Buffy the Vampire Slayer + Angel Watchthrough

Gingerbread - Series Three, Episode Eleven

Notes:
- Buffy's Mum finds two children in a playground. The children have strange symbols marked on their hands.
- Uh oh, I sense child actors in the works.
- Giles examines the symbol and concludes the children were ritualistic sacrifices by an occult group.
- Amy (the witch's daughter) is suddenly hanging with the gang again. You know, cause it's a witch episode.
- Buffy's Mum is hanging around far to much for my liking.
- Well fuck. Buffy's Mum raised a fuss and now the whole town is hunting for witches.
- I knew that I hated Buffy's Mum, but god damn my hatred of her has now become raw, black loathing.
- The hubbub raised by Buffy's Mum gives Snyder an excuse to search student's lockers for witch stuff. They find stuff in Amy's and Willow's locker and they are taken to see Snyder.
- Many of Giles' books are also confiscated from the library. When Giles protests, Snyder warns him he'll have to answer to MOO: Mothers Opposed to the Occult. Oh Buffy's Mum, you fucking cunt.
- Willow's Mum, a psychologist who sees Willow as an age group rather than a human beings, grounds Willow after hearing about her witchy tendencies (she doesn't believe Willow when she says she's a witch) and forbids Willow from seeing Buffy. Buffy's Mum, afraid her status as biggest bitch might be in jeopardy, similarly forbids Buffy from seeing Willow.
- Far be it from me to suggest a practical solution here, but Buffy you can snap your Mum's neck without any difficulty.
- Also, where the fuck is Angel right now? He and Buffy were dating last episode.
- Buffy's Mum is shown to be under control of the ghosts/spirits/phantoms of the two dead children, who are urging her on in her campaign against the witches.
- The apparent excuse that the town is up in arms is because it was two children who were killed. So what, the teenagers who were killed in Dead Man's Party were all orphans?
- Okay, this episode has been shit so far, but this piece of dialogue is genius:

Quote :

Buffy: Is Sunnydale any better than when I first came here? OK, so I battle evil. But I don't really win. The bad keeps coming back and getting stronger. Like the kid in the story, the boy who stuck his finger in the duck.
Angel: Dike.
*Buffy looks at him, alarmed*
Angel: It's another word for 'dam'.
Buffy: Oh.

- And like Kaio said, Angel seems to taking Buffy's speech about the importance of fighting to heart.
- Buffy realizes that no one has come forward and claimed the kids. They seem to have had no parents.
- The gang do a search and realize the kids are the same ones who appear to have died in Omaha in 1949. And before that, in 1899 in Utah. Going all the way back in 50 year intervals to 1649. Turns out the two kids are Hansel and Gretel. Some demons use manipulation to turn a community against each other and feed off the negative energy generated. Yeah, whatever. I feel like I should have just skipped this episode.
- Willow and Amy are captured by a lynching mob and Buffy's Mum chloroforms Buffy and Giles. Seriously, if I was still doing character ratings, Buffy's Mum's would just be a picture of a middle finger at this point.
- The mob prepares to burn Buffy, Willow and Amy at the stake. Meanwhile, Giles - who was left behind - is slapped back to consciousness by Cordelia. Xander and Oz enter the building where the burning is taking place, but cannot get into the room where the mob is. They try to enter in through the ventilation system.
- Amy, realizing that the mob are actually gonna go through with it, chants a spell and transforms into a rat. She escapes, but leaves Buffy and WIllow behind. The two of them attempt to bluff their way out of the mess, but the demon reappear and urge the mob on.
- Cordelia and Giles arrive and manage to put out the fire. Giles begins to recite an incantation that will reveal the demon's true form. The spell broken, the mob flees and the demon attacks Buffy. Buffy manages to break the stake she's attached to and bend forward, and the demon ends up impaling itself through the head. A moment of silence occurs, and then Xander and Oz fall through the ceiling. Welp.
- The episode ends with Buffy and Willow attempting to restore Amy to a her human form. They fail.

Episode Rating:

I'm conflicted. On one hand, the episode clearly wasn't meant to be taken seriously, and the ending was genuinely funny. Plus, all the cast worth talking about (WIllow, Oz, Xander, Giles, Cordelia, Angel and maybe, Buffy) were all great. On the other hand, the main antagonist was Buffy's Mum and at no point was her still beating heart violently torn out of her chest. Hm.

3/10.

Helpless - Series Three, Episode Twelve

Notes:
- It's almost Buffy's 18th birthday and her dad is coming to town and planning on taking her to the ice show, wheeeeeee.
- Faith is conveniently absent. Great.
- Something's wrong with Buffy. While fighting a vampire, she suddenly feels light headed and is almost impaled on her own stake.
- Her dad flakes on the ice show, wheeeeeeeeeee.
- Some shadowy English men have plans for Buffy. Could it have something to do with her dizzy spells, perhaps? And does that have something to do with her 18th birthday?
- Let me guess now: her Slayer powers go hyperdrive once she becomes an adult and the Council needs to do something to make sure she can control them.
- Giles uses a magic crystal to hypnotize Buffy and then gives her an injection of something. So Giles is in on it, which probably confirms the Council's involved. Why would they want to do something to her powers though? Oh, mysterious.
- Buffy tries to stop a guy from harassing Cordelia, but finds that her super strength is gone. Uh oh, here's where the title comes in.
- Okay, so it is the Council. It's a time honored tradition for the Slayer to be temporarily stripped of her powers to show her show her the importance of cunning, imagination and so forth. To test this, the Council prepares to unleash "something" that's sealed in a chest on her. Giles is not happy for the part he plays in all this, and protests to his superior - Quentin Travers.
- The thing in the chest is a bound vampire named Kralik, whom they keep bound and medicated.
- Buffy is depressed and worried that she's lost her powers forever. Angel assures her that she lived her life before her Calling, and she can do it again. But she worries that he won't love her if she isn't the Slayer. Angel consoles her by admitting that he saw he before she was a Slayer (see Becoming) and that it doesn't matter to him. Aw, it'd be endearing if it didn't come across like the "sand" conversation from Star Wars. Angel needs his own show bad, because he deserves better than this.
- Kralik escapes. He turns one of his guards into a vampire and then kills the other Council members. Giles arrives shortly after and finds their remains.
- Buffy is walking home alone, but is attacked by Kralik and his new vampire buddy. Helpless (hey, that's the name of the episode!) she is narrowly rescued by Giles.
- Giles tells Buffy the truth. She is justifiably unhappy.
- Cordelia makes everything better.
- Buffy's Mum gets herself kidnapped like the silly bitch she is. Buffy should just leave her to die, but of course, she goes off to rescue her. Alone. Do you know who would be helpful? Angel. The Scoobies. Giles.
- Kralik's a pretty awesome villain.
- Giles learns from Quentin that Buffy went after Kralik like an idiot and goes after her.
- Buffy is chased through the house by both vampires. She manages to crush one under the bookcase, but Kralik takes great delight in stalking her. Buffy eventually succeeds in killing him but tricking him into ingesting his medication with holy water. The other vampire recovers, but Giles appears and finishes it off.
- Quentin congratulates Buffy on passing the test. She is not pleased. Quentin then drops the bombshell; because of his actions during the test, Giles is to be relieved of his duty as watcher. A new watcher will be brought to Sunnydale, and if Giles interferes he will be dealt with.
- Buffy's 18th birthday ends on a sour note, I'd say.

