The Originals: Where Nothing Stays Buried Recap and Review – We Say Goodbye Yet Again

WHERE NOTHING STAYS BURIED RECAP AND REVIEW

Transitioning from last week’s tragedy into this week’s episode, “Where Nothing Stays Buried” proved to be a little jarring. I was expecting a Heathcliff-like reaction from Klaus, not this stoic calm. Yes, I appreciated that Klaus has kept himself in the room with Cami’s dead body but this episode we should have been able to experience some of his grief with him. Let the audience mourn Cami. Let us feel it rather than go directly into working to save Davina – Klaus included. I know this was meant as a tribute to Cami from Klaus to be that “light” but it just didn’t “quite” translate from the page to the screen. He can still be lighter and more of the man Cami believes while also showing a full display of grief. He can act “Byronic” without being evil. Byronic Heroes can be rather redemptive after all. In short, Klaus’s behavior in this episode was rather a misfire.

His display of grief was what was needed thematically and that’s not what the audience got.

That said, while I wasn’t happy with Cami’s death I was open to it if the writers’ were going to go down a Wuthering Heights route with Klaus, especially since the writers have set up their soul connection. Cathy pleaded with Heathcliff to make peace with Linton (her husband) but after she dies what does it matter to him? The second half of the book relates to Heathcliff’s response to her death and his ultimate vengeance.

“Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I can not live without my life! I can not live without my soul!”  – Heathcliff after Cathy dies.

See, that you can feel!

“Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I can not live without my life! I can not live without my soul!”

We felt it the first time Cami died and he went around destroying the room. Klaus is a Byronic Hero. This is who he is. He can still be redeemed (look at Rochester) but he must always have his passionate nature. Otherwise, this story will fail. This episode lacked the emotion necessary to capture Klaus’s true feelings for Cami and his nature as a Byronic Hero. I hope the next episode will rectify this mistake. Last week we could feel it even in his silence.

It’s not like they retconned the relationship (thank goodness). He even pointed out to Hayley as such about his feelings. But saying and showing are two different things. The script was unable to capture the emotional complexity of a Byronic Hero when they lose their focus of “love.” I found that to be rather unfortunate.

Beyond the lack of emotional fallout from Cami’s death (which proved to not really forward the plot all that much), we had to face the death of another lead female character – Davina. Honestly, I’m not really understanding these creative choices to kill off half of the main female characters.

The loss of Davina proved to lack the emotional punch and honesty of Cami’s death even though Davina’s final scene with Marcel was moving and heartfelt (the best scene of the episode).

Lucien’s death, on the other hand, proved to be a little on the anti-climactic side – mostly due to Klaus’s almost serene demeanor. He even smiled at the possibility of Elijah and Hayley getting back together right before they were attacked. Yes, I know Cami changed Klaus. However, I think the writers may have taken this one too literally. Cami was referring to an inner change – a redemptive one. Outwardly mourning her and crying out for the loss of his other half is not dark. It is true to who he is. So what may have seemed like a great idea on paper just didn’t quite gel onscreen.

In all, “Where Nothing Stays Buried” was still a good episode (though I have some serious qualms about it) even if it wasn’t one of the best of the season.

RELATED: The Originals: No More Heartbreak Recap and Review – The Light Shines in the Darkness

TRAGEDY STRIKES AGAIN

“Where Nothing Stays Buried” begins with Marcel discovering Kol over Davina’s lifeless body. While Marcel loses his head for a moment, ultimately the two decide that because she’s a witch they can bring her back. They head to the Compound for help. Klaus – trying to be better for Cami and not wanting anyone else to lose what he had – agrees to help them. In other words, no one should have to lose their “soul mate.”

The team work to bring Davina back, and are able to revive her temporarily, but there’s a catch. Freya has to decide between helping Davina and saving her family. She learns that the only way to stop Lucien is to reverse the spell by using Davina’s connection to the ancestral plane. Freya chooses the latter which leads to the permanent and tragic death of Davina.  This leaves Marcel and Kol inconsolable. Kol then takes out his rage on Van Nguyen and murders him. After all, it was only Davina who was keeping him good.

A NEW KLAUS

Meanwhile, Klaus has been mourning Cami while looking for a way to defeat Lucien. But he refuses to make his move until they can find a real way to defeat him – that is until Lucien decides to go after Rebekah as well.

From there, Hayley and Klaus go to the Bayou to get Rebekah’s body which has been hidden there. After collecting Rebekah (and a little bit of a nudge from Klaus to convince Hayley to be with Elijah), Klaus and Hayley are in a car accident. Klaus emerges from the accident only to be attacked by Lucien. The two fight – with Lucien the projected winner. Even when Hayley joins the fight, the two stand no chance against an unstoppable monster.

Lucien grabs Hayley and threatens to pull out her heart unless Klaus kneels before him. Lucien – with his French Revolution complex in tow – revels in all his glory when Klaus does just that. Klaus swallows his pride and kneels before him to save Hayley.

Thankfully, before Lucien can kill Hayley or Klaus, Elijah and Freya show up in the nick of time with the power to defeat him. Using the magic they took from Davina and the ancestral plane, they reverse the spell on Lucien until he once again is only a vampire.

Klaus then takes his moment. He slices Lucien’s face in a moment of fitting karma and rips out his heart. But not before telling him that he’s nothing.

(I think the writers were trying to compare Lucien’s death to Cami and how she was immortal to Klaus while Lucien was nothing. Though don’t quote me on this.)

