the show in a direction that no one can possibly see coming. I've noticed that many writers seem overly concerned about spoilers. I can understand wanting to keep an element of surprise, but in the case of Once, it often comes at the expense of emotionally satisfying payoff. I can't remember if it was in this thread, but someone mentioned Harry Potter as an example of a story where many fans guessed certain plot points, because JK rowling had laid all the groundwork and given clues along the way. So for many fans, seeing all of these predictions come true was really satisfying. Whereas with Once, if fans were to guess certain plot points based on actual clues, I bet Adam and Eddy would make last minute changes to the story just so that they could feel like they pulled one over on the audience. I just don't understand why shock value is so important, particularly with a show like Once. Most fans aren't watching Once for its mysteries and twists; they're watching for the characters and the fun fairytale elements.

These last couple of episodes have made me remember what I used to love about this show. I can't wait to see how it all ends. Here are my predictions: -Bonnie will somehow take out Katherine and get rid of Hell altogether. -Bonnie will become the ruler of a new type of afterlife (the one she already created for Enzo). She'll likely die in the process, Elena will wake up, and Bonnie will get to be with Enzo in the afterlife (I intensely dislike Bonnie and Enzo together, but I think the writers will view this as Bonnie's happy ending). -Stefan will sacrifice himself so Damon can live a human life with Elena. Caroline will go live her vampire life (and maybe move on to The Originals). Alternatively, maybe Stefan will live out his human life with Vampire Caroline while Elena lives out hers with Vampire Damon, so both couples get a happy ending. But I'm leaning toward Stefan dying as the most likely scenario. Plus, every character will have the promise of ending up in Bonnie's version of the afterlife. I hope I'm wrong about a lot of this. I really don't want Damon and Elena to end up together. I would much prefer for the brothers to either die together or leave Mystic Falls together, but I don't think that will happen. I suspect that Stefan will sacrifice himself by giving Damon the cure, because the writers likely view this as the story having come full circle; Stefan "forced" Damon to become a vampire, and now he'll give Damon back a human life. My ideal ending would be for Damon to choose Stefan over Elena. In my mind, that would be much more poetic, since Damon has spent the entire series revolving his world around a woman (first Katherine, now Elena), often at the expense of his relationship with his little brother. Stefan, on the other hand, has been pretty consistent in putting Damon first. It would be great if the series ended with Damon returning the favor. But tonight's episode was probably the closest we'll get, with Damon refusing to choose between Stefan and Elena and instead finding a way around it (sacrificing himself for both of them). It was touching in its own way, but not exactly new information; Damon has always been willing to sacrifice his life. I would love to see him finally realize that he doesn't necessarily need a woman's love to be happy, and that Stefan is actually the person he needs most. But since that's clearly not going to happen, I just hope that we get lots of great moments between the brothers in the next two episodes. Any other finale predictions out there? Am I way off? I feel like some of my predictions are too...predictable. The writers have always seemed to enjoy the element of surprise, yet it seems so obvious where they're going with this finale. I recall Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson saying they had a certain ending planned a long time ago. Will they follow through with it?

Great episode! I'll miss William. My only complaint is that I'd been hoping to see a little more interaction/closure between present day Rebecca and William. I loved the scene of William talking to Jack.

Even if it's clichéd, I kind of like the idea of Kevin starting out as a simple, family-oriented, small-town (or suburban?) boy who marries his high school sweetheart, and then becoming a rich, playboy celebrity, before ultimately finding his way back to his roots. It's almost like he thought he needed to escape the small-town, family life and prove that he's meant for bigger things, but deep down, that life is what feels more natural/comfortable to him. It seems like he got lost along the way, but eventually his story will be about finding his way back to the type of guy he used to be. Or maybe I'm overthinking this? :p