Episode Rating:

10/10.

I liked this episode. It was contrived sure, but so is most of Buffy. The strength of this show is it's characters, and this was a character episode with a good villain. Plus, we learned a touch more about Council which is always interesting since we know next to nothing about them. Giles' replacement better watch his back though, because there's no way he's gonna stick around for long.

Hm. I think I'm going retroactively correct a few of my previous scores, maybe they were too generous...

The Zeppo - Series Three, Episode Thirteen

Notes:
- The episode begins with the Scoobies taking down some mysterious female demons (mysterious because Giles has been stripped of his contacts and can no longer research who they are). The gang worry that Xander is too gungho about throwing himself into battles, since he often ends up getting pummeled and thrown aside.
- Xander's feeling self conscious because all his friends are special (Slayer, Witch, Vampire, Werewolf, [Ex-]Watcher), especially after Cordelia calls him out on it and he finds himself on the wrong side of Jack, a particularly violent bully. Xander decides he needs to find something that would make him special.
- It's been a while since we've seen Xander fuck with things he doesn't understand because he's pride was hurt. I like Xander-centrics.
- The demons from the beginning turn out to be The Sisterhood of Jhe. They're dedicated to ending the world and plan to do so by opening the Hellmouth.
- Xander borrows a nice car from his rich uncle and insist that he's now the 'car guy'. Cordelia laughs off this attempt, but the car attracts the attention of a pretty girl. Said pretty girl is almost certainly one of The Sisterhood of Jhe.
- Okay so it turns out the pretty girl is just a car enthusiast and that she doesn't care for much else. In a rush to leave, Xander accidentally rear ends Jack. One thing leads to another, and then suddenly Xander's driving Jack to pick up the rest his 'gang'.
- Turns out that the rest of his gang are all dead jocks whom Jack raises from the dead one by one.
- The Sisterhood of Jhe plan to make their move that very same night. Buffy, Giles and Willow are at a loss of what to do and are terrified.
- Xander manages to escape from the ghouls after they try and 'initiate' (kill) him. While driving away, he comes across Faith battling a Jhe demon. He manages to run the demon down and then get away with Faith.
- They return to Faith's motel room. Faith's all worked up from the fight and wants to blow off some sexual energy. She and Xander do the dirty.
- Xander returns to the car afterwards and realizes the dead gang were planning on building a bomb. He tries to enlist Buffy's help, but she is in the middle of trying to convince Angel not to sacrifice himself to the stop the Sisterhood.
- Xander runs into the gang after they planted the bomb. He manages to find out the bomb's location (the school) by grabbing one the gang members and dragging him from his still moving car.
- He arrives at the school, but the gang is in hot pursuit. Xander says, "Where's a Slayer when you need one?"
- The answer is: currently battling the ridiculous tentacle demon from Prophecy Girl. In fact, that's what all the Scoobies bar Xander are currently doing.
- One by one, each of the dead gang is dealt with. Xander goes to disarm the bomb, but Jack appears and attacks him. Things look bad for Xander, but then he reminds Jack that the bomb is still ticking away and there isn't enough time for this. A stand off ensues, where Xander tells Jack he doesn't have time to kill him and escape from the school. Jack asks if Xander is willing to die too, but Xander just smirks and says he is. Jack's will breaks and he disarms the bomb. Xander strolls out the room and Jack gets ambushed by werewolf Oz, who tears him to shreds.
- The next day, a traumatized and beaten Scooby Gang tries to recover from the previous night. Xander, however, is cheerful and content.

Episode Rating:

8.5/10

I love that there's this intense and emotionally gripping story going on in the background while Xander messes around with low tier thugs. But hey he saved the day in the end. Episode could've been better though.

