What’s a girl to do when her brother dies, her house burns down, and there’s an ancient evil fast approaching? Party! (Duh.) On the March 21 episode of The Vampire Diaries, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) decides that Elena (Nina Dobrev) needs “some time away from Mystic Falls,” so he whisks her away on a trip to New York City, where the couple gets a lot more than they bargained for.

I’m talking about a surprise appearance from Rebekah (Claire Holt), who unexpectedly joins the duo in their travels. According to The CW’s official description of the episode, Rebekah is “impressed with Elena’s secret agenda.”

Oh, and did I mention flashbacks to Damon’s life in the ’70s also include the return of Lexi (Arielle Kebbel)? And that Damon and Lexi’s encounter is “complicated?” Get excited, kids!

More Spoilers From ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Season 4, Episode 17

While Damon and Elena are galavanting in the big city, the rest of the Mystic Falls gang is back home, trying to figure out what to do about Silas. Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candice Accola) spend the episode trying to convince Klaus (Joseph Morgan) to help them track Silas down, while Bonnie (Kat Graham) is off in her own little world as she “struggles to keep her grasp on reality and do the right thing.”

What do you make of these new spoilers? Are you excited to learn about Damon’s past — and to see him have some alone time with Elena away from everyone else? Drop a comment with your hopes for the episode!

Watch: The Vampire Diaries: Jeremy Gilbert Dies – Jeremy’s Funeral

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Vampire Diaries on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘The Vampire Diaries’: 11 Season 4 Shockers — Death, Sex & More
2. ‘Vampire Diaries’ Video: Why Did Jeremy Have To Die?
3. ‘Vampire Diaries’ Scoop: Elena Becomes A ‘Dangerous’ Cheerleader

Arielle Kebbel told me the Jan. 21 episode of 90210 was worth waiting through the hiatus, but I really think she undersold just how crazy it was. Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Vanessa joined forces to rescue Liam (Matt Lanter) and his beautiful hair, and while the mission was successful, it may have cost one of them more than they bargained for. Dun, dun, dun!

The girls broke into Ashley’s home and found an entire wall of Liam pictures — they actually filmed on location in my apartment — as well as evidence leading them to the basement of the Offshore, where Liam was being held. “Who’s the psycho skank now?” Vanessa asked, to which I thought, “Eh… still you, kind of.”

When Liam wasn’t grunting and wiggling around sexfully, Ashley was making all kinds of crazy threats, like she was going to ship him in a box to Mexico — lucky Mexicans! — but it wasn’t long before they were interrupted by the girls’ arrival.

Now here’s where things got really crazy: Vanessa started to run away as the police arrived, but Ashley pulled a gun on her, and Annie jumped in to save the day! Unfortunately for Annie, this also meant getting shot, so the episode ended with my favorite Wilson — sorry Jessica Walter — bleeding out on the ground.

Naomi’s Choice

Fed up with the boys in their lives, Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) and Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) went on a Thelma & Louise-style road trip to hunt down their very own versions of Brad Pitt — and I’m talking sexy 1991 cowboy Brad Pitt, not crazy 2012 cologne-commercial Brad Pitt. Sadly, their little trip quickly became a naked disaster, as a crew of rebel rednecks stole their clothes. [Insert a joke about how the show's two skankiest girls ended up naked in public. Again.]

After managing to scrounge up some old hippie clothes — kudos to writer Allen Clary for acknowledging that Ivy (Gillian Zinser) actually existed — the girls made their way to a biker bar, a journey that led them to two very different destinations. While Adrianna cozied up to a biker stud named Billy (J.R. Ramirez), Naomi had a heart-to-heart with a hillbilly, which inspired her to seek comfort in the arms of a very unlikely source: her mom!

