The Birthday

The Birthday is the first episode of the Third Season and the forty-fifth episode in the series.

Summary
A NOT SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY - On the morning of Elena’s 18th birthday, Caroline is busy planning a party, but Elena is focused on searching for any clues that might help her discover where Stefan is. Damon is also searching for Stefan, while trying to protect Elena and keep her from doing anything that would draw Klaus’ attention. Meanwhile, Klaus and Stefan are busy trailing a werewolf named Ray Sutton. Now working at the Mystic Grill along with Matt, Jeremy is struggling to understand why he keeps seeing the ghosts of Vicki and Anna since he was brought back to life by Bonnie’s magic. Meanwhile, Alaric does his best to watch over Elena and Jeremy while dealing with his grief over Jenna’s death. Finally, Caroline and Tyler face a new and unexpected challenge.

Main Cast

 * Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert
 * Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
 * Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
 * Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
 * Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
 * Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
 * Katerina Graham as Bonnie Bennett
 * Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
 * Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
 * Joseph Morgan as Klaus

Recurring Cast

 * Dawn Olivieri as Andie Star
 * Malese Jow as Anna
 * David Gallagher as Ray Sutton
 * Susan Walters as Carol Lockwood
 * Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan

Co-Starring

 * Lilly Roberson as Sofie
 * Cherilyn Wilson as Blonde girl
 * Diany Rodriguez as Claudine
 * Sarah Cooper as Keisha

Trivia

 * There is a time jump from As I Lay Dying to this episode, with 2 months having passed, as confirmed by Damon in the episode.
 * Antagonists: Klaus and Stefan
 * has been working at the Mystic Grill for the summer.
 * hasn't been seen by any of the Mystic Falls residents since As I Lay Dying.
 * A photograph of Jenna and Alaric can be seen in the Gilbert House.
 * Andie dies in this episode due to Stefan's compulsion.
 * This episode ends with Carol Lockwood shooting Caroline Forbes with vervain darts.
 * This episode has many similarities with the Pilot, they include;
 * Stefan stalks Andie before killing her, as Damon did with Elena in the pilot.
 * After Matt wishes Elena a happy birthday and ignores Caroline, she says "He hates me" which is the same thing Elena said to Bonnie in the pilot about Matt. She also said that their breakup lead him to doing drugs, which is remotely similar to why Jeremy started doing drugs, cause of Vicki.
 * After finally seen Stefan after two months, he greets Damon with "Hello, brother". Damon said this to Stefan in the pilot.
 * Caroline and Tyler make love for the first time in this episode.
 * Tyler says that he is horny all the time.
 * Klaus makes his first attempt to create a hybrid in this episode.
 * This is the first episode that Elena's birthday is celebrated.
 * This is the first episode this season that Bonnie has the least amount of screen time.
 * This is the first season premiere to feature Klaus.

Production Notes

 * Episode was watched by 3.10 million viewers in North America.
 * First episode in which Sara Canning is not credited. This is the first season premiere to not feature Jenna.
 * First season premiere to feature Alaric, Anna and Klaus. It is the only season premier thus far that both Alaric and Anna were in.
 * In behind the scenes photos for this episode, Stefan's appearance in clothing is similar to that of in the start of season one as that he is wearing all black clothing.
 * There have been talks that the episode would be named "Bloody," but Zap2It revealed on August 11, 2011 that the episode would be called "The Birthday".
 * hasn't told anyone about seeing Anna and Vicki (He told Matt that he have been seeing Vicki, but he said it like if was just a crazy thing.)
 * From this episode onwards, Joseph Morgan (Klaus) is a series regular.
 * This is also the first appearance of Klaus as a series regular (not counting his first 3 appearances were he was portrayed by Matt Davis).
 * This is the 2nd season premiere to feature Carol. The first was Season 2's The Return.
 * This is the 2nd season premiere to feature Vicki. The first was the series premiere episode.