Bad Girls - Series Three, Episode Fourteen

Notes:
- The Mayor is close to doing whatever it is he plans to do. Apparently he's going ascend pretty soon.
- Aw man, Oz died his hair black.
- The new watcher, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, is here. He seems like a nice enough guy, but Buffy, Faith and Giles are flippant towards him.
- The El Eliminati, a vampire cult that worships a demon called Balathazar, comes to town looking for his magical amulet. Standard A story.
- Buffy and Faith pursue the vampires into the sewers after the vampires get the amulet. The two Slayers manage to recover the amulet and Buffy experiences a rush while battling the vampires.
- Buffy starts acting more and more like Faith. Being slutty, aggressive and selfish. As if she wasn't bad enough already, now there's lesbian subtext with one of the most annoying characters.
- Balthazar's a big fat turd thing.
- Buffy and Faith loot a sports store looking for weapons to fight Balthazar with but are caught in the act by police and arrested. Of course, the escape soon afterwards.
- Buffy is being such a bitch this episode. For literally no reason.
- Faith accidentally stakes the Mayor's aide. He's human, so he bleeds out slowly and painfully. Faith is crushed by guilt, and she should be the stupid bitch.
- The vampires kidnap Giles and Wesley. Buffy goes off to rescue them when Angel tells her.
- Wesley shows himself to be a pitiful coward, when he offers to tell Balthazar everything in order to be freed.
- Angel and Buffy arrive and start kicking ass.
- Man, they were kind of obvious about the shots where SMG's stunt double is there. Usually it'll be far away and she'll be looking the other way, but we got a couple of shots of her face up close here. Shoddy.
- Buffy fatally wounds Balthazar by electrocuting him. Before he dies, Balthazar tells Buffy will regret everything when 'he' rises. Pretty sure he means The Mayor.
- The Mayor completes the ritual he had planned and tests out his new powers on a vampire. The vampire vertically cuts Mayor Wilkins' head in half, but the head simply rejoins together and he appears none worse for wear. Mayor Wilkins ticks off "Become Invincible" from his to do list and tells Mr. Trick that nothing can harm him for the 100 days until his 'ascension'.
- Buffy tries to talk to Faith about what she did, but Faith brushes her off and tell her she doesn't care.
- Don't think I didn't notice Faith's "Out, damn'd spot!" scrubbing of her clothes, Mr. Whedon. Don't think you're clever because you copy Shakespeare.
- Okay, Buffy seems to be forgetting that she killed a man as well. She killed one of the Order of Taraka with a ice skate way back in Season 2.

Episode Rating:

6/10.

Faith and Buffy were intolerable, the villain was silly and the only good parts were with The Mayor.

Don't hate on poor Fathie.

Her only use right now is as a piece of ass. And that's only when she isn't wearing lipstick.

Compare her to characters like Willow, Cordelia and even Buffy, and she just falls flat.

She's only a piece of ass if you ignore the fact that we're slowly see her falling to the dark side, because everybody she puts even a little trust in betrays her. Willow sucks and Buffy is the most well-rounded character in the series. Your comparisons make no sense.

We're not slowly seeing her fall to the darkside, we're slowly seeing her turn into more and more of a bitch. Oh boo hoo, Ms. Post betrayed her. The first time we meet Faith, she betrays Buffy and tries to abandon her to Kakistos. But Buffy moves past that kind of thing, while Faith just wallows in it. The only reason the world keeps shitting on Faith is because Faith does nothing but burn bridges and invite it on herself.

And Willow is awesome what the hell is wrong with you.

Feels like forever since I watched an episode, doing so now.

Consequences - Series Three, Episode Fifteen

Notes:
- Buffy has a dream about Faith (not in a cool way) and is clearly near breaking point.
- Mr. Finch's (Deputy Mayor) body is discovered in the lake where Faith tossed it.
- Wesley asks Buffy and Faith to look for Mr. Finch's killer. He also clearly has a raging hard on for Cordelia.
- Faith continues to be an insufferable bitch and says that Buffy is as much to blame for the murder as she is. Faith is therefore demonstrably retarded.
- Willow is still hurt that Buffy chose Faith over her. Good. Buffy doesn't deserve a friend as good as Willow.
- The autopsy results are in, and it's clear a slayer is to blame. Mayor Wilkins is enthused for all the wrong reasons.
- Buffy and Faith sneak into City Hall because Buffy wants to know what Mr. Finch was doing skulking around the alley before Faith killed him. While there, they spot Mr. Trick hanging around with The Mayor.
- A detective questions Buffy and Faith. Angel, meanwhile, has been creeping around and has put together the whole thing by now.
- Willow and Buffy meet and Willow vents a bit. The stress is all too much for Buffy, though, and she bursts into tears. Buffy tells Willow the truth.
- Man, Alyson Hannigan was trying out a new hair style this episode and it's pretty banging.
- Buffy tries to go to Giles to tell him the truth, but Faith beats her too it. She pins the blame on Buffy.
- I don't know who I hate more right now: Faith for being a lying bitch, Giles for believing such a lying bitch or Buffy for not seeing this coming... the bitch.
- Giles is redeemed! He saw through the lying bitch!
- I know it's weird to point it out now, but the pink anorak that SMG is wearing is in no way complimentary.
- Giles calms Buffy down, but tells her that Faith is unstable right now. Giles tells her he doesn't want to involve the Council because it will only exacerbate things and he swears Buffy to secrecy. Unfortunately Wesley overhears the entire thing and immediately phones Quentin Travers, the Council guy from Helpless.
- The Scoobies meet to discuss how to proceed. Xander offers to talk to Faith, and let's slip that the two of them did the dirty. The reactions are pretty stellar.
- Xander tries to help Faith, but he forgets she's a batshit nympho with super strength. She kind of starts raping him, then starts choking him to death. Fortunately, Angel of all people intervenes and smashes her head in. Angel's climbing the ranks on the favorite character chart.
- Angel chains Faith up in his mansion and resolves to talk her through what she did. Buffy arrives and Angel warns her that Faith has a taste for killing now.
- Seriously, does no one remember that Buffy ice-skated a guy?
- Security cameras caught Buffy and Faith sneaking around City Hall. Mayor Wilkins is frustrated that they now know about his illicit affairs. He tells Mr. Trick to come up with a 'efficient solution' to their Slayer troubles.
- Angel discusses the nature of killing and of evil with Faith, and appears to be making some progress. Seriously Angel is just on fire in this episode. Unfortunately, the Council arrives and subdues Angel. Wesley removes Faith's chains... and immediately places her in handcuffs. He tells she is going to be extradited to Britain where she will be judged for what she did by a Watcher's Council. I think we all know that's never gonna happen.
- Faith escapes, predictably. Whatever, I don't care if she escapes, she can fuck off back to Boston all she she wants, as long as I don't have to watch her ruin the show anymore.
- The Scoobies reconvene and Angel informs them of the new development. Wesley shows up and tells them Faith escapes. The gang split up in search of her and leave Wesley alone in the library.
- Buffy finds Faith at the docks. Faith starts to push Buffy's buttons (not in a cool way) but they are ambushed by Mr. Trick and some vampires.
- Man, the scene where Faith fought the vampires looked sloppy as hell. First off, it was obvious there was a stunt double, her hair looks nothing like Eliza Dushku's. Second of all, when she stakes the vampire in the bin it looks like a green screen. That's how bad the effect was.
- Faith finishes off the vampires and then saves Buffy from Mr. Trick by staking him at the last second. Looks like Faith is gonna stick around after all.
- Mayor Wilkins does not appear overtly concerned by Mr. Trick's death. Faith shows up on his doorstep and asks for a job. dun dun dun

Episode Rating:

I dunno, like a 7.5? For all good in the episode (Willow, Xander, Giles, Angel) we had Faith dragging it down to the shallows of mediocrity.

