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Kitty

Season Regulars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz as Angel
Seth Green as Oz
Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

Anne
Original Airdate:9/29/98
Written and directed by Joss Whedon
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Julia Lee as Lily, Carlos Jacott as Ken.
Summary:While living in LA, Buffy has to save some homeless people from a demon who is taking them to hell. Meanwhile, the gang tries to fight vampires in Sunnydale.
Highlight(s):Oz throwing the stake at the vampire and missing terribly, and Buffy's smart response while in Hell. "I'm Buffy, the vampire slayer, and you are?"
Quote of the week:Buffy: I don't want any trouble. I just wanna be alone and quiet in a room with a chair and a fireplace and a tea cozy. I don't even know what a tea cozy is, but I want one.
Fun Facts:Carlos Jacott, who plays Ken, is also in the Angel episode The Bachelor Party. Julia Lee also played her character in Lie To Me and later appears in 3 episodes of Angel, including the series finale.
Comments:Not bad. But as season openers go, a little weak. But it does manage to pick up some of the pieces from Becoming rather nicely. The whole Ken/hell thing is a little on the lame side. The fight scene was cool though. "That was not permitted!" "Yeah, but it was fun." And finally our Buffster comes home. What makes me really mad is that fact that Joyce blmaces Giles for Buffy leaving, when she kicked her out! -_-
Rating:7/10

Dead Man's Party
Original Airdate:10/6/98
Written by Marti Noxon, directed by James Whitmore, Jr.
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Nancy Lenehan as Pat, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Jason Hall as Devon, Danny Strong as Jonathan.
Summary:Buffy's welcome home party is interrupted by zombies.
Highlight(s):Giles muttering to himself in the car. "'Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead.' Americans!" And Buffy welcoming Giles to her house. "Welcome to the Hellmouth Petting Zoo."
Quote of the week:Oz: Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings. Shindig: dip, less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage. And hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny.
Fun Facts:Yet another lovely example of parties for Buffy gone wrong. This episode also introduces the Espresso Pump.
Comments:A solid episode. Nice follow up to last week. The issues surrounding Buffy's desertion are mostly dealt with in a rather public argument, and then everyone works out their frustrations by kicking a little zombie booty. Overrall fun.
Rating:8/10

Faith, Hope and Trick
Original Airdate:10/13/98
Written by David Greenwalt, directed by James A. Contner
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Trick, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Fab Filippo as Scott Hope, Jeremy Roberts as Kakistos.
Summary:A new slayer arrives in Sunnydale, as well as a new love interest for Buffy and a few nasty vamps.
Highlight(s):Giles daydreaming about the Watcher's retreat. "It's a great honor to be invited. Or so I'm told."
Quote of the week:FAITH: The whole summer it was, like, the worst heat wave. So it's about a hundred and eighteen degrees and I'm sleeping without a stitch on. And all of a sudden, I hear this screaming from outside. So I go tearing out, stark nude, and this church bus has broke down, and there's these three vamps feasting on half the Baptists in South Boston. So I waste the vamps, and the preacher comes up, and he's hugging me like there's no tomorrow, when all of a sudden, the cops pull up and they arrested us both.
XANDER: Wow. They should film that story and show it every Christmas.
Fun Facts:This episode introduces three important characters: Faith, who will last until the end of the series, Scott Hope, who will only last a few episodes, and Mr. Trick, who will last most of the season.
Comments:This is an episode that's chock full of plot. Lots of new characters are introduced, setting up the rest of the season. One thing that bugs me is Faith's fear of Kakistos. Seems a little out of character. And Angel comes back! Yayness! Overrall a good episode.
Rating:8.5/10

