Buffy and Angel Rewatch part 9

2.21 Becoming Part 1

What an amazing episode. This is a much praised episode and deservedly so. Although there isn't much present day action (most of this is saved I think for the next episode) there is so much good stuff to watch. Scooby gang wise, its good to see Kendra back and its a shame she doesn't make it past this episode; as side by side slayers Buffy and Kendra got on for the most part so its sad that she's killed so cruelly by Dru. I definitely found myself tearing up a little when Buffy found Kendra at the end of the episode.
This episode is also poignant for the fact that is the first time Willow does magic. Considering her problems with magic in season 6 its ironic that Giles tells her that she could be "opening a door she can't close" (or words to that effect). Its hard to believe sometimes that her journey with magic started so early in the show.
The rest of the episode mostly focused on Angel. It's the first true Fang Gang mythology episode (apart from some stuff we got in the School Hard) and the flashbacks are a joy to watch especially Angel's siring. (good to see Darla back) The Whistler character was a brilliant idea on Joss' part; it's little wonder that Joss basically takes this episode as a template for the Angel pilot/show. Joss quite rightly saw the potential in Angel's character and the events of this episode as the basis for an entire show. However I'm not quite there in the rewatch just yet!
It was also fun seeing Buffy pre Sunnydale and pre Slayer. In a way its quite rewarding that the show didn't start from this point (they could've easily forgotten the movie in the timeline) as Buffy finding out she was a Slayer would've made for a logical pilot episode. I think it was a lot more interesting to see her already a trained Slayer, but it was cool to see her first dusting in this episode. (10/10)

2.22 Becoming Part 2

Another sensational episode. Before watching this episode this time round, I wasn't convinced it would be as good as it was. I remembered the main points, the its the little things in this episode and not just the ending that make it so good. There are so many highlights from Joyce finally finding out about Buffy, her reaction to it, the emotional Jenny/Giles scene followed by a funny Dru/Giles make out scene, Willow channeling some dark powers in the spell, and Spike and Buffy working together (one of my favourite moments and the first time I think we see the Spike we know and love later- a more cocky, less in love with Dru, Spike). The ending was of course hugely tragic. I've seen this episode a few times and as a standalone episode, when Buffy has to kill Angel after having his soul restored, is not nearly as powerful as if you watch the episode in context, with the last 2 seasons preceding it. Its a real Greek tragedy moment and even though I'm not a Buffy/Angel shipper, its an incredibly emotional moment. (10/10)

Season 2 Overall


Many people often say that this is their favourite Buffy season and its not hard to see why as it contains some of the shows best episodes. Personally whilst I found it to be a brilliant season and a lot better than the first, overall it was quite uneven. There were some really good episodes especially in the second half of the season, however even these were interspersed with some distinctly average episodes. However the quality of the best episodes is often enough to make you forget about these lesser episodes. I should point out as well its not just the dramatic episodes in the season that standout but some of the more comedic ones as well such as Pangs and Halloween (though admittedly I'm not sure how lighthearted Pangs really is!)
There are many highlights when it comes to this season; Spike and Drusilla making their entrance, Oz coming into the cast, Cordy and Jenny becoming more ingratiated into the Scoobies, and Angelus making his debut. I loved that each of the Scoobies developed relationships in this season, it was nice to see them all find some sort of happiness even if for most it was short lived. As I've said throughout the episode reviews I'm not a Buffy/Angel fan but even though in the particular episodes they can be annoying, overall the relationship does serve its purpose and delivers impressive drama for the show. This show is definitely superior to other vamp franchises when it comes to tragic human/vamp love stories!

As for the Big Bads, this year we were treated to 3 vamps, with a different one leading the front against Buffy at different points in the season which kept it interesting. Also since all of these vamps actually survive and appear in later seasons (okay Angel technically doesn't survive the finale but since he's resurrected I won't count it) the climactic battle is a little odd as looking back retrospectively Buffy doesn't actually defeat any of them. However as evil goes they are all pretty powerful and make their impact on the show more than felt, with the deaths of Kendra and Jenny.

Overall I really enjoyed this season and found myself continually wanting to watch the next episode (apart from a few episodes which I would have been ok not re-watching). During the second season, the show definitely begun to find its feet and settle in a lot more with the arc story-telling. No sophomore slump for Buffy!! (8.5/10)