Beauty and the Beasts

And then I only had one episode to finish out the disc! How could I not?

Turns out, easily. And I shouldn't have. Although I guess I should be glad that this episode taught me that domestic violence is bad. BAD. And so is creating a potion that turns you into Mr. Hyde. BAD.

Also, I've always felt this way, but Angel's dramatic return at the very end of the episode feels a little unearned to me. I can't really explain why, because I know it all gets explained and we learn that he suffered unimaginably, yadda yadda yadda, and yet... the eerily-lit claddagh ring tinkling on the ground still makes me say, "Eh."

Faith, Hope, and Trick

So I was going to nap after the last episode. But then I realized that this was the next one. I always forget that Faith and Mr. Trick, two AWESOME characters, were introduced at the exact same time.

We have a group of friends that has a duck. Not Duck, actually, is his proper name. And Not Duck has traveled the world and met many celebrities. Now, during our tenure in Chicago, as subscribers to Steppenwolf Theatre, we saw lots of moderately famous actors perform, but we never felt the need to wait by the stage door to meet them. Until, that is, K. Todd Freeman, Mr. Trick himself, appeared in Steppenwolf's Tempest. The only time we've lurked at the stage door. So worth it!

So clearly, I am a fan of Mr. Trick and, as such, I'm a fan of this episode. While the so-old-he's-cloven-hooved Kakeestos (sp?) is a little lazily reminiscent of the Master and Faith's overcome-your-fear-and-be-a-stronger-person storyline is cliched, I'm willing to forgive thanks to the very fact that this episode brought Mr. Trick and Faith into the Buffyverse. Also, I remain obsessed with the line, "Sunnydale ain't exactly a haven for the brothers."

(And for the record, K. Todd Freeman made an excellent Caliban.)

Dead Man's Party

Last weekend saw the perfect storm of me not feeling well and the kid being more tantrum-y than usual. A nap was in the cards, except I suspected I wouldn't actually sleep, given that being horizontal inevitably led to not being able to breathe through my nose. It was the perfect time to resurrect Buffython! Except then, clearly, I didn't feel like actually writing anything when I was done. So I dashed down a few notes, but we'll see what happens here.

This ep is necessary , but kind of boring. Yes, Buffy's loved ones needed the chance to vent, but the set-up is overly contrived. And also, given that Joyce was all excited about having a nice dinner party, why did she allow the gathering to turn into a high school kegger? - what kind of mom doesn't shut the party down BEFORE the rock band sets up their equipment? In other news, I've clearly gotten spoiled by watching Walking Dead, because DAMN this was some weak zombie make-up.

To be fair, this episode does have some stuff to recommend it. First and foremost: Jonathan! Addressed by Buffy (during the epic blow-out in which her friends finally tell her that running away was a selfish bitchcake move) as "you, by the dip, do you have anything to say?" (He responds, hilariously mid-dip, "No... I'm good.") Also, Giles' immortal line, often repeated in our house, "Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead! AMERICANS."

Mostly, though, the episode remains one long round of set-up. Buffy gets back into school and into her friends' good graces and the Mayor continues to be obliquely referred to in ominous tones.