Buffy and Angel Rewatch part 56

B7.09 Never Leave Me
A lot of this episode is spent talking, Buffy and Spike in particular and it can be a little boring. Even though Anya and Xander are a good and funny tag team when it comes to interrogating Andrew, since Andrew doesn't really tell them anything, it feels like the episode doesn't really go anywhere. That is until the last 10 minutes when the Bringers enter, the revelation that the Big Bad is The First, the blowing up of the Watcher's Council and the emergence of the Ubervamp. This really kicks the arc up more than a notch and makes the slow beginning to the episode justifiable. I'm not particularly sad to see the end of the Watcher's Council. Their last scene about their operations elsewhere make them seem more like an organisation akin to Wolfram and Hart, than anything else! (8/10)

B7.10 Bring On The Night
The end has well and truly begun as this episode begins Buffy's own personal arc of the burden she faces the (almost) lone Slayer that will bring about the events of the finale. The Turok Han was a formidable opponent and its been a while since we've seen Buffy beat up like this. Even when she was killed by the Master, or beaten on a regular basis by Glory, I'm not sure we've ever seen Buffy come out of a fight so beaten. Of course that was just physically as she demonstrates in the amazing war declaration she makes at the end of the episode (which of course is the start of another personal and more annoying arc- her speechifying!). Giles' return was a much needed element to emphasise the gravity of the situation and its always good to see him after his absence for most of the season. Also returning was Dru in the form of the First, a great person to torture Spike as the only other women he loved. The potentials aren't a welcome addition, but they aren't too annoying here, though I'm glad they got rid of the posh one as I hate posh English accents! (8.5/10)

B7.11 Showtime
I love the showdown at the end of this episode and how the Scoobies led it there. Its very powerful at showcasing what Buffy can do, although I am a little sceptical about the telepathy thing between the three friends. It was a neat way of establishing their bond though. It seems a little strange that Buffy would want to fight in front of the girls when it could've gone so badly wrong. Maybe it was Buffy's new sense of leadership that allowed her to kill the Turok-Han, as she seemed sure that she would be able to beat him the second time round, when she wasn't able to the first.
The girl who played Eve the dead Slayer/The First was just wonderful and it was a suitable creepy plot device in which to show the Firsts reach and manipulation skills. The Beljoxa's eye thing was the oddest part of the episode though; it necessitated some exposition about why the First was coming now, but it all seemed a little too easy- why haven't they used it before. Over on Angel, mystical devices like that have been used before and they've always been a lot creepier and hard to access. (8.5/10)

B7.12 Potential
The problem with starting the season's Big Bad arc so early (the first episode) is that it can't maintain the same speed that the show has been going at, meaning that at some point the episodes have to get a little quieter and this episode is the start of that for the next few episodes. Saying that however, this is one of the stronger episodes that aren't action filled. Its a shame that Dawn is least annoying in this season and its the season she gets the least amount of screen time (or perhaps its a coincidence). This episode showcases that Dawn has certainly grown up and Michelle Trachenburg pull it off well. Its endearing to see Dawn selflessly hand over her potential status to Amanda without pausing, even more so since Buffy never found out that she was temporarily a potential.
I'm not a fan of the Buffy/Spike and potentials aspect of this episode, apart from the visit from Clem (who didn't say a word to Spike, which was a little odd), its a little boring, though it does work with the inter-cuts to Dawn. The best things about the episode have to be the gentle introduction of the least annoying potential Amanda and obviously Xander's heart wrenching speech at the end, which is probably more powerful than most of the speeches Buffy gives or will give this season. It so perfectly sums up the Scoobies role in Buffy's life and in the show in general. (8.5/10)