Here it is; the last season. Expect a whole host of baddies, a new Sunnydale High, and a cheerier tone (apparently). Seven's up!

Lessons
Quick summary - While Giles helps Willow recover in England from her magic badness of last year, Buffy and Dawn prepare for the ultimate evil. Sunnydale High is reopening once again on the Hellmouth. And guess what? On Dawn's first day, evil happens. What a shocker! Buffy saves her sister and Dawn's new pals from the zombie spirit guys haunting the basement but not before accepting a new job from the smooth-talking new principal and being weirded out by Spike's mad babblings. Unknown to her, his soul is back and he's being haunted by all the big bads of the past...
Best quote - Vampire (waking up from his dead sleep in the ground); Excuse me. I think I'm stuck!
Comments - So we got what we were promised, after all! Season Seven kicks off with this old-skool Slayin' adventure, setting up the new Sunnydale High school premise with style. I love the fact that Joss has gone back to the 'beginning', especially as this may be the last season, as it brings the show into a full circle. While pointing the fans forward into the upcoming year (new principal, new fighty Dawn, new suave Xander), this ep also draws heavily from the past - not least, the final Big Bad scene which just makes me squeal like the big fanboy that I am! Bringing back the old villains is a stroke of genius and I can't wait for the Master's words to come to fruition - 'The next few months are going to be quite a ride'. PLEASE! As for characters, I loved snarky Buffy - how I've missed her! A great lack of Anya was felt, although her scene with Halfrek drew a big 'Hee' from me. Hopefully (and so I'm told), Anya will get big screentime afterwards. New soulful Spike was interesting, and it'll be intriguing to see how he pans out. The Giles and Willow scenes were a little boring but both actors did their usual greatest. And, as for Dawn, loving her sassy self! However, this episode seemed a little like a test drive in case there does happen to be a Dawn spinoff next year. I did enjoy it immensely but, although Michelle Trachtenberg is just the awesomest (new word!), I don't think Dawn could begin to carry her own show. Ah, we'll see. The new 'Scooby Gang' seem a little dull for now but, again, we'll see. Principal Wood is probably the most interesting new character but, again, we'll see. In fact, my overall feeling about this episode is 'we'll see'. It hits the ground running in terms of giving clues away about what's to come (was that a Slayer-in-waiting during the opening scene? Just one example of many questions this episode makes me ponder) yet also doesn't give us any answers as of yet. That's the fun of arcs, I guess! As a standalone and setup piece, though, this works entirely. Cool Jossian dialgoue helps things flow along sparkily, and it's cool to see some happy characters and new situations. All in all, a fab season opener...
Verdict - * * * * 1/2

Beneath You
Quick summary - 'From beneath you, it devours' apparently. This is the message from one of Buffy's weird dreams, in which she sees another young girl being killed by robed guys, this time in Germany. Spike also seems to think something is coming, and makes his presence in Sunnydale known to the Scoobs. While the gang aid a young woman who's ex-beau has been turned into a giant dog-eating worm guy courtesy of Anya's wish granting, Buffy learns Spike's soul is back in business and is horrified at his confused mental state. In England, Willow prepares (reluctantly) to return to Sunnydale...
Best quote - Dawn (on Buffy's spanking new job); I mean, it's just so cool! You're coming to school with me! You'll be, like, there the whole time! (Pause) You understand you cannot talk to me, look at me, or hang out with any of my friends, right?
Comments - And the seventh season continues with another yummy quality treat. Although this episode isn't exactly big on the light (hello to the darkness of the Buffy/Spike situation again), I feel Doug Petrie has done a superb job at balancing the elements of a good Buffy episode, something that had been lacking somewhat in the last season. Here, we have supreme darkness in the form of the moving final scenes, a hilarious subplot with fine comic turns from notably Nicky Brendon and Emma Caulfield, a monster of the week to defeat, and more hints of the season's arc and developments(Germany girl, Willow getting ready to return, Buffy discovering Spike's big secret). The fact that the direction is gorgeous helps matters; while the worm effects aren't groundbreaking, the cinematography in the church scene is just scrumptious and the imagery of Spike hugging the cross while burning is powerful and beautiful all in one. James Marsters is given a workout and, although his babbling scenes do get a little boring by the end of the episode, his performance is astounding and shows a great range - we see Spike in many an incarnation, from a glimpse of the old Spike in the Bronze to the exhausted, blubbering and seemingly insane Spike at the end. I'm not a big fan of the Sike/Buffy thang but I agree that Sarah and James work well together, and I look forward to developments from this point that (hopefully) don't involve shagging-and-making-buildings-fall-down combos. As for other things, I'm liking new sassy Dawn (check out her threats to Spike - go her!), and the prospect of Buffy's new job is interesting too. My highlight of the episode, though, is Anya. I'm fast becoming an Anya worshipper - after being given something more to do that just utter throwaway lines, Emma has really impressed me and she does here too! I like her as a new not-entirely-happy vengeance demon, and the tension between her and Xander now is just fab. Emma's delivery, meanwhile, of every one of her lines in the Bronze scene was spot on. Hoping she gets big stories this year! So, all in all then, this is great stuff. Can't wait to see what happens when it comes to Spike and Anya in particular. Top points to Petrie and Nick Marck as well. Until next week...
Verdict - * * * * 1/2

