Commenter Lookup *Caution* Unless you see an ADMIN tag, the comments below may not all belong to the same person! "Tough Love" | View Comments2 | emilyApr 5, 2011 One thing I've always liked in this episode is when, towards the end the doctor treating Tara asks Willow if she's her sister, and Willow replies "She's my everything." Of course, this is meant to show how much Willow loves and cares for Tara, and she clearly feels bad about their earlier argument, but I also see it as a clever choice of phrasing on Willows part. You see, during the making of this show (and the time it's set in), same-sex partners did not have the same visitation rights as straight people in the US, due to a specific relatives-only policy that made it near impossible for gays and lesbians to visit their loved ones in hospital. This was abolished by President Obama in April/May 2010. Tara didn't have any relatives who would come visit (see 'Family'), so Willow was pretty much all she had (I guess you could count the others). When this episode was aired (in 2001), it would be years before LGBTQ people would have equal visitation rights. Legally, the hospital could have denied Willows access to Tara had they known they were partners. I've always thought of Willows answer ("She's my everything") as very tactful. I know I'm probably reading WAY too much into this, and the writers probably WEREN'T thinking of this at all, it's just what I always think of when I watch that scene. Um. I'm really sorry if that didn't makes sense. "As You Were" | View Comments3 | EmilyJun 9, 2010 Like Shannon, I didn't believe that Spike was The Doctor either. The episode never really explains it to my satisfaction, so I've developed a personal theory. I think Doc didn't die at the end of "The Gift" and was the international contact. When he received the unrefrigerated eggs, he realized they were unsuitable merchandise. He left them in Spike's crypt, perhaps partly to punish Spike and to begin a Sunnydale colony of wild bears. But I can accept it if Spike was actually the perpetrator. I like how it makes me see a few more character similarities between reforming Spike and Firefly's Mal. "Where the Wild Things Are" | View Comments4 | EmilyMay 21, 2010 Aww, I kinda like this episode. It's a guilty pleasure for me. Although it certainly borders on the TOO ridiculous - I mean, c'mon, an orgasm spot on the wall? Tracey Forbes, please stop. Fair rating though. "The Wish" | View Comments5 | EmilyMay 20, 2010 I agree with G1000. This episode, though it is fairly entertaining, certainly has no lasting impact on the series. "Bargaining Pt. 2" | View Comments6 | EmilyDec 15, 2009 After The Fall, I never noticed that (and I usually pay attention to the clothes/hair/etc.). Good catch!! "Some Assembly Required" | View Comments7 | EmilyDec 13, 2009 nallan, NOT CRAZY AT ALL. I feel the same way, lol. "What's My Line? Pt. 1" | View Comments8 | EmilyDec 7, 2009 Sunburn, I agree with you that Buffy's snappy lines are awesome, but sometimes they're really badly written. They may look good on paper, but when you actually say them out loud, it makes you shudder. The worst one is "Let her go, Wormy!" in "Reptile Boy" [2x07]. Sorry, but sometimes these lines are ridiculous. "Bad Eggs" | View Comments9 | EmilyDec 2, 2009 Did anyone notice the egg that was on the shelf when Giles was putting the books away? I didn't notice it until now. (17:57) "School Hard" | View Comments10 | EmilyNov 26, 2009 Anyone notice the TV set in Spike and Dru's room? Lol. I just noticed it. Spike's loved TV since the very beginning! Great continuity. "Halloween" | View Comments11 | EmilyNov 26, 2009 Nix, I just realized that it's impossible for it to be Dru because they were saying that it was 1775 and he was 18. Never caught that till now. "Reptile Boy" | View Comments12 | EmilyNov 26, 2009 There's a little bit of foreshadowing in this ep that I never noticed before. When Buffy tells Willow and Xander that she's going to the party with Cordelia and not Angel, Willow says, "Cordelia?.....Did I sound a little jealous just then? 'Cause I'm not really..." If you truly pay attention, it can amaze you how much foreshadowing Joss and the other writers stuck in about Willow being a lesbian. "Prophecy Girl" | View Comments13 | EmilyNov 22, 2009 My previous comment is in reference to Jenny Calendar. "Prophecy Girl" | View Comments14 | EmilyNov 22, 2009 Did anyone ever notice how Giles asks, "How do I know that I can trust you?" What a foreshadowing, considering that he really shouldn't have. "New Moon Rising" | View Comments15 | EmilyOct 1, 2009 Kate, I agree with Sam. I *love* Oz, and I think that he was the perfect person for Willow at that time in her life. There's no reason why it would be appalling- I'm sure other people also love Oz. The ending of this episode makes *me* cry a lot every time I watch it, so you're definitely not alone in that:) "Touched" | View Comments16 | EmilyOct 1, 2009 - QUOTE - Susan, I don't think she loved him in S6. Could Buffy have loved a soulless thing? I also don't think the jealousy is proof of her love. You could be jealous without loving someone. I definitely think she cared for him, starting back in S5, but I don't think she started to love him until S7.In my opinion she's loved him for quite a while, even in season six (pre-soul), at least up to the attempted rape scene. Why else would she be jealous and hurt in the pre(non)wedding scene and again when she sees him with Anya? "Touched" | View Comments17 | EmilySep 30, 2009 It's so nice to read a new review again!!! The new site looks awesome, Mike. - QUOTE - I totally and one hundred percent agree. I think Bangel fans like to delude themselves into thinking that Buffy never loved Spike- that she only told him that in "Chosen" because he was going to die. IMO, she never loved him the way she loved Angel, but that doesn't mean she didn't love him. There are many different kinds of love, and I truly believe that in the end, Buffy and Spike *did* love for each other.And it's in this moment that I think Buffy comes to love Spike in return. "Teacher's Pet" | View Comments18 | EmilySep 3, 2009 @Lucy, I totally agree with you. I think that's the stupidest line of the entire series. @Kate, I think it's mentioned in the previous episode, not this one. "Witch" | View Comments19 | EmilySep 2, 2009 Leelu, I never heard that before- was that mentioned in "Normal Again"? (You'd think I would know after seeing the series five times, but I'm totally blanking lol.) Besides, even if it is mentioned, I don't think that would really work for me as an explanation, considering that Dawn was worked into everyone's memories. Before Dawn, it could've easily been Joyce or Hank who read the diary.... Like I said, I accept the mental asylum situation as canon- but it just doesn't work in a couple of scenes in the early seasons. It doesn't bother me that much....just thought it was worth mentioning. -Carpe noctem "Witch" | View Comments21 | EmilySep 1, 2009 Cordelia was blind and that's why she drove into the fence- yet she could see the truck that was barreling down the street towards her? This is the only episode that doesn't fit in with "Normal Again." Buffy straight out tells her mother that she's the vampire slayer- Joyce asks if Buffy is feeling well, but she doesn't freak out or even mention anything related to the experience Buffy had in a mental institution. I'm still able to accept it as canon, but I feel like Joss should've thought that one through a little more. And *why* was there a big mirror in the science lab? S1 can be so corny sometimes....... "The Harvest" | View Comments22 | EmilyAug 31, 2009 I'm on my sixth rewatch of Buffy here....and decided to read- and comment on- your reviews again. You really do a great job of reviewing and helping me understand the show, Mike. Did you ever notice how Xander says, after he kicks the trash can, "I don't like vampires. I'm gonna take a stand and say they're not good." I don't know if Joss meant this as a foreshadowing, but in all 7 seasons, Xander has unqualified, complete dislike of all vampires- including Angel and Spike. Seems to me like he took this stand and never wavered once- even when he was proven otherwise. "Empty Places" | View Comments23 | EmilyAug 14, 2009 No, buffyholic, you're totally right. I could accept this scene if I stretched my imagination- A LOT- but to never receive an apology? I can't accept that. I always believed that Buffy got the brunt of everything, and the Scoobies always expected her to take even more. Especially Xander and Dawn. How I deal with this scene usually depends on my mood. Sometimes, I stretch my imagination and my logic and tell myself that it *somewhat* makes sense. And sometimes, I just ignore it. Like it never happened. Great review, Mike! "Dirty Girls" | View Comments24 | EmilyAug 12, 2009 @jarppu, I meant that she was trying to use it to her advantage, but it didn't work. I never saw it as, "Buffy's falling for a trap." I always saw it as, "Buffy knows this is a trap, but she's going to use this opportunity to try and get the enemy." It's just that this time, it didn't work. "Dirty Girls" | View Comments25 | EmilyAug 11, 2009 Mike, thanks for a great review! I've missed them. @Wilpy, I agree with you completely about everything you said, especially the part about Buffy 'falling for Caleb's trick." I knew from the first time I saw this episode that Buffy wasn't falling for his trick- she was using it to her advantage. I, too, like the writer's dig at religion, but at the same time, digs at religion on television always get me nervous, because religious fanatics are in the minority. It's a little bit of a misrepresentation of religion, because this is not what most religious people are like. @Mike, you said in your cons that "Andrew warns all the girls about Faith, but how would Andrew know what Faith's past is? Also, why does this information get lost on the Potentials in the next episode when Faith gets elected as their new leader?" As one of the Trio, I'm sure that Andrew, like Warren and Jonathan, compiled a history of everyone who was in the Scooby gang- temporary or permanent. As Faith was a very big part of Buffy's life for Season 3 and part of Season 4, it makes sense that the Trio had info about her. "Get it Done" | View Comments26 | EmilyJun 23, 2009 @Adam, I totally agree with Ryan- this felt *nothing* like an Angel episode. Speaking of Angel- before I started watching AtS, I always understood why Buffy refused to add the demon spirit to make her stronger. But after watching Angel, I don't understand, because Cordelia did it in "Birthday" [3x11] (I think). Cordy added a demon part to herself so that she could continue to fight the good