Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Bad Girls

“Bad Girls” is the episode where Buffy taps into Faith’s mantra of  “I’m a Slayer and can do what I want,” with disastrous consequences. Since this is a Buffy-and-Faith episode, Willow and Xander only get a few scenes, and their humor is sorely missed for most of the episode.

Adding some hilarious moments is the introduction of Wesley, Buffy and Faith’s new Watcher (thanks to the Council ousting Giles at the end of “Helpless”).

Wesley:   It’s very nice to meet you.
Buffy:  Is he evil?
Wesley:  Evil?
Buffy:  The last one was evil.
Wesley:  Oh, yes. Gwendolyn Post. We all heard. No. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the Council, but I’m glad to see you’re on the ball as well. A good Slayer is a cautious Slayer.
Buffy:  Is he evil?
Giles:  Not in the strictest sense.

Knowing what he’ll become over on Angel, it’s almost painful to see how dorky and incompetent Wesley is at this point. His scenes with Giles are the best – both polishing their glasses, their overly polite jabs at each other, Wesley cowering in a corner while he sees Giles’ swordplay.

You also get more info on what exactly the Mayor is up to, combined with more of his 1950s mindset and propensity for cleanliness. He opens his cupboard of weapons and spells to retrieve a disposable wipe. He puts his evil plans on his to do list right with his meeting with the PTA.

Mayor Wilkins:  I just love the Family Circus! That P.J., he’s getting to be quite a handful.
Mayor Wilkins:  Well… I haven’t seen anything like this in, uh… Well, a good long while. Where’s the owner of these fine implements?
Trick:  The common term is ‘slain’. But I’ve been seeing this breed around. Are we expecting any trouble?
Mayor Wilkins:  Do you like Family Circus?
Trick:  I like Marmaduke.
Mayor Wilkins:  Oh! Eww! He’s always on the furniture. Unsanitary.
Trick:  Nobody can tell Marmaduke what to do. That’s my kinda dog.
Allan:  I like to read Cathy.

The main villains of this episode are rather boring – vampires with swords and a disgusting, fat demon that is so obviously fake I remember why it took me so long to get into this show. Also, additional side note, rewatching episodes makes it really easy to tell the difference between Sarah Michelle Gellar and the person doing her stunts.

The biggest impact on future episodes (aside from the Mayor becoming invincible), is Faith killing the deputy mayor, Allan, and doing her best not to care about it. Though I wonder why the police didn’t do a better job of trying to find the two girls who escaped custody by crashing a police car. Is Sunnydale really that big that they couldn’t find Buffy, especially after her earlier brushes with the law? Perhaps the crash fuddled their memory.

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Silas Weir Mitchell on playing Monroe on ‘Grimm,’ and filming in Portland | OregonLive.com

While searching to see if the actor who plays Monroe on Grimm has a Twitter account (currently, no), I came across this awesome interview with him! From his first acting gig in third grade playing Hansel (from the Grimm story Hansel and Gretel!) to how he manages filming in Portland while his wife lives in LA, Silas gives a fun look at his life and his unexpected popularity as Monroe.

Silas Weir Mitchell on playing Monroe on ‘Grimm,’ and filming in Portland | OregonLive.com.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Zeppo

I figured it was about time I got back to my Buffy episode reviews! “The Zeppo” is one of my favorites, so I kept putting it off since I wanted to do a thorough job on the review. And then the fall season started, and I was way too busy juggling new episodes to even think about rewatching old ones, unless I was introducing friends/family to shows.

This episode follows a different format than typical ones. Most TV episodes have several storylines going on at once, with the one having the highest stakes being the focus and getting the most screen time, while one or more minor storylines often feature supporting cast and add humor, character development, and plot details to supplement the main story. With “The Zeppo,” the formula is switched. Xander’s side story of trying to be cool and prove he’s not useless becomes the focus, and Buffy and the rest of the gang stopping a near-apocalypse gets only a handful of scenes.

Buffy:  Xander, one of these days, you’re gonna get yourself hurt.
Faith:  Or killed.
Buffy:  Or both. A-and, you know, with the pain and the death, maybe you shouldn’t be leaping into the fray like that. M-maybe you should be…fray-adjacent.
Xander:  Excuse me? Who, at a crucial moment, distracted the lead demon by allowing her to pummel him about the head?
Faith:  Yeah. That was real manly how you shrieked and all.
Xander:  I think you’ll find that was more of a bellow.
Buffy:  Uh, what do we do with the trio here? Should we burn them?
Willow:  I brought marshmallows.
(Surprised looks.)
Willow:  Occasionally, I’m callous and strange.

