Joyce Summers
Kristine Sutherland
First appearance: Welcome to the Hell Mouth
latest appearance: Becoming, part 2
I'm very ambivalent about Joycie Summers. (I do prefer Ted's nickname for her, though...) Some episodes I like her, some I just want to see her get a good drop kick. Ted, I couldn't stand her, but Ted was drugging her, and then he died so I guess I can't really hold it against her. She was kinda cool at the end. Bad Eggs was definately the low point for Joycie. She's was just so damn clueless, and mean. I mean, she never even listens to Buffy's story. Of course, Buffy is a terrible liar and generally makes up stupid stories but still. And then, at the end, she didn't even wait for Buffy to explain why she wasn't in the library during a gas leak. She should have gotten thrown against a wall. All Buffy did was save them all from being slaves to a giant blob for the rest of their lives, and what did she get? Grounded.
Joycie started to grow on me since then, however. Since Innocence, she become a little more supportive of Buffy, especially when Jenny died. In Killed by Death she showed her very human side with Giles, and I liked her being a slave to Buffy at the end of the ep. However, It was Becoming, part 2 that did it. Kristine's portrayal as Joycie finally learned the truth was so honest that I even felt really bad for her. It wasn't like she said "oh, you're a vampire slayer, I guess that explains it all. Good luck!!" but at the same time she couldn't not believe her since she saw the man explode. She tried in every way she could to get Buffy from leaving, and failed, losing her for good. (or so it seems.) How the dynamic between the two will work when Buffy comes home I don't know, but with Joyce finally in on the secret, everything will be different. Plus, we can see if the Giles/Joyce dynamic goes anywhere, (truthfully, I hope not). My personal opinion is that Spike and Joyce should hook up, since their scene was among the best in B2, but somehow, I doubt it. Maybe she'd be good with Principal Snyder...
Principal Snyder (the troll)
Armin Shimerman
First appearance: Puppet ShowLastest appearance: Becoming, part 2
I didn't like Principal Snyder at first, and wanted Spike to kill him. However, he kinda grew on me. Like a wart. I still don't like him, but don't want to see him go anywhere. I call him the troll 'cause that's what he looks like. He's obviously evil. He, the mayor, and police chief Bob know about the Hellmouth, know about vampires, and probably know about Buffy. That's why Snyder is so keen to get rid of her. A less likely scenerio is that Snyder, Bob, and the Mayor are good guys, trying to protect the city, and don't know about the Slayer and figure Buffy must be up to no good, since she knows about what's going on. Still, I like the Snyder is a demon theory more. I bet he wants to open the Hell Mouth himself. The best Snyder quote ever: "In case you haven't noticed, the police of Sunnydale are deeply stupid." At last, an explanation for why so many people die and no one thinks a thing about it.
Harmony
Mercedes McNab
appearance: The Harvest, Invisible Girl, Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
As if Harmony would ever ware an outfit this trashy! I mean, this beats what Cordelia wore into the armory in Innocence. (not that I'm complaining about it!) She is much more Harmony-like in the picture to the right. Actually, I think that she is very beautiful.
Of all the very minor guest stars, she is my favorite. She has absolutely no character depth whatsoever. In fact, I think Harmony is about the shallowest character on any tv show. She was all mean to Cordelia, and then as soon as Cordy lets her have it she goes into full pout mode. And do we want to talk pathetic? "there just two other girls he's going to ask first, and if they refuse..." You'd actually want to hang around with someone like that? That's why I love Harmony so much. She personifies everything I hated about some of the girls I knew in high school, and she is a total follower with no mind of her own. Cordelia is right. She's a sheep.
Amy Madison
Elizabeth Anne Allen
Appearances: The Witch, Bewitched, Bothered, and BewilderedI think Amy is my favorite guest star, my obsession with Harmony not withstanding. I finally have seen The Witch, and Amy was such a bitch, but I really liked Catherine. Of course, Amy was Catherine and Catherine was Amy, so that may have been part of it. You just had to feel sorry for her, since her mom was a psychopath. i liked her at the end. "I know I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling out words with my hands," and she wore cool hippy clothes. I like cool hippy clothes (not as much as tight Cordy clothes, but still...) Amy didn't come back until BBB, one of my favorite episodes of all times. Amy revealed that she inherited the witch-gene from her mom, but she really only used it to do things like "invisable homework," which actually would be pretty nice. That is, until Xander blackmailed her into putting the love whammy on Cordy. I know she botched the spell on purpose. The looks she got as she said "I need a personal object" said it all. Plus, anyone with half a brain knows that while Diana is indeed the goddess of the hunt, she is not the goddess of love, Venus (or Aphrodite) is. Hell, even Hercules, the Lengendary Journeys gets that right. (By the way, Aphrodite on that show is really hot...) Anyway, she prayed to the virgin goddess of the hunt, and Xander was hunted until she broke the spell. What else was cool was that Amy's idea of loving Xander was breaking the spell so he'd be safe. I mean, Joycie and Willow wanted to kill him, Jenny Calendar couldn't be bothered to help them since she wanted him so badly, the lunch lady was going to beat him with a rolling pin, and even Drusilla got in on the action. Amy's the only one (besides Buffy, who Amy did turn into a rat) who was able to keep her obsession in check to help Giles. Go Amy. I look forward to another Amy ep.
Ethan Rayne
Robin Sachs
appearances: Halloween, The Dark AgeEthan Rayne is a psychopath. He'd be good with Catherine the Great. Ethan was one of Giles friends from way back when, when they used to get into all kinds of wacky mischief like rock and roll, joy riding, and summoning up demons to get high. (Why they just didn't smoke pot of do some LSD like everyone else in the '60's is beyond me, but you know those Brits...) Anyway Ethan and "Ripper," as Giles was known as back in the day, found this spell to conjure up Eyghon and become possessed, which would produce a Euphoric High. they stopped after someone died. Ethan came back to Sunnydale in Halloween and opened up a costume shop, and then proceeded to turn everyone into their costumes until Giles stopped him. He returned in The Dark Age because Eyghon had returned. He tired to sacrifice Buffy to Eyghon, (who had possessed Jenny Calendar), but she got away and Angel killed Eyghon. Ethan escaped into the night, but he's sure to turn up since I bet we haven't heard all of the wacky times he and Ripper had in London...
Marcie Ross
Clea DuVall
Appearance: Invisible Girl