Beauty and the Beasts
Original Airdate:10/20/98
Written by Marti Noxon, directed by James Whitmore, Jr.
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Fab Filippo as Scott Hope, John Patrick White as Pete, Danielle Weeks as Debbie, Phill Lewis as Mr. Platt.
Summary:Oz is a suspect when a student is mauled, but then Buffy learns Angel is back. The group gets pulled into a frightening Jekyll/Hyde romance with students Debbie and Pete.
Highlight(s):Cordelia once again stating the obvious: "Oz ate someone last night." And this: "In a few minutes, something going to happen that you probably won't believe...(Pete morphs) Or ya might."
Quote of the week:WILLOW: I've been at Mister Donut since the TV did that snowy thing. How come *you're* the Wakey Girl? I mean, this time, it's not your boyfriend who's the cold-blooded... (sees Oz) Jelly doughnut?
And later...
GILES: Our task now is to determine what sort of killer we *are* dealing with. Clearly, we're looking for a depraved, sadistic animal.
OZ: (comes in) Present. Hey, I may be a cold-blooded jelly doughnut, but my timing is impeccable.
Fun Facts:The voice overs are from Jack London's novel Call of the Wild. The alternate title for this episode is "All Men Are Beasts."
Comments:Didn't love the whole Debbie/Pete thing. But loved the Angel being back, and the Oz moments.
Rating:7.5/10

Homecoming
Original Airdate:11/3/98
Written and directed by David Greenwalt
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Trick, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Jack Plotnick as Allan Finch, Jeremy Ratchford as Lyle Gorch, Fab Filippo as Scott Hope, Danny Strong as Jonathan.
Summary:Buffy and Cordelia vie for the Homecoming Queen title, and outsmart Mr. Trick and some other baddies during Slayer Fest 98.
Highlight(s):Too many to count! Cordy hitting the demon with the spatula, her classic line: "Hello? How stupid are you people! She's a slayer, I'm a Homecoming Queen!" and the ending, where neither of them wins, and the clothes fluke!
Quote of the week:CORDELIA: I don't even get why you care about Homecoming when you're doing stuff like this.
BUFFY: Because this is all I do. This is what my life is. You couldn't understand. I just thought... Homecoming Queen. I could pick up a yearbook someday and say, I was there. I went to high school, I had friends, and... for one moment, I got to live in the world. And there'd be proof. Proof that I was chosen for something other than this. Besides...(pumps rifle) I look cute in a tiara.
Fun Facts:Sarah Michelle Gellar broke a bone in her hand during the filming of this episode, and you can see the bandage during her scene with the board in the library. Harry Groener makes his first appearance as the Mayor in this episode, although he has been mentioned before.
Comments:I absolutely love this episode. There are so many classic, hilarious moments. And I love W/X. I have always liked them together, but let it be known I am not obsessive, because I do like other pairings, like W/O, W/T, and X/A. But the "fluke" was a long time coming (See When She Was Bad and Becoming Part 2), and the scene was adorable. And the ending, just when you think "aww, they both won" it's the other two girls. -_- A pure classic that I could watch again and again, and occasionally do.
Rating:9.5/10

Band Candy
Original Airdate:11/10/98
Written by Jane Espenson, directed by Michael Lange
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Trick, Robin Sachs as Ethan Rayne, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III.
Summary:Some tainted band candy reverts all the adults to their teenage selves to distract Buffy while the Mayor makes tribute to a demon.
Highlight(s):W/X footsie, Snyder hanging with the gang, Buffy's driving, and every second of Giles.
Quote of the week:Snyder: Whoa, Summers! You drive like a spaz!
Fun Facts:Buffy finds out how far Giles and Joyce really got in Earshot. In Forever, Giles listens to the same song that he listened to with Joyce in this episode to remember her. Also, Ethan makes his third out of four appearances. This is also the debut of writer Jane Espenson, who is with the series till the end and also writes two episodes of Angel, Rm W/A Vu and Guise Will Be Guise.
Comments:Another pure classic. This episode is great, love Giles and Joyce. Slightly disturbing though. Snyder is hilarious. "I took Tae Kwan Do at the Y!" And we understand why Buffy's mom doesn't let her drive. Great fun.
Rating:9.5/10

Revelations
Original Airdate:11/17/98
Written by Douglas Petrie, directed by James A. Contner
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Serena Scott Thomas as Gwendolyn Post.
Summary:A new Watcher arrives in town for Faith, but turns out to have other intentions regarding an evil weapon. Meanwhile, the gang learns that Angel is very back.
Highlight(s):B/A kissage! Finally!
Quote of the week:Giles: That was bracing.
Buffy: Interesting lady. Can we kill her?
Giles: I think the Council might frown upon that.
Fun Facts:Serena Scott Thomas played Princess Diana in the 1993 controversial TV movie. Doug Petrie also wrote the movie Harriet The Spy, which starred Michelle Trachtenberg.
Comments:This is another solid episode. Finally the gang finds out that Angel's back, in the worst way possible, and the confrontation is just as horrible as you would imagine. Giles is most upset, while Xander takes another opportunity to lash out at Buffy. Has anyone noticed that he really doesn't like Angel? The Gwendolyn Post story is okay too. "She was kicked out by the Council a couple of years ago for 'misuses of dark power.' They swear there was a memo." Haha.
Rating:8.5/10

