‘The Ties That Bind’ begins with another witchy premonition by our fabulous Bonnie Bennett – a creepy cemetary. a coffin and a surprise from Klaus. Pretend-Klaus says “I’ve figured out how to open it. Can you?” and zips toward her. Suddenly she wakes up to find herself IN the coffin – trapped and with her witchy spells failing, until some random woman opens it. What?

"Guurrrll, this is crazy!"

Bonnie shows Elena where the coffins are and Stefan ain’t happy. Turns out the random woman opening the coffin is Bonnie’s mum Abby. Elena and Bonnie try to track down mama through a trillion Bennett profiles, but Damon beats them to it with his compulsion (cheat). Bonnie notices the tension between Elena and Damon, to which Damon spurts out: ”We kissed, now it’s weird” (Bonnie’s face = priceless). Tyler comes over to apologize to Caroline, and Daddy Forbes is back! To help Tyler gain control over his sire bond, and to make a wrong right. Sweet.

Dr Fell and Alaric have lunch together, and Damon waltzes in to get the low-down on her. He mentions the death of Meredith’s ex-boyfriend – and that we might want to be a little suspect of her. Stefan comes home to find a Klaus on his couch (can I PLEASE come home to find Joseph Morgan on my couch? That’d be great, thanks). Klaus brings up their stalemate, and both push each other’s buttons a bit (they’d make the cutest couple. Just saying).

How do mum's always manage to look so good in these shows? Babe!

Bonnie asks Elena about the kiss (of COURSE it would have been good, it’s IAN-FREAKING-SOMERHALDER) and Elena asks Stefan to butt out but he’s got plans of his own when it comes to Abby Bennett. Klaus speaks with Daniel-hybrid and asks him if he’s clear on what he needs to do – which ends up being to visit Mum-Bennett (how did Klaus gain this info? That sneaky, gorgeous hybrid).

Elena and Bonnie show up on the doorstep and meet Jamie (what a cutie); Mum-Bennett walks in and meets Bonnie (love the awkwardness of these meetings). Dad-Forbes tells Tyler that to gain his freedom he’s gotta willfully turn into a wolf – ouchie. We find out that Mum-Bennett was the one who put Mikael in the coffin (how INTERESTING!) because he came to visit Elena 15 years ago.

Elena takes a little wander and bumps into Stefan (such a hot meanie), while Damon snoops into Meredith’s life.  Damon is looking out for Ric (naw) and drills her on whether she’s a psychopath – and then gets himself vervained. Oh no. Meredith takes a vial of his blood (what?) and we jump back to Dad-Forbes’ detox with Tyler.  Bonnie asks Mum-Bennett why she didn’t come home – and then finds out about Grams’ death. She offers Bonnie her help – which backfires when Jamie shoots Stefan and Mum-Bennett knocks Bonnie out. Uh oh.

Damon tells a sweaty, babe-a-licious Ric that Meredith vervained and blooded him, while Jamie ties up Elena and Mum-Bennett steals Bonnie and gives her to Daniel-hybrid. Tyler breaks free of his chains and jumps on Dad-Forbes (oh my WORD!). Elena lures Jamie over to gun-thwack him over the head, and then she pulls the wooden bullets out of Stefan.

Have I mentioned how hot I am?

Klaus stumbles upon Damon checking out the coffins – and the witches cast some juju on him, but cave when he threatens the Bennett line – and they reveal … 3 of them? Damon has hidden the fourth coffin and apparently that’s all that Klaus wants (what is IN IT?). Elena continues to pull the bullets out of Stefan, to which he mentions that she’s changed – and it’s good. Elena then tells him about the kiss with Damon – and is that sadness we see on Stefan’s face? His silence speaks volumes. Heart. Breaks.

We discover that Dr Fell is not what she seems – she puts vampire blood into her patients (at least Daddy-Forbes is okay!) and Elena and Stefan share a sad conversation. “You’re better than him Elena. You’re better than both of us”. Actually, he’s pretty right.

Mum-Bennett and Bonnie have a kind chat, while Dad-Forbes gets a visit from Tyler. He tells Tyler he’s a long way off to being cured. Lots of pain in order to be near Caroline. Fair deal I say.

"I'm tired, I've just recovered from being bulleted, and I'm going to punch you now."

Ric shares his secret with Meredith and me-not-like-them-kissing. Elena interrupts it (good) and she tells Ric it’s okay to move on from Jenna. Dislike dislike dislike. Damon gets a right-royal punch from Stefan and HOLD UP – ELIJAH IS BACK! BOOYAH!

So what did we think TVD-ers? Did you jump like mad with Elijah’s reappearance? Were you sad for Stefan? And I’m just wondering – is it wrong that I’ve never thought about Mum-Bennett before? Like, EVER? Fire off in the comments below, and tune in for my recap next week!

"I'm bound honey. Bound to a man who doesn't love me like you do."

Our episode begins hot and steamy – Damon is in the shower, and he’s very naked and very happy (wonder why). Meanwhile Elena is taking a very different approach to working through her feelings; she’s knocking the wind out of a punching bag. Stefan strolls in to tell Damon they’re meeting Bonnie at the old witch house, while Alaric asks Elena what’s got her all worked up. Elena (for the moment) is sure that she’s made the right decision concerning Jeremy, and Bonnie is trying her darnedest to get the mystery coffin to open.

Damon and Stefan stumble upon a stray hybrid lurking in the witch house (Damon quote: “These hybrids. They’re really bringing the neighbourhood down”), and Elena tells Bonnie that she had Damon compel Jeremy outta town – which does NOT go down well with her. Damon bangs the mystery coffin with a shovel (yes, that’ll work Damon) and then Stefan comes up with a crazy-mad-psychotic-insane plan to call Klaus’ bluff (Damon quote: “The only way to call someone’s bluff Stefan is to be willing to lose everything if you’re wrong”) which he apparently decides is worth the risk. Yikes.