Lately I've been seeing a lot of fandom extremes. I mean, the Once fandom has always been extreme, but lately it seems even more so. Either people are very critical of and fed up with the show (I fall in this camp) or people are overly optimistic and refuse to even consider the possibility that there may be valid criticisms out there. It's kind of amazing that this show has such an impact. I feel really frustrated with the writers because I believe they've wasted so much of the show's potential, especially in regards to Captain Swan, which makes me sadder than I care to admit. But at the same time, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the writers are out to get certain sections of the fandom, that they're deliberately trying to troll or piss off certain fans, or that they're malicious people, as I've seen some fans suggest. IMO, Adam and Eddy, like most writers, are trying to tell the story that they want to tell while also trying to draw in as many fans as possible. Sometimes this may mean that they pander to certain vocal fandoms, which can be really frustrating for other fandoms. But at the same time, I also get the sense that Adam and Eddy really do care about some of the issues fans are raising. They want to give young girls strong female role models to look up to. They want to provide LGBT representation. IMO, they haven't done a good job of addressing these valid and important issues, but I think (or hope) that their hearts are at least in the right place. At the end of the day, they're just regular people who have made some poor storytelling/showrunning decisions. They aren't villains. I totally get being invested in a TV series. I'm obviously very invested in Once, and I often get (and sometimes give in to) the urge to rant at Adam on Twitter. It's easy for passionate fans to lose perspective and begin getting personal with the writers. Maybe Adam and Eddy have neglected certain characters and fan groups. Maybe they haven't delivered on promises. That sucks. But it's their show and they have the right to do that, just as fans have a right to criticize it. I just feel like things are maybe getting a little more intense than usual lately. And the same goes for the reverse. I get that it's hard seeing fellow fans give up hope or lose interest in a show or couple that you love, and it's easy to become defensive. But everyone has a right to their own reaction. Positivity is great but so is criticism. I love reading the full range of reactions (when expressed in a respectful way). Again, I'm kind of in awe that this show inspires such passion. That's one point to the writers: they definitely succeeded in creating characters that we care about.

I'm really interested in trying to gauge the general consensus on each season. In this forum, I think seasons 2, 4, and so far 6 tend to be viewed as the weakest ones (with the consensus being that the B halves are usually weaker than A). Does anyone know if this seems to be the wider audience consensus as well? I find it tough to analyze TV ratings because there are a lot of different factors at play. I checked out viewer ratings (on a scale of 1 to 10) of each individual episode on one website, and while it obviously wasn't a representative or wide enough sample, I was surprised that there didn't seem to be huge drops in ratings across seasons. There was some variation, but generally episode ratings seemed to fall between 8 and 9. I couldn't see any noticeable patterns at a quick glance. Something that stuck out was that Ruby Slippers only had a 7/10, which was much lower than the majority of episodes. Anyway, I'm curious about the general audience (who probably don't take the time to rate each episode online). I would like to believe that the GA shares my view that Regina is overrated/overhyped and the writing around her is a notable limitation of this show, but I don't have any evidence to back that up. My sense is that in addition to having vocal fans on Twitter, Regina is also popular among the GA.

I agree. The writers definitely listen to vocal Twitter fans. I think the criticism that bothers them the most is when fans claim that Emma isn't strong anymore. To their credit, they want their show to be about more than romantic love, and they want to depict empoweted female characters. The claim that they're betraying these goals by pairing Emma with Hook seems to have hit a nerve. I also think vocal Twitter fans have a big influence on the Rumbelle relationship. IMO, the relationship is beyond toxic, but just when it seems like the writers have decided to embrace that, they suddenly pull back and give us Rumbelle scenes like last night's. Rumbelle fans often argue that it's supposed to be a show about hope, and I think Adam and Eddy take that to heart. They may not have Rumple and Belle end up together, but I do think they'll give Rumple a far kinder end than he deserves, and that's largely due to the fans.

I always cringe in scenes when Regina is being "good" (i.e.,when she's bonding with Snow or Emma or Henry), but I can't tell how much of that is the acting vs. the writing. I think my own dislike for the character probably colors my view quite a bit. I also suspect a big part of the problem is that Regina's "redemption" always felt rushed and unnatural to me, so now any scene featuring "redeemed" Regina feels forced and unnatural. I'm not sure if Lana could do much to change that. In general, I tend to think she's a pretty good actress, but sometimes she goes a little too far over the top. Based on interviews I've heard, she seems to view Regina in a very different light than I do. Since I don't agree with her interpretation of the character, it's entirely possible that this also influences how I view her portrayal. In the last couple of seasons, I've felt like there's been a drop in the quality of acting for many of the characters, but that may be due to the writing. Or perhaps I'm just more critical than ever since I really don't care for the direction the show has taken. Then again, maybe some of the actors are feeling the same way...

