My current favorite vampires, the brooding Stefan, and neck-snapping Damon of “The Vampire Diaries” are back. The second season has wasted no time getting back into the action. Elena’s sexy but evil doppelganger, Katherine has returned to Mystic Falls and is reveling in causing havoc for the Salvatore brothers. Props to Katherine for killing the annoying Caroline and turning her into a vampire. Unfortunately, although I wouldn’t have thought it possible, Caroline is even more irritating as a vampire. Someone drive a wooden stake through her heart please. It is the symbolic stake that Katherine drives through Damon’s heart, though that makes for the best emotional moment in the season opener, when Damon finally learns that the woman he’s loved and pined for, for over a hundred years has never loved him.

The new season also brings another layer of the supernatural to the show, as the secret of the Lockwood family is revealed to be the curse of the werewolf. When the moon is full, Mason Lockwood, the hot, younger brother (is anyone on this show not ridiculously attractive?) of the dearly departed Mayor Lockwood, turns into a wolf that actually looks more like an angry dog that hasn’t been fed. This particular wolf could stand to be a bit more imposing and scary. Jeremy still doesn’t have much to do except to run around and be moody and Jenna, who periodically disappears without any explanation, is officially one of the worst guardians ever.

It’s the tension between Damon and Stefan and the love triangle that is now an even more complicated foursome with Katherine in the picture, that is the center of the show and keeps me coming back for more. To watch Damon’s expression go from surprise, to hurt, to anger in a matter of seconds when he finds out Elena has lied to him is worth two rewinds of the Tivo. Who knew the whiny, annoying Boone from “Lost” could be so darkly compelling.