These snapshots may contain SPOILERS for the entire series, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen some of the episodes and do not want to know what is going on, read no further.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
While enduring the annual field trip to the zoo, Xander and several other students enter the quarantined Hyena pen and become possessed by the demonic spirit of the wild animals. When Buffy notices a significant change in Xander's personality, she must figure out what happened and how to reverse it before something terrible happens.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
Lyrics from "Desperate Man" by Sprung Monkey: Do you find yourself in a cold cruel world, dark and desperate, scared and lonely?
The pre-Pack group lead by Kyle deride Buffy for not having any friends. They then go on to prove they're all a**es, by mocking Lance at the monkey cages, for his sketching.
Did anyone else think the cages wouldn't keep anything out, never mind keeping the hyenas in?
During the dodge ball scene we are shown that the pack has reflexes equal to the Slayers, since she's the only one left standing that's opposing them. The pack then turns on Lance, who happens to be on their team.
This episode is the first time the cage in the library is used to lock someone up. Also, one of the few times that the cage gets broken out of.
Principal Flutie gets eaten in this episode, setting up a trend for future principals.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - undecided
Giles - like
Cordelia - absent
Angel - absent
The Master - absent
Overall I consider this a poor episode compared to the rest of the season.
Musings on life and other matters.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
These snapshots may contain SPOILERS for the entire series, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen some of the episodes and do not want to know what is going on, read no further.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Yearning for a normal life, Buffy agrees to a date with the mysterious and brooding Owen. Giles discovers a prophecy of coming danger which would interfere with her plans, but she chooses Owen over battling the forces of darkness. When Giles goes out on his own and is trapped by a group of vampires, Buffy must figure out a way to balance dating and Slaying.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
Buffy: We haven't been properly introduced. (pulls out a stake) I'm Buffy, and you're history!
This is the first time that Buffy stakes a vampire in a graveyard in the teaser. A trend that will become classic as the series progresses.
The prophecy of the anointed one is kinda hokey.
Owen comes across as: brooding, bookworm, old fashioned (pocket watch), thrill seeker.
Owen described as: tall, solitary, mysterious, sensitive, and manly.
Buffy dreams of being a normal teenager mooning over cute guys, like any normal post pubescent girl.
This is the first we see of the struggle Buffy has of trying to juggle being a normal girl, with being the Slayer.
In the end Buffy decides that for the sake of Owens current safety/survival she needs to not date him since he is unaware of her status as the Slayer and wouldn't take the proper precautions to prevent being hurt or, more likely, killed.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - understandable
Giles - like
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - undecided
The Master - like
Overall I consider this a good episode compared to the rest of the season.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Yearning for a normal life, Buffy agrees to a date with the mysterious and brooding Owen. Giles discovers a prophecy of coming danger which would interfere with her plans, but she chooses Owen over battling the forces of darkness. When Giles goes out on his own and is trapped by a group of vampires, Buffy must figure out a way to balance dating and Slaying.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
Buffy: We haven't been properly introduced. (pulls out a stake) I'm Buffy, and you're history!
This is the first time that Buffy stakes a vampire in a graveyard in the teaser. A trend that will become classic as the series progresses.
The prophecy of the anointed one is kinda hokey.
Owen comes across as: brooding, bookworm, old fashioned (pocket watch), thrill seeker.
Owen described as: tall, solitary, mysterious, sensitive, and manly.
Buffy dreams of being a normal teenager mooning over cute guys, like any normal post pubescent girl.
This is the first we see of the struggle Buffy has of trying to juggle being a normal girl, with being the Slayer.
In the end Buffy decides that for the sake of Owens current safety/survival she needs to not date him since he is unaware of her status as the Slayer and wouldn't take the proper precautions to prevent being hurt or, more likely, killed.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - understandable
Giles - like
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - undecided
The Master - like
Overall I consider this a good episode compared to the rest of the season.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Teacher's Pet
These snapshots may contain SPOILERS for the entire series, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen some of the episodes and do not want to know what is going on, read no further.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Xander, and most of the male population of Sunnydale High, are falling all over themselves trying to impress the new substitute Biology teacher, Ms. French. When Buffy sees this femme fatale scare off a particularly nasty vampire, however, she begins to suspect that Xander may be in serious trouble.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
Giles: .. God, every day here is the same.
Buffy: Bright, sunny, beautiful, how ever can we escape this torment?
Dr. Gregory seems like a a very good teacher who actually took the time and cared enough to motivate his students to do better. Its a shame we're on a hellmouth and he has to get killed off.
