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'BUFFY' & 'ANGEL' S4/S1 DVD Challenge (1 Viewer)

Jay_B!

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it's too bad Joss has too many issues with Fox and CW to go back and do another series. Oh well, I guess with "successors" like Rob Thomas and Eric Kripke, that it's not too bad, since both of those have Joss-like traits but also have an entirely different and new spin, but still, Joss is Joss and he shouldn't let Firefly not finding an audience until DVD get him down. Everybody has their not-as-big projects. Not every show will catch on the way Buffy and Angel did.
 

Wendy_L

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Well, I'm all caught up. Over the weekend I watched Harsh Light of Day, poor Buffy falling for a cheesy ploy from an older faternity schmuck. And watching Spike w/Harmony was really funny. I'm glad they brought Harmony back. As for the Anya and Xander storyline the only thing I have to say there is, "what the hell was up with her hair?". I thought In the Dark was a GREAT "Angel" episode and it was one of my favorites from Season 1. I love when Oz says, "Wow, you are really pale."

I also enjoyed I Fall to Pieces, which guest starred a Buffy alumni, and Fear, Itself was definitely a very entertaining Halloween episode.

This week we will be watching:

B4x05: Beer Bad
B4x06: Wild at Heart
B4x07: The Initiative


And for those of you who like to watch ahead...

WEEK OF 9/25/06
A1x05: RM W/A VU
A1x06: Sense and Sensitivity
A1x07: The Bachelor Party
B4x08: Pangs
A1x08: I will Remember You


Enjoy!
 

Inspector Hammer!

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Harsh Light of Day

This was a fun episode and a nice way to bring ol' trouble making Spike back into the mix. We also are reaquainted with Harmony, although she isn't quite as we remember her. Well, she is...just with fangs. ;)

One of my favorite moments from that ep is the fight between Buffy and Spike...in broad daylight! And Spike goes vamp-face in one of my favorite shots (you see it in the opening credit sequence as well). And of course, for the very first time for me, this great ep lead right into...

In the Dark

Wow, this was my very first *seamless* Buffy/Angel crossover and a doozy it was, the sight of Angel charging head-long from the van and into the sunlight was great! And his susequent, albeit brief, moment in the golden rays after 200 years of darkness was a sight for a Buffy/Angel fan. I couldn't help but wonder what Buffy would of thought of that moment.

My only complaint, I didn't buy for one second Angel's reasoning for not keeping the ring, IMO there was no excuse for not keeping it, and more importantly WEARING it!

Angel was a fool for smashing it.

It was also cool seeing Oz in this episode, like I said the two episodes seemed to flow seamlessly into each other and made for a nice "mini movie"-like experience, I really appreciated that aspect of it all. :emoji_thumbsup:

I Fall to Pieces

Another good ep and man, was it WEIRD lol. The main baddie in the ep did spring from the best Joss Whedon tradition of strange villains...that guy would have been right at home in Sunnydale, right up until Buffy killed him. ;)

Fear, Itself

This Halloween episode ranks #2 as my favorite Halloween Buffy episode. It just has a funhouse feel that I like, it speaks to my love of the holiday as well as my love of the show, and the two combined made for a really good time for me the first time I watched it. Now, I have never laughed harder or as long during this entire series as when the true nature of the , ah hem, demon was ultimately revealed. :laugh:

And the Scoobs reaction to it had me in stitches! :laugh: The final couple of minutes of this ep are pure Buffy gold and truly exemplifies the playful nature of this wonderful show.

Moving on...
 

Nick Martin

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It was a great reason - that ring would have been the easy way out for him, plain and simple. Also, keeping that ring would have made him indestructable, and with that kind of power, who knows how far he would have taken it. Would you want Buffy to have a 'get out of slaying free' card? That would give her a normal life, something she seemed to desperately want.
 

Jay_B!

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I agree to an extent, but it seems like Angel always plays the martyr card, he did the same thing in "I Will Remember You" a few episodes later. He had chances to break the curse of everything he hates that he is, and he would rather play the martyr instead of thinking he's earned the second chance.

Of course, the show wouldn't have been the same, maybe they tried it way too early in the series for it to stick. Possibly if "I Will Remember You" had been done as a series finale and the outcome was different, it would've been perfect timing and everyone would've gotten their deserved happy ending (and it also would've actually been a sensible reason to make SMG come back, as opposed to the finale as we knew it). I mean, if what happened in that episode would've happened as a series finale type episode, there would've been all the closure instead of Buffy and Angel fans both still hoping for a movie of sorts to wrap things up. That would've given both series ample closure.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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I'm sorry, Nicholas, I can't agree. The only reason to smash it would be to continue keeping things as they are...smashing the ring was a conveniant plot device IMO.

His whole thing about "saving people in the dark and not forgetting them" was bogus IMO, I just didn't buy that.

Now, let me make it clear that I can easily forgive the show for it, I want Angel to remain dark and brooding too, but for the purposes of real life, he should have kept it and wore it.
 

Scott-S

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I agree that it was really stupid for Angel to destroy the ring. I know it had to be done for the show to work, but I wish that they could have come up with a better reason they had to destroy it. It seemed like a cop out having him just hit it with a rock and say it had to be done so that they do not forget about the people out at night.

