After a season that has been surprisingly mediocre so far, ‘The Cell’ reminds me why I fell in love with this show in the first place. There’s suspense, torture, some sexual tension and surprises at every turn. What more could we ask for?

Let’s bitch it out…

There’s nothing quite like a good Damon (Ian Somerhalder) episode. Whenever I settle in for a tale about his past, I know that there’s going to be a twist, there’s going to be death and that Elena (Nina Dobrev) is going to judge him – no matter how many times she promises that she won’t. This time is no different. She is fine when he tells her about slaughtering the people at the party, and doesn’t even seem that surprised when he tells her how he had to leave Enzo (Michael Malarkey) behind to die. But as soon as Aaron (Shaun Sipos’) family comes in to play, Elena puts on her holier-than-thou hat and the judgement begins. So clearly, what we are supposed to take away from this is that Elena is fine with the murder, as long as it doesn’t touch people that she knows. She has a connection with Aaron, so learning that Damon is the reason he is an orphan just like her is too much for her.

It’s a tough one though, because Elena is trying to live the good life and not be a murderer. She has been trying to turn Damon in to a kindler, gentler version of himself for five seasons now. So hearing that he murdered an innocent woman since they’ve been together has got to be a hard hit. But you know what? He is who he is. It’s no secret that Damon can be a merciless killer when he wants to be. So why is she trying so hard to change him? Shouldn’t she love him as he is, warts and all (so to speak)? Isn’t this why she broke up with my beloved Stefan (Paul Wesley)? She said he was trying to change her and make her back in to the old human Elena and couldn’t accept how she is now. Will the hypocrite in the room please stand up! Elena needs to grow a pair and deal with the fact that this is the person she chose. Sometimes its not pretty, but he’s never been dishonest about who he is.

So clearly we aren’t supposed to like the Augustine doctors. Torture, confinement, and parading around the vampires like circus freaks are not exactly admirable qualities. But the fact remains that they want to use the vampires to try to heal people and stop the killing. I understand that the methods are awful, but what about all the people Damon has tortured and killed in his day? Are we being just like Elena and saying that we side with Damon because we know him, as opposed to all his victims that we didn’t have a connection with? Sigh. Big questions tonight on The Vampire Diaries.

Talk about sexual tension between Katherine (Nina Dobrev) and Stefan! Wow. I may have jumped ship (pun intended) from the Stelena camp in to… whatever the shippers out there are calling the Katherine/Stefan camp. Kafan? Steferine? Hmm.. I’m going to have to research this one a little more if I’m going to be a permanent transplant in to this ship. Maybe these two are the dopplegangers that are fated to be together and it isn’t Stefan and Elena like I originally thought. It makes sense because Katherine was around before Elena was. Guess we will have to see how Katherine’s speedy aging is going to play in to this season.

Other Observations:

• I. LOVE. ENZO. Please please tell me that he is going to be a series regular. The guy is perfection. I need more Enzo in my life. And Damon needs a friend. And Enzo definitely does since he has been in that torture house for decades upon decades now. As happy as I am to see him alive, my heart breaks to realize how much he has been going through for all these years!
• I haven’t had enough Caroline (Candice Accola) in my life lately. She is quirky and funny and a joy to watch. I miss her. And I’m glad she barely wasted a second missing Tyler (Michael Trevino) when he left her again. He doesn’t deserve it, and it was cutting in to the Caroline comedy that I so look forward to.
• An episode with no Bonnie (Kat Graham) makes this reviewer very happy. Though this time, that meant no Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) either. Which makes me wonder which one I’m willing to deal with. But I think that I like Jeremy more than I hate Bonnie, so here’s hoping they’re back again next week. What’s the point of saving the town witch if she can’t help save her best friend from a weird torture chamber?

Did you like tonight’s episode as much as I did? Did you love Enzo as much as I did? How do you think Elena will handle being tortured? Do you think Stefan and Katherine can work now that she’s human and not as selfish? Sound off below!

The Vampire Diaries airs on Thursdays at 8pm EST on The CW.