Buffy the Vampire Slayer Archives - Page 7 of 10

Ringer – Pilot

Sarah Michelle Gellar is back! That was really the only tagline needed for the new noir drama on the CW. But the premise is intriguing by itself. Bridget runs away the night before her testimony in a criminal trial and goes to visit her estranged twin sister Siobhan. When Siobhan apparently kills herself, Bridget sees a way out and assumes her sister’s life. But she soon learns that Siobhan has secrets of her own, and someone wants her dead, too.

I watched a lot of the Comicon coverage for Ringer, and several trailers, so almost all of the secrets revealed in the pilot (and even a few that weren’t) had been spoiled for me. So I didn’t expect to be wowed by it, and I wasn’t. I’m looking for the next episodes too, though.

So for those of you who didn’t see all the previews, or didn’t watch the premiere episode, beware of spoilers!

This is the first thing I’ve seen Gellar in since Buffy, so I was a little surprised at how much older she looked, but it was more her clothes and mannerisms than her actual face. I noticed a few Buffy references in the first segment of the episode, but my guess is they were more imagined than actual hat tips to the show. The gargoyles on the penthouse roof gave a cemetery-link feel to the first moments of the episode, so that was probably deliberate. I probably only noticed the word “amends” in a conversation since that was the last Buffy episode I watched, and the word cookie because the cookie dough conversation was in the final Buffy episode. And when Bridget mentioned waitressing, I could only think about how that paralleled with the final issue of the Buffy season 8 comics (season 9 starts today!).

One of the “surprises” that got ruined was when Kristoffer Polaha seems to be following/stalking Bridget. I already knew he wasn’t a hitman out to get her, but Siobhan’s best friend’s husband Henry with whom Siobhan was having an affair. The show did manage to keep the surprise of Siobhan’s pregnancy, and that Siobhan blames Bridget for her (apparent) son’s death.

It’s easy to see Bridget as the hero in this story, as she tries to right Siobhan’s wrongs – breaking off the affair, trying to mend things with Andrew (Siobhan’s husband), reaching out to his daughter Juliet. I also like the setup of Bridget’s relationship with her sponsor, Malcolm, as the one person she can be “real” with.

One preview showed an extended clip of the final scene, of Siobhan’s phone conversation in Paris (yeah, we knew she wasn’t really dead). Only when I saw the clip, I thought it was Bridget. So that was a bit of a surprise.

So who sent the attacker in the climax? Was it Gemma, the best friend who’d summoned her to the loft? Andrew, whose mysterious phone conversation seemed like he was trying to call off a hit after he’d learned of Siobhan’s pregnancy? Or Siobhan, wanting to put the final nail in the coffin of her fake suicide and get revenge on her sister in one move?

I guess I’ll find out next week.

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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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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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Burn Notice – Better Halves

As a follow up to the show’s two-part reunion for The Pretender (Jeffrey Donovan has his own roots on the show, and then Patrick Bauchau was on “Eye for an Eye” and Michael T. Weiss was on “Army of One,” plus the Suits episode airing the same night featured Andrea Parker), tonight’s episode also had a prominent guest star. Charisma Carpenter, best known for playing Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel (and a reoccurring role on Veronica Mars), plays the trophy wife of a physicist working for the Russians.

Charisma’s not the first connection Burn Notice has to Buffy and Angel. The show’s Coby Bell briefly appeared on Buffy, and the actors who played Whistler and the potential Rona also showed up on Burn Notice. Navi Rawat plays both a psychotic slayer on Angel and an only slightly less psychotic assassin on Burn Notice.

The episode’s entitled “Better Halves,” in reference to Michael and Fiona having to go undercover as husband and wife to extract another couple from a luxury resort. But it also hints at the episode’s split story – Michael and Fiona are doing one mission while Sam and Jesse have another. It’s a shame that the episode doesn’t have the whole team working together (or at least the trio) like they do so well.

