Are the people who write that this is a great show, seeing the same thing I am?
3.0
"Bad"
The only major character who seems to be making any kind of decision based on thought and plan is Damon. The others come off as stupid.
Let's list the bad decisions they made:
Starting with Stefan. Right at the start, instead of chasing his murderous brother before he feeds let's not forget, by killing people- and getting his strength back, and again becoming an unstoppable threat, Stefan stops to explain it all to Elena.
I've been an outspoken proponent of Stefan telling Elena everything from the start, stating that if he truly loved her he would have long before now. But that exact instant was not the time. It was more important to save lives than try and convince Elena that he meant her no harm, and not to hate him.
Get over yourself, Buddy.
Then later, instead of chasing Vicki into the night, he doesn't stay to protect Elena, knowing full well that come dark, Damon's first port of call would be Elena.
Damon didn't kill Elena, but no thanks to Stefan.
Then there was Elena's poor decision-making, not the least of which was, having discovered on her own what Stefan was, adding two-and-two together and realising that the many recent deaths were not wild animal related, and knowing that Stefan has obviously been dishonest with her in not telling her the truth before now, and so likely untrustworthy, she sets off in the middle of the night telling no one- just to ask Stefan, "what are you?" despite already knowing the answer.
Switch scenes back to her own house a little later, instead of telling her brother everything, in order to protect him from the turning Vicki who she has just been told will crave human blood- she stays downstairs humouring her teen-angst in discussion with Stefan.
Bad decision number three for Elena, she doesn't tell her ex-boyfriend, Vicki's brother, either.
When the secret was finally out, I also expected that there would be a lot more questions asked by Elena, questions like:
"Why didn't you tell me earlier, so I would have not invited Damon into the house?" and
"How do I now uninvited a vampire into the house?" and "What can I do to protect myself, my brother and the rest of my family and friends from Damon/vampires?" and "How do we stop Vicki, now that she is turned?" and
"Why shouldn't I tell the rest of the town, to protect them?" etc.
(The next person Damon or Vicki kills, who could have been forewarned by Elena, is actually on her head. America has a sex-register, so that communities are forewarned about dangerous sexual predators, and Elena can't take a leaf out of this book and warn her community about Damon, an even worse predator.)
Instead, we see her crying against her door after she dumped Stefan, crying her lost love. I just wanted someone to go up and shake her, and say, "Grow the hell up, girl, you have a whole lot more to worry about than lost love with someone who is an entirely different species."moreless