Becoming Parts 1 and 2

Mark here... well we made it!  The season finale of Buffy Season 2!  This was a really good episode!  It starts out kind of slow but sort of sums up the best of this season.  The season as a whole was a bit off and on for us watching again.  On the one hand there's some great stuff with exploring the history of the slayer and the introduction of Spike.  On the other hand, there's still Jenny Calendar and the awkward romance between Buffy and Angel.  It just felt off in retrospect.  I know this was the season Buffy became a thing based on that romance, but it still lacked chemistry for me and the age difference was unavoidable.  So you're 200 years old and your attracted to a 16 year old girl.  I get the appeal if you are 16, but now...yeeesh.

Anyway, Angel, Drusilla and Spike are plotting to unleash this awful hell demon and the gang must stop them.  But lo and behold, Spike is sick of evil Angel and doesn't want the end of the world.  So he strikes a bargain with Buffy.  In the meantime though, Drusilla attacks the Scoobies while Angel distracts Buffy. She captures Giles, wounds Willow and Xander, and kills a visiting Kendra the Vampire Slayer.  Kendra pretty much shows up to get knocked off, being an awful character and making way for a better one...next season!  Willow ends up hospitalized but pulls herself together to attempt re-ensouling Angel with a spell they found from Jenny Calendar.  Witch Willow is very much apparent and we get to see her finally taking charge and moving from the mousy friend to the tough character she will become.  Now if only she would dress better!  Seriously, coming out for Willow isn't just about admitting she's gay, it's about not dressing like someone who hates herself!

Buffy confronts Angel at his ritual and Spike betrays him and carts Drusilla off.  After a big fight, Buffy is forced to kill Angel to reverse the spell he started...but Willow has succeeded in re-ensouling him! It's a touching scene even as she's forced to stab him with a sword.

In the end Buffy is forced to leave town.  The police think she's killed Kendra because she's found with the body.  Also, Joyce throws her out after Buffy confesses to being the Slayer and tells her she has to leave.  Another great scene!  Buffy basically tells Joyce she's been in denial about everything that's been going on.

One final point...we get a hint of something bigger as Principal Synder calls the Mayor *who we've not seen) to express joy at Buffy leaving town and being expelled from school...

Hey Laurel here...I second Mark's emotion about Willow, it's nice to see her step up to the plate, now please stop dressing like you hate yourself!

The other thing I thought was interesting about this episode is that Joyce finally gets a clue, sort of.  She realizes she's been missing a huge issue that has been going on in her daughter's life for the last few years but she reacts so poorly when she discovers it.  She finally starts to understand that something profound is going on when Spike shows up at the house with Buffy, and Buffy evaporates a vampire right in front of her, but her reaction is like "young lady, you are grounded!"  and Buffy is like "I don't have time to be grounded I have to save the world!  Don't you get it by now you clueless woman!"  I am paraphrasing of course, but you get the jist.  Hopefully Joyce will get it together in the next season.

The episode ends with Buffy running away.  Where will she go?  What or who brings her back?  What will Angel be like now that he has a soul again?  Will Willow ever start dressing better?  Only time will tell...

We give this double episode a rare 5 stakes!  Good one Joss.

Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout It

Mark here...this episode is called "Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout It", the it in question is sex. And yes, this is another "issues" episode, but given the subject, it's actually kind of funny. It's all a bit of a blur, but there's an initiative for condoms in school and then a survey and then an article in the blaze...all about sex and condoms.  We do get our first appearance of Donna's mom at a parents meeting on the subject of handing out condoms and she proves to be a great future nemesis.  We also see Donna defending handing out condoms, which gives David Silver hope for doing it. Poor David. We later find out Donna is saving herself for marriage.  I remember this being a big deal at the time as Donna is a symbol for kids who want to wait.  Blah Blah.  She's as symbol of a patriarchal society because her dad runs the show and doesn't want his daughter having sex (even though in real life Tori Spelling is!).

In any case, the spearhead of this safe sex movement is Andrea?!  Granted, she's never met a cause she didn't like...but really, maybe you should sit this one out Andrea? Brandon says as much to her.

Hey Laurel here...it's all true.  Andrea, the most awkward 30 year old that goes to west beverly is spearheading the movement for condoms in school?!?  Also there's a new kid at the blaze who's totally nerd cute and clearly has a crush on her, and she totally ignores him and/or is actually rude to him.  I kept telling Mark "Andrea!  Open your eyes!!"  Finally at the end she asks him to go to the movies after they finish passing out sex ed materials in west hollywood.  Ah, nerd dates.  I'm curious if we ever see him again.

Cocktail moments this episode...whenever anyone says "condom" (usually awkwardly), whenever Andrea sighs because she's in a huff about condoms, and...when David Silver tries to do it with Donna and she has to explain to him that she's saving herself for marriage.  Ouch.

Quotes of note this episode...When Dylan tells David "What do I look like?  Ann Landers?"  When David asks his advice about "waiting for the right time"  to reserve a hotel room for him and Donna.   SPOILER ALERT...Um, David, it's never gonna happen buddy, at least not until college.

