3×16 Doppelgangland

Synopsis: Anyanka/Anya wants to have her power center back that was destroyed by Giles in the alternate reality Cordelia accidentally created. She tricks Willow into doing a spell but it doesn’t work as expected. Instead they pull Vampire-Willow from there into this reality and she – after a short period of acclimatization – tries to make it as “fun” as her reality was.

My Opinion: “And I think I’m kinda gay.” Nice foreshadowing. I really like this episode, it’s fun to watch and Alyson is great in all four roles (Old Reliable Willow, Vampire-Willow, Pretend-Vampire-Willow, Pretend-Willow). I also liked Anya in all her scenes, especially when this 1120 year-old ex-demon tried to get a beer in the Bronze.
Too bad Vampire-Willow died in her reality, it would have been cool to have her back at a later time.

3×17 Enemies

Synopsis: A demon tries to sell the “Books of Ascension” to the Slayers. While the gang is discussing how they get their hands onto these books before the mayor does, Faith reports back to him and gets the books for him. They also try to turn Angel into Angelus again. First by seduction then by magic. But not everybody in the Scooby gang is fooled by Faith.

My Opinion: It was a bit too convenient that Giles knew the demon who was supposed to turn Angel but otherwise it was an interesting watch, especially since even the viewer didn’t know of Giles’s/Buffy’s/Angel’s plan to con Faith. And Pretend-Angelus was awesome once more, he has such a great malignity.

3×18 Earshot

Synopsis: When Buffy fights against two demons and kills one of them, some of his(?) blood splatters over her hand. At first it just itches but then she begins to hear voices. But she doesn’t hallucinate; she can hear the actual thoughts of the people around her. At first this is fun and could be a great advantage in combat but soon she can’t shut anything out anymore and on top of that she hears the voice of an unknown person who wants to kill all the students.

My Opinion: One of my favourite episodes, I love these kind of truth-telling episodes because at first it’s great fun but it’ll ultimately turn for the worse. I especially liked it how they characterized the thoughts of the characters (Cordelia: think = say; Xander: sex; Oz: deep thoughts yet silent) which matched them perfectly. I also really liked Buffy’s speech in the tower.
I believe this is the first time Jonathan was featured as a bit more than a “runs through picture” character. I really like that kind of continuity because it makes the show feel more wholesome in contrast to shows where the episode cast is exactly that.

3×19 Choices

Synopsis: Their time in High School is coming to an end and after that their ways will most likely part. Buffy has been accepted to Northwestern, Willow to every university with a stamp and Xander is going to backpack over the country. But first they have to literally survive graduation day and Mayor Wilkins’s ascension. They have to steal the “Box of Gavrok”. They don’t know what it contains but it seems to be important to him.

My Opinion: Mayor Wilkins is not among the best of the Big Bads but in episodes like this I really appreciate him. His talent to bluntly tell the truth (and let’s face it: he was not lying about the chances of Angel’s and Buffy’s non-existing be-together future) is what makes him a decent Big Bad.
I also loved it that they chose Willow over the box without even arguing (except for Wesley…). It’s what I expect from a “band of brothers“.
And of course the band won’t break up. As usual with these shows (Smallville, Veronica Mars, Gossip Girl) they found a way to keep the gang in town and together.

Helpless

Synopsis: In a few days Buffy will turn 18 and she doesn’t really want to celebrate it due to the fear that it will be a crap-fest again. And she’s right. She has suddenly lost her Slayer powers and is a normal young woman again. The gang investigates in this – with the exception of Giles because it is he who must put her through an ancient and cruel Watcher’s Council ritual.

My Opinion: Between this and the last episode of Buffy I’ve watched, I watched a lot of other stuff, including four seasons of Bones, in which David Boreanaz plays the male lead. So I needed a bit of time to get used to the brooding Angel again. I never really liked the plot of that episode because IMHO it doesn’t make sense. The Slayer is always in constant danger of being killed and the more experienced she gets the better are her chances of survival. So why take the chances of her getting killed in this stupid test when the result would be that you end up with an inexperienced beginner Slayer again?
But I really liked the ending when Buffy wordlessly forgave Giles when Quentin fired him due to his fatherly love for Buffy.

The Zeppo

Synopsis: After being pummelled by a demon again, Buffy and Giles seriously advise Xander to stay out of future fights. But without being in the midst of it he feels useless and decides to become the “wheel man”. This doesn’t really work out either and he suddenly finds himself being the driver for a bunch of dead-yet-not-in-the-ground former high school jocks who want to have some fun.

My Opinion: That was a great Xander episode. I really liked it that there was a big Hellmouth fight – but that it wasn’t really the plot of the episode. I also liked how they pointed at the danger Angel had to face (and survived of course) without ever explaining or showing what he was up against – because that it wasn’t really the plot of the episode. This way they could create a cool Xander-based story without making the others his sidekicks (which would never work) or make them disappear for the entire episode.

Bad Girls

Synopsis: The new Watcher has arrived: Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, a young stiff Englishman on a high horse who isn’t taken seriously by neither Buffy nor Faith. Because both have better things to do: Want. Take. Have. Faith shows Buffy her philosophy of what it means to be a Slayer and together they party and slay and party and break into a weapons store and party … until Faith makes a horrible mistake.

My Opinion: When I saw him enter the library I had a hard time imagining that this man is the husband of Alyson Hannigan and father of her child. It’s just a role, but still… But back to the episode: When I first watched this episode I didn’t know what was going to happen in the end but I was quite certain that something would bring the party crashing down. It was inevitable from the moment they broke into that weapons store. But I didn’t recognize who Faith had killed (Bad with faces, remember?) until it’s explained in the next episode. Still, I liked this episode, Faith and Buffy partying and playing bad girls.

