Rehab isn’t as glamorous as the movies make it out to be. There’s no massage room or fluffy pillows on every surface. Instead, you’re force-feeding yourself six times a day, using boxes upon boxes of tissues to wipe your weary eyes, and spilling your innermost secrets to a near stranger. Any free time is spent writing about everything you’ve kept so expertly over the years or sleeping. Because being emotionally vulnerable 24/7 is freaking exhausting. Things are different within the walls of Castlewood. When you say, “I’m fine,” everyone immediately knows you’re not. When you break down during a meal, no one bats an eye. Everyone is so simultaneously afraid of rejection that making friends is difficult at first, but once you break down the walls, you know you’ve found an ally for life. I’ve been so thankful for the friendships I’ve been able to accrue inside and outside of Castlewood. I can honestly say that for maybe once in my life, I have a solid support system. And that’s such a relief to say.
Because there’s hardly any time to breathe, my Hulu queue has been left hideously unattended. There are currently 31 lovely beauties waiting to be watched. This is also why I’m only now completely caught up with The Vampire Diaries and I have some things to say. This is isn’t just relevant to TVD, but I’ve never understood why so many television shows use the “incestuous friend group” tactic. Take it from experience; if you’ve slept with every single member of the opposite sex in your friend group, it does not end well. It is awkward. Parties are horrible. Girls talk. Boys talk. I don’t need to know that so-and-so “knows what they’re doing” or other intimate details. And your fellow friends suffer from the sexual tension. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody, not even the fictional lives I’m privy to onscreen.
Save for Jeremy, Miss Forbes will have been with all of the male leads. No slut shaming or whatever, but really? Her and Damon will definitely never happen again. The door seems, at least, temporarily closed with Matt. Klaus ain’t coming back (thank God). And I don’t think I have my Forwood blinders on when I say that their relationship is far from over and I’m still convinced the Stelena will be endgame. I understand that you bounce around a lot during your high school/college years, but surely there’s someone viable outside of your immediate group. Like I’m positive that there’s people outside the walls of the Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. We already have the main triangle to deal with. We don’t need the extra drama between Caroline/Elena and Stefan/Tyler that’s bound to come from this. This also applies to Bamon because that would make absolutely zero sense giving the current story.
There’s not enough male-female friendships and strictly friendships on television these days. And Stefan and Caroline have a perfect example of one. Not every friendship needs to turn romantic and there is such a thing as intersex platonic relationships. I’m not going to argue that them becoming a couple would ruin their friendship, because it potentially wouldn’t, but in the TVD universe it would cause more harm than good.
Watching 90210 and how Silver was basically passed from guy to guy made me sick. She was originally presented as far too independent to even think about relying on her significant others. Her poor character suffered a character assassination I’m afraid that is what is going to happen with Caroline. Caroline is my favorite character on TVD. Ever since becoming kick-ass vampire Barbie and lost the dumb blonde trope, she’s often the voice of reason on the show. I understand that bringing in new characters for love interests doesn’t often it well with the viewers, but it doesn’t sit right with me that she has such little awareness of their group dynamic.
Don’t get my wrong, I am a massive fan of the best friends-turned-lovers trope, but I also truly appreciate the dynamic of close male/female friendships. Juliette and Avery, George and Izzie, Liam and Silver, (to name a few), all had well-written, deep friendships until they threw in the love card. Then it’s zero to 60. They’re best friends, then they’re in love. Because there’s no middle ground. And if adding Stefan into the mix is going to be an opportunity to add another love triangle, please just cancel the show now. I appreciate a good love triangle, (completely guilty) but even I can admit when you’ve gone completely love triangle crazy.
Dear TVD writers, you have such a great platform with the Steroline friendship. Please do not take it to “the next step” for the sake of ratings or the sake of fans. Deal with the current relationships you have brewing before taking on any new ones.