fight. Here, Buffy is offered the same chance, and she refuses to take it. Why? Because of pride? Because they weren't giving her a choice- was it a principle thing- was it because they'd forced it on the First Slayer and she didn't want to condone their actions? I'm very confused. "The Killer in Me" | View Comments27 | EmilyJun 22, 2009 I'm gonna go with buffyholic here and say that I really liked this episode- character development (at least for Willow), good pacing, and humor. I didn't feel that the humor and drama were at odds at all. I loved the Willow/Warren story, and I agree with Julie that the impact would've been lost if we'd seen only Warren as Willow. I loved how they went from one to the other so seamlessly. The only thing I disliked was that it was Amy who was doing this to Willow, for no good reason. To bring her down a notch? That's one of the dumbest things the writers thought of for this show. I would've preferred if Amy's overall arc had ended in S6, and it was Willow who was doing this to herself, like someone here mentioned. Of course, the "Willow-is-doing-a-spell-and-not-realizing-it" plot is used enough by now, but it would've been better than this. I liked the whole Giles-as-the-First- ducking the arrows of fire and spears being thrown at me!! So there's no points off for me there. I never had a problem with it, and always thought it was kinda funny. "Buffy and Spike going back down into the Initiative, and having people still be there is also pretty darn ridiculous." Mike, I never really thought they were all still there, working as the Initiative. It was made pretty clear by the end of S4 that the Initiative was done and over with. I always thought that they had come *for* Buffy, because Riley told them to. Never had a problem with that either. 78 "A New Man" | View Comments28 | EmilyJun 21, 2009 Shannon, yes, I am completely and totally Bangel-y. It's actually what got me watching the show a second time and third time- by that time, I began to really look deeper into the show, and that's how I came to this site! Seriously, though, Buffy does train with other people, including Angel (like Nix said, see: S3), and he's the only person who's ever able to match her. Just because it's a substitution doesn't mean they didn't train. I mean, prove it to me if I'm wrong (I don't like to be proven wrong :), but I also don't like to be completely biased in my love of the Bangel relationship). "Showtime" | View Comments29 | EmilyJun 21, 2009 I really like this episode. However, once I read your review, I agreed with many of your points, except the telepathy one. Subjectively, though, I can't help but like this ep. The only thing that *really* turns me off is Eve- can't stand the actress. I agree with Paula about the telepathy- it shows how close the Scoobies have gotten, and it is pretty difficult to have a conversation in such a crowded house. You also said that they should have asked to be excused- the Potentials aren't stupid (well, they're not *that* stupid) and they would've realized that something is going on. Then we wouldn't have had the resolution to the problem the way we did. "Conversations with Dead People" | View Comments30 | EmilyJun 18, 2009 Great review, Mike!! This was the first time I noticed the lyrics of the song when I was watching the episode, and I'm so happy you put an analysis of it- it's great! I'm one of the people who think having Amber Benson as the first instead of Azura Skye would've been really bad. 1- I don't want that memory of Tara. 2- It would've been so obvious that it wasn't Tara. Willow knows her so well that she would've figured it out- especially if Tara had told her to stop using magic completely forever. Even in the beginning of "Tabula Rasa" Tara didn't want Willow to stop using magic forever- she said "one week" to see if Willow could do everyday things without magic. Tara, like Giles, believed in using magic- good, natural magic- in a balanced way. In terms of why Dawn got a visit from the first and not Xander- well, as was said above by Kyorarin: "Xander has, on several occasions, doubted Buffy and sometimes even gone against her all on his own. Also, Buffy does allow Xander to fight with her, and it's been proven many times that he easily gets hurt, which has forced Buffy to watch out for him in battle. Were I the First, I wouldn't waste any effort on him, because Xander's already distrustful enough...." The reason that Dawn got a visit was because she's Buffy's sister and has never doubted her- well, maybe she's doubted her in the "mom" capacity, but not in the "Slayer" capacity. "Conversations with Dead People" | View Comments31 | EmilyJun 18, 2009 Btw, Mike, I wanted to point out a continuity thing (which I know you love) from S6- when Holden says "Nemeses", and Buffy says, "Is that how you say it?" This refers back to when the Trio don't know how to say the plural of "nemesis" in "Gone." "Sleeper" | View Comments32 | EmilyJun 18, 2009 Mike, great review! But there's a big parallel between this episode and "Selfless"- and that's the scene at the end of the big fight in the basement, which I automatically connected to the basement scene where Spike is talking to the First in "Selfless." Look at the two transcripts: "Selfless" Buffy: Spike. Spike: I'm in trouble, Buffy. Buffy: I can help you. Spike: I could never ask. Not after... Buffy: It's different. You're different. Spike: I could never ask. Buffy: Spike, it's me. It's you and it's me, and we'll get through this. Spike: Never... Buffy: We'll get through this. "Sleeper" Buffy: There's something playing with us. All of us. Spike: What is it? Why is it doing this to me? Buffy: I don't know. Spike: Will you... Help me. Can you help me? Buffy: I'll help you. I think the parallel between the two scenes is beautiful. At first, Spike feels that he can't even ask Buffy for help after what he did to her. Now, though, he sees her throw away the stake, refusing to kill him- taking the first step to show that she wants to help him. Which is really all he needs at this point to propel him to ask for help, because he's so desperate for it after all this pain the First caused him. I also think that this is a step forward for their relationship- a step towards forgiveness on Buffy's part and on Spike's part, it's a step towards accepting help from the one person he never thought he could ask. "Lessons" | View Comments33 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 "The true beginning"- I wanted to point out that this season goes back to the true beginning not only in terms of "The First" but in terms of who the fight-able bad guys are- VAMPIRES. Since S3, we've had a mayor/demon snake, a demon-y, machine-y, human-y soldier type monster, a god, and real life as the Big Bad. It's the first time since Angelus that a vampire is the Big Bad. Even if they are uber-vamps- it's still back to the true beginning. Buffy the *Vampire* Slayer. "Beneath You" | View Comments34 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 Maddy, I'll quote Paula's comment above for you: "Another thing perhaps worth mentioning here is how the title of the episode can be understood in a number of different ways: * As a reference to Buffy's (and Cecily/Halfrek's) line "You're beneath me" to Spike in "Foof for Love" * Likewise to the monster of the week (Ronnie the "worm") * Likewise to the First Evil and its favorite threat ("From beneath you, it devours")" The church scene gets me every time I see it. Especially when he says, "Can we rest now? Buffy? Can we rest?" I really hurt for Spike here. I understand that people would get annoyed at the fact that the Core 4 don't get as much screen time in this season. For me, it was never a big issue. I love S7, and I *adore* Spike's development in this season. Great review, Mike! I was always curious about what others thought of the church scene. I was always very touched by it, but my friends never really cared. Nice to know there are others out there who appreciate it as well! "Help" | View Comments35 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 Mike, I think you really missed out on something that Buffy says at the beginning of the episode: XANDER: 33 minutes. Since when do we go through all this trouble for one lousy vampire. Excuse me, one lousy potential vampire. BUFFY: Vampire by vampire. It's the only way I know how. This is something that we've seen for a long time, something that Joyce herself says in "Gingerbread" (albeit quite cruelly because she's under the gingerbread spell): Joyce: You patrol, you slay... Evil pops up, you undo it. A-a-and that's great! But is Sunnydale getting any better? Are they running out of vampires? Buffy: I don't think that you run out of... Joyce: It's not your fault. You don't have a plan. You just react to things. I-it's bound to be kind of fruitless. I think this is a foreshadowing to the rest of this season, as well as the comics (I only read the first and second, so I'm basing this only on what I've read). This system of Buffy is going to change now that the Potentials will be coming; and it will especially change when they become Slayers. Buffy will have an army to deal with- it will be more than just vampire by vampire. Buffy's way of fighting will change, if only because there are others like her and they can help. "Help" | View Comments36 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 When I said "an army to deal with", I meant her own- an army of Slayers. "Help" | View Comments37 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 Sorry for posting 3 times!! But I just have to add how much the scene with Willow at Tara's grave breaks me up. I don't really cry when Tara's shot in S6- it's too much of a shock to be able to cry. I tear a little when Dark Willow talks about Tara, especially when she says: Willow: The only thing Willow was ever good for...the only thing I had going for me...were the moments - just moments - when Tara would look at me and I was wonderful. But this part when she visits her grave- the first time I saw it, I had *no* idea that this was where Xander and Willow were going. So when I saw the cemetery, I started crying. Then when she walks up and puts the rocks, I cry more, and especially when she traces the letters of Tara's name and says, "It's me." As you can tell from my avatar on the forums (Willow putting the rocks), this is one of...well, I can't say favorite, because that sounds too happy to me, but I will say the most poignant, sad, heartbreaking scene of any show I've ever seen. The only thing that comes close to me is in "Charmed" when Fury-Piper yells at Prue's grave in "Hell Hath No Fury" [4x03]. I guess I have a thing for grave scenes. I wish we had been shown more of what Willow says, or even just kept the camera on her for a few more seconds. Wow, I'm crying as I write this. I miss Tara. "Selfless" | View Comments38 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 Anya tells Willow in her apartment, "I am a vengeance demon!" She says it so adamantly that later on, when they show the flashback to Russia, and she says, "Vengeance is what I am!" I get the idea that when she's talking to Willow, she's trying to go back to the time when there were no doubts, when there was nothing and no one- not even herself- to say, "Who am I, really?" Back then, that's all she was- a vengeance demon. Now she's trying so hard to convince herself of the same thing, even though we all know- including Anya- that she's more than that. "Him" | View Comments39 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 cupcakey, I totally agree with you!! The only part I find funny is the last quarter- like you said, I spend 3/4 of the episode cringing. IMO, it was so bad! However, I'm the kind of person who can't watch episodes out of order or skip episodes, so I watch it every time I watch S7. And MT's acting!!!!