Topic: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Marathon

[Critter]

3.07
Revelations

Plot: Faith's new Watcher, Gwendolyn Post, arrives in Sunnydale. Xander discovers Buffy's secret and manipulates Faith into attempting to slay Angel, while Ms. Post is revealed to be more than meets the eye.

My Thoughts: This episode really had everything, we see Buffy and Faith come closer together, and then draw further apart with the inclusion of an amazing fight scene between the two. We see the gang find out about Angel still being alive and how this draws tension between them and a new character comes and goes in fantastic style. The only thing I don't really like about this episode are the scenes between Willow and Xander struggling with their feelings for each other. I have never liked that entire story arc and it feels weak to me, overall though this was a great episode that really ended with a bang.

Rating: 4½/5

[Critter]

3.08
Lovers Walk

Plot: A lovelorn Spike returns and kidnaps Willow to cast a love spell on Drusilla. Stashing Willow and a wounded Xander at the factory, Spike soon concocts a new plan while Buffy, Oz, Giles, and Cordelia hunt their friends down

My Thoughts: This is a decent episode, and I like seeing Spike once again return to the show but as I have mentioned before I just don't like the whole Willow/Xander storyline. I find myself hoping it doesn't last much longer. The saving grace of this episode really was Spike, his scenes were often funny and touching at the same time, with a bit of action thrown into the midst. It's also interesting to see where Angel and Buffys relationship is going but overall I found there just wasn't much in this ep.

Rating: 3/5

[Critter]

3.09
The Wish

Plot: Cordelia's pain over Xander's betrayal summons Anyanka, a demon who grants wishes to scorned women. Cordelia wishes that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, and constructs an alternate reality where the Master rose at the Harvest and took over Sunnydale. Giles discovers this in the alternate reality and realises he is able to reverse the events.

My Thoughts:This is a great episode, I really love seeing what Sunnydale would be like if Buffy had never arrived, and like most people I just love episodes that dabble in alternate dimensions. The contrast between the two Sunnydales is interesting, but more than anything I love the difference in Buffy herself. In the alternate Sunnydale our usual cheery Buffy has turned into someone that can only be described as 'Faith'.

She carries Faith 'I don't need anyone' attitude and kick-ass and care-less persona. It really is as if Michelle-Gellar was just doing her best Faith impression for the whole episode. The climax in the alternate Sunnydale was fantastic, although I found that it was slightly let down by the ending of the episode which I was disappointed with. I was really hoping that in the end Cordelia would have memories of her time in the other Sunnydale, and that maybe she would appreciate Buffy more because of it, but alas, it is not to be. Also it should be noted that this is Anya's first appearance in the show, and she will later become one of my favourite characters. Just one more reason why I love this episode so much.

Rating: 4/5

[Critter]

3.10
Amends

Plot: The First Evil is driving Angel insane, appearing as victims of his past crimes, priming him to kill Buffy. Instead, he tries to kill himself.

My Thoughts: This is a very exciting episode as it's the first time that we see 'The First' who is to become a major big bad in the show later on. And what a great introduction it was! The First appearing to Angel as Jenny Calendar was truly eerie, and the whole episode had a very haunting feel about it. The flashbacks of Angels past were fantastic, all the attention to detail in the costumes, settings and accents really paid off in those scenes. It was also great to see Willow and Oz getting back together in this one, they are one of my favourite couples on the show.

Rating: 4/5

[Critter]

3.11
Gingerbread

Plot:After two children are mysteriously killed, apparently as part of a cult sacrifice, Joyce leads the town in a witch hunt - but all is not quite as it seems. Buffy, Willow and Amy are tied to stakes and Giles and Cordelia must rescue them, while Amy turns herself into a rat to escape the angry mob.

