Topic: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Marathon

[Dragonfire]

Buffy is certainly a good one.

I've been meaning to watch mine again, and review them for Epinions.  I will get to to it some day.

[Critter]

2.01
When She Was Bad

Plot: Buffy suffers a vision in which the Master, undead, kills her once again. The Anointed One plans to resurrect the slain Master in a ritual using his exhumed skeleton, with kidnapped Scooby Gang members as blood sacrifices. Buffy rescues her friends, then deals with her residual fear and anger by obliterating the Master entirely. 

My Thoughts: I think this episode is a fairly good season starter, it's interesting as while there is a fairly big fight towards the end the episode mainly focuses on Buffy dealing with personal issues. The funny thing is that while Buffy appears to be acting like a complete bitch we assume that it is of a supernatural cause. It is even hinted at some point that she may be possessed as seeing her so well... mean is just so out of character. It turns out though that it really is Buffy and she really is just having a lot of issues which turned her somewhat against everyone. The way she was written in this episode is very clever as she seems normal enough at the start but then you start to notice slight changes. This episode ends on a very positive note, and I found some of the scenes funny, in particular a humorous conversation between Gils and Principle Snyder which involved my favourite line from the episode.

Principal Snyder: There are some things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense.
Giles: No, actually, that would be one of the five.

Rating: 3½/5

[Critter]

2.02
Some Assembly Required

Plot: Bodies of girls killed in traffic accidents are being dug from their graves. The culprits are two science students, Chris and Eric, using pieces of the girls to create a bride for Chris' monstrous brother, Daryl. The only thing the young monsters need now is Cordy's head—can the Scooby Gang members arrive in time to save her?

My Thoughts: This is a really twisted episode that once again see's Cordelia in a position which see's her needing rescuing by Buffy and the gang. I worry that they might use the whole Cordelia being caught story too many times but it seems to have worked well each time so far. The idea of stitching together lots of different bodies parts to create a new person is really creepy, although I'm a little dissapointed that we didn't actually get to see what was made of the body so far in this ep. I liked the addition of Giles and Ms Calander beginning their relationship in this episode. Overall though this episode is fairly standard and not a stand out for me.

Rating: 2½/5

[Critter]

2.03
School Hard

Plot: The Night of St. Vigeous is fast approaching, when the power of all vampires will be at its peak. Spike and Drusilla blast into town and learn that Sunnydale has its very own Slayer. Impatient to add a third notch to his tally of Slayer-kills, Spike attacks Buffy at Sunnydale High on Parent Teacher Night—with disastrous results.

My Thoughts: Spike and Drusilla arrive for the very first time in this episode and they sure do arrive with style. I have always liked both of their characters, even though I know a lot of people find Dru annoying, but really I just love that airy voice and she way she speaks. She sounds somewhat like a lost child yet seems more powerful than she appears. I was quite glad to see Spike finally do away with the annoying 'Annointed One' which is a character I felt they kept in the show way too long. It was also interesting to see the development that Principal Snyder might know more about the supernatural realms than he lets on. There were some great scenes between Joyce and Buffy in this episode, really showing that even though Joyce doesn't really understand Buffy sometimes she is still immensly proud of her skills... even if they may come in the fields of combat.

Rating: 4/5

[karmesinrot]

2.01
When She Was Bad

Love the scene where she's dancing with Xander in this ep! It's soooo mean

[Critter]

2.01
When She Was Bad

Love the scene where she's dancing with Xander in this ep! It's soooo mean

I can hardly stand watching it, I feel so sorry for Xander, Willow and Angel all at once! I can't stand seeing Buffy be so mean haha.

[Critter]

2.04
Inca Mummy Girl

Plot: After the seal of protection lying in her sarcophagus is broken, a mummified Incan girl in a museum exhibit is revivified when she sucks the life-force from a touring student. An unsuspecting Xander falls head over heels for the Latin beauty, Ampata, and must save Willow when his mistake threatens to cost her life.