Same Time, Same Place
Quick summary - Willow's arrival in Sunnydale does not go according to plan when she can't see her friends and vice versa. Confusion is only heightened when up crops a flayed body and a very creepy skin-munching demon guy...
Best quote - Dawn (bathing in the success of identifying Gnarl); I'm sure there's tons of stuff like this, you know, procedures we can use that don't involve magic spells, just good solid detective work. And we could develop a database of tooth impressions and demon skin samples, and I could wear high heels more often!
Comments - This one's very interesting, and succeeds for the most part. The whole two-perspective scenes (in some cases three -perspective, when Spike and Anya are involved) are handled very well when they could have come off as very cheesy and even dull. However, seeing the scenes from each perspective and hearing all the dialogue makes a cohesive whole, and this is a nice reward for the audience. Pretty much, this is a big oh-how-we've-missed-you-while-you've-been-in-England Alyson Hannigan showcase and she does a brilliant job of bringing old-skool Willow vulnerability back into play. I really felt sorry for her, even though I felt she became pretty annoying last season, and I feel this is totally down to Hannigan's performance and Espenson's script. Jane's script is pretty tight, containing cool bits of continuity (a mention of Clem for instance - YAY!) but suffers somewhat from the story generally being about resolving some of the Willow stuff when we know the gang will accept her back into the fold at the end - this slight predictability is the episode's downfall, and the sometimes overusage of the 'she doesn't want to be seen so she isn't seen' metaphor is a little grating. Other than this, Espenson is at her bubbliest best especially towards the end - poseable Dawn is hilarious, providing Trachtenberg an opportunity to showcase her physical comedic skills, and Anya's sharp witty one-liners are only improved by Emma Caulfield's continuing delightful performance (I'm really starting to love her!). Speaking of, the whole pairing of Anya and Willow was inspired and, I felt, resolved some of the issues between the two - and I know I wasn't the only one who picked up on Willow's momentary 'maybe we could get sexy' glance toward Anya (fanfiction is being written everywhere!!!). Meanwhile, Dawn is becoming increasingly sassy which is very good, Spike is still all insane and soulful which equals intriguing (although I hope it doesn't get dragged on and on and on), and Buffy and Xander provide snark and grown-up-ness. Then there's the villain-of-the-week material, and Gnarl is certainly a cool one with a better modus operandi (well, more gruesome anyway) and more thought put into him than most other throwaway monster guys - anyone thinking shades of Gollum are in the mix? While I didn't feel the scenes of torture were particularly scary (like, seemingly, some other viewers did), they were a little creepy and the vision of him eating skin isn't one I'll forget quickly. Best scene of all, though, was the final one which reminds the viewer that there is still chemistry between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan, as Buffy and Willow respectively, if only the writers would write more of these cool friendship scenes (which are, to be honest, part of the show's heart) in which they feature together. Anyway, Willow's back. I wonder what's coming up next...
Verdict - * * * *

Help
Quick summary - During Buffy's first week as school guidance counsellor, she encounters a young girl who predicts her approaching death. This leads to Buffy and the Scoobies doing their best to save the unfortunate young lass - however, will they be too late???
Best quote - Cassie (all teary and I'm-gonna-die); You think I want this? You think I don't care? Believe me, I want to be here, do things. I wanna graduate from high school, and I wanna go to the stupid Winter Formal. I have this friend, and it would be fun to go with him. Just to dance and hear lame music. To wear a silly dress and... laugh and stuff. I'd like to go. There's a lot of stuff I'd like to do. I'd love to ice skate, at Rockefeller Center. And I'd love to see my cousins grow up and see how they turn out 'cause they're really mean and I think they're gonna be fat. I'd love to backpack across the country, or... I don't know... fall in love. But I won't. I just never will.
Comments - After hearing extremely bad reviews, I wasn't expecting much from this episode. Don't get me wrong, it's not stunning and nor is it the best episode of this show. However, there are a number of great things about this episode, not least Azura Skye's terrific and warm performance as the ill-fated Cassie. For a character who is not likely to appear in the future (hello, she's dead!), she was unusually engaging and was given great dialogue. Kudos! Other high points of this episode include the comic teaser, more of Dawn's high school life and ever-more-likeable Dawn, a solid performance from Sarah, and the revelation that Willow used to write fanfic! Speaking of the red-headed one, I lurved the scene where she visited Tara's grave - Alyson was wonderfully restrained and packed so much emotion into so little dialogue ('Hey, it's me'). The episode is somewhat let down, though, by the weak villains who feel like a rip-off of the second season's Reptile Boy episode. Also, the montages were a little overdramatic and cheesy whilst the message that this episode carries (that sometimes you just CAN'T help) has been stated a coupla times before on this show - okay, so Dawn may only just be realising it but Buffy and the others had seemingly come to terms with it (for example, Buffy was so sorry she couldn't have helped save Jenny Calendar from Angelus). This is a little grating, yet the episode comes out of the tunnel with a number of things recommending it (the non-appearance of Emma Caulfield not being one of them). The script balances spunky dialogue with the emotional stuff well and, although there are some dull moments (meeting the father, for example), this episode is ultimately pretty good - I'm just sorry we won't get to see more of Cassie...
Verdict - * * * 1/2