I say Naomi’s mom is an unlikely source because, let’s face it, most of these kids forgot they ever had parents to begin with. But good old Tracy (Christina Moore) — who looks more like Naomi’s older sister than her mom, let’s be real — actually had some legit words of wisdom for her wayward daughter: Maybe Max (Josh Zuckerman) isn’t the guy for her, after all. Naomi’s got some serious thinking to do, which as we all know, is never easy for her.

Silver’s Not-So-Brilliant Baby Plan

Silver’s (Jessica Stroup) baby storyline also took a dark, and surprisingly litigious, turn this week. After telling Teddy (Trevor Donovan) she didn’t want him and Shane to co-parent the baby with her — because God forbid that baby should have three beautiful parents — Silver went to Teddy’s uncle for help. Little did she know, she was opening up a can of worms. Homophobic worms!

Uncle Gaybasher went on a rant about how Teddy and Shane will never be a “real family” with any baby, then swore he would order the embryos frozen or “destroyed.” I assume he got that idea from an episode of The 700 Club.

But because Silver is a saucier minx than anyone could have anticipated — and possibly because she hasn’t been taking her bipolar meds again — she forged Teddy’s signature to waive parental rights. So basically, Silver’s backed herself into a lose-lose situation. It’s a good thing that baby’s going to be gorgeous, because it’s also going to be messed up.

Dixon & Adrianna’s Ex Games Heat Up

After Megan (Jessica Parker Kennedy) broke up with Dixon (Tristan Wilds) because he clearly still has feelings for Adrianna, the Ade-ster crashed his Rita Ora concert with her skeevy new man-friend in tow.

What’s to become of these two?!

(Side note: Let’s talk about Rita Ora. … She’s really just Rihanna in a wig, right? Either way, it was totally crazy how the song she was singing just happened to reflect what Dixon and Adrianna were feeling about each other. Rita Ora is magic, it seems.)

Did you love this episode as much as I did? Are you hoping Annie’s accident will bring her closer to Liam? And do you think Naomi should stay with Max, or move on? Drop me a comment with your personal review of the episode!

– Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More 90210 on HollywoodLife.com:

1. 90210 Scoop: Arielle Kebbel Previews Vanessa’s ‘Redemption’ Episode
2. 90210 Recap: Vanessa’s Return Puts Annie & Liam In Danger
3. 90210 Recap: Liam & Annie’s Pasts Come Back To Haunt Them

90210 fans have suffered a long, joyless hiatus since Dec. 2012 — mostly Liam (Matt Lanter), who’s been tied up in Ashley’s basement this whole time — but the CW sudser is finally back Jan. 21 at 9 p.m., and it’s going to be a big episode for “best frenemies” Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Vanessa (Arielle Kebbel). “Vanessa finally gets her day in court,” Arielle tells HollywoodLife.com. “The episode shows some of the redeeming qualities that I’ve known she’s had all along.”

But fans aren’t the only ones who might warm up to Vanessa after tonight’s episode; it sounds like Annie will be having a change of heart, as well.

“By being forced to work together, they learn just enough about one another to know there’s more than meets the eye,” Vanessa explains. “Vanessa has more sympathy for Annie, and she has more understanding for Vanessa. Of course, neither of them wants to admit those things.”

So… Who Gets Shot?

As for the gunshot we hear in the promo, Arielle says it’s definitely not being over-hyped.

“It’s going to be a huge moment,” she promises. “It’s a pretty big reveal.”

(Here’s my prediction: Considering next week’s episode finds Annie reflecting on her life in a dream-like state, I predict she’ll be the one who ends up in the hospital.)

What’s Next For Arielle

Regardless of what happens to Vanessa tonight, it sounds like she’ll be taking a bit of a backseat in Beverly Hills — but fear not, there are still plenty of ways for you to enjoy Arielle in the future.

Not only does she host CWTV.com’s weekly Vampire Diaries ”Rehash” show — which she’s “having a blast” doing, as she loves interacting with fans who keep Lexi’s memory alive — but she also has an indepentent film, Supporting Characters, coming out Jan. 25 on-demand and on iTunes.