In the end, you don’t really know what went on with the Hellmouth opening again. You glimpse a few mid-action scenes (as if you were flipping through channels during commercials), and hear the gang’s comments afterwards. And you get a few funny bits like this one:

Willow:  Where are you going?
Giles:  Um, to try and contact the Spirit Guides. They exist out of time, but have knowledge of the future. I have no idea if they will respond to my efforts, but I have to try. All we know is that the fate of the entire world rests on it. (looks into the doughnut box) Did you eat all the jellies?
Buffy:  Did you want a jelly?
Giles:  I always have a jelly. I’m always the one that says ‘let’s have a jelly in the mix.’
Willow:  We’re sorry. Buffy had three.

But you know exactly what went on with Xander’s evening. I particularly like the scene pictured above because of the weapon’s name. There are other named weapons in the Whedonverse (Mr. Pointy and Jayne’s Vera spring to mind), but this one shares my name:

Xander:  Yeah. Great knife. Although I think, uh, it may technically be a, a sword.
Jack:  She’s called ‘Katie’.
Xander:  You gave it a girl’s name. How very serial killer of you. Listen, I think we should be going.
Jack:  Are you scared? (traces the tip of the blade around Xander’s neck)
Xander:  Would that make you happy?
Jack:  Your woman looking on, you can’t stand up to me? Don’t you feel pathetic?
Xander:  Mostly I feel Katie.
Jack:  You know what the difference between you and me is?
Xander:  Again… Katie’s springing to mind.

Much as I hate zombies, the whole story with Jack’s dead friends is hilarious. When Xander realizes they’re making a bomb, his interrogation technique (and subsequent decapitation) is exactly what I would picture him doing.

I love how in the end, Xander saves his friends by playing chicken with Jack and the bomb, and proving that he’s not afraid. And none of the Scooby Gang finds out that he saved their lives – Xander knows, and that’s enough for him.

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Once Upon a Time – A Perfect Fairy Tale

I watched the trailer for this show about a dozen times before the premiere. The premise – fairytale characters trapped in our world with no memory of who they once were – intrigued me, and the visual effects were stunning. I only hoped the show itself would be half as good.

It far, far exceeded my expectations.

Both worlds captured my attention from the start – the fairytale land full of woods and castles and elaborate clothes, and the trapped-in-time town of Storybrooke, Maine, with its quaint touches and secrets. And transitioning between the two wasn’t difficult at all, since both stories progressed in chronological order.

The fairytale story: After Prince Charming awakens Snow White with a kiss, the evil Queen threatens to ruin their happiness. The newly-married and expecting couple visit Rumpelstiltskin in the dungeon to find out more about this threat. In exchange for the baby’s name, he tells them that their daughter will return to save them from the Queen’s curse on her 28th birthday. When the Queen arrives, the Prince has just enough time to hide his baby daughter in the magic tree/wardrobe/portal they’d been preparing so she won’t be frozen in time and trapped like the rest of them.

The contemporary story: Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison from House) celebrates her 28th birthday with a fake date with a bail jumper (guest appearance from Alphas’ Warren Christie) and a lonely cupcake. But as soon as she makes a wish and blows out the candle, the son she gave up for adoption 10 years ago appears at her door. As she drives Henry back home that evening, he tells her that all the stories in his book of fairy tales are true, and that she’s in the book, too. He says his adoptive mother, the town mayor, is the evil Queen from the story, his teacher is Snow White, and his therapist is Jiminy Cricket. But now that Emma has come to town, she can battle the Queen and free everyone.

The first episode set the bar high as it established both story worlds and the main characters. I absolutely loved the Prince’s swordfight while holding his newborn daughter. And it was fun seeing all the creative touches the real world character had of their fairy tale counterparts: the Queen’s obsession with apples, Jiminy Cricket’s green scarf, Red Riding Hood’s crimson hair streaks.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the second episode, “The Thing You Love the Most,” but it was nearly as good as the first. Emma begins to learn just how strong the Mayor’s hold is on the town, and to actively work against her after Regina has her framed. Sheriff Graham popped up once again to arrest Emma, and he’s the one character in the show so far whose fairy tale counterpart is a mystery. My friend, Ruth, suggested he may be the Queen’s Huntsman, which I think fits perfectly with the story. I’m looking forward to how his relationship with Emma progresses.

I thought there was a good chance that the pilot was the last we’d see for a while of the fairytale world, but I couldn’t have been happier to be proven wrong. This time it focused on the Queen’s story: what she was up to during the year or so between her threats and her attack, who her allies were, how she got the spell, and what she had to sacrifice to cast it. And it’s not to build sympathy for her character – if anything, she seemed even more evil. Such a twisted and selfish view of happiness.

And Rumpelstiltskin seems a little less of a bad guy in league with the Queen and more of a manipulative man with his own agenda. As Mr. Gold, he doesn’t seem to have forgotten anything about his fairytale life – or at least he remembered enough to have Regina adopt Snow White’s grandson to eventually bring Emma to Storybrooke, and to not trust Regina.

Speaking of Henry, he is a perfect mixture of faith and cunning. It’s amazing that he could have grown up as sweet as he did with Regina. It was interesting to find out the story behind his name in the latest episode.

