Buffy and Angel Rewatch part 39

Angel Season 2
This was quite a season for Angel. One of the key themes that ran throughout it, was the establishment of the show's identity that was separate from Buffy's. This was a hard task for the show considering most of Angel's character originate from BtVS and season 1 had a lot of crossover episodes.

However the show did a pretty good job in standing on its own two feet though slightly disappointingly they chose to end the season of the Buffy death cliffhanger, but I guess there was no other way to end it. One of the main storylines was Angel going dark, but not losing his soul. This is very different from the Buffy dichotomy of good vs evil; the show here started to exploring the grey area a lot more. The overall story arc worked well I thought, Wolfram and Hart stepped up as the big bad and they were never as strong more more enjoyable as when led by Holland Manners, Lilah and of course Lindsey. Bringing back Julie Benz as Darla was a truly excellent idea as she made an excellent villain/victim and she had sizzling chemistry with David Boreanez.

Many people don't like that the main arc ended before finale, but I thought this was a neat idea, as it allowed Angel to atone for mistakes with his team and also the inspired Pylea arc at the end of the season.
Though I didn't give the best episode ratings for the four Pylea episodes, as an overall storyline, it worked incredibly well and was very enjoyable. It was perhaps an episode too long and could've done with a little more action in places but I loved visiting another dimension as they are important parts of the Buffyverse mythology and its cool that we get to spend some time in one.

Episode wise, the season wasn't hugely consistent as there were quite a few dull episodes as well as some awesome ones.
It's also a little disappointing not to get more character development of the Angel Investigations team. We got a little in places and especially during the Pylea arc, but often it felt forced and didn't always fit into the storyline or episode.

In terms of new characters, we had Gunn becoming part of the team, which at first felt a little awkward but after the team got fired and he bonded with Wes and Cordy, it felt a lot more organic and natural. There was of course the introduction of Lorne. He's such a quirky and delightful character and the songs at Caritas definitely helped to inject a little bit of humour and lightheartedness in the episodes. His integration into the team in the final arc definitely felt more natural than Gunn's was. We also got to meet Fred, seen in the Pylea episodes as a bit crazy, but with a heart of gold.

Overall this was a very enjoyable season and I really liked it. There was a lot of drama, but also a lot of humour. Not all of the episodes were great but enough were great to make this an excellent second season. (8.5/10)

Buffy Season 5
This is largely regarded as the best Buffy season and its easy to see why. The episodes are very consistent in quality with very few/no bad episodes. The season is a little slow to kick off, but once it is revealed that Dawn is the Key, it gets a lot better.

The overall arc is a pretty incredible one, Dawn's introduction definitely ups the stakes for Buffy. She is not just fighting to save her friends or the generic world, she is fighting to save her flesh and blood.

I'm not a huge fan of this season's Big Bad however. She's better than Adam or the Trio from next season, but she's definitely not a favourite of mine. Though I do admire her consistency, Glory does get a little repetitive with her quest to find the key and over the 18 or so episodes from when she is introduced to the finale. Her alter ego Ben is also quite annoying and quite whiny a lot of the time. The reveal that they are one and the same is a good one and a neat device to use as it helps to elongate Glory's search. Both characters as well as Glory's minions lack the charm or mystique that previous and future Big Bads have.

As for new characters, Dawn is the only main character introduced. She isn't the most likable character and she can be very annoying at times (her screaming fits come to mind) but at times she can be a decent character.
The memory device they use to implant Dawn are a little trippy when you think about it (the last 4 seasons of Buffy as we know it, didn't happen in their minds) but if you don't think about it too closely, it generally works, especially when all the characters know the truth.
As I said in my review for The Gift, I don't really buy the fact that Buffy's death could close the gate, as she's not the key. There is some logic since they have the same blood, but since the Key is energy and that's in Dawn, its not something that makes sense to me. It did let the sacrifice element of the episode down a little.

There were major character departures this season in the form of Joyce and Riley. It was sad to see the latter go, but he isn't really missed in the show and you don't really notice he's gone after a couple of episodes. This is kinda the same for Joyce who was missing from much of season 4; however as a character, she is missed a lot more and its incredibly sad to see her go especially as her death is so tragic. I'm glad she had a decent leaving storyline though and it added to the emotion and more human drama of the season.

