Holy love triangle!

Legacies Season 1 Episode 9 seemingly introduced viewers to a love triangle between Landon, Hope, and Rafael and our panelists have a lot to discuss.

Below, TV Fanatics Kat Pettibone, Justin Carreiro, and Paul Dailly discuss the new triangle, the whereabouts of the twins, and so much more.

Hope was in Rafael's dreams. Is there a love triangle on the horizon?

Kat: That’s definitely how it seems to be unfolding. Although I think they’re rushing Rafael’s feelings a bit, and I do love the Hope and Landon relationship, I have to say—I’m here for it.

I know we’re supposed to say “it’s 2019, let’s get rid of love triangles,” but I don’t care! As long as you’re giving me a story that’s good, and interesting, I want to see it. So bring it on! I love good drama.

Justin: Totally! There has been a flirtation brewing between them ever since their first interaction, especially when they were searching for Landon. Legacies wants to replicate the drama that came from the original Elena/Damon/Stefan storyline. I am here for it!

Paul: I must be in the minority, but I am so not here for it. I wanted to switch the episode off the moment I realized what was playing out on-screen.

The creative forces behind The Vampire Diaries and The Originals have a love triangle problem, and I wanted Legacies to be different. I don't hate love triangles, but I hate when they flame out.

Landon helped bring the demon into the school for Hope to take down. React.

Kat: One of the best things about Hope and Landon is the reverse “damsel in distress” trope. Thinking back to parallels from the early days of The Vampire Diaries, it’s very clear that Hope and Landon have a Stefan/Elena type dynamic about them.

Hope is this powerful, supernatural protector. Landon is somewhat helpless but filled with unrelenting bravery. He’s the first to put himself in harm's way if it means keeping the people he loves safe, which leaves Hope constantly worried about him.

Pretty textbook Elena-Stefan, but with a clever twist: gender role reversal. Much like Elena, Landon is consistently surprising people, proving he’s smarter and braver than people give him credit for.

Bringing down the sleep demon was a moment of growth for his character, and I’m glad he was the one to do it.

Justin: I agree with Kat about this. I like that Landon is growing and breaking outside of his shell to prove he’s stronger than people realize. Coming into the Legacies landscape, Landon is the weaker one with no knowledge or abilities to defend against these creatures.

Now he’s showing that he can match the dangers around him and prove himself to be a capable hero. Plus, I like the way that he and Hope work together to get the job done; they’re getting into a bit of a rhythm.

Paul: I loved every single one of Hope and Landon's scenes on this installment.

Like Justin and Kat said, they both work so well together. Landon could have powers we don't know about, and I want them to help him get in good graces with everyone in the school.

MG's worst fear is that he's going to become a ripper. Would you be on board for this to happen at one point?

Kat: Absolutely. I thought Stefan’s ripper arc was fascinating, and he’s the only vampire the TVD universe has written that way.

MJ is arguably even more of a pure soul than Stefan was, so I would be extremely interested to see how a Jekyll and Hyde scenario would manifest in him. Plus, I am always a fan of anything Legacies does that actively reminds us we’re still in the TVD world.

Justin: Definitely! Whenever a character explores their evil side, it creates so much depth for their story, and it pushes the actors to try something new.

MG is one-note at the moment, so if he ever did become the ripper, we could see how deep and complex his character might actually become.

Paul: A ripper on the loose at the school would make for a thrilling episode for sure. Beyond that, I'm on board for MG doing just about anything. He's one of the best characters, but he's woefully underutilized.

Did you like the monster, or was it lacking in the scares department?

Kat: I liked the concept of the monster, although I’m not sure the actual execution was successful. I’m a horror film buff, and Freddy Kruger is one of my all-time favorite villains.

I was excited to see what the show did with the “dream monster” trope, and story wise I think it worked. However, the actual demons didn’t do much for me.

It’s funny because, with the new Charmed reboot, I’m always complaining they use too much CGI. With Legacies, I feel they use too much prosthetic for special effects.

It often looks like a low budget Haunted House. I’m surprised their monsters aren’t generally more terrifying because the FX work with vampires and werewolves in both TVD and The Originals was some of the best I’ve seen on network TV.

Justin: I liked it. Like Kat mentioned, I’m also a big fan of Freddy Krueger, so any treatments to a killer in a dream world melt my horror movie-loving heart. Was it the best of the bunch with this monster trope? Not really.

But, I liked that Legacies gave it a try. This iteration in the Vampire Diaries universe allows the enemy base to explore new types of creatures; Legacies should continue to explore more ideas.

Paul: I agree with Kat. The execution wasn't up to scratch. It didn't feel like there were any real stakes here.

Legacies needs to have one of the monsters kill someone we care about off to put things in perspective. The dream demon could have been the one to do that.

Have you missed Lizzie and Josie?

Kat: Will I be thrown to the wolves (pun intended) if I say no? Just kidding, I wouldn’t dare. Of course, I miss them—they’re adorable!

Their characters stand to bring a lot of quality content to the show in the future. Both are struggling with their own form of mental illness, which needs much more accurate representation in YA media.

They’re also Gemini twins, which opens up a world of possibilities and storylines. I’m not quite sure they would have fit in these past few episodes, though.

I enjoyed dealing with a smaller core cast and focusing on some much-needed character development. I also find Alaric, Hope, Landon, and Rafael the most compelling characters (as of yet).

Justin: I’m on the fence with their characters. I missed them because they add a lot of drama to Legacies, and I like their complicated sisterly relationship with each other.

However, I want them to grow to break away from the cliché teen drama loop they’re trapped in.

I’m the first to admit that I love teen drama, but there needs to be a path for them to take to develop from the initial stage. Still, I’m getting more impressed by every episode they appear in.

Paul: Lizzie and Josie don't mesh as well with the other characters. One of them is too mean, and the other is too nice.

I've missed both of them, but we need to start peeling back the layers and developing them instead of throwing in a storyline from the previous shows to give them something to do.

Now that we know the Lockwood Mansion is being used for the students, are there any other locations in Mystic Falls you want to see again?

Kat: I am here for the use of any and all Mystic Falls locations. We’ve seen the Grill, the high school, the Salvatore house and heard about the Lockwood mansion, so why not keep going?

The Gilbert house is obviously burned to the ground, but take us other places! The graveyard, the tomb, the bell tower—bring it all back!

I’d even be OK with a new decade dance, or Ms. Mystic Falls competition (how perfect would Lizzie be for that?). The more Vampire Diaries nostalgia, the better!

Justin: OMG, yes! I NEED another episode that features the Miss Mystic Falls competition. That was such a mainstay from the original series; it causes so much drama – it needs to return! Regarding locations, I’m open for any and all places. Show more of the graveyard and the tomb.

Paul: Yes, Miss Mystic Falls needs to return! For a show that was touted as the big return to Mystic Falls, we've spent most of our time in the school. Maybe it's budgetary related, but give us some more of that beautiful town.

Okay, Legacies Fanatics!

What are your thoughts on these questions and answers?

Remember you can watch Legacies online right here via TV Fanatic.

Legacies continues Thursdays on The CW.