Season 2 of The Vampire Diaries was packed full of mythology, and I know a lot of viewers didn't like this. They found the second season to be choppy, predictable and sometimes downright silly.
Season 3, however, is so much better. The season has brought back the feel of the first season, with less mythology and more focus on the main characters. Elena, our main protagonist, is training to be stronger and faster so she doesn't feel so useless when she comes up against one of the evil vampires. Stefan is finally getting a proper storyline, and I am loving him as a Ripper! This was a great decision from the writers, and I hope to see a lot more of Paul Wesley playing a badass character instead of Stefan's usual boring self. Damon is the same charming, cunning vampire as ever, and spends a lot of the first half of the season trying to rescue his brother from the state he is in.
Damon and Elena also have a growing relationship, which I loved. It's about time! Of course, both sides have conflicting feelings about this, with Elena being Stefan's girlfriend first and all.
Klaus, our main villain of the show, is AWESOME. Totally badass. Although, he is shown to have a slightly softer side to him after all. I'm loving every scene he's in, and Joseph Morgan is doing a fantastic job with him. I love Klaus and Stefan's friendship, however undeveloped and brief that may be, and I hope Klaus will stick around for a lot longer.
In my opinion, the writing in this season has picked up. I love the classic lines that these characters come out with, and the pacing is also a lot better. I only have one question: Where is Elijah?