I don't even want to write this up. Right now, I want to stop watching, so the pain will go away. And? I say that as someone who is decidedly not an Elena/Damon 'shipper. No, really. I truly believe Elena and Stefan should (barring future developments) be end-game. The thing is, here's the thing: if I'm watching a story about a love triangle, all three sides of the triangle need to exist and matter in their own right. In "My Brother's Keeper," the closing sentiment seems to be that the Damon/Elena side is nothing more than a mystical nuisance. So for me, right now? So is this show. Yes, my lovelies, right now, I'm doing my job, rather than living my passion. Caveat lector.

It's time for the next Miss Mystic Falls pageant. The ceremony takes place at the Lockwood Mansion, and as reigning Miss Mystic, Caroline is in charge. She and Tyler appear to be on the outs, which makes sense in wake of the prior episode, but since we have had no private scenes between them, I'll wait to see it before I believe it. Professor Shane is on hand to award scholarships, because later, Damon will need to link him to werewolf Hayley (see upcoming full recap). Meanwhile, Hayley and Tyler are helping Hybrid Kim break her sire bond. If I'm not mistaken, they're using the now abandoned Pastor Young Ranch to do so.

Stefan tells Damon about breaking up with Elena. To give him his due, because EXACTLY NO ONE else in this episode will do so, Damon is ready to abandon ho for bro, and go guzzle down some Tri-Delts with Stefan if that's what baby brother needs. Stefan is still in Shady Stefan mode though, and still working with Klaus to find the cure. Klaus's latest orders are for Stefan to procure some vampires in need of a good staking, bring them to the Germ, let nature take its course, such that Jeremy's Hunter's Mark will grow.

After Jeremy kills an admitted and unrepentant murderer Stefan has procured for him (because of course, the vampire who rips people apart and then puts them back together cannot lose his head and choose a less deserving victim), Jeremy's vampire-killing lust grows. Next, Jeremy tries to kill Elena, who is saved in the nick of time by only Matt, with an assist from Stefan. By episode's end, Elena realizes Jeremy can't live with her. She sets Matt up as Jeremy's roommate and decamps to Mossy Manse. Stefan tells Elena to choose a room and then takes his leave. Elena and Damon booze it up, talk it up, kiss it up, and then do it up, which would all be well and good, except for what comes next.

Stefan gives Caroline a post-mortem, and once she pieces together all the elements of the story, she decides Elena is only into Damon because she is sire bound to him. I know it's been a long time since we discussed the sire bond story, so a lot of fans understandably think of it as something that only occurs between Klaus and his hybrids, but that's not so. Last season, Damon, of all people, did explain that it occurred, albeit rarely, among vamps and those who turned them. Don't get me wrong. I think Elena's feelings for Damon predate her vampirism (and hence, any sire bond), but this whole storyline smells like the set up to an easy out, and I'm so not interested in watching a story with easy outs.

So, yes, we have these lovely, hot scenes between Elena and Damon, intercut with Caroline completely peeing on the passion parade. I've lost my will to care about this show. I hope it returns, but right now, were there a mid-season cancellation, I'd probably be mostly okay with that in all ways that aren't financial. If the stories aren't real, if the choices characters make don't matter, if everyone is set up with an easy out for their actions, then there's no sense in watching this show.

Yes, I know there are a million reasons to think that Elena's feelings for Damon aren't only dependent on the sire bond. That said, the show has changed in the last half a season or perhaps full season. I no longer have faith that they're telling me a story worth hearing. I hope I'm wrong and end up fully ashamed of my pessimism. If I am, I will confess it with vigor and vim. Right now though, I'm just going to have a glass of wine, put on some classic Buffy and go to bed.

I'll be back with the whole story, in the full recap. In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, where we always keep it real.