Selfless
Quick summary - Willow discovers that the result of Anya's latest wish-granting is a dozen slaughtered fraternity members. When Buffy learns this, she vows to put a fatal end to Anya's vengeance despite Xander's protests and the fact that Anya's guilt is very palpable...
Best quote - D'Hoffryn (to Willow); The flaying of Warren Meers? Oh, truly inspired. That was water cooler vengeance. Lloyd has a sketch of it on his wall...
Comments - I was really looking forward to this episode and, upon first viewing, I was a little disappointed - but, then again, I was all with the drunkness! When I watched it again, I lurved every minute of it and was blown away by Emma Caulfield's Tazmanian devil of a performance. From singing (one great big 'hee!' to the musical flashback) to pathos to horrific veiny demon, Emma takes us on a ride to remember. The flashbacks are extremely well done, in particular the Olaf days (with scratchy film and hilarious subtitles and everything), and in some ways this is very much Anya's 'Fool For Love' episode. Drew Goddard couldn't have come up with a better debut script, brimming with scope, tension, and some deliciously evil snark from D'Hoffryn (that bastard killed Halfrek - grrrr!). Like I thought it would, this little review of mine is turning into one big rant about how good the episode was - but I can't help it! I lurveeeee Anya of late and, recently, I feel Caulfield's been putting the other actresses to shame - maybe it's just the material she's getting? SMG gets some look in this episode, though, as does Brendon during a great argument that brings up some buried home truths (I, for one, digged Buffy's reference to Xander's 'Kick his ass' line from 'Becoming', as I've been waiting for some sort of closure to that for five or so years). I'm gonna bring my self-confessed rant to a close now, as you can probably tell I loved everything - CGI spiders, bloodshed, a flash of evilish Willow, more singing (again, I say, HEEE!), some VERY impressive continuity, and some closure to the Anya/Xander coupling. I wanna marry Anya!
Verdict - * * * * * (I was leaning toward 4 1/2 stars but, because I'm generous and Emma Caulfield rocks my socks, I'm gonna give this ep the whole hog)

Him
Quick summary - Buffy investigates when Dawn's 'crush' on a high school jock transcends sanity, only to fall under the love spell of the jock's letterman jacket herself. While Willow and Anya also fall for the guy (leading to all four of the girls attempting to express their love in various ways), Xander and Spike must work together to put an end to the craziness...
Best quote - Xander (upon discovering Buffy and RJ in making-out mode); I'm sorry. It's just check out time was an hour ago. We were hoping to make up the bed. And also, it's a classroom, you chowderhead! Now get off the boy, Buffy. We're going home.
Comments - First things first, this is NOT the best episode of BtVS we will ever have nor does it have any special resonance or meaning. In many ways, it's a retread of the classic Season Two episode 'Bewitched, B & B', a masterpiece it would never have been able to live up to. But, although this ep got majorly bad reviews, I loved almost every second of it! Maybe I was just in a dumb humour mood both times I watched it, but I just laughed out loud a number of times during it, especially towards the end. Sarah Michelle Gellar seemed to be having a ball with the material, something not seen so often these days, whilst the ep also gave Michelle Trachtenberg a chance to shine in a not-too-whiny way. Nick Brendon also has some cool line deliveries in the midst of it all, while Alyson and Emma are hilarious as their boy-mad selves. RJ himself is rather bland for the focus of the week but I suppose he doesn't need to be anything else, for it's the reactions of those around him that matter. While a bit of bad acting slips into the production this week (notably, the girl Dawn has her hilariously bad catfight with) and there are clunky moments (Dawn's repeated rants about how she feels for RJ), the rest of the episode is just pure enjoyable fluff. The split-screen thang is just classic, as is the silent fight for the bazooka outside Wood's office. My main problem with this episode is that the attempted suicide thing felt a little out of place and too heavy for such a light episode, but I'm willing to overlook that - I mean, who cares about that when a Coldplay song is featured? Big smiles all aroung for that musical choice, and pretty much a big smile about the episode in general... :)
Verdict - * * * *

Conversations With Dead People
Quick summary - It's November 12th 2002 in Sunnydale and things are getting scary. While Dawn is terrified by a poltergeist-like presence which taunts her with glimpses of her mother, Buffy bonds with a Spike-sired newbie vampire who she used to go to high school with. Meanwhile, Andrew and Jonathan are back but it's not long before Jonathan's gutted like a fish by a Warren-hallucinating Andrew. And, to top it off, Willow is visited by Cassie (apparently) who claims Tara wants to speak with her...
Best quote - 'Cassie' (to Willow after she's been outed as evil); You don't know hurt. This last year's gonna seem like cake after what I put you and your friends through, and I am not a fan of easy death. Fact is, the whole good-versus-evil, balancing the scales thing...I'm over it. I'm done with the mortal coil. But believe me, I'm going for a big finish.
Comments - Ermmm, scared now. This episode is probably my favourite since the musical - this is unadulterated, chill-inducing horror at its best. I'm so big with the praise right now that I don't know where to begin when it comes to heaping on the compliments. I'll start with Holden and Buffy - hehehehe! While the other aspects of the episode provided scariness, this little thread was brilliant, giving us another insight into Buffy's mind (well-played by Gellar) and a wonderful wise-ass one-shot character - the dialogue was very Joss-like and quotable, and the actor played it all for laughs. As for Willow, she didn't get no smiley scenario. How deliciously evil was Azura Skye as 'Cassie'? Was sooooo glad to see her back (even if Amber Benson would have been cooler), and the scenes at the library were very creepy - especially the last revelation that 'Cassie' was evil, with her promising a 'big finish'. Shudder! Hope the season delivers this big finish, though. As for Dawn, the scenes in the house were full-on Exorcist-style horrific - and the final bit with 'Joyce' delivering a cryptic message about Buffy not 'choosing' Dawn when 'things get bad' is something all us fans can sink our teeth into. It was nice to say hello to the geeks again, even if one was an apparation (supposedly) and even though Jonathan dies (aaaaaaaw, I'll miss Danny Strong). However, who knows what will happen from here? Maybe we'll see him again. Maybe we'll see Azura Skye again. This episode was so well done that, even though the majority of the threads only give us clues about the future, I don't care - I'm looking forward to the questions being answered. Those questions range from 'what was that Jonathan and Andrew were digging up?', 'is Andrew planning on killing anybody else via Warren's command?' and 'What the hell was haunting Dawn and Willow?' to, let's not forget, 'IS SPIKE BAD AGAIN?!'. Y'all didn't think I'd ignore this plot point, did ya? I'm soooooooo intrigued as to what's gonna happen that I can't wait for next week's episode...
Verdict - * * * * *