- I'm trying to be more objective when it comes to MT/Dawn, Mike, like I said, but her acting in this episode...*shudders*. (Though I have to admit that in "Same Time, Same Place," she wasn't so bad.) Anyway, I'd give this a 60, *maybe* a 65. No character development, no relevance, and not funny for most of the episode. "Him" | View Comments40 | EmilyJun 17, 2009 Also, notice the plaid skirt that Buffy is wearing when she seduces RJ- the "schoolgirl" outfit. It reminds me of how Darla dressed up for Angel in "Angel" [1x07] (on BtVS, not AtS). "Wrecked" | View Comments41 | EmilyJun 16, 2009 @Leelu: I'll quote my comment from "Lessons" [7x01]; let me know what you think. --Giles says to Willow, "This isn't a hobby or an addiction. It's inside you now." Could it be that Joss never meant to say that Willow's magic problems were an addiction, but rather that this is what everyone thought it was? Tara, as well as Giles here, both seem to understand that it's not about addiction, but about using magic in the right way. Everyone else, including Willow herself, misunderstood and thought that she had to go cold turkey in order to fix the problem. But that, along with the catalyst of Tara's death, caused her to go all out as Dark Willow. Maybe if they'd understood that it wasn't an addiction, they would've been able to solve her magic issues like the coven did. But without this confusion, we wouldn't have gotten the development of Willow the way we did. That's why Joss did it this way.-- "Gone" | View Comments42 | EmilyJun 16, 2009 What I meant to say was that, as unhealthy and emotionally abusive (on Buffy's part, in the way she treats Spike) as this relationship was, Buffy would not have healed from her traumatic experiences without it- or it would've taken longer. "Villains" | View Comments43 | EmilyJun 16, 2009 "Warren gloats and then tries to run away out of fear for himself while Spike is confused and also runs away, but with resolve to correct his deficiencies and become a better individual. It's obvious who made the right choice, and who made the wrong choice here." I just wanted to again point out something interesting (I think you mentioned it in a previous review, Mike, or maybe I saw it in a comment)- it's the soulless vampire who makes the right choice, not the human being with a soul. Just goes to show that even people with souls can be evil- can take their soul and turn it inside out. "Grave" | View Comments44 | EmilyJun 16, 2009 All I have to say is that I could tell it wasn't Joss who wrote this even before I knew that it was Fury. Joss just has a magic that other writers don't. "Lessons" | View Comments45 | EmilyJun 16, 2009 Giles says to Willow, "This isn't a hobby or an addiction. It's inside you now." Could it be that Joss never meant to say that Willow's magic problems were an addiction, but rather that this is what everyone thought it was? Tara, as well as Giles here, both seem to understand that it's not about addiction, but about using magic in the right way. Everyone else, including Willow herself, misunderstood and thought that she had to go cold turkey in order to fix the problem. But that, along with the catalyst of Tara's death, caused her to go all out as Dark Willow. Maybe if they'd understood that it wasn't an addiction, they would've been able to solve her magic issues like the coven did. But without this confusion, we wouldn't have gotten the development of Willow the way we did. That's why Joss did it this way. I miss Tara:( And Mike, you have reformed me. I have decided to give Dawn (the character and the writers who write her) and MT a second chance. I don't think I'll ever get past MT's bad acting (IMO, she's a horrible actress), but I will try to look past that and try not to hate Dawn. Step #1 to solving my problem. Lol. Keep up the wonderful work you're doing! Love the reviews! "Older and Far Away" | View Comments46 | EmilyJun 15, 2009 There are some times- very rare times- when I watch the show and I wonder, "Why do I hate Dawn so much? She's annoying and I generally dislike her, but she's not *that* bad." And then I get to episodes like this. (And like "Gone," where, imo, she has no legitimate reason to freak out at Buffy over her invisibility or over the fact that she got hurt when she was with Willow and Buffy couldn't stop it. Buffy can't be everywhere at once.) And I say, "Oh. So *that's* why I absolutely despise her." MT's acting is horrible. Horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE. And it's not just here- it's on Gossip Girl, too! (Yes, I watch GG. So sue me.) I don't understand why people keep giving her acting jobs. And Dawn's character- wow, she is beyond annoying. So annoying and selfish and egocentric and....just get a life! She has no friends whatsoever. Did anyone notice this? Go and make some friends!! I personally had a hard time with friends at her age. I skipped a grade- went from 3rd to 5th, and I had no good friends until I was in tenth grade. Took me a long time to overcome my social issues. But I didn't steal stuff! Argghhh- she just gets on my nerves so much. Anyway, if it wasn't for Dawn I would love this episode. (Buffy should've just let Doris take her away.) "Older and Far Away" | View Comments47 | EmilyJun 15, 2009 @Adam: I do blame the writers more than I blame MT. In my comment, when I said "Dawn's character", I'm talking about the writers, not MT. I think that if they'd put more thought into her character, she would've been semi-bearable. It's just that coupled with the character they wrote, *and* MT's acting- dear God, help me. I always thought the tower scene in Bargaining was waaay over done, even before I started to hate Dawn. (I really began to dislike her character the third time around I watched Buffy, but I *always* thought MT was a bad actress.) @Leelu: The fact is that Buffy went through soooo much more than Dawn did, and how many times do you see her bitching and whining? (Well, I don't know if that's a fact, but it's my honest opinion.) Maybe it's not the greatest thing that she keeps stuff bottled up inside, but even when she doesn't keep stuff bottled up, when she admits to her feelings of how horrible her life is (see: when she talks to Mr. Platt, the psychologist, in S3, and when she tells Giles and Willow that Angel got his soul before she killed him), I don't want to smack her because of how selfish she's being. My point is....well, that the writers didn't know what the hell they were doing when they wrote Dawn's character. "Older and Far Away" | View Comments48 | EmilyJun 15, 2009 **When I said "I don't know if that's a fact, but it's my honest opinion", I was referring to whether Buffy went through more than Dawn did. Some would maybe argue that finding out you're not human outweighs everything that Buffy did. I don't *know* anyone who says that, but it's possible that there's someone who does. Not me, though:) "Hell's Bells" | View Comments49 | EmilyJun 15, 2009 Mike, I would've given this episode at least a 90, if not a 95. The pace is great, character development is spot-on, the fact that the plot is minimal and more background-y stuff is the way it should be in this kind of episode, everyone was in character, there were some cute moments (Tara and Willow) and funny moments (Buffy's charades) to balance the depression out, the relationship between Xander and Anya ended the way it should have, considering the path this past season has been on (not that I wanted it to end! Not at all- I personally hate that Joss did this), the continuity with Spike/Buffy was perfect (as was the semi-awkward conversation)- everything was great! The one complaint that you had- about the families fighting- I don't have a problem with. The reason for this is: Joss tends to take real-life problems and express them in a magical/demon way. Like he did with Angel- after you sleep with a guy, he turns into an asshole, right? With Angel, he turned evil- a metaphor for real life. Here, Joss is doing the same thing. Many in-law families don't get along. Here, one of the families is demonic. Therefore, when they don't get along with others, it's bound to blow up. Since they're demons, it *actually* blows up and everyone starts physically fighting, as opposed to just yelling at each other. (Not that human in-laws don't fist fight, but it's more exaggerated with the demon family because that's what Joss does.) IMO. Loved this episode. Cried my eyes out. "Hell's Bells" | View Comments50 | EmilyJun 15, 2009 Ok, I get where you're coming from, Mike. I kinda agree with you, but I also thought it was stupidly funny as well:) Love your reviews, btw! Can't wait to get to S7- it's one of my favorite seasons! "Wrecked" | View Comments51 | EmilyJun 13, 2009 I'm just curious as to which way the season should've gone with Willow's character. Everyone- well, mostly everyone- is saying that they should've gone with the power metaphor. But *what* should they have done with it? *How* could the story have worked out the way it did, if they hadn't used this metaphor? You're saying that they should've continued to work with the power metaphor, but *how*? What could the storyline have been? I agree that the metaphor was *very* unsubtle- it just about smacks you in the face with its subtlety. And I don't like it either. I also don't like the discontinuity- magic at first being a power thing, and it's now a drug thing. (Not that it's 100% discontinuous- you can say that Willow's been getting addicted since S5.) But what else could they have done? Any suggestions? "Gone" | View Comments52 | EmilyJun 13, 2009 I really don't like how the writers