Overall this is an excellent season; its obviously well planned and there is very little in the season that feels filler or unnecessary. It did take a few episodes to get into gear, but after the truth about Dawn is revealed, the season continues to get better and produces consistently enjoyable episodes. (9/10)

Buffy and Angel

Episodes:
Both shows had incredibly strong seasons and its probably the only time that can truly be said (maybe, I'll be able to judge once I've seen the rest of the seasons!). This is a very enjoyable thing as a viewer as it means you can get to a point in the seasons and there aren't any bad episodes left.

Crossovers:
There were far fewer crossovers in these seasons than in 4 and 1, which worked better for each show individually.
This season does contain the best crossover episodes in the form of Fool For Love and Darla. Both fit into the season wonderfully though Darla felt a little more natural. Up until this season the Fang Gang's halcyon days were largely unexplored, mostly due to Darla's dead status. However with her alive now, this gave the writers a perfect opportunity to explore the past. Its so interesting to see both Darla and Spike's points of views, as up until this point we mainly get to see Angel's. The fact that the flashbacks were so well written and slotted together is the cherry on top.

We get a couple of other crossovers but not much, Angel visiting Buffy in Forever was sweet and necessary, Harmony's visit and Willow's appearance was pretty funny, but because Harmony was Cordy's friend originally, it almost doesn't feel like a crossover. Willow coming at the end of Angel's finale was also a necessary visit and it does help to setup season 3.

Episode Order:
Ultimately though, the two seasons felt very separate and after the first half of each season, I ended up watching lots of Buffy episodes back to back and then loads of Angel episodes back to back which meant that it felt more like watching two completely different and unrelated shows, which was a touch confusing at times.

Overall:
Two brilliant seasons from the shows and very enjoyable to watch. I think Buffy was probably better for this season as it felt better planned and executed than Angel, especially as Angel had a fair amount of standalone episodes.

Mini Reviews- March 15th

Grey's Anatomy- 6x08 Invest In Love
Such a sad episode centring around children. I'm enjoying these special episodes personally and Arizona led this one brilliantly. I'm also liking the Mercy Westers starting to have crushes on the original doctors as its a great way to integrate them. Plus any episode where Alex has his shirt off is a good one!!




Desperate Housewives- 6x07 Careful the Things You Say
Not the best episode but it was okay. Bree and Angie bonding was good, but why is it always Bree bonding with the newbies? (eg Katherine in season 4) Enjoyed the fact and it was both Lynette and Tom defending Julie as Lynette can be a bit cack handed when she does these things herself. The flashbacks at the beginning explaining the Danny Julie affair were also much needed.



Brothers and Sisters- 6x09 Pregnant Pause
A very successful episode in terms of all characters getting a decent amount of screentime. Why can't more episodes be like this? Apart from Ryan, all the other characters had something useful and meaningful to contribute to the episode. Storyline wise I'm not a fan of the Rebecca pregnancy because it feels a little desperate to me. The way in which all the family found out before Justin was typically Walker like, but Rebecca really should have told Justin sooner. It feels like the writers are almost foreshadowing a break-up between the two, as neither are able to tell each other major events in their lives. Justin's major event- him still struggling in med school- is a brave story from the writers, it would be easier to have him succeed and focus on his romantic dramas. Also I liked that the alcohol issue rose its head again, its been forgotten for too long. Its nice to see Nora having some fun; shame her children have to spoil in, first Sarah and then Kevin. Does it really matter if he's not the greatest doctor? Holly's money troubles were less annoying and it was sweet to see her reaching out to Nora for grandmother advice as well as Nora giving Holly the money without interfering (much). The only storyline I feel like was a little bit shunted was the Kevin/Scotty sperm thing. Kevin is obviously annoyed, and they haven't sorted this issue out yet. It will probably rear its ugly head in the next episode. Also as a sidenote, I'm happy Scotty will be the bio father, especially as Kevin already has a biological child out there.

90210- 2x13 Rats and Heroes
Returns after a very long break and I'm pleased to see it. Its drama-ful as usual, but mostly dealing with the aftermath of the previous episode events. Poor Navid though getting caught with the drugs, hope he gets out of that one. Didn't like the blatant Windows 7 product placement- more subtle next time please!