Sleeper
Quick summary - Buffy is aghast when she learns that Spike may be back to his old ways, and investigates to learn the truth...
Best quote - Aimee Mann; I hate playing vampire towns!
Comments - Wow, another very good episode! This ep handles the whole Spike/Big Bad connection skillfully, playing out the suspense to the point where we learn Spike is being messed around and forced to feed by the Big Bad. The confrontation in the basement is highly charged, and I have to say that SMG and Marsters do a fine job throughout the episode. The Big Bad is proving to be a great villain, one that has the ability to mess up characters to seemingly no end - not too sure about the whole raising-of-the-vamps thing though cos Buffy can easily handle those guys. The only real niggles I have about this episode was that it was very Buffy/Spike-centric and the other characters got a little left out (although Emma once again proves her comedic talents in the second act). Oh, and 'one bite stand' - NO!!!! Other than this, it was pretty flawless, an intriguing piece of the puzzle. Props to whoever got the very-talented Aimee Mann in on the act, and what's with that ending with the axe and the Giles and the possible death?! Argh, no! We can't have Giles die! Whatever happens, though, I'm glad that this season is surprising me and notching up the suspense...
Verdict - * * * *

Never Leave Me
Quick summary - Spike is held captive at the Summers' house so Buffy and the gang can sussout what's causing him to kill again. However, this may not be the wisest idea as Spike is still being visited by the First. Meanwhile, Anya and Xander interrogate Andrew who they know is up to something, and the harbingers of the First prepare to unleash a big bad vamp...
Best quote - Anya (when Buffy states she heard 'Spike' singing); Maybe it's another musical...a much crappier musical.
Comments - Following on from the Buffy/Spike show that was the previous episode, we have another Spike-centric episode. Although the various conversations between the two seem like retreads of previous angst-driven talks, there are many parts of this episode that make up for this. Andrew is back, and he's actually quite funny this time around! Tom Lenk is really quite amusing, especially bouncing off the other Scoobs (loved his 'confrontation' with Willow, and the whole good cop/bad cop thang with Anya and Xander was hilarious). So we have much in the way of comedic interludes - what about suspense and intrigue and the like? Plenty, my dearest! With the weirdness that was Principal Wood burying Jonathan, the shock explosion at the Watchers' Council, and the rise of Ubervamp, the season is shifting into high gear. Can't wait to see how it all pans out. And that's pretty much what this episode is - one that sets things up before the bigger pieces of the puzzle. Some of it is fillerish but there's enough significance here to make it all worthwhile. All in all, this season is shaping up very nicely...
Verdict - * * * 1/2 (nearly bordering on 4 stars)

Bring On The Night
Quick summary - Buffy and the gang begin to research the First in order to locate Spike's whereabouts. However, the return of Giles with potential Slayers in tow, as well as recurring dream visits from what appears to be her mother, means Spike is just one thing Buffy has to deal with. Throw in a particularly nasty First-raised vamp, and you have a very troubled Slayer. And no Christmas pudding...
Best quote - Spike (when asked by First-Drusilla what makes him think he'll be any good in this world); She does. Because she believes in me.
Comments - Another solid episode. While this season isn't reaching the highs of 'classic' Buffy, I think the First-arc is a great way to end the series and I'm hoping the Big Bad really delivers. Before I go on to praise this episode's best moments, I have to say 'argh' when it comes to the new Slaygals - I actually sighed with relief when Anabelle or whatever was killed, and I'm hoping Molly is next. Nothing personal or anything but could there BE any worse accents than that? Were they meant to be British? Out of the three, Kennedy has the most potential (Willow-wise, as well as character-wise) yet even she annoyed me a little. However, Juliet Landau and Anthony Stewart Head are back - yay! While Giles was off this episode (I doubt he's the First so the heavyhanded 'clues' that he might be were an annoyance), it's still good to have the ASH man back. Meanwhile, Juliet Landau did a great job at being a slightly off Dru too - her scenes with Spike were way cool, and subtle moments in her performance made you see that this was sooo the First pretending to be Dru (e.g. the significance of Dru calling Spike 'Daddy' when 'Daddy' is Angel not Spike). James was brilliant in this episode even though he didnt' get much to say - that best quote line above, though, was delivered brilliantly and made me just wanna throw kudos at the man, if throwing kudos was actually possible. The episode was quite packed actually, something I'm realising in reviewing it. There's the whole question of 'is Joyce the First?', the continued magic-avoiding Willow after the spell scare, the whole intrigue of the Wood mystery, and the Ubervamp who totally rocked my boat - we even got a half-decent fight for once! Buffy's speech at the end hopefully signals a more powerful unit and less-mopey Buff - oh, and also a rollickin' Apocalypse. There was enough snark to keep the episode light in places, Andrew providing most of it. I was a little sad to see that Dawn and Anya were relegated to sitting around and cracking jokes for the second episode in a row though, and what was Anya muttering while cleaning the dishes? WTF?! Anyhow, everything else was very cool and fun and entertaining and various other positive-sounding adjectives. Wish they'd made more out of the Christmas setting though (can't help it - I'm an 'Amends' groupie) and did anyone else realise it shouldn't have been Christmas in Sunnydale, as 'Conversations With Dead People' was set in November and this ep is set about a week after? Hmmm, I happen to LIKE continuity, writers! Anyhow, for all my nagging, this was a great episode - most of the time...
Verdict - * * * *

