Faith Lehane never had a chance. Put yourself, if you will, in Faith Lehane’s shoes. You are seventeen years old. You have no friends, and in fact never seem to have had any. You grew up poor, neglected, and physically abused by your mother. Said mother dies when you are still a child, but youContinue reading “This Was Supposed To Be My Town (Consequences)”
Tag Archives: angel
A New Kind of Bad, Just In Time For Christmas (Amends)
“All he wants for Christmas is redemption for two hundred years of killing.” The original WB trailer for Amends, first aired in 1998. Holiday episodes are a dying art form in the televisual world of 2023. With the domination of on-demand streaming services, the exact airdate of an episode has come to matter less andContinue reading “A New Kind of Bad, Just In Time For Christmas (Amends)”
I May Be Love’s Bitch (Beauty and the Beasts)
“Love isn’t brains, children, it’s blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love’s bitch, but at least I’m man enough to admit it.” Spike, 3×08 Lovers Walk The nature of love is an impossible thing to distill. If it were possible, then the poets would have done so already –Continue reading “I May Be Love’s Bitch (Beauty and the Beasts)”
He’s A Vampire – He Should Die (Becoming: Part Three)
This is the third of four essays on Becoming. The first focused on Willow’s arc; the second on the journeys of Angel, Spike and Drusilla; the fourth will focus on Buffy’s arc and final choice. I feel like we should acknowledge, at this point, two big clouds of controversy hanging over this episode: the debateContinue reading “He’s A Vampire – He Should Die (Becoming: Part Three)”
You Made Me The Man I Am Today (Becoming: Part Two)
This is the second of four essays on Becoming. The first focused on Willow’s arc; the third on the re-souling debate and Xander’s Lie; the fourth on Buffy’s arc and final choice. It’s a shame that Darla is dead. She is notable for her absence in this season, which introduces and then focuses so heavilyContinue reading “You Made Me The Man I Am Today (Becoming: Part Two)”
When I Look Into The Future, All I See Is You (I Only Have Eyes For You)
My love must be a kind of blind love. I can’t see anyone but you. Are the stars out tonight? I don’t know if it’s cloudy tonight. I only have eyes for you dear. The moon may be high. But I can’t see a thing in the sky. I only have eyes for you. OnContinue reading “When I Look Into The Future, All I See Is You (I Only Have Eyes For You)”
No-One Ever Dies and Everybody Lives Happily Ever After (Passion)
Part One: The Body “Sorry, Jenny. This is where you get off.” There is a moment in the timeline of every piece of media – every show, book, film series, comics run, radio play – where it declares its relationship to death. Sometimes this happens in the opening seconds. You put on an episode ofContinue reading “No-One Ever Dies and Everybody Lives Happily Ever After (Passion)”
Whatever You Think You’re Feeling, It’s Not Love (Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered)
Last week, the show explored the fall-out from the Buffy/Angel disintegration through Willow, and her relationship with her new Monster Boyfriend. This week, it’s Xander and Cordelia’s turn to reflect the season’s central romance. There is no Monster Girlfriend for Xander – as much as he insists that dating Cordelia is more dangerous than fightingContinue reading “Whatever You Think You’re Feeling, It’s Not Love (Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered)”
The Wolf Is Inside Me All The Time (Phases)
With Angel making the switch from Love Interest to Big Bad last episode, the show switches its central focus too. The first two thirds of the season were concerned with Buffy’s burgeoning romanticism, and asking questions about it.Would she would commit to a sexual relationship with Angel? If she does, how will that go forContinue reading “The Wolf Is Inside Me All The Time (Phases)”
A Person Doesn’t Just Wake Up And Stop Loving Someone (Innocence)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer always has very thoughtful episode titles, often working on multiple levels to indicate a thematic throughline, but it is rare that a title so completely captures an episode’s many ideas as Innocence. The concept of innocence defines this episode, in the manner of all its definitions. I don’t want to startContinue reading “A Person Doesn’t Just Wake Up And Stop Loving Someone (Innocence)”
Insect Reflection 