Consequences

Synopsis: Faith has accidentally killed the Deputy Mayor but she has no intentions of facing the consequences and is trying to cover everything up. When that doesn’t work she tries to blame Buffy who has already a hard time to cope with what had happened. When Wesley gets wind of this he tries to deport Faith back to England which makes matters only worse.

My Opinion: This episode I really, really liked. It was great to see Buffy struggle with her secret and how she tried to convince Faith to come clean and how she sobbed in Willow’s arms. She is a warrior, but she still remains human. I also liked how Xander honestly tried to reconnect with Faith even though he failed. But this is his quality: He does not give up on his friends and one day it will save the world.
What I honestly didn’t understand was Willow’s breakdown in the bathroom. Granted, she had always feelings for Xander, but after Lovers Walk she wanted to get back with Oz and Xander was single again. What did she expect?

Season 3: Disc 5

The Wish

Synopsis: “I wished Buffy had never come to Sunnydale!” – After being humiliated by Mercedes and her gang about her break-up with Xander, Cordelia tracks down the source of her misery: Buffy’s arrival. Unfortunately she makes that wish in front of the vengeance demon Anyanka. And she grants her wish. Suddenly Cordy finds herself in a Sunnydale that has never seen the Slayer and is ruled by the Master and his two most vicious Vampires: Willow and Xander.

My Opinion: Alternate timelines, universes, realities. I always like them on my plate. This was no exception, especially with Vamp-Xander and Vamp-Willow who were really great and I can’t wait to see Vamp-Willow again in a few episodes. I also liked that Larry had become a member of the “White Hats”, a role he will reprise in the season finale.

Amends

Synopsis: It’s nearly Christmas in Sunnydale and it’s unbearable hot. Angel is getting nightmares from victims that he has killed (among them: Jenny Calendar) and somehow Buffy is sucked into these nightmares. The First (Evil) reveals to him that it brought him back into this dimension for a reason and that Angel will become again who he was born to be: Angelus.

My Opinion: With the exception of Whistler’s cryptic statements there haven’t been much hints towards the fact that Angel might play a bigger role in the ultimate fight good vs. evil. But now it has become evident. The First Evil has released him from the hell dimension and The Powers That Be have saved him from becoming a pile of ash. I really liked that. I also really liked that Xander offered his help to help Angel.

Gingerbread

Synopsis: Joyce accompanies her daughter on one of her nightly patrols to bond with her but it is she who finds two small children that were slaughtered on a playground. Enraged my this merciless murder that was most likely done by a cult and not a demon she forms a group: MOO – Mothers Opposed to the Occult. They fight against those who have taken over the town: monsters, witches and Slayers.

My Opinion: The was a story I didn’t care for much. While I liked the idea that “fairy tales are real” (after all: why shouldn’t they be?) I didn’t care much for Hänsel und Gretel and the MOO.

Season 3: Disc 4

Homecoming

Synopsis: Buffy has decided to run for Homecoming Queen in order to prove that “she’s still got it”. But she runs against Cordy and it won’t be easy since both Willow and Xander are helping Cordy out of a feeling of guilt for kissing one another. But Mr. Trick has also something planned: He creates “SlayerFest ‘98″, a hunt where both Humans and demons are the hunters and the Slayers are the hunted.

My Opinion: I liked the assortment of hunters because everyone hunted in his own way (but naturally they all lost), especially the mix of the types “Daniel Boone” and the german high-tech hunters. And I loved it when the “second Slayer” (Cordy) scared the Vampire off just by threatening him. It’s a talent she will use in Angel again.

Band Candy

Synopsis: Principal Snyder forces everyone to sell candy bars to finance new uniforms for the school band. But suddenly all the adults start to behave like teenagers and don’t acknowledge their proper age. As it turns out, Ethan Rayne is the producer of the bars – but he’s only a subcontractor for Mr. Trick who works for the mayor now.

My Opinion: Ethan is back and the episode is fun. Snyder reminded me a lot of Quark (Star Trek DS9) when he tried to chase after the women and couldn’t be discouraged in any way. And Giles and Joyce were also great in reliving their youth. What we’ve learned so far about the mayor also explains some of the put-it-under-the-rug events of the second season.

Revelations

Synopsis: Faith has gotten a new Watcher, a stiff english woman who expects nothing less than the best. And Buffy is still hiding the fact that Angel has returned. And a new demon is in town and he wants the Glove of Myhnegon, a very powerful artefact. In the end, all their paths will cross in Angel’s hideout place. And Xander and Willow have a hard time denying their feelings or refrain from showing affection to each other.

My Opinion: Xander has never really liked Angel, even before he knew that he was a Vampire. But in episodes like this he shows pure hatred towards the guy and except for the Angel-Buffy thing I never understood why his emotions towards Angel are that strong. But it was great to once again see a real Slayer vs. Slayer fight. They both kicked ass!

Lovers Walk

Synopsis: Spike is back in town, but he’s a wreck. Dru has left him for a chaos demon and he wants her back. Buy chance he runs into Willow who is just buying ingredients for an anti-love spell for Xander and her and he considers the general idea of a love spell a good one. So he kidnaps her and Xander and forces her to make one for him and Dru. Meanwhile the rest of the Scooby gang is looking for them.

My Opinion: Spike – Phase II has just begun. First he was the villain, now he will be the comic relief for quite some time. But in the end, he will take his rightful place as one of the heroes. Too bad this will be his only appearance in this season. And from a retrospective POV I liked Xander’s and Willow’s little affair. First of all because it didn’t feel forced, there have been hints towards this since the pilot. And second of all it ultimately leads to the introduction of Anyanka in the next episode. I also liked how Spike could look right through Angel’s and Buffy’s we-are-only-friends charade.