Modern Family- 1x17 Truth Be Told
The perils of Facebook and Judy Greer make for a great episode. That love triangle bit was very funny as was Alex telling her brother Luke he was adopted but I don't feel we got any conclusion to either storyline. The Cameron/Mitchel storyline was less funny, and I don't buy that Mitchell's boss heard him. It will be fun to see Mitchell flounder a bit, but I hope he goes back to his job as none of the adults in the show seem to actually successfully hold jobs.




How I Met Your Mother- 4x21/22/23/24 The Three Days Rule/ Right Place Right Time/ As Fast As She Can/ The Leap
Still catching up with the show, but I wanted to say that the end of season 4 was some of the best episodes of the show I'd seen. They were a little odd considering Lily was missing and Robyn seemed to have less lines due to their respective pregnancies, but the writers and the three male actors did a great job writing around this and pulling off some very funny and 'mother revealing' episodes at the end of season 4.

Buffy and Angel Rewatch part 38

A2.19 Belonging
There isn't an abundance of actual storyline in this episode, but there is a lot of character development and it the episodes acts as a good setup for the coming arc.
We get glimpses into all of the characters issues in this episode; Gunn being torn between his old friends and new, Wesley's father and leadership issues, Angel struggling to fit in, in the real world, Cordy's aspirations of being an actress in contrast to the reality of her life and Lorne's family and home dimension loathing/fear. Whilst I enjoyed all these insights; Wes' phonecall with his father and Gunn watching the body of his friend burying were especially strong scenes; overall it means the episode is very disjointed. Of course this isn't helped by the fact that the episode is basically the first in a four parter and the storyline of Cordy's vision is barely started let alone concluded meaning that the episode isn't as enjoyable as it could've been. (7.5/10)

A2.20 Over The Rainbow
A decent episode and introduction into the world of Pylea. In terms of storyline, this episode lays the basics for what Pylea is like both in Lorne's description of it and Cordy's experiences there. I have to praise the set/costume design people however as they the most to create the world of Pylea and they do an amazing job. It must've take ages to get everyone in green make-up/masks etc. The boys rushing and struggling took up a fair bit of the episode and it was sweet to see, though I would've liked to see more of Gunn's struggle whether to go or not rather than just sitting in his truck. I like the scene where they go through the portal in the car, it always makes me smile, but honestly for most of the episode it would've been nice to see more fear/saddness about possibly never returning. The final scene is one of the best of the episode, the reveal that Cordy has been made a princess is priceless. (7.5/10)

A2.21 Through the Looking Glass
This is episode is a little more interesting than the last, probably because all the gang are together. There are a lot of funny moments; Lorne's family, Angel's reaction to being praised by them, Cordy being princess and trying to steal the loot and Gunn and Wes getting captured and Wes typically making things worse. This is a great episode for Cordy especially though; the beginning of the episode showed us who she was before, spoilt princess Cordy; however over the episode she showed who she is now, in trying to make the people's lives better through the proclamations.
The other storylines were decent enough, Angel saving Fred and a little bit of her back story and the Angel turning into his demon, also Lorne dealing with his family and the reveal of the far reaching power of Wolfram and Hart (love that bit). However since the storylines were largely separate, this disrupted the flow of the story a little lessening the enjoyment of the episode. Another great ending though! (7.5/10)

A2.22 There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb
A very satisfying ending to the arc and the season. There was a lot more action in this episodes and all the story threads tied up making it a lot more enjoyable than the previous two Pylea episodes. Amidst the fighting and action there was some serious character development, with Angel coming to terms with his demon, Lorne realising he truly belongs in LA, Fred finally leaving her hell, Gunn getting to stand by a group of rebels similar to his own in LA, Cordy giving up what she wanted to fight evil back home and most importantly Wes becoming a true leader and the emergence of the darker character he will become. All of these character issues were brought up in Belonging and have slowly but surely been either resolved or progress has been made. Even though the episodes in between weren't as strong, this character development shows how strong and important the Pylea arc is to the show. It is a little disappointing that the show ended on the Buffy cliffhanger, rather than an Angel one (as the Angel characters all had a happy ending as it were), though I do love the appearance from Willow. (8.5/10)

