Re break from DS, combination of pesky real life getting in the way (:p) and just not feeling 100%
Ah well in that case then I hope you're feeling better!
Thanks to you and Kaisha for answering my question about Hallie by the way.
Couplet
- Huh. The Groosalug is in actual fact a terrible monster? Well that little romance certainly didn't last very long!
- I actually thought the baby shrinking would be the plot of an episode for all of a second.
- Ah I see. That was a vision Cordy saw earlier on.
- I'm assuming when Gunn said people might talk about him and Fred he was referring to the rest of the people that were present in the diner? If so, I'm sort of happy they touched on that little point. I personally don't have a problem with it but I'm aware that a black man and a white woman hooking up is a point of contention in several parts of the world.
- Turns out I wasn't entirely wrong when I guessed that a baby changing size would be the plot of this episode cause we're what ten minutes in and Angel is being such a big one already. That being said, I do feel somewhat bad for him though. In fact, the bit with the 'unique book' was probably one of the saddest parts of the episode.
- I'm sure they've done the whole, 'I think my husband is possessed so he must be cheating' shtick so many times before. In fairness though, I can't tell if she's right or not.
- Speaking of which, I wonder if Anita (of the Brothel fame) is the one who has Jerry under her spell?
- I love the idea of a big tree looking for love/food. I'm not entirely sure how this would have been possible but I really wish they'd done more with it.
- I guess it makes sense to a certain degree but I honestly felt it was kind of dumb how the cold inside Angel managed to defeat the tree.
- That was quite a sad little ending. It's made worse by the fact that I don't really like Groo very much.
- The Father will what now?!
- Hmm, let's see... Couplet was quite average in my humble opinion. Exempting that ending – What the F*ck – I don't think there was any part of the episode that was especially noteworthy. I'm tempted to say that Groo was the root of the problem but that would be unfair since I think the actor is good – I just don't like the way the character's written. I think I mentioned this at the end of last season but he feels like too much of a caricature. On a more positive note, I enjoyed Gunn and Fred's little scenes throughout though I jumped ahead after the end of last episode and assumed that everyone would know about their romance by now. As for what I have to properly say about Wesley's discovery, I'm sure I posted that might well happen at some point. I did not expect it to be fated though. What the F*ck. What the F*ck. What the F*ck. They better not drag this out until the end of the show!
Ah well in that case then I hope you're feeling better!
Thanks to you and Kaisha for answering my question about Hallie by the way.
Couplet
- Huh. The Groosalug is in actual fact a terrible monster? Well that little romance certainly didn't last very long!
- I actually thought the baby shrinking would be the plot of an episode for all of a second.
- Ah I see. That was a vision Cordy saw earlier on.
- I'm assuming when Gunn said people might talk about him and Fred he was referring to the rest of the people that were present in the diner? If so, I'm sort of happy they touched on that little point. I personally don't have a problem with it but I'm aware that a black man and a white woman hooking up is a point of contention in several parts of the world.
- Turns out I wasn't entirely wrong when I guessed that a baby changing size would be the plot of this episode cause we're what ten minutes in and Angel is being such a big one already. That being said, I do feel somewhat bad for him though. In fact, the bit with the 'unique book' was probably one of the saddest parts of the episode.
- I'm sure they've done the whole, 'I think my husband is possessed so he must be cheating' shtick so many times before. In fairness though, I can't tell if she's right or not.
- Speaking of which, I wonder if Anita (of the Brothel fame) is the one who has Jerry under her spell?
- I love the idea of a big tree looking for love/food. I'm not entirely sure how this would have been possible but I really wish they'd done more with it.
- I guess it makes sense to a certain degree but I honestly felt it was kind of dumb how the cold inside Angel managed to defeat the tree.
- That was quite a sad little ending. It's made worse by the fact that I don't really like Groo very much.
- The Father will what now?!
- Hmm, let's see... Couplet was quite average in my humble opinion. Exempting that ending – What the F*ck – I don't think there was any part of the episode that was especially noteworthy. I'm tempted to say that Groo was the root of the problem but that would be unfair since I think the actor is good – I just don't like the way the character's written. I think I mentioned this at the end of last season but he feels like too much of a caricature. On a more positive note, I enjoyed Gunn and Fred's little scenes throughout though I jumped ahead after the end of last episode and assumed that everyone would know about their romance by now. As for what I have to properly say about Wesley's discovery, I'm sure I posted that might well happen at some point. I did not expect it to be fated though. What the F*ck. What the F*ck. What the F*ck. They better not drag this out until the end of the show!
- 'I'm teaching him how to die.' Shame on me for thinking that father-son game was authentic albeit in a playing dead kind of way!
- I liked Angel giving out 'mothering' tips - there was something strangely brilliant about it. In actual fact, I really enjoyed that whole scene with him in the doctor's office. It's really cute to see him being protective.
- Why did they switch out Connor's blood? And who on Earth was Wesley ringing?
- I really hope we get to find out more about Lilah's mum as well as what makes her (Lilah) tick.
- Did Wesley just get 'sassed' by a talking hamburger? Well I'll be damned. Now I've seen everything!
- Fingers crossed they don't rush and put all of the portents into this episode even if I can't wait to see them unfold.
- This episode is asking a lot of interesting questions. Why does Sahjan want Angel dead being the most recent and intriguing to me.
- Earthquake!
- Is Wesley going to betray Angel?!
- Fred's really sweet and all and I absolutely adore her but I am a teeny tiny bit surprised that Gunn would trade in all his life's work for a relationship with her.
- That whole scene in Connor's room was kinda suspenseful and I'm not so sure that I trust Wes any more.
- 'Earthquake. Fire. Blood.' O.K so maybe it's not such a bad thing they all happened at once. That was actually really exciting.
- Oh my God that ending – is Angelus back? What if Connor gave him a moment of true happiness?!!!
- I know I asked a lot of questions this time around and didn't really comment on it but this was actually a really cool episode and one I was able to invest in a lot. Wesley was the most interesting character from beginning to end and I'm so unbelievably intrigued to see what he'll do next. I don't think he'll kill Angel's son but he does seem to have been going down a darker path as of late. I also quite liked Holtz's presence here and his recruiting of an army to take down Angel(us) reminds me of what Darla and Dru attempted to unsuccessfully do part the way through Season 2. That being said, I can't really see the finale being that big in scale. Rather, I think it will be something of an intimate piece especially considering what Angel is alleged to do at some point. Angel finales usually are anyway!
- Marc Blucas and Ivana Milicevic. I know who both these people are!
- I don't remember Buffy washing her hands after that. Ew, ew, ew...
- The wedding's in a week – what the Hell?! When did they decide to set that date? I also thought they'd reserve the nuptials for the final season.
- I'm strangely glad that Buffy's not returning to college. I think there's much more storytelling potential out there in the big bad world. I also like how it ties into what Dawn said a couple o' episodes back and how she'll never really be able to have a normal life. (Random thought but I saw a little bit of What's My Line on SyFy the other day and I completely forgot they touched upon more or less the exact same thing when Buffy did her aptitude tests.)
- I'm actually quite surprised that Riley's come back, and disappointed as well. I really liked the ending he got and this sort of ruins that imo.
- I don't know why but it annoyed me that Riley neglected to mention that he was married at first. He must have forgot.
- Controversial perhaps but I think the Doctor should be a woman. ;-)
- Ah so Spike is the Doctor. Erm... O.K. That kind of makes sense. It doesn't really add much tension to the episode though! It might have been more interesting – albeit a little predictable – had the culprit been Riley's wife.
- I really shouldn't enjoy Spike 'teasing' Riley as much as I do.
- That was a bit of a flat ending for creatures that could one day supposedly wipe out humanity.
- I didn't enjoy that ending for Riley nowhere near as much as his previous one. I did smile though when Willow called his wife a bitch.
- Dumb comment perhaps but I can't see that being the end of the road for Buffy and Spike.
- Um... I actually don't really have any strong thoughts about this one. The cynical side of me wonders whether or not it even needs to exist! Not just because I greatly preferred Riley's previous exit as I think I mentioned above but also because they didn't really do anything with the core concept. Since – as Buffy herself pointed out – Riley is sort of like the James Bond of the series (be nice! ;-)) I wish they'd done an episode geared in that direction. Instead, we got something that was largely run of the mill. To surmise, I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Kind of like the season as of late, when I think about it!
- Marc Blucas and Ivana Milicevic. I know who both these people are!
- I don't remember Buffy washing her hands after that. Ew, ew, ew...
- The wedding's in a week – what the Hell?! When did they decide to set that date? I also thought they'd reserve the nuptials for the final season.
