For Tyler Lockwood fans, The Vampire Diaries delivered a sensationally strong episode last Thursday. Not content to just flail with joy,  Erin Brown (@speedmouse) and I reviewed The Vampire Diaries “By the Light of the Moon” as part of the Small Screen Scoop weekly TVD Dialogue Panel Project. Read on for our thoughts on if the TVD vampires have scents, whether Caroline’s newfound compassion  for Tyler could have gotten her killed, and … Grimoire’s on Kindles? Saddle up boys and girls, this was a juicy episode.

The Vampire Diaries “By the Light of the Moon” Review Via a Candid Conversation:

Erin Brown (8:13:30 PM): I’ve been rewatching the episode while you’ve been away.

Erin Brown (8:13:42 PM): I think it’s my favourite so far.

Jessica Rae (8:13:54 PM): Now, is this based on the Tyler transformation?

Erin Brown (8:14:15 PM): Yes – absolutely.

Jessica Rae (8:14:39 PM): Without the Tyler component, would this still rank as a favorite episode?

Erin Brown (8:16:01 PM): Without the Tyler component, I don’t think it would.

Erin Brown (8:16:34 PM): I think it was just such a defining moment for Tyler as a character and Michael Trevino as an actor, that alone just made it unmissable.

Jessica Rae (8:17:12 PM): Yea, that’s how I feel. Wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favorite. And I think I lack the Tyler love to really feel pulled over. However, Michael Trevino stepped things up in such a huge way that it’s impossible to forget that physical performance. He’s a wonderful actor, but I’m not sure if I took notice of it before that episode.

Jessica Rae (8:19:08 PM): I thought the Stefan and Elena reunion played very sweetly. I didn’t think I’d care that much when they inevitably got back together.

Erin Brown (8:19:08 PM): And in his mind with Kat. Seriously. What a hussy.

Jessica Rae (8:19:35 PM): Well, that was SUCH a trick on the audience. I thought it would be real in some way, like Kat would somehow compel him.

Jessica Rae (8:20:18 PM): So, he wasn’t hallucinating it on his own, Kat DID …she was in his mind. But I think he could have stopped the “dream” sooner. Which is an interesting indication of his feelings.

Erin Brown (8:20:27 PM): With Stefan and Elena I think you always knew at some point they would end up back together and that Stefan wouldn’t stay in the Tomb for long..

Erin Brown (8:20:42 PM): It is definitely.

Jessica Rae (8:21:01 PM): The entire fear that people had about Damon taking advantage of Stefan locked away to get in good didn’t happen at ALL. Which is a bummer for me.

Erin Brown (8:21:05 PM): I mean, when push comes to shove you can’t ignore the fact that Kat and Elena are visually identical.

Jessica Rae (8:21:22 PM): Stefan was interested in Elena at first just because of that reason.

Jessica Rae (8:21:44 PM): And they always made it seem like Stefan WAS pining for Katherine. And then they switched it (or “revealed”) that he didn’t like Katherine at all anymore.

Erin Brown (8:21:53 PM): Absolutely, so I think he’s had that turmoil going on inside him a lot longer and a lot more than he cares to admit to himself or anyone else.

Jessica Rae (8:22:05 PM): But Kat can sense it. A girl KNOWS. Even an undead girl.

Erin Brown (8:22:48 PM): You are so right, lol. I think the reason Kat has been so bullet proof to this point has been her intuition.

Jessica Rae (8:23:08 PM): You mean the power is not in her large hair and tiny leggings?

Erin Brown (8:24:15 PM): Perhaps, less the hair, more in hair products. Seriously. I’m surprised Head & Shoulders haven’t come tomb knocking.

Jessica Rae (8:25:14 PM): Some hair company should really grab Nina Dobrev as their beauty spokeswoman, srsly.

Erin Brown (8:25:45 PM): I KNOW.

Erin Brown (8:26:08 PM): She is spectacular. So beautiful and just SUCH a dynamic actress.

Erin Brown (8:26:42 PM): That said, nobody has stolen the show more for me this season than Candice Accola.

Jessica Rae (8:27:34 PM): Although in this episode, I think Caroline was too compassionate in one sense. She knows (doesn’t she?) that a werewolf bit can kill a vampire and yet she played it pretty dangerously by being with Tyler as he changed.

Erin Brown (8:28:17 PM): She does, but I loved the fact that she’s like that.

Erin Brown (8:28:55 PM): We’ve seen so, so many emotions in this series, but compassion – to that degree especially – has been pretty rare.

Jessica Rae (8:30:13 PM): Yea, to the point where I do have to question the logic of her decision. There’s nothing she could do at a certain point. By letting the werewolf SEE her, I imagine it would only rile it up more. I am not saying she shouldn’t have been there, but being outside of the cave was much safer. Although it could smell her maybe, so that would still be dangerous. Can you tell I care for her safety?

