The Vampire Diaries 1.18 “Under Control” Recap

David Anders joined the cast of The Vampire Diaries last night and, damn, did he bring some crazy revelations with him, as well!!!!

The Set Up

Stefan gets his body back in shape by working out in ways that a million young women will keel over and die from. But here comes Damon to spoil the mood by mocking his brother for drinking human blood from the blood bank, which to him isn’t a bad thing. Stefan says that it is still wrong and that he is getting his blood lust back in check. Damon toys with Stefan with his own glass of blood and showing us that Stefan’s ‘resolve’ is as shaky as a Hollywood marriage post award season.

Elena, Jeremy, and Jenna get an extremely unwelcome guest in the form of Jon Gilbert (special guest star David Anders), Elena and Jeremy’s uncle through their late father. He has come to do business in town, which includes fighting Jenna’s sale of Dr. Gilbert’s office, despite the place being left to Elena and Jeremy. Jon reminds Jenna that he is the estate’s trustee and I smell an inevitable punk in Jon Gilbert, because I am over him already.

At school, we find out not only has Vicki’s memorial and funeral come and gone, but that Matt seems to be okay with it all. Um… yeah! But Jeremy and Tyler aren’t so keen to let the mystery of Vicki’s death go as they have a conversation on how she died and why was she buried like an animal. Thanks, guys!

At a swank looking house, a Founders meeting is being held with Damon in attendance along with Sheriff Forbes, Mayor Lockwood, and many others. There is another guest there as well and it is Jon Gilbert, who brings news of blood bag thefts from the hospital in the neighboring town over. There has also been reports of missing people as well. Pearl’s clan has been busy as hell it seems! Damon is preoccupied that Elena has an uncle he didn’t know about, while I am being wigged out by Jon Gilbert, period.

Alaric informs Elena on Jeremy’s paper about vampires; and why he’s just showing her now is beyond me. Elena panics cause she doesn’t want her family to know about the existence of vampires, but if she only knew how late she was on that little scenario. Alaric also voiced his disapproval of Elena dating Stefan, but in the vein of Bella Swan and Sookie Stackhouse, Elena’s answer is the same ole “he’s different” mantra.

Jon talks Gilbert tradition with Jeremy over dinner, while Jenna whines in the background. When Jeremy asks why Jenna is so damn bitter towards his uncle, Jon simply says that they slept together. Jenna balks, but for some not too strange reason, I actually believe him. Jon further explains that the Gilberts should be in attendance since they are a part of the town’s history and Jeremy should take pride in that. Hmmm….

Elena vents to Stefan about Jeremy’s growing interest in vampires and how she really hasn’t been involved with her brother’s life and vice versa. She spills that Jeremy is still in the dark about her adoption, which leads Stefan to suggest that she reveal that knowledge to see where Jeremy’s head is. Elena then switches the convo to Stefan’s health, which the brooding vamp says is fine sans jitters and what not. They then decide to make out, but Stefan starts to vamp out, nearly losing control until he throws himself off Elena and into a wall. I say there should be a volunteer restraining order in check between these two, for now.

Tyler Has A Mrs. Robinson Moment At Matt’s Expense

It’s time for another Founders Ball, of some sort, and this time Kelly and Matt are welcomed wholeheartedly by the Lockwood clan. Kelly thinks its full of crap, but Matt doesn’t let it bother him. Later, Kelly decides to have a drink, courtesy of Tyler, who tells Kelly that he treated Vicki like crap and was sorry for it. She forgives him with her tongue down his throat. He obliges. Unfortunately, Matt and Elena walks in on this redux of “The Graduate,” causing Matt to lose his damn mind. He tackles Tyler, who sends Matt reeling into Kelly with some type of uncanny strength. Could it be supernatural? Who knows? As Tyler punches the crap out of Matt, Alaric comes and breaks it up. Mayor Lockwood attempts to settle down the crowd and save some of his dignity that was just shattered in only his eyes.

Later while party guests are leaving, Mayor Lockwood confronts Tyler about his actions earlier. Tyler apologizes in an honorable manner only to be slapped by his father. DAAAAMMMMMMMNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!! Mayor Lockwood warns Tyler to never embarrass the family name again and I can only pray that Lockwood realizes that there is a full moon outside. Werewolf Tyler, please, come forth!!!!!

Back at the Donovan household, Matt has had it. He tells Kelly to go crawl back under the rock she came from, but Kelly pleads that changes can’t be made over night. So, Matt tells her to be gone by morning. Ouch…

Jeremy Gilbert, Boy Detective/Vampire Hunter

To get into Jeremy’s mind, Elena decides that it is time for the both of them to talk and catch up. But I don’t think Jeremy is ready to learn that his sister was adopted, but Elena and the writes do so we should roll with it. Jeremy takes it in stride and even jokes about the situation. Then Elena asks about his interests in vamps all of a sudden, which Jeremy shrugs off as just an interesting subject. So much about catching up, kids.