Lovers Walk
Original Airdate:11/24/98
Written by Dan Vebber, directed by David Semel
Guest Stars:James Marsters as Spike, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Jack Plotnick as Allan Finch.
Summary:Spike returns to Sunnydale after being dumped by Drusilla, and tries to get Willow to perform a love spell. Meanwhile, Cordy and Oz find out about Willow and Xander's smoochies.
Highlight(s):Spike singing in the car at the end. "I did it my way!" And his discussion with Joyce. "Oh, she was out of her mind. It's what I miss most about her."
Quote of the week:SPIKE: You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
Fun Facts:James Marsters really set his hand on fire for this episode. Buffy's SAT score was an impressive 1430, Willow scored a 740 verbal, which disappointed her, Cordy did well, and Xander did badly. Also, Charisma Carpenter was actually impaled at the age of 5 years old by a cement construction bar, which left a large scar. This marks James Marsters' only appearance of the season, yet he is featured on one of the season 3 dvds.
Comments:This is possibly my favorite episode of a series ever, with the possible exception of OMWF. It has everything: humor, angst, drama, fighting, and Spike! The W/X relationship ends in a heartbreaking way, and it makes it look like Cordy died (thankfully she didn't). And Spike is perfection. He makes Buffy and Angel realize that they're not just friends, and they temporarily break up for the first of many times this season. Overrall just an outstanding episode that I love to pieces.
Rating:10/10

The Wish
Original Airdate:12/8/04
Written by Marti Noxon, directed by David Greenwalt
Guest Stars:Mark Metcalf as The Master, Emma Caulfield as Anya/Anyanka, Mercedes McNab as Harmony, Larry Bagby III as Larry, Danny Strong as Jonathan.
Summary:Cordelia makes a wish that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, and comes to realize that things are much better with her around.
Highlight(s):Vamps Willow and Xander! "Bored now!"
Quote of the week:The Master holds up a young girl: Hungry? I've lost my appetite for this one. She keeps looking at me. I'm trying to eat and she looks at me!
Fun Facts:Nicole Bilderback, who plays Harmony's friend that later gets killed by the blood draining machine, starred in Can't Hardly Wait with Seth Green and Bring It On with Clare Kramer and Eliza Dushku. This is the first appearance of Emma Caulfield, who will become a major character in Season 4 and stay until the series' end.
Comments:This is a fun, classic episode. It is interesting to see what Sunnydale would be like without Buffy. It's sad to think that it would be that bad. Aly and Nick are excellent badass vampires, and the end is very cool. See, no other show can get away with killing every main character within a minute and still continue for four more years!
Rating:9/10

Amends
Original Airdate:10/15/98
Written and directed by Joss Whedon
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Eliza Dushku as Faith, Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar, Saverio Guerra as Willy, Shane Barach as Daniel, Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy as Margaret.
Summary:It's Christmas, and Angel is being tormented by the First Evil.
Highlight(s):Xander getting snowed on, Buffy's alarm when Joyce says "Angel on top again?", and the beautiful scene with Buffy and Angel ending with the walk in the snow.
Quote of the week:Angel: It told me to kill you. You were in the dream. You know. It told me to lose my soul in you and become a monster again.
Buffy: I know what it told you. What does it matter?
Angel: Because I wanted to! Because I want you so badly! I want to take comfort in you, and I know it'll cost me my soul, and a part of me doesn't care.
Fun Facts:The weatherman is a real LA weatherman, Mark Kriski. This marks Jenny's second and final appearance after her death in Passion. The Mutant Enemy monster wears a Santa Hat at the end. This episode was promoted with the title "A Buffy Christmas." The First Evil appears again in Season 7.
Comments:This is a sweet episode. We get some great B/A moments, and the end is beautiful. The snow is incredibly fake looking, but that's okay. This is the series' only Christmas episode, and it is very well done.
Rating:9/10