Jessica Rae (8:30:46 PM): I’m not sure if vampires have a scent on this show. I realized last night that they DO have reflections.

Erin Brown (8:31:05 PM): And SUCH pretty reflections too.

Erin Brown (8:32:05 PM): Seriously. If I looked like Caroline Forbes, I would struggle not to stare in the mirror all day. I swear. Somewhere there’s a fairy tale missing its princess.

Erin Brown (8:32:43 PM): The scent question is interesting, actually – I was thinking about that myself.

Erin Brown (8:33:46 PM): Cause really, with werewolves, they’re…well dogs! Kinda hard to miss. But what would a vampire smell like?

Jessica Rae (8:34:01 PM): Candice is actually being suggested by many as the new Buffy in the Buffy movie that they’re making without Joss. That would be the one redeeming quality – if they cast Candice. I know I’ve heard Vlada (@stayingin) say she’d like to see Candice as Buffy. I’m all for that too.

Jessica Rae (8:34:19 PM): Well, death? Rotten death? Yet we’ve seen werewolves tracking vampires. Is that based on other senses?

Jessica Rae (8:34:45 PM): I feel like vampires MUST have a scent. Like how that one werewolf found Damon last night?

Erin Brown (8:36:05 PM): I think she just smelled Damon’s awesomeness and followed her nose.

Jessica Rae (8:36:32 PM): Maybe Damon wears cologne.

Erin Brown (8:36:46 PM): Ooooh, now THERE’S a topic.

Jessica Rae (8:37:02 PM): What kind of cologne would he wear? And why is he wearing it? I think he’s a metrosexual who likes the finer things in life!

Jessica Rae (8:37:39 PM): Stefan scents himself with the rugged scent of a wood burning fire.

Erin Brown (8:38:15 PM): Damon is a Dolce man, methinks.

Jessica Rae (8:39:38 PM): Or essential oils in Opium 😛

Erin Brown (8:39:58 PM): :O YES

Jessica Rae (8:40:25 PM): I also think that Caroline would wear Vera Wang: Princess becuase of the cute bottle and nice scent, even though I know the staying power is nil.

Jessica Rae (8:41:07 PM): Bonnie buys essential oils from Auric Blends, or maybe makes her own.

Jessica Rae (8:41:57 PM): Jenna wears Chance by Chanel, it’s trendy but makes her feel “adult.” And Elena borrows it.

Jessica Rae (8:42:05 PM): Ahaha, sorry. I just love the idea of guessing their scents.

Erin Brown (8:42:15 PM): Yes to Caroline’s. Either that or…Stella McCartney.

Erin Brown (8:42:20 PM): ME TOO.

Jessica Rae (8:42:22 PM): ALARIC WEARS SANDALWOOD though.

Erin Brown (8:42:41 PM): Yes but what does his hair wear?

Jessica Rae (8:42:47 PM): Ahahaha.

Jessica Rae (8:42:58 PM): I don’t know enough about men’s products. Aveda?

Erin Brown (8:43:35 PM): Heheheh. Anything that gives it body.

Erin Brown (8:43:47 PM): Seriously – that coif is INTENSE.

Erin Brown (8:44:02 PM): It’s the only one that rivals Katherine’s do.

Jessica Rae (8:44:19 PM): Rose obviously uses weird stuff on her hair. But – poor Rose! They’re killing her off, or at least making us think they are.

Jessica Rae (8:44:57 PM): I think fans are going to be driven a bit crazy when they see Damon doing anything to save another female who isn’t Elena.

Erin Brown (8:45:05 PM): Yes, poor Rose! And poor Lauren Cohan! She met her end in Supernatural at the hands of Hellhounds, and I don’t imagine a werewolf is much better!

Erin Brown (8:46:01 PM): Damon is in a bit of a tough spot I think.

Jessica Rae (8:46:11 PM): Lauren on Supernatural wasn’t supposed to be likable but I did connect with her character at the end. Here, with her as Rose I know her story and should feel bad, but I think I still don’t feel bad ENOUGH about her situation.

Jessica Rae (8:46:52 PM): Brother dies, friend dies, has no where to go, knows the guy she likes loves another girl, then gets bitten by a werewolf. She is not having a good year.

Erin Brown (8:47:47 PM): I agree – I feel bad for her as a character after everything. But I think it is important to be able to show what a werewolf bite actually does to a vampire, before we see it happen – if it happens – to one of our beloved regulars.

Jessica Rae (8:48:17 PM): Although, I might argue that it takes away some of the sensationalism of seeing it happen for the first time.