portray Doris and what Buffy did to her. They made it seem like social workers are horrible people- that they take a one-minute look around and happily decide to ruin people's lives. lee, if I was a social worker and saw a bag of weed lying around in open view, where anyone could take it, including a 15-year-old girl, I'd also have some major concerns. The way Buffy deals with Doris is childish and stupid, and it shows a horrible side of Buffy. "I understood Buffy messing with Doris. It was the only option she could think of to get a new case worker and hopefully have that day's visit erased." Viewer, I completely disagree with you. Buffy could've tried to be on her best behavior, help Dawn with homework, make sure she gets to school, talk to her teachers, get a job (which she does, but only *after* making the well-meaning social worker crazy), be around more by having Spike and the Scoobies do patrols (they did it when she was dead!), and pretty much just shape up- slowly but surely. Instead, she plays a stupid and cruel joke, and I don't find this funny at all. I definitely don't find the way the writers portray social workers funny- at all. I also wanted to mention- notice that only after Buffy begins to have sex with Spike does she have this epiphany of "not wanting to be dead." Dare I say that even though this relationship (I don't know if you can really call it that) was unhealthy, it still *helped* Buffy, made her feel alive? "All the Way" | View Comments53 | EmilyJun 10, 2009 Wow. They really just should've killed off Dawn in S5. "Flooded" | View Comments54 | EmilyJun 9, 2009 "I know one guy, who has a gun at home (except a few hunters), and everybody in the neighbourhood hates him, cause he's a rightwinged, agressive asshole..." bookworm, I find this statement to be prejudiced and narrow-minded. Not everyone who owns a gun is right-wing. Not everyone who's right-wing owns a gun. Not everyone who's right-wing is an "aggressive asshole." And blind hatred of right-wingers and people who own guns is just as bad as being a racist. I don't appreciate you implying that right-wingers are aggressive assholes, especially considering the fact that I'M A RIGHT WINGER AND I HAPPEN TO NOT BE AN AGGRESSIVE ASSHOLE!! If I misunderstood what you said, I apologize, but you should learn how to voice your thoughts in a way that sounds less prejudiced. And if I didn't misunderstand, open up your eyes and get over your close-mindedness!! Sorry to make this an argument on your site, Mike. I just really dislike blind hatred of anything- whether it's right-wingers or left-wingers, blacks or whites, feminists, Jews, Native-Americans, Asians, Arabs, or anything and anyone else out there that have been the subject of blind, all-encompassing hatred! "Bargaining Pt. 1" | View Comments55 | EmilyJun 7, 2009 Thanks! I figured it was something like that. I like it much better this way- gives me more of a specific grasp on your grading system. "Bargaining Pt. 1" | View Comments56 | EmilyJun 4, 2009 Mike, is there a specific reason why you started to grade the episodes with more exact numbers, as opposed to the general multiples of 5 (70, 75, 80, etc)? "Bargaining Pt. 2" | View Comments57 | EmilyJun 4, 2009 Paula, the cross Angel gave her is much bigger and thicker. However, I do agree that Buffy wearing the cross is very symbolic. They had her stop wearing one in college to show that she'd grown up and was past the high school innocence age. To me, Buffy wearing it here symbolizes innocence on Buffy's part. Not the little-innocent-teenage-girl kind innocence, but rather I'm-so-confused-with-my-life-what-am-I-doing-here? kind of innocence. "Season 5 Review" | View Comments58 | EmilyJun 3, 2009 Wow, Mike. Your reviews are awesome!! I just wanted to add one thing about Tara's development, and that's her relationship with Buffy, which I think is a pretty important part of both of their development this season (especially in that scene in the hospital in "The Body"), as it leads to Buffy confiding in Tara in S6 ("Dead Things", I think?). Is there a reason you left it out? "Tough Love" | View Comments59 | EmilyJun 2, 2009 Buffyholic, it's kinda funny that you mention that, because about the third time around of watching Buffy, I started to really pay attention to her hair. I think in Season 3, they make it really blond to show the contrast between her and Faith. In S4, it's very blond as well (and longer), which I think contrasts to S5's hair, which gets darker as the season goes on (especially in "The Body", where it looks almost brown)- this makes sense as the show, and Buffy herself, becomes closer to the darkness with every episode, which in the end culminates in her death. The last time I saw Season 6, I noticed that when Buffy came to break up with Spike in "As You Were," her hair looked blonder than it had all season. As if to say, "I'm moving from the darkness- it's taken about fourteen episodes, but I'm finally beginning to move away from death and darkness." (Her clothes are also lighter in this scene- it's kinda cool how they work this all in.) Am I going way too deep in discussing Buffy's hair? Lol. There's actually an article I found called "The Philosophy of Buffy's Hair." It doesn't go sooo in depth, but it has a few valid points. http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/06/23/the-philosophy-of-buffys-hair/#commentform (I feel kinda deja vu-ish, so I may have posted this stuff in a different review.) "Spiral" | View Comments61 | EmilyJun 2, 2009 All I have to say is that I'm gonna go with Mike and LibMax here: most of this stuff makes no sense. The only thing I would *maybe* understand is the winnebago- it makes sense that Buffy panics and she's not very experienced in handling practical matters, etc, etc. But the Knights- everything about them in this episode- they're plain stupid. And inconsistent. It always bothers me that they just happen to be able to know exactly where Buffy is going and in what car she's driving. It annoys me, but I still like the episode. Funny stuff. "Intervention" | View Comments62 | EmilyJun 1, 2009 I'm gonna have to agree with Mike here and say how COMPLETELY out of character it is for the Scoobies not to realize that Buffy was a bot. Angel's bloody stupid?????? When would Buffy ever say something like that so happily? The whole thing was very OOC, imo. Other than that, though, this episode was great. I don't seem to have as much trouble with the lack of Glory as other people, because she says in this episode that Ben's been getting stronger, so it makes sense that she's not there as much. Also, I think someone mentioned in a comment on a previous review that Ben has to be able to work a lot of hours as an intern, so it makes sense that Glory isn't around so much. I agree with the score. The character inconsistencies (as well as the cheesiness of Buffy's vision) just knock off a bunch of points. "The Body" | View Comments63 | EmilyMay 31, 2009 Morten, I've got to agree with JoeW- the way Anya's speech was delivered was unbelievable, IMO- and I think with most other people's opinions. That whole scene in Willow's bedroom was beyond well done- perfect, like the rest of the episode, but to me, the best part. Wow. I agree with many people who say this isn't perfect in terms of entertainment value, but to me, that's not what Buffy is all about- there's more to it than just entertainment. (And as long as not all the episodes are like this one, I'm fine with it.) Just....WOW. "Forever" | View Comments64 | EmilyMay 31, 2009 I never saw Willow's actions here as part of her path to Dark Willow. I thought she was actually trying to help Dawn understand about death and resurrection, like she told Tara. Did anyone else think so, or is it just me? "Crush" | View Comments65 | EmilyMay 28, 2009 I can't get that look on his face out of my head- when he's blocked out of the house. Poor baby!!! "Listening to Fear" | View Comments66 | EmilyMay 27, 2009 Richie, I have to disagree with you about Michelle T. The only part that she did really well in this episode was the screaming for Buffy. Other than that, it felt like it usually does- very forced and trying too hard. Especially the part where she says, "You promise?" I cringe every time I see that. "Triangle" | View Comments67 | EmilyMay 27, 2009 "I think Olaf merits a little sympathy. I mean, if he only dallied once, when he was drunk - he's better than a lot of guys. Maybe the punishment was a little severe?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Just cuz he's better than a lot of guys doesn't mean he didn't deserve to be turned into a troll. It's disgusting to cheat on your girlfriend. I also agree with Andrew- this episode is meant as a comedy, so while Buffy's crying is out of character, it's meant to be funny, so I can accept it. I would've given this episode an 85 at least- it's funny, it's got character development, and the way Buffy handles Riley's leaving is perfect because it truly shows us what we all suspected all along- she didn't care for him as much as he did for her, and he was pretty much Mr. Rebound Guy for her. (Which I don't condone- it's just that it fits with her character). I think this is what we all needed before the seriousness of the season got into swing. "Blood Ties" | View Comments68 | EmilyMay 27, 2009 When Glory says, "It [the key] was a bright green, swirly shimmer- really brought out the blue in my eyes," Dawn is right behind her. And you know what she's wearing? That's right- a green shirt with a blue collar. Also, am I the only one who doesn't understand the blood connection? How is their blood connected? The whole point is that they made her into a human- she wasn't really Joyce's daughter, so how could she and Buffy have a blood connection? I'm so confused. Is it explained in later reviews? "Shadow" | View Comments69 | EmilyMay 25, 2009 I completely disagree with people who say that Riley's behavior is "understandable." It's *not* understandable. I can't stand people who think the whole world should revolve around them. And since Riley's status is now loser- no school, no work, maybe some friends to play ball with but that's about it- Buffy pretty much is his whole world. Get off your ass, man!! Get a job,back off when Buffy needs you to, and be there when she needs you to! Sometimes people just need their space, and when you extend that rule to Buffy- well, she needs more space than most people. If he doesn't want that, then stop moping around and leave (which he thankfully does in "Into the Woods")! Jeez, he's so damn annoying by now that I agree with gabrielleabelle- I just want to smack him already. "Family" | View Comments70 | EmilyMay 24, 2009 I agree with Davo- the other families on