Part of my weekend was spent watching Buffy, and I forgot how much I freakin' ADORED this show. Come with me on a little journey while I recap one of the best shows in history....

1. Anne: With Angel gone, Buffy winds up in a different town, working as a waitress amidst a bunch of runaways, and sees the pain of not being missed by anyone. Meanwhile, the Scooby gang has taken to slaying vamps without the Slayer.

2. Dead Man's Party: Buffy has problems adjusting to being back home, and the Scoobys don't easily let her off the hook for having taken off and leaving them hanging. Meanwhile an ancient mask raises the dead and attacks Buffy's house. And we learn Willow has trying out her witch abilities.

3. Faith, Hope & Trick: And here we meet the delightful Faith, who has a lot of baggage and some serious jonesing for slaying. Buffy confesses to the Scoobys that Willow's spell to give Angel his soul back actually worked, but it was too late. Ooooh naked Angel...

4. Beauty and the Beasts: Is there a werewolf on the loose? And what about the abusive boyfriend? And OMG look who's back. Yay! Yet another weepy moment. Is it me or are Buffy and Angel one of the best couples ever? Spike who?

5. Homecoming: Buffy vs. Cordy for Homecoming Queen. Slayerfest '98. Xander and Willow making googly eyes at each other. Buffy & Cordy become "the ultimate big game". Oh and cute Buffy dress. Am I the only one who misses sparkly barrettes?

6. Band Candy: Principal Snyder has the school selling candy, only it's not just any kind of candy, it's got youthful powers, and we see the grownups acting like kids...and Giles gettin' busy with Buffy's mom.

7. Revelations: The gang finds out that Angel is alive. Faith tries to kill him. The Scoobies are mad at Buffy for keeping such a big secret. There's a new watcher in town, sent to monitor Giles' progress, though that's not the only thing on her agenda.

8. Lovers Walk: Spike is back in town, broken-hearted by the cruel Drusilla's rejection. He's so pitiful even Joyce sympathizes with him. Willow and Xander are fighting their growing attraction, yet when faced with possible death, give into temptation.

9. The Wish: Cordy is still trying to get over Xander's betrayal, and befriends a demon - Anya -who makes Cordy's fondest wish - that Buffy never came to town - a reality. Xander & Willow are badass vamps in this world.

10. The Amends: Oz decides to give Willow another chance. Angel is dreaming about the past and can't figured out why he came back from Hell. Then, there's the first evil. But oh, Angel standing on the hilltop, waiting for the sun. Buffy shows up. Snow...

11. Gingerbread: Joyce catches Buffy "on the job", and comes across 2 dead children. This prompts her to start a watch group to stand up and protect their town. The parents become fanatical and determined to erase all signs - real and imagined - of witchcraft, the occult, demons. Oh, and Amy turns into a rat.

12. Helpless: As Buffy's 18th birthday approaches, she's noticing that she's losing her strength, her coordination. Unaware that this is a test until she's very close to nearly being killed, she's devastated to learn of Giles' involvement, and has to figure out a way to save her mother on her own.

13. The Zeppo: Xander begins to wonder if he's really a necessary part of the Scooby gang when he's drafted into a bad crowd. He also ends up having sex for the first time.

14. Bad Girls: Buffy and Faith are bonding over the slayage. The mayor's got a dedication going on before his ascension. And we meet te new Watcher: Wesley Wyndam-Price (aka Allyson's future husband). And a slayer accidentally kills a human.

5. Consequences: Cordelia and Wesley meet for the first time. Faith and Buffy disagree about how to handle the murder. Wesley thinks he knows how to handle being a Watcher and giving orders but he learns there's a lot he doesn't know.

16. Doppelgangland: Willow is sick & tired of being the reliable one. Anya, a cranky demon stuck in Sunnydale, wants to go back to her world. The two work on a spell meant to help Anya get there, but instead they conjure up bad Willow, who has a tendency to lick the girls. (sidenote: Angel is a bit of wuss in this episode but still pretty hot)

17. Enemies: Buffy & Faith are approached about obtaining the Books of Ascension, which is something the Scooby gang know litte about. They also learn which side Faith is really on after she plots to steal Angel's soul and bringing him to the Mayor. We find out just who the better actor is, but it has consequences for Buffy & Angel.

19. Choices: The Scooby gang find out about a certain box that will help the mayor with the Ascension, and end up stealing it, howe er Willow is captured. Wesley doesn't like Buffy's plan to get Willow back, but Oz isn't about to argue, and he destroys the cauldron that was to be used in destroying the box. Buffy makes a deal with the mayor for a trade - the box for Willow. We also find out Cordy's future might not be as bright as it appears...

20. The Prom: It's the night Buffy hopes to share with Angel, only he's not so sure about their future and breaks up with her. A spurned student tries to get payback for rejection by sending hellhounds to the dance. And Buffy is designated class protector. This was an awesome episode!

21. Graduation Day, Part 1: The Ascenscion is here, and to make things interesting, Angel ends up being poisoned. The cure: a slayer's blood. A conflicted yet determined Buffy promises it will be Faith's...

