Mar 26
Passion
Angelus has murder on his mind and Buffy’s friends and family are his targets. Jenny Calendar is still on the outs with the scooby gang but gives Giles a spell book containing a ritual to keep Angelus out of the their homes, all the while she is secretly working on her own “special project”—a computer translation of the ancient Gypsy Ritual of Restoration, the spell which originally gave Angelus his soul back. She succeeds, but Drusilla senses Jenny’s intentions and Angelus pays Jenny a visit to destroy all her work and put an end to her life. With extra flair, Angelus uses his sick and twisted abilities to torture Giles. Though devastated as well by Jenny’s death, Buffy stops Giles from getting himself killed seeking revenge on Angelus. By the time Jenny is laid to rest, Buffy understands the full consequences of allowing Angelus to continue his reign of terror and finds herself, finally, ready to slay him.
Directed by: Michael E. Gershman
Original Air Date: February 24, 1998
Guest Stars:
- Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers
- Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar
- Richard Assad as Shopkeeper
- James Marsters as Spike
- Juliet Landau as Drusilla
- Danny Strong as Jonathan Levinson
- According to Joss Whedon, Jenny Calendar’s death serves notice to fans, first, that no one is safe, death is scary and real, and second, that Angel is not “just a little evil,” he’s not “grouchy,” he’s truly evil and Buffy needs to address the situation. The series creator also jokes that the episode is a message to the actors: “Be very good, or I’ll kill you.”
- In an interview with the BBC, Anthony Stewart Head says this is his favorite episode, “because it was a beautifully shot episode and a beautifully written one.
- Although Jenny is killed off in this episode, the actress makes two further guest appearances: in the second part of the season finale where Drusilla hypnotizes Giles into thinking she’s Jenny and again in the season 3 episode Amends as a manifestation of the First Evil, intending to turn Angel evil again.
Quotes:
Kathleen’s fave quote: “Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah theory of battle?”–Xander
Troy’s fave quote:(exchange)
Xander: Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?
Jonathon: We’re supposed to get some books. On Stalin.
Xander: Does this look like a Barnes & Noble?
Giles: This is a school library, Xander.
Xander: Since when?
Jason’s fave quote: “I’m sorry, but let’s not forget that I hated Angel long before you guys jumped on the bandwagon. So I think I deserve a little something for not saying I told you so long before now. And if Giles wants to go after the fiend that murdered his girlfriend, I say faster pussycat kill kill.”-Xander
Key Events:
- The death of Jenny Calendar.
- Buffy realizes that she must end Angelus once and for all before he hurts anyone else.
Rating:
Jason: 
Kathleen:
Troy:
Overall Score:
In Other News:
Torrance High School showed up as “Coldwell High School” in the NBC show Medium.
We are just about finished with Season Two and we want to hear from you! Please send us your questions and comments about the podcast. How can we make it better- give us some Mr. Pointies.
Video Clips
Knocking?!?!
More about puppies??
This is where you get off
Upstairs
March 27th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Another good episode about a great episode… or is that a great episode about a really good episode… I get so confused sometimes… either way both you guys and Joss’s team rocked on this one. Even just for the amazing breakdown scene when the phone call comes in this episode is one of the best.
On the subject of moving chat over to facebook… crap… I hate you guys… not really, but I hate any of those MyFacePlaceUp places. I don’t want to have to join their community and do their crap just so I can see or comment on a single subject that interests me… That was one of the things I always chastised AOL for in the old days (one of so many things to chastise AOL for). Oh well… at least I still have the comments here.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Love your podcast – the best Buffy-related cast I have found/heard.
I thought you guys did a great job recapping Passion, but I don’t agree with the Mr Pointy ratings. Really my gripe stems from Passion being my favorite episode of Buffy, even over the musical, Hush, The Body…the usual favorites.
One big reason is the way it is shot. There is something different about the photography of it, which I didn’t see in any other episode. It is beautifully done.
Another is the monologues, which are great by both Angelus and Buffy. I love that Buffy has the last one…and sort of raps it up.
It is just a great thrill-ride of an episode. It really doesn’t let up and it is almost as dark as Innocence.
Anyways…keep up the great work and thanks!
