Haunted by her discovery of two murdered children, Joyce rallies the town into a witch hunt.

Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.
Original Air Date: January 12, 1999
Guest Stars:

Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy Madison

Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder

Jordan Baker as Sheila Rosenberg

Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers

Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III

• Giles’s translation of the German article on the computer was accurate.

• Willow’s parents obviously do not pay very much attention to her, as this episode made very clear. Among other things, her mom refers to Buffy as “Bunny” twice, and didn’t even know that Willow had cut her hair.

Quotes:
Buffy: “I’m like the kid in the story, the boy that stuck his finger in the duck.”
Angel: “Dike. It’s another word for dam.”
Buffy: “Oh, OK, that story makes a lot more sense now.”

Giles: They’re confiscating my books.
Buffy: Giles, we need those books.
Giles: Believe me, I tried to tell that to the nice man with the big gun.
Key Events:

• Amy has been turned into a rat.

• Willow is coming into her own as a witch.

In Other News:

• There has been talk of rebooting the Buffy movie.  No one likes the idea, especially former cast members.
• Here is the actual green Giles mug (Screen used green mug)

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Its Christmas in Sunnydale and to kick the season off right Angel is being haunted by his past and seeing people he’s killed. And not just on christmas

He’s slipping and Buffy may just have to kill him.

Again.

Directed by: Joss Whedon
Original Air Date: Dec. 15 1998
Guest Stars:
Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar)
Eliza Dushku (Faith)

Trivia:

• The first snowfall EVER in Sunnydale
• First time we see the front door of Willy’s

Quotes:

Joyce Summers: “So Angel’s on top again.
Buffy: “What?”
Joyce: “Angel or Star?”
Buffy: “Oh, uh, star.”

Oz: “No, not going. Just dramatic gesture.”

Key Events:

• The first appearance of … The First.

Rating:

Jason: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 3 out of 5 stars

Troy: 4 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 3.17 out of 5 stars

A new girl shows up at Sunnydale High and gets Cordelia to wish that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, Cordelia gets her wish and is trapped in the hell that is a Slayer-less Sunnydale.

Directed by: David Greenwalt
Original Air Date: December 8, 1998
Guest Stars:
Mark Metcalf (The Master)
Emma Caulfield (Anya/Anyanka)
Danny Strong (Jonathan)
Trivia:

• First appearance of Anya/Anyanka
• Vamps are attracted by bright colors?

Quotes:
Vampire Willow: “Bored now.”

Anyanka: “You trusting fool! How do you know the other world is any better than this?”
Giles: “Because it has to be.”

Cordelia: “No, no, no way. I wish us into bizarro-land and you guys are still together?”

Vampire Xander: “We really are livin’ in a golden age.”

Key Events:

• Anya is introduced and we know she’s a powerful deamon… until the end of this episode that is.
• Alternate, Buffy-less, Sunnydale reality is created

Rating:

Jason: 4 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Troy: 4 out of 5 stars

Jen: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 3.75 out of 5 stars

In Other News:

• Free comic book day and Bowling with Nicky Brendon!

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

Directed by: David Semel
Original Air Date: November 24, 1998
Guest Stars:
Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers)
Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III)

Trivia:

• Buffy scored a 1430 on her SAT test
• At the start of this episode Sunnydale had a population of 38,500

Quotes:
SPIKE: “You’re not friends. You’ll never be friends. You’ll be in love ’til it kills you both. You’ll fight, and you’ll shag, and you’ll hate each other ’til it makes you quiver, but you’ll never be friends. Love isn’t brains, children, it’s blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love’s bitch, but at least I’m man enough to admit it.”

SPIKE: “She wouldn’t even kill me. She just left. She didn’t even care enough to cut off my head, or set me on fire! I mean, is that too much to ask? Some little sign that she cared?”

Key Events:

• Willow and Xander kiss
• Buffy and Angel ‘break up’
• Cordelia tells Xander to stay away from her
• Cordelia almost dies by falling and becoming impaled on rebar
• We find out what happened with Spike and Dru when they left Sunnydale

Rating:
Jason: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Troy: 3 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 3.67 out of 5 stars

In Other News:

• The Watchercast will be hanging out with Nicky Brendon again at Pack Rat Comics for Free Comic Book Day
• Call of the Dead will feature Sara Michelle Gheller (VIDEO)
  
• The timeline of Spike

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

It is time for the students of Sunnydale High to raise money for new band uniforms so the whole school has to sell candy bars. But the Mayor has an agenda that may not be so sweet.

Directed by: Michael Lange
Original Air Date: Nov, 10 1998
Guest Stars:
K. Todd Freeman  (Mr. Trick)
Robin Sachs (Ethan Rayne)
Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III)

Trivia:

• Joyce and Giles are listening to albums and Cream ”Tales of Brave Ulysses” is playing. In season five’s episode “Forever” Giles plays the record after Joyce’s funeral.
  
• This was the first episode written by Jane Espenson. What a first shot!

Quotes:
Snyder: “Whoa, Summers! You drive like a spaz!”

Giles: “No you listen to me, I’m your watcher so you do what I tell you. Now, sod off!”

Key Events:

• Xander and Willow getting all footsie
• Buffy shows off her (bad) driving skills

Rating:

Jason: 5 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 5 out of 5 stars

Troy: 5 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 5 out of 5 stars

In Other News:

• W fest
• Eliza Dushku in the movie ‘Locked In‘

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Buffy and Cordelia compete for Homecoming Queen and are hunted in a competition of a different kind; Willow and Xander’s friendship takes a turn.

