The Body - One of the most incredible, emotional episodes I have ever seen on tv, not only in Buffy.  Performances (especially by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Tractenberg, Alyson Hannigan and Emma Caulfield - unfair to name these few as all were excellent) were heart rendering and if you didn't feel a lump in your throat, consider yourself somewhat like Spike's sex-bot.  Death is something Buffy cannot fight and cannot defeat.  This makes the Slayer an ordinary girl reeling from the death of her mother.  Humanising her and exposing her core - she's just a scared little girl who needs her mother.  Season Five's theme is more of growing up and let's-be-adults.  This episode turns Buffy back to a little toddler again.  First class direction and scripting from Joss Whedon.  If THIS doesn't win an Emmy - I consider it to be even better than the superb Hush - Buffy fans should band together and do something pretty damn drastic.  The Body deserves all the praise in the world.  As said in the magazine Dreamwatch, (forgive my quoting as I don't have the article to hand)                  

"The Body is an episode to be experienced rather than enjoyed."
 

Forever - Following The Body is not an easy task but Forever wasn't going to let up on the emotional wreckage of the Summers's and all around them. Buffy has always made dreams, anxieties and fears flesh in the form of demons.  After a death of someone close, the first human instinct is to want to bring them back.  Buffy again, has made this real with Dawn doing a spell to bring Joyce back from the beyond.  The final scene of Forever with Buffy and Dawn arguing, Buffy hitting her sister and then the thought of her mom coming home was a stunning, hit-in-the-gut reaction to the shocking death of their mother.  It reminds you what an intergal part Joyce played in their lives and how desparately she will be missed.  The final shot of the two sisters crying into each other through the door of their family home was a fitting parting shot to this episode.
 

The Gift - I guess I was a teeny disapointed with the 100th episode as I was expecting the return of several characters that had been publised to come back (namely Faith, Oz, Riley, Angel and co.) But otherwise - What a fantastic episode.  And I cried again.  God, I'm a cry-Buffy.  (Is that dis-respectful of the dead?)  Again, fanfic calls.  Fabulously shot.
 
 

City Of...  -  So very cool.  I've been waiting for this first episode ever since I knew Angel was being made and boy, I wasn't disapointed.  I love the cutscenes in between scenes, you know the camera travelling over LA and the sun sets and sunrises sped up.  Oh and the action ain't bad either.  Cordelia, my God she's gonna be good in this series.  "I should be talking to people who are somebody.."  Like that cute lawyer, Lindsey, for Wolfram and Hart.  Doyle, I think I may become very attached to him.  And Angel?  I was torn about him leaving BtVS.  In Buffy Buffy and Angel would be together but in episodes like Gingerbread he only has a few minutes scene.  In his own show, it's a whole 42 minutes of Angel.  That I like.  The very beginning part with Angel's fight in the alley was very cool.  Excellent way to begin.

Lonely Hearts - I liked this episode despite the yuck-some factor attached to the plot with the disgusting demon coming out the chest and all.  Kate, I like as well.  Hope she come up more often.  Obviously don't want her to a love interest as couldn't stand that, just like I couldn't stand Buffy dribbling all over the first guy who pays her any attention (Parker) in "Living Conditions."  I liked the Cordy/Doyle handing out of the business cards.

In The Dark - Quite a dark episode.  Loved Spike's Angel commentary from the rooftop.  Was a little uneasy when Angel was being tortured but loved seeing him in the light in the end.  "He's incredibly pale."

[Channel four rant - About a year later Channel four (Thee dumbasses who schedule the West Wing at 11.00 at night and regulary drop Dawsons Creek in favour of cricket??!) put this episode on, with alot of cuts (like 15 minutes of them) at 6pm.  6pm.  Buffy isn't on until 6.45 on BBC2 and Angel is meant to be darker than it and they're putting it on a tea time slot.  They dropped three episodes altogether from broadcast but kindly (!?) decided to rerun the series on a Monday night with varying hours between 11.30 and 2.00.  Angel is a programme about vampires, not meant to be viewed only by vampires, insominacs and nocturnal mammals.  The cuts at 6pm make it unwatchable.  ITC recieved all these complaints about In The Dark and Angel will probably never be broadcast before watershed again.  So where does that leave the second season?  It was much darker.  I really wish that BBC2 had got Angel and could show it concurrently with Buffy for the sake of terristrial viewers.  Thank God I have Sky One.  UPDATED- After Buffy has been bought and all, I hear that Buffy season six will be shown on UPN usual day and usual time but Angel, still of the WB will be shown a day earlier.  Hmm.  I think Sky One is showing it same bat time, same bat place for both of them. Let's hope so for the UK's sake.  Crappy TV broadcasters.  Rant over]

I Fall To Pieces - OK episode. Not God-awful but not great.

Rm W/A Vu -  Great episode.  Well compensates for Buffy's Beer Bad.  Rm W/A Vu manages to wash away all memory of Angel's parent show's episode.  Cordelia was incredible in this episode and I look forward to more Phantom Dennis.

I Will Remember You - First reaction?  To cry.  And scream nooooo at Angel.  It's his KISAC* coming into play again.  Then to wail some more.  WHY WHY?   Now Buffy goes back to drippy Riley, not knowing a thing went on.  And she was so bitchy to him when they flashed back.  All he just gave up and it's like So we'll just stick to the plan..  Plan?  Pfft.  Let her remember at least Joss.  For Gods sake.  Although it does give us some major fanfic-age to be getting on with.  That's on of the great upsides to B/A having their own shows.  More fanfic-age.  Yes I'm shallow.  However, IWRY was such a truly touching episode and although I maybe soft when it come to crying at films and programmes (I cried when Bill Pullman gave the speech in Independence Day.  Go figure.) This was really moving stuff.  SMG and DB were both excellent.  Now I need to go and cry some more.

Hero - First Reaction Part 2.  To cry.  I'm too sensitive. I was wailing and my throat hurt from crying.  He's so brave..  Love you Doyle.  I was really really starting to love him and then.. poof!  Let's get melt-y.  having said that, Angel would be getting melt-y if Doyle hadn't gone and done that.  Dammit!  Now ANGEL has no more immediate romance.  (It's until the second season with Cordy and the Groosalaug we see a smidgen of smoochies -- Unless you count Cordy and Wilson (bleurgh).  Or Virginia and Wesley but they're long past broke up and you never really got a chance to feel for the relationship.)  Two heartbreaks in a row and me running up the stairs with puffy eyes -- you're really laying it on thick guys.  You might as well kill Angel-- No wait!  I didn't mean that!

Parting Gifts - I've been looking at everyone elses thoughts on Wesley Wyndam Price: Rogue Demon Hunter and it's not been all complimentary.  They want their little Irish Man back and I don't blame them.  I love(d) Doyle too.  But I like Wesley.  I love the goofy air about him when he's trying to be a grown-up.  Some may say I'm fickle, being so easily brought in on the Doyle Is Dead And This Is His Replacement thing but to Hell with it, I like Wesley.
 
 

Happy Anniversary - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
What a crap hour of my life WASTED.  Even though DB was in that hour it was still so bad.  So unbelievable, the plot and the Host should have been put to much better use.  I love the Host and this Episode has been wasted on him.  Plus Angel's still moody.  Is it only me who was bored to tears by this episode?

Dead End - Lindsey no!!  Come back!  Sing in Caritas again!  Please!!!  I love you!  Cordelia loves you!  She doesn't know it yet but she does!  Honest!
 
 
 
 
 

*KISAC - Knight In Shining Armour Complex