7.5/10

Dopplegangland - Series Three, Episode Sixteen

Notes:
- I wonder if this episode is about dopplegangers.
- Oh hey, so Anya's pissed because Giles robbed her of her powers. Anya tries to beg some demon master thing for her powers back, but it dismisses her. She swear she'll get them back some way.
- Willow centric? Yes please.
- Principal Snyder orders Willow to tutor a jock named Percy who's failing history.
- "You want us to breed?"
- Both Wesley and Faith are hanging around like nothing happened. Weren't the Council after her? Doesn't his failure to do his duty and ensure her passage to England leave him up for the chop as well. Why have they both not been secretly executed by Council operatives?
- Giles tasks Willow with hacking The Mayor's files. Faith tells The Mayor what Willow's up to because now she's completely retardedly evil as well as a bitch.
- The Mayor tells Faith he's going to have Willow killed. She doesn't appear to care.
- Okay, that takes the cake. My favorite Mayor Wilkins line:

Quote :

Mayor Wilkins: In the meantime, let's take a look at the rest of the apartment, huh? If I'm not mistaken, some lucky girl has got herself a PlayStation!

- Fucking 1998 for you!
- Yay, Oz is back. I missed him last episode with all that Faith bollocks.
- Willow is frustrated that everyone takes advantage of her.
- Anya appears and asks Willow for help with a 'little spell'. The little spell is actually supposed to create a temporal fold that will restore Anya's necklace to it's full power. During the spell, something goes wrong and Willow sees flashes of the alternative timeline from The Wish that was destroyed. In one flash, we see Vampire Willow vanish suddenly. Willow leaves Anya behind, spooked.
- Vampire Willow appears in the main timeline. She is thoroughly confused why people wander the streets without fear. She enters the Bronze - again, confused why so many people are running around - and encounters Percy.
- "Bored now."
- She knocks him around and begins choking him to death. Xander shows up and breaks them apart, believing Percy to be the aggressor. Willow realizes it's not the Xander she knows and loves and gets depressed. Buffy shows up and Willow leaves in a huff, but not before flashing her vampire face to them both.
- Vampire Willow attacked by two vampires sent by The Mayor (to kill regular Willow). She stomps them both and tells them all the vampires in town now work for her.
- Buffy and Xander tell Giles the bad news. They are absolutely devastated by the thought of Willow being a vampire:

Quote :

Giles: She was truly the finest of all of us.
Xander: Way better than me.
Giles: Much, much better.

- Fortunately, the real Willow shows up and calms everyone down, though she is weirded out by their relief:

Quote :

Willow: Say, you all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs, did ya?

- Willow and the Vampires (terrible band name by the way) attack the Bronze, trapping everyone - including Oz, Anya (who was trying to drown her sorrows) and Angel (who was looking for Buffy) inside. Angel escapes through the skylight (at Oz's request, once he sees Vampire Willow) in order to warn the others.
- Man, hardcore lesbian overtones with Vampire Willow. I guess you could say it's foreshadowing.
- Anya reveals the truth to Vampire Willow and offers a truce.
- Dropping dialogue bombs all over place this episode:

Quote :

Buffy: Except for your not being a dominatrix... as far as we know.
Willow: Oh, right. Me and Oz play 'Mistress of Pain' every night.
Xander: Did anyone else just go to a scary visual place?
Buffy: Oh, yeah.

- The gang rushes off to stop Vampire Willow, unfortunately leaving regular Willow behind. Vampire Willow appears and takes regular Willow hostage. Willow Willow Willow.
- Man, hardcore... I dunno even know what to call it. Willow seems surprisingly forward about fucking her other self. Try and figure out which one I'm talking about.
- Willow manages to tranquilize Vampire Willow. Not before Vampire Willow fires off an indignant "Bitch." before collapsing.
- The gang returns and imprison Vampire Willow in the cage used to hold Werewolf Oz.
- I fucking love this episode:

Quote :

Willow: It's horrible. That's me as a vampire? I'm so evil, and skanky... and I think I'm kinda gay.
Buffy: Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was.
Angel: Well, actually...
[pauses as Willow and Buffy look at him]
Angel: That's a good point.

- The gang tries to formulate a plan to storm the Bronze. Buffy comes up with the idea of disguising real Willow as Vampire Willow. They don't show it, but that means they must have stripped Vampire Willow naked at some point. Natch.
- Polite, innocent Willow pretending to be her evil self and gradually sending the vampires one by one outside to be ambushed by the others is one of the most endearing things I've ever watched.
- Vampire Willow awakens, dressed in regular Willow's clothes. Cordelia arrives, looking to hook up with Wesley. Vamp Willow tries to convince Cordelia to let her out, but Cordelia instead takes the opportunity to talk about the Xander situation.
- Anya sees through Willow's facade.
- Cordelia finally lets Vamp Willow out, and she attacks. Fortunately, Wesley is there to come to the 'rescue' and manages to drive an unenthusiastic Vamp Willow away.
- All hell breaks loose as the rest of the gang enter the Bronze and battle the vampires while Vamp Willow enters through the back. Willow narrowly stops Buffy from staking her evil self. Willow does the 'nice thing' and sends her vampire self back to the destroyed timeline. Evil Willow reappears in the doomed timeline just in time to be staked by Oz.
- This is my favorite episode if I'm judging it by dialogue:

Quote :

Buffy: You wanna go out tonight?
Willow: Strangely, I feel like staying at home... and doing my homework... and flossing... and dying a virgin.

Episode Rating:

10/10

Great, funny episode. Nice step up from the dregs that came before it.