- I'm strangely glad that Buffy's not returning to college. I think there's much more storytelling potential out there in the big bad world. I also like how it ties into what Dawn said a couple o' episodes back and how she'll never really be able to have a normal life. (Random thought but I saw a little bit of What's My Line on SyFy the other day and I completely forgot they touched upon more or less the exact same thing when Buffy did her aptitude tests.)
- I'm actually quite surprised that Riley's come back, and disappointed as well. I really liked the ending he got and this sort of ruins that imo.
- I don't know why but it annoyed me that Riley neglected to mention that he was married at first. He must have forgot.
- Controversial perhaps but I think the Doctor should be a woman. ;-)
- Ah so Spike is the Doctor. Erm... O.K. That kind of makes sense. It doesn't really add much tension to the episode though! It might have been more interesting – albeit a little predictable – had the culprit been Riley's wife.
- I really shouldn't enjoy Spike 'teasing' Riley as much as I do.
- That was a bit of a flat ending for creatures that could one day supposedly wipe out humanity.
- I didn't enjoy that ending for Riley nowhere near as much as his previous one. I did smile though when Willow called his wife a bitch.
- Dumb comment perhaps but I can't see that being the end of the road for Buffy and Spike.
- Um... I actually don't really have any strong thoughts about this one. The cynical side of me wonders whether or not it even needs to exist! Not just because I greatly preferred Riley's previous exit as I think I mentioned above but also because they didn't really do anything with the core concept. Since – as Buffy herself pointed out – Riley is sort of like the James Bond of the series (be nice! ;-)) I wish they'd done an episode geared in that direction. Instead, we got something that was largely run of the mill. To surmise, I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Kind of like the season as of late, when I think about it!
I love 'As You Were'. So much character love/progression. Buffy taking her first leap to embracing life and being stronger is one of my favourite moments of the series.
Also, Riley getting the respectful send-off he deserved was well handled. I'm glad that he is happily married, secure and big enough to help Buffy out and give her solid advice. I also love that he wasn't judgemental upon seeing her and Spike together - proves that he really believes his speech about how everybody goes through ups and downs and that it isn't necessarily a reflection of Buffy overall.
Sometimes it takes somebody from the past to remind you of who you were - which I guess the episode title could be interpreted as (although I used to think that the title was a witty way of saying that Riley had temporarily disrupted Buffy's life by coming back and that him leaving again was basically like saying, "you can get back to your pathetic life now"/"as you were")
I don't know why but it annoyed me that Riley neglected to mention that he was married at first. He must have forgot.
Sam = ARGH!!! >:(>:(>:( Seriously! That bloody woman was insufferable! How sickeningly nice she was with everyone was too much; in fact, to me anyway, she came across as totally patronising. Perfect wedding advice for Xander, perfect confidence boosting pep-talk with Willow and gushing to Buffy about how awesome Buffy was...enough!! We get it! Sam and Riley= perfect match - we don't need beating around the head with it! >:( The goodbye scene with the pair of them being pulled back up to the helicopter was ridiculously cheesy too.
*end of rant*
Ah so Spike is the Doctor. Erm... O.K. That kind of makes sense. It doesn't really add much tension to the episode though! It might have been more interesting – albeit a little predictable – had the culprit been Riley's wife.
That whole 'Doctor' term really confuses me. Why would Spike choose that name of all names, considering the last Doc that was around shoved him off Glory's tower and slashed Dawn up. I still don't know if it's linked somehow or if it's just sloppy writing
Um... I actually don't really have any strong thoughts about this one. The cynical side of me wonders whether or not it even needs to exist! Not just because I greatly preferred Riley's previous exit as I think I mentioned above but also because they didn't really do anything with the core concept. Since – as Buffy herself pointed out – Riley is sort of like the James Bond of the series (be nice! ;-)) I wish they'd done an episode geared in that direction. Instead, we got something that was largely run of the mill. To surmise, I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Kind of like the season as of late, when I think about it!
It's basically the starting point for Buffy to get out of her depression. Riley's been used to pretty much shake her into trying to sort out her mess of a life via the little 'hell of a woman' pep-talk plus him reminding Buffy about Spike's nature. The way she's dressed at the end (brighter clothes standing out in Spike's dark crypt) sort of symbolises she's starting to look towards getting back into the light rather than losing herself in the dark. I think it's a brilliantly played out scene and it's a nice touch that Buffy calls him William rather than Spike.
This ep is one of my least favourites of S6, but it still has some good bits; I really love Buffy stunned reaction to Riley when he first shows up - "My hat has a cow" never fails to raise a smile
It's basically the starting point for Buffy to get out of her depression. Riley's been used to pretty much shake her into trying to sort out her mess of a life via the little 'hell of a woman' pep-talk plus him reminding Buffy about Spike's nature. The way she's dressed at the end (brighter clothes standing out in Spike's dark crypt) sort of symbolises she's starting to look towards getting back into the light rather than losing herself in the dark. I think it's a brilliantly played out scene and it's a nice touch that Buffy calls him William rather than Spike.
True, true. For that scene alone the episode was important. I just wish the build up to it had been handled slightly better is all. I didn't really see the need to bring Riley of all people back when someone like maybe Xander could have given her the talk. I know they haven't exactly dated or anything close but I think considering his intense dislike for Spike he could have perhaps given her the wake up call that she needed.
I also really liked the William touch and actually felt a little bad for him too. Not that I don't understand why but people always seem to call him that when they're being brutally honest with him!
EDIT: And I completely missed the Doctor thing. No, I'm afraid I don't understand it either. Him taking over the business though would strike me as the most logical in-universe choice. Then again judging from your reaction I don't expect to see it mentioned again!
True, true. For that scene alone the episode was important. I just wish the build up to it had been handled slightly better is all. I didn't really see the need to bring Riley of all people back when someone like maybe Xander could have given her the talk. I know they haven't exactly dated or anything close but I think considering his intense dislike for Spike he could have perhaps given her the wake up call that she needed.
Xander would have been the worst person to deliver the speech. Do you remember how he reacted when he found out Angel had come back from hell and Buffy was kissing him? Do you remember how he had the audacity to act when Buffy wanted to run away again after he helped kill Angel in the first place? Trust me, Alexander "kick his ass" Harris should be the last person to give her the speech. They needed somebody less judgemental and more objective so that it could be a positive reawakening for Buffy. Not somebody that would tear her down and make her feel awful about herself.
Xander would have been the worst person to deliver the speech. Do you remember how he reacted when he found out Angel had come back from hell and Buffy was kissing him? Do you remember how he had the audacity to act when Buffy wanted to run away again after he helped kill Angel in the first place? Trust me, Alexander "kick his ass" Harris should be the last person to give her the speech. They needed somebody less judgemental and more objective so that it could be a positive reawakening for Buffy. Not somebody that would tear her down and make her feel awful about herself.
Well when you put it like that...!
Sleep Tight
- Fred and Gunn's romance is enduringly sweet.
- Is it just me or has Angel been acting extremely hyperactive so far?
- The reveal that Angel's been drinking Connor's blood is actually a really good twist. Kinda horrific too.
- I didn't catch that Lilah's mum no longer recognised her at first
- Since Sahjan can travel in time and across dimensions I wonder maybe if Angel hasn't pissed him off yet?
- Wesley. Wesley. F**king Wesley! What he just did to Lorne is another really exciting turn of events.
- There's something awfully cruel about Wesley taking Angel's baby away for good without his consent.
- I think it was relatively obvious that Justine was still working with Holtz but I didn't think she'd actually go ahead and slit Wesley's throat!
- 'So we're in the right place?' 'Yeah.' 'Excuse me?' 'Yes Ma'am.'
- Holtz's plan is awful and very different from what I was expecting but I actually think it's worse what Wesley did considering that he and Angel are exceptionally close.
- *I don't care* what happens to Connor just so long as he doesn't end up hurt.
- Oh my God did Holtz kill Connor?!!!!! He did say he was his father now!
- To conclude, that was another good episode which I really enjoyed; there was just so much going on throughout! Ironically though, I don't have all that much to talk about since I was pretty engrossed in the action from when it first took off. The only real gripe I have is with Connor's fate as that sort of feels like taking the easy way out. It's not so much the fact that Holtz stole him away that grinds my gears but rather how Sahjan was able to open this mysterious gateway out of nowhere. I don't think it was ever implied he could that before? On the topic of nitpicks big and small, Angel's reaction also jarred with me a little. Whilst I can understand what the scene was trying to convey, since it unfolded in slow motion the whole thing felt a little melodramatic. I'll led it slide though since it was only a minor niggle and I'm curious to see this twist further explored. I rather obviously feel incredibly bad for Angel and wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. Come to think of it – minus the sympathy – I have near enough the exact same thoughts about Wesley as well. Whatever else happens, their reunion is certainly going to be cut-throat that's for sure.
