'The Vampire Diaries' S4: There's work to be done here.

CW

I’m going to spend most of this talking about where the Vampire Diaries has gone wrong this season, but first I want to talk about what was arguably the best moment that has happened this season.  

'American Horror Story' 209 'The Coat Hanger' Review

FX

Now that is more like it, show. Last week’s American Horror Story was…not my favorite. Not even of both seasons. I mean the crazed Santa thing along with all of the Christmas trimmings just felt like the definition of filler with the exception of some forward motion in some of the more important storylines that have been ongoing since the first episode. Now in ‘The Coat Hanger’ we get to see how the journeys of the respective characters have shaped them so far. We also get the return of the alien storyline, but don’t worry because it may actually be going somewhere!

'American Horror Story: Asylum' 208 Review 'Where's your Christmas spirit, Sister?'

FX

At first I wasn’t really sure how I felt about this episode as it was ongoing. I was fully on-board with the idea of an American Horror Story holiday episode after last season's finale ended with a final shot of the Harmons--dead and ghostly in the house that killed them-- trimming the tree together. But this was the very definition of a filler episode. First of all, visually this episode was a huge let down. There had to have been any number of cinematic tricks that could have been busted out for this type of holiday-tinged affair but there wasn’t anything but some cheesy jump-cuts and jump-scares to be found. I expected better after we’ve had some truly spectacular camerawork this year. It wasn’t my favorite of the season, but there were ultimately a few good moments of character development and forward plot motion in it. Jude and Lana both got the chance to show us just how hard they’re willing to fight, and we were treated to a full episode of the devil in Sister Mary Eunice running the place with perverse glee as the Christmas holiday nears. I wish they would have shown us more of the grotesque objects on that tree...but hit the jump to see how the naughty and nice of Briarcliff Manor fared in 'Unholy Night'. 

'Once Upon A Time' 209 Review 'Set Sail for Storybrooke'

ABC

In an age of television where things are getting darker and morally murky all around in terms of storyline and character motivations, Once Upon A Time truly does stand out as a show that sticks to its fairy-tale morals. True love triumphs over all, love is strength, and if you’re the product of the truest most epic love of all then you are apparently not a character to be messed with. Emma Swan in tonight’s winter finale realized that the fire of true love that forged her made her into something of a warrior in the name of the power of not only love but of good winning over evil.

Revenge 209 Review - Revelations

ABC

This Week on Revenge, Nolan continues to prove his loyalty while Daniel rises to the top.  An unlikely alliance is formed, while the show decides to explore some revenge that isn’t coming from our heroine.