Enemies - Series Three, Episode Seventeen

Notes:
- Watching a French indie film? I never expected Buffy and Angel to be hipsters.
- I've always liked Angel because he's needlessly heroic and self-sacrificing, but he really grew into a great character when I wasn't paying attention. Starting from Consequences, he's been on a rapid incline personality wise.
- So Council don't care that Faith killed a guy, evaded deportation and injured one of their enforcers? Do they not see what the consequences (dun dun dunnn) of letting a Slayer around without fear of repercussions?
- A demon tries to offer Buffy and Faith "The Books of Ascension" that he plans to steal - something The Mayor would definitely not like to lose. Of course, Faith being a mole, she immediately warns the Mayor.
- Historical references to Ascension all foretell disaster, so the gang think of a way to get the books away from The Mayor. Unfortunately, Faith tracks down the demon, kills him and takes the books back. Unfortunately, while killing him, she gets a bit of a slap in the face reality-wise.
- Faith goes to Angel, looking for some 'help'. What that means is she tries to put the moves on Angel, but he resists like a boss. BUT OF COURSE, LIKE ALWAYS, Buffy comes strolling in at the wrong second and sees the two of them in an intimate embrace and gets the wrong idea. AGAIN.
- Yeah, The Mayor ordered Faith to try and trigger the loss of Angel's soul by seducing him and giving him on true moment of happiness, but since she's such a skanky headcase, he wasn't biting. The Mayor says he'll just have to remove Angel's soul using the more painful alternative.
- The Scoobies finally clue into the location of the demon and Wesley sends Buffy and Faith to investigate. Of course, they find him dead. Faith made sure of that.
- Mayor Wilkins calls upon a ninja to rob Angel of his soul. Well, I say ninja... guy with a shirt wrapped around his face.
- If Angel actually loses his soul again this soon I will be so fucking pissed. Especially if the first thing he does is anything other than immediately caving in Faith's skull.
- Willow talks some fucking sense into Buffy about the Angel x Faith situation. Thank god.
- Faith pays another visit to Angel. She lures him close to her by pretending to be remorseful and then splashes him with some blood. The shirt ninja appears from the shadows and chants some shit. Angel begs Faith to stop this, but she just continues to be a big ol' bitch. The shirt ninja completes the ritual and boom goes the dynamite. Angel's soul is gone again.
- Well, at least I can always rely on Angelus to be great, even though I like Angel. After he breaks off the kiss, he starts kicking the shit out of her. Fucking. Good.
- Faith fights back, and offers Angelus real power if he calls a truce and continues to be good. They start making out again.
- This episode literally could not get any worse.
- Angelus meets with The Mayor and tries to flaunt his dominance. The Mayor then demonstrates his invincibility and asks what Angelus wants to do. Angelus replies that he's going to torture maim and kill Buffy. Faith is all for that. The cunt.
- Xander encounters Angelus and Faith on their way to find Buffy and gets cold cocked. The two of them arrive at the Summers household and enter with no trouble, Buffy's Mum still believes them to be good.
- They lie and say they've found the books, and convince Buffy to come with them. Together, the three of them arrive at the mansion and Angelus drops the act and tells Buffy the truth.
- Man, my opinion of Buffy ranges wildly from episode to episode, but don't I just feel awful when she says Angel in that weak, pleading tone of voice. She can't catch a fucking break.
- Buffy finds herself trapped between Angelus and Faith, and Angelus cold cocks her too.
- Just as the gang discovers that Mayor Wilkins has been masquerading as his own descendant for over a century, Xander shows up and tells them what's up with Angel.
- Angelus chains Buffy to the wall. Faith continues to show herself as an unlikeable cunt when she taunts Buffy, snogs Angelus and just generally makes me wonder why anyone could possibly like her character.
- Yeah, you tell her Buffy. Faith, you are a loser. A skanky, stupid loser.
- FUCK
- YES
- ANGEL
- YOU
- FUCKING
- CHAMPION
- AHAHA, FUCK YOU FAITH
- FUCK
- YOU
- Angel and Buffy reveal it to have been all a con. I don't really care if it doesn't make sense. I'm just glad Faith got played.
- Buffy and Faith fight to a standstill, and Faith flees. Like a bitch.
- The shirt ninja is revealed to have been something with a debt to Giles. They tricked Faith into believing Angel had been turned so that the Scoobies could gather more information about the Mayor. Thanks to the plan, they know his ascension will take place on Graduation Day. And of course, where Faith's true allegiances lie.
- Despite Angel just doing what Buffy asked, she still wants to go on a break. Angel you deserve better.

Episode Rating:

9/10

Yeah, that's about right. The episode hinged upon a M Night Shyamalan level twist, which - although pulled perfectly - was still kinda gay.

Current series average is 8/10.

Earshot - Series Three, Episode Eighteen

Notes:
- Buffy battles some demons. She kills one while the other escapes; some of the blood of the slain demon melts into the skin of her hand without notice.
- The Scoobies research everything they can regarding the Ascension, but come up with little in the way of hard facts.
- Buffy goes to Giles after she becomes alarmed at the rash on her hand. Apparently, the demon in question has the power to infect a person with an 'aspect' of itself. Buffy is alarmed.
- The next day, the aspect reveals itself. Buffy becomes telepathic. Although Giles points out the practical benefits of such a power (in fights and such), Buffy uses it cheat in school. Buffy also tries to read Angel's mind, but he shuts her down. She can't read his thoughts cause he's a vampire. They do have a talk though and Buffy is reassured of Angel's love.
- The Scoobies do now take the news that Buffy can read their minds well. One by one they become uncomfortable and leave. Buffy begins to realize hearing other people's thoughts isn't all it's cracked up to be. Especially since she's can't turn it off. It gets worse and worse until she suddenly everything goes quiet and she hears a voice think "This time tomorrow, I'll kill you all." Buffy passes out.
- Giles takes Buffy home, and the Scoobies make a list of everyone who was in the area when Buffy passed out. Buffy learns from Giles' thoughts that if her telepathy doesn't go away soon, she'll go insane.
- Haha. Buffy's Mum tries to keep her distance from Buffy because Giles told her that Buffy was telepathic. Buffy realizes something's up and listens in. She finally finds out by reading her Mum's mind that she slept with Giles. Twice.
- The Scoobies narrow down the list of suspects to the misanthropic school newspaper editor, but it turns out the real killer is that kid Johnathan from Go Fish who's been popping up constantly. Shame, I liked him.
- Angel realizes something's wrong with Buffy and tracks the down the other demon and gets it's blood. Angel's such a cool guy.
- The blood is used to create an antidote. It cures Buffy.
- Johnathan tries to go clocktower sniper on the school but Buffy talks him down.
- Uh oh, last second plot twist. Turns out Johnathan only planned to kill himself was a high power sniper rifle. Yeah whatever Mr. Whedon, stop pulling stupid twists like this. The real real killer is the lunch lady.
- Ahaha, the lunch lady's stunt double is clearly a man. And not a fat one at that.