And I loved that all three characters – Snow White/Mary Margaret, Emma, and Henry – prefer hot chocolate with cinnamon. It looked so good that I made some up for myself! 🙂

(By the way, the winner of the Psych contest has been notified, and I’ll mention the winner when I announce the November contest later this week. Can you guess the theme? 🙂 All November comments will count toward it, so feel free to start!)

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Helpless

Many shows return or premiere this week, so my blogging schedule should get quite full! I still haven’t decided whether I’ll be keeping up with blogging about Buffy every other post or not, but most likely I’ll take a break for at least a week or two.

“Helpless” is full of the amazing father/daughter moments between Giles and Buffy that I love so much. I hate it that the Council makes Giles betray her for the 18th birthday Cruciamentum test – but it does an excellent job of painting the Council as the bad guys (or at least the out-of-touch authority figure, now that Joyce knows what’s going on and Snyder only has half a season left).

Having already been let down by her real father, who can’t even make it to their traditional birthday date, Buffy turns to the person who has stepped into that role in her life:

Buffy:  You know, it’s usually something that families do together.
Giles:  Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core.
Buffy:  I-if someone were free, they’d take their daughters or their student… or their Slayer.

Sadly, it’s at that very minute that Giles is drugging her to suppress her Slayer powers for the test. When the insane captive vampire Kralik escapes, it’s Giles who rescues her, and then tells her the truth.

When Kralik takes Joyce, Buffy goes to fight him in her weakened state, and creates a new way to kill a vampire – tricking one into ingesting holy water. Giles arrives just in time to dispatch the second one and start to regain Buffy’s trust.

The episode ends with Giles choosing a side – and Buffy as well:

Quentin:  Congratulations, you passed. You exhibited extraordinary courage and clearheadedness in battle. The Council is very pleased.
Buffy:  Do I get a gold star?
Quentin:  I understand that you’re upset…
Buffy:  You understand nothing. You set that monster loose, and he came after my mother.
Quentin:  You think the test was unfair?
Buffy:  I think you better leave town before I get my strength back.
Quentin:  We’re not in the business of fair, Miss Summers, we’re fighting a war.
Giles:  You’re *waging* a war. She’s fighting it. There is a difference.
Quentin:  Mr. Giles, if you don’t mind…
Giles:  The test is done. We’re finished.
Quentin:  Not quite. She passed. You didn’t. The Slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I’ve recommended to the Council, and they’ve agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as Watcher immediately. You’re fired.
Giles:  On what grounds?
Quentin:  Your affection for your charge has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgment. You have a father’s love for the child, and that is useless to the cause. It would be best if you had no further contact with the Slayer.
Giles:  I’m not going anywhere.
Quentin:  No, well, I didn’t expect you would adhere to that. However, if you interfere with the new Watcher, or countermand his authority in any way, you will be dealt with. Are we clear?
Giles:  Oh, we’re very clear.
Quentin:  Congratulations again.
Buffy:  Bite me.
Quentin:  Yes, well, colorful girl.

And that sets up the introduction of Wesley, a character you’re predisposed to hate, but end up loving (especially on Angel).

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Gingerbread

My 100th post! I don’t think I’ve ever had a hundred posts written within one year on a blog before. Just nine months ago I was almost embarrassed to link to this site since I had so little content up. Now I have well over 50,000 words spread throughout the site.

“Gingerbread” is Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s witch hunt episode. Now for all the things I love about Buffy, one of the things I dislike most about the show is the witchcraft in it. I know it’s mostly used in the mythology of the show as a story device, but it covers a huge spectrum from light spells to summoning dark powers, and even the show itself varies on how it is portrayed morally. In the end it’s seen as a force for good, evil, and many shades of gray in between, but this episode lacks that complexity.

Side note: I found it rather interesting that the first major spell Willow did (to restore Angel’s soul), if you look at the translation of the words she uses, she’s not begging some evil spirit. She’s beseeching God. Fitting, since the whole soul thing fits best in His realm anyway.

The broad strokes of this episode turn it into a battle cry for tolerance and accepting differences. The entire town gets into an uproar over the deaths of two children, and begins to target those suspected of witchcraft and anyone else different. The episode’s saving grace is that it senses the ridiculousness of the fervor and exaggerates it, throwing in some humor along the way.

Buffy:  What is this?
Willow:  A doodle. I do doodle. You, too. You do doodle, too.

Xander:  Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m still spinning on this whole fairy tales are real thing.
Oz:  So what do we do?
Xander:  I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna go trade my cow in for some beans. (Gets a look.) No one else is seeing the funny here.

It’s interesting – this fall there are two whole shows premiering based on the premise that fairy tales are real. In Once Upon a Time, the fairy tale world is separate from this one, and the characters trapped in this world have forgotten who they are. In Grimm, the fairy tale creatures look like humans to all but a select few.