- Is it just me or has Angel been acting extremely hyperactive so far?
- The reveal that Angel's been drinking Connor's blood is actually a really good twist. Kinda horrific too.
- I didn't catch that Lilah's mum no longer recognised her at first
- Since Sahjan can travel in time and across dimensions I wonder maybe if Angel hasn't pissed him off yet?
- Wesley. Wesley. F**king Wesley! What he just did to Lorne is another really exciting turn of events.
- There's something awfully cruel about Wesley taking Angel's baby away for good without his consent.
- I think it was relatively obvious that Justine was still working with Holtz but I didn't think she'd actually go ahead and slit Wesley's throat!
- 'So we're in the right place?' 'Yeah.' 'Excuse me?' 'Yes Ma'am.'
- Holtz's plan is awful and very different from what I was expecting but I actually think it's worse what Wesley did considering that he and Angel are exceptionally close.
- *I don't care* what happens to Connor just so long as he doesn't end up hurt.
- Oh my God did Holtz kill Connor?!!!!! He did say he was his father now!
- To conclude, that was another good episode which I really enjoyed; there was just so much going on throughout! Ironically though, I don't have all that much to talk about since I was pretty engrossed in the action from when it first took off. The only real gripe I have is with Connor's fate as that sort of feels like taking the easy way out. It's not so much the fact that Holtz stole him away that grinds my gears but rather how Sahjan was able to open this mysterious gateway out of nowhere. I don't think it was ever implied he could that before? On the topic of nitpicks big and small, Angel's reaction also jarred with me a little. Whilst I can understand what the scene was trying to convey, since it unfolded in slow motion the whole thing felt a little melodramatic. I'll led it slide though since it was only a minor niggle and I'm curious to see this twist further explored. I rather obviously feel incredibly bad for Angel and wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. Come to think of it – minus the sympathy – I have near enough the exact same thoughts about Wesley as well. Whatever else happens, their reunion is certainly going to be cut-throat that's for sure.
I'm getting the impression (from the little I've read) that you're enjoying Angel season 3 more than Buffy season 6. I was the same way back then and still think overall Angel season 3 is the better of the two. Which is why it pains me how bad Angel gets mid-way through season 4.
I'm getting the impression (from the little I've read) that you're enjoying Angel season 3 more than Buffy season 6. I was the same way back then and still think overall Angel season 3 is the better of the two. Which is why it pains me how bad Angel gets mid-way through season 4.
Yeah, just a tad. Although I think Buffy Season 6 has had some really good episodes - Once More With Feeling being my favourite thus far - I think it's hit a bit of a bum note as of late. I think Angel on the other hand has been a lot more consistent in quality and I've really engaged with the ongoing arc about Connor and Wesley.
I'll put my thoughts about Hells Bells up a little bit later but regrettably that's not one I enjoyed a great deal either. Fortunately though, I watched Normal Again as well last night - well, early this morning - and I found it to be a major improvement.
- Xander's Mum and Xander's Dad! I'd been hoping we'd get to see them at some point!
- I swear if that old man ruins the wedding...
- Anya can wear whatever she wants on her special day but eye mask... what?
- D'Hoff's back! Yes!
- Ooh time travel episode. It's about time too! Random and potentially dumb thought though – how can Xander be sure the old man is telling the truth?
- Xander's Dad is such a...
- That flash-forward was horrible. Ugh. I really don't like how it was implied Xander killed Anya either (and, no, not just because I don't want Anya to die.) Although I think this future will be averted, I wonder what happened to Buffy as well.
- If Future Xander really wanted to spare Anya's feelings, then why he did wait until her wedding to make his arrival? Then again I suppose it must be a paradox of some sort. Future Xander had to arrive at the wedding because he remembered meeting his future self at the wedding.
- How did Spike get an invitation to the happy occasion? True, he could have just walked in but Buffy did say he had every right to be there.
- 'Um, I'm not sure you should say sex poodle in your vows.'
- I laughed at the band thinking Buffy was the blushing bride and her attempts to keep the crowd entertained.
- Although I quite like the idea of one of Anya's victims wanting revenge, that along with the enormous fight sort of ruined this episode for me. Maybe I'm just a young romantic at heart but I really wanted it to be sentimental and sweet. And before anyone says anything I think some good drama could have come from that too. The above two scenes made it feel too bleak and a bit of a farce. Didn't they sort of do the revenge idea in Triangle anyway?
- Oh my God he jilted her.
- Anya's going to become a Vengeance Demon again? I know there's no guarantee that Willow will become one too but that's got to be a red herring, surely?
- Ouch. This one hurt. That's not to say though I didn't enjoy it but I just really bad for Xander and Anya. I would have really liked to see things work out for them both and that's not just because I enjoy their dynamic. Rather, I think where this episode truly succeeded was in sentiment and in one centred around a wedding I would have liked to have seen some more of it even if it's been pretty obvious for a little while now that all these doubts and insecurities would come to a head. I also didn't like the Fake Future Xander story very much at all and, as I mentioned some way above, I kind of think it managed to spoil the whole thing - both figuratively and literally. Whilst of course it was just pretend - doubly pretend even - I think it kind of clashed with the rest of the episode too much. Essentially, I don't think they quite struck the right balance between happy and sad.
- That being said, there were a couple of positives which I haven't really discussed. Like, I really appreciated the performances by Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon. I also thought Willow and Tara were really good here and I quite liked Buffy and Spike's little encounter as well. I am disappointed by the lack of Giles, and Stag and Hen nights though. I mean who wouldn't have wanted to see the Buffy cast drunk (at this point the detractors of Beer Bad raise their hands.) Ultimately though, this episode didn't really sit that well with me. I suppose though it might be interesting to see Xander and Anya single again?
- And since people are going to no doubt discuss it what did you make of Xander's choice? I for one didn't like it and not just because of the obvious reasons. This might be a controversial idea but Xander really doesn't like his father, right? Well then I don't think he necessarily has to worry about ending up like him then especially if he recognises his behaviour is wrong. The primary reason I didn't like the false flash forward Xander was shown is because I wasn't at all comfortable with the idea of him doing something like that. Since Xander himself was afraid of it happening and didn't want to be that person when he grew up then to be blunt I don't think he has to be if that makes any sense? I empathise with him enormously and can understand why he's scared but his decision is also really frustrating to me because I just wish he knew by now - and thought he did - that he and his Dad are worlds apart.
Happy couples are just not allowed to exist on this show
I kind of hate this episode because I really, really, really wanted Xander and Anya to get married! But Xander's doubts and anxiety were shown at the beginning of S6; his constant excuses to stop them announcing the engagement being an obvious sign, plus 'I'll Never Tell' in Once More, With Feeling . I hate Xander because of his shizzy timing, but I love the fact that he's taking getting married so seriously; that he knows he has to be sure because it really does mean a lifelong commitment to him. I think there's some truth in what Anya said back in The Gift about his motives for proposing, but I also think Xander was trying to show the strength of his love to Anya in his own clumsy way and then he'd dug himself into a hole since the world didn't end...
Bottom line is that Xander has to deal with/get over his own issues before he'll feel comfortable enough for marriage - unfortunately it took until the actual wedding day for him to realise/act on that I also think about how a lot of people swear that they're never going to be anything like their parents, but sometimes the same behaviour seems to creep in anyway; maybe that's what the shot (during the Xander/Anya conversation) with Xander watching his mum and dad was about? If you go into marriage when you're not able to handle it, that's what you'll turn into; someone who's perpetually frustrated (at themselves probably) because they made that choice without looking at the long term. Again, I'm glad Xander's recognised that he's truly not ready for marriage because of his insecurities, it's just the bloody time he's chosen to act on it that's hard to watch. Anya walking down the aisle by herself is so horrible to see
Happy couples are just not allowed to exist on this show
I kind of hate this episode because I really, really, really wanted Xander and Anya to get married! But Xander's doubts and anxiety were shown at the beginning of S6; his constant excuses to stop them announcing the engagement being an obvious sign, plus 'I'll Never Tell' in Once More, With Feeling . I hate Xander because of his shizzy timing, but I love the fact that he's taking getting married so seriously; that he knows he has to be sure because it really does mean a lifelong commitment to him. I think there's some truth in what Anya said back in The Gift about his motives for proposing, but I also think Xander was trying to show the strength of his love to Anya in his own clumsy way and then he'd dug himself into a hole since the world didn't end...