Fiona is still in a bit of a whiny stage, but in this episode it’s clear that Michael is far too content with the way things are between them. At least as the episode ended they seemed at a better place with each other – I was hoping the writers weren’t going to steer toward a breakup for the cliffhanger. The tango was fun, but I wish Michael’s voiceovers hadn’t ruined the mood of it. And I love Michael going back for Fiona and their shoot-out in the abandoned building.

Charisma had a tough role – making an unhappy trophy wife be manipulative but still likeable. And the show even put in some Cordy-like lines for her. But you don’t get a true sense of how messed-up her marriage is until her husband wants to cut his losses and leave her to die. At that point, it doesn’t matter how manipulative or needy Nicki can be, you’re rooting for her.

When Max’s killer says he has answers to questions Michael doesn’t even have yet, he could be bluffing, but I’m pretty sure he’s not. After all, the show was renewed for two seasons, so Michael can’t just go back to the CIA with a season and a half left (at least). There have to be more layers of conspiracy to uncover.

The cliffhanger scene startled me a bit at the last minute, since I would have guessed it was new information the killer brought to light. But I’d been expecting Pearce would catch onto Michael, and I knew it would probably happen in the summer finale. Really, though – an agent coming alone with one gun? She’s no match for Michael, even armed, and Fiona is right outside. Either she has serious doubts about Michael being the killer (and thus reasoning that he won’t kill her), or she’s just plain stupid. And even if she was smart enough to have a backup team, they’re at least a few minutes away or Michael would have spotted them.

However that scene plays out, I think it’s safe to say Michael won’t exactly be in the CIA’s good graces anymore. And while that’s a bad thing for him, I think it’ll be a good thing for the show.

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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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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Beauty and the Beasts

I love the way The Call of the Wild frames this episode. Buffy’s voiceover sets the mood in much the same way that Angelus did in “Passion.”

It’s a tale of three beasts – two good and one evil. When Xander falls asleep on Oz duty, and a fellow student is killed in what looks to be an animal attack, the gang concludes that werewolf Oz may have done it. Though I’m puzzled that no one wondered why a werewolf would crawl back through the window and sit in a cage waiting for morning.

With Pete and Debbie being Scott’s friends, they were able to ease into the episode without screaming potential villains and/or victims (their appearance did at least whisper that, though). And Pete’s snide remarks about Buffy made you hope he would be one of the two.

And of course you know Mr. Platt will end up being a victim, because he connects with Buffy. I hate it when Buffy comes in to talk with him, almost in tears, only to find out that he’s dead. I wonder if she thought of him, years later, when she became a school counselor herself.

The scene in the morgue was hilarious. First, you have Willow keeping her evidence-gathering supplies in a Scooby-Doo lunchbox (a fun tip to the group that gave the Scooby gang of this show their moniker). Then Xander comes up behind her and is freaked out by the dead body. Then Cordelia walks into the room and scares Xander:

Xander: We’re doing crime here. You don’t sneak up during crime.

And she in turn is even more freaked out by the corpse. Willow remains all business until it gets to her and she suddenly faints.

Angel’s reappearance sends Buffy reeling. After knocking him out in his beast-like state and chaining him up in the mansion, she heads to the library to do research. Giles finds her there in the morning. (By the way, when Xander confesses that he fell asleep while watching Oz, Giles yells at him. But when he finds Buffy asleep when she should have been doing the same thing, he doesn’t even bring it up. Or did he assume Faith was there the whole night?) Buffy says she had a vivid dream about Angel returning to explain why she’s looking through the books.