I love Buffy’s conversation with Angel in this episode:

Angel:  Buffy, you know, I’m still figuring things out. There’s a lot I don’t understand. But I do know it’s important to keep fighting. I learned that from you.
Buffy:  But we never…
Angel:  We never win.
Buffy:  Not completely.
Angel:  We never will. That’s not why we fight. We do it ’cause there’s things worth fighting for.

And I think it’s awesome that Cordelia, who has been acting like a bitca for the past several episodes, comes in to save the day in her own unique way.

Cordelia:  Wake up! (Slaps Giles repeatedly.)
Giles:  Cordelia?
Cordelia:  Took you long enough to wake up. My hand hurts.
Giles:  Pity. Oh… Why are you here?
Cordelia:  Things are way out of control, Giles. First the thing at school, and then my mom confiscates all of my black clothes and scented candles. I came over here to tell Buffy to stop this craziness and found you all unconscious… again. How many times have you been knocked out, anyway? I swear, one of these times, you’re gonna wake up in a coma.
Giles:  Wake up in a… Oh, never mind.

Their conversations always make me laugh. And it’s nice to see Cordy doing more than just dropping snide remarks at the gang.

The heartbreaking part of this episode is how Joyce slowly turns against her daughter. I actually cringed when she lumped monsters, witches, and slayers in the same group, right in front of Buffy (and half the town). And what Joyce almost did isn’t discussed between them at the end of the episode, though the following one works toward re-establishing their bond.

In all, this is one of my least favorite episodes of season three, but it was still a fun watch the second time around.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Amends

I wondered why the seventh episode of this season wasn’t quite as good as other sevenths, but that was only because Joss Whedon saved his writing and directing talents for this gem of an episode.

After half a dozen episodes of waiting, we finally get a reason for Angel’s return to Earth. The First brought him back to kill Buffy. A notably evil plan, but why Buffy? Was this an earlier indication of things not being right with two Slayers in the world? Wouldn’t another Slayer be called when she died (though there’s no mention that it happens when she does die)? And why Angel? He loves her, so he’ll do whatever he has to to keep her safe. True, he’s one of the few people who would have a chance to beat her in a fight, and he could get close to her, but I think the First would have been better off going with Faith. She could even have her dead Watcher haunting her and urging her on.

The dream flashbacks gave another glimpse of how truly evil Angel was. And how truly awful his hairstyles were. Spike makes fun of his current hairstyle, but those were much, much worse.

This is the first time I’ve rewatched this episode, so I saw the First and the Bringers in a whole new light after season 7. It was also interesting comparing the First driving Angel crazy in this episode to the First driving Spike crazy in season 7. But the First didn’t use vivid dreams and connected dreams in season 7, though. The only dreams were Buffy’s regular prophetic and historic Slayer dreams.

Mixed in with the story are Christmasy bits – shopping, school break, lights, decorating the tree. Buffy reaches out to Faith. Willow makes up with Oz:

Oz:  Well, I don’t know. I don’t know that it… ever will be between you two.
Willow:  Oz, please believe me.
Oz:  This is what I do know: I miss you. Like, every second. Almost like I lost an arm, or worse, a torso. So, I think I’d be willing to… give it a shot.
Willow:  Really?
Oz:  Yeah.

I just love the sweetness of that. And yes, I know I do go a little Oz-crazy on this blog, but that’s just because I know how soon he’ll be gone from the show.

And the end of the episode, the Christmas miracle, is perfect. Most of the time, snow just brings a cute “aww” moment in a holiday episode of a show. This time, it brings much more:

Angel:  Am I a thing worth saving, huh? Am I a righteous man? The world wants me gone!
Buffy:  What about me? I love you so much… And I tried to make you go away… I killed you and it didn’t help. And I hate it! I hate that it’s so hard… and that you can hurt me so much. I know everything that you did, because you did it to me. Oh, God! I wish that I wished you dead. I don’t. I can’t.
Angel:  Buffy, please. Just this once… let me be strong.
Buffy:  Strong is fighting! It’s hard, and it’s painful, and it’s every day. It’s what we have to do. And we can do it together. But if you’re too much of a coward for that, then burn. If I can’t convince you that you belong in this world, then I don’t know what can. But do *not* expect me to watch. And don’t expect me to mourn for you, because…

And it begins to snow. The sun isn’t coming out. Soft flakes of forgiveness fall, sparing Angel’s life and convince him that he can make amends for the evil he’s done in his past.

Who made it snow in Sunnydale that day? The Powers That Be would best fit in the mythology of the show, though the part they play in the series seems but a dim reflection of the Power Who Is.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Wish

Immediately following Spike’s short visit, Anya enters the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This was only my second time watching “The Wish,” so it was neat to see all of the hints at future episodes. The two that really stuck out to me were Vampire Willow’s “Bored now” and the fact that Buffy was in Cleveland, which we’ll later find out has a Hellmouth of its own.

But the episode begins typically enough, with Buffy fighting a demon (who reminds me a bit of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean), assisted by Willow and Xander. The three are still dealing with the fallout from “Lovers Walk.”