March 27th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I love and hate this episode. It’s not unlike “Saving Private Ryan” in that watching it is an exquisite agony: the storyline is brilliant, the cinematic-feeling is incredible, the actors give some of their best performances to date. Unfortunately, by the end of it I always feel like my heart was just dumped in a blender filled with lemon juice, and set to puree. I have seen every episode of Buffy multiple times, but tend to skip this one when rewatching Season 2: it’s just so damned painful.
Thanks for the notice re: the boards permanent hiatus (Sob!) and your move to FB (yay!).
Looking forward to the next ep – keep up the great work!!
March 27th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Hey, Dragavan!
Sorry about the facebook-ing of the forums…they were becoming a total pain in the @$$, and Facebook is just too easy to do. (Since I’m constantly checking it! I seriously need to get an off-line life)
This episode really did rock. The image of Angel killing Jenny in front of that window stuck with me for quite a quite after I saw this for the first time. Maybe I under “Mr Pointy-ed” it, but there are several that I like more, so I figured it was a 4. Still…good stuff.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
(…I KNEW I should have approved comments first!)
Hey, jords and Scott! Thanks for the props.
Scott, I’m kinda starting to go back on my 4, as I was saying to Dragavan above. Still, this definitely isn’t my FAVORITE episode. But you DID hit one thing on the head…this episode IS shot different. Somehow, it’s more cinematic, isn’t it? When we were recording last night, I realized how much we were talking about how cool the shots were really often…Angel chasing Jenny in and out of the shadows at the high school, watching through the sheer drapes at Buffy’s, that really well choreographed shot of Angel following Joyce to the door just as Buffy and Willow come down the stairs and slam the door in his face…nice stuff that, again, sticks with you.
But I think jords is right, too…”Saving Private Ryan”…that’s a perfect comparison! (I still have to turn it off when the Germans close in on the village where they make their last stand and Pvt. Mellish gets stabbed!) Hope to see you on the Facebook page, Jords!
March 29th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Love the podcast. I completely agree about this episode — it’s good, but really hard to watch.
I think the chairs that Kathleen was talking about might be Frank Lloyd Wright inspired — I know the mansion they move into after the warehouse burns down is his.
Also, how funny is it that Giles was using the orb as a paperweight?
March 30th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Great episode. My fav line is Angel speaking about how fragile the Orb is…”must be that shoddy gypsy craftmanship”. Like how he was warming his hands by the computer fire too. I also agree that “Go Fish” is seriously misplaced in this season. I never could figure out why that throw away ep is right before the big finale. A few more eps to go, and it’s on to 3, my favorite season! This season is the one I have the most problems (besides 6, of course) rewatching..it’s just so sad.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:49 am
5 mr pointys!
April 13th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I agree that this episode is really hard to watch. It’s such a blow when he kills Jenny (not that I really liked her that much anyway) to the group. When Willow breaks down in Buffy’s dining room, it’s heartbreaking. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind before you can watch this one.
April 13th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Hey great podcast! Just a suggestion you guys should do an episode about the 1992 movie. Between Becoming prt. 1 and 2, since Buffy’s past is brought up in those episodes. And even the movie was cheesy thats were Buffy all began.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
hey I was gonna try to do the google voice thing but it kept cutting off after i pressed call or w.e. so I figured it was for the best cause I would probably sound really dumb but what I was going to say is that I think that Drucilla was most hurt by Angel. I mean he killed her entire family, made her insane, and then on the day she took her holy vows and became a nun he turned her into a vampire … a crazy ass vampire. So in comparison Holts got off easy.
Also with the Buffy alum popping up, Private Practice in this season alone has had 5 Buffy alums on, Alexis Denisof played a guy with two pregnant wives, Emma Caulfied had a hermaphrodite baby, Amber Benson got car jacked and the crap beaten out of her, the guy who played Forest was in counseling and cheating on his wife with someone from their group therapy and the guy who played Principle Wood was a potential love interest for one of the main characters. I’m pretty sure on of the writers worked on Buffy or there has to be some connection because that is kinda intense. How I Met Your Mother is a little more obvious why like Alexis Denisof was on it but Amy Acker was on it too a few seasons back and was pretty funny.
So now that I have revealed just how much television I watch I’m going to stop rambling.
Yay Buffy!
November 1st, 2009 at 8:17 pm
HIMYM is streaming at http://howimetyourmotherstreaming.com for free. You can like watch all episodes online
sweet!!