Continuity

 * Jenna is seen through a photograph with Alaric. It was first seen in As I Lay Dying. She was last seen in The Sun Also Rises when Klaus staked her.
 * Andie Star was last seen in Klaus.
 * Klaus, Carol, Vicki and Anna were all last seen in As I Lay Dying.
 * This is the second season premiere in a row to feature Caroline in a cliffhanger. The first was The Return when Katherine smothers her with a pillow before becoming a vampire.

Quotes

 * Alaric: Hey Elena... happy birthday.


 * Damon: Morning.
 * Elena: Hey, I was gonna....(sees Damon naked as she turns around)....OH!
 * Damon: Hey, you should learn to knock,﻿ what if I was... indecent.


 * Caroline: (About Matt) He thinks we're dating.
 * Tyler: So does my mother.


 * Damon: Stefan, for sure.
 * Alaric: How do you know?
 * Damon: It's his signature, it's the reason they call him the ripper. Feeds so hard he blacks out and rips them apart, but then when he's done, he feels remorse. That's the damn thing, he put the bodies back together.
 * Alaric: Back together?
 * Damon: Definitely Stefan.


 * Caroline: (To Tyler, when Elena out of sight) Just because I tell you things doesn't mean you're allowed to know them!


 * Stefan: My brother still on our trail?
 * Klaus: He's getting closer, I'm gonna have to deal with that.
 * Stefan: No, no no. Let me handle that.
 * Klaus: Why should I let you leave?
 * Stefan: Cause you know I'll come back.
 * Klaus: Do I?
 * Stefan: You saved my brother's life, I'm at you're service.
 * Klaus: Aah, you all sound so tedious, aren't you even having the least bit of fun?
 * Stefan: I'll make sure that my brother doesn't bother us any more.


 * Caroline: (About Matt) He hates me. His hatred of me has driven him to drugs!
 * Elena: He doesn't hate you, he hates that he's not with you.


 * Damon: Well, hold the fort down, will ya?
 * Alaric: You mean the fort full of my drunken history students?
 * Damon: Drink more, you will feel less weird.


 * Elena: I think I'm gonna pass on the whole cake thing.
 * Caroline: What? no, no way, no! It's you're birthday! You know it's the dawn of a new day, and you can't get on with you're life until you have made a wish and blown out the candles.
 * Elena: Is that what you all want me to do? Just get on with my life?


 * Elena: (To Caroline) I'm not going to give up on finding Stefan.


 * Elena: (To Caroline about Stefan) You want me to make a wish? I just wanna know that he's alive. That's it! That's my wish.


 * Damon: Stefan.
 * Stefan: Hello, Brother.
 * Damon: You don't write, you don't call.
 * Stefan: I need you to stop following me, causing some ... problems.
 * Damon: With who? Klaus? I'm supposed to care what he thinks?
 * Stefan: What you're supposed to do is let me go.
 * Damon: I saw your latest artwork in Tennessee. You're walking a fine line there, my friend. Keep that up and there will be no saving you.
 * Stefan: See, the thing is, I don't need any saving. I just want you to let me go.


 * Stefan: (To Damon) Let. Me. Go.


 * Elena: Why didn't you tell me that you have been tracking Klaus' victims?
 * Damon: 'Cause they are not Klaus' victims, Elena, they are Stefan's.
 * Elena: What?


 * Klaus: (To Stefan) You never stop caring about family do you? But every time you feed the blood makes it easier to let go.


 * Elena: (On the phone) Stefan, if this is you, you'll be OK. I love you, Stefan. Hold on to that. Never let that go.

Videos
video:The Vampire Diaries - 3x01 The Birthday - Preview with EP Julie Plec|The Birthday Producers Preview video:The Vampire Diaries Webclip 3x01 - The Birthday|The Birthday Webclip 1 video:The Vampire Diaries Webclip (2) 3x01|The Birthday Webclip 2