Episode Rating:

It was a bog standard stand alone that got weighed down by a school-shooting aesop.

6/10

Earshot is one of two season 3 episodes that was pulled from the schedule because of the Columbine massacre.

Yeah I had feeling that would be the case. This episode was slated for... what? Spring 1999? Wiki says Columbine was April 1999 so that would explain that.

Choices - Series Three, Episode Nineteen

Notes:
- Forgive the brief notes, in the beginning. I wrote this once already and then accidentally pressed Ctrl + X.
- The Mayor gives Faith a new knife, and then tasks her with stealing a box that's evil. He is insistent that it remains closed.
- The Scoobies find out that it's the Box of Gavrok, and integral part of the Mayor's ascension.
- They manage to steal it, but Willow is taken hostage.
- The gang resolve to trade the Box back for Willow, despite Wesley's protests.
- Willow escapes using her magic and take a look around. She finds the Books of Ascension and reads some of them, but Faith walks in and decides to kill her.
- Kaio:

Quote :

Willow: You know, it didn't have to be this way. But you made your choice. I know you had a tough life. I know that some people think you had a lot of bad breaks. Well, boo hoo! Poor you. You know, you had a lot more in your life than some people. I mean, you had friends in your life like Buffy. Now you have no one. You were a Slayer and now you're nothing. You're just a big selfish, worthless waste.

- It's pretty freaky that that's pretty much what I said before. Whatever, it just proves how fucking great Willow is. You tell her, Willow!
- Faith obviously doesn't take kindly to being called out, but fortunately The Mayor arrives and stops her before she can kill Willow.
- The Scoobies meet with The Mayor, Faith and some vampires in order to make the trade. The Mayor takes the opportunity to taunt Buffy and Angel about the doomed nature of their relationship. I have the unfortunate feeling that they take it to heart. Finished, The Mayor tells them to make the trade.
- Willow is returned to the Scoobies and the Box is in Faith's hands when suddenly, Principal Snyder bursts in followed by some police officers who lock the door behind them. They take the Box, but The Mayor makes his presence known and Snyder backs off. Unfortunately, one of police officers opens the Box.
- An evil spider thing jumps out and eat the police officer's face before slipping away into the shadows. The other officer rushes to open the door, but Giles tells him to stop. The spider thing is trapped in the room and they can't risk letting it escape.
- The spider thing attacks The Mayor, latching onto his face. Faith tears it off him. Another spider thing crawls out of the Box. The Mayor is unharmed, but he warns them that they should shut the Box. Buffy closes it just in time to stop another one from crawling it.
- The spiders are slain by Buffy and Faith. Before he goes, The Mayor tells them that there are about 50 billion of those spider things in the Box. He and Faith depart, but she leaves her new knife behind. Buffy takes it with her.
- Willow reveals that she tore some pages from the Books of Ascension and gives them to Giles. Hell yeah Willow.

Episode Rating:

9/10

Faith still has a long road ahead of her.

The Prom - Series Three, Episode Twenty

Notes:
- Buffy makes some not so subtle hints that she wants to move in with Angel. Plus, she wants to take him to ~*The Prom*~.
- Anya asks Xander to go to the prom because she know he doesn't have a date. He accepts because she's kind of hot for a centuries-old misandric demon.
- Buffy's Mum pays Angel a visit during the day so they can chat about his and Buffy's relationship. I must admit, I laughed when she paused as she saw the chains on the wall.
- Uh oh, Angel does a very stupid thing and breaks up with Buffy because he thinks she deserves better and needs a real relationship. Angel, noooooooooooooo.
- And before Prom too. Not cool, Angel. Not cool.
- After the Ascension and the business with Faith, Angel tells Buffy he's going to leave so that the she can move on.
- Cordelia's working in a clothes store so she can afford to buy a Prom dress. All of her dad's money has been taken away because he tried to screw the IRS.
- There's a demon thing on the loose. It's being controlled by some kid with a remote control.
- Wesley identifies the thing as a hellhound. It's a demon foot soldier. The kid controlling it - Tucker- has it in for the school and plans to kill every during Prom.
- Buffy becomes determined to make sure everyone else has a fun time at the Prom, so she tracks down the kid herself.
- I love 90's music. I want to praise you like I shouuuuuuuuuuuuuuld.
- Some mysterious benefactor (Xander) pays off Cordelia's dress, so she can attend the Prom the way she wants.
- Buffy tracks down the hellhound and Tucker. Tucker's reasoning for killing everyone is because he got rejected by one girl. His justification is treated with little reverence and the scene is genuinely funny. Unfortunately, it turns out that Tucker had multiple hellhounds, and he had already released the others.
- Buffy manages to catch up to them and kills them all one by one. She hides their bodies and changes into her dress, content to sit back and let the others have fun.
- The night ends with awards given out for various categories. Turns out everyone in the school wrote in and voted to reward Buffy for all the times she save them all. She's given an award for 'Class Protector'. The surprises don't end there, Angel shows up and slow dances with Buffy. He tells her that he's still leaving, but that he didn't want to miss the big night.

Episode Rating:

7/10

This was very, very cheesy.

No mention of Giles getting fed up with Wesley?

"For God's sake, man, she's eighteen. And you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Just have at it, would you, and stop fluttering about."