Angel gives Buffy his coat, which she wears for the remainder of the episode, and shows up again on and off through season 2.
Musetta Vander - Natalie French comes across to me more as an exotic beauty as opposed to a bombshell. The scene with her and Xander where she gives him a (drugged) martini is just wrong on so many levels.
The fork vampire acting as tracking dog is slightly amusing, but the entire episode just seems to be in search of a good story.
The praying mantis is the same one used in Babylon Five season1.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - understandable
Giles - like
Cordelia - absent
Angel - undecided
The Master - absent
Overall I consider this a very poor episode compared to the rest of the season.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Xander, and most of the male population of Sunnydale High, are falling all over themselves trying to impress the new substitute Biology teacher, Ms. French. When Buffy sees this femme fatale scare off a particularly nasty vampire, however, she begins to suspect that Xander may be in serious trouble.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
Giles: .. God, every day here is the same.
Buffy: Bright, sunny, beautiful, how ever can we escape this torment?
Dr. Gregory seems like a a very good teacher who actually took the time and cared enough to motivate his students to do better. Its a shame we're on a hellmouth and he has to get killed off.
Angel gives Buffy his coat, which she wears for the remainder of the episode, and shows up again on and off through season 2.
Musetta Vander - Natalie French comes across to me more as an exotic beauty as opposed to a bombshell. The scene with her and Xander where she gives him a (drugged) martini is just wrong on so many levels.
The fork vampire acting as tracking dog is slightly amusing, but the entire episode just seems to be in search of a good story.
The praying mantis is the same one used in Babylon Five season1.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - understandable
Giles - like
Cordelia - absent
Angel - undecided
The Master - absent
Overall I consider this a very poor episode compared to the rest of the season.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Witch
These snapshots may contain SPOILERS for the entire series, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen some of the episodes and do not want to know what is going on, read no further.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
It's time for cheerleader tryouts, and Buffy can't resist! However, when the girls start getting knocked out of the competition by spontaneous combustion, sudden blindness, and other freak accidents, Buffy and the gang begin to suspect that someone may be behind these not so normal occurrences. Could someone be using dark magics in order to make the squad?
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
"...the thrill of living on a hellmouth -- one has a veritable cornucopia of fiends, devils and ghouls to engage -- Pardon me for finding the glass half full. "
After having viewed this episode, I'm not really left with a lot to say. The notebook stayed mostly empty, except for a couple of quotes.
In this episode we are introduced to Willow and Xander as ‘Slayerettes’ Surprisingly, the term isn’t actually used again until season four’s 'The I in Team.' Willow is established as the nerd/hacker of the team. Xander doesn't accomplish much except for pining for Buffy. He finds out that she sees him as 'one of the girls' while she is under the spell. There is a certain symmetry here since Willow finds out that even though she also (secretly) pines for Xander, he sees her as 'one of the guys.'
This marks the first appearance of Elizabeth Anne Allen as the spellbinding Amy Madison. The character pops up again in;
I was actually thinking of this during the episode, an unfilmed scene from the original script has Giles suggesting an alternative way of testing whether Amy is a witch.
"Yes, the ducking stool! We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she’s a witch; if she drowns, she’s innocent... some of my texts are a bit outdated."
Yes, I'm a Python fan.
I overlooked this the first couple of times I watched the episode.
Buffy: There's just things about being a vampire slayer that the older generation has a problem with.
Joyce: A what?
Foreshadowing
XANDER: ...you don't have to drive it through my head like a railroad spike.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - like
Giles - like
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - absent
The Master - absent
Overall I consider this an average episode compared to the rest of the season.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
It's time for cheerleader tryouts, and Buffy can't resist! However, when the girls start getting knocked out of the competition by spontaneous combustion, sudden blindness, and other freak accidents, Buffy and the gang begin to suspect that someone may be behind these not so normal occurrences. Could someone be using dark magics in order to make the squad?
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
"...the thrill of living on a hellmouth -- one has a veritable cornucopia of fiends, devils and ghouls to engage -- Pardon me for finding the glass half full. "
After having viewed this episode, I'm not really left with a lot to say. The notebook stayed mostly empty, except for a couple of quotes.
In this episode we are introduced to Willow and Xander as ‘Slayerettes’ Surprisingly, the term isn’t actually used again until season four’s 'The I in Team.' Willow is established as the nerd/hacker of the team. Xander doesn't accomplish much except for pining for Buffy. He finds out that she sees him as 'one of the girls' while she is under the spell. There is a certain symmetry here since Willow finds out that even though she also (secretly) pines for Xander, he sees her as 'one of the guys.'