Gingerbread
Original Airdate:1/12/99
Written by Jane Espenson, directed by James Whitmore, Jr.
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy Madison, Blake Swendson as Michael, Jordan Baker as Sheila Rosenberg, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder.
Summary:A pair of dead children leads to Joyce heading a crusade against witchcraft in Sunnydale.
Highlight(s):Oz and Xander crashing through the ceiling after everything is over, Cordelia helping Giles, and Willow pretending to be powerful. "What are you gonna do? Float a pencil at 'em?"
Quote of the week:GILES: Wake up in a... Oh, never mind. We need to save Buffy from Hansel and Gretel.
CORDELIA: Now, let's be clear. The brain damage happened *before* I hit you.
Fun Facts:Roger Morrissey, who plays the demon in this episode, also plays Tapparich in Living Conditions. This is the only appearance of Willow's mother. Her father is never seen. Amy doesn't get deratted for three more years, until Smashed. The fairy tale theme later comes up in Hush.
Comments:This is a fun episode. MOO! The witchcraft theme is front and center for one of the first times, and it is an interesting episode, with the fairy tale twist. But I can't believe they almost burned their daughters at the stake! Oh, and if Giles turned Buffy back to a person so easily in BB&B, why does Willow have such difficulty with Amy? But I still really like this episode.
Rating:9/10

Helpless
Original Airdate:1/19/99
Written by David Fury, directed by James A. Contner
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Harris Yulin as Quentin Travers, Jeff Kober as Zachary Kralik, Dominic Keating as Blair.
Summary:It's Buffy's eighteenth birthday, and Giles is forced to take away her slayer powers as part of a Council rite of passage test.
Highlight(s):Buffy cunningly defeating Kralik, and Willow's obsession that Giles got fired.
Quote of the week: Angel: I saw you before you became the Slayer.
Buffy: What?
Angel: I watched you, and I saw you called. It was a bright afternoon out in front of your school. You walked down the steps... and...and I loved you.
Buffy: Why?
Angel: 'Cause I could see your heart. You held it before you for everyone to see. And I worried that it would be bruised or torn. And more than anything in my life I wanted to keep it safe...to warm it with my own.
Buffy: That's beautiful. Or taken literally, incredibly gross.
Angel: I was just thinking that, too.
Fun Facts:Jeff Kober, who played Kralik, will later play Rack in Season 6. This is also Harris Yulin's first out of three appearances as Quentin. This episode was originally titled '18'. It also continues the tradition of Buffy birthday's gone wrong, one that began last year with Surprise.
Comments:This is a great, unique episode. For the first time we see what Buffy would be like without her powers. We see that her skill isn't just due to her supernatural strength. But I hated how it made Giles look evil! I nearly had a heart attack when it showed him injecting her with the needle! This is also up there with the scariest episodes, for the scene where Buffy and Kralik play hide and seek, complete with the creepy music. This is an excellent episode.
Rating:9.5/10

The Zeppo
Original Airdate:1/26/99
Written by Dan Vebber, directed by James Whitmore, Jr.
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Channon Roe as Jack O'Toole, Saverio Guerra as Willy.
Summary:The gang minus Xander tries to keep the world from ending, while Xander has his own adventure involving his uncle's car, a bunch of dead guys, Faith, and a bomb in the boiler room.
Highlight(s):Giles's dismay that all the jellies are gone (Buffy had three!), Xander's panic when the guys rob the store (I am the criminal element!), his date's bored look while Jack is resurrecting the dead, and Xander screaming like Wesley when the guy gets beheaded by the mailbox.
Quote of the week:GILES: There's something... different about this... menace, something in the air... The stench of death.
XANDER: Yeah, I think it's Bob.
Fun Facts:Whitney Dylan, who plays Xander's date Lysette, appears in the Angel episode There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb as Cordelia's serving wench. Channon Row (Jack) also appears in Can't Hardly Wait with Seth Green and Psycho Beach Party with Nicholas Brendon. Nicholas Brendon says he cried when he read this script because he loved it so much, and this is one of his favorite episodes.
Comments:Okay. So this Dan Vebber dude comes and writes two of the best episodes of the season and then vanishes into the ozone. What gives? This is a hilariously fun episode. It is slightly annoying how the end of the world apocalyptic doom story is actually the B plot, while the episode focuses on Xander's adventures. But in a way that's what makes it fun. It is also a great turning point for Xander: he not only loses his virginity to FAITH of all people, but also deals with something on his own, without help from Buffy.
Rating:9.5/10