They should have at least have had some mystical reasoning.
 

Wendy_L

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I also said that if he didn't destroy the ring he would of constantly had to worry about Vamps like Spike coming after him and trying to get the ring for themselves. In that context, destroying the ring was the best thing to do. I mean, the poor guy is already battling demons on a daily basis trying to save people, he doesn't need the burden of having to fight off Vamps from killing him to get that ring.
 

Scott-S

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Beer Bad:

This episode is widely thought of as the worst episode of the entire series. It is just really bad.

The only positive things I can say is that I love how Willow confronted Parker and I loved seeing Parker get his head busted 3 times in the episode.

Wild at Heart:

I have a really hard time watching this episode. I feel like I have to turn in my Man Membership Card. The reason is, every time I see Willow hurt and crying, I start to tear up. I feel like such a girl. I guess this means they did a good job on the episode.

The thing I hate about it is it is basically the end of the Oz and Willow relationship. I know Tara is coming, but I like Oz and hated to see him leave.

One error I noted. Why is it hat Dr. Walsh was so frightened and confused about what she saw? As we will soon find out, she should easily know a werewolf when she sees one. I am guessing that they did this to keep the upcoming plot reveal a suprise.

The Initiative:

I am probably one of the few people who liked Riley.

There were a lot of funny scenes in this episode. I liked the scene with Riley in Buffy’s room talking to Willow.

Riley and Willow seem to have a good rapport. I got a great laugh at the scene where Willow was helping Riley out at the party. In a way, the whole helping out Riley thing really helped get Willow out of her funk.
 

Nick Martin

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At that point, had Angel earned a second chance?

It's about whether or not he thought he deserved it, and he knew he wasn't there yet. Some day, perhaps, but not that that time.

I just don't understand why I seem to be the only one who believes in that.
 

Johnny S

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There is no direct spoiler, but people on this forum are nutty about any type of spoiler so I am hiding it.

Had Angel gotten the ‘normal’ life it would defeat the whole purpose of the series, for me. The point is that they fight & help people when no one else will & they keep on fighting 'til the end. Not for a reward, but because it’s the right thing to do. I think, though not initially satisfying, the ending fits perfectly.
 

Simon Massey

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City of...:star::star::star::star:
Really strong pilot and its easy to see how great the show would become. There are 3 great moments I love seeing in this episode -

1. Doyle telling Angel to get out there and care about the people he saves (and then telling the old lady to sod off)
2. Angel jumping into the wrong car.
3. "Can you fly ?"
 

Firebee

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Still madly trying to get caught up with you folks...have only ``The Prom,'' and ``Graduation Day 1-2'' left on Buffy third season and then I'll be able to start with the beginning of this thread. Whew!
htf_images_smilies_dance.gif
 

Simon Massey

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Lonely Hearts :star::star::star:
Another strong episode and I always enjoyed episodes when Elisabeth Rohm turned up. Shame she didn't become more than a semi-regular. I like the way the theme of loneliness and the difficulties of connecting with people is played out through the episode. It also a clear statement of setting the show apart from Buffy.

By the way does anyone know what the song/music is playing about 30 minutes in when Kate is looking around Angel's appartment ?
 

Nick Martin

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That is the most popular / requested song ever heard on this show.

It's called "Touched" by VAST, and it's on the ANGEL: Live Fast, Die Never original soundtrack album.

Although it was eventually released in the US, I ordered mine from the UK - where it was released first. First thing I ever pre-ordered.
 

Simon Massey

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Thanks for that. Is there a website which give a list of the music for Buffy and Angel because there are quite a few songs I hear on the show which I would like to have

The Harsh Light Of Day:star::star::star:
I enjoyed the episode but this should have been bigger. The MaGuffin they find is the kind of plot device that could have played a much bigger impact but the fact that Buffy is so easily able to defeat Spike spoils it. Really glad to see Anya in the show again. I always liked her character.

In The Dark:star::star::star::star:
This was a much better episode about the ring than the Buffy episode and it has one of my favourite lines ("Quick! To the Angelmobile! Away!" :) ) . Still don't like the reasoning behind Angel not using the ring, though it would have made it difficult to create any sort of threat to Angel if they had kept it. Why not create a reason that has something to do with his soul (i.e only a soulless vampire can use it) Would have made more sense to me.
 

Nick Martin

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Simon Massey

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Thanks Nicholas

I Fall To Pieces:star::star:
Generally it was ok episode but I didn't really think the main villain was all that great in his role. Also it is easily obvious that the show could have fallen into a rut of monster-of-the-week episodes with Doyle having a vision, Angel saving the day and everything back to normal at the end. Glad they didn't do that...:)
 

Nick Martin

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Interesting trivia about "I Fall To Pieces":

This episode ran a few minutes too short, which is why there are so many scene transitions - those jump-cut shots of Los Angeles locales, skyscrapers, etc. Notice how those transitions are quite long in this episode - especially when Angel goes to confront the doctor at his office. It was a way to fill up time since there weren't any additional scenes.
 

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