Buffy season five: Name the really good episodes...

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Thursday, June 7, 2007 03:50
VIEWED: 7915
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CHRISISALL

Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:30 PM

Fool For Love is my hands down favourite episode! Sure, The Body is great, and the Gift is incredibly well directed, but FFL was an example of this series at it peak!!! We get an origin, an explanation of Spike's scar, and an unexpected tender moment...plus COOL fights! What more could you ask?

Name your greats...

His Glorificus Chrisisall

DEEPGIRL187

Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:43 PM

I'll go with two that might not be mentioned normally, "Into The Woods" and "The Replacement". I liked Riley's speech to Buffy at the end of the former, and seeing a more mature Xander in the latter.

I'd say "Intervention" as well, but I'm sure chrisisall will get around to it eventually. Plus, the whole Buffybot/Spike thing creeped me out.

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"If you want to win a war, you must serve no master but your ambition."

CHRISISALL

Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:58 PM

The Replacement was cool, but I liked Buffy Vs. Dracula better than Intervention (Not that it was bad, I REALLY do like B Vs. D!!!!)

Xander as Renfield Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by deepgirl187:
"Into The Woods"

Actually, not a fan of that one. It smacked of "Get rid of Rebound Guy" immediacy.

Finnfan Chrisisall

ARCADIA

Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:17 PM

Hmm... I must agree that "Fool for Love" was a standout, if not the standout, in season 5. And yes, "The Body" was incredibly moving. "The Gift" was amazingly directed and had some powerful going on (though, it garners most its power from all thats happened in the season; it doesn't stand as well as its own as either "The Body" or "Fool for Love" does).

Yeah, those three are probably the best. I also really like:

"Intervention" -- While the quest was kind of hooky, the Buffy/Giles interaction was fun, the buffybot was comedy gold, but what really sold me was Spike after he's captured by Glory... wow, my heard went to him. Buffy's reward kiss was well deserved.

"I Was Made to Love You" -- April was fun, and her death, and what it meant for Buffy, was surprisingly moving. It was a well put together episode.

I always go back and forth on whether to include "Shadow" and "Listening to Fear". In these episodes the over-arcing plot with Joyce's brain tumor and its effects on Buffy and Dawn is just amazing, heart-wrenching stuff, but the monsters of the week are HORRIBLE. So lame. In "Shadow" this could have been ignored if the CG hadn't been so terrible, but it "LtF" --- umm, aliens? really? No thanks.

"Checkpoint" is very well put together structurally, but it doesn't quite have the emotional depth that I want it to.

Arcadia (aka Greyfable and/or Katie)
www.stillflying.net -- picking up Firefly were Joss left off. We will hold 'til he gets back.

REGINAROADIE

Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:17 PM

Well, definitely THE BODY was hands down the best episode not only of the season, but of the entire series. But no one seems to mention the episode that followed it, FOREVER.

I liked how it continued in dealing with the minutiae of death and preparing for a funeral and the conflict of emotions it brings up. I loved the bit between Xander and Spike at the beginning with him saying "Joyce was the only one of you lot that I could stand. She didn't put on airs. And she didn't treat me like a freak." I liked the small scene in the graveyard with Buffy and Angel as she finally unburdens herself and opens up to him about what has just happened. The post-coital moment between Xander and Anya was both touching and funny.

Anya: Exactly. Sex is like a big party for our aliveness. But it's more than that. It's about making life.
Xander: Right. When two people are much older and way richer and far less stupid.
Anya: Breathe. You're turning colors. I'm not ready to make life with you. But I could, we could. Life could come out of love and our smooshing and that's beautiful. It all makes me feel like we're part of something bigger. Like I'm more awake somehow, you know?

But it's the final scene between Buffy and Dawn that truly gets me.

"Listening to Fear" was another favorite of mine. Yeah the killer snot monster from outer space ("I did not say that.") was a little hokey, but seeing Joyce slowly loosen her grip on sanity and the effect it has on Buffy and Dawn was just powerful. That moment in the kitchen when Buffy has that awful salsa music cranked up and then burst into tears as she's doing dishes just breaks your heart. And then the slow suspense that builds as we see Joyce in her room just babble inconsistently and then the reveal that the demon is right above her. It's almost Hitchcockian.

I dunno. I'm just a fan of characters who slowly go insane. At best, you get a powerful performance that haunts you, and at worst you get some entertaining scene chewing.

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"Have you ever fired two guns whilst jumping through the air?"
"No."
"Have you ever fired ONE gun whilst jumping through the air?"

CHRISISALL

Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Arcadia:
what really sold me was Spike after he's captured by Glory... wow, my heard went to him. Buffy's reward kiss was well deserved.

That actually gets a couple of tears outta me...

*snif*Chrisisall

SIRI

Monday, May 28, 2007 3:24 AM

OK - you got me going here. I just began a Buffython since it's been a while. I'm just starting with Season One - but Season Five was one of the my favorites. I know there are folks who didn't like Glory at all, but I thought she was a hoot. Nothing like a totally insane god with a shoe fettish and a gaggle of grotesque minions to run your bath.

Siri

HEROUVCANTON

Monday, May 28, 2007 10:50 AM

Nobody ever picks "Triangle", but I've always loved that ep. Abraham Benrubi is hilarious, and I just love the campiness. I love Willow's response after Olaf destroys the magic shop: "He's no ball of sunshine...", not to mention the back story to Anyanka. A great stand-alone episode.

"PUNY RECEPTACLE!"

Dear Diary: Today I was pompous and my sister was crazy. Today, we were kidnapped by hillfolk never to be seen again. It was the best day ever.

DEEPGIRL187

Monday, May 28, 2007 4:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Actually, not a fan of that one. It smacked of "Get rid of Rebound Guy" immediacy.

Finnfan Chrisisall

Oh, don' get me wrong, I'm a Riley fan myself. I just was happy that he (as well as Xander) was able to say some important things to Buffy that she really needed to hear.

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"If you want to win a war, you must serve no master but your ambition."

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