Graduation Day Part One - Series Three, Episode Twenty One

Notes:
- It's almost ~*Graduation Day*~, and the gang are horrified to learn that The Mayor is the key note speaker at the Graduation.
- Anya asks Xander out on a date, but he's not in the mood because he's worried about the impending Ascension. Anya does not take the news of the Ascension well.
- Faith murders a professor on the orders Mayor Wilkins. Giles speculates it was because the professor knew or had something important. Wesley asks Buffy to investigate.
- Xander brings Anya to Giles, Wesley and Buffy. Turns out that Anya has lived through an Ascension before. 800 years ago, a sorcerer achieved Ascension and became the embodiment of the demon Lohesh - a four winged Soul killer. Wesley seems unconcerned, until Anya reveals that the demons that the gang have been dealing with all these years are tainted - human hybrids. The Ascension will cause the Mayor to become a pure demon. Apparently, they're a bit bigger. The rituals have been different, however, to the Lohesh one, meaning that a different demon is behind all this.
- The Mayor saunters into the Scoobie's pow wow and mocks them all. Giles tries stabbing him, but The Mayor's still invincible. The Mayor leaves, telling them he can't wait to see them all at Graduation.
- Buffy sends her Mum out of town, just in case things turn out badly.
- Oz and Willow do the dirty, just in case things turn out badly.
- Buffy investigates the professor Faith killed and Angel shows up to check on her. They fight about their relationship when suddenly Angel gets shot (non fatally) in the back with an arrow by Faith.
- Giles removes the arrow while Wesley looks at the documents Buffy procured from the professor's apartment. Turns out that the professor led an expedition near a volcano and discovered a gigantic carcass of a demon buried in an eruption. They are heartened to learn that the Mayor will only be invincible until after his Ascension (though Buffy points out now all they need is a million tons of lava). Angel suddenly collapses. The arrow is revealed to be laced with poison.
- Faith meets with the Mayor. The point of the arrow attack was to distract the Scoobies while the Acension draws nearer. The Mayor prepares to eat several of the spiders from the Box of Gavrok while Willow, Xander and Oz try to find a cure for the poison.
- Wesley tries to contact the Council to find out the nature of the poison, but they refuse: it's against policy to help vampires. Wesley tries to convince them otherwise, but they shut him down. Buffy says "Fuck the Council' and refuses to take any more orders.
- The Scoobies manage to find out that the poison is one that specifically kills vampires. They find a cure, but unfortunately, the cure is for the poisoned vampire to drain the blood of a Slayer. Buffy resolves to kill Faith and let Angel drain her.
- Buffy tracks Faith to her apartment. They trade barbs, and Buffy throws the first punch. Their fight takes them out onto a balcony.
- Giles manages to identify the demon that was buried in the lava. Turns out it's pretty big. Big big.
- The Mayor finishes eating the spiders, when a vampire henchman bursts in and warns him about the trouble at Faith's.
- Buffy shanks Faith with her own knife. As one last act of bitchiness, Faith throws herself off the roof and into a passing truck. Buffy can only watch in horror as the truck drives away. To be continued.
- Presumably, somewhere, a new Slayer finds their calling.

Episode Rating:

8.5/10

It was all build up. This would probably be a 10 if I didn't know Faith comes back.

Graduation Day Part Two - Series Three, Episode Twenty Two

Notes:
- Mayor Wilkins arrives at Faith's apartment and is genuinely fearful for Faith's safety. He demands that all his henchman search for her.
- Without Faith's body, Buffy resolves to let Angel feed on her. Angel refuses and tries to escape, but Buffy hits him until he goes vampire-y and then pulls him onto her. He drinks.
- Afterwards, Angel rushes Buffy to the hospital. As the doctors work to give her a transfusion, in the next room a doctor explains to a devastated Mayor that Faith is suffering from significant injuries and that she's in a coma. Good.
- The Mayor realizes Buffy's in the next room and - eager for revenge - begins to choke her while she's unconscious. Angel drags him off her. The Mayor swears he will make them all pay once he ascends.
- Question: Why doesn't Angel - who is clearly much stronger than The Mayor - grab him, throw him into a car, and drive about a hundred miles away? What's the Mayor gonna do about it? Assuming he can only ascend on the specific day at the specific place once he completes his ritual, he'd be completely buggered.
- The rest of the Scoobies arrive and aren't happy to hear that Angel fed on Buffy. They send him away because dawn's almost arrived.
- Buffy and Faith have a shared coma dream. Faith tells Buffy to use the Mayor's Human weakness. Buffy wakes up and tells her friends she's ready for war.
- Buffy tells the Scoobies her plan. We don't hear any of it. Wesley returns and asks to help.
- The Mayor makes his plan too. It's all coming together.
- Wesley and Cordelia finally snog in the most awkward way possible. The sexual tension between them withers and dies.
- The Scoobies make preparations. Angel and Buffy have one last conversation, where Angel stresses that when it's all over, he's just gonna go.
- Commencement begins. The Mayor begins his speech. The sky turns dark and he begins to transform. He turns into a giant CGI Snake.
- Damn, I liked the Mayor. What a lame transformation.
- While the Mayor expected everyone to run, instead The Scoobie somehow convinced the students of Sunnydale to stand a fight. The students attack the Snake-Mayor with flame throwers and harpoons while a mob of... Parents? Concerned citizens? Whatever... headed by Angel and Wesley keep the vampire henchman at bay.
- This... is the stupidest thing. This actually retroactively ruins the entire season.
- Okay, the Snake-Mayor eats Snyder. So I guess it wasn't all bad. (His days were obviously numbered, he couldn't survive because the cast's time at the high school is over).
- Buffy calls for the students to retreat (what were they doing there in the first place?). The students bum rush the vampires that remain and trample most of them. This is so fucking stupid.
- Buffy confronts the Snake-Mayor and taunts it with the knife she stabbed Faith with and then lures him into the school. Once she gets him in the library, she jumps through the window. Snake-Mayor realizes that the library is filled with explosives that Giles detonates shortly after. The school and the Snake-Mayor are obliterated in a fiery explosion.
- Emergency services tend to the wounded. Giles shows up and presents Buffy with a diploma he ferreted from the wreckage before he departs to attend Wesley, who was very slightly wounded.
- Buffy sees Angel through the crowd. They share a knowing look and Angel departs... never to be seen again.
- The Scoobies meet together and take a moment to let everything seek in. They walk away, content.

Episode Rating:

What the fuck was that?

No seriously.

