Thursday, June 18, 2009

DVD review - Buffy season 5/Angel season 2 episodes 13

Continuing my viewing and reviewing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 5 and Angel season 2...

*** SPOILERS ***

B5-13: Blood Ties (written by Steven S. DeKnight, airdate 2/6/01)

I really like how the show makes note of Buffy's birthday every year. This is her 20th, and what a party it turns into. Prior to it, Buffy and Giles tells the gang that they know where the key is - and that makes them all a little awkward around Dawn at the party. She realizes they are all keeping something from her and sneaks out, only to run into Spike. He goes with her to the Magic Box to protect her, and instead learns as she does (from Giles' notes) that Dawn is in fact the key. Now, what 14 year old wouldn't freak out as she did after learning out that her whole life was a lie? She then runs away again and ends up at the hospital, where one of the Knights tells her that the key must be destroyed. Freaked (again, who wouldn't?) Dawn runs into Ben who, as soon as he realizes what she is, leads his sister Glory right to Dawn. Smart girl, though. If she's going to die she wants some answers - and almost gets most of them. But when Glory goes to drain her brain, the gang busts in to save the day. Everyone does their part to help Buffy, but the MVP goes to Willow (with Tara's help) to teleport the psycho god away in time. In the end, Buffy convinces Dawn that no matter what they are sisters. Blood is thicker than anything else.


A2-13: Happy Anniversary (written by Whedon and Greenwalt, airdate 2/6/01)

Why must Gene be a science geek in love, with someone who is no longer in love with him? Boy, that sucks - but using your theories to freeze time to stop everything during that sympathy "bone" is not smart - especially when some demons want you to end all of humanity. I enjoyed the teaming of Angel and Host to solve this little case. They played well off one another. Loved that the Host sees everything in terms of music and song, while Angel is focused on the hell and brimstone. Of course, they pull the plug in time and save the world - that's what heroes do. Along the way, though, the Host gets Angel to open up about his no longer caring about his friends and such. Good. This should start him back on the road to redemption again. Oh, and the Everly Brothers tune by the demon and his parasite was a great visual gag! Meanwhile, Virginia brings a case to the new Angel Investigations - and Wesley gets to do a great bit of Sherlock Holmes deduction on who was using a demon to off a family member. That so worked for Wesley. Another good one-off episode, but I want the fantastic four back together again soon.

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