Directed by: David Greenwalt
Original Air Date: November 03, 1998
Guest Stars:
Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III)
Fab Filippo (Scott Hope)

Trivia:

• Sarah Michelle Gellar broke a bone in her hand while filming this episode.
• Chad Stahelski plays the bone knife throwing deamon Kulak. Chad was also David Boreanaz’s stunt double in both Buffy and Angel.

Quotes:

Mr. Trick: “We all have the desire to win, whether we’re human… vampire… and whatever the hell you are, my brother. You got spiny looking head things. I ain’t never seen that before.”

Key Events:

• The first time that the mayor appears
• Xander and Willow kiss

Rating:

Jason: 3 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 3 out of 5 stars

Troy: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 2.83 out of 5 stars

In Other News:

• Nick Brendon Day!

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

There have been some horrible murders on Sunnydale (what’s new?) and all clues point to Oz… well Wolf Oz. But things are not what they seem… with several Sunnydale high students.

Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.
Original Air Date: October 20, 1998
Guest Stars: Fab Filippo (Scott Hope)

Trivia:

• At a point, Buffy is standing in front of a poster that reads “Most girls aren’t attracted to dead guys”
• When Willow is in the morgue she busts out her CSI kit… that she totes in a Scoobie Doo lunch box.

Quotes:
Oz: “Time’s up. Rules change.”

Giles: “Don’t Panic”
Oz: “Just a thought – Poker, not your game.”

Key Events:

• We see how the Scoobies handle Oz’s wolf problem

Rating:

Jason: 3 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 3 out of 5 stars

Troy: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 3.17 out of 5 stars

QR Code link to this episode


Buffy manages to get back into school, despite Snyder, and a new slayer shows up and “B” is trying to get back with the dating.

Directed by: James A. Contner

Written by: David Greenwalt

Original Air Date: 10/13/1998

Guest Stars:

Fab Filippo (Scott Hope)

Eliza Dushku (Faith)

K. Todd Freeman (Mr. Trick)

Trivia:

• Darling Violetta was the band playing at the Bronze, the same band that created the Angel theme song

офис обзавеждане

• David Boreanaz becomes the first cast member to shoot a scene completely nude

Quotes:

Cordelia: “What is it with you and Slayers? Maybe I should dress up as one,

and put a stake to your throat.”

Xander: “Oh, please, God, don’t let that be sarcasm.”

Joyce: “I think what my daughter’s trying to say is: ‘Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!’”

Key Events:

• Faith arrives in sunnydale
• Buffy is allowed back in school
• Buffy tells Giles and Willow that the spell worked and it was Angel she had to stab and send to ‘hell’
• Angel reappears

Rating:

Jason: 4 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 4 out of 5 stars

Troy: 4 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In Other News:

• Alexis Denisof and Summer Glou join the cast of Dollhouse

Buffy has returned home but the reception isn’t exactly what she’d hoped when zombies crash her surprise-ish welcome home party.

Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.
Original Air Date: Oct. 6th 1998
Guest Stars: Danny Strong (Johnathan)

Trivia:

• The first time that the outdoor set that will become main street Sunnydale is used. (Espresso Pump)
• Xander says “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.” Eye-Roic?

Quotes:
Giles: ” ‘Do you like my mask? Isn’t it pretty? It raises the dead.’ Americans!”

Xander: “Generally speaking, when scary things get scared: not good.”

Key Events:

Rating:

Jason: 2 out of 5 stars

Kathleen: 2.75 out of 5 stars

Troy: 1 out of 5 stars

Overall Score: 1.92 out of 5 stars

In Other News:

• Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog won an EMMY!!!!
• Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible/Buffy Season 7) has a fantastic web comedy, “The Guild”. Highly recommended! Here is the first episode.
  
• Julie Benz (Darla) stars in the upcoming Boondock Saints 2 film. Here is a link to the Redband trailer where you can see her as some badass investigator. (Redband trailers are R rated)
• Hulu won’t be getting any more seasons of Buffy.
  “Availability Notes:
  After Oct. 2, Season 3 episodes will no longer be available for online streaming. After Oct. 16, Season 2 episodes will no longer be available for online streaming.

  At this time, we are only able to offer Seasons 1-3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Additional seasons have not been made available to Hulu, but we’ll continue to request more episodes for our users.”

Images:

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Directed by: Joss Whedon
Original Air Date: 29 September 1998

Guest Stars:
Julia Lee (Lily)

Trivia:

• We learn in this episode that “Anne” is Buffy’s middle name.  The Buffy Trivia Guide mentions that there is a chain of lingerie stores in England named Ann Summers, which I thought was funny enough to mention.  =)
• According to IMDB, this is the first episode where they do the “Previously, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer” thing at the beginning.  Really?  How did I miss that?

Quotes:

Larry: “If we can focus, keep discipline, and not have quite as many mysterious deaths, Sunnydale is gonna *rule!*”

Key Events:

• Buffy returns to Sunnydale, after having been away for several months.

Rating:

Jason:

Kathleen:

Troy:

In Other News:

Jason is the proud papa of Seth, surely a future Watcher.

And you can find out what Longaberger is here.