review: Angel returns. No one cares.

November 24, 1999

Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Episode Pangs

Airing Date 1999-11-23

Sci-fi Bits The original inhabitants of Sunnydale return from the grave.

Juicy Bits Angel lurks, but, as Willow notes, "I think he's lost his edge."

Featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg James Marsters as Spike Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

This week, it's a Very Special Buffy Thanksgiving. Also, it's Part One of the Buffy-Angel WB Crossover Event, aka The Part of the Crossover Where Buffy and Angel Don't Have Sex. And Buffy's First Holiday As A Collegiate Slayer. And The Second Episode with Spike in the Opening Credits. So many landmarks, friends.

Anyway, Angel is actually peripherally involved here -- he breezes into town and is back to skulking in the bushes. Business as usual, thank you very much. If you'll remember, on last week's Angel, Doyle had a vision that Buff was in danger. So Angel drops in to make sure everything's cool and protect her. Not to diss him for that, of course, but Doyle's vision wasn't really All That. Everyone who smells the Lame Excuse to See Old Flame conundrum, raise your hands. Thank you. Class dismissed.

Turns out, Buff has her hands full fighting a recently resurrected Native American tribe, the original inhabitants of Sunnydale. Also, she's trying to have a "nice" Thanksgiving with the gang, but it's just not happening. Willow and Giles bicker over the "right" thing to do when it comes to spirits representing pissed off indigenous peoples. Xander has been cursed by the spirits and whines all over the place while Anya the Stalker fawns. And Spike, oh-so-Dickensian in a torn blanky, shows up on the doorstep. Poor baby.

Hey, I just realized that Backstreet Riley was only featured for about five minutes. Writers, do you think you could wait until next Friday to cash that bribe check I sent over? Thanks.

Remember how I said that Angel was peripheral? Well, he is, but that's really OK. His appearance merely serves to set up Part Two of the crossover -- so hold off on cueing up the Buffy/Angel Love Theme on your stereo. It's coming, I promise, but you have to wait for this week's Angel, where the true crossover magic goes down. In the end it simply doesn't matter 'cause Buffy and Co. deliver some of the best dialogue of the season. The debate scene between Willow and Giles is sparkling and actually raises an issue or two -- though, thankfully, the show keeps its sense of humor throughout. No sanctimonious speeches here -- the moment we start to get preachy, Willow makes some grumpy remark about "Fort Giles." Heh.

I'm way cuter than Martha.

Also Buffy is quite amusing whilst delivering her Insane Martha Stewart act. She mashes potatoes with a vengeance. She gets mad at Willow for buying frozen peas instead of fresh ones. Don't y'all think Buffy should start a tasteful little magazine of her own, complete with tips for using watercolors to personalize your set of finely carved wooden stakes? Buffy Summers Living. Slayage: It's A Good Thing.

And then there's Spike. Spike is just about the best thing that ever happened to Buffy, I'm convinced. He has all the best lines (on his implant: "Spike had a little trip to the vet and he doesn't chase the other puppies any more") and a gorgeous voice to deliver them with. Mmmm. If you think about it, he sort of fills the gap left by the departed Cordelia -- provide a counterpoint, and be funny while doing so. And, hey, if this episode had ended up sucking, I would have just used another one of his one-liners as my review: "Oh, someone put a stake in me." Ba-dum-bum.

--Sarah Kuhn is campaigning for an Oz/Spike spin-off.

Past Buffy Reviews

Season 4

The Initiative
Wild at Heart
Beer Bad
Fear, Itself
The Harsh Light of Day
Living Conditions
The Freshman

Season 3

Graduation Day, Part II
Graduation Day, Part I
The Prom
Choices
Earshot
Enemies
Doppelgangland
Consequences
Bad Girls
The Zeppo
Helpless
Gingerbread
Lovers Walks
Revelations
Faith, Hope and Trick
Anne

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