This marks the first appearance of Elizabeth Anne Allen as the spellbinding Amy Madison. The character pops up again in;
- Season 2 (1998) - "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
- Season 3 (1999) - "Gingerbread"
- Season 4 (1999) - "Something Blue"
- Season 6 (2001–02) - "Smashed"; "Wrecked"; "Doublemeat Palace"
- Season 7 (2003) - "The Killer in Me"
I was actually thinking of this during the episode, an unfilmed scene from the original script has Giles suggesting an alternative way of testing whether Amy is a witch.
"Yes, the ducking stool! We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she’s a witch; if she drowns, she’s innocent... some of my texts are a bit outdated."
Yes, I'm a Python fan.
I overlooked this the first couple of times I watched the episode.
Buffy: There's just things about being a vampire slayer that the older generation has a problem with.
Joyce: A what?
Foreshadowing
XANDER: ...you don't have to drive it through my head like a railroad spike.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - like
Giles - like
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - absent
The Master - absent
Overall I consider this an average episode compared to the rest of the season.
The Harvest
These snapshots may contain SPOILERS for the entire series, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen some of the episodes and do not want to know what is going on, read no further.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Buffy rescues Willow and Xander, but Jesse is left in the hands of the vampires. Buffy no longer resists her calling, but immediately begins to plan a rescue. Because they are already involved, Giles tells Xander and Willow about vampires and demons, and that Buffy is the Slayer.
They are overwhelmed by it all, but they insist on helping Buffy. Meanwhile, Luke and the other vampires are planning to begin The Harvest, a dark ritual that will free the Master from his underground prison. Needing to slaughter innocents for the ritual, they descend upon The Bronze to feed. And only the Slayer stands in their way.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
"One thing's for sure. Nothing is ever gonna be the same. "
This was originally aired along with part 1. Obviously this doesn't mean much when viewing these on DVD. It continues with Luke in the mausoleum getting ready to bite Buffy. He's then scared off by her cross(?). Seems kind of wimpy for a bad ass vamp who's hundreds(?) of years old. Especially when in the same episode Jesse, a newly turned vamp, knocks a cross out of Xander's hand relatively easily.
We get an explanation of the vampire mythos in the Buffyverse. Vampires were created by the last demon to leave the earth when he intermingled his blood with a humans after feeding on them. Thus the first vampire was created, and have spawned since.
We also get an explanation for all the tunnels underneath Sunnydale the vamps use, they're electrical tunnels.
Like the little scene with Cordelia and Willow in the computer lab. Cordelia puts down Buffy and Willow has her delete the program she's writing.
As has been pointed out by several people the weapons chest Buffy has is a very good visual of what is going on in her life here. When Buffy opens the chest we see all the trappings of a normal life that a girl might keep, but hidden underneath we see all the accouterments of the Slayer.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - like
Giles - undecided
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - undecided
The Master - leaning towards like (for a bad guy)
Overall I consider this a poor episode compared to part one as well as the rest of the season.
Opening bookmark quote for the entire span of the series.
Giles: The earth is doomed. (sarcastic)
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Buffy rescues Willow and Xander, but Jesse is left in the hands of the vampires. Buffy no longer resists her calling, but immediately begins to plan a rescue. Because they are already involved, Giles tells Xander and Willow about vampires and demons, and that Buffy is the Slayer.
They are overwhelmed by it all, but they insist on helping Buffy. Meanwhile, Luke and the other vampires are planning to begin The Harvest, a dark ritual that will free the Master from his underground prison. Needing to slaughter innocents for the ritual, they descend upon The Bronze to feed. And only the Slayer stands in their way.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
"One thing's for sure. Nothing is ever gonna be the same. "
This was originally aired along with part 1. Obviously this doesn't mean much when viewing these on DVD. It continues with Luke in the mausoleum getting ready to bite Buffy. He's then scared off by her cross(?). Seems kind of wimpy for a bad ass vamp who's hundreds(?) of years old. Especially when in the same episode Jesse, a newly turned vamp, knocks a cross out of Xander's hand relatively easily.
We get an explanation of the vampire mythos in the Buffyverse. Vampires were created by the last demon to leave the earth when he intermingled his blood with a humans after feeding on them. Thus the first vampire was created, and have spawned since.
We also get an explanation for all the tunnels underneath Sunnydale the vamps use, they're electrical tunnels.
Like the little scene with Cordelia and Willow in the computer lab. Cordelia puts down Buffy and Willow has her delete the program she's writing.
