tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post7689225992502467684..comments2024-01-20T10:19:12.985-05:00Comments on Martin's View: DVD review - Buffy season 2, episode 21 and 22Martin Maenzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08640466353011569116noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post-70468913084741126022009-04-11T06:09:00.000-04:002009-04-11T06:09:00.000-04:00I saw the Mutant Enemy thing at the end. Very app...I saw the Mutant Enemy thing at the end. Very appropriate all in all.<BR/><BR/>You are right about Xander - he is showing a true hero decision there, even though he knows it'll hurt Buffy if she ever finds out.Martin Maenzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08640466353011569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post-3695985805315198512009-04-10T08:16:00.000-04:002009-04-10T08:16:00.000-04:00(sniff)Just...I need just a minute...(sob)No, real...(sniff)<BR/><BR/>Just...I need just a minute...<BR/><BR/>(sob)<BR/><BR/>No, really, I'm fine...<BR/><BR/>The bad news about this season finale for you? Yeah, not a whole lot of question about Angel coming back when you know there's an Angel spinoff show a couple seasons later, right? :) Ah, well. Still great stuff, even knowing that. Yep, this two-parter had it ALL! Wow! The totally awesome flashbacks giving us the background on Angel, Dru and even Darla (omg she's gorgeous) were great. And they involved some guy named Whistler...played by my boy Max Perlich! I'm sure you probably recognized him from something, as he was all over the place in the 80s...from being one of the geek buddies in "Can't Buy Me Love" (the one who wore the leather jacket) to Young MC's "Bust A Move" video (movie theater scene...girl jumps on him. I think he was wearing a leather jacket there, too...). Movie-wise I know him best from "Beautiful Girls", but I mainly know him from his run on "Homicide". Not what you call a fantastic actor...but just a really unique guy. Anyway, it was great to see him show up for part of the Buffy lore.<BR/><BR/>So much drama! Major stuff happening! The tension amongst the Scoobies over what to do with Angel (stand the ground, Xander!), the major injury to Willow (and the painful bedside scene with Xander). And the death of Kendra, of course. Can't say that I was TOO broken up about it, based on what I griped about earlier about me wanting to slay her myself for that awful accent? But Joss brought her back and made sure we got to like her again before the big slice. Loved the slo-mo Buffy run toward the library. And then, Buffy a fugitive from the law! DRAAAAma! And the capture and torture of Giles! Painful to watch! And eeeeevil mind games on him with the Jenny thing. His superb acting ability made all those scenes so much heavier. <BR/><BR/>Loved the unexpected team-up with Spike! That whole scene at the cop car was awesome, him talking to Buffy while casually swiping the unconscious cop's smokes and lighting up. And the "Let me just kill this guy first..." thing. But not near as awesome as Spike and mom sitting awkwardly in the living room. Hilarious! Great way to finally reveal the truth to Joyce, right in the middle of a life and death situation when there's no time to really explain, making the whole thing more tense. <BR/><BR/>I remember the first time I watched this ep and saw that scene with Xander deciding not to tell Buffy, just before she went in, that Willow was trying to restore Angel again. I always felt it was strictly about Xander wanting him dead. Well, yeah, you could look at it that way. But seeing it again, I'm realizing what a practical decision it was. This was life and death, save the world (and Giles) stuff they were about to go into - Buffy wouldn't have been fighting her hardest if she thought Angel might get "fixed" at any moment. And that could have gotten everyone (seriously, EVERYONE...like, the whole planet) killed. Looking at it again, it's a choice I would have made, too, considering the stakes. Heh. I said "stakes"...<BR/><BR/>And what a finale. Finally, the big showdown, and no disappointment! How about David and Sarah working them swords, huh? Did you watch the mini Joss Interview on that ep where he mentioned that most of that was Sarah, not the stunt double? She's awesome with a blade. And then Willow, burgeoning witch (by the way...very pleased with their choice to take the character in that direction. There's only so much a computer hacker can contribute to the team week after week) came through, and we got the BIIIIG painful Joss-colored ending. Excellent acting by David there, as both we and Buffy could clearly tell it was really Angel again. Which made what she had to do...well, let's just say I can still envision opening my window back when this ep first ran and hearing the screams and wails of fangirls around the world. Hell of an ending.<BR/><BR/>So, Joss successfully took everything away from Buffy. Banished from home. Angel dead. On the run from the law. Kicked out of school! Fantastic shake-up in the status quo, and a perfect ending to the show's first full season. After a lot of strong reviews for season 1, this was the season that cemented the show as a TV phenomenon. Well-deserved.<BR/><BR/>NOTE: If you didn't watch all the way to the end of the credits on the final ep? Pop it in sometime and do so. There's a little something extra added to the Mutant Enemy thing.Michael O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08025339925056909540noreply@blogger.com