That might've been my favorite moment in this whole season.

I thought this was a really weak episode in what's shaping up to be a really weak season. I found myself thinking "when did this show get so bad?" a lot. Seriously, when did this show get so bad? Has it always been bad but I'm only just now noticing? I don't know, I just felt like the acting and writing were both off tonight. Emma's line readings, in particular, seemed stilted somehow. This used to be the show I would look forward to all week--the one where I would analyze spoilers months in advance. How did it become a show that I dread? When I spend the entire hour cringing my way through the episode, maybe it's finally time to walk away from the show? I'm just so disappointed. It still has so much potential. Maybe next season will be better?

I was so, so excited for the revival, and I had high hopes for it. Gilmore Girls was always one of my favorite shows, but thanks to the last few seasons (particularly season 6), it was also one of the most disappointing. I saw the revival as the perfect chance to fix everything that had been mishandled in seasons 5-7, and for some reason, I had faith that the writers were aiming to do just that. I know a lot of people are really happy with the revival, but overall, I found it pretty disappointing (though not nearly as disappointing as some of the events of seasons 5 and 6). What I most wanted from the revival was a return of Original Rory. I missed the Rory we knew in seasons 1-4--an introvert whose idea of a great Friday night was staying home alone doing laundry. I missed the Rory who seemed comfortable in her own skin and defended her right to sit alone at lunch, listening to music and reading a good book. I missed kind Rory--the one who tried to befriend Paris in season 1 and who at least occasionally defended the people Lorelai made fun of. Early seasons Rory was someone a lot of girls could relate to. It was refreshing to have a leading female character who was shy yet confident, someone whose dreams and ambitions were ultimately more important than her love life. Obviously even in those first few seasons, Rory's love life received a lot of attention, but somehow it still felt like Rory herself viewed her high school romances as secondary to her future goals. IMO, the character started to go downhill as soon as she met Logan. The Dean affair felt really out of character, but at least we as the audience had Lorelai speaking for us. Initially, I thought they were doing the same thing with Logan (particularly because Lorelai opposed him right from the start). I thought we were supposed to see the whole Logan relationship as Rory's rebellious phase. I never bought that Rory would've fallen for Logan in the first place, but I figured at least their relationship would end with her finding herself again. That seemed to be the direction they were heading with the whole dropping out of Yale thing, but then even after that, the two of them stayed together, and by the last few episodes of season 6, it seemed like we were supposed to be rooting for them. And then in season 7, it definitely seemed like we were supposed to start viewing them as a stable, possibly end-game couple (and the writers did a pretty good job with this--I hate how much crap the season 7 writers get. IMO season 6 was far worse). Rory's character bounced back quite a bit in season 7. She was back on the right track with school, and I actually really liked how the last few episodes handled her budding career (the struggles and the excitement for the future). Then...the revival happened. I'm really confused about how we're supposed to view Rory and Logan in the revival. As soon as I realized they were having an affair, I figured obviously we were supposed to realize that Logan was all wrong for Rory. I figured Rory was heading for a big rock bottom where she realized that Logan was never "the one", and then she would eventually get her life back on track and get back to the spirit of Original Rory. But...that never really happened. Sure, she ended it with Logan, but she never really seemed to feel like the affair was a mistake. She definitely didn't seem to feel much remorse for cheating on Paul or having an affair with an engaged man (and Logan seemed to have no regrets either). This writing decision really surprised me, but apparently it was all in service of getting to those final four words? ASP wanted Rory pregnant and she wanted Logan to be her Christopher. Okay...but weren't there other, less awful ways of making that happen? If she wanted to completely destroy the Logan character, couldn't she have at least found a way to make the Rory character a little more sympathetic? Or did she feel like she was making them both sympathetic? Did she view their story as romantic and rootable? I'm just so very confused and disappointed. And as for Rory's pregnancy, I just can't believe this is how ASP wanted it to end. I get that it's "full-circle", but to me, that was never the narrative being told. All along, I thought the point of Rory's story would be finding her place between these two worlds (her grandparents' world and her mother's world). I never thought she would end up repeating her mother's life. And while obviously getting pregnant at 32 is not remotely the same as getting pregnant at 16, it does seem like ASP wants us to believe that Rory is mirroring her mother's life. That's just not how I saw her story ending. For me, Rory's season 7 ending was far more appropriate. She wasn't ending up in Richard and Emily's world (as represented by rejecting Logan's proposal), but she also wasn't ending up in her mother's world (as represented by leaving Star's Hollow to pursue her career in journalism). She didn't have a high profile dream job, but she did have a promising future ahead. It felt right. It felt like that's where the character had been heading all along. But now this revival ending? It just seems like ASP got those final four words in her head a long time ago and was insistent on using them, even if they didn't fit with the narrative and character arc we've been shown. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with Rory ending up pregnant. I think it could've been a good ending...but the build-up just wasn't there. If ASP knew all along this was where the character was going, why not lay a little more groundwork along the way? And why not try to make it seem a little happier? At the very least, why not give her a little more career success, instead of just the possibility of a book? I can't quite put my finger on it, but the ending just didn't feel like it belonged with the rest of the series. I'm also going to throw in a quick complaint about the lack of Jess and Jess/Rory...my other great wish for the revival was that they would be endgame. I did love that Jess' character seemed to be in a good place, and I really enjoyed his interactions with Luke, but I wanted a little more with him and Rory. Even if they were never going to end up together, I would've liked something more from Rory's side of things. Then again, given how the revival handled Rory/Logan, maybe I should be grateful. Overall, there were moments of the revival that I loved (all the Emily stuff; Luke and Lorelai's wedding; Paris being Paris), and I don't think it tarnished the original series for me, but it definitely wasn't what I hoped it would be. I can't decide if I want more now (in the hope that this time they would manage to correct the Rory wrongs) or if that would just make it worse.