Buffy: Is there a chance even? Could it happen?
Giles: Well, there’s no record of anyone returning from a demon dimension once the… gate was closed. I can’t imagine how it could happen or-or why.
Buffy: Let’s just pretend for a second that… Angel somehow found his way back to Sunnydale. What would he be like?
Giles: I really can’t say. From what is known about that dimension, it would suggest a world of… brutal torment. And time moves quite differently there, so…
Buffy: I remember. So he would’ve been down there for hundreds of years.
Giles: Yes.
Buffy: Of torture.
Giles: It would take someone of extraordinary will and character to survive that and retain any semblance of self. Most likely, he’d be a monster.
Buffy: A lost cause.
Giles: Maybe. Maybe not. In my experience, there are two types of monster. The first can be redeemed, or more importantly, wants to be redeemed.
Buffy: And the second type?
Giles: The second is void of humanity, cannot respond to reason… or love.

Hmm, that whole idea of a monster wanting to be redeemed . . . does that explain Spike? The “void of humanity” phrase seems to point back to the Judge – he sensed the humanity in Spike but not in Angelus. (And I think Angel’s vs. Spike’s methods of regaining a soul would add an interesting twist to a predestination vs. free will theological debate.)

I wish the show had a better way of visually portraying werewolves – their “man in a furry suit” approach makes Oz and Pete’s fight seem laughable. But I love how Angel’s first sane actions are defending Buffy – and the first word he speaks is her name.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Faith, Hope, and Trick

Yeah, it was only as I was getting ready to type the title of this post that I realized that “Hope” in the episode title referred to Scott Hope, the guy with a crush on Buffy. Sad, I know. However, this is only the second time I’ve watched the episode so it could have been worse.

Side note: I just reread most of the Buffy season 8 comics, and Scott is one of the few multi-episode characters who wasn’t deceased (presumably) when the show ended but didn’t show up in season 8. True, he was a minor character, but even Parker was referenced in the comics. But my main reason for mentioning the comics was to share this amazing poster of what season eight would be like as a movie (primarily the first 10 issues or so of the comics). Be sure to zoom in to get the full effect!

Out of all of Eliza Dushku’s characters, my favorite is Echo from Dollhouse. I think it’s because I get annoyed with the tough-girl attitude her characters often wear, but Dushku is stunning at portraying vulnerability. She gets to do that most often with Echo, but we get a taste of it here with our first glimpse of Faith.

Well, not the first glimpse exactly – for that we have crazy dancing, vamp dusting, and colorful storytelling. Since I know now that Faith’s from Boston, I was able to catch a few hints of an accent, but it seemed inconsistent (perhaps Faith’s trying to get rid of her accent and slips up occasionally?).

I find it interesting that Faith’s Watcher was a woman – was the show already setting up the Mayor as a father figure for her, and wanting to have him not compete with a memory? But I love Xander and Willow’s tour of Sunnydale High:

Willow: And over here, we have the cafeteria, where we were mauled by snakes.
Xander: And this is the spot where Angel tried to kill Willow.
Willow: Oh, and over there in the lounge is where Spike and his gang nearly massacred us all on Parent-Teacher night. Oh, and up those stairs, I was sucked into a muddy grave.
Xander: And they say young people don’t learn anything in high school nowadays, but I’ve learned to be afraid.

Mr. Trick seems to continue the trend of unique vampires (he’s no Spike however – the thing I hate most about season three is Spike’s absence for all but one episode). His techno-speak is refreshing after season one’s chants and rituals.

While Scott’s repeated efforts to connect with Buffy are cute, he pulled a big no-no – giving her the same gift her dead ex-boyfriend had. But it’s interesting to note the difference between the giving of the two rings. Scott’s is just a retro friendship gift for a crush. Angel’s is a gift from his past (perhaps the only untarnished thing he has from then) and a promise for the future to the woman he loves.

But my favorite part of the episode is this:

Buffy: Angel was cured.
Giles: I’m sorry?
Buffy: When I killed him, Angel was cured. Your spell worked at the last minute, Will. I was about to take him out, and… something went through him… and he was Angel again. He-he didn’t remember anything that he’d done. He just held me. But it was… it was too late, and I, I had to. So I, I told him that I loved him… and I kissed him… and I killed him. I don’t know if that helps with your spell or not, Giles.
Giles: Uh, yes, I, I believe it will.
Willow: I’m sorry.
Buffy: It’s okay. I’ve been holding on to that for so long. Felt good to get it out. I’ll see you guys later. (leaves)
Willow: Giles, I know you don’t like me playing with mystical forces, but I can really help with this binding spell.
Giles: There is no spell.