Bad Girls
Original Airdate:2/9/99
Written by Douglas Petrie, directed by Michael Lange
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Trick, Jack Plotnick as Allan Finch.
Summary:A new watcher arrives, and Buffy follows in Faith's rebellious ways. Then everything changes when Faith accidentally murders the deputy mayor.
Highlight(s):Every moment with Wesley: Buffy, Giles, and Faith's reactions to him, and his panicky attitude when kidnapped.
Quote of the week:WESLEY: Oh, God! Oh, God!
GILES: (calmly) It doesn't seem too promising, does it?
WESLEY: Stay calm, Mr. Giles. We have to stay calm.
GILES: Well, thank God you're here. I was planning to panic.
Fun Facts:This is Alexis Denisof's first appearance as Wesley. He will jump to Angel next year and stay for the rest of the series. This is Jack Plotnick's fourth and final appearance as Allan Finch. When Xander runs through the list of colleges Willow has applied to, one of them is Wesleyan College in Connecticut, which is also Joss Whedon's Alma Mater.
Comments:Don't love bitchy Buffy, but still a good episode. In my opinion, Faith killing the deputy mayor is the turning point and climax of the season. Because at that moment there is no turning back. Balthazar is funny, and Wesley is downright hilarious. A solid episode.
Rating:8/10

Consequences
Original Airdate:2/16/99
Written by Marti Noxon, directed by Michael Gershman
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Trick.
Summary:Faith and Buffy have to deal with the consequences of the deputy mayor's death, while Wesley attempts to take Faith back to England to go before the Watcher's Council.
Highlight(s):Cordelia calling Wesley Giles the Next Generation and him thinking she's a teacher.
Quote of the week:Angel: But you're not a god. You're not much more than a child. Going down this path will ruin you. You can't imagine the price for true evil.
Faith: Yeah? I hope evil takes MasterCard.
Fun Facts:This is James D. Macdonald's third appearance as the detective, he also appeared in Ted and Becomng Part 2, doing, what do ya know, questiniong Buffy about a murder. In the original version of this episode, Wesley was supposed to have been killed by Faith.
Comments:This is a good episode about dealing with consequences. It is well written and emotional. And the end is a real shocker, one that sets up the rest of the season. Great episode.
Rating:9/10

Doppelgangland
Original Airdate:2/23/99
Written and directed by Joss Whedon
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Emma Caulfield as Anya, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Ethan Erickson as Percy West.
Summary:A spell gone wrong brings the vampire Willow from Cordy's WishVerse to Sunnydale.
Highlight(s):Willow pretending to be a vampire in the Bronze, especially her little wave to Oz and her trying to run her fingers through the girl's hair and getting stuck. Also Wesley's womanly scream when Cordelia taps him on the shoulder.
Quote of the week:ANYA: I swear, I am just trying to find my necklace.
WILLOW: Well, did you try looking inside the sofa *in Hell*?
ANYA: Look, we'll just try it again, and...
WILLOW: No! I-I think emphatically not!
ANYA: I can't do it by myself!
WILLOW: That's a relief. I'm outta here.
ANYA: Fine! Go! Idiot child.
WILLOW: I believe these chicken feet are mine. Look, m-magic is dangerous, Anya, i-it's, it's not to be toyed with. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have someone else's homework to do.
Fun Facts:This is the first out of four appearances for D'Hoffryn. This episode has major foreshadowing of Willow being gay. Also, the girl that Willow vamps in the Bronze, Sandy, reappears to seduce Riley in Season 5.
Comments:LOVE this episode. Willow is hilarious (Reliable Dog-Geyser Person) and it is just pure fun. We should have doppelgangers more often!
Rating:9.5/10