Buffy:  No luck reaching Cordelia?
Xander:  I’ve left a few messages. Sixty… Seventy… But you know what really bugs me? Okay, we kissed. It was a mistake. But I know that was positively the last time we were ever gonna kiss.
Willow:  Darn tootin’!
Xander:  And they burst in, rescuing us, without even knocking? I mean, this is really all their fault.
Buffy:  Your logic does not resemble our Earth logic.
Xander:  Mine is much more advanced.

Oz needs time to think things through, but Cordelia is cutting up and burning photos and trying to pretend Xander doesn’t exist. Her old friends aren’t welcoming her back, and Cordy soon comes to the conclusion that Buffy being in town is what started the downward trend in her life. The new girl in school is the one bright spot in her week.

Cordelia:  Go ahead. Dazzle me with your oh-so-brilliant insults. Just join the club.
Anya:  Hardly. Uh, actually, I’ve been looking for you. Ever since we met this morning, I was, like, thank God there’s one other person in this town who actually reads W.
Cordelia:  But Harmony…
Anya:  Oh, she follows me around. If that girl had an original thought, her head would explode.

But Anya is really the vengeance demon Anyanka, so when Cordelia wishes Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, Anyanka grants her wish. Cordy is immediately transported into an alternate reality where vampires rule the town. Willow and Xander are both vampires and the Master’s top henchmen; Giles, Oz, and a few others drive around trying to save who they can; and Angel lives chained up and tortured. After Willow and Xander kill Cordelia, it’s up to Giles to figure out what’s going on.

I’m always surprised when I read about people not liking Anya, because I love her! Emma Caulfield does an amazing job playing Anya’s hilarious facets – her cheerful literalness, her fear of bunnies, her delight in money – but adds depth to her character whether the moment is humorous or somber. I’m looking forward to Emma’s new project, “Ripped” as well as her upcoming guest appearance in Leverage. I also just caught up on her mockumentary web series, Bandwagon. It’s finishing up its second season (Oops, which is now it’s first season. The years-ago “first season” is now the movie – which makes sense, with the time gap.) , which boasts the addition of Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley on Community), and I plan to do a full post on it soon.

It’s neat getting to see the changes in the characters in this episode, all of them still being themselves, but under far different circumstances. Vampire Willow brings out the mad-with-power side of her character, which we’ve seen glimpses of before, but Vampire Xander doesn’t seem to have kept much of his old personality. Giles lacks confidence, Buffy’s jaded, and Angel’s hanging onto the last thread of hope. It’s also pretty interesting watching who kills who in the final battle.

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V – Saga Cut Short

I never watched the original V, but ABC’s two-season remake captured my attention and held it. I tuned in to the show because it starred Morena Baccarin, best known as Inara from Firefly. Having loved her on Firefly, it was eerie to see her as the villain, Anna, in this show. You can almost see the lizard-like creature underneath her skin.

Alan Tudyk (Wash from Firefly) also showed up in the first few episodes as Erica’s partner. Erica Evans, an FBI agent, is the main character of the show, but it took me a while to warm up to her. (I primarily knew the actor, Elizabeth Mitchell, from the Santa Clause movies, so it took a while for that image to fade.)

The premise of the show is that aliens invade the earth as peaceful Visitors (or Vs), claiming to want peace and sharing their technology. But they have a hidden agenda, buried as their lizard appearance is buried under human skin. And they haven’t just arrived – sleeper agents have been in place for decades.

Erica gradually gathers a small band of people who know what the Vs are truly like, and they work to set back their devious plans however they can. But she’s keeping the aliens’ true identity from her son, who’s fascinated by the Vs and eventually begins dating Anna’s daughter Lisa.

The show was excellent – great plot, stunning visuals, and with the exception of a few characters, an awesome cast. But it was canceled after only two short seasons (22 episodes total), so it never had a chance to grow into its true potential. I was especially looking forward to season 3, since they’d just gotten rid of my (and judging from reviews, many others’) least favorite character.

One of my favorite characters was the mercenary Kyle Hobbs, played by Charles Mesure. I’m looking forward to where the actor will go in the future.

While ABC put the first season on Hulu, they didn’t with the second season, which made it hard for viewers to catch up with the closely-connected episodes. I think that’s one significant reason why ratings declined.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Lovers Walk

This is one of my favorite episodes of the entire show (I’ve seen it at least 4 times so far this year), and it’s the episode that brought James Marsters back as a regular for season 4 and beyond. “Lovers Walk” is, at its heart, a sad episode for pretty much all of the main characters, but Spike’s role makes it absolutely hilarious.

And it’s not just the major parts of the episode that make it so awesome; it’s the little things, like perfect scene transitions, starting with the very first one. The gang’s discussing SAT scores, when:

Cordelia:  Get out of Sunnydale – that’s a good thing. What kind of moron would ever wanna come back here?

Cut to Spike running over the “Welcome to Sunnydale” sign – again.