Season 3: Disc 3

Anne

Synopsis: After being expelled from school, thrown out by her mother and having to kill Angel, Buffy has left Sunnydale and lives now in L.A. under her middle name “Anne”. She’s not the Slayer anymore, she’s just a waitress in a diner. Meanwhile her friends try to fill her shoes and hunt Vampires at night. And Giles is looking in any place where rumours about a girl fighting Vampires exist.

My Opinion: What I really liked about this episode was that the decision was not forced upon her. She decided to help Lily and return to the fight she was born to fight. She had no contact with any kind of (obvious) demon until she decided to make it her business which then ultimately led to the decision to return home. But it was also funny to watch the attempts of the others to hunt Vampires on their own.

Dead Man’s Party

Synopsis: Buffy has returned to Sunnydale and while her mother and her friends are glad to have her back, nobody really wants to touch the subject of what happened in the last three months and in the final fight against Angelus. Additionally Buffy is still expelled from school. But everything (mostly) returns to “normal” when Joyce invites Buffy’s friend to a Welcome Back party and a lot of (uninvited) Zombies also show up.

My Opinion: While I didn’t care much for the “death mask” storyline I liked how the tension between all parties involved was building up during the course of the episode and how it erupted during the party. This air-cleaning storm was necessary and was nicely concluded by the fight against the invading Zombies. And I loved Xander’s quote “Generally speaking, when scary things get scared, not good.”.

Faith, Hope & Trick

Synopsis: There’s a new Bad in town: Kakistos, a Vampire so old that his hands have formed into cloven and his associate Mr. Trick. There’s also a new Slayer in town: Faith, successor of Kendra. But Faith is nothing like Kendra or Buffy. She’s a free spirit, untamable. And she seems to take over Buffy’s life. But she’s also the reason why Kakistos is here and he wants her dead.

My Opinion: When I watched the show for the first time, I didn’t really like or care for Faith. I can’t really put a finger on the time when that has changed. Maybe when I watched her in Angel, maybe when I watched Eliza Dushku in Dollhouse. Anyway, when she appeared this time on screen I was delighted to see her again. And I liked it how Mr. Trick walked out on Kakistos with a comment on his lips that guys like Kakistos don’t fit in this time anymore.

Beauty and the Beasts

Synopsis: It’s full moon again but Xander who was supposed to guard Oz slept the whole night and someone has let the window in Oz’s “cell” open. As it so happens, a fellow student was mauled in the woods in that very night and Oz naturally fears that he might have done it. But something else happened, too: Someone rescued Angel from whatever hell dimension he was trapped in. But he’s not really Angel, he’s merely a wild animal.

My Opinion: While I don’t mind that Angel is back I am a bit uncertain about this plot twist in general. It makes the concept of “death” a bit less irreversible. Many of the deaths in this show are great emotional moments and some of the dead remain that way but it gets a bit cheapened when you know that everyone can be brought back if the writers want it badly enough.
But still, I am glad that Angel is back because his return will make this season a lot more interesting.

Season 3: Disc 2

Disc 1

When She Was Bad

Synopsis: Summer break is nearly over and Buffy has returned from L.A.. But she seems to to have changed. She is closed up and snubs virtually everyone. And it gets worse: The Anointed One wants to get the Master back from the really dead. And for this he needs the people who were close to him when he died.

My Opinion: This behaviour will develop into a habit. Everytime Buffy goes through a shocking or traumatizing event she will try to shut everyone out and keep the world at bay. She will do it again at the beginning of the third season and during the sixth season. It may not be a good character trait but it’s definitively a defining one for the character. Just as the one that she will do what’s right when it matters.
The episode was also a portent for the season. When she claims that Angel has thought about fighting her and that he should try it. When Snyder states that he would love to expel her. When she was lured away from the library and that’s the place she was needed most.
I think it was a good start of the season.

Some Assembly Required

Synopsis: During her patrol in one of Sunnydale’s graveyards she discovers that a grave is empty that shouldn’t be empty. But it’s not another Vampire who has risen. The body is simply gone. So it’s either the work of flesh-eating demons or a group that wants to build an army of Zombies. But when Cordelia finds a lot of body parts in the dumpster they can safely dismiss both theories. But who needs only some parts from several young women?

My Opinion: I never liked these frankenstein-y stories, neither here nor in the fourth season. But once again I liked it that good and bad weren’t clear cut, that our Dr. Frankenstein in the form of Chris didn’t go as far as killing someone just to build a bride for his brother. But I haven’t understood what the other guy was hoping for. Why was he helping in the first place and why would he have killed Cordelia? I simply couldn’t see his motive to act the way he did.

School Hard

Synopsis: Buffy and another “rebel” is ordered to organize and host the annual parent-teacher-night. And Buffy has to keep her mother far away from principle Snyder. And some special Vampire holiday is coming up. And the Vampire Spike has come to town to have some fun around here. And he will kill Buffy on Saint Whatshisname’s day. Fortunately those two events don’t fall on the same day…

My Opinion: …Unfortunately Spike isn’t the most patient guy. I loved it how he single-handedly decluttered all the Vampire rituals and my prejudice about them. James Marsters once stated that he played Spike “with a bit more soul than he was supposed to”. I knew him from Smallville and he was one of the reasons to give Buffy a chance and I couldn’t wait to finally see him here. He will develop into one of the most interesting characters on the show even though he just lost his first battle against the Slayer.
But they also made two statements about him that they will “correct” later: Giles states that he’s barely two hundred. I would assume “barely 200″ means something like 190 or 180. Later they will make him just 150 years old (born around 1850). Spike also says that Angel was “his Sire, his Yoda”. But as it will turn out, Spike was sired by Drusilla who was sired by Angel. But maybe Spike meant it in some figurative way. After all, Angel is his Grand-Sire and Yoda was Luke’s second Jedi teacher after Obi-Wan.