this show are pretty one-dimensional except for Buffy's. So it's not such a big shock to me to find that Tara's family is, in your words, one-dimensional. I happen to disagree with you over the shallowness of the one-dimensionality- I come from a community and family where men very much like to have the power over the women. So I think maybe Joss was trying to comment on this mind-set. By showing how one-dimensional Tara's family is, he's trying to make a point about men who are like that. After all, from what I've heard, there has been a lot of talk connecting feminism to BtVS, so maybe this is just another aspect of it. buffyholic, you may not like that they see everything so black and white, but that's the reality of most of the world. I don't know where you grew up or what your family is like, but there are a lot of men in this world who do view women like that. I know- it's pretty scary and actually pretty sad that it's 2009 and the world hasn't progressed that far yet, but that's the way it is. "Fool for Love" | View Comments71 | EmilyMay 24, 2009 Wow! Amazing episode, and amazing review, Mike. It's pretty much all been said by everyone else, but I just had to say how much I loooove this episode. JM and SMG do such an unbelievably incredible job here!! I've never actually seen anyone able to change expressions like JM does at the end of the episode when he looks down at Buffy sitting on the porch. Freakin' unbelievable!! I admit that I'm a Bangel girl (if you see my previous comments and posts in the forum under the name BuffAngel17224, you'd understand lol), but I still do love Buffy and Spike's relationship. I love Spike! He's an incredibly complex character, and I love what Petrie did for him in this episode. "Fool for Love" | View Comments72 | EmilyMay 24, 2009 I love what Petrie did for him in this episode. "Out of My Mind" | View Comments73 | EmilyMay 23, 2009 I really don't like that "Close Your Eyes" (or a variation of it) was playing during Buffy and Riley's scene in the caves. Which, by the way, was so mushy that *I* was going to throw up, and I *thrive* on mushiness. It also seemed like both actors were trying way too hard in that scene, even SMG. Which, I know, is blasphemy, but I've seen this episode a few times and it's never changed. Riley looks a little upset at the end, when Buffy says she has to go be with her mother. Which really bothers me- it's her mother, for the love of God!!! He's so insecure! I actually don't blame Buffy for pulling back. I have a friend who is extremely clingy- always needs to know that we're hanging out, doing something together- and it drives me crazy!!! And I've distanced myself from her. So, yeah, it's really annoying when people are insecure and very attach-y. "Real Me" | View Comments74 | EmilyMay 22, 2009 I wanted to point out that they all seemed extremely overprotective of Dawn, which, I'm assuming, is a by-product of the monks' hocus pocus. Like they wouldn't let her out of their sight! I mean, who needs a babysitter when they're 14? Since everyone is pretty much throwing their opinion in, I will too. I'm one of the Dawn-haters! "Buffy vs. Dracula" | View Comments75 | EmilyMay 20, 2009 So....I used to hate this episode (love the title though). And the reason I used to hate it is because of Drac himself. I never even really thought of Buffy fighting Dracula, but when I saw the title of the first episode, I was psyched!!! I *knew* it was going to be great....and then he turned out to be...boring, ugly, weirdly powerful (without any explanation of where he got these magical powers). I don't understand Willow saying he was sexy. The man is butt-ugly. He also didn't have a game-face. And- did he die in the end or not? His character makes no sense. However, since I started reading your reviews, Mike, I have learned to look past certain stupid plot mistakes and look at what's under it to really find the essence that is BtVS. So, I agree with your B-plus. Drac is sooooo disappointing:( "The Yoko Factor" | View Comments76 | EmilyMay 14, 2009 As a Bangel lover, I get tingly feelings every time Angel kicks Riley's ass and later gives him that hysterical smirk on the way out of the room. *Sighs* I also wanted to point out that Willow is talking about taking a drama class, and then in the dream in "Restless" she's on stage. I love Xander's and Giles' reactions to the announcement that Tara is Willow's girlfriend!! They couldn't have done it better. I think that Angel's visit, along with Buffy's super-strength, puts Riley off in terms of his relationship with Buffy. Yes, he says here that he loves her, which I believe he does, but both Buffy's Slayerness and her past with Angel directly contribute to Riley's eventual abandonment in Season 5, IMO. "Primeval" | View Comments77 | EmilyMay 14, 2009 Latoya and Suzanne B, I totally agree with you!! It's always the Scoobies who turn on Buffy- it's never, *ever* Buffy who turns her back on them or hurts them. Especially here- just because Xander is insecure about his future, Giles has no life to speak of, and Willow became gay, doesn't mean that they should blame it all on Buffy!! She has her own issues too!! Mike, when I was watching the episode, I thought of something that I was sure you would mention in your review. Adam is made up of different parts, and I think it's very interesting that only a Buffy made up of different parts could destroy him. Very fitting. "Where the Wild Things Are" | View Comments78 | EmilyMay 13, 2009 Mike, I have to agree with everything that you say here. I just wanted to add that there's no resolving of the Anya/Xander issue. Once again (like in "Anne" 3x01), they fight together and make up. That's so stupid. "New Moon Rising" | View Comments79 | EmilyMay 13, 2009 I just thought this was worth mentioning: A lot of people pay attention to SMG's acting, DB's acting (especially in the earlier seasons, when he was a newbie), Emma Caulfield, etc, etc. I think, though, that Alyson Hannigan's amazing acting skills are largely ignored. She is an absolutely TERRIFIC actress, and it's best portrayed here, as well as "Wild at Heart", and when Tara dies. Also when Joyce dies. She's also really great at the crying thing. "What's My Line? Pt. 2" | View Comments81 | EmilyMay 11, 2009 Rosie, I don't mean in terms of the prophecy. I'm talking about the inconsistencies of the writers- they didn't give a reason why Buffy had to stay and be the slayer. They brought this whole thing up when talking about how she could be the slayer instead of Buffy and Buffy would have a normal life. But at the end, Kendra leaves. I understand that this is a show about *Buffy* the Vampire Slayer, but they didn't work it into the episode. "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" | View Comments82 | EmilyMay 11, 2009 Leo, I don't think that's so far out there. The only question, if this is true, is why didn't he rape her? "Goodbye Iowa" | View Comments83 | EmilyMay 10, 2009 I personally really don't like this episode. I don't like how Riley goes ballistic on Buffy- she's done absolutely nothing to him or to anyone that's at all suspicious, yet he's yelling at her and shaking her around when *she* was the one who was almost killed by Walsh. I thought that Tara didn't do the spell with Willow because she thought it was too advanced, and that this was a foreshadowing to their problems in Season 6. But good point there, Mike. All in all, I realized that the reason I don't like Riley is because of everything that happens with him from this episode and on. Before this, he's just Riley, and the reason I didn't like him was because he wasn't Angel, which is really not his fault. Lol. But from this episode on, it just becomes too dramatic, and because he's off the drugs, his strength lessens even more and he's not even close to being as strong as Buffy, which makes him even more insecure. And in Season 5, it's not just Buffy drawing away from him, it's him who also draws away from her. His storyline gets too annoying from this point on, IMO. "Goodbye Iowa" | View Comments84 | EmilyMay 10, 2009 I haven't actually done a poll, Adam, but I think you may be one of the three people in the world who like Riley. Nah, just kidding. But I think most people dislike Riley because everyone knows that Buffy doesn't belong with a "Regular Joe." Even Joss said so: "There was two reasons why the Buffy and Riley relationship didn't fly. There was nobody getting over Buffy and Angel. Just nobody. Two, *because* I'd seen the tortured Romeo and Juliet, `This is the wrong guy, he's going to make me miserable' romance, I wanted to see Buffy have a nice relationship with a nice guy. America doesn't want to see that. America doesn't give a rat's ass about a nice relationship with a nice guy." Whether people are Bangel or Spuffy fans, they all know that a relationship with a regular guy won't work. Also, IMO, he's annoyingly gentlemanly. Women- as unhealthy as it may be, and as much as they'd like to deny it- like a little bit of the badass jerk in their men. (True, Angel's not a jerk, but he is badass.) "Dead Man's Party" | View Comments85 | EmilyMay 8, 2009 "...Buffy and Angel were in the middle of an incredibly intense fight when he finally managed to grab Acathla's sword -- it's not as if she let him get it while they were fighting because she didn't stall enough." That's true, but I think that if she had known what Willow was trying, she would've tried harder to keep Angel away from the sword. Hope can change everything. Lack of hope can also change everything. Buffy had no hope because Xander lied to her. Maybe if she had *had* hope, she would've been stronger, would've fought better. She is always at her strongest when she is fighting for Angel (see 3x10: Amends and 2x10: What's My Line? Part 2). If she had known that there was even the slightest chance that she could get Angel back and bury Angelus forever, she would've fought her hardest. I also agree with you that Buffy is a complex show, but there is a point where if one person had said something differently, things would've changed. Yes, it is possible that even if Xander had told her the truth, she still would've had to kill Angel. That doesn't change the fact that Xander is arrogant and thinks he can make the choice *for* her. And he does this by lying. Maybe it is something we just have to agree to disagree on. Though I enjoy the debate:) Shinosai, I completely 100% agree with you. "A New Man" | View Comments86 | EmilyMay 8, 2009 I know it's been said that the training session with Riley and Buffy is a foreshadowing to the reason for their breakup, but I just want to drive the point home by comparing it to her training sessions with Angel. They were pretty much evenly matched. That's