The sad part of the episode revolves around Xander and Willow’s continuing feelings for each other, Oz and Cordy finding out, and the havoc that wreaks. Giles is mostly absent, thanks to a retreat.

Buffy:  Okay, but you’re just going for a few days, right? I mean, you’re not gonna settle there and grow crops or anything.
Giles:  What? Oh, my gear. No, no, this is basic necessities.
Buffy:  Giles, you pack like me.
Giles:  Here. I suspect your mother will want to, uh, put it on the refrigerator.
Buffy:  Yeah. She saw these scores, and her head spun around and exploded.
Giles:  I’ve been on the Hellmouth too long. That was metaphorical, yes?

Things are still uncertain with Angel and Buffy, and surprisingly, it’s Spike who brings clarity to their relationship. They can never be “just friends.” This is the only episode on either show where the three of them spend any significant time together.

Spike is heartbroken over Drusilla, leaving him, and wants to share his tale of woe with anyone who will listen:

Spike:  She wouldn’t even kill me. She just left. She didn’t even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire. I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared? It was that truce with Buffy that did it. Dru said I’d gone soft. Wasn’t demon enough for the likes of her. And I told her it didn’t mean anything, I was thinking of her the whole time, but she didn’t care. So, we got to Brazil, and she was… she was just different. I gave her everything: beautiful jewels, beautiful dresses with beautiful girls in them, but nothing made her happy. And she would flirt! I caught her on a park bench, making out with a chaos demon! Have you ever seen a chaos demon? They’re all slime and antlers. They’re disgusting. She only did it to hurt me. So I said, ‘I’m not putting up with this anymore.’ And she said, ‘Fine!’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’ve got an unlife, you know!’ And then she said… she said we could still be friends. God, I’m so unhappy!
Willow:  There, there.
Spike:  I mean, friends! How could she be so cruel?

Willow assumes that Spike will kill her and Xander whether she does the love spell for him or not, but I’m not so sure. He was smart enough to use them for leverage so that Buffy wouldn’t kill him – he probably realized that Buffy would hunt him down relentlessly if he did anything to hurt them. I don’t really understand why Spike went to Buffy’s house, unless that’s where Willow said she left the spell book. There’s no mention of him picking it up there, and we know perfectly well that she left it at the school. Willow must have told him that in hopes that Buffy would be there to stop him, but she isn’t. Joyce is home alone. Fortunately, Spike is more in the mood for hot chocolate and sympathy than blood.

Spike:  So I’m strolling through the park, looking for a meal, and I happen to walk by, and she’s making out with the chaos demon! And so I said, ‘You know, I don’t have to put up with this.’ And she said, ‘Fine!’ So I said, ‘Fine, do whatever you like!’ I mean, I thought we were going to make up, you know.
Joyce:  Well, she sounds very unreasonable.
Spike:  She is. She’s out of her mind. That’s what I miss most about her.
Joyce:  Well, Spike, sometimes even when two people seem right for each other, their lives just take different paths. When Buffy’s father and I…
Spike:  No, this is different. Our love was eternal. Literally. You got any of those little marshmallows?

I simply love Spike and Joyce’s interactions. She reminds him of his mother, who he loved even as a vampire. And her confusion is hilarious and understandable – she views Spike, sitting heartbroken in her kitchen, as the good vampire, and Angel, snarling at her door, as the bad one.

That’s another way Spike seems more “human” than Angel – he actually enjoys food and drink other than blood. Alcohol, hot chocolate with marshmallows, cookies, spicy buffalo wings – you name it. He’s also been known to spice up his pig’s blood with various ingredients. I can’t recall one instance of Angel enjoying food when he wasn’t human.

I love Buffy, Spike, and Angel teaming up to fight the vampire gang that the Mayor sent after them. And Spike keeps up his one bad thing/one good thing (for selfish reasons) rhythm from early season two. He killed the shopkeeper, but he also killed a vampire. He might have even killed several if it wasn’t for Buffy’s idea to lob bottles of holy water at the vampires to beat them back. I find it interesting that she warned him – yes, they needed him alive to tell them where Willow and Xander were, but it’s unlikely that the water would have killed him. And once he revealed their location, Buffy didn’t even try to stop him from leaving.

The Mayor is one of my favorite villains on the show – much more enjoyable to watch than the annoying Master or Adam.

Mayor Wilkins:  But I guess we’re past that now. This year is too important to let a loose cannon rock the boat.
Allan:  Should I have Mr. Trick send a… committee to deal with this?
Mayor Wilkins:  Loose cannon. Rock the boat. Is that a mixed metaphor?
Allan:  Uh…
Mayor Wilkins:  Boats did have cannons. And a loose one would cause it to rock. Oh, honestly. I don’t know where my mind goes these days. Why don’t you take care of that Spike problem? A committee, like you said.

