posted
I dodged a bullet! (Because I am not watching current Buffy, to avoid knowing everything before it happens. So I will not see the end of the show until either it is released on DVD or repeated on FX.) Incidently, I've got season one on DVD now, so I guess I could go back and do the first two or three episodes I didn't write about.
This time: Buffy and Faith pretend they don't know anything about the death of the Deputy Mayor (whose body Faith didn't do a very good job of disposing of, seeing as how it was found just one episode later), Xander's unluckiness continues to be magnified, and Faith turns evil for real.
"Consequences"
Wesley sends Faith and Buffy to investigate the Deputy Mayor's death. But, are slayers necessarily good detectives? I mean, it might be part of their general education, and Buffy has certainly made it a part of her routine. The thing is, investigating seems like something the Watchers should do. (I'm aware of my inconsistant capitalization of slayer and watcher.) It at least gives them a reason for existing. At any rate, Faith and Buffy are on the case.
Angel, on the other hand, has apparently had plenty of time to work on his detective skills, not to mention his hiding in the shadow skill. I suspect that will come in handy next year.
Hang on, after breaking into City Hall and overhearing the Mayor say something fairly typical for mayors to say, Buffy knows he's evil? I don't get it.
Giles is unconvinced by Faith. Good. She hardly seems trustworthy. Ominious focus on Wesley. Why is it "Giles" but not "Wyndam-Pryce?" Or did I just answer my own question?
Oh, I get it. They know Mr. Trick is evil, and saw him with the Mayor. Ok, that makes sense. Though, when did Buffy or Faith get a good look at Mr. Trick?
Joss Whedon, in some interview somewhere, mentions that whenever they want to make a point of something being bad, they have it happen to Willow. Poor Willow. Though, I mean, come on, surely you realized that he wasn't the clearest thinker. Anyway, Xander means well, at least, though obviously his attempt to have a dialogue with Faith is doomed.
See? Also, kinky. Also, when did Angel get invited to Faith's room?
At least Angel does a better job of chaining up Faith than Buffy did chaining up Angel. Though, Angel did proceed to help her out with, what was it, Dr. Jekyll? So I guess it's all a matter of perspective.
Boy, these Watchers sure are on the ball. Their elite teams of slayer-detainers should get some better training. And their vans should be more slayer-resistant. Oh well, it isn't like they've had 1200 years of experience or anything.
Mr. Trick's plan to kill the slayers doesn't seem quite up to his usual standard. I bet he figured he'd get to stick around at least as long as the Mayor. Oh well. And now Faith is going to take his place? Uh oh. Though, I suspect she'll be a little less effective a liason to the vampire community. Or will she? I guess she can be persuasive.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Vampire Willow from the alternate universe several episodes ago shows up in Sunnydale to wreak havoc thanks to Anya's attempt to get her necklace back. I don't have many notes about this one. It's quite good, though.
"Doppelgangland"
Anya is back! I suppose, at this point, were I watching when I should have, I wouldn't be very excited, but Anya is one of my favorite characters, thanks to seeing later seasons first.
What's with Giles sucking on that lollypop? That's really kind of weird. In fact, it seems to me that lollypops show up a lot in this show.
The Mayor: "I'm a family man." Is he? In the sense of having one? That's still living? Faith's new apartment isn't bad. And she has a Playstation. The only game people I know play on the Playstation these days is Dance Dance Revolution. Which would make for an odd scene.
My lack of notes is going to be acute here. Lots of this episode can be summed up with: "Wacky doppleganger hijinks!"
Willow, on finding her friends extremely greatful to see her, having been laboring under the impression that she was now a vampire, and thus both dead and evil, a fact which Willow is not yet aware of: "Say, you all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs, did you?" And she says it so sweetly. Later, her wave to Oz is funny.
Willow gets to hit someone! The good Willow, I mean. Vampire Willow has been hitting things for a good while now.
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Buffy and Giles and Angel come up with an elaborate (and painful) way to find out what Faith is really up to, though we the viewers do not find that out until the end. Meanwhile the Mayor and Faith come up with their own plan, involving the removal of Angel's soul.