Inca Mummy Girl

Synopsis: During a visit of the local museum one of the student tries to steal a mummy seal and accidentally breaks it. The young, female Inka mummy re-awakes, kills the student and disappears from the museum. Shortly after she takes the place of an exchange student (whom she also killed) and moves in with Buffy for the next two weeks. And naturally Xander falls for her the minute he sees her. But then there’s a mysterious knife guy who seems to be connected to the mummy and the body count is increasing. The gang has to find out what’s going on.

My Opinion: I have to say, I liked this episode. As most creatures do this young woman tried to ensure her own survival. But in the end she couldn’t kill the person she fell in love with. I also liked the comparison between her and Buffy’s fate: The be the Chosen One and not being able to have a say in it. And in opposition to Teacher’s Pet Xander could be Xander without being influenced from the outside.
In this episode we’ve also seen Oz and Jonathan for the first time but I think one notices Jonathan only if one knows him already – ironically that is exactly what this character will be about.

Disc 2

Reptile Boy

Synopsis: Cordelia is invited to a fraternity party by senior college students and she accepts of course. Buffy is invited, too, but refuses until Cordelia convinces her. Since it seems to be a demon-free time, she agrees. Only a bracelet with small amounts of blood on it hints to new trouble in town.

My Opinion: I knew it all along! All rich people are in league with the Devil! Or a demon in this case. I liked this episode because it showed that Humans can be as evil as demons and that the former have no problem dealing with or using the latter to achieve their goals. And Buffy’s bad luck streak with guys continues, although the pattern will emerge only later (nice guy who turns into a monster/asshole once he has what he wanted).

Halloween

Synopsis: Halloween is coming up and that means Vampires will stay at home. Unfortunately Snyder isn’t a Vampire and he makes Buffy, Willow and Xander “volunteers” to escort children around the blocks on Halloween. But something is wrong with the costumes: Everybody seem to turn into what they are wearing: soldier, vamp (not -ire!) ghost, 18th century lady and a whole lot of monsters. Spike is delighted! And the Slayer faints.

My Opinion: I love this episode. The introduction of Ethan Rayne as an old friend of Giles’s/Ripper’s was a great idea and I love the episodes he’s in, because there will always be some weird side effect and Giles will behave unusually. I also liked that Xander was allowed to be the protector of the ladies and I loved how Buffy had no idea what who and what she was. My favourite line was when Willow said (in regard to Buffy): “Couldn’t she dress up like Xena?”.
I noticed though that there was an uninvited Vampire in Buffy’s house. But they never explained how exactly this magic works and since Joyce seemed to be out of town and Buffy wasn’t really Buffy, maybe the house was deemed “deserted” and thus unprotected.

Lie to Me

Synopsis: An old friend of Buffy’s, Ford, has moved to Sunnydale and she’s excited about it. They went to school together for seven years and as it turns out he’s found out that she’s the Slayer. Neither Xander nor Angel are very thrilled about this development, but Buffy loves spending time with him and catching up on old stories. There’s one catch though: Ford has joined a cult that reveres Vampires, calling them “the lonely ones”. They have no idea about the true nature of these creatures and their knowledge is bade upon old Dracula movies. And they want to become Vampires themselves.

My Opinion: He committed suicide because he was afraid of death. But he deserved what he got. I would have understood it if he had made that choice only for himself even though he didn’t really understand the consequences. But to sacrifice all these naive teenagers and even Buffy to get his wish granted, was over the line. But it was also one of the rare occurrences where Buffy has to dust a Vampire that she and we knew as Humans (e.g. Jesse in Welcome to the Hellmouth / The Harvest [OK, that was Xander]) and/or that she knew before he became a Vampire (Conversations with Dead People).

The Dark Age

Synopsis: A man tries to get to Giles but gets killed by a female demon in school grounds. When the police informs him of that he can identify the man as an old friend of his. From there on Giles behaves unGilesish and he has to learn that more friends of his have died recently. As it turns out, Giles wasn’t always the virtuous librarian. Many years ago a group including the dead people, him and Ethan Rayne have summoned a demon and now he’s killing them all.

My Opinion: After Halloween this was the second time we see a glimpse of Giles’s darker side and especially his past. In just two episodes they managed to break his facade and to make him into just an imperfect human being as everyone else. I also liked how Willow established herself as “third-in-command” when Giles and Buffy were gone. She’s already developed a lot since the pilot. But it doesn’t appear to be fully serious yet, more like giving orders with a .

Disc 3

What’s My Line, Pt. 1

Synopsis: Spike has two goals now: To find a cure for Drusilla’s illness and to finally get rid of the Slayer. To achieve the latter he hires bounty hunters from the Order of Turaka whose members are both Humans and demons. They will not stop until they have Buffy and so they send one after another after her. Both Angel and Giles are really worried. And there’s someone else in town: Kendra – the Vampire Slayer.

My Opinion: I really liked the idea of a second Slayer and I liked how they set it up in a way where you had to think she is another member of the Order. I really like her accent although I have no idea where she’s supposed to come from (accent-wise). And Xander finally introduced the term “Scooby Gang”. I always liked it better than “Slayerettes”, but I have to admit that Scooby Doo and Shaggy are childhood favourites of mine and I found it very funny when SMG took the role of Daphne in the Scooby Doo movies.