the only person throughout the whole series who complements her while they're training. I mean, even with Spike, does she ever actually train with him? I don't think so. if anyone does remember, please post it up. All I'm saying is that the only one who was ever able to train with her and come out a whole man (well, not really man, because he's a vampire) was Angel. "Something Blue" | View Comments87 | EmilyMay 3, 2009 Once again, Joss and the others show amazing continuity, because once again, it's Spike who is able to really see what's going on with the people around him, while everyone else is oblivious. Just like back in "Lover's Walk" (3x08), when he saw that Buffy and Angel were still in love with each other, he now sees that Willow is still in pain, when nobody else could. Very well done. "The Initiative" | View Comments88 | EmilyApr 29, 2009 I know you mentioned the scenes where Riley and Spike both say that have to go see a girl, but you didn't mention it in the foreshadowing section. I was wondering if it could possibly be seen as a foreshadowing to the "competition" between Riley and Spike over Buffy (and I put it in quotes because I don't think they ever actually fight over her). "Beer Bad" | View Comments89 | EmilyApr 27, 2009 I also just want to say that this episode is REALLY funny. Aside from the stupid cavemen, of course. Cave-Buffy is hysterical!!! "Wild at Heart" | View Comments90 | EmilyApr 27, 2009 "I know what you love. I have his scent on me right now." I don't think this is necessarily foreshadowing, but I think it's karma bites back for Oz when he smells Willow on Tara later on. "...they begin kissing and end up doing who knows what together as wolves. This could also be interpreted as out of character, but I'm willing to excuse his actions based on the fact that he'd never been with a female wolf before." I agree with you about excusing his actions, but only so far as to say that kissing Veruca was OOC. That's not the only thing about this that was OOC. Oz willingly surrendered here to the nature of the wolf. THAT'S what's OOC here- the fact that he gave in, when he always fought against it before. That's not something I can excuse, and I don't think it was well done by the writers. I miss Oz!! "Wild at Heart" | View Comments91 | EmilyApr 27, 2009 Also, SERIOUSLY with the army green clothes? I never noticed it before, but Buffy is pretty much wearing green and green only since the beginning of the season. "Beer Bad" | View Comments92 | EmilyApr 26, 2009 Has anyone noticed how much army green Buffy is wearing, at least in the beginning of the season? "Dead Man's Party" | View Comments93 | EmilyMar 23, 2009 MissKitty and Paula, the Willow told Xander, "Go tell Buffy what we're doing...maybe she can stall." I think Buffy was a strong enough vampire slayer at this point to stall Angel for a few minutes. If she *had* gone in there knowing that Willow was trying, she would've stalled Angel, he would've never opened Acathla, and everything would be happy. of course, this is a Joss show and things don't happen like that here, but the blame has to go somewhere. And it lies on Xander, because he lied. Straight out, right through his teeth, to her face. And he never even felt bad about it- never fessed up or anything. So yeah, I do blame him. "Enemies" | View Comments95 | EmilyMar 23, 2009 I'm working on it, Mike. Never thought you'd just take an unexplained comment like that and accept it lol. Also, I didn't mean to sound insulting, if that's how it sounded. In terms of the Mayor/Faith plot, I didn't mean that you didn't like the relationship between them (which I, too, love, and enjoy seeing it develop), but rather the whole Mayor's ascension plan and how it affects the group. I'll get back to you with my reasons. "Consequences" | View Comments96 | EmilyMar 22, 2009 Did "The Wish" punch you in the gut and leave you breathless? Just curious, because I never really saw it as that type of episode (except for the fight scene at the end). And Jaden- I don't think there's any way you can compare Andrew and Jonathan's "innocence" (which I never really thought they were, even though they didn't pull the trigger) and Buffy's actual innocence! "Enemies" | View Comments97 | EmilyMar 22, 2009 I like Latoya's explanation of why Buffy needed a break from Angel. I also think that some people, when they see the love of their life and their greatest enemy making out, need a break from the love of their life, even if it's fake. It's something that's difficult to watch, and I, for one, would need some time to work thorugh that. Some people are the type to work it through with their boyfriend, but we know Buffy isn't exactly known for her communication skills with the people she loves. Andrew, it was totally not out of character for Angel. I think that if someone tries to hurt Buffy, he would be cruel to them. And that's what Faith did- she put Angel in a situation where he had to hurt Buffy, and he lashed out at Faith because of that. That's totally and completely IN CHARACTER. Furthermore, I agree with AAA. Mike, I think that you really misunderstand a lot of what's going on in Season 3. I don't know if it's because you like Spike seasons more than Angel ones, or because you just don't like the Mayor/Faith plot, but I think that you don't fully appreciate what's going on in this season. I also agree with AAA that there's no other way for the episode to have been written. I think that a plot line with the audience knowing what's going on throughout the whole episode would've been boring. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I saw it, especially at "second best," and continue to love it every time I see it. "Helpless" | View Comments98 | EmilyMar 21, 2009 "I see it as something that would never be done by an organization trying to help in the fight against evil, especially not in today's world." Mike, I think that's part of the point- Giles said it was an outdated procedure, and that the council should get rid of it. But the old English farts sitting on their asses all day don't comprehend that. Bookworm, I don't think Buffy and Angel were ever estranged in the sense that they didn't love one another and couldn't depend on each other. I think that the circumstances of his curse and her destiny forced them apart (also the fact that David B. probably really wanted his own show). I think the reason why the writers didn't have her go to him is because she needed to be able to do it on her own, like Harry Potter in the seventh book. I think they destroyed the tender moment between Buffy and Angel by giving SMG the line, "Or taken literally, incredibly gross." Why would they do that? The show is not a comedy- it doesn't always have to be funny. "The Zeppo" | View Comments99 | EmilyMar 21, 2009 How come it took only a few seconds for Bob to rise in this episode but it takes Buffy hours to claw her way out of the grave? I really don't like this episode. "Gingerbread" | View Comments100 | EmilyMar 19, 2009 So was it really a possession or a spell that the people of the town were under? Or were they just over reacting? Because this episode was another one of my reasons that I don't like Joyce this season at all, but if she was under a spell.....well, that's something totally different. The funniest part was when Cordy said, "One day, you're gonna wake up in a coma." I agree with Tony- Cordy is very underrated. No one pays attention to her after the break up with Xander until she's in AtS. "Band Candy" | View Comments101 | EmilyMar 17, 2009 I just want to throw in there that I also hate the Xander/Willow relationship. And I also agree with Spurious- it's in character for Xander to cheat, but not for Willow. They should've developed it on Willow's side better, or just done nothing at all. But I understand they had to, because Cordy goes to Angel, so there had to be a way to get her out of the show. Still, though- not in character for Willow. "Revelations" | View Comments102 | EmilyMar 17, 2009 Honestly, Mike, I don't think you can say "To Xander's credit, he "attempted" to talk Faith out of..." Xander doesn't get any credit for that because he should've tried harder. And he didn't. He never does when it comes to Angel, and there's no way anyone could give him "credit." Also, I don't think he was actually ever "worried." I'm assuming that after Buffy told Giles and Willow that Angel had gotten his soul back, Willow told Xander (I highly doubt Buffy would've told him, because I highly doubt that Xander and Buffy ever had deep conversations about Angel). So he knew that Angel had his soul back. He was just jealous, like he always was, and always will be. He's ruled by his emotions, and he hates Angel so much that there's no way he was "worried." Rekidk, I totally agree with you. Giles definitely understood what was going on with Buffy, and he knows that you have to keep secrets. He never told her about his past until "The Dark Age." Post is a b****. "Amends" | View Comments103 | EmilyMar 17, 2009 My question is this: Did the First actually bring Angel back? Or do we never find out why he's really back? "Dead Man's Party" | View Comments104 | EmilyMar 16, 2009 I always hate the "kiss and make up" type scenes, except that here it's "fight against evil together and make up." It's dumb and stupid. Xander continues to be an a**hole, but I understand Willow's feelings. Willow was right, Xander was not- in the end, it's really him who ruined their lives because he lied to Buffy in Becoming. "Beauty and the Beasts" | View Comments105 | EmilyMar 16, 2009 Most boring??????????? *Shriek* This episode was jam-packed with action and really good dialogue. I would at least give it a B . Also, in terms of giving Buffy a chance to be with a normal guy, see Season 4 and 5. Look how well *that* turned out lol. Did Angel actually kill the beast? (I don't even remember his name) If he actually was dead, how would his face have switched back to being human? I always thought that Angel just knocked him out. "Beauty and the Beasts" | View Comments106 | EmilyMar 16, 2009 I meant B-plus, but it didn't come out. "Anne" | View Comments107 | EmilyMar 15, 2009 I just want to say that Joyce really pisses me off this season for a number of reasons. The top two are: 1- in this episode, when she blames Giles for Buffy running away. What the hell? Who lived with Buffy for two years and didn't realize something besides "teenage rebellion" was going on? Who kicked her out of the house? She really has some nerve blaming it on Giles, of all people, who was the one who told her in "Innocence" that he didn't blame her, who was the one who comforted her and helped her get thru everything. 