Erin Brown (8:48:32 PM): I have a feeling she was brought in almost to be the character of cautionary tale – the ‘this could happen to you’.

Jessica Rae (8:48:59 PM): Do you think Mason’s friend was really his friend? Or really went to school there? I had assumed only Katherine knew about Mason’s condition.

Erin Brown (8:49:25 PM): BUT my thinking is the way that the bite manifested itself afterwards? I don’t know. I just got the sense that maybe a ‘cure’ will be worked into the storyline at some point.

Erin Brown (8:49:32 PM): But that it will cost someone a LOT.

Jessica Rae (8:49:42 PM): Like their Kindle?!

Jessica Rae (8:49:45 PM): 😛

Erin Brown (8:49:51 PM): CHEEKY, lol

Jessica Rae (8:50:06 PM): I am not an advocate of Kindles, I like real books tyvm! And Emily would never put her Grimoire on a Kindle!

Jessica Rae (8:50:26 PM): No way can Bonnie think it’s normal for Luka’s Dad to have all those Grimoire’s, btw.

Erin Brown (8:50:34 PM): I know! Up with proper books, I say.

Erin Brown (8:51:29 PM): I was thinking more about how Luka would come into play actually.

Jessica Rae (8:51:43 PM): IS HE GOOD OR BAD? OR WILL HE CHANGE SIDES?

Erin Brown (8:52:35 PM): Not sure. In my perfect universe? There is a witch off.

Jessica Rae (8:52:53 PM): Where would this witch off duel take place?

Erin Brown (8:52:58 PM): Bonnie thinks that the only other place she can draw power from is another witch, right?

Jessica Rae (8:53:13 PM): Yes. But she hasn’t thought about deceased witches.

Erin Brown (8:53:32 PM): Luka and his Dad go after Bonnie. Bonnie is stuck and they are seeping her power. What does she do?

Jessica Rae (8:53:46 PM): The YMCA dance to throw them off their game.

Erin Brown (8:54:06 PM): HAHAHAHAHAH

Erin Brown (8:54:37 PM): But yes, I do believe the YMCA can be found on page 436 of Emily’s grimoire for emergency purposes.

Erin Brown (8:55:14 PM): She may have to break glass to get to it though. That sucker is DANGEROUS when done wrong.

Jessica Rae (8:55:44 PM): The power of the arts. SUPPORT THE ARTS IN YOUR SCHOOLS, PEOPLE.

Erin Brown (8:57:08 PM): Badly done YMCA dances are the number one cause of death on the average dance floor, you know.

Erin Brown (8:58:06 PM): BUT, as for Bonnie vs Luka in the Witch Off? I’d love it if Jeremy showed up and she drew her energy from him to defeat the bad guys.

Jessica Rae (8:58:22 PM): Oh, so you think she can get energy from other people in general?

Jessica Rae (8:58:30 PM): That’s very Buffy season 4.

Jessica Rae (8:58:53 PM): I think it probs has to be a witch. But why not deceased? Go to a graveyard! Grams, Emily, etc!

Erin Brown (8:59:06 PM): I think it needs to be bigger than that, than just getting it from other people in general.

Erin Brown (8:59:32 PM): Hah, going to a graveyard to get dead supes to help you out? That’s very Buffy Season 7! lol

Jessica Rae (8:59:44 PM): Well, that was a TOMB!

Jessica Rae (8:59:52 PM): She just needs an item that they owned, right?

Jessica Rae (9:00:12 PM): I was thinking of Charmed, how they’d have the ghosts appear. :-X Not that I watched that show ever in my life.

Jessica Rae (9:00:32 PM): I like that Bonnie and Jer tricked Elena with a test. How dumb does she think her friends ARE?

Erin Brown (9:01:11 PM): Actually, I’m a bit over Elena’s kamakaziness of late.

Jessica Rae (9:01:28 PM): She’s stubborn. I respect that as I am stubborn as well. 😛

Jessica Rae (9:02:22 PM): I also have a note that I really liked how “Klaus” is a household name now in the Gilbert house. Jeremy says it so casually.

Erin Brown (9:02:29 PM): True, although as for you, you might be stubborn to a point but you’re a pushover when it comes to Chinese food.

Erin Brown (9:02:40 PM): He does, and I love that.

Jessica Rae (9:02:54 PM): They could have kept me inside if they said they were ordering Chinese and had rented a movie with Keanu Reeves, true.

Erin Brown (9:03:38 PM): To be honest, I am LOVING what they’ve done with Jeremy as a character this season.

Erin Brown (9:03:48 PM): He’s so fearless.

Jessica Rae (9:04:29 PM): Based out of ignorance or a death wish. Cough.

