DVD review - Angel season 3 / Buffy season 6 episode 4

Continuing my viewing and reviewing of Angel season 3 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6...

*** SPOILERS ***


A3-4: Carpe Noctum (written by Scott Murphy, airdate 10/15/01)

Carpe Nocum - latin for "seize the night". That's exactly what Marcus gets to live out every guy's fantasy - a great body, drinking martinis and bedding gorgeous women. Two things - first he's a senior citizen and second he is using some magic artifact to borrow other guys' bodies to live this wild life, until the bodies burn out. But he certainly gets a lot more than he bargained for when he hijacks Angel's body. Then the fun (and comedy) ensues. Poor Lilah and Fred, both caught in the crossfire of Marcus' actions, not to mention that awkward moment with Wesley (he's just not that into you...bwahahaha). Of course, it is Wes that figures out what is going on with all the strange behavior, and the gang comes to the rescue of poor Angel who is stuck in the retirement home with no way out and in a body that could giveway any time due to a heart attack (certainly an odd experience for a vampire not used to having a beating heart to begin with). A fun filler episode. Oh, and I've noticed that Amy Acker is starting to lay on that southern accent for Fred. I think I'm liking that.


B6-4: Flooded (written by Douglas Petrie and Jane Espenson, airdate 10/16/01)

Clearly, Buffy is not a leaky-pipe slayer. Nor is she a understand-fiances slayer. Life is about growing up, learning to manage money and putting the nose to the grindstone. Slaying, not to Anya's suggestion, does not pay the bills. Lots of good character bits here: Anya mad at Xander for delaying the announcement (again) of their engagement, the return of Giles, the tense discussion between Giles and Willow regarding her use of serious magicks to return Buffy to life (I heard that threat, Willow - that can't be a good sign!), and Spike's being there to make Buffy feel at ease. Then we have the Tweeby Trio - Jonathan, Warren and Andrew - and their To-Do List and plans to run Sunnydale like a group of super-villains. If they are this season's "big bad", I think the bigger "bad" is more likely to be Buffy still trying to adjust being ripped out of heaven.