"Enemies"
Say, what was the Deputy Mayor doing in that alley anyway? The Mayor wondered about that a few episodes back, but it doesn't look like we're in for an answer. When that fat demon first showed up it was implied that the Mayor was going to try and maneuver Buffy and Faith into killing it. But it doesn't appear that's what was going on.
Another example of a not really evil demon here with the guy who wants to sell some books. Everyone acts shocked now, but this sort of thing is commonplace later. About these Books of Ascension; are they something the Mayor needs to do what he's planning, or are they just about what he's planning to do? Because it seems awfully convenient for them to turn up just when he needs them.
See, this demon even has a pet fish! Or, I guess, possibly a snack he's saving for later.
Once again, someone walks past Angel's mansion and gets a wrong impression. I wonder if Faith is just performing evil reconnaisance here, or if she really is kind of confused?
Evil recon it is, then. Look, the Mayor summoned one of the characters from Diablo II.
I've seen this episode before, by the way. So I know what the twist is. At this point, I'm curious, who knows about the secret good-guy plan here? The look shared between Giles and Buffy suggest they do, at least.
The Mayor seems to think that when Buffy dies a new slayer will be called.
The soul-stealing effect is pretty good, as flashly light shows go. Compared to earlier seasons, at least.
Joyce knows that Angel is a vampire now? And she apparently knows that he's an OK guy again as well? When was this information shared?
Faith has taken to evil pretty quickly, with the taunting and such.
After Angel's trickery (not actually losing his soul) is revealed, Faith and Buffy fight, and then before Faith runs away she kisses Buffy on the forehead? Huh.
One thing I'm confused about: The spell to remove Angel's soul didn't work because the guy (demon?) that the Mayor summoned happened to owe Giles a favor. Was this just a happy coincidence? When did Giles and Angel and Buffy hatch their plan? They're really lucky this worked out. Or is there only one creepy magician around who can remove the souls from cursed vampires?
Registered: Mar 1999
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Something happened somewhere, and I lost the ability to sleep. I suspect ruin lies ahead. Oh well.
Today, Buffy develops a case of demonic telepathy. (Not in the sense that the telepathy is evil, though it isn't good, but that it comes from a demon.) Via her power to read minds she saves Jonathan from suicide and helps Xander save lots of other students from poisoned Jello.
"Earshot"
It does not take Buffy long to tell Giles about her hand being (apparently) itchy from where she got some demon blood on it. That's good. All too often stories are propelled, maybe not so much in this show, but on TV in general, by characters not saying things when it would make sense to say them.
Oz, to Xander: "You're a complex person, aren't you?" Not really. Hey, wait, it seems that every person to ever talk about this episode on the web somewhere made this joke. Bah!
Now Buffy can read minds. It sure feels like it took a long time for what's apparently the centerpiece of the plot to show up, but we're only fifteen minutes or so in. Curious.
Buffy is not altogether happy reading the minds of her male classmates. I was going to say, I really doubt someone like that would want to know what was going on, mentally, around her. Though, really, I think telepathy is probably the worst thing imaginable. I am already certain that random passersby hate and despise me. The last thing I'd need would be to prove the people who seem to like me do too. A curse, I tell you!
Buffy goes to visit Angel and nearly gets him burned to a crisp by not taking into account the fact that it is daytime. First of all, he should put up a door, at least, between him and the sun, instead of just a curtain. Secondly, he should invest in an anteroom.
Vampires are immune to telepathy, huh?
Hey, Willow's in charge. I love scenes where Willow gets to give orders and tell people what to do, and then look kind of sheepish about it, and then insist they do it anyway.
This scene where Buffy climbs up to the clock tower via super gymnastics in front of everyone has a definite era-changing feel to it.
So, Jonathan climbed up to the highest point on campus, with a good view of the courtyard, with what looks like a decently-powered rifle with a nice-sized scope on it, intending only to shoot himself? With a rifle? That's going to be an awkward shot. This is supposed to be a bit of misdirection setting us up for the next scene, which is very funny. But it doesn't really hold together for me. I guess we could imagine that this is the only gun he has access to, but later events make it clear that Jonathan has other abilities at his disposal. (Or do those only come about post-high school? I suppose I'll find out soon enough.)
