Plot
Did anything actually happen in this episode that didn't happen in the backdoor pilot? Oh, right. The short and boring reveal of Davina-the-super-powerful-witch right at the end there. I already have issues with characters who are more powerful than everybody else for no apparent reason, and this didn't feel like an exciting piece of information. I was expecting us to have to wait longer to discover Marcel's secret, building the suspense, and also for it to be something new and interesting, not just another witch. There are hundreds of witches in this show. I don't care how powerful the new one is - she's still just another witch, and that is boring. Aside from that and Elijah being daggered (which frustrated me more than anything, because I absolutely can't be bothered to watch a Klaus-centric show and I was hoping it would share the limelight) this was a direct retelling of the backdoor pilot with occasional new scenes thrown in. I can understand that they want to explain stuff for new viewers, but did they have to make it so boring for the old viewers at the same time?
Character Development
I think all of the characters in this show are bipolar. There is no other explanation for their violent and irrational mood swings. Klaus listens to his brother, Klaus beats his brother up. Klaus has a chat about the importance of family with his brother, Klaus sticks a dagger in his brother's heart. The witches are going to kill Hayley, the witches change their minds. The witches are totally going to kill her this time - no, wait, they changed their minds again. It felt like for every step forward there were two steps back and it was unbelievably annoying.
Music
There were a few interesting bits but not a lot - and I did notice the removal of some music in a scene which made it vastly less meaningful.
Acting
Eh, in spite of the problems I have with the characters, I can't really fault the acting - although I heard accent slips from Elijah, Rebekah and Hayley. Not big ones, though, so it's okay. I do hope Hayley gets a couple more facial expressions in the next few episodes, though - don't want this turning into a Kristen Stewart thing.
Scenery
I liked the random Mikaelson mansion right at the end. I did not like the graveyard and the 800 witchy crypts. Everywhere else was either average or boring.
Sexism
None that I noticed. I feel bad for Hayley being stuck as a vessel for a miracle baby, but even though that is a situation only women find themselves in, it's not sexist. Just realistic. And depressing.
Bechdel Test
1. It includes at least two women, (Yes)
2. who have at least one conversation, (Yes)
3. about something other than a man or men. (No)
It was very nearly only one yes, because even though Hayley and Sophie were in several scenes together, they never actually spoke a word to each other. Sophie just talked about her while she stood there. Luckily Sophie and some other witch had an argument which counts as a conversation. Unluckily they talked about the original vampires, who are male. 2/3
2. who have at least one conversation, (Yes)
3. about something other than a man or men. (No)
It was very nearly only one yes, because even though Hayley and Sophie were in several scenes together, they never actually spoke a word to each other. Sophie just talked about her while she stood there. Luckily Sophie and some other witch had an argument which counts as a conversation. Unluckily they talked about the original vampires, who are male. 2/3