Sometimes, you just need vampires.

The comfort of teen vampires, my puppy ate my reading life, and a movie with clever concept but bland execution

By January 6th, I’d read four books already, including one for a reading challenge.

On January 8th, we picked up our new puppy, Leonard.

As of today, January 28th, I’ve read zero books since those first four books.

Puppies chew up everything. Including the reading lives of their owners, apparently.

Who me? But look how innocent I am.

I know it will get better, but right now, I’m definitely missing my reading time. Any time he’s napping, I have to use that time to do things like work or cook dinner or, you know, shower. So free time is non-existent.

But this week, when I was hitting the breaking point of exhaustion, I knew I needed some form of a pick-me-up. And if I couldn’t read, I figured I could at least watch something while chasing around a puppy. But I needed something very specific. I needed it to be easy watching (meaning, if I missed something because I couldn’t give it 100% attention, I wouldn’t be lost) and I needed it to be comforting and enjoyable.

The obvious choice was to rewatch something because familiarity would make it an easy watch, but I also wanted that nostalgic feel-good vibe I get from a specific type of show—a teen/YA show. Yes, I’m in my 40s, but there’s something about a teen show that just scratches a particular itch. High drama, crushes, love triangles, sometimes supernatural stuff—I’m so here for it.

And if there are vampires involved? All the better. Because sometimes, you just need a vampire fix.

My first instinct was to do a rewatch of Buffy, but it hasn’t been that long since I went through all the seasons. So, I googled and found this handy dandy list from a few years ago: 13 TV Shows to Watch If You Miss Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

That’s when I remembered that I never finished watching The Vampire Diaries. I’d started watching when it originally came out in 2009. I probably watched it for a similar reason back then as I am now. In 2009, I had a one-year-old kiddo and was chasing him around, trying to keep him alive and myself sane.

But somewhere along the way, I lost track of the series. Therefore, it is the perfect fit for what I need right now. I’m starting at the beginning again because I don’t remember too much after more than a decade, but I remember enough that if I miss something while chasing the dog, I still know who’s who and what’s what. Plus, how could I forget Damon?

I’m already like 9 episodes in after a week, but hey, you do what you gotta do to make endless sessions of tug-o-war and “no, don’t bite” lessons (ironic while watching vampires) a little more bearable.

I’d love to know what your go-to comfort watches are if you’re in need of some rejuvenating entertainment. Let me know!

And in case you’re looking for something similar, here are a few other binge-worthy teen TV series that have gotten me through bumpy times: Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Shadowhunters, One Tree Hill, My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks

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Romantic Movie Marathon

Title: Sliding Doors

Release date: May 1, 1998

Where to Watch:  I watched it on the Roku channel with commercials

Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow (Helen), John Hannah, John Lynch

Official description (from IMDB): “A London woman's love life and career both hinge, unknown to her, on whether or not she catches a train. We see it both ways, in parallel.”

My description: A split timeline movie where a woman (Helen) either catches a train and doesn’t catch her boyfriend cheating or misses a train and does.

My Review 

1 . Is it actually a romance? yes, I guess

2 . Romantic tropes: split timeline, one moment can change everything, woman scorned, fated love

3 . Sweet or steamy? PG-13, not overly steamy

4 . Swoonworthy love interest? No. I found him bland.

5 . Would I want to be friends with the main character? Not really

6 . Does it show its age? Yes, it feels very 90s. Gwyneth’s short haircut, especially at one point where she has flowers tucked into that haircut, is super 90s. Music is very Dawson’s Creek soundtrack-esque as well. (Now, I actually like that Dawson’s Creek soundtrack, but that kind of music does make the movie feel dated.)

7 . Would I rewatch? no

8 . Favorite moments: I’m thinking…

9 . Thoughts: Okay, I’m sure you can tell I wasn’t very impressed with the movie. It was relatively well-reviewed when it came out, but I think this may be the case of a split timeline being a fresh concept in 1998 but now that concept has been done better. The term “Sliding Doors” has become shorthand for the “one decision/moment can make all the difference” thing, and I LOVE that story construct—the what if-ness of it. But the movie itself just didn’t do it for me.

First, I don’t know if Gwyneth’s British accent was accurate or not, but it was distracting because I KNOW she’s not British. Secondly, the love interest was just very bland. I never really felt the chemistry there. Also, the two-timing boyfriend was not believable. He was an unemployed writer and not that good-looking or interesting and he had two women clamoring after him? Not buying it. I also didn’t love the “evil other woman” stereotype because *yawn*. Overall, I just was not impressed. Maybe if 1998 me had seen it back when it was new, I’d feel differently. But seeing it through current eyes, it just felt dated and blah.

10 . Rating: 2.75

Does anyone else have feelings about this movie? If so, did you see it back when it came out or more recently?

Well, that’s all I have for y’all today. I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

—Roni

*Book links are affiliate links (Amazon, Libro.fm, and/or Bookshop.org), which means I earn a small commission if you buy through my links. Also, I receive advanced listening copies of some audiobooks through Libro.fm’s Influencer program. However, all reviews and opinions are my own.