What’s My Line, Pt. 2

Synopsis: When Buffy died in her fight against the Master, the next Slayer was called. But Kendra is very different from Buffy. Kendra was trained all her life to be a Slayer, she has no life outside her duty. Together they try to find Angel (OK, Buffy tries and Kendra accompanies her) who was nearly killed by Kendra. But Angel is now a prisoner of Spike’s who needs him. The blood of the Sire to heal Drusilla and the Sire will die in the process.

My Opinion: A good conclusion to the story and I am truly thankful that Joss Whedon didn’t kill Spike in this episode (as it was planned). I thought it was really great how Drusilla grabbed him from under the debris and how she carried him outside. Too bad Kendra was already leaving again but we will see her again.

Ted

Synopsis: Joyce Summers has a new boyfriend: Ted. Ted is a computer software salesman and a hobby chef. At the beginning Buffy she has a hard time accepting him but her patience is over when he threatens to hit her because she cheated at mini golf. And when he later actually hits her, she hits back – hard. He falls down the stairs and dies. But that’s not the end of the story.

My Opinion: I loved the appearance of John Ritter in this show. He was a great robot. I especially like this episode for the scenes after the apparent death of Ted. How Buffy tortured herself for killing a human being. It shows how human she herself is even though she has to kill demons nearly every day. She will harden throughout the series and especially in the last two seasons but in the end her heart will always guide her.

Bad Eggs

Synopsis: Both Xander’s and Cordelia’s as well as Buffy’s and Angel’s relationship is intensifying. But Xander and Cordelia don’t know yet what kind of relationship they actually have and they keep it as a secret for now. On this very day the health class gets the assignment to parent a chicken egg and document the care. Since Buffy wasn’t there (as usual) she becomes a “single mother”. But these eggs aren’t chicken eggs at all.

My Opinion: The body-snatchers episode. Nothing special about it. The bugs reminded me of the alien creatures in Star Trek TNG’s episode Conspiracy who tried to take over the Federation in pretty much the same way this episode did.

Disc 4

Surprise

Synopsis: Buffy’s 17th birthday is coming up and the gang has planned a surprise party. But Drusilla and Spike have also something planned: They want to reassemble the Judge, a demon who could bring forth Armageddon and destroy the Human race. And Angel and Buffy are getting closer and closer but the Gypsies who once cursed him will not allow that he is happy and they have an “agent” right in the gang’s midst.

My Opinion: Maybe it’s due to his frustration of sitting in a wheel chair, but reassembling the Judge contradicts Spike’s statement in the season finale that he likes the world as it is (“Millions of ‘Happy Meals’ on legs.”). But I liked this (and the following) episode very much and I really liked Vincent Schiavelli’s appearance as Gypsy elder even though it was short. This episode also starts the tradition that Buffy’s birthdays will always be terrible.

Innocence

Synopsis: When Buffy and Angel have slept together, Angel experienced a “moment of true happiness” and subsequently lost his soul again because the curse was lifted. He’s now Angelus again and teams up with Dru, Spike and the Judge. Buffy is crushed and has to deal with it, but she also has to stop the Judge of whom is said that he can’t be destroyed by any weapon forged by men.

My Opinion: Angelus is back! I love David as Angelus. He’s cruel, he’s an asshole and he’s still obsessed with Buffy. And he plays it very well. I’d say he plays the soulless Big Bad better than the tormented ensouled Vampire. I also love the idea to recruit the Big Bad from the good guys. It was also a great idea to kill a demon with some modern day weaponry instead of trying to slice and dice him with swords and the like. And I thought it was a great idea that Xander retained some of the memories from when he was a “real” soldier in Halloween.

Phases

Synopsis: When Cordy and Xander make out in Lover’s Lane they are attacked by a Werewolf but they can escape. Since a Werewolf is a normal human being at day and only a Werewolf three nights a month there’s only a short time for Buffy and other hunters to get him before he attacks more people and then goes dormant for a month. And Willow is frustrated that Oz won’t make a move on her.

My Opinion: So, Oz is a Werewolf. Our trio seems to fancy more extravagant partners. I really like it how people – who are way different – are accepted by the gang as long as they don’t do evil. This kind of acceptance and (later) alliance will help them to survive and defeat the true evil. The Werewolf costume didn’t look really convincing but I assume it’s hard to create a realistic one. It doesn’t even always work when you use CGI. For example, Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was also not a convincing CGI-Werewolf. But I really liked the Werewolf-CGIs of Underworld.
The growling contest between Angelus and Oz was also great.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Synopsis: After their relationship has become public knowledge, Cordy dumps Xander Valentine’s Day, even though she (secretly) still has feelings for him. Xander is crushed, laughed at and furious. After he’s witnessed Amy using a spell on one of their teachers he blackmails her to cast a love spell on Cordelia for that she may feel as tormented as he does. But the spell seriously backfires.

My Opinion: This episode managed to keep the balance between comedy and drama. The scenes between Xander and (all) the girls were hilarious but Giles managed to point out the seriousness of that whole affair. This also starts the tradition that using magic for one’s selfish purposes will ultimately backfire and that magic is always to be handled with care.

Disc 5

Passion

Synopsis: Angelus is stalking Buffy and the others, he draws pictures of Buffy when she is asleep and leaves them on her pillow. The gang has to find a way to un-invite him from their homes. And there is still tension between Jenny and Giles and the gang but Jenny plans to do something about it: She translates the ancient texts and wants to perform the curse again that will restore Angel’s soul.

My Opinion: A very strong, powerful and sad episode. I thought that the murder of Jenny was a “point of no return” for the season. Until now Angelus had bitten nameless people and he had done what the average vampire does. But now Buffy is out for blood. Here there won’t be a simple “Sorry, I was possessed by Red Kryptonite / an evil witch / …” apology and everything is forgotten.
But I also liked that they showed the road to salvation in the very same episode.