Mini Reviews- March 8th

Greek- 3x15 Your Friends and Neighbours
Excellent episode, well constructed and once again the show is doing the perfect job of capturing the essence of college.
Take Casey and Ashleigh, I have lived that story with my best friend at uni. They were perhaps a little more confrontational than I was, but the story rings true. So many shows just focus on sexual relationships as those that change at/after uni but friendships do as well and its important to remember that.
After the hilarious hijinks at the KT, true words were spoken by 'T-Dog' telling Cappie that you can never go back and he is so right. Whether we like it or not, life moves forward and we have to accept that. For Cappie he looks like he is veering towards not graduating for a while and that's comforting to see he hasn't changed too much, but its also good to see that he realises that this may be problemsome in his relationship with Casey.
I was a little sad to see Evan be a jerk again, though its understandable why he did what he did. Calvin was right to be mad at him though as what Evan did was not okay. Very ingenious idea to get the money back though.

Grey's Anatomy- 6x07 Give Peace a Chance
Great episode. Its another special episode and it worked really well. Derek wasn't great at the narration, it felt a little repetitive and was used too often during the episode rather than just at the beginning and end, but otherwise it was enjoyable to see Derek's side of things. The patient in question was suitably charismatic and hopeful which pushed the episode along. The outcome of the surgery was a little too happy and well rounded but it worked within the episode.
It nice to see all the other attendings weighing in and helping out, rather than the residents, whom get a lot more screen time usually. Lexie and Cristina were hilarious with the nappy (diaper) thing as was Arizona breaking down after confronting the Chief.
There weren't many other plots in the episode which allowed all focus on this one amazing surgery but it was food to see one of the Mercy Westers being nice and trying to actually help Alex with his marriage.

Desperate Housewives- 6x06 Don't Walk on the Grass
A really good episode which seemed to be carefully plotted so that the housewives interacted whilst maintaining their own storylines. The show seems to be elongated stories which in past years might've been wrapped up in one episode eg Gabby and Juanita and this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Gabby's storyline, though it was played for laughs, really showed off her selfishness and maybe we'll see some change in her. Its good to see Tom stand up to Lynette for once for being hypocritical- both are lying and honestly I'm not sure which one is worse.
Bree debating her feelings for Karl was kind of endearing and oddly they make a good couple, but I don't think Karl will ever be able to change his ways completely.
Susan and Katherine's storyline was the worst one and is mostly just ridiculous. Katherine a bit crazy is somewhat funny, but her obsession over Mike is tiring (I don't really see it), though I get her need to take revenge on Susan.

Brothers and Sisters- 4x07 The Wine Festival
A good episode not very imaginatively titled. I thoroughly enjoyed Nora's storyline this week. Its perfectly realistic that this younger man would be interested in her, but also that she would be doubtful why. I like this motorcycle guy and the scenes at the festival were good.
Kitty and Robert had some short but sweet scene, where he sees her bald but I have to say Calista's bald cap was not very well done this week and was quite distracting.
Luc is gone, sadly not for good, but their issues are very real and I wish Sarah could pick less, shall we say, artistic men and maybe go out with someone as driven as her. Nora kept saying Luc is not Joe but honestly they pretty much seem like the same type of guy.
Kevin had the most adorable scene with Saul about picking their biological birth mother and it advanced his and Scotty's storyline forward. I have to say Scotty was right to be frustrated by the whole process.
The festival story felt hugely far-fetched, the wine was good and launched in a day?! Plus they were all drinking in the work day- no wonder the business is failing!. Ryan's treachery at the end was a little sad but also frustrating for the characters and audience. A little success for Ojai would've been nice.