Really, this scene, where Xander comically stumbles on the school cook pouring rat poison into the food, should be too Simpsons to work here, but it does. I am a definite fan of awkward pauses. Then she comes at him with a cleaver, though he has enough to time to reenact the ending of Soylent Green. And Buffy saves the day.
Oh, one other thing. I think this is the first time we see a vampire running around in daylight underneath a blanket with smoke rising from it, when Angel rushes to Buffy's house.
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote: Oh, one other thing. I think this is the first time we see a vampire running around in daylight underneath a blanket with smoke rising from it, when Angel rushes to Buffy's house.
They did that in the movie DUSK TO DAWN and it was priceless.
-------------------- joH'a' 'oH wIj DevwI' jIH DIchDaq Hutlh pagh (some days it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps in the morning) The Woozle!
Registered: Nov 2002
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Well, thanks to Ms. Loudmouth in class today I now know what happened in the series finale despite my best efforts of avoidance. So, I am in a funk.
Anyway, uh, the Mayor gets a magic box of death spiders, Buffy steals it, Faith kidnaps Willow, and they make an exchange.
"Choices"
So Buffy has an aunt with family in Illinois, eh? I will remember this, show!
Xander is looking into a post-high school career as a beatnik.
The Mayor has entire armies of vampires working for him, apparently. I wonder if these are, like, long-term employees, or does he just hire them off the street every week? I wonder because, we don't get much insight into vampire culture on this show, and I wonder if the Mayor's vampires were at odds with the Master's vampires. Come to think of it, the Mayor was around back when the Master was trapped. I wonder if he had anything to do with it? Anyway, this particular vampire employee looks unsettled when Faith cuts the hand off the courier she just killed.
Xander suggests that Cordelia's personality would make her bad at college interviews, but I'd think she would interview pretty well, really. She must have some popularity-gathering skills. And she got into colleges anyway, so take that!
Wesley has a van? I wonder if it's the same one they tried to haul Faith away in.
Despite getting the chance to make fun of Wesley's suggestion that they synchronize their watches by not having any watches, they should probably get some for the future. Synchronized watches would come in handy. Plus, it's fun.
Where did Angel get that fancy winch and harness setup?
This is all very tense, thus proving the Willow-in-harm theory. Oz is terse yet...well, not really violent, but intense, let's say.
I think it would take a lot of force to put a pencil through someone's heart like that, even if you went in through the back and between the ribs. Though, probably less than it took to put a similar pencil into a tree a few episodes back. Willow should grab a few more pencils to take with her.
Hey, Willow, now isn't the best time to be reading. I told you.
So I guess the Mayor did have a family, or at least a wife. I wonder if he was evil from the start, or just sort of evil at first, growing more so over time?
Me, on a cop being mauled by a demon spider from the Mayor's magic box: That's one vote lost. See, because this scene is all about "normal" characters, namely Snyder, finding out the Mayor isn't what he appears to be. Which causes me to wonder just what Snyder knows. He would seem to know the truth about vampires, based on comments a year ago. And he's been in close contact with the Mayor. But he didn't seem to expect the Mayor to have a magic box full of demon spiders, and he doesn't seem particularly on his side on this issue, though he doesn't really take a side, choosing instead to just stand there and be scared, which is an understandable choice.
And Cordelia has a mystery job. Well, the job isn't a mystery. But why does she have it, and why does she look so glum about it? Stay tuned! Is what they would say, if this was being shown in 1966, or something.
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There is a prom, threatened by a not all that threatening villain and his slightly more threatening hell hounds. Buffy saves it. Also, Angel breaks up with her.
"The Prom"
Honestly, brick up every window in your home, Angel. You survived for 200+ years like this?
Anya! "Men are evil. Will you go with me?" Interestingly, she implies that this is her first time as a human.