Killed by Death

Synopsis: Buffy is weakened by the flu and when she faces Angelus in a graveyard he pummels her until the gang can drive him away. They have to bring her to the hospital. But Buffy doesn’t like hospitals; she was there when her cousin died in one. And the flu causes delirious dreams in which she sees a demon that is killing the children in this hospital: Der Kindestod.

My Opinion: It was an OK Demon-of-the-week episode but I would have liked more Angelus action at this point of the season.

I Only Have Eyes for You

Synopsis: Buffy feels guilty about what has happened in the last months. She blames herself for turning Angel into Angelus and not stopping him when she had the chance and thus not preventing the death of Jenny Calendar. But suddenly weird things are going on on Sunnydale High. A male student tries to kill his girlfriend but has no recollection of why and how afterwards and the gun mysteriously disappears. And Buffy begins to dream about events that happened over 40 years ago.

My Opinion: I thought it was a clever solution to give Buffy the role of the student who shoots his lover (Angelus) and since Angel cannot be killed by a bullet this was the only way to end the torment of the Poltergeist. I also like the very emotional scene were Buffy won’t forgive the murderer because she can’t forgive herself what she has “done” to Angel.

Go Fish

Synopsis: The Sunnydale swim team has brought fame to the school and is about to compete in the state finals. But after a party on the beach one of the members is found death – eaten alive and only the skin remained. And then a second swimmer is killed in the same way. Xander joins the swim team and investigates undercover (although not under much cover ) in places where Buffy cannot go.

My Opinion: A very visual representation of steroids destroying one’s body. But it also represented an aspect of the american education system that I will never fully understand: That you can get a high school and even college degree just because you are talented in some form of sport (in this case swimming). If I were recruiting officer and someone would applying for a job who has a college degree but was also in the Football team I would have serious doubts whether this diploma is worth the paper it was printed on. But what if he is one of the persons who actually worked hard for their degree? As Xander said: “It’s a slap in the face to every one of us who studied hard and worked long hours to earn our D’s”.

Disc 6

Becoming, Pt. 1

Synopsis: A series of flashbacks shows us how Angel became Angelus the first time, how he drove Drusilla into insanity, how he was cursed by the Gypsies and how he finally found his way to Sunnydale, to help Buffy. But in the here and now he has stolen Acathla, a transfixed demon who will swallow the world if he is re-awakened. But Buffy gets help: Kendra is back. And Willow wants to perform the curse to restore Angel’s soul.

My Opinion: I never noticed it before that Darla says “Close your eyes” before she turns him – a sentence that Buffy will also use at the end of the next episode. And I really liked how they argued about how to deal with Angelus with Xander being the advocate for killing Angelus. He never trusted Angel or any Vampire for that matter and that won’t change until the end of the show and this distrust will lead to serious arguments with Buffy again, especially in the sixth and seventh season.
And sorry to sound like a broken record, but when Xander asked whether Buffy wanted to restore Angel’s soul, go on “with the smooches” and pretend as if nothing had happened I involuntarily registered that as a side-remark towards Smallville. But that’s impossible since Smallville wasn’t even produced yet.

Becoming, Pt. 2

Synopsis: After Dru has killed Kendra and taken Giles to the mansion, Buffy is wanted for murder by the police. She has to sneak into the hospital to visit the injured Xander and the comatose Willow. But she has a lucky break: Spike (who secretly can walk again) teams up with her in order to defeat Angelus and get Dru back. Meanwhile Angelus tortures Giles to learn how to awake Acathla.

My Opinion: In just one episode Buffy’s world fell apart. She has saved the world (again) but had to sacrifice pretty much everything for it. It must have been so hard for her to kill Angel – whose soul had been restored just moments ago – to close Acathla’s vortex. She was thrown out from home, expelled from school and had to kill her boyfriend – can it get any worse?
But I also found the events that happened before the final fight very interesting, especially her temporary alliance with Spike whom she also hates but who was the lesser of two evils at that moment. And that Xander lied to her and didn’t tell her that Willow was trying the soul restoration again will also become an issue again.
These two episodes have a place on the Olympus of season endings and together with the ending of season five this was the strongest ending of any Buffy season.

The Season – My Opinion: I’d say Angelus was the best of all Big Bads this show had to offer. Others were great, too, but due to Angel’s personal relation to Buffy and the gang he could hurt places the other Big Bads simply couldn’t touch. And even though he was just a Vampire I had the feeling he was a more threatening opponent than other “Überdemons”.

Season 3: Disc 1

Disc 1

Welcome to the Hellmouth

Synopsis: Buffy and her mom have just moved to Sunnydale, California. She was thrown out of her old school in Los Angeles because she burned down the gym (it was full of Vampires). But she hopes that this part of her life lays behind her – how wrong she was. A very old Vampire – the Master – tries to free himself from the Hellmouth that is directly under the town. And she can’t even keep it a secret that she is the Slayer. Everyone seems to know: The librarian Giles, her classmate Xander and even some mysterious guy in the dark alleys.

My Opinion: I’ve seen this pilot for the first time on DVD on November 22th, 2007. And I have watched it 10 times in the past 16 months. I know all the lines by heart by now. “It’s dated?” – “It’s carbon-dated!” I have to say I liked it that the whole gang knew from the beginning. It separates it from other superhero shows (*cough* Smallville *cough*). That makes for a great foundation of their friendship even though each and every one will have secrets of their own over the years.

Shortly before Buffy killed her first Vampire on the show she made a remark that rang a bell – I had heard a similar remark spoken in a similar tone elsewhere.