Erin Brown (9:04:39 PM): Last week when he rushed into the tomb to get the moonstone, I wanted to sock him in the nose for being such an eejit but then put him on a white horse and give him a sunset to ride into.

Erin Brown (9:05:09 PM): No I think all his death wishiness is pretty much gone now.

Erin Brown (9:05:45 PM): Or at least seems to be.

Jessica Rae (9:06:04 PM): I don’t think he’s fearless. I think maybe he’s being brave, rather.

Erin Brown (9:06:31 PM): Yes, brave is better word you’re right.

Erin Brown (9:06:50 PM): But regardless of the others, this episode was ALL Tyler for me.

Jessica Rae (9:06:52 PM): My worry is that the show doesn’t want all of the characters (especially males) to all be heroes who can save the day. They already have the two main vampires, so I don’t think they want to make Jeremy as fully-fledged hero like that.

Jessica Rae (9:06:56 PM): Tyler who? 😛 KIDDING.

Erin Brown (9:07:07 PM): Do not EVEN.

Jessica Rae (9:07:13 PM): When he said he couldn’t do it, what did he think his option was? I don’t think he was suicidal.

Jessica Rae (9:07:34 PM): He may have been saying that last week. I forget. But I remember him saying that to Caroline.

Erin Brown (9:08:21 PM): I think it’s like when you’re faced with anything scary – saying you can’t do it is your way of saying you really really wish you didn’t dahve to.

Erin Brown (9:08:23 PM): *have

Jessica Rae (9:08:28 PM): Oooooh, smartness.

Jessica Rae (9:08:44 PM): YOU SOUND SO DEEP.

Erin Brown (9:09:08 PM): Really? I live on the top floor!

Jessica Rae (9:09:12 PM): Ahahahaha.

Erin Brown (9:09:13 PM): 😉

Jessica Rae (9:09:20 PM): Go live in a tomb with Tyler!

Jessica Rae (9:09:57 PM): You are already plotting out the floor plan, I can tell.

Erin Brown (9:10:04 PM): Sorry, what did you say? I JUST STARTED PACKING.

Jessica Rae (9:10:10 PM): Seeeee.

Erin Brown (9:10:54 PM): Trevino was a powerhouse this ep, though.

Jessica Rae (9:11:09 PM): But now we have to wait a while for more wolf stuff.

Erin Brown (9:11:42 PM): We do, but if this show has taught us anything it’s that somethings are ABSOLUTELY worth the wait.

Jessica Rae (9:11:59 PM): Are you implying I am impaaatient? 🙂 I am.

Erin Brown (9:12:29 PM): Hey listen – Imma planning to watch this ep til Jan 27 or it makes my mac blow up.

Jessica Rae (9:12:45 PM): Well, they have the Marathon airing on The CW in the interim. So that’s nice.

Erin Brown (9:13:10 PM): That would be great, if I lived where the CW was a network 😉

Jessica Rae (9:13:19 PM): Hehe, I know. 🙁

Erin Brown (9:13:33 PM): Thank goodness for S1 on DVD is all I can say.

Jessica Rae (9:14:00 PM): And you could read the books, if you haven’t already.

Erin Brown (9:15:12 PM): True. In all seriousness though, as frustrating as it is to wait, I think the the thing that this show really does have going for it is that as viewers, we can absolutely trust the writing team with what’s going to happen, and that what happens will be amazing.

Jessica Rae (9:16:14 PM): Agreed x a million.

Jessica Rae (9:16:39 PM): Any other notes on this episode?

Erin Brown (9:16:58 PM): Just that I think we have SO much to look forward to.

Jessica Rae (9:17:05 PM): The future is BRIGHT?

Erin Brown (9:17:31 PM): You gotta wear SHADES, baby 😉

Jessica Rae (9:17:51 PM): I’ll have to borrow some, I’m not used to TV shows being this good anymore ;p

Erin Brown (9:18:34 PM): I know – how sad is that! But on the upside, how blessed are WE!

Erin Brown (9:18:42 PM): If there’s one thing Kevin, Julie & co aren’t, it’s shark jumpers.

Erin Brown (9:19:43 PM): They have just mapped and planned out these intricate plots SO well. Nope. No fear at all – this show is just. going. to get. BETTER.

Jessica Rae (9:19:57 PM): Your optimism is sickening 😛

Jessica Rae (9:20:06 PM): I’m vomiting up rainbows as I type.

Erin Brown (9:20:33 PM): What the hell are you? A unicorn?

Jessica Rae (9:20:44 PM): Unicorns FART rainbows. I’m just a girl.

Jessica Rae (9:20:50 PM): Who ate rainbow candy.

The Vampire Diaries airs on The CW on Thursday nights. Make sure you don’t miss anything in our always exciting Vampire Diaries news and updates.

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