Bottom line is that Xander has to deal with/get over his own issues before he'll feel comfortable enough for marriage - unfortunately it took until the actual wedding day for him to realise/act on that I also think about how a lot of people swear that they're never going to be anything like their parents, but sometimes the same behaviour seems to creep in anyway; maybe that's what the shot (during the Xander/Anya conversation) with Xander watching his mum and dad was about? If you go into marriage when you're not able to handle it, that's what you'll turn into; someone who's perpetually frustrated (at themselves probably) because they made that choice without looking at the long term. Again, I'm glad Xander's recognised that he's truly not ready for marriage because of his insecurities, it's just the bloody time he's chosen to act on it that's hard to watch. Anya walking down the aisle by herself is so horrible to see
And she was so happy about getting married to her best friend beforehand, too.
As an aside, I actually went back and watched some of Once More With Feeling last night - via the means of the karaoke extra - and I just realised that Anya not Xander is the one who sings about getting scared and wanting to run and hide so that was awfully mean on behalf of the writers.
And here's a thought - do you think Xander would have gotten married had the creepy old demon not interfered? I'm undecided but I think the wedding as a whole was something of a shock to his senses.
Normal Again
- Interesting. Buffy seems to have lost her Slaying abilities. It reminds me of the episode Helpless from Season 3.
- Joyce is going to be in this episode!
- I bet Tara and the other girl are just girlfriends of the non lesbian variety.
- 'Great pelting showers of rice and so forth.' Uh... I don't suppose that's a reference to confetti, is it?
- Papa Summers! He always, always appears in episodes relating to Buffy's dreams. I wonder if the writers are perhaps trying to tell us something? ;-)
- Even though I think it would have been incredibly hard to pull off, I'm starting to think at this stage in the game it would have been more effective if we had no idea whether Buffy was hallucinating or not. That being said, this episode is still really cool.
- I also really like how the doctor inferred that The Trio – being vastly different to any Big Bad that's come before – were signs that her delusions were falling apart.
- The scene were Buffy explained about how she was once institutionalised more or less broke my heart; I actually think it was my favourite moment in the season so far. Dumb question perhaps but I don't imagine that happened in the movie, did it?
- 'Cause I can't say glar-'
- This has been a really interesting episode so far and I hope I'm not alone when I say I'm very undecided as to what I want to happen. Essentially, I really want Buffy to snap out of the dreams and go back to normal but I also really want her to get better and make her mum happy.
- I don't know what the general consensus is on Buffy turning against her friends in the end but I for one quite happened to like it. It was handled a bit messy but I can buy that under the influence (of the demon-y thing) she would totally do something like that.
- I'm quite surprised that Tara was integral in the episode's climax. I thought for sure Spike would be the one who saved Buffy in effect from herself. I guess though it's very telling that he did not!
- I feel so bad for imaginary Joyce.
- I don't really have much else to say which I haven't discussed already but I liked this episode and I enjoyed a lot.
Along with 'OMWF', 'Normal Again' is probably the best of S6. I hated Riley's return, with the ridiculous 'Spike is The Doctor' reveal, and didn't really enjoy Xander's non-wedding either.
Really like Normal Again, one of my fave eps. It's another of those quite different ones which actually does get you to think a bit, and makes you wonder what might eb real, what might not...
Couplet
Even though there wasn't much to the plot I do have a soft spot for the episode, in no small part because of DB's little comedic touches of jealousy.
I'm getting the impression (from the little I've read) that you're enjoying Angel season 3 more than Buffy season 6. I was the same way back then and still think overall Angel season 3 is the better of the two. Which is why it pains me how bad Angel gets mid-way through season 4.
I disagree.
Normal Again
I think the plot only really works to its full potential in a movie or a TV show where the audience doesn't know the protagonist. It worked very well in a couple of old Twilight Zone episodes and in the movie Jacob's Ladder. In those, the audience had to keep guessing and were suspenseful to the end. In a long running TV show with established characters the suspense isn't there. ST:TNG did it with Frame of Mind, and then Buffy with Normal Again. In TNG we all knew who Riker really was, and similarly here we all knew who Buffy really was, in both episodes it's just a waiting game to see how things will play out to get back to normal by the episode's end. And yet, it still manages to stand out as being be one of the better episodes of the season imo.
Even though there wasn't much to the plot I do have a soft spot for the episode, in no small part because of DB's little comedic touches of jealousy.
I loved his little facial expressions in this one and other episodes. They're really good.
The most recent episode of Angel I've seen is The Price and I'm also starting to feel the Groosalug love. What else can I say? He makes me laugh.
Forgiving
- Fred's reaction to Conner's departure made me sort of upset.
- If possible, I hate Linwood more than Holland. Remind me never to become a lawyer!
- Is there an actual reason why Cordelia hasn't been in these past couple of episodes? I imagine it was something to do with Charisma's happy news? A main character has never been absent for this long before.
- When Angel hovered the spindle in front of Linwood's eye, I was immediately reminded of the 'magic trick the Joker did in The Dark Knight (I know that he used a pencil there and actually followed through but still.)
- I wish they'd done more with the white room and the girl inside but perhaps they'll revisit it in a future episode? Like, how did a little girl cause some poor guy to end up in a mental Asylum? I can understand he'd go crazy if no one was there but... Then again she did seem to make Angel somewhat mad, in the sense that he was both angry and agitated by what she was saying about his missing child. I was also really 'surprised' that Angel was prepared to kill Lilah just like that!
- Speaking of whom, I think Lilah's fantastic. I don't think she'll turn against Wolfram and Hart but I don't think she'll remain entirely loyal to them either.
- Linwood fail!
- I'm somewhat surprised Angel took his time and was nice with the driver of the truck considering how serious and focused he's been up to this point.
- I really didn't like the revelations we got about Sahjan in this episode – anyone else? Whilst his plan did make sense, it annoys me because it means that the last few episodes – in particular Wesley's actions – were effectively all for nothing. Of course I understand that was the intended point – and maybe I'm overreacting a little – but the whole thing feels like a huge slap in the face. I don't know why but I can't really articulate it any better than that – it just feels wrong especially when the reveal in this episode didn't really add all that much to the plot. It doesn't help that Sahjan was so casually indifferent about it (and not in a way that made me hate him, either.) I also think it would have been much more interesting had Sahjan actually been Angel's foe. That being said, the most stupid thing for me is still how Sahjan could only open the Quor-toth only once. I mean, I can buy he used it when he did but it just reminded me of something you'd see on a bad Saturday morning cartoon.
- I wonder if after this we might start to see Justine repent?
- 'You took my son. YOU TOOK MY SON! I'll never forgive you, never... I'LL
KILL YOU!! You're a dead man. YOU HEAR ME!! DEAD!' That was a truly amazing scene; I haven't been able to get it out of my head!
- I refer you back to the short paragraph I wrote about Sahjan if you're curious for my overall thoughts and feelings on this episode cause it sort of killed the whole thing for me. Perhaps I'm being a little unfair but the final encounter with him – which was the crux of this story – felt a little bit anticlimactic especially since we had gotten some quite interesting build up to it in episodes prior. Thinking about it though, the white room scene also annoyed me a tad because it didn't really live up to the mild expectations I had of it either. The scene I enjoyed the most then was the one that defied what I expected to happen. I found that ending scene incredibly shocking and I'm really curious to see where they'll take Angel and Wesley's dynamic. Although I think Season 1 and 2 had the more memorable episodes, I think the third season has far and away been the best yet in terms of the overall arc and its execution.
- 'You took my son. YOU TOOK MY SON! I'll never forgive you, never... I'LL KILL YOU!! You're a dead man. YOU HEAR ME!! DEAD!' That was a truly amazing scene; I haven't been able to get it out of my head! Pillows have never been so scary, right?
It's a great ending, specially coming after Angel calmly tells Wesley that he understands why he did what he did and that what follows are his actions (as opposed to Angelus). I like how DB puts so much into it he spittles all over poor Wesley.
I refer you back to the short paragraph I wrote about Sahjan if you're curious for my overall thoughts and feelings on this episode cause it sort of killed the whole thing for me. Perhaps I'm being a little unfair but the final encounter with him – which was the crux of this story – felt a little bit anticlimactic especially since we had gotten some quite interesting build up to it in episodes prior. Thinking about it though, the white room scene also annoyed me a tad because it didn't really live up to the mild expectations I had of it either. The scene I enjoyed the most then was the one that defied what I expected to happen. I found that ending scene incredibly shocking and I'm really curious to see where they'll take Angel and Wesley's dynamic. Although I think Season 1 and 2 had the more memorable episodes, I think the third season has been the best yet in terms of the overall arc and its execution. It's also given us some really interesting character plots.
The thing to keep in mind is that each season builds on the last and the overall story keeps moving forward.
I loved his little facial expressions in this one and other episodes. They're really good.