"I was your only bitch. Now you've betrayed me. I shall kill the others."

Bonnie has a little chat with Jeremy about him leaving, and Tyler and Caroline have a similarly sad (but more depressing, in my opinion) chat about Tyler’s bond to Klaus and how sorry he is that they can’t be together (*wails*). Cut to Klaus telling Kim-hybrid to put Rebekah in her room, and then a surprise visit from Stefan. Stefan tells Klaus he wants his hybrids gone (Klaus quote: “I get a little moody”) and the two threaten each other until Stefan lashes out and kills Kim-hybrid (aww). For the first time (I think) Klaus looks a little worried.

Matt, Bonnie and Elena surprise Caroline for her 18th birthday, but she shares the reasons why she doesn’t want to celebrate: “Now it’s just a reminder that technically I’m dead… I am stuck in a filler year”. Cue back to Klaus (who spotted Daniel Newman? Carrying a Kim-head too. Ugh) who demands that Tyler bite Caroline. Tyler tells Klaus to go screw himself (sort of. Basically) while our favorite Dalaric bromance chat about council meetings and “dimmed-switch” Stefan. To help Caroline’s birthday misery out, Elena alters the plans to give her a ‘funeral’ instead. The three toast some wine and blow out the candles. It was rather poetic, I thought.

"Happy funeral!"

Ric mentions that something is up with Elena, to which Damon responds that it must have to do with Stefan. Dr Fell shocks Ric by mentioning the town’s ‘vampire problem’ (let’s be honest, we knew she had to know something) and the two share a bit of flirty chatter. Speaking of flirty chatter – Klaus crashes the party and schmoozes all over Carol. Damon quote: “Carol, don’t take this the wrong way, but do you realize that you’re kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who ruined your son’s life?” haha, oh Damon. Klaus asks Damon to control Stefan (ha, fat chance of that happening).

Cut back to our funeral party-goers, where a text to Tyler turns into a nasty remark about Elena taking Jeremy’s choices away. Matt (ever the hero) tries to diffuse things, but Bonnie leaves instead. Sheriff Forbes joins Klaus’ side in the quest to control Stefan, while Ric makes a heroic intervention between Dr Fell and Brian (old boyfriend? Truly?). Stefan makes a rash decision and stabs Daniel-hybrid, before Damon pulls him off. Stefan quote: “No, to beat the villain Damon, you have to be the better villain” … not entirely sure I agree with this logic, but oh well.

Tyler crashes the funeral do, and Matt tells Elena he believes they’re all stuck in this supernatural life (so wise Matt, so wise). Tyler and Caroline share an “I love you” and kiss, but it doesn’t end well – with a little nip, Caroline is bitten and she tells Tyler to get away. Matt and Elena search for her, but then Stefan zips in and throws Matt against a wall and kidnaps Elena in his car (what are you DOING mad vamp??). Klaus finds this all very amusing (AND he ships Stelena? Who else noticed that?) but Damon is insistent that he do what Stefan says.

"You must bite her minion." "I won't I tell you!"

Caroline is dying from the bite and Stefan threatens Elena with the option of turning her into a vampire – and then my heart stops as Elena screams “Stefan stop!” and Klaus yells “Stop the car Stefan!” while Stefan screeches crazily to a stop just on the edge of Wickery Bridge. Stefan tries to explain to a distraught Elena that if he knows Klaus’ weakness, he can destroy him – which is apparently all he has left. I disagree Stefan, and I agree with Elena – you DID have her, but you chose to ignore that fact and go all ridiculous and Rippah-ry. Gah, that scene angered me.

Klaus shows up on the Forbes’ doorstep to give Caroline a birthday present – his blood. Joseph Morgan was pure delight in this scene – and Candice Accola more beautiful than ever. Klaus explains to Caroline why he loves birthdays, and gives her the choice – take his blood and live, or die. She chooses to live, and I’ll admit that I only just got the two as the ‘shipping’ pair Joseph Morgan wanted.

"We got ourselves a funeral party! How dope!"

Damon tells Elena that Stefan won the round for them today, despite the methods he employed. Elena tells Damon he can’t kiss her again – “It’s not right” to which Damon responds – “It’s just not right now”. Oh Delena. Happy feelings.

Bonnie scurries in to say goodbye to Jeremy (nooo, stay Jer! Pretty please?), while Caroline opens the present Klaus left her – a bracelet that puts Tyler’s to shame (sorry Ty). Elena and Matt chat about “being stuck”, and Matt tells her it’s okay to let her old self go. Matt gives her a mini eulogy, and she does look relieved indeed.

And then lastly, after Ric and Dr Fell share a drink, we are led to a crime scene – typical for Mystic Falls yes? Well, actually no… because this time it’s just plain old murder. What?

There you have it my TVD fans! What did we think of ‘Our Town’? Were you as buzzed/confused/excited/depressed/conflicted as I was after seeing it? Do you like the idea of Klaroline? Who do you think left the dead body? And what will Stefan do next in his wacko-mindset? I guess we will find out, in this week’s episode!

And yes, Klaus is a big enough deal, but will we be meeting more Originals? “There’s always a chance we’ll meet more of the Originals,” Steven McQueen said. “I hope not,” Katerina laughed, “for Bonnie’s sake!”

View the video here http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/14/the-vampire-diaries-cast-interviews-klaus-season-3/

2.14 Crying Wolf