Showtime
Quick summary - Buffy gives the potential Slaygals a lesson in dispatching vamps when they are divided over the threat that is the Ubervamp. Meanwhile, Spike remains captive in the First's cave...
Best quote - Anya (when her ex tells her how gorgeous she looked in pink); Those were entrails.
Comments - David Fury returns from the Angel camp once again to spin us this little yarn. While it has numerous problems - ranging from the Slayer potentials being hit'n'miss characters, as well as many MANY illogical plot holes (Buffy not carrying weapons with her to fight the Ubervamp for one example) - it's a good little piece of the puzzle otherwise. I, for one, didn't see the Eve plot-twist coming and (although this is another illogical plot point - I mean, isn't the First meant to be incorporeal? Didn't anyone notice Eve, say, not eating?!) that was a cool little trick. Meanwhile, the duo of Anya and Xander yet again rules (those two crazy kids should get together!) and the ending where Buffy shows up and takes Spike away from the cave was effective. Ubervamp wasn't as threatening this ep (although the guy who played him, one of the Gentlemen, brought some coolness to his mannerisms) but there was a cool fight scene. I like Kennedy so far - I'm not crazy about her, mind, but she's the most appealing out of all the Slayer girls. That eye creation was a bit cheesy but what it proposes, that the First's killing spree is a result of Buffy's resurrection, is intriguing. All in all, this was a cool ep just not stellar.
Verdict - * * * 1/2

Potential
Quick summary - A seer from England informs Willow that a potential Slayer is living in Sunnydale, and Will's ensuing locator spell suggests that it's Dawn. However, is it just a misunderstanding? Meanwhile, Buffy continues her training of the other Slayers-in-waiting by taking them on various outings with Spike...
Best quote - All of Xander's speech to Dawn, including 'They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie, to be the one who isn't chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me. I saw you last night. I see you working here today. You're not special. You're extraordinary'. Aaw!
Comments - OK, I think I decided after this ep that I love Dawn and Michelle Trachtenberg. Many fans dislike the character (not so much the brilliant actress) but I think that's down to writing last season. This episode solidified to me what a cool character she is, and I'm on board the 'You're extraordinary' train that Xander boarded during the final few moments. What teen isn't a little whiny now and again? Michelle Trachtenberg's performance this ep gave us a range of emotions that made Dawn entirely human - shock at the thought of Slayerhood, despair that Buffy would have to die for her to be called, arrogance in thinking she could take a vamp, disappointment when she realised she wasn't a potential, nobility when she handed the crown over to Amanda - and you have to remember she's only, like, my age! WOW! I think I have a big-ass crush now, hehe. However, this ep didn't just give a chance for Dawn to shine as it also allowed Xander a moment to pass on his words of wisdom like he did so effectively to Buffy in 'The Freshman'. His speech to Dawn is just perfect, and whoever wrote it deserves big kudos as does Nick Brendon. It may have been a little cheesy but, then again, the words were just so true. Finally, Xander fans get some payoff for his Zepponess! The episode isn't a bed of roses, though, although the final scene ranks amongst my favourite moments of this season so far. There are enough highlights - a great Clem cameo (loved the Beetlejuice-style care he gave the girls), Buffy and Spike leaving the potentials to fend for themselves by shutting them in the crypt, some funny moments from Anya and Andrew. However, it also has problems, and a lot of them are the same that have effected the last few episodes of the season. Plot holes, first and foremost, are becoming widespread. The show has always had these but there seem to have been loads over the last three or four episodes - this ep sees no mention being made of Chloe the potential, the revelation from the last ep (that Buffy's resurrection caused the First to awaken) being ignored, certain devices being exploited to faciliate the plot (Amanda was behind the door - yeah right, whatever). These little flaws cause my enjoyment of the episodes to be lessened. Another big moan from me concerns characters and characterisation; for example, the whole new bunch of Slayers (although they're becoming less annoying) are taking the spotlight away from primary characters such as Willow. I hope no new Slayers will be found because there are enough hogging up screentime already. Meanwhile, Andrew's story seems to have been dropped for a while, and Anya's post-'Selfless' could be explored so much more. It's frustrating to have so many characters and so many balls in the air - if the rest of the episodes this season tie up all the arcs and loose ends then I'll retract what I've just said but I just can't see EVERYTHING being settled. Dang! For a break from the menace of the First, though, this episode works humour-wise and Dawn-wise. Essentially, it is a Dawn showcase so it depends where you sit on the whole 'liking/disliking Dawn' debate how much you will enjoy this. There are some dull moments, the whole vamp-chasing-youngsters-through-the-school situation being a very contrived situation to throw Amanda and Dawn into. The payoff (being the final scene), though, is a moment that should have any long-term fan of the show feeling all glowy and as if they've been rewarded something.
Verdict - Around * * * 1/2 but Michelle Trachtenberg and the awesome final scene deserve a big honking * * * * *.

The Killer In Me
Quick summary - Whilst Buffy and Spike visit the abandoned Initiative HQ in order to get some answers regarding Spike's malfunctioning chip, Xander and the rest of the Scoobs begin to question Giles's identity after a phone call from a Watcher who saw Giles inches away from death. Meanwhile, Willow suddenly begins turning into Warren after kissing Kennedy...
Best quote - The whole 'touch him' Giles scene was funny but so was offscreen Riley terming Spike as 'Assface'.
Comments - I can sum my review up as follows - the Willow/Warren thang was cool, the Giles 'subplot' was a pile of crap, and the Buffy/Spike expedition into the Initiative falls somewhere between the two. I like Kennedy - not overly so, but I think she's cool in her own way, and the actress is sufficient enough. But Alyson Hannigan steals the show, and it's great to see some resolve to the Tara storyline without Amber Benson being in play. The resonance of Willow becoming Warren, the man she killed but also the man who killed her girlfriend, was just so effective - and both Adam Busch and Hannigan deserve kudos for their smack-on-the-money portrayals of each character. I liked the execution of this plot and it's one of my favourite things I've seen so far this season - however, less impressive was Amy's reasoning behind the spell. I love Liz Anne Allen but her motive was a little waiflike. We need to see the First get scary because, to be honest, something that is incorporeal isn't that terrifying so far. As for the Giles 'plot' (sarcastic quote marks), I did enjoy the scene that the whole thing has led up to because it was so funny - but was this moment really worth a crappy little 'is Giles dead or not?' plot thing when the denouement was so obvious. Grrr! As for Buffy and Spike, the thing in the Initiative was a little goofy (yeah, I was really scared by that monster - not!) but the emotional stuff was cool - I wonder if Buffy will decide for the chip to be removed or fixed. All in all, then, this is a hit and miss affair - the 'hit' parts of it, though, are pure class...
Verdict - * * * *