The second, and this might be my favorite of this show so far... Brandon tells Andrea "Maybe you should get a life of your own before it's too late."  Ok, I know this is super mean, but as you know if you have ever read one other tvdinnernight post about Nine-0, I fucking hate her.

Best Laid Plans

Hi Laurel here...So this episode there is so much fighting!

First the Taylor's are fighting because Eric accepted a job at TMU in Austin, but neither Julie or Tami wants to go until Juli graduates.  Eric is saying no way but as we've seen Tami is not one to be steamrolled.

Tyra and Landry are fighting because Landry told Tami about Tyra's assault.  I sympathize with Tyra about wanting to keep it a secret, but I think Landry did the right thing.  Tyra clearly needed help and Tami was exactly the right person to tell.  She made her go to the police which Tyra was sort of humiliated by but of course it's totally the right thing.

Lyla's parents have been unable to reconcile and are getting a divorce.  Jason and Lyla continue to be distant, which comes to a head at the end of the episode, I'll let Mark tell you about that...

Mark here...I agree with everything Laurel said.  All the fighting, for me, contributed to a feeling of tension that built until the end of the episode.  The big roast dinner had so many tense relationships!  The Taylors upset with each other about Eric's new job, Tyra and Landry, Jason and Lyla, Lyla and Buddy (who she's still not forgiven, and now her parents are getting divorced), and a few more I may be missing.

The part between Lyla and  has to do with Jason making a "date" with the blonde tattoo artist from a few episodes back.  She's in town and Jason runs into her and makes plans without telling Lyla.  This ends up with Jason and the blonde kissing and totally getting caught by Lyla.  By the end of the episode, she's had enough and tells Jason not to come by her house again.

Tyra and Landry also make up by the end and though I like both characters, I hope they aren't trying to set up some kind of beauty and the geek storyline.  It just doesn't work for me that she'd date someone who's clearly emotionally younger.  I think she'd definitely be flattered and maybe a few years later...I don't know, we'll see what happens...

The last plotline to note was with Smash and his girlfriend, who lets him know he can have a "hiatus" period during the Roast Dinner, which she has decided not to go to.  Fortunately, he doesn't do anything, but the idea is weird and makes me think she's still unstable.

Home Again

Laurel here...Here we are! At the season 1 finale! It was a slog at times but we made it!

So this episode hinges on whether or not the Walshes are all going to have to move back to Minneapolis. Jim gets a big job offer for double his salary and decides he can't pass it up..The episode basically focuses on all the gang saying goodbye to each other. Steve is a total dick to Brandon because he can't deal with the possibility of Brandon leaving, Dylan and Brenda decide to try a long distance relationship but then Brenda changes her mind and breaks up with him, and Kelly offers for Brenda to stay at her place for the summer. All sort of believable, except for Andrea's reaction. She offers to have sex with Brandon, as a "goodbye present" (your present is me!) AND BRANDON ACCEPTS!!!! Are you fucking kidding me? I am so flummoxed/grossed out I don't even know what to say. What nerdy high school girl offers herself up as a present? Not to mention a judgey higher than thou nerd? What? It just makes no sense.

Mark here...I will say that my one note from the Andrea-Brandon hook-up possibility: "UGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!" (no exaggeration). I realize that all season we are supposed to be rooting for Andrea in some sort of 80s movie nerd-makes-good sort of way, but it doesn't work. We hate Andrea, she's unrelatable. Maybe another actress could have made the character likable, but here you just don't believe Brandon would go for her. I guess that's why nothing ever happens.

One moment I thought was funny is Dylan's reaction to finding out Brenda is moving, "There's so much we haven't done". Given last episode, both Laurel and I had this reaction..."Blow Jobs," "Anal Sex," "69"...etc...

I will say I'm glad we've reached the end of this season...the series doesn't seem to have found it's footing in teen soapiness yet and while the teen stuff we've seen is fun, the "lessons" are unbearable and really a blast from the past...really modern teen shows would never push this moral crap, because it would kill their ratings. Here, I think they will recover because there wasn't anything like this on TV and their photogenic leads...

Laurel here...in the end the Walshes decide to stay in California after all because Jim is so touched by the goodbye party the gang throws for them at the peach pit. The cliffhanger of the season finale...Brenda tells Dylan she is late!!! You know, late.

Style award this episode goes to Brandon/Andrea! For Andrea's outfit in Brandon's dream about their hookup. Let's just say I never really visualized the phrase "$10 hooker" until today.

Cocktail moments this episode: When Steve is fighting with a little tiny jock guy and losing. Brandon tries to comfort him by saying, "that guy was built like a wide load truck". Um, he was smaller than both Brandon and Dylan so I'm not sure which guy he was talking about. Side note... Steve wears an eyepatch for the rest of the episode after getting his ass kicked.

Also whenever Brandon and Andrea have to pretend they have chemistry. At one point they kiss and it looks like Andrea is trying to eat poor Brandon's whole head. You need a drink because it's so awkward.