The Originals: Advance Review Of Tonight’s Episode “Girl In New Orleans”

A new episode of The Originals airs tonight on a Tuesday night that is battling between several different networks for young viewers. One of those choices, at 8PM, is this episode, which is called “Girl In New Orleans.”

I admit, with so much going on this October, I had already fallen behind on the Vampire Diaries spin-off. In fact, this is the first one I’ve seen since the series premiere which aired a few weeks ago. As such, I had to jump back in, knowing there are some things that I just don’t know about. One might think that would make me less qualified to talk about this week’s show. I actually think the opposite: If I can get into it, a new viewer might be able to, as well.

Because I haven’t seen much since the series premiere that means I missed some of the world-building that has turned The Originals into a solid affair. For starters, I barely knew the character and the power that is Davina, as played by Danielle Campbell. HOW GREAT IS SHE? I’ve felt that if The CW wants to attract younger audiences, you need actors and characters that the younger audiences can relate to and root for, and Davina is so much of that. She gets some really strong character moments in this episode, which sees her getting herself out of the attic.

Of course, Klaus sees Davina’s going out as a way to get some of what he wants, as Klaus does. Seeing Joseph Morgan easing into his own series is interesting: I never thought three years ago that I’d be rooting for Klaus as a protagonist even though he’s still pretty darn evil. Got to say, though, the softening of Klaus that started with Caroline seems to be evolving into Klaus having some empathy for Cami, who reveals a dark secret this time around. I might go so far as to suspect that he cares about her.

In another storyline, we get some more interaction between Hayley and Rebekah which is fun for more reasons than just H2O. I still don’t like the pregnancy thing but I do like the mysteries and weirdness that seem to be going around Hayley now.

Two other comments before I’m done and put it over to you, the reader, to remember to watch tonight: One is Marcel. I’m not as in love with the character as the rest of the Internet is, but I will say I like his interactions with Davina in particular. It’s almost a fatherly thing. The Originals was pitched as being about family – in addition to Klaus and his family, and the family of witches, it seems Marcel has his own “family” going on as well. I like that.

The other is that I like that New Orleans feels like its own additional character to this show. I don’t know what parts of the show were really filmed in New Orleans and which scenes were not, but it really sets an atmosphere.

And, I lied, one more comment: More Elijah soon, please?

The Originals airs tonight at 8PM on The CW. Come by our Originals forum to talk about it and if you’d like, thanks to Mr. Video, here are some screen captures from the “Girl In New Orleans” trailer:

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