Buffy: Now, we can do this the hard way, or … well, actually, there’s just the hard way.
Darla: That’s fine with me.
Buffy: Are you sure? Now this is not gonna be pretty. We’re talking violence, strong language, adult content …

Jack O’Neill: Assuming – of course – you are the Tok’ra.
Cordesh: And if we’re not?
Jack O’Neill: Well, I guess we all start shooting. There’s blood, death, hard feelings. It’d suck.

The Harvest

Synopsis: She may have saved Willow and Xander, but she has lost trace of Jesse. But she won’t give up that easily and she has help: Giles is her new Watcher and Willow is a computer nerd who can find anything as long as it’s on the net. And she will need that help because the time of the Harvest is close and then the Master will rise if she can’t prevent it. Unfortunately there’s nothing they can do for Jesse: He’s already worse than dead: A Vampire.

My Opinion: I know that life had to go on, but I found the end a little bit cheap. All these victims at the Bronze should have been in terror and should be screaming instead of simply getting slaughtered one by one. And then the aftermath where everyone chose to ignore what had happened. But I don’t know a better solution either. And I loved how she outwitted Luke / the Vessel and then dusted him.

Witch

Synopsis: Buffy decides to try out for the cheerleading team. She has been a cheerleader back in LA and she wants to live a normal life here, too – as far as this is possible. But mysterious accidents seem to happen to the cheerleaders of this school and soon there’s no doubt that witchcraft is behind it.

My Opinion: The story of that episode wasn’t that interesting, but I liked certain aspects of it. For example Buffy singing “Macho Man” or her cheerleading tryouts. I also liked that they made their first magic potion with bio and chem class equipment (scalpel, test tube, …).

Teacher’s Pet

Synopsis: After their biology teacher had been found dead in a refrigerator, Buffy, Xander and Willow get a new substitute teacher – and she’s hot. Xander and all other guys totally fall for her and she obviously likes it. But what kind of woman is she really when even a Vampire is scared by her?

My Opinion: This is one of these episodes with the obvious storylines. There’s a new teacher when the old one was killed onscreen. You automatically know that she’s somehow involved. She’s insulted when someone calls an insect “ugly”. You automatically know she’s one, too. All the guys instantly fall for her? You automatically know pheromones or some other stuff is involved. Didn’t like it very much.

Disc 2

Never Kill a Boy on the First Date

Synopsis: Giles has found a new prophecy that heralds the arrival of a new enemy. But Buffy doesn’t really take it that seriously because she tries to have a social life besides her Slayer duties. And then she finds Owen, a quiet yet profound guy who is also interested in her. But can she really have a social life without endangering people (that are close to her)?

My Opinion: “Clark Kent has a job!” This episode was about the basic dilemma every superhero has to face: How much time is one allowed to have in which one doesn’t protect other people. And Buffy made the same decision Clark made in Smallville more than one time and Peter Parker made in Spider-Man (“I will never forget these words: ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ This is my gift. My curse. Who am I? I am Spider-Man!”). And yet Buffy is different. She has friends that know her secret. Friends that stand by her and fight with her. They are her foundation, otherwise she would be just another Slayer and her life span would probably much shorter.
But I wander from the subject. I never cared much for the “Anointed One” (or “Annoying One” as Spike will put it) because he basically does nothing while he’s on the show except for being a wise-ass. So I liked the episode more for its underlying topic than its main topic.

The Pack

Synopsis: During a visit to the city zoo something happens to a high school gang – and Xander. They get possessed by the spirit of a hyena and henceforth they behave like a pack of hyenas. They are cruel, nasty and prey on the weak. And they eat the school mascot. But it gets even worse and Buffy, Willow and Giles try to get the old Xander back.

My Opinion: This is one of the rare episodes where the focus is on Xander. And he’s also allowed to be one of the bad guys. I think they played the pack very well. But even though Buffy didn’t kill that zoo guy directly she threw him into the cage. Granted it was in a fight but I am quite certain that in later episodes they draw a fine line between killing monsters and killing Humans.
I also liked it that they played the “forgetfulness” card just to show that it was a bluff. This joker was played far too often on Smallville.

Angel

Synopsis: Buffy and Angel (a mysterious man that drops in and out of her life to warn her about impending doom) get attacked by a group of Vampire warriors and Angel gets hurt. Buffy invites him to her home and tends to his wounds. But then the unthinkable happens: When they kiss, Angel turns into a Vampire himself! He flees but returns and has apparently attacked Buffy’s mom. Now Buffy’s out for a kill.

My Opinion: One of my favourite episodes of the season. I really liked Darla’s more practical approach of using firearms against a Human. Luckily her death isn’t the end of her story – as it rarely is in the Buffyverse. And while (until now) Xander might have been jealous of Angel, now his new philosophy is: Only a dead Angel is a good Angel. It’s basically the dark side of Xander’s character and one day his philosophy will include Spike, too.
What bothered me about the first season was that there were too many “special Vampires” in comparison to later seasons. First the “Aurelius” guys from two episodes ago, now these warrior types. They are famous enough to appear in some ancient books yet they are not good enough to survive at least one episode and it’s not even Buffy’s “fault”.

I Robot, You Jane

Synopsis: Ms. Calendar teaches computer class at Sunnydale High and she has started a project to scan all the library books. Unfortunately they also scan Giles’s more “exotic” books and they release a demon into the internet that was spell-bound in one of the books. But before Buffy realizes this the demon Moloch has already some of the students under his spell – especially Willow. She believes that Malcolm is a nice guy and that Buffy is jealous of her. Fortunately Giles, Xander and Buffy don’t have to fight alone: Ms. Calendar is not only a teacher, but also a techno-pagan.

My Opinion: The story is a bit ridiculous yet fun to watch. The whole idea of an ancient demon who uses the internet and builds himself a new body. But I loved the exorcism scene where Ms. Calendar was typing the counter-curse into the computer and Giles was spellchecking her. And the episode ended in a real whedony fashion when the three sat in front of the school and looked upon their past love lives and then concluded they are doomed.