My Thoughts: I know that this episode sometimes gets a bad wrap from Buffy fans but I honestly don't know why, I love this one. This episode is just the right amount of creepy, while still being very funny throughout, with many great one-liners. The idea of Hansel and Gretal haunting the town is interesting, but what really makes this episode great is how crazy the parents get as they all turn against their own children, it's mayhem! One of the greatest things about Buffy as a show is the continuity between all 7 seasons, one of my favourite instances of this occurs in this episode. We have Amy who had once previously turned Buffy into a rat, turn herself into a rat in this episode only to remain that way for three more seasons. It's great to see the character back in season 6 when she is finally human again, but I just love how she keeps popping up (as a rat) for the next three and a half seasons.

Rating:3½/5

[Critter]

3.12
Helpless

Plot: Giles secretly prepares Buffy for the Cruciamentum, an ordeal the Watchers' Council requires every Slayer endure on her eighteenth birthday. Giles helps Buffy, thereby affecting his job as a watcher.

My Thoughts: This is a lovely episode that explores what the relationship between Giles and Buffy has become. Giles no longer has the impartial judgement needed to be Buffy's 'Watcher' as he is now more of a fatherly figure for her. This is somewhat convenient as the show has now written Buffy's actual Dad out pretty much for good. Seeing Buffy without her powers is always interesting, even if it is somewhat difficult to see on of your favourite tv characters as a person just as defenseless as yourself. The way that Buffy took out the vampire was genius and really capped off an overall great episode nicely.

Rating: 4/5

[Critter]

3.13
The Zeppo

Plot:Xander tries to be cool and hangs out with Jack O'Toole, who resurrects three of his former buddies. Xander soon realizes they are up to something deadly and attempts to hide. Meanwhile, the others need to prevent the Sisterhood of Jhe from reopening the Hellmouth.

My Thoughts: This episode is somewhat of a fan favourite, but I must say I have always found it a bit slow. The last 15 minutes or so are admittedly fantastic, but for the most part I found it a little dull. I thought it was a very funny idea to balance Xanders situation alongside the group facing yet another apocalypse but something just didn't feel right to me. Maybe it was a lack of Buffy herself as the episode was based mainly around Xander. On an interesting note, this is one of the first times we really see Xander battling with his feelings of being useless in the group, something which will occur again throughout the rest of the show.

Rating: 3/5

[Critter]

3.14
Bad Girls

Plot: The Slayers get a new Watcher, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. The girls are having a wild night at The Bronze, where Angel brings info on the whereabouts of the demon, Balthazar.

My Thoughts: This is a fairly bland episode that doesn't really get exciting until the very end. Faith is highly annoying in this episode but I suppose that has always just been a part of her character. This is also the introduction to Wesley. As a character I find Wesley very hard to warm up to. In fact I don't know if I ever really quite warm up to him at all, but he is the source of many funny lines so he isn't too bad. The ending of this episode gets quite dark, but I think it's great and really adds levels to Faiths character. I also love the somewhat cliff-hanger that it's left on.

Rating: 2½/5

[Dragonfire]

I didn't really like Wesley that much in Buffy.  I only started like him in Angel.  He ended up being one of my favorites in that show.

[Critter]

I haven't seen Angel in so long that I don't even remember what Wesley is like on it. Hmm, maybe that can be my next marathon, I can watch it when I finish my Buffy one (in 2034).

[Dragonfire]

Wesley is different in Angel.  He doesn't show up right away...hmmm...maybe after like 6 episodes or something in the first season.  Then he's always there.  He just came across as more likable to me in that show I guess.

[RossRoy]

I didn't really like Wesley that much in Buffy.  I only started like him in Angel.  He ended up being one of my favorites in that show.

I remember when I first saw they brought Wesley over on Angel... My first reaction was "Oh no! Anybody but him!"... Turns out he was pretty good on Angel.

[Najemikon]

Another example of how brilliant Whedon's characters were. He took Wesley and turned him into a ruthless warrior and it didn't feel at all contrived.

[goodguy]

Another example of how brilliant Whedon's characters were. He took Wesley and turned him into a ruthless warrior and it didn't feel at all contrived.

Well, at first he wasn't a ruthless warrior, but a rogue demon hunter (What's a rogue demon?).  

[Najemikon]

That's what I mean. When he first appeared in Angel, there was little difference to his time on Buffy.