Enemies
Original Airdate:3/16/99
Written by Douglas Petrie, directed by David Grossman
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers.
Summary:Angel pretends to be Angelus so he and Buffy can find out if Faith is working for the Mayor.
Highlight(s):Buffy and Angel's reactions to the movie, the look on Angel's face when the Mayor's wound closes itself, and Giles saying that he introduced the shaman to his wife.
Quote of the week: Angel: You still my girl?
Buffy: Always.
Fun Facts:Cordelia asks Wesley if he ever thought of doing books on tape, when in reality Charisma did the tape version of the Buffy novel Immortal. Le Banquet d Amelia is not a real movie. Buffy returns Faith's kiss on the forehead after she puts her in a coma in Graduation Day Part 2.
Comments:This is a great episode. We get Angelus, even though he's only faking. David Boreanaz really shines when he plays Angelus though. Angel/Faith is badness, and the B/A scene at the end is heartbreaking, but this is a great episode with a somewhat shocking twist.
Rating:9/10

Earshot
Scheduled Airdate:4/27/99 Actual Airdate:9/21/99
Written by Jane Espenson, directed by Regis B. Kimble
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Danny Strong as Jonathan, Ethan Erickson as Percy West.
Summary:Buffy gains an aspect of the demon and can suddenly hear people's thoughts. She discovers that there is a killer in the school, and the gang races to find them while Buffy tries to remain sane.
Highlight(s):Buffy discovering that her mom slept with Giles, and Giles walking into the tree at the end.
Quote of the week:Xander: (thinking) What am I gonna do? I think about sex all the time. Sex. Help. 4 times 5 is 30. 5 times 6 is 32. Naked women. Naked girls. Naked Buffy. Oh stop me.
Fun Facts:Anthony Stewart Head came up with the idea of Giles walking into the tree at the end of this episode. This episode was delayed because it was unconveniently scheduled to air soon after the Columbine tragedy. The WB said that it was a standalone and didn't affect anything, but it was confusing seeing Buffy and Angel all cuddly again in Choices and Jonathan presenting Buffy with her award in The Prom.
Comments:This is a good episode. It is interesting to hear everyone's thoughts. Wesley is thinking of Cordy, Cordy's thoughts come out of her mouth a moment later, Xander is thinking about sex, Oz has deep thoughts, and Willow is worried that Buffy will know Oz better than she does. The killer thing isn't very original though. Still interesting, and I do understand and respect the decision to postpone the episode originally. It was in poor taste at the time.
Rating:8.5/10

Choices
Original Airdate:5/4/99
Written by David Fury, directed by James A. Contner
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder.
Summary:The gang is forced to trade a box crucial to the Mayor's Ascension for a captive Willow, and the gang contemplates life after high school.
Highlight(s):Oz silently destroying the means to get rid of the box (GO OZ!) and Giles's excitement when presented with the pages from the Books of Ascension.
Quote of the week:Principal Snyder (to Buffy and the gang): You! All of you. Why couldn't you be dealing drugs like normal people?
Fun Facts:Other family for Buffy is mentioned for the first time: Aunt Arlene in Illinois. Joyce goes to spend Thanksgiving with her in Pangs.
Comments:This is a good episode. The gang comes face to face with the Mayor, and the scene is great, especially Snyder. The Mayor's words on the Buffy/Angel relationship hit close to home, and set us up for next week. We also find out that Cordy is -gasp- working! This episode is full of plot and sets us up for the end of the season.
Rating:8/10