And while I don’t exactly share his sentiment, I really liked Giles’s statement about books:

Ms. Calendar: Honestly, what is it about [computers] that bothers you so much?
Giles: The smell.
Ms. Calendar: Computers don’t smell, Rupert.
Giles: I know. Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences long forgotten. Books smell. Musty and, and, and, and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer, is, it … it has no texture, no context. It’s there and then it’s gone. If it’s to last, then the getting of knowledge should be tangible, it should be, um… smelly.

Disc 3

The Puppet Show

Synopsis: The gang is ordered to participate in the annual talent show while Giles is in charge of the organization. But then a student is murdered and the killer cuts out his heart. And the worst thing is: This was most likely a Human and not a demon. And all points to the weird guy and his ventriloquy dummy. But which one controls the other?

My Opinion: While I liked the whole dummy part and his sacrifice I didn’t like that they showed no pointers whatsoever to the real killer. Sure, they laid a lot of false trails (e.g. to the new principal) but they didn’t hide some to the real one. I also liked that they had to consider that this could be very well a “normal murder”, that not everything bad in this world is the fault of a demon. And I like the new evil yet human principal Snyder (Armin Shimerman, Quark in DS9) – he will become a real PITA for Buffy.

Nightmares

Synopsis: Buffy has regular nightmares at night now but that’s nothing compared to what happens next: Some people’s nightmares become reality at day and suddenly spiders are crawling through the school and a perplexed Xander stands in front of the class – naked. And a mysterious child and a monster appear every time at the school when something like this happens. But this boy is in a coma, how can he be seen in the school?

My Opinion: Does everyone have that nudity nightmare? It is a common theme on TV shows but I can’t remember having such a dream. But I can relate to the clown thingy. I can’t remember it but I must have had a bad experience because I also had a number of bad clown dreams when I was young (and no, it was not It ). I also liked what was done to Cordelia.  And I am with Xander: Buffy still looks good as a Vampire.

Out of Mind, Out of Sight

Synopsis: Strange accidents seem to be happening to the people around Cordelia. First her boyfriend gets clubbed down in the locker rooms. Then Harmony gets thrown down the stairs – by an invisible girl. Cordelia is scared and seeks refuge and help in the library. But Giles has another problem: He needs a lost book that contains prophecies regarding the Slayer. But luckily for him there’s an undead guy that can help him.

My Opinion: It was an OK episode but I would have liked to see Clea DuVall more onscreen – but that would have defeated the purpose of this episode. I’ve known her from The Faculty and later from Heroes before I’ve seen her here in this episode. I also liked that Cordelia becomes more involved in the group even though she offends them at the same time she’s asking for help. Something along the lines of “I need help and I thought you were in a gang or something” She may not be three-dimensional yet, but she’s managed to reach 2.1 dimensions.
I thought that it was an interesting twist to let the government being involved in this case. Wolfram & Hart might have been interested, too (if they had been invented at this point).

Prophecy Girl

Synopsis: Xander finally finds the courage to ask Buffy out but she turns him down. And then his rebound girl – Willow, – also turns him down. But from there the day turns from bad to worse – for everyone. Giles and Angel have discovered a prophecy that without a doubt heralds Buffy’s death. She will face the Master and he will kill her. That makes it easy for her: She quits. She stops being the Slayer. But every choice has consequences: Vampires have entered the school and killed several students. For a hero there’s actually no choice. She has to face him, even if it means that she dies. But what are friends for?

My Opinion: Up until now Angel might have jumped in on a street fight but when it became really dangerous he was nowhere to be seen (The Harvest, Prophecy Girl). It’s ironic that it’s Xander of all people who forces him to stand up and fight a real fight. From one moment to the next the size of the gang has nearly doubled. From now on Ms. Calendar, Cordelia and Angel will have a much greater role in the fight between good and evil – on one side or the other. I also liked how Buffy reacted to her prophesied death – it makes the character more human. But in the end she accepts her fate, as she will always do in the coming years and she will do what’s right, no matter the cost.

The Season – My Opinion: A good first season, although not the best Buffy season. The basics are established (regular Monsters-of-the-Week with an overall season arc and a “Big Bad”) and the universe is pretty much set. Luckily they will loosen the corset of prophecies and rituals and they will portray Vampires much more “normal”.

Season 2

Next to all the science fiction I need a bit of fantasy in the mix. I have ignored Buffy for many years and only in 2007 I watched the pilot for the first time on TV. And I have to say, it intrigued me. I ordered the first season, watched it, wanted to know how it would continue and ordered the entire show.

But there was a movie first:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Kristy Swanson    …    Buffy
Donald Sutherland   …    Merrick
Paul Reubens   …    Amilyn
Rutger Hauer   …    Lothos
Luke Perry   …    Pike
Michele Abrams   …    Jennifer
Hilary Swank   …    Kimberly
Paris Vaughan   …    Nicole
David Arquette   …    Benny
Stephen Root    …    Gary Murray
Thomas Jane    …    Zeph

Synopsis: Buffy is a normal high school freshman and member of the cheerleading squad. But then she meets Merrick and he shows her what she really is: The Chosen One, a Vampire Slayer. Born with the strength and skill to fight the Vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. But she wants to stay a normal girl and wants nothing to do with such rubbish.

My Opinion: This movie may not be what Joss Whedon had intended or will do on the TV show. But it definitively falls into the category of “guilty pleasure” and is a lot of fun if you’re willing to accept its cheesiness. And the dialogue is unmistakably Whedon. Also, Lothos used a Samurai Katana, that’s a plus in the book.

And then there was the show.

Season 1