During the Founders party, Jeremy decides to approach Sheriff Forbes about the circumstances surrounding Vicki’s death. When she doesn’t reveal anything else and keeps up the lie that Vicki O.D.’d, Jeremy becomes upset. After getting word from Damon about Jeremy’s snooping, Elena begs for her brother to forget the case and to let it go. But a few choice words from Elena clues Jeremy in that his sister knows more than what she is letting on.

Jeremy leaves the party early and returns home to raid Elena’s room for her diary. When he does find it, he begins to read it and I bet top dollar that he wish he hadn’t. When Elena returns home, she knows something is up, but Jeremy won’t reveal his knowledge to her. I think Jon Gilbert just got himself a sidekick…

Stefan Falls Off The Wagon And has Fun For A Change…

The morning after Stefan’s mishap in bed, Elena calls Damon over to discuss Stefan’s behavior. Damon tells Elena so much without revealing that Stefan has fallen off the wagon, and that it hasn’t been pretty. What he does tell Elena is that if she thinks that Stefan doesn’t have two sides to him, then she is highly strung out on a drug herself called ‘denial’. Meanwhile, Stefan has come to use alcohol as a means to suppress his hunger for human blood. Talk about irony!

At the party, Elena notices that Stefan is less brooding and more celebratory (thanks to him being drunk as hell) to the point that he wants to dance and dance he does! But when some jackhole bumps into Elena and berates her for it, Stefan steps in and compels the man to apologize. The action frightens Elena and she reports it to Damon, who tells her to relax. Later, Damon kills Stefan’s buzz about something he did (which I will get to later), but something else gets Stefan’s attention. He hears the rapid heartbeat of someone and smells their blood and that someone happens to Kelly, who has a gash on her head from the fight. While Stefan tends to a sobbing Kelly, he takes a sample of her blood and leaves before Kelly freaks out. When he got outside, he licks the blood from his hands and I shake my head, because this is going to be a real problem.

Stefan tries to leave the party, but the jackhole from earlier wants to pick this time to make up for being punked out at the party. Stefan brings the man to his knees by cracking the fist the guy lunged towards Stefan’s face. The scene cuts away before we can see if the vamped out Stefan decided to feed on the mongrel. Later as Stefan stands over the motionless body of the jackhole, Elena comes looking for him and he disappears. Elena finds the jackhole and it turns out that Stefan only compelled him. WHEW!!!!

After Elena gets home, she finds Stefan in her room and he breaks down and reveals everything to Elena involving his newfound bloodlust. She calms him down, saying that they will figure it out, but Stefan is not so sure.

When Stefan returns home, Damon taunts him some more and, again, leaves a glass of blood behind. This time, Stefan shamefully drinks it… and enjoys it.

SMDH…

Uncle Jon and His Bag of Tricks and Secrets…

Damon spots Sheriff Forbes at the Founders party looking smashing and can’t help but to flirt with her. After exchanging flirts, Forbes reveals that Jon Gilbert’s warnings are sound and that they have a problem. Do they ever not have a problem?

While Damon contemplates his next move outside, Jon decides to introduce himself to Damon, but in the process, Jon starts asking questions and we know Damon hates those. Then Jon starts getting cocky and drops the bombshell that he knows about the Salvatore brothers’ secret!!!!!! Damon warns the cocky guy to keep his mouth shut, but with that much ammo to destroy what the Salvatore brothers have salvaged, a warning is a risky move. So Damon snaps Jon’s neck and throws him off the balcony. Problem solved, right? Hell no. Why? Because five minutes later, Jon walks back into the party without a scratch on him. WHAT THE F@#K?!?!?!?!

Damon is flabbergasted to the point that he converses with Alaric, filling his nemesis in on Jon’s little trick, since Alaric can do the same thing. They both notice that Jon is also wearing a ring like Alaric’s and the two decide to see what the hell is going on since Alaric got his ring from Isobel. Plus, Damon deducted that Jon has to have some sort of connection to Isobel, since Dr. Grayson Gilbert took care of Isobel when she was with child.

The two men find Jon and confront him about his resurrection and this is when bomb after bomb drops on our heads. Jon claims that not only does the ring belong in the family, but that the one he is wearing is actually Dr. Grayson’s. Where is his own ring? On Alaric’s finger, because Jon gave his ring to Isobel. WOW!!!!!!

But that’s not it folks.

Jon reveals that it was he who sent Isobel to Damon to be turned into a vampire and that he knows about Katherine, but doesn’t reveal her whereabouts. I never thought I would find myself to say this, but Jon Gilbert is a dangerous foe for Damon and Stefan and I hope someone stops him.

Ai Yi Yi!!!!!

From The Journals of the Founders

– David Anders is a great addition to this cast as Jon Gilbert, a perfect foil and equal to Damon. God knows what the hell this man knows!!!!! I slick want to think that Jon could be Elena’s father, but I am not sure about that one, because of the DNA that proved that Elena wasn’t a Gilbert. A little out the loop about paternal testing so can someone help me out there please?

– I be that when Tyler turns into a wolf for the first time, it will be unexpected and awesome all at once.

– I have a feeling that Stefan’s human bloodlust will last till the finale and it will get uglier each week.

– Still no Bonnie. I want to cry.

– Jeremy is about to do something reckless and stupid. I can smell it.

See you all next week!!!!!