The Prom
Original Airdate:5/11/99
Written by Marti Noxon, directed by David Solomon
Guest Stars:Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Emma Caulfield as Anya, Danny Strong as Jonathan, Ben Kane as Tucker Wells.
Summary:Angel breaks up with Buffy right before the prom, but she must move past the pain to deal with a student planning on sending hellhounds to maul people at the dance.
Highlight(s):The dance between Buffy and Angel at the end, and Buffy getting her Class Protector award.
Quote of the week:Jonathan: We have one more award to give out. Is Buffy Summers here tonight? Did she....um...This is actually a new category. First time ever. I guess there were a lot of write in ballots and the prom committee asked me to read this. "We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you. But that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't really like other high schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here."
Students: Zombies! Hyena people! Snyder!
Jonathan: "But whenever there was a problem or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history. (cheers) And we know that at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks and gives you, uh... this." It's from all of us. And it has written here, Buffy Summers — Class Protector.
Fun Facts:Buffy's wedding gown was designed by Vera Wang, who in reality designed Sarah's wedding dress three years later. Her prom dress was by Pamela Dennis. Brad Kane, who plays Tucker, does the singing voice of both Jonathan in Superstar and Aladdin in the Disney movies. The character is the older brother of Andrew, who appears in seasons 6 and 7. Sarah Michelle calls this one of her favorite episodes, and the scene where Buffy gets the award one of her favorite scenes.
Comments:Awwwwwwww. Buffy got her perfect high school moment! This episode still makes me cry every time. Sarah does some of her best acting yet, and the breakup scenes and the scene where Buffy sobs to Willow are utterly heartbreaking. The world of all B/A shippers falls to pieces here. And the wedding dream is beautiful, yet unfortunately the closest they will probably ever get to one -sobs- I love the end, where Buffy gets the Class Protector Award. It's nice to know that the student body recognizes everything Buffy has done, and accepts that Sunnydale High isn't quite normal. Angel showing up and sharing one last dance with Buffy is a beautiful, sad moment. I also love how Xander paid for Cordy's prom dress. This was really sweet of him, and Cordelia gains a new respect for him. And the hellhounds? Well it wouldn't be a big event in Sunnydale without at least one disaster! Overrall a fantastic episode.
Rating:9.5/10

Graduation Day Part 1
Original Airdate:5/18/99
Written and directed by Joss Whedon
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, Emma Caulfield as Anya, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Ethan Erickson as Percy West, Mercedes McNab as Harmony.
Summary:The gang prepares for Graduation and the Ascension, while Faith distracts Buffy by poisoning Angel.
Highlight(s):The awesome fight scene, Angel and Buffy's bickering, and Oz's version of panicking.
Quote of the week:The Mayor (after Giles stabs him): Whoa! Well, now, that was a little thoughtless. Violent outbursts like that ... in front of the children. You know Mr. Giles, they look to you to see how to behave.
Fun Facts:The first trailer for Angel, the series was aired during this episode.
Comments:This is a great episode. It is the perfect build up to part 2. The fight scene is one of the best ever, and the end is shocking. The irony that Angel's cure is the blood of a slayer is perfect as well. Buffy quits the Council (GO BUFFY!) and everyone matures a little. An excellent part one.
Rating:10/10

Graduation Day Part 2
Scheduled Airdate:5/25/99 Actual Airdate:7/13/99
Written and directed by Joss Whedon
Guest Stars:Eliza Dushku as Faith, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Larry Bagby III as Larry, Danny Strong as Jonathan, Ethan Erickson as Percy West, Mercedes McNab as Harmony.
Summary:Buffy saves Angel with her own blood, and organizes the entire graduating class to help defeat the Mayor during the ceremony.
Highlight(s):Buffy giving Angel her own blood, and Oz and Cordy's unique suggestions for fighting the Mayor.
Quote of the week:CORDELIA: (upset about Wesley's imminent departure) Well, does he have to leave the country? I mean, you got fired, and you still hang around like a big loser. Why can't he?
Fun Facts:"Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0" refers to the number of days left until Buffy's death in The Gift. This number comes up one year later in Restless, when Tara says the clock (which says 7:30) is wrong, because Buffy no longer has that many days. Little Miss Muffet refers to Dawn. The mutant enemy monster dons a Graduation cap at the end. This episode was delayed the night before because of the obvious, but it did air in Canada, and the tapes were bootlegged all over. Larry and Snyder die, and Harmony is vamped, and will return. Joss Whedon says that when they filmed the blowing up the school scene, they set off every car alarm in Torrence, at 5 am, upsetting many residents, who even asked that they never film there again. Joss said that Charisma was being especially nice that day, so he let her stake a vamp, and it was Alexis's idea to have Wesley fall down helplessly three seconds in. This is Charisma and Alexis's last appearance on Buffy
Comments:Okay, the only reason this episode doesn't get a 10 is for the lame looking Mayor monster. He was the season big bad, is that really the best they can do? Come on. But overrall great, love all the students coming together, and the moment of reflection at the end. "Not the battle. High school." And this is also a turning point, because Angel and Cordy leave to do Angel. -sigh- The end of a Buffy era. A fantastic season.
Rating:9/10