The most recent episode of Angel I've seen is The Price and I'm also starting to feel the Groosalug love. What else can I say? He makes me laugh.
Forgiving
- Fred's reaction to Conner's departure made me sort of upset.
- If possible, I hate Linwood more than Holland. Remind me never to become a lawyer!
- Is there an actual reason why Cordelia hasn't been in these past couple of episodes? I imagine it was something to do with Charisma's happy news? A main character has never been absent for this long before.
- When Angel hovered the spindle in front of Linwood's eye, I was immediately reminded of the 'magic trick the Joker did in The Dark Knight (I know that he used a pencil there and actually followed through but still.)
- I wish they'd done more with the white room and the girl inside but perhaps they'll revisit it in a future episode? Like, how did a little girl cause some poor guy to end up in a mental Asylum? I can understand he'd go crazy if no one was there but... Then again she did seem to make Angel somewhat mad, in the sense that he was both angry and agitated by what she was saying about his missing child. I was also really 'surprised' that Angel was prepared to kill Lilah just like that!
- Speaking of whom, I think Lilah's fantastic. I don't think she'll turn against Wolfram and Hart but I don't think she'll remain entirely loyal to them either.
- Linwood fail!
- I'm somewhat surprised Angel took his time and was nice with the driver of the truck considering how serious and focused he's been up to this point.
- I really didn't like the revelations we got about Sahjan in this episode – anyone else? Whilst his plan did make sense, it annoys me because it means that the last few episodes – in particular Wesley's actions – were effectively all for nothing. Of course I understand that was the intended point – and maybe I'm overreacting a little – but the whole thing feels like a huge slap in the face. I don't know why but I can't really articulate it any better than that – it just feels wrong especially when the reveal in this episode didn't really add all that much to the plot. It doesn't help that Sahjan was so casually indifferent about it (and not in a way that made me hate him, either.) I also think it would have been much more interesting had Sahjan actually been Angel's foe. That being said, the most stupid thing for me is still how Sahjan could only open the Quor-toth only once. I mean, I can buy he used it when he did but it just reminded me of something you'd see on a bad Saturday morning cartoon.
- I wonder if after this we might start to see Justine repent?
- 'You took my son. YOU TOOK MY SON! I'll never forgive you, never... I'LL
KILL YOU!! You're a dead man. YOU HEAR ME!! DEAD!' That was a truly amazing scene; I haven't been able to get it out of my head!
- I refer you back to the short paragraph I wrote about Sahjan if you're curious for my overall thoughts and feelings on this episode cause it sort of killed the whole thing for me. Perhaps I'm being a little unfair but the final encounter with him – which was the crux of this story – felt a little bit anticlimactic especially since we had gotten some quite interesting build up to it in episodes prior. Thinking about it though, the white room scene also annoyed me a tad because it didn't really live up to the mild expectations I had of it either. The scene I enjoyed the most then was the one that defied what I expected to happen. I found that ending scene incredibly shocking and I'm really curious to see where they'll take Angel and Wesley's dynamic. Although I think Season 1 and 2 had the more memorable episodes, I think the third season has far and away been the best yet in terms of the overall arc and its execution.
Brilliant ending scene there! I loved it. I have to also agree with you when you say that you're enjoying Angel S3 over Buffy S6. I still feel the same, S6 has it's lovers but also dislikers, I never was crazy about, but S3 is my joint fave season of Angel with S2, with S5 right behind.
First. Episode. You're killing me, Whedon. Or Tara rather!
Ahem.
Having now seen Entropy through to Grave - I wound up marathoning them all last night - there are so many thoughts and feelings I have that I want to share. I'm not going to do that just yet though because I mean talk about overkill but I will say that I found these last few episodes... interesting and compelling to say the least. I am going to post those observations first however because not only I am insanely curious to see how other people reacted but also I think jumping between Buffy and Angel every other episode or something like that at this stage in the game would hurt the discussion more so than usual. It also doesn't help that I haven't seen the end of Angel yet.
And so without further ado I start with Entropy. Also, can I just say before I begin what an awful way for them to get shot of Tara (yeah, sorry, I just had to find a way to work that awful pun in.)
Entropy
- I'm going to be extremely unoriginal and say that Tara dies in this episode hence why the next episode is called Seeing Red?
- I wonder what The Trio are doing with all of those chemicals? I don't believe that was ever explained.
- The idea of the Scoobies getting a dog is so close to meta I love it. I wonder what happened to Miss Kitty Fantastico though? Are we sure they even feed her?
- 'He's got that same look on his face, the one he had that time I highlighted in his Babylon 5 novels. Right before he told his mother on me!' I like Jonathan – I hope the other two don't brutally kill him.
- I enjoyed Xander and Anya's little scene there but take a step back and the whole thing is quite soapy – not that there's anything wrong with that!
- Is it just me who'd like to be a Vengeance Demon for a day? I think I'd enjoy coming up with creative punishments for those who deserve it. (And this review is very bleak and violent so far, isn't it!)
- Anya – I have no words but so many emotions.
- I noticed that gnome straight away. The Trio are the worst spies ever!
- A teeny tiny part of me wanted Spike and Anya to kiss just so see what would happen but that's just bad.
- I wonder if Tara hooking up with Willow at the end and skipping all of the trust building and talking is foreshadowing the fact that things aren't going to work out, and no, not just because Tara is going to die soon either?
- This didn't really feel like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I don't think that necessarily is a bad thing in this case. I didn't really comment on the Xander/Anya/Spike storyline but there's not much I can say without stating the obvious. I do think Xander and Anya's palpable anger is justified though; I think Spike is the one we should actually blame. I don't think he was out to hurt Xander but it annoys me that he's willing to be used by whoever; I suppose that in itself is quite pitiful though? It did annoy me however that Anya criticised Xander for having insecurities after she'd gone and made them worse. Elsewhere, the reaction to Buffy's indiscretions were about what I expected and The Trio continue to annoy me by doing absolutely nothing of worth. I'm also going to say that Tara will now die in Grave and be buried alive. That's what I thought would happen to Joyce when someone mentioned that her death was surprising.
EDIT: And out of curiosity what's the most episodes of Buffy and Angel you've watched in a day? Me? 5 for Buffy and 3 for Angel.
And here's a thought - do you think Xander would have gotten married had the creepy old demon not interfered? I'm undecided but I think the wedding as a whole was something of a shock to his senses.
I can't decide either. He was obviously extremely anxious, but he seemed to be genuinely trying to power through his fears. Part of me thinks that he was just overwhelmed/intimidated by the actual ceremony and, once that was over with, he'd have calmed down and everything would've worked out after all. Then again, he could've made it down the aisle to the altar and bottled it at the vows like they do in Soaps! Unfortunately, we'll never know
Entropy is one of my favourites of S6. I love the montage of Anya trying to get the Scoobies to make wishes against Xander It's also another perfect demonstration of why Xander would be one of the last people Buffy could talk to re sleeping with Spike; he has an inherent hatred of vampires so is too blinkered in his attitude. He looks to Buffy as a paragon of virtue, so the fact that he's discovered that she as just flawed as the next person has really shattered his entire illusion of her. He didn't like the Buffy/Angel relationship, but Angel had humanity in him whereas Xander emphasies Spike's soullessness ( albeit to Anya, but it still resonated with Buffy) which makes it even worse. Then again, when we saw things through his eyes in The Zeppo, Buffy and Angel's relationship came across as extremely melodramatic to him and he never got to see what we got to see, so I can kind of understand why he's very black and white in his attitude.
Anyway, back to Entropy... Dawn is considerably less bratty (which is always a plus!) and is far more bearable when she's intuitive and understanding of Buffy. Willow and Tara's scenes are so bittersweet Anya and Spike's actions are completely belivable to me; Anya did exactly what Buffy did - used Spike for solace and Spike called Buffy's bluff, why wouldn't he? I think Buffy was being far too flippant when she told Spike to move on considering what had happened between them.
Your Q about how many eps in one day? I got Buffy S5 & 6 for Christmas last year and I think I chose about 4 of my favs to watch from each.
Comments
Ah well in that case then I hope you're feeling better!
Thanks to you and Kaisha for answering my question about Hallie by the way.
Couplet
- Huh. The Groosalug is in actual fact a terrible monster? Well that little romance certainly didn't last very long!
- I actually thought the baby shrinking would be the plot of an episode for all of a second.
- Ah I see. That was a vision Cordy saw earlier on.
- I'm assuming when Gunn said people might talk about him and Fred he was referring to the rest of the people that were present in the diner? If so, I'm sort of happy they touched on that little point. I personally don't have a problem with it but I'm aware that a black man and a white woman hooking up is a point of contention in several parts of the world.
