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

[Inspector Hammer!]

The Bachelor Party

A great character deepening episode that reveals Doyal's past and sparks some recognition of feelings between him and Cordelia. I thought that the family of demons was hilarious, I did a slight double-take when they were all having a very ordinary dinner of KFC, talking about very ordinary wedding oriented things and then they casually throw in "...eat the former husbands brains...".

Lastly, I commented to Wendy as we were watching it that Doyal is the first demon in either show who's true demon face makes me uncomfortable to look at, all those little black pointy things just gross me out a little lol.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

We'll see, but I can guarentee you right now that I will never be ready to say that Angel is better than Buffy, equal to yes, but I will never say better because I know myself and I hold Buffy in very high regard.

But so far Angel is living up to it's reputation quite well and from what i've read over the years it will only get better.

 

[Nick Martin]

And I have always maintained that I find ANGEL vastly better than Buffy, and hold it in higher regard to well, any other show.

I know both series like the back of my hand, and I cannot place Buffy on equal grounds. That DOES NOT MEAN I don't like it or anything. I'm just saying I love ANGEL much more in every comparable way - stories, characters, even its production. It mostly has to do with how much I identify, sympathize with and understand the characters - since that above all is why anyone watches anything, right?

Liking one over the other doesn't mean disliking that other is what I'm saying.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Get outta town! I require more proof of your love for Angel.

While i'm really loving Angel, thus far i've seen nothing significant that separates it from Buffy in my eyes and I doubt that will change, even with the things and events to come. I commented to Wendy that watching both shows the way that we are makes Angel feel like missing pieces to an already familiar and much loved puzzle.

As far as the qualities you mentioned go, stories, characters etc, this show doesn't really differ from Buffy at all as far as I can see. The only key difference I see thus far is Angel himself, but the look, tone, stories and production values are pretty much identical to the later Buffy seasons IMO.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Pangs

It's Thanksgiving in Sunnydale, you know, turkey, stuffing, mash potatos, killing a supernatural tribe of angry naitive americans...the usual.

I love Buffy dealing with her frustrations by cooking, I mean afterall she may be the slayer but SOMEBODY has to get dinner on the table in time. A fun episode that finds Angel returning to Sunnydale to watch Buffy after Doyal's vision and helps the Scoobs deal with their holiday predicament. Funniest moments in the ep are when Spike, after being tied to a chair, becomes an undead pin cusion as every arrow shot seems to find it's way into him, much to his protest lol.

I Will Remember You

First off before I comment on this one, Firebee, these two shows interact more than you know and this episode is REQUIRED viewing for any fan of Buffy IMO. I STRONGLY recommend that you find a way to begin watching Angel or at least borrow disc 2 from someone or rent it, you have no idea what your missing with this episode. :frowning:

This will most likely go down in the books as my favorite episode of season one of Angel. After Buffy learns of Angel's secret involvment in the Thanksgiving affair, she heads to LA to confront him only to be interrupted by a sword wielding demon who's blood gives Angel extraordinary abilities, like breathing a heartbeat and a pulse, yes...Angel regains his humanity and is no longer a vampire!

Needless to say old wounds are reopened big time and what ensues is the most heartbreaking series of events that ranks up there with the very best Buffy episodes that feature our doomed lovers. This was the rare episode of either show where I actually choked up a little, I happened to catch this episode when it originally aired because I saw in the ads that Buffy would be in it and I wasn't disappointed.

Joss Whedon is one cruel, cruel man! :frowning: With this episode it almost seems as if he conciously set out to rip out the still-beating hearts of Buffy fans and show it to them lol.

LOVE this episode, it's the best Buffy episode that isn't a Buffy episode at all and shows how great these crossovers can be.

 

[Nick Martin]

This is only season 1. You ain't seen nothing yet.

from season 2 onward, it'll feel at times like an epic feature film, and not just because of the widescreen.

