Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | 4 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Family Ties That Bind And Gag
By Cindy McLennan | Season 1 | Episode 13 | Aired on 02.04.2010
MFHS: Alaric reads Jonathan Gilbert's journal: I met Barnett and Giuseppe, this evening. I saw the skepticism in their eyes when I showed them the compass. We cut to...
Mystic Falls; 1864: Giuseppe (Salvatore; James Remar) can't believe a compass can track vampires. Barnett (Lockwood; Ric Reitz) says, "What is it -- magic?" Jonathan Gilbert (Joe Knezevich) scowls. "It's science." Barnett scowls right back at him. He'll believe it when he sees it. No you won't, Barnett. It really is an ACTUAL VAMPIRE COMPASS! No one can believe it. No one. Giuseppe interrupts their pissing match and tries to get them to discuss, "this church idea," but he's interrupted by Stefan, whose only purpose in this scene is to let us know who Giuseppe and Barnett are, and I've already done that, so why am I typing about this when I still have to finish the Lost recaps? I don't know, either. After Stefan bows out, the men get on Giuseppe to inform his sons and enlist them in the Anti-Vamp Crusade. Giuseppe says they can count on both his boys. Being a parent sucks, sometimes, especially when you totally misjudge your sprog.
MFHS; Present Day: Alaric photocopies Jonathan's journal. I cheer his common sense, while my husband grumbles about that not being good for such an old, fragile document, and he's neither librarian nor archivist, so I don't know why the hell he cares, so let's move on, shall we? Alaric then wisely locks up the photocopies in his locker. More common sense. But hark, upon my sense comes a fierce hubbub, which would make me fear, could I be frightened. 'Tis Anna, who is lurking around the hallways like a thing that lurks, which is what she is. Alaric heads back to his classroom and throws the journal down on the desk. He's looking down when a figure silently zips past his door, but it catches his eye. He comes out into the hall and yells "Hello" and asks if there's anyone there. Anna hides in the shadows, watching him. He then stomps off to his locker and grabs a gun of some sort. He heads into his classroom and shoots a big honking stake at the trespasser -- who catches it, because that trespasser is Stefan Salvatore -- scariest vampire in Mystic Falls. Commercial.
After the break, Stefan, who is standing by Alaric's desk, seems to be suppressing a smirk as Alaric loads another stake into the gun. But then, Stefan pulls a Stealth-Salvatore, such that he is standing right behind Alaric in the entryway. He calmly says, "You shouldn't have done that," and then throws Alaric to the floor. On his way down, Alaric takes out a couple of desks. Stefan strolls toward him as he rises to his feet. "Have a seat." Alaric reluctantly sinks into a chair and waits for the worst to come. Stefan examines the nifty shotgun. "What is this? Compressed air?" Oh man, he's a scary sonuvabitch. He went from calm to violent to icy to bemused in about 30 seconds and he's not yet done. "Did you make it yourself?" Alaric is speechless so Stefan asks him who he is. When Alaric still doesn't answer, Stefan reassures him, even as he warns him again. "I'm not going to hurt you... unless you try that again." As a sign of good faith, he hands the gun back to a shocked Alaric and asks him again who he is. Alaric, who undoubtedly needs fresh undies by now, says, "I'm a teacher." When Stefan asks if they're going to have to do this the hard way, Alaric says he's also a historian and he made a few discoveries about Virginia during his research. Stefan says, "So you show up like Van Helsing," and basically tells him to cut the crap, so he does. His wife was a parapsychologist who spent her life researching activity in the area; she was killed by a vampire, and her work led Alaric to Mystic Falls. Stefan asks where Jonathan Gilbert's journal is. Alaric says it's on his desk. Stefan says, "No, it's not." Alaric looks over and says that it was. We cut to...