The Vampire Diaries returned this week with fresh heartbreak and new alliances. What did you think of "After School Special?"

In the latest edition of the TV Fanatic Round Table, panelists Matt Richenthal, Dan Forcella, Miranda Wicker, Steve Marsi and Leigh Raines break down everything from Damon and Elena's night at the cabin to Matt's totally radical new jacket. Read on and join in!

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What was your favorite scene or quote from the episode?
Matt: His relationship with Jeremy is now Complicated? He understand why the Hybrids found Klaus "annoying." He wants Elena to drop everything (pants especially!) and book it to the cabin? Yeah. There weren't enough great Damon Salvatore quotes to list in this space.

Dan: My favorite moment was that phone call. I love you. Yup, they got me again. Right at the heart strings.

Miranda: A lot of felt underwhelming compared to how things were left with the winter finale. It's the mid-season slump that plagues this show. I do love that Elena now knows that when Caroline says she's Team Stefan, she really, really means it, to the point that she'd betray her best friend by giving him information that was Elena's to give. I also loved Damon's obscure reference to 90s movie Camp Nowhere. I might have watched that movie on repeat for a few years dreaming of escaping to my very own camp for middle school misfits.

Steve: Damon's face during Elena's phone call confession. Despite the stupidity of the sire bond nonsense, Ian Somerhalder can make you buy into this storyline and couple.

Leigh: Damn, Steve, stole mine. Damon went through an entire range of expressions in that three-minute phone call. I was like, is this really going to happen? I thought he was going to crap the bed for a minute and shut the whole thing down. I'm proud of you two! Also, amazing Camp Nowhere reference.

The return of Rebekah: Awesome or disappointing?
Matt: Awesome. Yes, even when that beauty is simply spouting exposition to catch viewers up after many weeks off the air, the accent makes anything she does and says rather awesome.

Dan: Absolutely awesome. I don't care if she didn't really accomplish anything, just seeing her attempt to take control was enough to satisfy me.

Miranda: Meh. Neither. She's an Original I'll gladly ship off to New Orleans.

Steve: At first, I thought the classroom compulsion session was a lame plot device, but it did yield some interesting revelations and set events in motion that should be intriguing in the coming weeks. Based on that, and Claire Holt's accent, call it a net positive.

Leigh: Option 3: Annoying. The compulsion and controlling bit gets really old after awhile. We already have Klaus, get a little more original Rebekah (no pun intended.) My thought was a sarcastic: "Oh goody, Rebekah's a wake and hates the world and carries a 900-year chip on her shoulder, now we can watch her torture everyone and have Elena play victim for another hour."

More random: Bonnie's dad as Mayor; Kol showing up; or Matt in his varsity jacket?
Matt: Bonnie's dad, for sure. Mystic Falls must have been harder up for legitimate Mayoral candidates than the GOP in the 2012 Presidential campaign if the only person who would take the job hasn't been seen or mentioned in about three years.

Dan: Three very good choices, but I have to go with the jacket. Really Matt??!? Now you're breaking it out with the big Mystic Falls M? Come on guy. This is 2013, find some style.

Miranda: Matt's varsity jacket. Definitely. All the jackets in all the world and that's the one you pick? Do you even still go to school? Don't be THAT GUY, Matt!

Steve: Matt's jacket, while unintentionally funny, was not a huge shock, and I've also grown accustomed to Originals showing up out of thin air. So Bon-Bon's dad wins this one. He, of all people, is the Mayor now? Pretty much the definition of random.

Leigh: What is Matt if not our resident Mystic Falls jock? I'll go with Bonnie's dad as Mayor. Don't you have to actually live in the town in order to run for Mayor? I feel like Bonnie is always off visiting him somewhere. He is serving the same purpose as Bonnie, suddenly present when needed. Could be interesting to have someone new on board, though, though so let's go with it.

What do you think Damon and Elena did at the cabin?
Matt: Just a bit of Backgammon... and probably A LOT of Frontgamming, if you know what I mean!

Dan: What didn't they do? Am I right?

Miranda: Three words: HOT. DELENA. SEX. After Damon helps Jeremy and Matt survive all those transitioning vampires, of course.

Steve: Each other. Dan, you are not wrong, my man.

Leigh: Totally got interrupted by Klaus. Calling it now. The writers wouldn't let them have a third steamy sex scene, would they? I hope the rest of you are right.

Give us odds on the likelihood of each team winning the race for the cure: Stefan/Rebekah, Bonnie/Shane, Klaus/Damon.
Matt: Their lack of magic, knowledge and bad assery have to drop Stefan/Rebekah down to 35-1 at best. Especially because I'm hoping they get distracted in the bedroom together instead of on the trail for any cures. I'll put Klaus/Damon at 10-1 because I think that team will have chemistry issues, leaving shady Shane and his protege as the clear favorite at 3-1.

Dan: Bonnie/Shane coming in at 25-1. Stefan/Rebekah at 5-1. Klaus/Damon at 2-1. Always expecting the unexpected on TVD, I'd put a double sawbuck on the witch and the professor.

Miranda: I'm zero good with numbers and had to have a tutor for college statistics, so me attempting odds would be laughable. However, Bonnie and Shane have a map and magic. Klaus and Damon have a sword and Damon's a bad ass. But my money is on Stefan and Rebekah because they have the determination to foil the others and screw up their plans. And I'm a sucker for an underdog.

Steve: Bonnie-Shane at 2:1, given their knowledge and non-black magic. Klaus-Damon at 4:1, as they're plenty motivated, but a little erratic and unsure what they're doing. Stefan-Rebecca at 8:1 as your dark horse, but that's where the money often is.

Leigh: I'm with Miranda on the numbers bit, so I'll just say, Stefan/Rebekah get screwed per usual. Bonnie/Shane are pretty powerful, but Klaus often wins.

Pen a eulogy for the pizza delivery lady.
Matt: You looked sort of like Kristen Bell and she's awesome. Rest in pieces of delicious pie.

Dan: Oh, pizza delivery lady, how we will all miss you so. Wait... what? I mean, she was cute, but no, she doesn't deserve a eulogy.

Miranda: Oh, pizza girl, yet another casualty in Klaus' quest for whatever it is he's questing for. Our double pepperoni delivery will never be the same.

Steve: Oh, pizza girl. Another life taken too soon. At least you gave meaning to the term "red sauce." #TVDroundtableFAIL

Leigh: Rest in peace, poor unknowing pizza gal. Just like you, we stared at Jeremy Gilbert growing muscles in awe, but you delivered too much pepperoni and didn't give us any variety - so you had to go.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/01/the-vampire-diaries-round-table-after-school-special/