The funeral scene after Cordelia’s injury was a fun twist (of course, having seen Angel season one before I watched this episode, it didn’t fool me for a second). But I love Willow’s outfit in that scene – something that’s still “her’ but less dorky than her usual outfits.

The episode ends with the soft melody, “The Loneliness of Six” as each member of the now estranged couples sits alone in sadness. But past the sadness comes Spike, rocking out as he zooms down the highway.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Revelations

While perhaps not quite as dramatic as other seventh episodes in the show, “Revelations” does bring in a few twists that will have a major impact on the rest of the season.

First up is the gang finding out Angel’s alive. Judging from most of their reactions, it’s probably a good thing Buffy didn’t tell them earlier, while Angel was half-mad or extremely weak. There doesn’t seem to be the clear-cut distinction of Angel with a soul versus Angel without a soul in their minds.

Xander:  What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?
Buffy:  It was wrong, okay? I know that, and I know that it can’t happen again. But you guys have to believe me. I would never put you in any danger. If I thought for a second that Angel was going to hurt anyone…
Xander:  …you would stop him. Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar.
Willow:  Buffy, I feel that when it comes to Angel, you can’t see straight. And that’s why we’re, we’re all gonna help you face this.
Buffy:  But he’s better now. I swear. Look, you guys, he’s the one that found the Glove of Myhnegon. H-he’s keeping it safe for us in the mansion.
Xander:  Right! Great plan. Leave tons of firepower with the Scary Guy, and leave us to clean up the mess.
Buffy:  You would just love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn’t you?
Xander:  I don’t need an excuse. I think lots of dead people actually constitutes a reason.
Buffy:  Right. This is all nobility. This has nothing to do with jealousy.
Cordelia:  Hello? Miss Not-Over-Yourself-Yet?
Buffy:  Don’t you start with me.

Second is Faith’s reaction to the events in this episode. Her new Watcher turns out to be a fraud, and Buffy fights Faith to protect Angel. So, not only is her faith in people in general wounded, a wedge is driven into her friendship with Buffy that will lead to betrayal.

Having just read the first issue of the Angel and Faith comic, it was interesting to watch their first meeting – a fight, of course. It’s short-lived, and Buffy has to step in to prevent Angel from getting staked, so it’s probable that Angel is still weak from his hundreds of years in a hell dimension. Though he seemed to go okay fighting Pete in episode four.

I don’t know anything about Tai Chi, but Angel looks really sissy doing it. Though it sort of fits his “big, fluffy puppy with bad teeth” persona. (Yes, I am totally looking forward to Spike’s return in the next episode!) I wonder who’s the best fighter out of the four – the two Slayers, and the vampires with souls. Buffy’s beat both Angel and Faith. Spike’s beat Angel (in Angel season 5). Spike and Buffy’s fights usually get interrupted. Faith lost her fight with Lagos in this episode, but Buffy beat him fairly easily.

I love Buffy’s reaction to Faith’s new Watcher:

Buffy:  Interesting lady. Can we kill her?
Giles:  I think the council might frown upon that.

Xander and Willow are still hiding their relationship from everyone, though Willow almost confesses it to Buffy. This makes her more sympathetic to Buffy’s secret.

What secrets (in TV shows or otherwise) should be kept?

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Band Candy

This is one of the most hilarious episodes of the entire show. Watching Joyce, Principal Snyder, and most of all Giles act like crazed teenagers is amazing fun. And of course, the mind behind all this mayhem in the master of chaos himself, Ethan Rayne.

But Ethan seems far less evil in this episode than he has in past ones. It is, however, just a contract job for him – the Mayor had Mr. Trick hire someone to cause a distraction so he could pay tribute to a demon. The sewer demon is probably the weakest part of this episode – just a huge snake-head that looked like it could have been made of paper mâché.

Caught between her mother’s and Giles’ demands on her time, Buffy resorts to lying so she can sneak off to see Angel, who’s still weak. That’s the only scene he gets in the episode, and Faith doesn’t even make an appearance, with no explanation given for her whereabouts.

But who cares, with the pure candy-like fun of this episode? It was especially refreshing coming off rereading some of the more depressing season 8 comics (plus Spike: Volume 2, which arrived yesterday and finally explained where and how he got his bug ship). I’d also been trying to place this quote:

Snyder:  Whoa, Summers! You drive like a spaz!

I knew it was somewhere in the show, since it showed up again in the Buffy/Fray crossover comic, but since I’d only seen “Band Candy” once before I didn’t remember who’d said it and in which episode. But this episode has tons of fun quotes:

Oz:  Something’s happening… someplace that’s else.
Buffy:  I’d say something big.
Snyder:  That guy took my candy!
Buffy:  The candy. It’s gotta be the candy! It’s cursed.
Snyder:  A curse?! Oh, I’ve got a curse.