Buffy and Angel Rewatch part 37

B5.19 Tough Love
This is the first episode I ever properly saw of Buffy, so its always a bit of a special one for me. As for the episode itself, its a very emotional one. Even though in a way it feels like not much happens in the episode (its the beginning of the final arc so there's no ending to the story), however it also feels like loads was fitted in to the one episode.
The human aspect with Buffy trying to be a parent to Dawn was touching and emotional to watch. The idea that she might get taken away is a very real one and I'm glad the show addressed it.
The rest of the episode was taken by Glory's search for the key. Thinking how Glory would, Tara makes perfect sense to be the key, Anya being the next logical choice (also new). Whilst something about Tara and Willow's fight felt off to me (maybe because they are a much better couple when happy) the scenes when Tara had been turned crazy and Willow had to look after her were so sweet and quite upsetting. I really liked the understanding Buffy and Willow came to at the end of the episode. We also got to see the first of dark Willow and she was a formidable force, the only one so far able to stop Glory in any way. (8.5/10)

B5.20 Spiral
This is easily one of the most epic episodes of the show. The leaving Sunnydale means we get a real run and chase and the thrill that goes alongside with it. I love the scenes where they are on the run in the caravan thing. They manage to blend both humour and despair in the scenes and they are most enjoyable. The humour is gone by the time the van crashes, but the drama remains. The scenes between Buffy/Dawn and especially Buffy and Giles are so sweet and so sad. I also liked the grudging acceptance between Xander and Spike.
We finally get a lot of explanation about who Glory is and this has been a long time coming since her origins and goal beyond finding the Key have been vague. However from the description given by the General of the Knights of Byzantium, Glory sound a lot more formidable than she really is. I know her power is meant to be diminished on Earth but most of what we've seen from her is a lot of failed attempts to get the Key and a few crazy people. She doesn't feel like a God feared enough to warrant a whole army. Speaking of the army they are a little annoying at times and its frustrating that they couldn't just work with Buffy to fight Glory. However, in terms of drama their opposition works perfectly as Glory doesn't really have the manpower to create those kind of battle scenes. (9.5/10)

B5.21 Weight Of The World
Placed in between the dramatics of the last episode and the next, this episode is a little disappointing as it loses a lot of the momentum already built up over the last few episodes. However after the end of the next episode an episode in between was probably needed so that the finale could take in the stunning matter that it does and not have to deal with some of the aftermath this episode deals with. This includes of course Buffy's feelings of utter dispair and guilt at having lost Dawn. The way they dealt with this was a little boring though. I liked the overall theme that came out of it- Buffy giving up- but its not terribly exciting. This also goes for the Glory/Ben fighting. It was good to finally get some interaction between the pair no matter how disjointed, but honestly to see Glory become so human after in the last episode being described as such a terrifying Beast, is a little disappointing. Ditto for Ben eventually choosing his life over Dawn's.
The funniest bits of the episode was Spike having to explain over and over again to the gang the link between Ben and Glory, it lightened proceedings even if it felt a little bit filler at times. (8/10)

B5.22 The Gift
There is next to nothing that is bad or unlikable about this episode- its practically perfect. What makes the episode so perfect is that it works on so many levels. As a season finale, the story wraps up Glory's quest for the Key. She's beaten, but not without a tough fight. She also proves her godly status as its not her or one of her minions but actually another disciple that starts the ritual. As the 100th episode, it neatly sums up the show itself, starting with that excellent cold opening of Buffy fighting a vampire, her birthright, and continuing with neat little call backs to previous seasons, storylines and themes. The biggest theme followed is that of a Slayer's death; ironically it's an important part of a Slayer's life and here Buffy finally dies so fulfills her prophecy (although I must admit I have a slight problem with the logic behind Buffy's death closing the portal but its so beautifully poetic I'm prepared to go with it). Also the episode is just so epic in the fighting and in the planning and execution of the plan, with all the characters getting a chance to be the hero. Finally and despite everything else that was going on, all the main pairings managed to get a few moments of bonding and utter sweetness, so much so that we didn't feel that we were getting short changed by the action of the episode. All in all, utterly brilliant. (10/10)

5 Reasons Why I'm Not (that) Sad Dollhouse is Ending

5 Reasons Why I'm Not (that) Sad Dollhouse is Ending

(NB this isn't meant to be a post bashing Dollhouse, though it may come across like that in some parts as on the whole I actually like the show)
(no major spoilers coming up)

1. The show had numerous chances and failed to deliver.

As a Joss Whedon show, this show already had a built in fan base. This included not only rabid Whedon fans (like myself) but also other more casual fans who would be interested to see what Joss did next. This fanbase alone should've brought about a decent viewership even on a Friday night (NB the show did have very good DVR viewership)