 

[Wendy_L]

I got caught up over the weekend. And with regards to I Will Remember You, I agree with John when he says it's the best Buffy episode that is not a Buffy episode. I absolutely love this episode and I have to say it's definitely my favorite of Season 1 if not my all-time favorite Angel episode. I was always a fan of the Buffy/Angel relationship and this episode is a must-see for anyone who loved that tragic romance.

This week we will be watching...

B4x09: Something Blue
B4x10: Hush (B4x10 & x11 take place back to back)
B4x11: Doomed

And for those of you who like to watch ahead:

WEEK OF 10/09/06
A1x09: Hero
A1x10: Parting Gifts
A1x11: Somnamulist

 

[Nick Martin]

I could never say "I Will Remember You" is my favorite episode, because it's almost a gimmick. It succeeds because it links one show with the other.

Best episode of Buffy that isn't Buffy? That statement there proves that it isn't a 'favorite' or 'best' on its own merits.

To me it's like that DS9 episode that went back in time to the original Star Trek - people say that was the best episode of DS9, but not on its own merits, but that of the original series.

That's why I could never say it was even close to the best, because that would render every 'original' or stand-alone ANGEL episode sub par.

 

[Holadem]

Agreed, it makes me itch all over just thinking about it. Gross stuff .

(it's Doyle btw).

(and this isn't my thread, but the "Buffy is Better - No, Angel is better - No it isn't - It is too!" banter is getting annoying.)

--
H

 

[Wendy_L]

I guess technically it's my thread since I started this whole thing. I just ignore it. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I don't share the same opinion as a lot of the people on this forum but I don't even bothing wasting the time to type up my opposing point of view because I know we will just go round-and-round in circles.

As long as no one gets nasty with someone, or bother someone to the point where they alienate people from coming to this thread, they can spout off about anything they like. I just want people to keep watching these two great shows until we get to the end. That's my whole purpose with this challenge.

IMO, Buffy and Angel both totally ROCK in their own way. LONG LIVE "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" AND "Angel"!!!

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Nicholas,
it doesn't matter WHY I think that it's my favorite ep so far of season one, it just is. I really didn't mean to somehow insult Angel (that's what I took from your post anyway) by saying what I said, I just ALWAYS thought that both Buffy and Angel were at their strongest character-wise when they were together.

When they're together there is a passion that they share that just isn't present when they're apart and this ep is the epitome of that passion, it's their tragic romance amped up to the max and that's why I loved this ep.

Every ep of Angel has been great thus far, just because this one is my favorite so far doesn't negate the rest of the eps in the least. You simply are reading too much into it, that's all.

I'm loving Buffy and Angel equally so far.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

There ya go!

 

[Simon Massey]

Rm W/A Vu:star::star:1/2
This episode has some funny moments and the reveal of what happened is surprising. My problem with the episode lies with Cordelia's change near the end of the episode which is what the episode ultimately hinges on and for me it just didn't ring true. I think it has more to do with what precedes it - given all she has seen and been through, her reaction to the ghost and nearly caving in doesn't feel right

Sense and Sensitivity:star::star::star::star:
Some of my favourite Angel episodes were the comedy ones, and this is one of the early ones. "I had to threaten him with physical violence"

The Bachelor Party:star::star::star:
I think Doyle would have been a really good character if he had stayed on in the series and here we get to find out a little more about his character. Even in the space of only seven episodes I think Glenn Quinn really made something with this character, and it is a shame what happened to the actor.
Nice little twist to lead into Buffy

Pangs:star::star::star:1/2
Although Angel is in the episode, there isn't much of a focus on him and given what happened at the end of the last Angel episode, the threat to Buffy is a bit of an anticlimax. Still enjoyable and I really enjoyed how blunt Spike was at this stage of the series.

I Will Remember You:star::star::star::star::star:
A great "What If ?" episode which you knew was going to end tragically, but it is still worth it. I like the fact they left Angel with the memory of what happened so it doesn't feel like a total "reset" episode. I also like the way it contrasts with the Graduation Day Part II - here it's Buffy who decides to walk away and leave Angel.

