Continuing with my viewing and reviewing of season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
***SPOILERS***
Episode 5: Reptile Boy
Synopsis: When Buffy and Cordelia attend a frat party, they find themselves being offered up to a reptile-like creature as human sacrifies. (written by David Greenwalt, airdate 10/13/97)
High school and college boys - it is the age old combination. Girls mature faster than guys and want more mature guys. Not these guys! I love the whole fraternity as a cult angle - they always seemed to have that kind of mystique. Some outstanding dialogue in this. Cordelia needing Buffy lead to some great moments, and then her flip-flopping the blame - classic. Love how Xander crashes only to become a mockery only to become one to help save the day. Perfect balance. Willow chewing out both Angel and Giles was also a great scene. The special effects with the reptile-demon were pretty well done too. A very solid episode. Enjoyed it.
Episode 6: Halloween
Synopsis: After renting Halloween costumes from an unusual shop, Buffy and her friends literally begin turning into whatever costume they are wearing. (written by Carl Ellsworth, airdate 10/27/97)
Awesome episode all the way around! Love the premise, love Xander as the hero and Willow coming out of her shell and taking charge. Buffy as the demure worked to allow the others to shine nicely. We get more of Oz too. Good to see Spike again, taking advantage of someone else's chaos. And speaking of - this Ethan and his knowing Giles from the past - there is the kicker of the episode! We get a teaser that something isn't quite as it seems, and I am so pumped by this. I love the twists and turns, and this is a great one. Can't way to see how this unfolds in future episodes.
"Reptile Boy" - "Girls...want more mature guys." - exactly. The show once again nails another piece of our high school experience with the girls-dating-college-guys angle. Because these guys are in NO way sad for not being able to get dates on college campuses with thousands of women around, instead having to troll the local high schools... This was a great way to show the flaws in Cordy, that she doesn't have it all together (that whole fake laughter thing), showing people that are "cooler" than her, outside the realm of Sunnydale High where she's queen.
ReplyDeleteThey also did a great job hitting all the frat stuff and Buffy-tizing it. The lying/seducing women, the date-rape drug thing...but putting the whole demonic spin on it. And Xander must do the manzier dance! That's what he gets for thinking he's going to crash an orgy...
Best part, though, is the most hilarious and over-the-top symbolism seen yet on this show - a bunch of frat guys worshiping a giant...uh...man-snake? Saw an interview somewhere once with the writer, so said that yes, that was completely meant that way. Very funny. Good ep with a good chance for more Buffy/Giles connection as they're still feeling each other out. Giles knows books good...teenage girl, no so good...
"Halloween".
ReplyDeleteWell. This is just...neat!
One of my favorite Buffy episodes ever! What a brilliant premise - people dress as they "aren't" on Halloween, so what would happen if they became those costumes? Thanks to the devilish Ethan Rayne, we get to find out. Laughs galore. I can't even count 'em all. "Do YOU have a musket?" The Buffy fainting. The great Angel coming in to the "Who are you?" chorus of Xander and Buffy. Even Oz, delivering a line like only he can: "Wow, Cordelia. You're like a big cat." Great tension with knowing our heroine is truly helpless (and no help to anyone else). Great to see Xander kicking some ass ("For some reason, beating up that pirate gave me a weird sense of closure"). But no great ass-kicking in this episode than:
"Hello, Ripper."
Giles with the dark and mysterious past, out of nowhere! Yes! Just when you thought you had him all figured out, you find out he's a bad mother--(shut your mouth. I'm talkin' 'bout Giles!). The backstory on this show just got unexpectedly deeper. Awesome, fun, and unexpectedly dramatic. Win!
I love Cordelia's license plate "QueenC". It so fits her. Too bad she is so out of her league with college folks. And that "fake laugh" stuff - totally out of Cosmo to be sure. And, yeah, that snake did have a bit of a phallic look to it. LOL. Nice sarcasm there on the effects' folks part.
ReplyDelete