As has been pointed out by several people the weapons chest Buffy has is a very good visual of what is going on in her life here. When Buffy opens the chest we see all the trappings of a normal life that a girl might keep, but hidden underneath we see all the accouterments of the Slayer.
My views/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - like
Giles - undecided
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - undecided
The Master - leaning towards like (for a bad guy)
Overall I consider this a poor episode compared to part one as well as the rest of the season.
Opening bookmark quote for the entire span of the series.
Giles: The earth is doomed. (sarcastic)
Welcome to the Hellmouth
These snapshots may contain SPOILERS for the entire series, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen some of the episodes and do not want to know what is going on, read no further.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Buffy Summers is the Slayer, but after being expelled from her old high school for burning down the gym (full of vampires) she just wants to forget about her destiny and be a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She and her mother move from L.A. to Sunnydale, California. A new school, new friends, and a chance to start over.
But Sunnydale is on top of a Hellmouth -- a center of mystical convergence that draws evil and demonic forces -- and Buffy soon realizes that she will have to pick up her stakes and holy water in order to save her new friends.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
I like how the teaser opens with what appears to be a generic horror scenario. Boy and girl sneaking away to have sex (presumably), and just when we get to the part where the girl, or both the boy and girl, get killed our expectations are completely overturned and the girl turns into a vampire and kills the boy.
Overall a passable job of introducing our protagonists, the story, the setting, and our villains for the season.
The episode does well in establishing that our heroine is super powered compared to ordinary folks. She has greater than human strength and reflexes as well as what appear to be prophetic dreams. Background info. is established for the other main characters, but Buffy's story is already established. She is not new to slaying vampires. She has already had to fight for her life, lost her friends, and been kicked out of her former school because of her calling. She doesn't want to do this any more. However when she sees what's happening, vampire going off with one of her new friends, she can't just stand idly by.
The other main characters are introduced as rounded individuals that we can like or hate from the start. Don't get me wrong, there is a long way to go in establishing a 3-dimensional character background for our core four, but they start off feeling like someone we might have known in our own high school. There is only so much that can be done in an hour, and this does a passable job of introducing our protagonists to the audience.
Sunnydale is established as a small town;
'Well, not much goes on in a one Starbucks town like Sunnydale."
"...It's in the bad part of town. About a half a block from the good part of town. We don't have a whole lot of town here."
"It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus."
"This is Sunnydale! How bad an evil can there be here?"
We are introduced to Angel, who gives Buffy several gifts, a cross and information about the Harvest. The Big Bad (the Master) also makes his appearance before the end of the cliffhanger.
My view/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - like
Giles - undecided
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - undecided
The Master - undecided
Overall I consider this a good episode compared to part two as well as the rest of the season.
----------------------------recap----------------------------
Buffy Summers is the Slayer, but after being expelled from her old high school for burning down the gym (full of vampires) she just wants to forget about her destiny and be a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She and her mother move from L.A. to Sunnydale, California. A new school, new friends, and a chance to start over.
But Sunnydale is on top of a Hellmouth -- a center of mystical convergence that draws evil and demonic forces -- and Buffy soon realizes that she will have to pick up her stakes and holy water in order to save her new friends.
--------------------------end recap--------------------------
"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
I like how the teaser opens with what appears to be a generic horror scenario. Boy and girl sneaking away to have sex (presumably), and just when we get to the part where the girl, or both the boy and girl, get killed our expectations are completely overturned and the girl turns into a vampire and kills the boy.
Overall a passable job of introducing our protagonists, the story, the setting, and our villains for the season.
The episode does well in establishing that our heroine is super powered compared to ordinary folks. She has greater than human strength and reflexes as well as what appear to be prophetic dreams. Background info. is established for the other main characters, but Buffy's story is already established. She is not new to slaying vampires. She has already had to fight for her life, lost her friends, and been kicked out of her former school because of her calling. She doesn't want to do this any more. However when she sees what's happening, vampire going off with one of her new friends, she can't just stand idly by.
The other main characters are introduced as rounded individuals that we can like or hate from the start. Don't get me wrong, there is a long way to go in establishing a 3-dimensional character background for our core four, but they start off feeling like someone we might have known in our own high school. There is only so much that can be done in an hour, and this does a passable job of introducing our protagonists to the audience.
Sunnydale is established as a small town;
'Well, not much goes on in a one Starbucks town like Sunnydale."
"...It's in the bad part of town. About a half a block from the good part of town. We don't have a whole lot of town here."
"It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus."
