Topic: Birthday Marathon

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4
A New Man
At Buffy's 19th birthday party, Giles has a realization. He is an unemployed, middle-aged man hanging around with a bunch of teenagers. He feels even worse when he finds out that he is the only one who doesn't know about Riley and the Initiative. Feeling useless and insecure, he runs into Ethan Rayne, but the confrontation ends in drinks at the local pub rather than the usual fisticuffs. The next morning, Giles looks in the mirror and sees a massive Fyarl demon looking back at him.

My Thoughts:
This has never been one of my favorite episodes. I would say it is somewhere between fair and good. For one thing I never liked the character of Ethan Rayne. He is one character that really bored me. Thankfully you only see him a couple times throughout the series. Though it was fun to see Giles as a demon unable to communicate with the gang.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5
Blood Ties
The Scooby Gang discusses plans for Buffy's birthday and dealing with Glory. Giles reveals that Glory is the god of a demon dimension and in order to stay in human form, she needs to suck energy from humans, leaving them insane. The gang starts asking questions about The Key and Buffy finally breaks down and tells them the truth about Dawn.

My Thoughts:
A good episode. This season with Glory is a good season... but not what I would call a favorite. I liked how Michelle Trachtenberg portrayed Dawn in this episode... where she finds out the truth about herself. And even though I didn't care as much for this season as I did some of them... I must admit all the fights with Glory (including the one in this episode) were always good.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 6
Older and Far Away
When Dawn feels that nobody wants to spend time with her, she makes a wish in front of a Vengeance demon (posing as school counselor) that everyone would stay with her. During Buffy's birthday party, Dawn's penchant for shoplifting is discovered while the gang tries to figure out why nobody is able to leave the house.

My Thoughts:
This is the last "Buffy's Birthday" episode of the series. And a very good one at that. I always enjoyed every minute of this episode the several times I have watched it. There is something that seems familiar about the woman that plays the Vengeance Demon... other then here on Buffy. I do know she was on Buffy several times.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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Friends: Season 3
The One Where Chandler Can't Remember which Sister
A handsome stranger offers Rachel a fashion-buying job. Chandler forgets which of Joey's sisters he fooled around with after getting drunk on Joey's birthday.

My Thoughts:
This is a fun episode. One I enjoyed quite a bit. Both the storyline of Chandler and Joey's sister and the one about Rachel getting the buying job had some real funny scenes in them.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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Friends: Season 5
The One Where Rachel Smokes
Rachel takes up smoking at her new job as a way of making inroads with the boss. Ross's son Ben joins Joey on an audition for a soup commercial.

My Thoughts:
In this episode Phoebe and Monica try to plan Rachel's birthday party... but Monica pretty much takes over... leaving Phoebe completely out of the planning. Leaving only cups and ice for her... and she really does the cups and ice! It is funny... I noticed both this episode and the last one I watched... in the very beginning Joey tries to do a bad card trick. I wonder if that will continue through-out all the Friends birthday episodes. This one wasn't quite as good as the one I watched before it... but still a fun watch.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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Friends: Season 7
The One Where They All Turn 30
Rachel's agony over her 30th birthday starts everyone reminiscing about what they did upon reaching that milestone.

My Thoughts:
This is probably my favorite of all the Friends birthday episodes. I thought it was a lot of fun seeing how they all turned 30 within one episode. And we get our answer in this one... as it did not start with a stupid card trick by Joey. I guess the first 2 was just a coincidence.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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I Love Lucy: Season 2
Lucy's Last Birthday
A forlorn Lucy thinks everyone has forgotten her birthday. In Central Park, she meets "The Friends of the Friendless," then marches into the club with her new buddies.

My Thoughts:
This is a fun episode. Though I do like the Little Ricky's Birthday with Superman episode better. This episode shows what kind of fun you can have with a surprise birthday party.  Just the thought of someone making a fool out of their self on their birthday is a fun idea. Though I didn't care much for the "Friends of the Friendless" idea. This is also the episode that Ricky puts lyrics to the "I Love Lucy" theme song.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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I just made it to 15 birthday episodes. I just thought that it would be a fun goal to make it to 40 Birthday episodes on my 40th birthday (Sunday). That would mean between now and Sunday I would have to watch another 25 Birthday episodes.

I am not sure I will make it.... but I think I just may give it a try!

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Episode Count: 16


Without a Trace: Season 1
Birthday Boy
For his eleventh birthday, Gabe Freedman is going to a baseball game at Yankee Stadium with his father. When the two get separated at the subway station, Bob is convinced he will meet up with his son at the next station, or at the park itself. After being unsuccessful in locating his son, Bob calls in the team who is convinced that the boy was abducted until evidence leads them to believe that Gabe may have run off on purpose.

My Thoughts:
This is a series I never knew of when it originally aired. I bought the first season set blind... I been wanting to pick up season 2 as well but never got the chance yet. Watching this episode makes me want to pick up the second season soon though. It is a very good episode. Of course it helps that I forgot the outcome from the first time I saw it.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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All in the Family: Season 2
The Elevator Story
The Bunkers are celebrating Edith's birthday at an Italian restaurant in the city when Archie discovers that Edith failed to mail out a payment to the insurance company. This leads him to run across the street to drop it off. However, on his way he gets stuck in an elevator along with a pregnant Puerto Rican and her husband, an aging hippie, and an erudite black businessman.

My Thoughts:
This is a good classic sitcom.  One that definitely pushes the limits of the time... let alone something you would see in today's politically correct times. It was really funny to see Archie Bunker stuck in an elevator with some of the people he hates the most. Let alone Edith going heavy on the wine at dinner waiting for Archie to get back.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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The Dick Van Dyke Show: Season 2
A Surprise Surprise is a Surprise
Rob finds out about Laura's plans to surprise him for his birthday.

My Thoughts:
This is an excellent episode of a great classic TV Series. I literally laughed out loud several times through-out this episode. It was hilarious seeing Rob sneaking around figuring out his wife's plans for his birthday... and just as hilarious to see his reaction when he realizes he got surprised by a Surprise Party that he knew was coming. I really loved every minute of it... not only a great birthday episode... but a great episode period.

My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5

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Well... I was afraid this would happen... after seeing what I got for my birthday I have a stronger urge to watch them instead of any more birthday episodes. But I think that is understandable.  Anyway... not too bad... I got to see 18 episodes over the past week.