First Date
Quick summary - Buffy dates Principal Wood and finds out that he is the son of a previous Slayer - however, what she doesn't discover is that Spike killed his mother. Meanwhile, Xander goes on a date with (unsurprisingly) a demon girl and ends up nearly dying whilst the First attempts to get Andrew to kill once again...
Best quote - Xander's whole 'Gay me up' speech to Willow. Hee!
Comments - I don't know whether I hate this episode or love it, to be honest. On one hand, Jane Espenson rocks and makes with the funny a lot during the course of the ep. On the other, the whole Ashanti/Xander 'plot' is just awful, a waste of precious time during this last season. Espenson does manage to make the characters act likeable (with the exception of Giles, who seems to have a massive bug up his butt this season) during the scenes where they're all together and chatty. However, I'm sick of Xander acting like the butt monkey and Nick Brendon deserves better, especially after Xand's adorable speech to Dawn two episodes ago. Ashanti was wooden yet the whole fiasco was made even worse thanks to there being no answers to who the hell her character was - pure monster of the week filler stuff where the 'plot' went from A to Z with no clarification of what went on in between. Saving graces of the episode, however, were wonderful. Nick Brendon was, once again, brilliant and I hope that Xander gets some great character moments that highlight his greatness before the show ends. As already said (but very expected from an Espenson script), there was a lot to laugh at - Anya was hysterical as usual, Giles's flashcards were the only thing that stopped me from wanting to hit him, and Andrew was also quite amusing. Props to Tom Lenk who is making an unlikeable character quite the opposite. Danny Strong also deserves kudos for his chilling portrayal of 'Jonathan/The First' - however, it'd be nice to see The First actually do something other than popping up and threatening people or trying to make them do evil deeds. Get with the evil, ya know?! As for Wood, his story is actually quite intriguing and it'll be nice to see how the tangled web that is Buffy, him, and Spike turns out. Afraid to say, though, some stuff here lets the side down - this could have been a cool ep and, in some ways, it still is. However, there are just a couple of annoying flaws that cannot be ignored. Another hit and miss affair, unfortunately...
Verdict - * * * 1/2

Get It Done
Quick summary - Principal Wood gives Buffy a bag containing possessions of his mother's. In it, she finds a puppet show that opens up a portal which she jumps into. While Willow and the gang fight to find a way to get Buffy back, Buffy learns how the First Slayer came about and is offered power she refuses...
Best quote - Willow (mid-spell); I suck at Latin!
Comments - A solid episode but one that features the whiny incarnation of Buffy that has blemished a lot of the past two seasons. The trouble is, said whiny Buffy is big in the foreground during this ep and it's hard to ignore her annoying speeches. However, I think SMG handles the character well here while the continued depression and hard-edged side of Buffy's character is interesting to analyse if you're in the mood to do that. However, I don't suggest doing that when you want a bit of light relief! While this ep has some great light moments, bringing the Scoobs back into the mix (I'm really liking Dawn right about now!), it's pretty dark in spades too. Suicide, a rape metaphor, the building of an upcoming confrontation between Wood and a seemingly-newly badass Spike - all this is interesting but it is also a little heavy. Heavy is good, though, so that's why I rated this episode pretty high. It entertained me, I liked the way it explored the First Slayer's origins (something I've been waiting for for a very long time), and the promise of the final shot of a mass army of Ubervamps can only be a good thing! I hope I get a standard as good as this, hopefully a little better, as we head into the final days of the entire show. Weep...
Verdict - * * * *

Storyteller
Quick summary - Andrew records a documentary charting the everyday lives of the Slayer and her posse. However, when the Seal he played a part in activating starts causing wickedness at the high school, Andrew ends up becoming more involved in an adventure than he thought he would...
Best quote - The whole 'We are as Gods' sequence is funny and disturbing in equal measures!
Comments - Falls a tiny bit short of 'Conversations With Dead People'/'Selfless' brilliance but this is definitely, so far, my third favourite episode of the season. I wasn't a big Andrew fan before this but trust Jane Espenson to make me like the guy via some totally offbeat humour and a wonderful exploration into the guy's flaws as well. Tom Lenk deserves MASSIVE kudos for a performance that I think is pretty much flawless - this is totally his 'Superstar'-style showcase, and he excels in the role, making me laugh but also making me feel sad and angry at the guy at the same time. His final scenes in this ep, where Buffy gets the message across that life isn't a story and he killed Jonathan, are wonderfully acted and written - even if the tears thing felt like a really cheesy cop-out. However, while this ep forces Andrew to face some of the totally bad choices he's made, the videocam experiment makes for some great comedy. Love Andrew's take on Buffy's speeches, Xander's windows, the potential Slaygals, and Dawn - the shot of the keys, hehe! Also, his little fantasy cutaways where he faces 'Dark Willow' and imagines Godhood are a hoot and a half! It's nice to see Adam Busch and Danny Strong back in action, by the way - I have to say, I wasn't the biggest fans of 'The Trio' last season but I've grown fond of the characters and actors this year. As for the rest of the episode, I liked the continuity that the high school chaos provided to earlier seasons (as well as the cameo appearance from Andrew's pig) while Wood's near-staking of Spike was exciting - although I hope their thang is resolved quickly because I'm tired of seeing them all macho and insulting each other. Buffy was pretty perky during this ep which is always a good, Anya was hilarious, and I'm intrigued as to where the writers are gonna take the Xanya relationship after their sex session in this episode. Dawn was underused which is a shame, as she has pretty much been all season - hope that whole message Joyce gave her about Buffy not 'choosing' her will lead to some good drama in the final episodes. However, it's Andrew's show and I have to say how brave the producers are dedicating an episode so late in the game to a character who isn't really central to the show - he has potential to be so now, though. Roll on next episode...
Verdict - * * * * 1/2