For me the problem isn't that they're writing about a relationship that, IMO, goes beyond dysfunctional into downright abusive. The problem is that they continue to give Rumbelle fans hope, both in interviews and in script teases like this one, that maybe the couple will work things out. To me, that sends the message that love is enough to change someone's terrible (and arguably abusive) behaviour. I know it's just a show, but I still think this is a troubling message to send to fans. I understand that not everyone views the Rumbelle relationship as abusive, and that's totally fine. But, IMO, the fact that the writers feel the need to specify in the script that Rumple's behaviour isn't threatening speaks volumes. Again, the problem isn't that they're portraying an abusive relationship. That would be absolutely fine if they acknowledged it as such. The problem is that they're portraying an abusive relationship but at the same time still treating it as a viable romance. YMMV, of course. All that being said, I actually don't believe that Rumple and Belle will get back together after this. I think even the writers realize Rumple has gone too far. Despite the fact that they still seem unable to resist giving Rumbellers hope for the relationship, I agree with those who have predicted that Rumple's story will end with him sacrificing himself for his child. And as someone who's a fan of Rumple and wishes his story with Bae hadn't ended so abruptly, I would actually be fine with that conclusion.

I would love to see something different but it seems like the writers believe this pattern works, so chances are they'll stick to it. On the other hand, maybe this will be the episode when other characters (besides Emma) finally profess their faith in Hook? Maybe the bad thing will be revealed, the self-loathing will set in, but then we'll get everyone rallying around him and embracing him as part of the family? It's not that I believe all of his sins should be forgiven and forgotten, but it sure would be nice to see something different, and meaningful interactions with Emma's family would definitely be different. Dare to dream, I guess...

This is so true. They also seem to be under the impression that fans watch the show for its "shocking twists". I get that most writers don't want their audience to be completely spoiled. I definitely wouldn't be as interested in a show where I knew every single thing that was going to happen. But it seems like Adam and Eddy really pride themselves on shock value. For instance, there could have been way more build up to Dark Hook, to Robin Hood's death, and to a million other things, but A&E didn't leave any clues, maybe partially because they didn't have much of a plan, but also I think because they wanted to make it as shocking! as possible. That's more of a topic for the writing of the show, but my point is that most of the fans who are still tuning in probably aren't doing it for the clever twists and turns. They're tuning in either because they're attached to the characters or because they like to see Once's interpretation of classic fairytales. While that interpretation may involve a certain twist or spin, it certainly doesn't require built-in shock factor. At this point, it kind of seems like it's just a matter of pride with A&E--they don't want fans to be able to guess what's going to happen next. What they don't realize is that that strategy may actually be costing them fans. For one thing, it leads to the most boring, vague promotion of the show. Remember Comic Con this year when we learned pretty much nothing about the upcoming season? I don't think the mystery made fans more excited--it made them wonder if there was even anything to look forward to. And the other problem, of course, is that the preoccupation with twists leads to plot!plot!plot!, at the expense of character-driven moments. It's no wonder fan interest seems to be dwindling. Most fans I know would rather be satisfied than surprised.