The show, on the basis of this fanbase managed to get a second season, when most shows in its position would've have been cancelled. There have been plenty of shows who have had better first season creatively that were axed. However the Whedon name and probably the desire to avoid another Firefly situation, a second season was granted. However despite the show getting a bit better in the second season, it still struggled creatively (see below)

2. Epitaph

A lot of fans blame Fox for not showing Epitaph One. As easily the best episode of the season, it could've helped bring in viewers.
However, without Fox refusing to the 13th episode in the first place, Epitaph One would not have existed as it was only created as a standalone for DVD's and international sales. This also means that all the best creative bits about the second season which has careened towards the Epitaph future, would probably not have happened, or at least not in the way that it did.

Plus lets face it, anyone who really wanted to watch the 'unaired' episode would've/could've watched the episode on itunes or got the DVD.

3. The show didn't have the creative longevity to go for multiple seasons

Without the apocalyptic future created in Epitaph One to direct the show, most of what we would've got is more of the earlier episodes: Echo as a sex doll going on missions and due to her 'special-ness', something going wrong. Dollhouse to me could've easily been a brilliant mini-series or movie; after a brief introduction into what the Dollhouse is/does, the rest of its story could its downfall, therefore losing the repetitiveness of the constant sex missions (which is probably what the Dollhouse was most used for). The final few episodes in which everything about the corporation was revealed were the best episodes of the series but we only got these dramatic episodes because the show was ending. Therefore in a way 2 shortened seasons was perfect for Dollhouse.

4. Humour

Buffy/Angel/Firefly/Dr Horrible were all funny. Yes the shows were full of heartache, but even in some of the saddest episodes episodes there were moments of funny (Willow changing her clothes constantly in The Body is a great example). There were few funny moments in Dollhouse. There were some episodes (eg 1x7 Echoes) and certain characters that were funny (Topher, Adelle and Victor) but by in large this wasn't an incredibly funny show. This is a huge shame as Joss excels at blending the light and the dark, but we just didn't see that here.

5. Characters

I think one of my main problems with the show was that the main character- Echo- was just that. Eliza Dushku as executive producer (cleverly on her part) placed herself front and centre, with the supporting characters being just that. Buffy and Angel, despite having titular characters, never focused so much on the main characters as much as Dollhouse did.
This is especially problematic as the main character doesn't actually have a personality, which makes it hard to like her and to warm to her in anyway. She became a little bit more likable at the end of the show, but as I noted earlier, this was probably a result of the story moving forward quickly to its conclusion.
The show has also been frustrating as the supporting characters are terrific actors and many are hugely interesting as characters, yet we see very little of them, and what makes them tick. This reluctance by the show to turn into the ensemble cast it needs to be has largely contributed to its creative problems.

Still, the show, especially in the second season was a good one. It was very dark and not quite as good as Joss Whedon's other creations, but it was a hell of a ride into the dark underbelly of a multinational corporation bent on world domination.

Buffy and Angel Rewatch part 36

A2.17 Disharmony
This is probably the first crossover episode we've had that was purely an Angel one. Harmony's appearance was a funny one, her vampire reveal (to Angel only audiences) was well done and I liked the lesbian/vampire confusion as well as the appearance from Willow. It made for a nice storyline and focus on Cordy and a call back to her Sunnydale days and how far she has come. Although she hasn't completely changed as shown by the hilarious final scene where Angel gives her clothes which is one of my favourite scenes from the series.
The episode also nicely allows for the team to continue re-building, focusing on the Cordy/Angel relationship, which is arguably the deepest as they have been working together the longest. I love the idea of the vampire pyramid scheme and motivational seminars and books; its so quintessentially LA and is an excellent base storyline for the episode. I would've liked to have seen more of Gunn and Wesley's tension with Angel as I don't think we get to see much of it in later episodes but I could be wrong. (8/10)