- Turns out I wasn't entirely wrong when I guessed that a baby changing size would be the plot of this episode cause we're what ten minutes in and Angel is being such a big one already. That being said, I do feel somewhat bad for him though. In fact, the bit with the 'unique book' was probably one of the saddest parts of the episode.
- I'm sure they've done the whole, 'I think my husband is possessed so he must be cheating' shtick so many times before. In fairness though, I can't tell if she's right or not.
- Speaking of which, I wonder if Anita (of the Brothel fame) is the one who has Jerry under her spell?
- I love the idea of a big tree looking for love/food. I'm not entirely sure how this would have been possible but I really wish they'd done more with it.
- I guess it makes sense to a certain degree but I honestly felt it was kind of dumb how the cold inside Angel managed to defeat the tree.
- That was quite a sad little ending. It's made worse by the fact that I don't really like Groo very much.
- The Father will what now?!
- Hmm, let's see... Couplet was quite average in my humble opinion. Exempting that ending – What the F*ck – I don't think there was any part of the episode that was especially noteworthy. I'm tempted to say that Groo was the root of the problem but that would be unfair since I think the actor is good – I just don't like the way the character's written. I think I mentioned this at the end of last season but he feels like too much of a caricature. On a more positive note, I enjoyed Gunn and Fred's little scenes throughout though I jumped ahead after the end of last episode and assumed that everyone would know about their romance by now. As for what I have to properly say about Wesley's discovery, I'm sure I posted that might well happen at some point. I did not expect it to be fated though. What the F*ck. What the F*ck. What the F*ck. They better not drag this out until the end of the show!
lol give it time. You'll love Groo by the end.
- 'I'm teaching him how to die.' Shame on me for thinking that father-son game was authentic albeit in a playing dead kind of way!
- I liked Angel giving out 'mothering' tips - there was something strangely brilliant about it. In actual fact, I really enjoyed that whole scene with him in the doctor's office. It's really cute to see him being protective.
- Why did they switch out Connor's blood? And who on Earth was Wesley ringing?
- I really hope we get to find out more about Lilah's mum as well as what makes her (Lilah) tick.
- Did Wesley just get 'sassed' by a talking hamburger? Well I'll be damned. Now I've seen everything!
- Fingers crossed they don't rush and put all of the portents into this episode even if I can't wait to see them unfold.
- This episode is asking a lot of interesting questions. Why does Sahjan want Angel dead being the most recent and intriguing to me.
- Earthquake!
- Is Wesley going to betray Angel?!
- Fred's really sweet and all and I absolutely adore her but I am a teeny tiny bit surprised that Gunn would trade in all his life's work for a relationship with her.
- That whole scene in Connor's room was kinda suspenseful and I'm not so sure that I trust Wes any more.
- 'Earthquake. Fire. Blood.' O.K so maybe it's not such a bad thing they all happened at once. That was actually really exciting.
- Oh my God that ending – is Angelus back? What if Connor gave him a moment of true happiness?!!!
- I know I asked a lot of questions this time around and didn't really comment on it but this was actually a really cool episode and one I was able to invest in a lot. Wesley was the most interesting character from beginning to end and I'm so unbelievably intrigued to see what he'll do next. I don't think he'll kill Angel's son but he does seem to have been going down a darker path as of late. I also quite liked Holtz's presence here and his recruiting of an army to take down Angel(us) reminds me of what Darla and Dru attempted to unsuccessfully do part the way through Season 2. That being said, I can't really see the finale being that big in scale. Rather, I think it will be something of an intimate piece especially considering what Angel is alleged to do at some point. Angel finales usually are anyway!
- Doublemeat Palace did stink a bit, didn't it?
- Marc Blucas and Ivana Milicevic. I know who both these people are!
- I don't remember Buffy washing her hands after that. Ew, ew, ew...
- The wedding's in a week – what the Hell?! When did they decide to set that date? I also thought they'd reserve the nuptials for the final season.
- I'm strangely glad that Buffy's not returning to college. I think there's much more storytelling potential out there in the big bad world. I also like how it ties into what Dawn said a couple o' episodes back and how she'll never really be able to have a normal life. (Random thought but I saw a little bit of What's My Line on SyFy the other day and I completely forgot they touched upon more or less the exact same thing when Buffy did her aptitude tests.)
- I'm actually quite surprised that Riley's come back, and disappointed as well. I really liked the ending he got and this sort of ruins that imo.
- I don't know why but it annoyed me that Riley neglected to mention that he was married at first. He must have forgot.
- Controversial perhaps but I think the Doctor should be a woman. ;-)
- Ah so Spike is the Doctor. Erm... O.K. That kind of makes sense. It doesn't really add much tension to the episode though! It might have been more interesting – albeit a little predictable – had the culprit been Riley's wife.
- I really shouldn't enjoy Spike 'teasing' Riley as much as I do.
- That was a bit of a flat ending for creatures that could one day supposedly wipe out humanity.
- I didn't enjoy that ending for Riley nowhere near as much as his previous one. I did smile though when Willow called his wife a bitch.
- Dumb comment perhaps but I can't see that being the end of the road for Buffy and Spike.
- Um... I actually don't really have any strong thoughts about this one. The cynical side of me wonders whether or not it even needs to exist! Not just because I greatly preferred Riley's previous exit as I think I mentioned above but also because they didn't really do anything with the core concept. Since – as Buffy herself pointed out – Riley is sort of like the James Bond of the series (be nice! ;-)) I wish they'd done an episode geared in that direction. Instead, we got something that was largely run of the mill. To surmise, I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Kind of like the season as of late, when I think about it!
I love 'As You Were'. So much character love/progression. Buffy taking her first leap to embracing life and being stronger is one of my favourite moments of the series.
Also, Riley getting the respectful send-off he deserved was well handled. I'm glad that he is happily married, secure and big enough to help Buffy out and give her solid advice. I also love that he wasn't judgemental upon seeing her and Spike together - proves that he really believes his speech about how everybody goes through ups and downs and that it isn't necessarily a reflection of Buffy overall.
Sometimes it takes somebody from the past to remind you of who you were - which I guess the episode title could be interpreted as (although I used to think that the title was a witty way of saying that Riley had temporarily disrupted Buffy's life by coming back and that him leaving again was basically like saying, "you can get back to your pathetic life now"/"as you were")
Thanks
Sam = ARGH!!! >:(>:(>:( Seriously! That bloody woman was insufferable! How sickeningly nice she was with everyone was too much; in fact, to me anyway, she came across as totally patronising. Perfect wedding advice for Xander, perfect confidence boosting pep-talk with Willow and gushing to Buffy about how awesome Buffy was...enough!! We get it! Sam and Riley= perfect match - we don't need beating around the head with it! >:( The goodbye scene with the pair of them being pulled back up to the helicopter was ridiculously cheesy too.
*end of rant*
That whole 'Doctor' term really confuses me. Why would Spike choose that name of all names, considering the last Doc that was around shoved him off Glory's tower and slashed Dawn up. I still don't know if it's linked somehow or if it's just sloppy writing
It's basically the starting point for Buffy to get out of her depression. Riley's been used to pretty much shake her into trying to sort out her mess of a life via the little 'hell of a woman' pep-talk plus him reminding Buffy about Spike's nature. The way she's dressed at the end (brighter clothes standing out in Spike's dark crypt) sort of symbolises she's starting to look towards getting back into the light rather than losing herself in the dark. I think it's a brilliantly played out scene and it's a nice touch that Buffy calls him William rather than Spike.
This ep is one of my least favourites of S6, but it still has some good bits; I really love Buffy stunned reaction to Riley when he first shows up - "My hat has a cow" never fails to raise a smile
True, true. For that scene alone the episode was important. I just wish the build up to it had been handled slightly better is all. I didn't really see the need to bring Riley of all people back when someone like maybe Xander could have given her the talk. I know they haven't exactly dated or anything close but I think considering his intense dislike for Spike he could have perhaps given her the wake up call that she needed.
I also really liked the William touch and actually felt a little bad for him too. Not that I don't understand why but people always seem to call him that when they're being brutally honest with him!
EDIT: And I completely missed the Doctor thing. No, I'm afraid I don't understand it either. Him taking over the business though would strike me as the most logical in-universe choice. Then again judging from your reaction I don't expect to see it mentioned again!
Xander would have been the worst person to deliver the speech. Do you remember how he reacted when he found out Angel had come back from hell and Buffy was kissing him? Do you remember how he had the audacity to act when Buffy wanted to run away again after he helped kill Angel in the first place? Trust me, Alexander "kick his ass" Harris should be the last person to give her the speech. They needed somebody less judgemental and more objective so that it could be a positive reawakening for Buffy. Not somebody that would tear her down and make her feel awful about herself.