 

[Nick Martin]

What I said was not based on what you said, but the more-or-less fact that this episode is considered by (again, more or less) all Buffy / Angel fans to be the best episode of Angel ever made. Just like the 'Deep Space Nine' tribble episode - it's the all-time favorite because it connects to the original show. I never thought you or anyone else was insulting anything.

I do however find it a bit of a letdown - for both Angel and DS9 - that an independent, totally unrelated episode of either show, would never be as good or as beloved as what was in both cases a gimmick episode.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

It didn't strike me as a gimmick episode, IMO Joss took this opprotunity to give us Angel and Buffy fans what we've wanted to see for a long time...Buffy and Angel together and truly happy, albeit for a very brief period of time.

This episode was just pure emotion, Angel's happiness at the ability to eat food again, to walk into the sun without burning up, to gaze upon the image of his own reflection which is something he hasn't seen in 200 years and to hold and have sex with the one person he's always longed for.

It's a very poignant ep IMO because Angel will be the only one of the two of them that will remember what transpired in that short few hours that they were fortunate enough to share together and he got to experience what it was like to be truly alive once again.

 

[Firebee]

Slowly catching up, and only watching Buffy S4. Have now seen ``Beer Bad,'' which was a silly episode, but I didn't hate it nearly as much as some here did. I guess I'd give it :star: :star: 1/2 out of five...while I really enjoyed ``Wild at Heart''...and would give that :star: :star: :star: :star:. Going to watch the rest of disc 2 later today after I finish up Lost Season 2 in preparation for Wednesday's season 3 premiere. Enjoy.

 

[Scott-S]

Something Blue:

This is a pretty funny episode. Willow can be a pain sometimes. LOL

I really get a kick out of the stuff poor Giles was saying while blind. I like his dry humor.

Hush:

This is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. The creepy Gentlemen, and the way the story had to be told without dialog, made this episode really effective.

This is also the episode that Tara makes her first appearance. Which is a good thing. Although I loved Oz, I am glad Willow finds someone to get her out of her funk. She was getting tiresome.

Doomed:

It was good to see this episode open exactly as the last one ended.

Can someone please explain to me why Willow went into a strange room in a strange dorm and laid on the bed? She should have just gone back to her room. This made no sense to me.

Spike in Xander’s cloths is a hoot.

 

[Simon Massey]

Something Blue:star::star::star:1/2
Willow is a bit annoying in this episode though, having seen the whole series, it is a great pointer as to what is in store for her. However, the rest of the episode is funny and it is worth if for this great deadpan moment from Giles

XANDER : How ?...What?....How?
GILES : Three excellent questions.

I couldn't stop laughing at that

Hush:star::star::star::star::star:
Personally I think this is the best "Buffy" episode of the series. I say that because "The Body" and "Once More With Feeling," 2 others I rate highly, both have elements to them which are not really typical of the show. This however, has the feel of a typical Buffy episode - its funny, creepy, and, as usual with the Whedon-directed episodes seems to centre on a defining moment in the season. I forgot this was the episode they introduced Tara as well.

 

[Scott-S]

Sort of off topic but I thought you might get a kick out of knowing that I just finished showing season 1 to my parents. They are both nearly 70 and I got them hooked on Buffy. LOL

We start season 2 tonight.

I am no longer the oldest Buffy fan on the planet. I just wonder what they are going to think about the changes to Willow in season 4.

 

[Kevin Grey]

My love for Hush (as well as They Body and Once More With Feeling) knows no bounds but I also think all three (along with Restless) were the catalysts for some of the issues the later seasons had. Namely that Whedon devoted so much time and energy into a single episode directorial tour de force on a high concept (the silent episode, the musical, the dream sequence) that the rest of the season suffered from neglect. It feels like a lot of his Season 4-7 directorial work were sort of outside of the main arc of the season, with the Season 5 and 7 finales excepted obviously.