THE REAL BEAST?

Davina’s death accomplished one important task: to turn Marcel and Vincent against the Mikaelsons. The end of “Nothing Stays Buried” leaves with Vincent offering the serum (which he extracted from Aurora) to Marcel so he can become like beast Lucien as a way to defeat the Mikaelsons.

(How come Vincent didn’t think of this before and given the serum to Cami?)

All the resentment between Marcel and the Mikaelsons has returned to the surface. He is no longer an ally. In fact, I think we can call him a full blown enemy. Killing Davina may not have been the smartest move.

STANDOUT ROMANTIC MOMENT

Davina and Kol have a moment before the end as they feign to touch hands through the magical barrier. While it’s a quick scene, their love was still felt! These two as a couple will be missed.

Elsewhere, Elijah and Hayley somewhat reunite by the end of “Where Nothing Stays Buried.”

FAVORITE QUOTE

Klaus: You want to commiserate with me, Hayley, but our experiences of grief are not the same. Your husband is dead. It hurts, but we both know the person you share a true connection with is still breathing. So you and I are not the same.

THEORIES, THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS 

I may have been a little harsh in my critique of last week’s episode as it actually was fantastically written and acted – despite the obvious (and unnecessary) outcome. But really my actual deserved criticism belongs to this week’s episode, “Nothing Stays Buried” which was one of the weaker ones of the season even if it was still good-ish. Mostly due to the lack of emotion needed to capture the tragedy of two beloved female characters. As well as the anti-climactic defeat of a villain who has been brilliantly played by Andrew Lees all season.

After all of the buildup of the prophecy and the effect the Mikaelsons have had on others – Lucien’s takedown was rather small. I was expecting something a little more…epic. Is it just me or was Lucien’s inevitable death not quite as satisfying as you were expecting it to be? I wanted a little more rage. A little more talk of Camille. I wanted more of a realization from Lucien.

I’m also still not thrilled with the deaths of Cami and now Davina. I always come from a place of respect for writers. But I always have to give my honest opinion as well while refraining from any personal attacks.

So while I’m not going to stand here and claim to never watch the show again, I am going to say that I believe it was a creative mistake to kill off Cami and now Davina. Though at least Davina’s death had an actual purpose. Killing Davina from a thematic standpoint does drive Marcel and Vincent to turn against the Mikaelsons. Killing Cami did nothing other than to help Klaus be better. Frankly, she could do that while she was alive. The “attempt” on her life would have had a similar effect.

(Also, how disappointing was it that Davina didn’t get to say goodbye to Josh?)

LOSING FEMALE CHARACTERS

So now we are left only with Freya (who has been used only as a device this season as a way for the Mikaelsons to do spells) and Hayley. Rebekah is gone too much to really count. And who knows? She may be dead by the end of the season. I feel the show will now be a bit too drowned in male characters. And yet, I’m not really interested in new female ones to take their places.

Frankly, I’m worried about the direction of season 4 in general. The past two episodes seemed to cut some stories short while seemingly taking the show in a new direction I may or may not be interested in. Only time will tell.

If I’m being honest, taking out Davina and Cami literally at the same time feels more strategic than creatively organic. Is this the result of budget cuts? Or did the writers really believe these female characters had run their course? Was this really the best creative choice they could have made for the series? Personally, I’m baffled as we have now lost FOUR female cast-members. And I’m not talking about recurring cast but regular cast members.

First was the loss of Daniella Pineda as Sophie back in season one. Then Claire Holt left only to return on a very limited recurring basis. Next, Cami. And now, Davina. Two of them in one fell swoop.

While I will continue to watch the show and mostly love it – I admit that I have become a little disappointed in it these last couple weeks. This is more me reacting to the writers’ creative choices. I respect this is the story they want to tell. But I am not especially thrilled with the direction even if I still love the show.

THEORIES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

The series is missing a real lack of mystery. Right now, the most obvious and simplest solutions have proven to be correct. I prefer a little bit more complexity in storytelling (without being convoluted) – a little more surprise. The prophecy has thus far proven to be incredibly straightforward. Marcel will be the beast as predicted earlier in the season, Lucien was just a pawn to the big bad – which turned out to be the ancestors (this one was so repetitive to me that at first I didn’t even consider them as a possibility), Cami and Davina are dead. So, what’s next? By the end of the season, likely most of the Mikaelsons will end up buried or temporarily staked with Marcel having once again taken control over the Quarter.

Meanwhile, with the help of Davina, the ancestors will be defeated. But not without her sacrifice. Detective Kinney will likely return to represent the human faction (taking Cami’s place). And Vincent will be reinstated as Regent. Hayley and Elijah will reunite romantically but not before the tragic outcome of the season. My guess is that after the Mikaelsons are defeated, Hayley disappears and raises her daughter as a single mother for the next three years. That or one of the Mikaelsons in her place.

I really hope there are more surprises in store and that the end of the season is leading to a major payoff.

Color me a little bit underwhelmed with “Where Nothing Stays Buried” as a whole. Even though it will probably be better on a second watch.

On a happy note, however, can we all just agree that Yusuf Gatewood as Vincent is absolutely brilliant? His onscreen charisma is unparalleled in The Vampire Diaries universe. That man can act – and he’s kind of hot.

Well, what did you think of “Where Nothing Stays Buried?” Let me know in the comments!

Till next time…

Photos: CW

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