I've always believed the perfect ending for this show would be Damon and Stefan either taking off together or dying together while Elena goes on to live a normal human life. I used to think that was the ending the writers had in mind. Another ending I would find somewhat satisfying would be if Damon sacrificed his life with Elena for Stefan's happiness. IMO Damon has never been as good of a brother to Stefan as Stefan has been to him, so sacrificing his happy ending with Elena would be a great way to make amends. Even better would be if he sacrificed Elena's life for Stefan's, but that's obviously not going to happen. Anyway, I just realized what the ending will probably turn out to be. Stefan will end up with Caroline and Damon will take the cure and live a human life with Elena. This should've already been obvious to me but somehow I was holding out hope. If this is in fact the ending we get, I will be so disappointed. First of all, Damon becoming human isn't a fitting ending. He hated being human and has always loved being a vampire. Stefan getting a chance to live a human life would make more sense, but Damon? It just doesn't flow from the narrative we've been told. Even the writers seemed to have some awareness of this when they did that episode showing Damon's possible (and terrible) future if he took the cure, but in the end, the message was that it would be worth it to be with Elena. I think that's a pretty terrible message and it just doesn't do justice to the story we've been told. I hate the idea that everyone's happy endings boil down to romantic pairings. In my opinion, this show is about the relationship between two brothers, and in the end, Elena's role in their lives is just to bring them back together. Julie Plec often does lip service to how important the relationship between Damon and Stefan is--I seem to recall her talking about it as though it's the heart of the show and her favorite relationship. But what I see onscreen doesn't reflect that. Yes, we know the brothers would die for each other. But when it comes to Damon, the writers put much more effort into showing his relationship with Elena, even when Elena isn't on the show anymore. Damon choosing Elena over everyone, including Stefan, is a pretty consistent character trait. It's just that I've always felt like the story would end with him finally choosing Stefan. To me, that seems most fitting and poetic. And I really do believe that was the original plan. I'm disappointed because I believe that plan got altered for the worse. I think shippers took over and the writers became more concerned with fan service than good storytelling. I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything more of a teen vampire drama. It just makes me sad when I watch earlier episodes and remember all the potential this show had in the beginning. I really hope my finale prediction turns out to be wrong. As frustrating as this show can be, I still look forward to it every week and I will watch until the bitter end.

I miss seeing that fan excitement (whether it be on forums, tumblr, or social media). There just isn't the same anticipation as there used to be. My interest has definitely dwindled since season 5. I still follow the show and fandom quite closely, but I'm not nearly as excited for new episodes as I once was, and I don't follow spoilers quite as closely as I used to. I usually watch new episodes as they air but it no longer bothers me if I have to delay watching. A big part of this is probably normal for a show that's been around six seasons--it's not unusual for ratings to drop and for some of even the more passionate fans to lose interest. But I also think at least a small part of it is because fans no longer trust the writers to deliver a satisfying payoff. The unfulfilled potential of the show has been mentioned here often, and I think some of the fans who used to look forward to it have started to realize that it brings more disappointment or frustration than fun or excitement. Honestly, the last time I felt like the show lived up to its potential was the season 3 finale. And that's probably because I'm a Captain Swan shipper. For fans who don't care about Captain Swan, I'm not sure when the last truly satisfying episode would have been. I'm not saying there aren't fans who still enjoy the show. It's still entertaining and it's still capable of great moments. It's just that for me, those moments have become fewer and far between.