2- When she tells Angel that he and Buffy should break up. Really- who does Joyce think she is? She can't just ignore her daughter for two years and then magically decide that she wants to have a say in her life. That's crap. *End of rant* Not a bad ep- I agree with the score. "Becoming Pt. 1" | View Comments108 | EmilyMar 14, 2009 Buffyholic, I totally agree with you!!! I never understood how Xander was always so forgiving of Anya, but he was never able to apply that with Angel. Also, I think Xander is the only one who is unable to understand that Angel and Angelus are two totally different beings. Angel didn't kill Jenny- Angelus did. It's not just Xander, though- when I talk to people who watch the show, they're also incapable of understanding that just cuz they have the same face, it doesn't mean they're the same. Angel was not even aware that the demon in him killed Jenny! People don't recall that when he gets his soul back both times, it takes him a few minutes to even remember what the demon in his body did!! It always bothers me that people don't get this. This, to me, makes Xander a hypocrite. I started to dislike this part of him the second or third time I was watching the seasons of Buffy. Mike, what do you think about this? "Becoming Pt. 1" | View Comments109 | EmilyMar 14, 2009 I also wanted to add that when Angel meets Buffy in the cemetery, he says to her, "Hello, lover," which is also what she says to him when she finds him in the mansion. Nice, Joss. "Becoming Pt. 2" | View Comments110 | EmilyMar 14, 2009 There are no words. Literally- just no words. "Killed by Death" | View Comments111 | EmilyMar 10, 2009 I think there's some continuity here...I flash back to the episode "Ted" where there was a discussion in the review about how the episode storyline fits in with "Normal Again" and how Buffy was in a mental hospital....I think that it fits very well here that when the doctor says that Buffy should stay for a few days, she goes absolutely nuts and they have to sedate her. It shows her fear of being in a health institution, which doesn't only match with her cousin's death, but also matches to "Normal Again." I'm loving Willow and the frogs! lol "Killed by Death" | View Comments112 | EmilyMar 10, 2009 I think there's some continuity here...I flash back to the episode "Ted" where there was a discussion in the review about how the episode storyline fits in with "Normal Again" and how Buffy was in a mental hospital....I think that it fits very well here that when the doctor says that Buffy should stay for a few days, she goes absolutely nuts and they have to sedate her. It shows her fear of being in a health institution, which doesn't only match with her cousin's death, but also matches to "Normal Again." I'm loving Willow and the frogs! lol "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" | View Comments113 | EmilyMar 9, 2009 I think it's incredibly ironic that Angel tells Spike that his plan of ripping Buffy's lungs out "lacks poetry" when it's really William the Bloody who's the poet. Another part that's very well done in this episode is that they were once again stuck in the basement, which is where I think Cordelia was beginning to think of getting back together with him Putting the wood together to block people even if they got through the door was also a nice foreshadowing of Xander's future carpenter ability. "Passion" | View Comments114 | EmilyMar 9, 2009 Mike, I have to agree with Torey on Buffy's regret over making love with Angel. I don't think she regrets being with him *at all.* She regrets everything that came of it, and she regrets she didn't know what came of it, but I definitely don't think she regrets taking that step with him. "Innocence" | View Comments115 | EmilyMar 4, 2009 I just want to point out two contrasting scenes: When Angel and Buffy get out of the sewers and go to his apartment in "Surprise", it's pouring rain outside. This is in direct contrast to the scene where the water goes off in the mall and Angelus and Buffy fight. I don't know if I'm explaining it well, but it was raining the last time they were together as Buffy and Angel, and it was "raining" the first time they fought each other as Buffy and Angelus. I also liked how he was trying to hurt her by ridiculing their sexual experience, and she countere by kicking him where it hurts. Nice. Great episode. I think Joss was really aiming for feelings of intense hurt on the part of Buffy fans (especially Buffy and Angel fans), and he succeeded. "Bad Eggs" | View Comments116 | EmilyFeb 20, 2009 I think this whole episode is a foreshadowing of "Innocence"- like Xander says when they're in the library, "Sex leads to the responsibility thing." And I think Buffy's confused face is very telling- I don't think she fully realizes what the consequences could be. And, after all, I think the consequences she and Angel suffered from mid-season 2 are worse than any other consequences I could think of. Was it a reference to John McClane when Lyle Gorge said, "Yippee Kay-yay"? I don't understand how Buffy's egg unhatched itself. I love the Buffy/Angel scenes. They're so sweet. "Ted" | View Comments117 | EmilyFeb 17, 2009 Leelu, I think that even though the memory was tweaked (not necessarily because of Dawn, but just because the writers stuck it in), it still fits this plot where Buffy freaks out when Ted threatens to tell Joyce about the diary. There's continuity even without the writers realizing it, which is kinda cool. I think it's a little odd that Joyce didn't believe Buffy about Ted's threat. Also, no policeman would ever say, "It doesn't look like he hit you very hard," would they? Once a kid cries abuse, then how could he question that? Sometimes there is no physical evidence, so I find that this line was unrealistic and only further annoyed me in terms of no one believing Buffy. (And the cop didn't even have the drugged cookies to blame it on!) I just wanted to point out how well they did the part where Buffy hit him with the skillet- it's like killing a warrior with his own sword lol. Meaning she didn't hit him with a lamp or a chair, but specifically with a skillet, which is his tool. There's a foreshadow here, where Buffy tells Willow, "Please tell me you didn't keep any parts." Willow ends up doing the same thing with the BuffyBot, and it ends up saving them all. All in all, I'm not a fan of this episode, except for the parts without Ted, like Giles and Jenny patrolling, the gang looking for clues on their own, stuff like that. (And of course, the part with Angel, but that's a given.) "The Dark Age" | View Comments118 | EmilyFeb 16, 2009 Paula, I don't think Angel was there to steal blood. He was probably there to protect it from being stolen, and bumped into Buffy, who was there doing the same thing. The one issue I have here is that they're a couple, right? So why isn't there more communication between them? Why isn't he with her on patrol/blood bags watch? He's with her in later episodes- why not here? Then again, with Ethan- why didn't she invite Angel to come to Ethan's with her? He would've been able to watch her back. The lack of communication between them is very inconsistent with other episodes. I'd also like to point out that in the previous episode, "Lie to Me," Giles is the one "lying" to Buffy at the end. Here, it's Buffy who's telling Giles the truth: "I'm not going to lie to you, it was scary." "What's My Line? Pt. 1" | View Comments119 | EmilyFeb 16, 2009 I love the Buffy-Angel interaction in this episode!!!! (I'm sure you could tell that I'm a Bangel person lol). Especially given the complete and total lack of communication in the last episode (see my comment there). I think a definite pro is when Buffy asks Angel how he knew about career week, and he says, very matter of factly, "I lurk." It should at least be in the quotes section, Mike. I like how Buffy knows Angel won't care if she breaks the knob of his apartment door. Stupid lines like, "Giles, you're in pace mode. What gives?" have to go. Seriously. It's the middle of the second season- let's all move on from the corniness. (Or maybe it could be that the delivery of the line was bad.) When Buffy and Giles were talking in the library, they talked about how she's the only Slayer and if he doesn't like how she does her job, that's too bad. It's really not the greatest way of re-introducing the idea that there's only one Slayer. I understand that they have to do it for all people who haven't seen the show from the beginning, but honestly, they could've made it less obvious. Xander tells Buffy, "You totally contribute. You go for snacks!" And I think it's in Season 3, after he and Cordelia break up, that she makes fun of him for never really doing anything worthwhile in the group- and you see him going to buy donuts. Just thought it's worth mentioning. The worm guy has FREAKED ME OUT since the first time I saw this episode. Ew. *Shudders* Props to Joss, Gordon, and Noxon (I think they wrote this one). But question: how would he go about killing someone? Dissolve them to death? It's funny how Willy says, "Hey, Angel. I didn't recognize you in the dark there." When would anyone ever have the chance to see him in the light? lol I've seen the whole series of Buffy a few times, and after I watch these 2 episodes and Season 2 finale, I like Kendra. I do- she's ok. But every time I see this episode, when she locks Angel in, I actually wish Spike would find her and kill her. Slowly. When Buffy tells Kendra, "You must be #2," she actually isn't wrong. Kendra isn't the second assassin, but she is the second Slayer. "What's My Line? Pt. 2" | View Comments120 | EmilyFeb 16, 2009 It's known that Kendra is the opposite of Buffy in every way, but it's interesting to note that Buffy came to Sunnydale to get away from her destiny, from what happened in LA. And when in Angel tells her he knows she wants to "kill them all," she responds with, basically, a NO. And Kendra, as the opposite of Buffy, says the following: "To do my duty- I am here to kill vampires." It's incredibly ironic that Spike has so much money here, as opposed to the later seasons where he'll do anything for a quick buck. Do the effects of the sun make a vampire weak? Like if they were indirectly exposed to it, like Angel was here. I don't remember that ever happening before or after in Buffy. Or was it because he hadn't had any blood in a while? I think that when Kendra tells Buffy, "It's not a job- it's who you are," Buffy actually does internalize that. I think we see- not right away, of course, it's more gradual- but we see Buffy actually become the slayer, as opposed to just doing the job of a slayer. And I think that also partly has to do with Angel becoming Angelus, and her subsequent growing-upness. If Buffy has equal or greater