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Supernatural – Skin

This episode started off with a glimpse at the middle of the episode (since it was a misdirect instead of stealing thunder from the climax, I didn’t mind), which seemed far more like an episode of Criminal Minds than Supernatural. That and the “normal” introduction to the attack – a friend falsely accused of murder – didn’t really influence me toward believing there was a natural explanation for all this. I hope Supernatural does throw in a few non-speculative scenarios eventually, if only to make red herrings less blatant. But in episode six of a show? The theory’s not even worth considering.

“Skin” did add a few twists to the shapeshifter trope. I hadn’t heard of the whole silver bullets thing to kill them before, but using silver to kill supernatural baddies is old hat. What impressed me was the whole “downloading memories,” thereby foiling the one easy way to tell the shapeshifter and the real person apart; needing the person to be alive to maintain the charade (unlike the First in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which needed the person to be dead to impersonate them); and the elaborate skin-shedding process (which was pretty gross).

I liked that this episode continued to build on Dean and Sam’s relationship, which still needs some work if I’m going to get addicted to this paranormal-battling duo. I hate that I’m still lukewarmish about this show. It’s been almost two months since I watched the first episode and this is only number 6. In that same amount of time I’d watched 4 seasons of Bones, or watched 5 seasons of Buffy and 2 of Angel.

What say you, Supernatural fans? Should I keep going or give up on the show?

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Dead Man’s Party

Buffy’s back in Sunnydale, and this episode picks up a few hours after the previous one ended, giving us the opportunity to see everyone’s reactions to Buffy’s return. My favorite is Xander’s; how they almost attack each other and then just stare at each other, until Buffy decides to break the silence:

Buffy: Didn’t anyone ever warn you about playing with pointy sticks? It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.
Xander: You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that!

Of course, it’s a little less funny knowing what’s going to happen to Xander at the end of season seven. But the scene almost makes me want to be a Xander/Buffy shipper.

Speaking of future seasons, this episode serves as a microcosm of early season six – Buffy’s difficulty re-adjusting to the life she once knew, wanting to “leave” again, Giles’ joy at her return, her friends misunderstanding what she needs from them, and connections rebuilt by fighting bad guys.

I mentioned it in an earlier post, but I absolutely love Giles’ quiet smile of happiness in the kitchen. I also love how he seems to know exactly what Buffy needs at this point, even when the rest of the Scooby gang overrules him. In addition, it’s fun to know that Giles can hotwire a car. And I love how he goes after Principle Snyder at the end, smiling all the while. Plus this:

Giles: Unbelievable. ‘Do you like my mask? Isn’t it pretty? It raises the dead!’ Americans.

I’m glad the writers deposed of Pat rather quickly. Like Ted, she was too annoying to make it through an entire episode. Makes other characters I wasn’t too fond of (such as Riley and Dawn) seem amazing in comparison. Buffy’s dream didn’t seem to have any reason, besides showing that memories of Angel are still haunting her. But the gang teasing Giles about the cat is fun:

Oz: It looks dead. It smells dead. Yet it’s movin’ around. That’s interesting.
Cordelia: Nice pet, Giles. Don’t you like anything regular? Golf, USA Today, or anything?
Giles: I’m trying to find out how and why it rose from the grave. It’s not as if I’m going to take it home and offer it a saucer of warm milk.
Oz: Well, I like it. I think you should call it Patches.

