‘The Originals’ episode 8 review: Does Joseph Morgan’s Klaus rule New Orleans again?

It has been quite a while since we checked to “The Originals” to write a review, but it did not take very long at all for us to realize one simple thing: This show is miles better than “The Vampire Diaries.” It has more style, more substance, and a more adult feeling that does not feel the need to rip the shirts off most of its male leads.

But what made “The River in Reverse” an especially great episode, and possibly the best one yet for the entire series, is that it paid off stories that have been festering slowly since the show’s pilot earlier this year. For example, Klaus vs. Marcel hit a fever pitch courtesy of an epic battle sequence involving a coin; in turn, we finally saw Joseph Morgan’s character technically take the throne as the King of New Orleans. But there is a difference between being a king and also being a leader. A leader needs to have followers; a king is mostly a title. Klaus does not have the loyalty of really anyone, and there is almost nothing that he can do in order to buy that.

Of course, Klaus could not be happy with that, could he? He couldn’t handle the betrayal of Rebekah, or how he felt that Elijah was stealing his unborn child away from him courtesy of spending time with Hayley. This all came to a head during a brilliant confrontation highlighted by Morgan, where he claimed that neither of them really had his back at all.

But, in a twist of fate, maybe Klaus has learned something in his first few months in New Orleans. He decided to actually not dagger either Elijah or Rebekah … but decided to make matters worse by threatening Hayley and forcing her to come stay with him at his new home. Supposedly, the only thing that matters to Klaus is that he has something to love and care for, and that is his undoing. He could have it. He just chooses not to and to angrily push people away. His only love is violence.

Oh, and we have to end this with at least a reference to Cami’s big shock at the end of the episode: She remembers! Finally, she has figured out a way to outsmart Klaus. Grade: A-.

What did you think about tonight’s new episode of “The Originals”? Be sure to share your thoughts below, and also click here if you want to read some more news related to the show. (We’ll have a preview of the next new episode soon.)

Photo: The CW