My Thoughts: The makeup/prosthetics crew of this show manage to astonish me yet again with the amazing mummified bodies in this episode. These aren't your standard wrapped up in white bandage mummies, but the real deal, corpses that really looked quite convincingly real. I also liked that the mummy in this episode wasn't portrayed as just the 'monster' of the time, but someone who we actually felt sympathy for a lot of the episode which was a nice twist. This is also the first episode with Oz, and it is nice to see his and Willow's relationship on the horizon.

Rating: 3½/5

[Critter]

2.05
Reptile Boy

Plot: Upset again at Angel, Buffy lies to Giles and goes to a frat party with Cordelia, where their dates drug them and chain them in the basement. The house brothers worship a snake demon and sacrifice girls to it annually in exchange for wealth and power. Giles, Angel and Willow compare notes and meet up with Xander just in time to help Buffy break up the cabal.

My Thoughts: The whole evil frat boy party storyline in this episode does seem a little weak, yet this episode does have it's good moments. One scene in particular when Willow snaps and lashes out at Giles and Angel for the way they have been treating Buffy is fantastic, and I also love seeing Cordelia's character start to conisder Buffy as a friend, rather than just some freak. The costume of the giant snake man that the frat boys summon was done very well, especially with all the detail put into each scale. It was also interesting to see how Angel and Buffys relationship is somewhat developing here.

Rating: 3/5

[Critter]

2.06
Halloween

Plot: Costume shop owner Ethan Rayne casts a spell that transforms kids into their costume personae. Angel and Cordelia try to help as Willow becomes a ghost, Xander a soldier and Buffy a brainless, helpless 18th-century noblewoman. Spike joins the fun and tries to take advantage of the Slayer's predicament, but Giles breaks Ethan's spell at a critical moment.

My Thoughts: First of all - 
This episode is absolutely hilarious, seeing Buffy as an 18th century noblewoman who is absolutly terrified of everything is priceless. I also love seeing Willow and Cordelia, as two of the only people to still have their memories trying to control the chaos around them. Also the child-monsters in this episode were really cute. While this episode was absolutly hilarious I like that it wasn't just comedy all the way through but that there was still a mysterious undertone as we start to discover more about Giles' past as 'Ripper'. I've always thought it was a great idea of them to delve into his past so I am looking forward to seening this unfold.

Rating: 5/5

[Critter]

2.07
Lie to Me

Plot: Out patrolling, Buffy spies Angel with a demonstrative Drusilla, then catches him in a lie later. Billy "Ford" Fordham, Buffy's long-time LA school chum, transfers to Sunnydale High, but nobody suspects he is negotiating a deal with Spike—and offering the Slayer as trade goods. Angel discreetly enlists Willow's help.

My Thoughts: This episode starts of slowly, I feared it was going to be all Buffy and Angel agnst for the whole episode but it turned into something great. The addition of the 'cult' of normal humans who revere vampires and want to become them was almost scaringly true to life as I have read news articles of such groups. These people had no idea what they were in for, brainwashed almost by the desire to be immortal. What I love most about this episode is that the writers have once again put the audience in a confusing position towards the antagonist. Here we have a scared and lonley young person who is losing his life to cancer, we feel sorry for him, yet at the same time we hate him for his actions within the episode. It really is a contradiction but everything works well which is a credit to the writers of the show. Also, the final moments of this episode are almost tear jerkingly powerful for those who have watched the seasons to come and know what is in store. Buffy asking Giles to lie to her about the future, to tell her everything will be okay was an extremely touching scene.

Rating: 4/5

[Critter]

2.08
The Dark Age

Plot: Haunted by his dark past when he was known as Ripper, Giles confronts his old crony Ethan Rayne in an attempt to save Jenny from the lethal consequences of possession by the demon Eyghon. With Giles and the Slayer slated as its next victims, demon-ridden Angel forces Eyghon to possess him instead.

My Thoughts: Not a bad episode but definatly not one of my favourites, I think the story of Giles' hidden past could have been better and I also found the episode to end on a bit of a downer. I obviously know that Giles' and Ms Calander's relationship doesn't last forever but it's sad to see it start to come apart when in many ways it felt like it was only beginning. One thing I do like though is Ethan Raynes character. I thought he was just creepy in the episode 'Halloween' but this one showed his more true side. I forgot whether he appears in the series again or not but either way I thought he made a fantastic antagonist.