Oz: We should figure out what kinda deal this is. I mean, is it a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny?
Cordelia: What’s the difference?
Oz: Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings; shindig, dip, less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage; and hootenanny, well, it’s chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny.
Xander: Well, I hate brie.
Cordelia: I know. It smells like Giles’s cat.
Giles: It’s not my–

There don’t seem to be all that many pets in Sunnydale – perhaps because they’re easy bait for monsters? Willow seems to have most of them – her fish that Angelus killed, Amy the rat, Miss Kitty Fantastico. Drusilla had Sunshine for a bit, and the dog Rocky got killed in “Beneath You” – am I missing any others?

And I could probably write an entire post about the things people call Principal Snyder. This episode, even Buffy’s mom gets into it:

Joyce: I’ve been on the phone with the Superintendent of Schools. At least he seems more reasonable than that nasty little horrid, bigoted, rodent-man.

I loved that Cordelia stood up for Buffy when everyone else was attacking her, even though her methods needed a little work. And we got a fun random appearance by Jonathan, too.

I felt it was pretty unrealistic that all the zombies disappeared – the mask simply animated corpses, so they should have just returned to being dead bodies once it was destroyed. Of course, that would have been fun to clean up and explain to the police. I didn’t mind there being zombies in this episode, but out of all the horror standbys (vampires, werewolves, ghosts, shapeshifters, creatures from other dimensions, aliens), they are my least favorite, so I’m glad they never became a main part of the show.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Anne

And it’s onto season three! This was only the second time I’ve watched “Anne,” and I’d remembered it being sort of dismal, so I was pleasantly surprised at how fun the episode was despite Buffy hiding out and feeling depressed in Los Angeles.

First off, you get to see Willow, Oz, and Xander’s attempts to fight vampires in Buffy’s absence. Willow tries to copy Buffy’s style, and for a second you catch a glimpse of the uber-confident Willow of later seasons, but then normal Willow returns.

Xander: Okay, and the, uh, second problem I’m having . . . ‘Come and get it, Big Boy’?
Willow: W-well, the Slayer always says a pun or-or a witty play on words, and I think it throws the vampires off, and, and it makes them frightened because I’m wisecracking. Okay, I didn’t really have a chance to work on that one, but you try it every time.
Oz: Uh, if I may suggest: ‘This time it’s personal.’ I mean, there’s a reason why it’s a classic.
Xander: I’ve always been amazed with how Buffy fought, but in a way, I feel like we took her punning for granted.

This scene parallels the season two opening, only this time Buffy doesn’t come waltzing back in to save the day. She’s waitressing in LA, living in a dingy apartment, and being tormented by dreams about Angel.

Speaking of Angel, this episode begins building some of the framework for his show – the Los Angeles setting, the clip of a girl standing on the street that’s in all the Angel intro credits, and the reappearance of Chantarelle/Lily/Anne who will be on a few episodes of Angel.

One of my favorite parts about starting a new season of a show is the new opening credits. Season three of Buffy brought a slightly updated theme song, and captures many awesome moments.

I love Xander and Cordelia worrying about seeing each other again (especially Cordy, since it’s uncharacteristic of her), and Oz’s many incompletes give credence to him being absent for most of season two. And poor Giles, trying so hard to find Buffy only to have Joyce blame him for her leaving in the first place.

This episode guest stars Carlos Jacott, who is also in the Firefly pilot (which I just watched and will be blogging about soon), and an episode of Angel (as Doyle’s ex-wife’s fiance). I guess he just has a villainous face (though in two of them that’s not even his “real” face).

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Becoming

“Part One”

This is the first of the show’s flashback episodes, giving us a glimpse of significant moments in Angel’s, Drusilla’s, and Buffy’s past. Whistler narrates this episode, giving the whole thing a sense of inescapable destiny. He was actually supposed to move to Angel, but the actor wasn’t able to do the show, so the writers created the character of Doyle instead. I’m glad, since I think Whistler might have been too stuffy for a show that was already pretty dark.

We see Angel’s beginnings as a drunken lout all too willing to take Darla’s offer to show him the world. Right before she kills him, she says, “Close your eyes,” which will parallel Buffy’s words in the next episode. The scene showing Angel’s initial confusion after being cursed also sets up that scene.

