Ok - I managed to watch it online, though I will also buy it and also watch it on the CW website when it becomes available. I obviously won't reveal anything much but just wanted to say what I thought about it.
To begin with, it was very different (felt different) from the previous season. I really really liked it though and will re-watch it (many times) and let you know if I completely fall in love with it - all I have to say is positive about the episode, I think it is a brilliant start to the season, hopefully many people watched!
It did feel a lot more professional than before - it often felt amateurish before (translate, low budget) which it didn't do now at all. clearly they have invested more in it which is great!
It was really fast paced and so much was covered in the first episode which may be the reason why I didn't totally fall in love with it (though I repeat, I really really liked it!).
the opening sequence was not as epic or jaw dropping as people said before (i had really high expectations based on what i had read) but it was really good and specifically loved the song (or songs) choice and how it fit so well with what was happening and loved seeing cat having the dream (you will understand when u see it)
JT had some funny lines and Tess was totally not the <edited> she was portrayed as in one of the reviews, I really didnt see her act as a <edited> at all, just a concerned friend - have to say though most of the episode was not abotu any of the "secondary" characters, just trying to find vincent and understanding cat's emotional state as well as his new self
I really wasnt convinced about the explanation they gave about how the beast side of gabe died - though I may have just not got it. but felt a bit silly really
I liked how Vincent beast acted to save Cat's life (not much more can be said due to spoilers ) though the scene that she was saved reminded me a bit of smallville lol (well, just a couple of seconds reminded me of lana and clark lol but maybe it is just me!).
I thought the acting was very good, I thought Kristin was really good and I really liked the way we were made to understand her emotional state
the episode was definitely not sexy or romantic (though achingly romantic is a good description I think). it was also a bit sad, especially the kiss scene
all the reviews about catherine being desperate and creepy and spooky I do not understand at all, maybe I am creepy myself lol. to me she acted absolutely fine and yes, she did say a few times "we are meant to be" but I am sorry she just found again the love of her life, who she was looking for for 3 months and wasnt sure whether he was alive or not, I really didnt get the desperate reviews bit at all.
vincent looks like a really cool beast, looks sexy as a beast lol (i must be deranged). it is more difficult to sympathise with him as a beast than before, before when u saw the beast you felt sorry for it, not now!
really liked his new superpowers, though he did lose one of his powers (which I think there is a reason for, I think this will play out dramatically later in the season though I may be wrong). just think there is no reason why he would lose this power
i loved the catherine in the car scene, well acted! brilliant, real tension
fighting was solid, did not think there was too much of it either, a good balance!
the kiss was sad but appropriate - annoyed about one thing though, all i ll say is i hate cellphones, i mean seriously how realistic was it that she checked it at that particular time - ok it served its purpose but come on!!
murfield was explained reasonably well (Though still gaps)- glad they are gone, hope the new "enemy" is less pathetic and explained in more detail
when catherine first meets vincent, thats cool, liked it.
they clearly tried to show that vincent and catherine have a connection despite memory loss, which is good obviously. vincent changed when he saw or spoke about her.
i dont think vincent is now a completely different person, you dont hate him you feel sorry for him , because he is a lost soul without even knowing that. he is a soldier but you can see his old self whenever he interacts with catherine. you can still see through the soldier and see his humanity is there somewhere and u can totally see catherine will help him find himself again
i really loved the episode, really hopeful, just hope many people watched! so looking forward to hearing your views, oh and yolie you were right about something!