Rating: 2½/5

[Critter]

2.09
What's My Line: Part One

Plot: To get help killing Buffy while he intensifies his search for Dru's cure, Spike calls upon the Order of Taraka. Buffy is attacked by a series of assassins, including her heir "Kendra, the Vampire Slayer", who was called when Buffy died at the end of Season 1 and initially mistakes Buffy for a vampire. Kendra, having seen "vampire" Buffy kissing vampire Angel, has already taken Angel out of the picture.

My Thoughts: So, two slayers is a nice interesting twist to have spawned from the final episode of season 1. I like that this story was not thrown in straight away from the start of season 2 but has had time to develop in the background, I think the timing to bring 'Kendra' in was perfect. Especially considering that this is another episode where Buffy is contemplating her lost future and dealing with the fact that she is the one and only chosen one, to then suddenly turning around and facing a second slayer. The fight between Buffy and Kendra was fantastic, most of the time it's usually Buffy against some clunky vampire but this fight was streamline, they both seemed to fight in a similar way and it was a delight to watch. The pacing of this episode was rather slow for the first half or so but I think that worked well to warm up for the last 10 minutes or so which were fantastic, especially that final line which has left me hanging for part two in a major way.

Rating: 4/5

[Critter]

2.10
What's My Line: Part Two

Plot: While Career Week drags on at Sunnydale High, Buffy and Kendra form an uneasy alliance to stop Spike from sacrificing Angel, whose blood, ritually spilled when the moon is full, is Drusilla's only cure. The Slayers bring Spike's plan, to host a massive killing spree for Dru's "coming out party," down around his ears.

My Thoughts: Some people have found Kendra annoying in the past but I find that the way she contrasts with Buffy in every single way quite clever. It's almost like a look at what Buffy's life might have been like if she were a more 'traditional' slayer, meaning no family and no friends. The beginning of both Willow and Oz's relationship, as well as Xander and Cordelia both kick of to hilarious starts in this ep. Also I have to mention that the scene with the gun wielding assassin in the middle of school, trying to kill Buffy in broad daylight was almost surreal. I was waiting for her to wake up and it be a dream or something but then it hit me that that did actually just happen, in the middle of a busy crowded school. Very good scene, and I think the Order of Taraka has been a pretty cool story altogether.

Rating: 4/5

[Critter]

2.11
Ted

Plot: Buffy returns home one evening to find her mother kissing a stranger in the kitchen. Joyce's date, Ted, turns abusive with Buffy, who accidentally kills him in self-defense. Believing herself guilty of manslaughter, the Slayer is hardily relieved to learn that Ted is a serial killer android targeting Joyce as his next wife/victim.

My Thoughts: I loved seeing the jealousy that Buffy showed of a man invading her home. It was also equally as facinating to see how she reacted to the idea that she had killed a human. I only wish that in the end he actually had been a human, the fact that Ted turned out to be an android felt a little rushed to me, but I suppose if Buffy really had murdered a person the story would have dragged out over too many episodes. What I really loved in this episode was seeing the gang, even Cordelia all pulling together to try and defend Buffy, despite the fact that at the time they still believed that she had in fact murdered a human.

Rating: 3½/5

[Critter]

2.12
Bad Eggs

Plot: For Health class, students unknowingly adopt "eggs" of a Bezoar demon growing under the school. Its arachnoid "babies" are able to directly control a person's central nervous system. Dealing with a pair of outlaw vampire brothers in addition to slaying the enormous Bezoar before its progeny take over Sunnydale, Buffy gets ultra-grounded for her trouble. 

My Thoughts: This is one of those episodes that really makes you think how the hell did the writers think of this? It's just so strange and wacky. As far as things go this isn't one of my favourite episodes but it does have it's funny moments. I am starting to find it frustrating though that so far Joyce still doesn't know about Buffy being the slayer. I know she does find out in the future but I forgot when that is exactly, so it's understandable that she would be grounding Buffy for sneaking out at night...if only she knew that she was sneaking out to protect the world. The two cowboy vampires were an interesting addition, although I couldn't really see what role they had to advance the show in any way.

Rating: 2½/5