Lies My Parents Told Me
Quick summary - Robin persuades Giles to stall Buffy while he traps Spike, wanting to take his revenge on the vampire who killed his mother. Meanwhile, Spike recalls his own relationship with his mother who he turned...
Best quote - Andrew's denouncement that Fred sounds 'feminine' for a guy. Hee!
Comments - After waiting for a good showdown between Wood and Spike, we get a rather tame and half-hearted one. It would have been so much cooler character-wise if Wood had been killed or if something more dramatic had happened. I like the way Buffy eventually said something Nicki told her son ('It's about the mission'), that being something that would have hurt Wood. However, the episode feels like a waste of potential especially this late on in the series. There are good points - while Spike and Buffy are annoying at times, nothing to do with the actors, I like the grey areas that are being played around with. I don't like how Giles seemed to lose his brain in this episode though; in fact, over the course of the latest episodes, Giles seems to have reverted to Season One Giles. Tut tut! Buffy closing the door on him at the end, though, could make way for some cool conflict and drama. What I wouldn't mind, however, is some funny! This season was meant to be a whole lot cheerier but, so far, it's one of the most depressing yet. This doesn't mean it's bad but the show could do with some balance right about now - too much theatricals and violins aren't a good thing! Juliet Landau made a nice little cameo, and actually made me giggle with her reaction at Spike wanting to sire his mother and having her come along on their travels. There was also the nice little crossover bit involving Fred's phone call! However, the rest of the episode pretty much focused on Spike. James does a good job, and the flashbacks are probably the most impressive part of the episode. It's how they tie in with the current plot that seems a little shaky. There's also a lot of whining and more 'soul'-ful debate going on ergo not much new ground we treadeth. The episode is watchable but not one you'll want to repeat many times over. A disappointment really because some elements are solid. Others, not so much...
Verdict - * * *

Dirty Girls
Quick summary - Faith returns to Sunnydale only to find there's a big battle brewing and about to kick into action. A sinister minister calling himself Caleb has aligned himself with the First and a plan to trap Buffy and the potentials ends with a number of casualties...
Best quote - Faith (realising Buffy is Spike's 'pal'); Wait, are you the bad Slayer now? Am I the good slayer now?
Comments - Hmmmm. While you can't really fault this episode in my opinion, there seems to be some weird things going on with this final season. The episodes range from excellent to mediocre to brilliant within the space of three or so weeks. And you know that thing Joss said about this season being lighter? Yeah, he lied. This is a way creepy and disturbing ep but that's a compliment. Nathan Fillion of Firefly embodies creepy priest guy Caleb and his joining with the First makes for the best creeps since the awesome Conversations With Dead People. And he, you know, does stuff - kills people to be accurate. Molly and another potential are all dead, and Xander's left eye is squished (eugh!) in a distressing scene that's bound to upset any long time fan. Buffy's plan wasn't too good was it? Even after Xander's lovely pro-Buffy speech. Ah well, I'm looking forward to the repercussions of the shambles that was the showdown with Caleb, the final scene with Caleb promising to kill all the girls pointing toward a dire final four episodes - not quality-wise hopefully. With Faith around, though, I'm sure things are set to be rollicking. Woohoo! More Faith love. She, and the charismatic Eliza who plays her to the nines, lit up the screen on the spinoff's fourth season and she's already proving to be well worth the wait on this show. Buff needs to go out on a high, and Faith's sure to see to that! All in all, this is a brilliant episode not without a coupla flaws (like where the hell is Anya and why does nobody mention her at all?!) but one that builds the momentum for what is hopefully going to be a blinder of a series finale.
Verdict - * * * * 1/2

Empty Places
Quick summary - While Andrew and Spike are sent to explore a church that Caleb previously vandalised, Faith takes the potential Slayers to the Bronze for a break from Buffy's pressure and hackneyed plans. When Buffy attempts to lead the girls on another assault on Caleb's lair, all of her friends and allies protest to the point where she is excluded from the team...
Best quote - Buffy (to Faith, after she has pretty much been thrown out of the house); Don't... Don't be afraid to lead them.
Comments - Hmmm. Another one of those episodes where I have to type 'hmmm' where I'd rather be going 'wooo, what a great episode'. This one has many shining moments, finally addressing Buffy's dire decisions of late and throwing in a touching (but all too brief) Scooby moment in the hospital scene between Willow and injured Xander. However, there are elements that make it an exhausting and not altogether rewarding experience. Caleb, who showed potential last week, seems to have already become one-note - I want to hear about his motivations, where he gets his power from, etc. The whole Buffy-is-isolated thang is also handled with a heavy hand, and for a Drew Z. Greenberg episode this is somewhat short on laughs. Even the presence that is Eliza cannot save it from being a little too mediocre. Hopefully, this ep is just treading water before the big final three - although I'd prefer this to be more entertaining, seeing as it's the fourth from last episode we'll have. I mean, when Clem can't make ya smile, who can?! I admit I found the showdown at the end interesting, and though SMG gave a great little performance. But seeing the Slayer chucked out of her own house after all she's done for these people is something I don't even want to address because doing so will just sadden me. I hope, before the show ends, Buffy reclaims her throne and is given the send-off she deserves (i.e. Mutant Enemy should make her LIKEABLE for once) while the friendships of the original four are restored. If not, I'll be an unhappy little soldier. I hold out hope, though...
Verdict - * * * 1/2 (and the 1/2 extra is generosity due to the fact that the show's ending and I'm big with the bawling like a baby)