Buffy:  Mom, look at me. Do you know who I am?
Joyce:  Of course. You’re Buffy. Hey, look. They’re, they’re giving away candy. You want some candy?
Buffy:  No, I don’t! And you don’t need any more, either.
Joyce:  I’m fine. I can have more if I want.
Buffy:  You are *not* fine. You need to go home.
Joyce:  Screw you. I want candy!
Buffy:  Mom!
Joyce:  You wanna slay stuff, and *I’m* not allowed to do anything about it. Well, this is what *I* wanna do, so get off my back!
Buffy:  Mom, please, this is…
Giles:  Oh, for God’s sake. Just let your mum have the sodding candy. C’mon, Joyce…

Xander:  I don’t get this. The candy’s supposed to make you feel all immature and stuff, but I’ve had a ton, and I don’t feel any dif…  Never mind.

Buffy:  So, Ethan, what are we playing? We’re pretty much in a talk-or-bleed situation. Your call.
Giles:  Hit him.
Ethan:  I-I’d just like to point out that this wasn’t my idea.
Buffy:  Meaning…?
Ethan:  I’m subcontracting. It’s Trick you want. I’m just helping him collect a tribute… for a demon.
Giles:  He’s lying. Hit him!
Buffy:  I don’t think he is, and shut up.
Giles:  You’re *my* Slayer, go knock his teeth down his thr…
Buffy:  Giles!
Buffy:  What demon?
Ethan:  I don’t remember.
(Buffy punches him.)
Giles:  Yes!

There was talk of a spin-off show based on Giles’ early years which never materialized. But this episode gives a little glimpse of just how much fun that would have been.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Homecoming

This is one of the more frivolous episodes of season 3, as Buffy decides to battle Cordelia for the title of homecoming queen. Her reasons for doing so are understandable – Scott dumps her, her favorite teacher doesn’t remember her name, and she misses the chance to get even a normal yearbook photo.

But in the midst of the campaigning and bribery, some serious elements emerge that will influence the rest of the season. We get our first glimpse of the Mayor, and the news that this year is important for him. We meet his assistant, and Mr. Trick is brought in. Xander and Willow kiss. Angel hasn’t quite adjusted to being back in this world, and Buffy’s not ready for him to be back in her life.

I love how protective Faith is of Buffy in this episode (especially knowing what’s to come). Her revenge on Scott is hilarious. And Cordelia shows a few signs of the person she’ll become in Angel season one. I love the way she scares Lyle away with just her words.

Poor Giles, trying to make jokes at the dance, but Xander and Willow feel too guilty to even attempt a laugh. And I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed Mr. Trick’s odd sense of humor.

Trick:  Competition. Competition is a beautiful thing. It makes us strive. It… makes us accomplish. Occasionally, it makes us kill. We all have the desire to win. Whether we’re human… vampire …and whatever the hell you are, my brother. You got them spiny-looking head things. I ain’t never seen that before.
Kulak:  I am Kulak, of the Miquot Clan.
Trick:  Isn’t that nice.

His idea to turn his problem (two Slayers where he’s living) into a game-like competition is brilliant, though he really should have gotten more contestants – one Slayer and her ditzy friend got rid of all of them.

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Firefly – The Train Job

This is the first episode many people saw of Firefly, and it provides a great introduction to the show, perhaps even a better one than the lengthy, morally ambiguous pilot. The narrative opening gives viewers a concise overview of the setting, and only one conversation (Book talking to Mal) sticks out as thinly veiled exposition.

The bar fight encapsulates many of the elements that comprise the show – the Western motif, the hint of Chinese influence, futurist technology, and a lost war. In fact, that scene provides a much clearer emotional picture of the war’s effects on Mal and Zoe than the long war scene in the pilot does.

I absolutely love Jayne in this episode. From declining to join in the brawl (but eventually doing so) to grousing about jumping onto a moving train, to his reactions to Simon doping him – all of it’s priceless.

Niska emerges as a very creepy villain, and you just know that not completing his job is going to going to come back to haunt the crew. And the “two by two, hands of blue” make their first appearance.

Zoë: Sir, is there some information, we might maybe be lacking, as to why there’s an entire fedsquad sitting on this train?
Mal: It doesn’t concern us.
Zoë: It kinda concerns me.
Mal: I mean they’re not protecting the goods. If they were, they wouldn’t be letting people past ’em.
Zoë: You don’t think that changes the situation a bit?
Mal: I surely do. Makes it more fun.
Zoë: Sir, I think you have a problem with your brain being missing.
Mal: Come on. We stick to the plan, we get the goods, we’re back on Serenity before the train even reaches Paradiso, only now we do it under the noses of twenty trained Alliance feds and that makes them look all manner of stupid. Hell, this job, I would pull for free.
Zoë: Then can I have your share?
Mal: No.
Zoë: If you die can I have your share?
Mal: Yes.

Mal comes across as far more humorous than dark in this episode. He also is more clearly a thief with a heart of gold, in line with shows like Leverage. Far more likable that his character in the pilot. In the pilot, other characters make reference to what sort of man Mal is, but it this episode, we get to see the man he is.

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