Well when you put it like that...!
Sleep Tight
- Fred and Gunn's romance is enduringly sweet.
- Is it just me or has Angel been acting extremely hyperactive so far?
- The reveal that Angel's been drinking Connor's blood is actually a really good twist. Kinda horrific too.
- I didn't catch that Lilah's mum no longer recognised her at first
- Since Sahjan can travel in time and across dimensions I wonder maybe if Angel hasn't pissed him off yet?
- Wesley. Wesley. F**king Wesley! What he just did to Lorne is another really exciting turn of events.
- There's something awfully cruel about Wesley taking Angel's baby away for good without his consent.
- I think it was relatively obvious that Justine was still working with Holtz but I didn't think she'd actually go ahead and slit Wesley's throat!
- 'So we're in the right place?' 'Yeah.' 'Excuse me?' 'Yes Ma'am.'
- Holtz's plan is awful and very different from what I was expecting but I actually think it's worse what Wesley did considering that he and Angel are exceptionally close.
- *I don't care* what happens to Connor just so long as he doesn't end up hurt.
- Oh my God did Holtz kill Connor?!!!!! He did say he was his father now!
- To conclude, that was another good episode which I really enjoyed; there was just so much going on throughout! Ironically though, I don't have all that much to talk about since I was pretty engrossed in the action from when it first took off. The only real gripe I have is with Connor's fate as that sort of feels like taking the easy way out. It's not so much the fact that Holtz stole him away that grinds my gears but rather how Sahjan was able to open this mysterious gateway out of nowhere. I don't think it was ever implied he could that before? On the topic of nitpicks big and small, Angel's reaction also jarred with me a little. Whilst I can understand what the scene was trying to convey, since it unfolded in slow motion the whole thing felt a little melodramatic. I'll led it slide though since it was only a minor niggle and I'm curious to see this twist further explored. I rather obviously feel incredibly bad for Angel and wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. Come to think of it – minus the sympathy – I have near enough the exact same thoughts about Wesley as well. Whatever else happens, their reunion is certainly going to be cut-throat that's for sure.
I'm getting the impression (from the little I've read) that you're enjoying Angel season 3 more than Buffy season 6. I was the same way back then and still think overall Angel season 3 is the better of the two. Which is why it pains me how bad Angel gets mid-way through season 4.
Yeah, just a tad. Although I think Buffy Season 6 has had some really good episodes - Once More With Feeling being my favourite thus far - I think it's hit a bit of a bum note as of late. I think Angel on the other hand has been a lot more consistent in quality and I've really engaged with the ongoing arc about Connor and Wesley.
I'll put my thoughts about Hells Bells up a little bit later but regrettably that's not one I enjoyed a great deal either. Fortunately though, I watched Normal Again as well last night - well, early this morning - and I found it to be a major improvement.
- Xander's Mum and Xander's Dad! I'd been hoping we'd get to see them at some point!
- I swear if that old man ruins the wedding...
- Anya can wear whatever she wants on her special day but eye mask... what?
- D'Hoff's back! Yes!
- Ooh time travel episode. It's about time too! Random and potentially dumb thought though – how can Xander be sure the old man is telling the truth?
- Xander's Dad is such a...
- That flash-forward was horrible. Ugh. I really don't like how it was implied Xander killed Anya either (and, no, not just because I don't want Anya to die.) Although I think this future will be averted, I wonder what happened to Buffy as well.
- If Future Xander really wanted to spare Anya's feelings, then why he did wait until her wedding to make his arrival? Then again I suppose it must be a paradox of some sort. Future Xander had to arrive at the wedding because he remembered meeting his future self at the wedding.
- How did Spike get an invitation to the happy occasion? True, he could have just walked in but Buffy did say he had every right to be there.
- 'Um, I'm not sure you should say sex poodle in your vows.'
- I laughed at the band thinking Buffy was the blushing bride and her attempts to keep the crowd entertained.
- Although I quite like the idea of one of Anya's victims wanting revenge, that along with the enormous fight sort of ruined this episode for me. Maybe I'm just a young romantic at heart but I really wanted it to be sentimental and sweet. And before anyone says anything I think some good drama could have come from that too. The above two scenes made it feel too bleak and a bit of a farce. Didn't they sort of do the revenge idea in Triangle anyway?
- Oh my God he jilted her.
- Anya's going to become a Vengeance Demon again? I know there's no guarantee that Willow will become one too but that's got to be a red herring, surely?
- Ouch. This one hurt. That's not to say though I didn't enjoy it but I just really bad for Xander and Anya. I would have really liked to see things work out for them both and that's not just because I enjoy their dynamic. Rather, I think where this episode truly succeeded was in sentiment and in one centred around a wedding I would have liked to have seen some more of it even if it's been pretty obvious for a little while now that all these doubts and insecurities would come to a head. I also didn't like the Fake Future Xander story very much at all and, as I mentioned some way above, I kind of think it managed to spoil the whole thing - both figuratively and literally. Whilst of course it was just pretend - doubly pretend even - I think it kind of clashed with the rest of the episode too much. Essentially, I don't think they quite struck the right balance between happy and sad.
- That being said, there were a couple of positives which I haven't really discussed. Like, I really appreciated the performances by Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon. I also thought Willow and Tara were really good here and I quite liked Buffy and Spike's little encounter as well. I am disappointed by the lack of Giles, and Stag and Hen nights though. I mean who wouldn't have wanted to see the Buffy cast drunk (at this point the detractors of Beer Bad raise their hands.) Ultimately though, this episode didn't really sit that well with me. I suppose though it might be interesting to see Xander and Anya single again?
- And since people are going to no doubt discuss it what did you make of Xander's choice? I for one didn't like it and not just because of the obvious reasons. This might be a controversial idea but Xander really doesn't like his father, right? Well then I don't think he necessarily has to worry about ending up like him then especially if he recognises his behaviour is wrong. The primary reason I didn't like the false flash forward Xander was shown is because I wasn't at all comfortable with the idea of him doing something like that. Since Xander himself was afraid of it happening and didn't want to be that person when he grew up then to be blunt I don't think he has to be if that makes any sense? I empathise with him enormously and can understand why he's scared but his decision is also really frustrating to me because I just wish he knew by now - and thought he did - that he and his Dad are worlds apart.
I kind of hate this episode because I really, really, really wanted Xander and Anya to get married! But Xander's doubts and anxiety were shown at the beginning of S6; his constant excuses to stop them announcing the engagement being an obvious sign, plus 'I'll Never Tell' in Once More, With Feeling . I hate Xander because of his shizzy timing, but I love the fact that he's taking getting married so seriously; that he knows he has to be sure because it really does mean a lifelong commitment to him. I think there's some truth in what Anya said back in The Gift about his motives for proposing, but I also think Xander was trying to show the strength of his love to Anya in his own clumsy way and then he'd dug himself into a hole since the world didn't end...
Bottom line is that Xander has to deal with/get over his own issues before he'll feel comfortable enough for marriage - unfortunately it took until the actual wedding day for him to realise/act on that
And she was so happy about getting married to her best friend beforehand, too.
As an aside, I actually went back and watched some of Once More With Feeling last night - via the means of the karaoke extra - and I just realised that Anya not Xander is the one who sings about getting scared and wanting to run and hide so that was awfully mean on behalf of the writers.
And here's a thought - do you think Xander would have gotten married had the creepy old demon not interfered? I'm undecided but I think the wedding as a whole was something of a shock to his senses.
Normal Again
- Interesting. Buffy seems to have lost her Slaying abilities. It reminds me of the episode Helpless from Season 3.
- Joyce is going to be in this episode!
- I bet Tara and the other girl are just girlfriends of the non lesbian variety.
- 'Great pelting showers of rice and so forth.' Uh... I don't suppose that's a reference to confetti, is it?
- Papa Summers! He always, always appears in episodes relating to Buffy's dreams. I wonder if the writers are perhaps trying to tell us something? ;-)
- Even though I think it would have been incredibly hard to pull off, I'm starting to think at this stage in the game it would have been more effective if we had no idea whether Buffy was hallucinating or not. That being said, this episode is still really cool.
- I also really like how the doctor inferred that The Trio – being vastly different to any Big Bad that's come before – were signs that her delusions were falling apart.
- The scene were Buffy explained about how she was once institutionalised more or less broke my heart; I actually think it was my favourite moment in the season so far. Dumb question perhaps but I don't imagine that happened in the movie, did it?
- 'Cause I can't say glar-'
- This has been a really interesting episode so far and I hope I'm not alone when I say I'm very undecided as to what I want to happen. Essentially, I really want Buffy to snap out of the dreams and go back to normal but I also really want her to get better and make her mum happy.
