V is for Vampire Diaries #AtoZChallenge

I have started accidentally watching Vampire Diaries.

I know. I KNOW. Believe me, I know.

I know this brings up a lot of questions.

First, how does one accidentally watch a show? Second, vampires? Third, seriously VAMPIRES??? I mean, honestly. I know it’s a pandemic and all, but whew.

The first question is easy. My daughter is the one actually watching Vampire Diaries and because there is just the one TV and the one living room/work area, I am often in the room while she’s watching it.

For people who know me well, the vampire thing is a real conundrum because I hate vampires. I mean, I *hate* them. I HATE THEM. SO MUCH. And yet, this stupid show has sucked me in. Do you know why? Because it’s a really, really good teen soap opera. My biggest love combined with my biggest hate.

It probably doesn’t hurt that the vampires are all very, very good looking.

And that the show doesn’t fall into the trap of having ugly monsters. I mean, that helps.

THE POINT IS this stupid show keeps sucking me in. Enough so that I have a favorite character (Caroline) and that I have a definite opinion on how the show should end (with all the vampires dead dead dead). (I am #TeamHuman forever and always.) Enough so that I noticed that (spoiler alert but not really) all the Black characters who aren’t Bonnie wind up dead. (Me literally any time a new Black character shows up: “Welp, s/he’s going to die.”)

Even though I hate the stupid love triangle, I have to admit that it’s pretty well done. I mean, insofar as a creepy vampire love triangle with some old dudes stuck at the same age fighting over the affections of a teenage girl can be.

It sounds like I don’t like the show, but, sigh, I do. More importantly, though, it gives me and my daughter something to talk about. She is on season four and even though I’m not watching every single episode with her, I know enough to ask the right questions for her to discuss what’s happening in the show. I also know enough for her to go on her sometimes very long rants about the characters or the plot.

Of course, as of this posting, she has gotten angry at the show and stopped watching, which means I may never find out how it ends. She told me she knows who Elena chooses so she just can’t deal with any of them anymore. I don’t know what Elena has to do with my faves Caroline and Bonnie, but whatever.

See what I mean? This show gives both of us something fun to focus on and a small distraction throughout our day. So even though it has gross ridiculously good-looking vampires being ridiculously good-looking gross, I guess I’ll take it.

For this year’s A to Z Challenge, I have decided that I’m going to focus on my survival/coping strategies while practicing social distancing. What are the things that make it bearable? What helps alleviate my stress and fear–or at least what distracts me from both? Tune in tomorrow to see what I choose for W!