"This is Sunnydale! How bad an evil can there be here?"
We are introduced to Angel, who gives Buffy several gifts, a cross and information about the Harvest. The Big Bad (the Master) also makes his appearance before the end of the cliffhanger.
My view/status of characters;
Buffy - like
Willow - like
Xander - like
Giles - undecided
Cordelia - dislike
Angel - undecided
The Master - undecided
Overall I consider this a good episode compared to part two as well as the rest of the season.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
While there are so many shows that I like and watch (Doctor Who (classic + new), Battlestar Galactica 2004, Dexter, True Blood, Supernatural, Babylon 5, Farscape, Being Human (UK), etc.) my current obsession happens to be Buffy. I have to admit that while it originally aired I was never a fan. Sure I caught 1 or 2 episodes here and there early on, but never really got hooked. To be honest, at the time I would have been ashamed to admit to watching it because of the title alone. Then along came Serenity/Firefly which got me hooked on Whedon, so that I eventually got around to Buffy just recently. I can say now that I am in no way at all ashamed of watching and loving this pretty amazing TV experience. I just finished re-watching the entire series, after having first watched it fully only a year ago.
For me the first season was OK, nothing worth getting too excited about. That trend carried through for the first half of the second season for me, right up until "Surprise" (2x13) and "Innocence" (2x14). Those two episodes hooked me and I couldn't wait to see where it went to from there. Even with that there were a couple of letdowns episode-wise. Then you come to the season finale, the "Becoming" duology. After watching those I was literally stunned, that is what turned me from merely hooked into a true fan.
My take on the series at this point is naturally tinted with rose colored glasses, since I have seen the series in its entirety more than once now. There are plenty of reviews out on the Internet, some of them quite exceptional with a variety of perspectives, eg. MikeJer, Soulful Spike Society, Cultural Catchup, etc., which have in turn inspired me to get my thoughts down. So what do I hope to do with these posts? For me, this is more of a journal entry for my own thoughts. I don't plan on going into 10 page essays on each episode, there will hopefully be enough coverage of the entire series when this is all said and done to be worthwhile enough to have posted. These will be used as my own snapshot of my thoughts that I can revisit a year or a decade from now, because it is a certainty that I will be still be re/watching then. I know my views on this series have changed over the years, quite considerably as a matter of fact. As I've already stated upon first catching the show, I would have been ashamed to admit to watching it because of the title alone. I mean, come on, I literally laughed out loud when I first heard the title. That has obviously changed, and now I consider this one of my all time favorite shows. These posts are my opinions, which may or may not be shared by others. If someone has a different POV then I would be more than happy to reply to any comments made to that effect. If these thoughts have been made before, or don't sit well with you, please ignore them and go on your merry way. ; )
One final note, these reviews will contain SPOILERS throughout, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen any of the episodes and do not want to know what is gong on, read no further.
For me the first season was OK, nothing worth getting too excited about. That trend carried through for the first half of the second season for me, right up until "Surprise" (2x13) and "Innocence" (2x14). Those two episodes hooked me and I couldn't wait to see where it went to from there. Even with that there were a couple of letdowns episode-wise. Then you come to the season finale, the "Becoming" duology. After watching those I was literally stunned, that is what turned me from merely hooked into a true fan.
My take on the series at this point is naturally tinted with rose colored glasses, since I have seen the series in its entirety more than once now. There are plenty of reviews out on the Internet, some of them quite exceptional with a variety of perspectives, eg. MikeJer, Soulful Spike Society, Cultural Catchup, etc., which have in turn inspired me to get my thoughts down. So what do I hope to do with these posts? For me, this is more of a journal entry for my own thoughts. I don't plan on going into 10 page essays on each episode, there will hopefully be enough coverage of the entire series when this is all said and done to be worthwhile enough to have posted. These will be used as my own snapshot of my thoughts that I can revisit a year or a decade from now, because it is a certainty that I will be still be re/watching then. I know my views on this series have changed over the years, quite considerably as a matter of fact. As I've already stated upon first catching the show, I would have been ashamed to admit to watching it because of the title alone. I mean, come on, I literally laughed out loud when I first heard the title. That has obviously changed, and now I consider this one of my all time favorite shows. These posts are my opinions, which may or may not be shared by others. If someone has a different POV then I would be more than happy to reply to any comments made to that effect. If these thoughts have been made before, or don't sit well with you, please ignore them and go on your merry way. ; )
One final note, these reviews will contain SPOILERS throughout, so if for some reason you haven't yet seen any of the episodes and do not want to know what is gong on, read no further.
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