Television

Episode Title:  Once More With Feeling

Original Air Date: November 6th 2001

“So Dawn’s in trouble. Must be Tuesday” – Buffy

So here we are finally another of the big Buffy episodes and one of the most fondly remembered alongside “Hush” as Joss Wheldon finally got to make the all singing and dancing musical episode that he’d been trying to make since season 1. For Buffy and The Scoobies meanwhile they along with the rest of Sunnydale find themselves compelled to sing and perform big musical numbers about their day to day lives but how long is it until some major secrets are revealed?

For some reason the prospect of an episode full of singing and dancing seems to really tap into the Buffy fanverse for some reason, but rewatching this episode now much like on its initial viewing I still found this to be a highly problematic episode, let alone needless extended for what essentially is a gimmick episode.

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:06 Ep:07

Episode Title:  Life Serial

Original Air Date: October 23rd 2001

“Stop touching my magic bone!” – Jonathan

Continuing the upbeat tone of last weeks episode, here “The Trio” are continuing with their schemes against Buffy even though she has no clue of their alliance as they set about testing the Slayer using their various abilities.

Still facing money issues and an unclear future Buffy this week attempts to find some form of direction for her life first by attempting to go back to school before looking at possible career options as she takes a job as part of Xanders construction team, only to soon start showing up the other workers with the advantages her Slayer strength gives her as she lifts girders with ease. She also attempts retail work at the Magic Box only to find herself struggling to deal with a problematic mummy hand. All the while her attempts at finding normality are being interfered with by the Trio

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:06 Ep:05

Episode Title:  Bargaining

Original Air Date: October 2nd 2001

“Oh, poor Watcher. Did your life pass before your eyes? Cuppa tea, cuppa tea, almost got shagged, cuppa tea.” – Spike

So here we are at the start of the Bronze era of the show which had in the break between seasons moved networks to UPN. This first episode though picks up the story give months after Buffy sacrificed herself to save her sister Dawn and close the gate opened by Glory. In the meantime Willow has taken it upon herself to become the group leader while the Buffybot acts as a decoy to the local Supernatural population maintaining the illusion that the Slayer is still alive and active in Sunnydale.

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:06 Ep:01

Episode Title: Spiral

Original Air Date: May 8st 2001

“Overwhelming?’ How much more than ‘whelming’ would that be, exactly?” – Anya

So last episode we ended on something of a cliffhanger as Glory tore the wall off Willows dorm room wall after brain draining Tara mistaking her for the Key. Of course Tara now in her brain-drained state can see who exactly is the Key and revealed to Glory that Dawn was the Key she’s been desperately seeking.

Despite the episode being setup like it was leading into the finale what we get instead is something of a prolonged chase as Buffy and the Scoobies hop aboard their sun proof R.V. and head out on the road though were they are heading to isn’t overly clear with the main priority being to just get out of Sunnydale especially with Glory knowing the truth about Dawn.

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:05 Ep:20

Episode Title: Tough Love

Original Air Date: May 1st 2001

“Did anybody order an apocalypse?” – Glory

Does anyone remember when this was a show about high school kids battling the supernatural? Certainly something which came to mind this week as Buffy struggles to adapt to her new parental responsibilities. At the same time Glory’s hunt for “The Key” threatens another member of the group with devastating results.

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:05 Ep:19

Episode Title: Intervention

Original Air Date: April 24th 2001

“Yeah, damn right. I’m impure. I’m as impure as a driven yellow snow.” – Spike

So after a rough couple of weeks in the show with the double header of “The Body” and “Forever”, this week things get back on track as Glory continues her unrelenting quest to find the key still unknown that its Dawn only that Buffy is hiding it from her. Meanwhile Spike is getting in trouble all round as Warren delivers his “Buffybot” which not only causes confusion amongst the Scoobies but also leads to him being captured by Glory after her minions mistaken him as being the key. Elsewhere the real Buffy concerned that her Slayer training is leaving her cold and emotionless to the world around her and embarks on a spirit quest with Giles to contact the first Slayer.

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:05 Ep:18

Episode Title: The Body

Original Air Date: February 27th 2001

“No, I mean, it’s a myth that it’s a myth. There is a Santa Claus.” – Anya

So this was one of the episodes I was dreading having to cover, not because its a bad episode, infact it might be one of the most important episodes in the whole series as following on from the stinger of the previous episode here we get to rewatch Buffy return home to find her mother slumped on the couch having died from a brain aneurysm.

Joyce’s death came as a major surprise to fans of the show especially when she’d always been such a background presence on the show, helping to keep Buffy grounded especially when her slaying duties were putting a strain on her and while Joyce might not always have known how to handle her daughters calling she was always there for her. As such to have her ripped out only makes her departure all the more emotional, more so when the episode highlights just how much she meant to the group aswell. Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:05 Ep:16

  Episode Title: I Was Made To Love You

Original Air Date: February 20th 2001

“Ow. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had it with super-strong little women who aren’t me.” – Buffy

Despite on the surface seemingly like another monster of the week episode, this one actually when viewed knowing what lies ahead for the series really marks a lot of key moments for the series. The main focus though is on a robot girlfriend who arrives in Sunnydale looking for her creator while at the same time harbouring a serious jealous streak which could spell trouble for anyone who gets in her way.

Continue reading Buffy The Vampire Slayer S:05 Ep:15