This scene with Joyce and Angel discussing the future of Angel and Buffy is every man's nightmare. Or so TV has led me to believe. Awkward. Only it isn't, really, because despite not being very happy about it, everyone seems to agree that Buffy and Angel have some problems when it comes to happy relationships.
Angel's dream stars the guy from Mathnet as the priest! I loved that show. Then Buffy burns up in the sunlight. Impressively.
Did people who were watching this at the time know that Angel was getting a show, or did it just seem like he was leaving for good?
Xander discovers Cordelia's secret. But would the IRS take her clothes, as she implies? Fortunately, I don't know. And then, a fortuitous monster attack!
How did Cordelia get this security tape, exactly? She's just a salesperson, and her boss doesn't seem to like her. I enjoy Xander explaining why they can't zoom in on things.
The werewolf looking thing is a hell hound, which is a demon soldier bred for the wars of something or other, huh? Someone could (I don't go so far as to say should) write a Secret History of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, detailing all these demon wars and vampire crusades and such, and why no one seems to remember them, or remembers them wrongly.
Sunnydale's butchers/meat professionals are probably experts on vampires.
Anya's stories aren't very fun.
What exactly is Wesley doing at the dance? What is he doing at the school, for that matter? Did he get a job there?
Jonathan has a pretty hot date for...well, Jonathan. Would they even let him back in school?
This guy, with his plan to ruin prom because no one wanted to go with him; this guy should be Andrew, for continuity's sake. Or did Andrew go to Sunnydale High?
Buffy gets recognition! That was very nice of everybody.
Oh, also, buying Cordelia's dress for her was a very nice gesture on Xander's part.
Registered: Mar 1999
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The end of "The Prom" made me sniffly. And possibly blustery red too, but that's likely to happen anyway.
I knew Angel was getting his own show. I think it was pretty much common knowledge (amoungst nerds at least), since the beginning of season 3.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
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A friend of mine -- a big Buffy fan, she has the soundtrack: "It could be bunnies -- what if they aren't just cute as everyone supposes, they got them hoppy little legs and twitchy little noses, and what's will all the carrots? What do they need such good eye-sight for anyways? Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies! Er, or maybe midgets?" memorized -- wrote a 10-page paper for her Literary Research & Crit class on "From Brains to Blonde: The Evolution of the Vampire Hunter", beginning with Van Helsing and tracing up to Buffy. It was a good paper to read, very enjoyable. I learned a lot about the show.
quote:This guy, with his plan to ruin prom because no one wanted to go with him; this guy should be Andrew, for continuity's sake.
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Minor Season 6 spoiler
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Funny that you mention it. He's Andrew's brother. And yes, he was at Sunnydale High. Once he summoned flying monkeys to attack the school.
-------------------- "Never give up. And never, under any circumstances, no matter what - never face the facts." - Ruth Gordon
Registered: Mar 2000
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I picked up Season One on DVD. I spent the last week watching the episodes in order. Watched "Prophecy Girl" tonight -- wow. All I gotta say is, two classic moments: first, enroute to the high school, the Nerf Herder theme playing, Buffy, flanked by Angel and Xander ... and two, the Master's reaction "But ... but, you're dead!"
(PS - this isn't an attempt to copy Sol's nice little style, but he didn't do any season 1, so fuck him).
(PSS - I didn't realize before the Buffy is actually the same Buffy from the movie. I sort of thought that the movie had been "brushed under the rug" and that the premier featured Buffy learning for the first time that she was a Vampire Slayer. Instead, no, apparently this show picks shortly after the movie ... wow).
quote:Originally posted by Malnurtured Snay: (PSS - I didn't realize before the Buffy is actually the same Buffy from the movie. I sort of thought that the movie had been "brushed under the rug" and that the premier featured Buffy learning for the first time that she was a Vampire Slayer. Instead, no, apparently this show picks shortly after the movie ... wow).
]
Sort of. If you notice it also knocks two years off of her age, and mentions that she burned down the gym, which she didn't do in the movie (I don't think).
The official line is that the show is a sequel to Joss Whedon's original movie script, rather than the movie itself. So it roughly follows it, but some details are different.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
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