“We shot it guerilla-style in New York City; I’m so proud of it,” Arielle says. Lena Dunham‘s in it, Chris Corrigan‘s in it, a lot of really cool people were a part of it.”

What are your predictions for tonight’s episode? Do you think Annie will get shot? Do you hope Vanessa sticks around in Beverly Hills? Watch a preview below, then drop a comment with your thoughts!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More 90210 on HollywoodLife.com:

1. 90210 Recap: Vanessa’s Return Puts Annie & Liam In Danger
2. 90210 Recap: Liam & Annie’s Pasts Come Back To Haunt Them
3. 90210 Recap: Colin Is Exposed — Along With Liam’s Sex Tape

If you watched the 30-second promo for the winter finale of 90210, you pretty much saw the entire episode, as The CW literally gave away the three biggest twists: Naomi (AnnaLegend McCord) discovered that Alec is in love with Max, Liam (Matt Lanter) found himself tied up in a basement, and Teddy (Trevor Donovan) told Silver (Jessica Stroup) he didn’t want her to have their baby without him. But even without any so-called ‘surprises,’ the Dec. 10 episode was still as enjoyable an hour as ever. It’s always been about the nuances with this show, people. The nuances!

Riley (Riley Smith) decided to go ahead with an experimental spinal procedure that will either grant him the ability to walk, or kill him. Not that I don’t have complete faith in Riley’s doctor, but given Annie’s (Shenae Grimes) history with guys, I’m already laying flowers on Riley’s grave. Let’s be real. And speaking of Annie, that blog she started — the one called “My Blog” — inspired her to apply for a writing course that would send her to Scotland for two years. I hope that doesn’t happen, because I don’t want to see Annie date the Loch Ness Monster next season. (She dates everyone, and would definitely love add Nessie to her list if the opportunity presented itself.)

Meanwhile, that slut Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) tried super hard to win back Dixon (Tristan Wilds), but he was having absolutely none of it. He was also having none of his crutches, which he tossed to the ground, revealing he can walk now. Then he came clean to Megan (Jessica Parker Kennedy) about her dad dying in the same car accident that ‘paralyzed’ him, which is apparently a huge turn-on for her, because she responded with a big wet kiss.

And then there’s Silver, who’s somehow already in a custody battle when she’s not even pregnant. Teddy and Shane (Ryan Rottman) are fully ready to knock Silver up just so they can snatch that little baby from her uterus, then change its name and smuggle it back to Washington, D.C. … Come to think of it, that would be a much better concept for The New Normal. I’d watch that show.

90210 doesn’t return with new episodes until the end of January, which leaves us more than a month to ponder what will happen next: Who will save Liam from Ashley’s evil clutches? Will Riley survive his spinal surgery? Which available human will Adrianna latch onto next? Drop a comment with your theories!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More 90210 news:

1. 90210 Recap: Colin Is Exposed — Along With Liam’s Sex Tape
2. 90210 Scoop: Rob Mayes Previews Colin’s Big Reveal
3. 90210 Scoop: Liam & Annie Finally Reunite Over A Dark Secret

Everybody loves a man in uniform, and the Dec. 6 episode of The Vampire Diaries has two of ‘em! “We’ll Always Have Bourbon Street” takes viewers back to 1942, when Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) were World War II G.I.s. The episode also features the return of Lexi (Arielle Kebbel) and the introduction of Damon’s old flame Charlotte (Madeline Zima). In other words, everyone is beautiful and everything is awesome.