Watching the scenes with Buffy being told she is the Slayer, after now having seen the (terrible) movie and read the comic, makes me wish they would have remade the movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Joss Whedon’s orginal screenplay. I’m curious to see what the remake they’re doing now will be like. Even though there’s been huge fuss about Joss not being involved, it sounds like it’s more his busy schedule than their outright snubbing. I know it won’t hold a candle to the TV series, but it has to be better than the original movie, right?

I love how Xander acts out the battle in the cemetery with fish sticks and a toothpick – “Die! Die! Die! Aah! Mother!” And Oz is back, though only for that brief scene. Kendra returns too, and meets her untimely end (due to Drusilla’s hypnotic “cheating”).

Angelus: Where?
Drusilla: At the museum. A tomb… with a surprise inside.
Angelus: You can see all that in your head?
Spike: No, you ninny. She read it in the morning paper.

Only one more episode before Spike’s gone for nearly all of season 3. 🙁 But what is with vampires, always wanting to reawaken demons? And if vampires weren’t supposed to suffer in this demon dimension, is his soul the only reason why Angel will?

Spike: It’s a big rock. I can’t wait to tell my friends. They don’t have a rock this big.

I hate the argument the group gets into over whether to restore Angel’s soul. The numbers seem simple – having Angel fighting for them is better than having him fight against them or simply dusted. And I don’t get why Xander’s more mad than Giles about Angel’s role in Jenny’s death, unless it’s not really about that. Yes, Xander was jealous of Angel from the get-go, but maybe it’s because Angelus went after Willow first. And he killed the last person who tried to restore his soul.

“Part Two”

This episode is one of my top five favorite Buffy episodes. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve watched it. So many aspects are completely amazing, and it finished off what many consider the best season of Buffy perfectly.

The only two things I didn’t like about this episode were the stunt actors for the sword fighting scene (after seeing it several times it became extremely easy to see which shots weren’t of David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Xander deliberately giving Buffy the wrong message from Willow. I can understand his motivation a little, being that he didn’t know about the whole “needing to kill Angel to stop Acathla” thing. He didn’t want Buffy to pull her punches while fighting Angelus, trying to buy time, which could get her killed. But I don’t think giving her the real message would changed what happened for the better. Best case scenario, Buffy would have been slightly more prepared for what she eventually had to do.

Everything Buffy has is stripped away, piece by piece, in this episode. Her fellow Slayer is dead. She’s on the run from the police. Her mother kicks her out of the house. The principal expels her. And then, when her wildest dreams come true and Angel is restored, she has to run a sword through him.

The music on this episode is breathtaking. Christophe Beck really outdid himself. From “Waking Willow” to “Vision of Jenny,” he captures the moments perfectly, and then finishes with my favorite piece of the score from the entire series, “Close Your Eyes.” And Sarah MacLachlan’s “Full of Grace” ends the episode beautifully.

Even despite this being a serious dramatic episode, the dialogue is full of zingers, like when Buffy catches Whistler at Giles’ house:

Buffy: I have had a really bad day, okay? If you have information worth hearing, then I am grateful for it. If you’re gonna crack jokes, then I’m gonna pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat.

Probably my favorite part of this episode is Spike and Buffy’s alliance. It’s hilarious that the first action Spike does for the side of good is beating up a police officer. And I love Buffy’s shocked face when she realizes Spike actually wants to help save the world.

Buffy: Okay. You do remember that you’re a vampire, right?
Spike: We like to talk big, vampires do. ‘I’m going to destroy the world.’ That’s just tough guy talk. Strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood. The truth is, I like this world. You’ve got… dog racing, Manchester United. And you’ve got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It’s all right here. But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Picadilly. Farewell, Leicester Bloody Square. You know what I’m saying?