All the credibility, emotional weight and poignancy this season had... Gone. The CGI snake (why is it always a CGI snake?) was bad enough, but the whole Sunnydale army thing was utter rubbish. Couldn't they have all just scattered and left Buffy to taunt the Snake-Mayor into the school? I mean, they didn't accomplish anything by flaming him and harpooning him. It was just so fucking rubbish.

The episode was great until then, and the last scene with Angel was great. No big tearful goodbyes, just a look and then he walks away. But the Mayor deserved better than that. This season deserved better than that.

6/10.

Season Three Episode Rankings:

1. The Wish (10/10)
2. Dopplegangland (10/10)
3. Lovers Walk (10/10)
4. Helpless (10/10)
5. Homecoming (10/10)
6. Enemies (9/10)
7. Choice (9/10)
8. Beauty and Beasts (9/10)
9. Revelations (9/10)
10. The Zeppo (8.5/10)
11. Graduation Day Part One (8.5/10)
12. Amends (8.5/10)
13. Band Candy (8/10)
14. Consequences (7.5/10)
15. Hope Faith and Trick (7/10)
16. The Prom (7/10)
17. Dead Man's Party (7/10)
18. Bad Girls (6/10)
19. Earshot (6/10)
20. Anne (6/10)
21. Graduation Day Part Two (6/10)
22. Gingerbread (3/10)

Season Three Rating:

8/10

Funny how I artificially raised Season 2 to 8/10 because it's shit episodes dragged it down while Season 3 just lands there on it's own. It was consistent, if nothing else. There was only one real stinker, but the rest was all relatively decent. Unfortunately, more than few episodes tended toward the lower end of the 'decent' spectrum. This season had such promise at some points, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Angelus' storyline is still the best in the series.

Predictions/Thoughts:

I desperately hope we see Spike soon in the next season. It's been too long.

I thought The First was going to be a big thing, but it was introduced in just the one episode and never brought up again. The way Giles talked about it made me think there's something more to it. I figure it'll be a big thing soon enough.

I hope we learn more about The Council. They obviously won't take Buffy's insubordination lying down. Or maybe they will, they didn't seem to care that Faith turned rogue and gave up almost instantly in trying to capture her.

Faith's gonna wake up soon and resume ruining everything. I can only hope that this entire ordeal has chilled her the fuck out and taught her some humility. I'm also expecting another Slayer to show up, even if Faith didn't actually die. Buffy's Sister still needs to show up.

Willow's going to turn lesbian soon enough. She's had hot straight sex with Oz, but that relationship is doomed and we all know it.

Angel's got his own show! Shit, that just means twice as much work for me.

My Favorite Characters (in the Series)

1. Giles
2. Willow
3. Xander
4. Angel(us)
5. Spike

My Favorite Moments (in the Series)

1. "... because it has to be." - From The Wish.
Giles smashes Anya's pendant, resolute in his belief that the alternative future is better than the one he knows.

2. "Second best." - From Enemies.
Angel and Buffy reveal their long con to Faith.

3. "You can't do it. You can't kill me."/"Give me time." - From Innocence.
Buffy bests Angelus in combat. He taunts her, but she shuts him up.

4. "You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there." - From Killed By Death.
Xander stands up to Angelus.

5. "Close your eyes." - From Innocence.
Buffy makes the most difficult decision she will ever make and sacrifices Angel to save the world.

HM: "I don't like you." - From Prophecy Girl.
Xander stands up to Angel.

HM: "You can't leave me alone… not now… I can't do this by myself!" - From Passion.
Buffy tearfully begs Giles never to put himself in danger again.

HM: "What's that do?" - From Innocence.
The Judge doesn't understand what a rocket launcher is.

The quotes are indicative of the scenes in which they occur, rather than just the quotes themselves. Though the first one is both, because goddamn I love Anthony Head.

Okay, I admit it. I'm eager to see how Angel is, so it looks like I better get to it.

Buffy - The Freshman - Season Four, Episode One

Notes:
- Funny, Buffy's hairstyle looks ridiculous while Willow's is ridiculously hot.
- The two of them discuss course schedules while on patrol. They are so engaged in conversation they realize that a vampire awakens behind them and sneaks off he realizes that Buffy is the Slayer.
- New credits! No David Belonephobia in sight!
- Buffy is overwhelmed by campus life. Oz and Willow seem to adjust easily, though.
- Funny aneurysm. Well, now I know where the trope comes from.
- Buffy meets her new roommate, Cathy. I think Cathy's gonna die really soon.
- Vampires are stalking the campus, picking off Freshmen and then stealing all their stuff.
- One guy - Eddy - who Buffy makes friends with is a victim. Buffy investigates.
- Giles is dating a woman named Olivia. Buffy goes to him for help, but he doesn't believe her.
- Buffy sees Eddy. He's now a vampire, so Buffy stakes him. The rest of the gang of vampire confront Buffy. The leader of gang is called Sunday and she fights Buffy one on one. Buffy gets her ass kicked and her arm broken and has no choice but to run away.
- While Buffy is out, the vampires steal her stuff. Buffy doesn't want to ruin Willow and Oz's college life with her problems.
- Buffy goes home because everything becomes to much for her. She goes to the Bronze and finds Xander, whose cross-country journey didn't really get further than the next town over. Buffy is relieved that something is still the same. Xander manages to talk some sense into Buffy and together they resolve to put the vampires in the ground. Aw, XanderxBuffy, I missed you.
- Buffy spies on them through the skylight while Xander goes to get weapons. The skylight shatters and Buffy makes a less than impressive entrance.
- Willow and Oz finally clue into Buffy having some trouble. Xander shows up and tells them what's up - they go looking for more weapons.
- Buffy fights with Sunday and manages to get the better of her. The others arrive and finish off all but one vampire - who escapes - while Buffy slays Sunday.
- Giles shows up too late, ready to help. It's the thought that counts.
- The one vampire who escaped is captured by a bunch of army dudes. Well, there's the first hint of the Big Bad I guess.


e: Neat. Somewhere in this episode (I forget exactly where) Buffy answered the phone and no one answered. Turns out it was Angel.

Episode Rating:

7/10.

It was alright. The Vampire Bullies were kind of stupid. Why was Sunday so competent at fighting? Does that means she's stronger than Angel, since she beat Buffy? Whatever.