- I don't know what the general consensus is on Buffy turning against her friends in the end but I for one quite happened to like it. It was handled a bit messy but I can buy that under the influence (of the demon-y thing) she would totally do something like that.
- I'm quite surprised that Tara was integral in the episode's climax. I thought for sure Spike would be the one who saved Buffy in effect from herself. I guess though it's very telling that he did not!
- I feel so bad for imaginary Joyce.
- I don't really have much else to say which I haven't discussed already but I liked this episode and I enjoyed a lot.
Even though there wasn't much to the plot I do have a soft spot for the episode, in no small part because of DB's little comedic touches of jealousy.
I agree.
I disagree.
Normal Again
I think the plot only really works to its full potential in a movie or a TV show where the audience doesn't know the protagonist. It worked very well in a couple of old Twilight Zone episodes and in the movie Jacob's Ladder. In those, the audience had to keep guessing and were suspenseful to the end. In a long running TV show with established characters the suspense isn't there. ST:TNG did it with Frame of Mind, and then Buffy with Normal Again. In TNG we all knew who Riker really was, and similarly here we all knew who Buffy really was, in both episodes it's just a waiting game to see how things will play out to get back to normal by the episode's end. And yet, it still manages to stand out as being be one of the better episodes of the season imo.
I loved his little facial expressions in this one and other episodes. They're really good.
The most recent episode of Angel I've seen is The Price and I'm also starting to feel the Groosalug love. What else can I say? He makes me laugh.
Forgiving
- Fred's reaction to Conner's departure made me sort of upset.
- If possible, I hate Linwood more than Holland. Remind me never to become a lawyer!
- Is there an actual reason why Cordelia hasn't been in these past couple of episodes? I imagine it was something to do with Charisma's happy news? A main character has never been absent for this long before.
- When Angel hovered the spindle in front of Linwood's eye, I was immediately reminded of the 'magic trick the Joker did in The Dark Knight (I know that he used a pencil there and actually followed through but still.)
- I wish they'd done more with the white room and the girl inside but perhaps they'll revisit it in a future episode? Like, how did a little girl cause some poor guy to end up in a mental Asylum? I can understand he'd go crazy if no one was there but... Then again she did seem to make Angel somewhat mad, in the sense that he was both angry and agitated by what she was saying about his missing child. I was also really 'surprised' that Angel was prepared to kill Lilah just like that!
- Speaking of whom, I think Lilah's fantastic. I don't think she'll turn against Wolfram and Hart but I don't think she'll remain entirely loyal to them either.
- Linwood fail!
- I'm somewhat surprised Angel took his time and was nice with the driver of the truck considering how serious and focused he's been up to this point.
- I really didn't like the revelations we got about Sahjan in this episode – anyone else? Whilst his plan did make sense, it annoys me because it means that the last few episodes – in particular Wesley's actions – were effectively all for nothing. Of course I understand that was the intended point – and maybe I'm overreacting a little – but the whole thing feels like a huge slap in the face. I don't know why but I can't really articulate it any better than that – it just feels wrong especially when the reveal in this episode didn't really add all that much to the plot. It doesn't help that Sahjan was so casually indifferent about it (and not in a way that made me hate him, either.) I also think it would have been much more interesting had Sahjan actually been Angel's foe. That being said, the most stupid thing for me is still how Sahjan could only open the Quor-toth only once. I mean, I can buy he used it when he did but it just reminded me of something you'd see on a bad Saturday morning cartoon.
- I wonder if after this we might start to see Justine repent?
- 'You took my son. YOU TOOK MY SON! I'll never forgive you, never... I'LL
KILL YOU!! You're a dead man. YOU HEAR ME!! DEAD!' That was a truly amazing scene; I haven't been able to get it out of my head!
- I refer you back to the short paragraph I wrote about Sahjan if you're curious for my overall thoughts and feelings on this episode cause it sort of killed the whole thing for me. Perhaps I'm being a little unfair but the final encounter with him – which was the crux of this story – felt a little bit anticlimactic especially since we had gotten some quite interesting build up to it in episodes prior. Thinking about it though, the white room scene also annoyed me a tad because it didn't really live up to the mild expectations I had of it either. The scene I enjoyed the most then was the one that defied what I expected to happen. I found that ending scene incredibly shocking and I'm really curious to see where they'll take Angel and Wesley's dynamic. Although I think Season 1 and 2 had the more memorable episodes, I think the third season has far and away been the best yet in terms of the overall arc and its execution.
It's a great ending, specially coming after Angel calmly tells Wesley that he understands why he did what he did and that what follows are his actions (as opposed to Angelus). I like how DB puts so much into it he spittles all over poor Wesley.
The thing to keep in mind is that each season builds on the last and the overall story keeps moving forward.
Brilliant ending scene there! I loved it. I have to also agree with you when you say that you're enjoying Angel S3 over Buffy S6. I still feel the same, S6 has it's lovers but also dislikers, I never was crazy about, but S3 is my joint fave season of Angel with S2, with S5 right behind.
However I prefer Buffy S7 over Angel S4.
Ahem.
Having now seen Entropy through to Grave - I wound up marathoning them all last night - there are so many thoughts and feelings I have that I want to share. I'm not going to do that just yet though because I mean talk about overkill but I will say that I found these last few episodes... interesting and compelling to say the least. I am going to post those observations first however because not only I am insanely curious to see how other people reacted but also I think jumping between Buffy and Angel every other episode or something like that at this stage in the game would hurt the discussion more so than usual. It also doesn't help that I haven't seen the end of Angel yet.
And so without further ado I start with Entropy. Also, can I just say before I begin what an awful way for them to get shot of Tara (yeah, sorry, I just had to find a way to work that awful pun in.)
Entropy
- I'm going to be extremely unoriginal and say that Tara dies in this episode hence why the next episode is called Seeing Red?
- I wonder what The Trio are doing with all of those chemicals? I don't believe that was ever explained.
- The idea of the Scoobies getting a dog is so close to meta I love it. I wonder what happened to Miss Kitty Fantastico though? Are we sure they even feed her?
- 'He's got that same look on his face, the one he had that time I highlighted in his Babylon 5 novels. Right before he told his mother on me!' I like Jonathan – I hope the other two don't brutally kill him.
- I enjoyed Xander and Anya's little scene there but take a step back and the whole thing is quite soapy – not that there's anything wrong with that!
- Is it just me who'd like to be a Vengeance Demon for a day? I think I'd enjoy coming up with creative punishments for those who deserve it. (And this review is very bleak and violent so far, isn't it!)
- Anya – I have no words but so many emotions.
- I noticed that gnome straight away. The Trio are the worst spies ever!
- A teeny tiny part of me wanted Spike and Anya to kiss just so see what would happen but that's just bad.
- I wonder if Tara hooking up with Willow at the end and skipping all of the trust building and talking is foreshadowing the fact that things aren't going to work out, and no, not just because Tara is going to die soon either?
- This didn't really feel like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I don't think that necessarily is a bad thing in this case. I didn't really comment on the Xander/Anya/Spike storyline but there's not much I can say without stating the obvious. I do think Xander and Anya's palpable anger is justified though; I think Spike is the one we should actually blame. I don't think he was out to hurt Xander but it annoys me that he's willing to be used by whoever; I suppose that in itself is quite pitiful though? It did annoy me however that Anya criticised Xander for having insecurities after she'd gone and made them worse. Elsewhere, the reaction to Buffy's indiscretions were about what I expected and The Trio continue to annoy me by doing absolutely nothing of worth. I'm also going to say that Tara will now die in Grave and be buried alive. That's what I thought would happen to Joyce when someone mentioned that her death was surprising.
EDIT: And out of curiosity what's the most episodes of Buffy and Angel you've watched in a day? Me? 5 for Buffy and 3 for Angel.
... An entire season.
I can't decide either. He was obviously extremely anxious, but he seemed to be genuinely trying to power through his fears. Part of me thinks that he was just overwhelmed/intimidated by the actual ceremony and, once that was over with, he'd have calmed down and everything would've worked out after all. Then again, he could've made it down the aisle to the altar and bottled it at the vows like they do in Soaps! Unfortunately, we'll never know
Entropy is one of my favourites of S6. I love the montage of Anya trying to get the Scoobies to make wishes against Xander
Anyway, back to Entropy... Dawn is considerably less bratty (which is always a plus!) and is far more bearable when she's intuitive and understanding of Buffy. Willow and Tara's scenes are so bittersweet
Your Q about how many eps in one day? I got Buffy S5 & 6 for Christmas last year and I think I chose about 4 of my favs to watch from each.