And even more hilarious is Spike and Buffy trying to come up with a cover story for Buffy’s mom:

Spike: What, your mum doesn’t know?
Joyce: Know what?
Buffy: That I’m, uh… in a band. A-a rock band with Spike here.
Spike: Right. She plays the, the triangle.
Buffy: Drums.
Spike: Drums, yeah. She’s hell on the old skins, you know.
Joyce: Hmm. And what do you do?
Spike: Well, I sing.

Knowing how well Spike gets along with Joyce in later episodes (probably because she reminds him of his own mother), even their moments sitting alone in silence seem humorous. I was a little surprise that Buffy trusted Spike enough to leave him alone in a room with her mother. But it offered the opportunity for this:

Joyce: Have we met?
Spike: Um… you hit me with an ax one time. Remember? Uh, ‘get the hell away from my daughter.’

I love how Giles holds up so admirably under torture:

Angelus: You know, I can stop the pain. You’ve been very brave… but it’s over. You’ve given enough. Now let me make it stop.
Giles: Please!
Angelus: Just tell me what I need to know.
Giles: In order… to be worthy…
Angelus: Yeah?
Giles: You must perform the ritual… in a tutu.
(Angelus glares at him.)
Giles: Pillock!
Angelus: All right. Someone get the chainsaw.
Spike: Now, now, don’t let’s lose our temper.
Angelus: Keep out of it, sit ‘n’ spin.
Spike: Look, you cut him up, you’ll never get your answers.
Angelus: Since when did you become so levelheaded?
Spike: Right about the time you became so pig-headed. You have your way with him, you’ll never get to destroy the world. And I don’t fancy spending the next month trying to get librarian out of the carpet. There are other ways.

And then comes the terrible, poignant ending. I think I could watch it a hundred times and not get tired of it. And the little “Grr. Argh.” Mutant Enemy monster adds a final touch when he says instead, “Ooh, I need a hug.”

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Go Fish

Season two’s final standalone episode brings forward an aspect of high school life that is almost overlooked on Buffy – sports. Aside from Buffy and Dawn trying out for cheerleading and the football game on “Some Assembly Required,” this is the only episode that gives much emphasis to Sunnydale High’s athletic program. But since none of the gang is into sports, that makes sense. This episode provides two other reasons:

Cordelia: Well, all I know is, my cheerleading squad wasted a lot of pep on losers. It’s about time our school excelled at something.
Willow: Hmm. You’re forgetting our high mortality rate.
Xander: We’re number one!

So I guess it’s understandable that a lot of sport cliches get pushed into this one episode. Jocks’ popularity and sense of entitlement. Winning at all costs. Teachers pressured to give passing grades. Steroid use.

Only, since this is still Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the steroids have more than just their usual effects. The DNA-altering mix is turning the swim team into sea monsters. And who knew Cordelia could draw?

With the piles of skin and the half-eaten nurse, “Go Fish” is one of the show’s more gruesome episodes. Angel only makes a brief appearance, Oz is absent (again), but Jonathan has a couple of fun scenes. Willow interrogating him is hilarious, but I didn’t laugh because all I could see was her trying to kill him, four seasons from now.

After not showing up for most of the season, with this episode and the past one, Principle Snyder is finally making his presence known (likely building up for his role in the two-part finale). And Shane West (Michael from Nikita) has a brief cameo in the episode.

Xander and Cordelia’s relationship was fun to watch, both with Cordy’s new respect when Xander joins the swim team and her comments after she thinks he’s been turned in a sea monster:

It’s me, Cordelia? I know you can’t answer me, but… God, this is all my fault. You joined the swim team to impress me. You were so courageous. And you looked really hot in those Speedos. And I want you to know that I still care about you, no matter what you look like. And… and we can still date. Or, or not. I mean… I understand if you wanna see other fish. I’ll do everything I can to make your quality of life better. Whether that means little bath toys or whatever.

In the end, Xander saves Buffy, and the coach gets his own form of poetic justice. One thing I noticed this time watching season two – quite a few of the episode focus on Xander, and hardly any do on Willow. But of course that will all change in coming seasons . . .

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