Touched
Quick summary - Buffy's sad and alone until Spike comes along, Faith's all leader and anxious, and everyone has sex. Well, not everyone. But a lot of people. Oh, and there's fighting and a weapon of some kind...
Best quote - Spike (to Buffy during a speech that may be seen as cheesy but what I see as simple truth); You're one hell of a woman. You're the one, Buffy.
Comments - An improvement on the previous episode but a surprisingly talky episode for this late on in the series. Hopefully, the writers have saved up all the juicy action for the final two episodes and in the meantime we have some interesting character studies and some heavy dialogue. The ep ain't perfect in no way, shape or form - one might say Wood, Kennedy and Andrew hog up too much screentime and there are moments of sheer boringness. Also, a couple of scenes are way clunky such as the Faith/Spike showdown which contains no excitement or tension whatsoever. However, the episode does contain gem-like moments, the Spike/Buffy scenes being my favourite. I'm not a big fan of this 'ship' but I thought both characters shone in these scenes in which their complex relationship is looked at yet, ultimately, the scenes become all about how Buffy is 'one hell of a woman'. And I'm so into that! While the character is flawed and not always likeable, who have we been watching for the past seven years? Yup, Buff! And she deserves some inspiring words like the ones Spike gives to her. When she wants to, she can kick ass - and she does so during the episode's final ten minutes. Can't wait to see how the new toy she's found works!!! Meanwhile, the ep also presents us with a brilliant little performance from Harry Groener, our beloved Mayor/First. It's nice to see him and Eliza working off each other again even if it is a new dynamic, and their brief scene together is a joy. Eliza does well here too, and it's interesting to see Faith in Buffy's role. It's also interesting to see her get it on with Wood - not sure I woulda gone with that pairing but I guess we'll see. As for Willow, she and Kennedy get jiggy; I'm not a big fan of Kennedy and don't feel much chemistry at all between Iyari Limon and Hannigan but Willow gets to say some interesting stuff about being 'unrestrained' that is worthy of note. Lately, Willow hasn't done much and I'm hoping that her scene with Kennedy here implies that she'll get into the game in the next two episodes. Same for Xander and Anya who end up having sex once again. They're all doing it, the dirty bunnies! We also learn a First weakness here, in that it wants to 'feel'. Maybe this signifies there'll be some interesting conclusions and the like coming up very soon. Hope it all ends well, and I have more faith after seeing this episode than I did after seeing the episode that came before it...
Verdict - * * * 1/2 (maybe another * but maybe that's too generous)

End Of Days
Quick summary - As the First Evil's plans to end the world, starting with Sunnydale, kick into high gear, Buffy's discovery of an ancient scythe could mean the good guys aren't done fighting yet. While Faith's plan was a bust, Buffy is prepared to win the war - and help from Angel can't be a bad thing...
Best quote - Angel (echoing what I'll be thinking only a week after the final episode airs); God, I miss watching this!
Comments - This episode has a couple of problems with it. Towards the start and around the middle, there are a couple of exhaustingly boring exposition scenes about the scythe Buffy has found. Also, look too closely at the ep and plot holes can be found - such as why the hell the ubervamps are up and playing when the seal thingy had to be activated to do so earlier in the season. However, for all its little faults, I (as Andrew would say) 'lurvvvvvvvve' this penultimate episode. It crams in more of what I wanted to see before the show ended than I think the whole season has managed. From the goofy but shipper-pleasing return of Angel to the character moments between Andrew and Anya, from Spike's interplay with Buffy to the shock ending - this episode is choc-full of great moments. In fact, the final twenty minutes is up there with the best the show has offered. While the first half is also near-perfect (we have some cool fight scenes for once, a scene with Willow that is bound to foreshadow the finale, and twists like Xander knocking out Dawn), the latter half of the ep feels like it was made with the fans in mind. The second time I watched this ep, the scenes felt like classic old-school Buffy even if the characters that were doing the talking were in new places. For example, I loved Anya's whole speech about humanity which was beautiful but also how it was undercut by Andrew's comments and then the gigglesome wheelchair fight. I loved the 'shirty' talk between Spike and Buffy that was ultimately formed into a glorious moment where Spike describes how the night where he held Buffy was the best of his life. Stuff like this is what has been lacking a little from the last few episodes. I mean, you've gotta love the snarky humour, such as Faith's comment about being 'hot girls with superpowers' and the scythe creator's double take at Buffy's name, as well as the Xander/Buffy interaction that has been lacking for ages. I'm really looking forward to the finale now and I just know I'm going to be desperately sad when those final credits roll. This ep, in a way, felt like the finale and I felt so sad watching this. However, I'm glad this ep has provided the series with a final burst of momentum and hope beyond hope that the finale is a fitting and deserving end to the amazing legacy that is this show...
Verdict - * * * * * (should really be half a star less but, after all, the show is ending and I'm savouring every moment!)

Chosen
Quick summary - The gang prepare for the final battle against the First and its army of Ubervamps, and a mysterious trinket Angel gives Buffy may be the key to success. Meanwhile, Buffy asks Willow to use the scythe to empower all potential Slayers so that they all become Slayers which sees Buffy and her army a step closer to achieving their goal to end the First once and for all...
Best quote - Dawn (to Buffy who smiles as a response to the final line ever of a 'Buffy' episode); What do we do now?
Comments -
Verdict - * * * * *