power than vampires, shouldn't she have been able to pick up Angel by herself, without Kendra's help, like Dru picked up Angel? Or were the writers trying to show Kendra's acceptance of Angel as a good guy? I love the beginning of Oz and Willow's relationship. I love Tara, don't get me wrong, but Oz is the be-all and end-all of sweet, fun-sized boyfriends. Mike, maybe I'm missing something, but I don't understand why Kendra wasn't able to replace Buffy in the end. Obviously, to keep the show going, but I don't think the writers even mentioned it at all when Buffy was seeing Kendra off. Personally, I don't understand how anyone could like Buffy with anyone but Angel after that scene in the church when she kneels down next to him. The Scoobies just stare in awe at the beauty of that scene- how could you ever dismiss something like that? For Scott? Ewwwww. For Riley? Ewwwwww. For Spike? I could see where you're going with that, but not really. No one's ever gonna be Angel. (And there's my episodic Bangel rant lol.) All in all, I love this episode. I understand why you would give it a B-, but I would give it at least an A-. "Inca Mummy Girl" | View Comments121 | EmilyFeb 15, 2009 Nix, I think Ampata knows English because she's been sitting and rotting in that museum for so long. It's possible her soul or something was still around- that she wasn't necessarily dead- and she heard everyone speaking around her. Or maybe you're right and she was extracting info from people she kissed. "Reptile Boy" | View Comments122 | EmilyFeb 15, 2009 I thought it was really sweet how Angel changed into his game face when he realized how much danger Buffy was in. I cringe every time I watch the end of this episode, when Buffy says, "Let her go, wormy!" WHO thought up that terrible line? And, as I've been saying since the beginning of this season, I really like how Buffy and Angel's relationship progresses. "Angel seems to be the only one aware that his relationship with Buffy can only end in sorrow, but his attraction to Buffy and the pushing from her friends convince him to move forward with the relationship." I think that even without the pushing from Willow, Angel would've taken the final step. He's been in love with her since he saw her in LA, and I don't think it was Willow who necessarily pushed him into it. He loves her- that's the beginning and end of it. "Halloween" | View Comments123 | EmilyFeb 15, 2009 I just wanted to point out that I really like the way Angel says, "Simpering morons, the lot of them." That was funny, especially when you compare it to the way he described the gypsy girl in 1x07: "beautiful...dumb as a post." I also think that you missed out on a pro, Mike: at the end, when Willow walks around in her skimpy outfit and Oz continues to wonder who she is. I like the continuity- I think this line means that he's been trying to figure out who she is since "Inca Mummy Girl" and still hasn't found out her name. Also, I love how Cordelia doesn't believe Buffy when she and Willow tell her that Angel's a vampire! Nina, I agree- I kinda felt bad for Angel when Buffy screamed in fright. And Sunny, when Angel falls in love with Cordelia, she's a very different person....I think the point there is that Cordelia doesn't have an "act" anymore. Her character grows in leaps and bounds in AtS. (Not that I approve in any way of Buffy or Angel being with other people besides each other. Except maybe Spike when I'm in the middle of watching Season 6 or 7.) All in all, amazing episode. One of my favorites. "Lie to Me" | View Comments124 | EmilyFeb 15, 2009 Quick question: Why couldn't Angel smell Buffy at the playground in the beginning? Had they still not figured out the whole super power thing by now? I love the interaction between Angel and Willow- I think that if they were given more screen time together they would be cute friends. I also think that this- their semi-friendship- leads to Willow being more optimistic about giving Angel his soul back in Becoming. I love the continuity of coffee in this and the last couple of episodes lol. The scene with Willow being nervous to talk to Buffy- because she's scared that she'll blurt out what they're doing behind her back- is so funny, and its's so well done by Alyson Hannigan. Then there's the scene where Dru and Spike talk about how she saw and spoke to Angel. I think most see this as Spike being angry that she's talking to Angel because he's the "enemy and all." But I see this as a foreshadow to his jealousy over Angel and Dru when Angel becomes evil. This scene also happens to be very funny lol: "The bird's dead, Dru. You left it in the cage and you didn't feed it, and now it's all dead, just like the last one...." and "I'm a bad, rude man." Gotta love Spike. "When She Was Bad" | View Comments125 | EmilyFeb 13, 2009 I just wanted to say that I really love Angel's lines in this episode: 1- "I missed you." 2- "Why are you ridin' me?" I have to admit that I love how Angel's character is developed throughout the whole show- I actually like him better when he's in BtVS than when he's in AtS. "Some Assembly Required" | View Comments126 | EmilyFeb 13, 2009 I kinda like this episode, though I agree with Mike that the plot is just AWFUL. I like how Buffy and Angel's relationship really begins to progress, from the opening scene to when Cordelia wants him to take her home, and Buffy gives him this disbelieving look. I interpret this look as, "I can't believe you're not going to tell her no." It's ironic to me that she wants him to admit he's jealous at the start of the episode, and in the end, it's she who's jealous. One of the best parts of this episode- in terms of Buffy and Angel- is Angel's speech at the end. "He [Xander] gets to see you in the sunlight." This actually foreshadows his speech in "The Prom," where he tells Buffy, "You should be with someone who can take you into the light." I like Xander's line when he's holding the skeleton head: "For the love of God, can somebody scratch my nose?" Lol. I would feel bad for Chris if he wasn't, as Buffy said, "a ghoul." (That was a terrible line.) I've seen the episode a few times, and I still don't understand one thing: after Buffy figures out that Darryl is stilla live, she and Chris come back to his house to find that Eric and Darryl aren't there. But what was the point of them coming there? If Darryl had been there, what would they have done? It was a little bit of a pointless scene- a time-filler. I really like everything about this episode except for the plot line. "The Pack" | View Comments127 | EmilyFeb 1, 2009 I am not a fan of this episode- to me, it's Number 2 on the "Worst Episodes of Season 1" List, right under "Teacher's Pet." I just want to say that in Season 6, Xander was so upset at Spike because he tried to rape Buffy, but he never owned up to what he did here- he just made believe that he forgot. And it doesn't matter that he was possessed- he was still Xander. He doesn't even have the lack of a soul to blame it on. All in all, Xander does some things throughout the whole series that are very questionable- like lying to Buffy in Becoming Pt. 2, like joining the gang in Season 7 in kicking her out of the house, etc. I mean, he's Xander and we love him, but he thinks he knows everything. And sometimes he doesn't. "Angel" | View Comments128 | EmilyFeb 1, 2009 Ok- a few things to clear up. One- I also thought Buffy didn't invite Angel in, but when I rewinded, I heard her say, "Come on, get in!" Two- In the hospital, she meant to say that she let him in and didn't do anything about uninviting him after she found out what he was. Furthermore, I think Darla's use of guns was Joss's way of showing how desperate she was to kill Buffy and gain the Master's approval. And Nix, I don't think it would be fair to use guns in this show because that's not what the show is about. I think the two instances I remember with guns besides for this one is Warren, when he killed Tara and injured Buffy, and Jonathan, when he tried to kill himself. Those two make sense, one because Jonathan was trying to commit suicide, and Warren is more like a "modern" bad guy as opposed to other big bads, like vampires and Glory and The First. And even with being modern, he waits till the end of the season to use a gun. I also wanted to say that I love this episode- it was done extremely well, David's acting was unbelievable ( I wanted to cry for him when he asked Buffy if she knew what it was like to have done the things he did and to care), Sarah was also amazing, and the plot was awesome. I like how Angel's history is told. I'd give it a perfect score. "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" | View Comments129 | EmilyJan 29, 2009 I totally and one hundred percent agree with Bill- Owen really is basically just an early version of Riley. I just also wanted to point out that at the end of the episode, Giles says there's no "instruction manual" for being a Slayer, but in S2, Kendra and Gils talk about the "Slayer Handbook." Just thought it was worth mentioning. "The Body" | View Comments130 | EmilyJan 14, 2007 I really felt that the vampire made the ending much more powerful. The scene where Dawn reaches out to touch her would not have worked so brilliantly otherwise. |
Latest News  Delays... MikeJer - Feb 24, 2013 Hey all!I just wanted to let you all know that I'm looking forward to getting going on my Season 2 review updates. I recently started a new job, so life has been extra bu... View Full Post Latest Comments Waverley [Family] This episode makes me cry like a big girly man every time. That bit where Buffy says 'Take h... View CommentMay 18, 2013 Waverly [Season 6 Review] This is a difficult season to rate for me. It's among my least favourite but I admire, and a... View CommentMay 18, 2013 Other Scott [Tabula Rasa] I really like this episode (it would have been the second A+ in a row from me). I especially... View CommentMay 15, 2013 Latest Forum Posts MikeJer [Xander Harris] Jeremy, I read the scene a little differently than you. I think Buffy recognizes that Xander... View PostMay 18, 2013 Zarnium [Once More With Feeling, in other] When I first watched "Once More With Feeling," I thought that it must have been a ... View PostMay 18, 2013 Iguana-on-a-stick [Ordering the Seasons] Yeah, especially for such incredibly flimsy reasons. Oh well. View PostMay 18, 2013 |
I always thought that referring to Andrew as Tucker's brother to Spike made sense. I assumed since they were sleeping together during season 6 that they discussed the Trio. Spike knew about Warren and Jonathan and Andrew, knew they were messing with Buffy, etc. Maybe when he and Buffy talked about it, she referred to him as Tucker's brother. So it wasn't an issue imo.