I really enjoyed this episode up until the Delena flashback. I'm tired of them pushing a couple that isn't even on the show anymore. I want this final season to be focused on Damon and Stefan's relationship, and I want it, for once, to take priority over Damon's relationship with Elena. When Stefan was writing about his hope that Damon keeps a shred of humanity, I was so hoping that we would get some indication that Damon was holding on to his love for his brother. When Stefan turned his humanity off in S3, I remember a scene where Elena said she wouldn't be the one to bring him back; it would be Damon. The message of that arc was that Damon was in fact Stefan's humanity. I've been hoping for a long time to get a similar message about Damon's humanity. We know he loves Stefan and would die for him, but it always seems like he loves Elena more. It's always about Elena. Even now that Elena is off the show, it's still about her. It just feels like fan service at this point. I really hope that for the final season, the writers lay off Damon/Elena and focus on Damon/Stefan, but I won't hold my breath. I get that Elena will always be an important part of the show, but I feel like the writers have just wasted so much potential when it comes to Damon and Stefan, and the Delena flashback in this episode was a perfect example.

That's a good point about Strike's reactions to other people. Robin definitely seems to be the only person whose company he doesn't hate. I do think this is different than the Harry Potter series though. Harry definitely lacks empathy for Cho Chang (and the narrative seems to agree with him unfortunately), but he's also shown to be very capable of empathy for others like Luna and Neville. At the very least, there are quite a few characters Harry (and JKR herself) seems to like. It's really her adult books where we start to see the cynicism and downright unlikeable characters. I often wonder what the Harry Potter books would look like if they were written today. I'm guessing they would reflect more feminist views--JKR might change the way Cho Chang was depicted, or at least give other females (maybe Ginny?) a more significant role. I like to believe she would include more ethnically diverse characters and also hopefully LGBT characters. Then again, she had that chance with Cursed Child and didn't take it. I'm not convinced that she would change anything about the way she portrayed Sirius and other characters' reactions to him, which is too bad because I feel like it does send a pretty damaging message about mental health. Maybe that also means that she wouldn't change anything about Cho's storyline--I just feel like at least with Cho, the problem wasn't just how mental illness was portrayed; it was also a problem with how female characters in general were portrayed. I suspect JKR would be more likely to correct some of the gender issues before the issues around mental health.

I'm not a huge fan of Mrs. Weasley, either. I especially disliked her treatment of Sirius. I know Sirius certainly wasn't innocent in their interactions, but I always felt like Mrs. Weasley was pretty unsympathetic toward a man who had just spent 12 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. At one point in OotP, she made a snide comment about how Sirius wasn't around for the first 13 years of Harry's life, as though he'd been deliberately absent. Like really...pretty sure the man would have rather been taking care of his godson than surrounded by creatures who literally sucked the happiness out of him. I think what bugged me most about it was that the narrative seemed to agree with Mrs. Weasley's view of Sirius as a reckless and selfish godfather. Again, he definitely had his flaws, but I always viewed him (at least in OotP) as representative of someone struggling with depression, and yet every character, with the exception of Harry, ranged from indifferent to impatient to outright judgmental. As with all of my posts, this comes from the extremely biased view of a diehard Sirius fan, but I really do feel like JKR could have sent a better message about mental health and/or trauma in this instance. Moving along from from my Sirius biases, I do feel like the narration throughout the whole series was biased in favor of Mrs. Weasley. We were supposed to view her as this wonderful, underappreciated mother. I think any time she acted immaturely, like when she sent Hermione the tiny easter egg, it was supposed to reflect how protective she was of Harry. But honestly, I feel like if JKR were trying to depict the ultimate mother figure, she could have written a better mother. Mrs. Weasley had a terrible temper, she frequently shouted at her children, she was very dismissive of Fred and George's dream to run a joke shop, she seemed to favor Ginny and overlook Ron, etc. I think we were supposed to view these flaws as realistic and relatable, but for me, they made it hard to enjoy the character (although she did have her moments).

I'm not a huge fan of Lana, but I have no problem with her promoting an anti-Trump cause. IMO, there's nothing wrong with celebrities being vocal about their political views. They're people first, and therefore they have the right to (respectfully) voice their opinions, just as their fans have the right to disagree with those opinions. That being said, I'm extremely anti-Trump myself, so of course I'm biased in favour of someone using their celebrity status as a platform for voicing concerns about him :)