I already gave you spoilers for this episode, including the “heartbreaking decision” Damon is forced to make, so browse the new batch of photos then drop me a comment with your thoughts and predictions!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Vampire Diaries on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘Vampire Diaries’ Recap: Stefan & Elena’s Relationship Takes A Dive
2. ‘Vampire Diaries’ Scoop: Damon Is Faced With A ‘Heartbreaking Decision’
3. ‘Vampire Diaries’ Video: Klaus Tells Stefan About Elena’s Hallucinations

I never thought I’d see the day when someone on 90210 was actually able to out-crazy Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes), but that’s exactly what happened on the March 13 episode. And the psycho supreme turned out to be none other than Vanessa (Arielle Kebbel), who literally smashed her head into a mirror and accused Ade of attacking her. Your move, Adrianna.

Vanessa’s little stunt also caused Adrianna to be detained by security, and therefore unable to perform with Dixon (Tristan Wilds) before their first big audience. Fortunately, he wowed the crowd — and a charming record executive, played by Miz LaToya Jackson – and he may have scored himself a record deal. Too bad Adrianna was left out of the deal! (That whole story line has “Jimmy and Ashley” written all over it. Am I right, Degrassi nerds?)

Meanwhile, Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) and Jen (Sara Foster) spent the episode battling over P.J. (Nick Zano), which sucks because — let’s face it — P.J. sucks. After literally mud-wrestling her little sister, Jen told her she could have P.J. all to herself, but just when I thought Jen might actually be a decent human being, we learned she took off for Napa to chase after him! (Am I the only one hoping she never comes back? Hey, a boy can dream.)

But anyone who truly understands my love for this show can already guess my favorite part of this week’s episode: Naomi’s Ethan (Dustin Milligan) reference! Just because 90210 switched showrunners after season one — the shift also meant the sudden disappearance of Ethan — doesn’t mean that first year never happened. Kudos to writer Paul Sciarrotta for embracing continuity. (Next step: Bring Ethan back!)

Lastly, let’s have a little chat about Liam (Matt Lanter) and Silver (Jessica Stroup). Now that they’re working together on set, they’re getting to know each other for the first time, and you’d have to be deaf and blind not to notice the spark between them. She even asked him to accompany her when she gets her screening for the breast cancer gene, which might not be the most ideal first date, but they’re bound to bond.

Of course, there is one person not thrilled with Liam and Silver’s blossoming romance — and I’m not just talking about the collective “Lannie” fan base. Vanessa gave them the evil eye when she caught them coming out of Liam’s trailer, and I’m expecting fireworks.

Big, crazy fireworks.

— Andy Swift

Follow Andy on Twitter for more 90210 updates

America’s brightest zip code is about to go dark — for one week, anyway. The cast of 90210 was spotted filming funeral scenes Feb. 1 in Los Angeles, and several recurring characters were curiously absent from the shoot: cancer-stricken Raj (Manish Dayal) and newly incarcerated Austin (Justin Deeley). Any theories? I’ve got, oh, a billion.

My gut is telling me two things: “Put food in me” and “it’s Raj.” Considering viewers were led to believe he was dying last season, and his cancer has only gotten more serious, he’s unfortunately sitting atop my list of suspects.

(Counterpoint: It’s been noted that this “doesn’t look like a typical Hindu funeral,” and considering they went in that direction for Raj’s wedding, it’s safe to assume they’d also do so with the funeral. Thanks, Sunny Jacob!)

Vanessa’s death, on the other hand, would be decidedly less tragic — especially for fans desperate to see Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Liam (Matt Lanter) back together.

In my mind, here’s how that would happen: Annie downs a bottle of vodka — preferably an expensive one, now that she’s a baller – then runs over Vanessa in her car like she’s a homeless chick. But instead of sleeping with Vanessa’s psycho nephew, Annie drives (drunk) to Liam’s bar, where they proceed to make sweet love on a pile of Marla Templeton’s dollars. Everybody wins!

(UPDATE: New shots of Arielle filming funeral scenes have surfaced. Sorry, “Lannie” fans!)

There’s also the possibility that Austin will get shanked in prison, but I doubt the inmates would want to get rid of him. He’d be so much more useful to them alive.

— Andy Swift

Follow Andy on Twitter for more 90210 scoop