22. Graduation Day, Part 2: It's D Day (or is it G Day?) and the Mayor has his big, bad plan set in motion, all while continuing to speak at the commencement. Then the eclipse comes (take that Stephenie Meyer!) and the Mayor shows himself in all his reptilian glory, yet Buffy has some surprises in store for the arrogant demon....

Oh it was wonderful going back and experiencing this season again. There's a lot of angst, and deep feelings that must not be deepened. It's poignant, funny, sexy, sweet, and enlightening.

What's your must-see episode?

Labels: BtVS, Sarah Michelle Gellar

My eyes are burning from all this television I've been watching but it's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so that's okay. It's one of the more emotional seasons, so there's also a bit of tears. Even knowing what happens doesn't make it much easier, but it's good drama, you've got to admit.

Here's a recap of the season....

1. When She Was Bad: Buffy's back in town after being gone all summer, and not adjusting well after having killed The Master. Gives Xander a dirty dance which he both loves and dreads, knowing that it's not really him she wants. And it hurts others she cares about, like Willow, and Angel, who tries to keep his distance despite his feelings.

2. Some Assembly Required: Oh I hate the episodes with body parts that are not exploding vampires. A former student who died is brought back to life, but doesn't want to spend his time alone, so his beloved brother decides to make him a girl. Can you say ewww?

3. School Hard: Spike! We meet this platinum bad boy for the first time, only we hate him along with his crazy girlfriend Drusilla. Well, we did the first time around. Knowing what we know now, he's really not so bad... We also learn that no one's going to hurt Joyce Summers' little girl, not even Spike.

4. INCA Mummy Girl: Oh it's tough being a teenager in these times, as an Inca girl, recently released from death, learns in this episode. Pretty but a bit rough around the edges. Xander falls in love and almost gets the kiss of death.

5. Repile Boy: fraternity. Xander in a bra. Peer pressure. Human sacrifice. You know, typical teenage hijinx. And sometimes you really do have to watch out for the nice ones.

6. Halloween: Buffy, Xander & Willow all take on the persona of their costumes. Quite amusing. And then there's Oz, who's rather taken with "that girl" but he doesn't even know her name. I love that he doesn't go for the obvious ones like Cordy. Oz is one cool dude, and it's great fun to see Xander and Willow in charge while Buffy cowers in dark corners.

7. Lie To Me: Buffy's grade school crush - Jason Behr before "Roswell". Hideous 90's gothwear. Angel reminisces about honing his brooding skills. Willow finally figures out what that Divinyls' song ("I Touch Myself") is all about. But the real core of the episode is how it feels to be lied to by the people you care about most. And that eternal life is not all it's cracked up to be.

8. The Dark Age: Giles' mysterious past. Finally we get to see more of the sexy but uptight Watcher. We learn he was a bit of a bad boy and rebelled against his destiny. Me like.

9. What's My Line Part 1: Career Day, and Buffy realizes she doesn't really get to choose her career. It's been chosen for her. Willow & Oz finally meet! Albeit briefly, but how cute are they? And then there's Kendra. Now isn't her appearance interesting? Though having watched the whole season in just a few days, I really thought she'd been around longer than she had.

10. What's My Line Part 2: Worms! Icky, icky worms. Ugh. But oh the passion! In the creepy basement. The tension between Xander & Cordy finally cracks and smoochies ensue. Angel without a shirt, worth the price of admission. And then there's Jonathan, who we see briefly, for what, the 3rd time? so far in the series. His story is just beginning....

11. Ted: With John Ritter as the man courting Buffy's mother. I've always liked John Ritter, and he does a wonderful job as a by-the-rules guy who does not like the rebellious Buffy one bit. And of course, he is not what he seems. Buffy doesn't like him either, and ends up killing him.

12. Bad Eggs: A school project gone terribly wrong. When the Scooby gang is given eggs to take home and cared for like babies, it turns out these eggs are not the everyday, garden variety that can be fried, scrambled or boiled.

13. Surprise: This is it, the episode where all that intense longing between Buffy & Angel is finally consummated in some hot, romantic lovin'. Have to figure those centuries of experience makes it good for Buffy, wouldn't you think? And Willow finds out about Cordy & Xander, which does not make her happy. Lots of smoochies going on in this episode.

14. Innocence: Turns out Buffy's & Angel's special night was not without consequences. Turns out when Angel experience even a moment of true happiness, he loses his soul again. Turns out his happiness is his night with Buffy. This one is a tearjerker.

15. Phases: There's a werewolf in town and it turns out to be one of the Scoobys. Revelations all around with Larry the school bully making a startling confession.

18. Killed by Death: Buffy gets sick and ends up in the hospital, where she's at Death's door, who turns out to be a visitor from her past. Xander feels protective of his friend, and his white knight routine bothers Cordy. This is what I think of as a "filler" episode. Not really all that interesting but manages to drive the story a bit forward.

19. I Only Have Eyes For You: I loved this episode. A murder-suicide of star-crossed lovers from 1955 is reenacted in present-day Sunnydale over and over because the killer wants forgiveness but never manages to achieve it before people die. It culminates in a touching scene with Buffy and Angel when the spirits of the lovers inhabit their bodies, which later freaks Angel out.

20. Go Fish: The swimming team is all the rage in this episode where it turns out steroids aren't the only suspicious thing going on. There's also a side story where a member of the swimming team used to many privileges, thinks Buffy is up for grabs. And look, a very young yet still very cute Wentworth Miller From "Prison Break" is a swimmer.

21. Becoming, Part 1: We see a lot of Angel's history, how and when he was changed, as well as the gypsy curse that gave him back his soul. We also see Buffy when she first gets the call as Slayer, and Angel seeing her for the first time, and how that moment changed his life.

22. Becoming, Part 2: Buffy shows up at the library only to have the police show up as she's standing over a dead body. Giles has been kidnapped by Angel, and Willow is in a coma. Xander is broken up about seeing his best friend so helpless. And Spike reaches full power and hottie potential becomes evident. The infamous sword fight between Buffy & Angel. Much tears. There is much sadness by the end of this season...

****

A lot of good stuff this season. Hard to believe so much happened, and how it went down, but I have to say I applaud those difficult choices. Joss Whedon didn't shy away from those "don't go there" moments. Watching it in succession like this is really intense, but that's actually a good thing. Makes it much more effective, I think. So I might take a little break before moving on to season 3. Then again, maybe not.

What do you remember most about season 2?

Labels: BtVS, Sarah Michelle Gellar

Labels: Sarah Michelle Gellar, television

I saw part of this movie months ago when I was on a business trip and always wanted to find out how it ended. The movie starts when Joanna is a little girl, and her father takes her to a carnival at night. She doesn't really want to go, but her father thinks it will be fun. At he's getting them something to eat, Joanna wanders off and is being chased by a creepy guy who keeps whispering to her, calling her "Sunshine".

Fast-forward to years later, where Joanna, now a successful sales rep, is given an opportunity that will lead her to Texas, where she grew up and where her father still lives. Joanna's success doesn't sit too well with her ex-boyfriend, who follows her to Texas. Calling in a favor from a friend, Joanna meets with a potential client, and later, makes plans to catch up with her girlfriend from high school. But while in Texas, she keeps having these disturbing visions about a place she's never been, and after an act of self-mutilation she doesn't remember, she is determined to find the town that's been haunting her.

She goes to visit her father, whom she hasn't seen in years, and spending the night in her old room only brings up more unanswered questions. She father is vague about what happened to her as a child, and she decides he's not going to tell her what she needs to know.

With another sleepless night ahead of her, Joanna uncovers the name of a town from her childhood - La Salle, Texas - and believes this is where her visions are from. Not one to sit around and mull things over, Joanna heads straight to La Salle, and rents herself a cheap room. That evening she heads over to the Red bar, the one from her dreams, but before too long, her ex-boyfriend shows up, and she manages to get away from him. He follows her to her room, but before he can hurt her he's dragged out and beaten by one of the guys from the bar, a man with a past that seems to be hated by the townspeople.

Joanna feels a connection to the man, and the next day goes to his house. At first he's angry, thinking she's breaking into his home, but when she turns to leave he stops her, and after introducing themselves - he's Terry Stahl - they agree to meet up the next day. Before she goes, she turns and sees the barn and begins to act a little strange, but shrugs it off and heads off.

The next day they have lunch together, and talk about their pasts a bit. After awhile, they get up to leave, and Joanna says good-bye, but can't resist kissing him on the cheek, feeling drawn to him, as he does to her, though she's years younger. Not finding what she's looking for, she decides to go back to Terry's house, and once again he's not there. She inevitably heads for the barn, where she has another increasingly violent vision, and Terry finds her hours later, bleeding.

Eventually all becomes clear; why Joanna keeps having these visions, why the townspeople hate Terry, and even who the creepy guy from Joanna's visions really is. But will he be stopped before someone else ends up dead?

It's an interesting story, if a little slow. A lot of "show, don't tell" action going on here, and at first it's a little confusing, but as clues are slowly uncovered, it begins to make sense. Joanna's frustrated by the visions she's been having for years, and sees things in herself she doesn't know how to explain. The grim, dilapitated small town setting sets the perfect tone for this story, and as we learn more of Joanna's past, we see how the events of her life intertwine with those of the woman from her visions. Before the end of the movie it's apparent that Joanna finally has some closure about her past, but we are unclear as to what she intends to do going forward. I actually liked that about the movie.

It's not really a horror movie, but it's does have its thrills and chills. I've always been a fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar (well, since BtVS anyway), and find her portrayal of this lonely, disturbed woman to be quite strong and sympathetic. The character of Terry Stahl is a worn, tired rugged anti-hero with a raspy midwestern voice, and is wonderfully played by Peter O'Brien, whom is actually Australian and sounds quite different than the character. Sam Shepard plays Joanna's distant father, and Adam Scott is the obsessive ex-boyfriend who just can't let go. A strong, likeable cast, and if you're in the mood for something a little different, something that's a bit slow and without the dramatic finish, then this one might be for you.

Rating: **** out of *****

Labels: movies, Sarah Michelle Gellar