B5.18 Intervention
This is a bit of a mixed episode. Buffy's quest, whilst proving to be pivotal, is pretty boring to watch. However the Buffybot scenes and Glory's beating of Spike is excellent. Sarah Michelle Gellar is excellent as the Buffybot and I have to remind myself that its still SMG playing the robot as she does it so convincingly. The gang's reactions to what they think is Buffy having sex with Spike are also funny, although considering they have encountered a robot recently, Buffy's right to be offended they can't tell the difference. The Buffybot's play fighting with Spike is hilarious, but its Spike scene at the end of the episode with the real Buffy that shows his real feelings towards her and its definitely an endearing moment for Spike. His torture at the hands of Glory was also fun to watch, its a different tack for her (she usually just brain sucks her victims) and shows how sadistic she can be. (8.5/10)

A2.18 Dead End
Its a shame that Lindsey leaves at the end of this episode because as it shows, he's a wonderful and hugely interesting character who can more than carry an episode. The idea behind this episode is a neat one, Lindsey finally gets some closure on his life with Wolfram and Hart and Angel (kind of anyway until season 5) by leaving the law firm and getting a new hand. His apathy for his job is show throughout the episode with his blase attitude in meetings compared to Lilah's high-strung one, and with recent events concerning Darla, its hardly surprising that he leaves his job behind. Its not quite the redemption that Angel hoped for him in season 1's "Blind Date" but its something at least. I'm not sure if I'll miss the childish rivalry between Lindsey and Angel though; its sometimes fun, but its sometimes tiring to watch, especially as Angel always seems to win.
As for the rest of the episode, we get the first signs that the visions are having a bad effect on Cordelia. We don't really get a conclusion to the story which I know we get in season 3, but in terms of this episode, it makes it a little unsatisfying. Also its a little weird that the gang especially Wesley don't try and do some research on the effects the visions are having; considering her pain, it would make a lot of sense.
Highlight of the episode has to be Lindsey singing in Caritas. Great song, great performance and I loved the whole gang's reactions to it, especially Cordelia's. (8.5/10)

Mini Reviews- March 2nd

Grey's Anatomy- 6x06 I Saw What I Saw
A great episode which shows that the show can excel without a couple of key cast members. The re-telling technique using different viewpoints (which weren't that different) is a fairly common one, but the show used it to its advantage and did it well. I picked up on April missing checking the throat when they first showed it, but honestly if it wasn't for the way in which they did the episode, it wouldn't have been as obvious. I was a little sad to see April fired over that mistake, it was a fatal one and she should've been punished, but we've seen doctors do worse on this show. However with the merger, it was an easy axing for the Chief and the board to make. I'm glad Derek called the Chief out on it though.
One thing I liked about this episode was the banter between the Mercy Westers, as a casual viewer I'm enjoying their addition to the show (though I have to ask where are the Mercy Wester attendings? There was Callie but she's the only one to make the transfer- its a little weird)

Dollhouse- 2x11/12 Getting Closer/Hollow Man
Two incredible episodes to send the main arc of this show off in style. The reveal of Boyd being the head of Rossum floored me as did the various deaths- Saunders killing Bennett, Mellie killing herself. Maybe I'm naive but I didn't see any of those shockers coming. There was so much to enjoy in the episodes, Echo was way less annoying here than she has been before, the flashbacks did a good job in explaining what Caroline had been up to and how she got into the Dollhouse and it was fun to watch the gang go to war with Rossum. Honestly, though I'm impressed with the way the writers wrote the episodes to explain the future episode (eg Boyd leaving Claire, whilst hurt was explained by him getting shot when he protected Adelle). It can't have always been easy to make it all fit together.
I am a little disappointed that Boyd was the head of Rossum. Of course as an emotional punch it made for excellent TV but its sad that he wasn't one of the good guys. I think there were a few clues though the season, but I'm not he was always going to be the evil creator.

Dollhouse- 2x13 Epitaph Two
I wish I had re-watched Epitaph One before watching this one as I must admit, I was a little confused on the timeline in places. Otherwise though it was such a good episode. We got to see what the main cast was up to in 2019 and also we got to see them save the world as well. Another review pointed out that this was slightly Hollywood as endings go, but I think the destruction that had taken place in the interim years meant that it wasn't exactly a happy ending (though Priya, Tony and T got a mostly happy ending).
It was an emotional ending though, I was shocked when Paul was dramatically killed and I shed a tear at Topher's sacrifice/death as well (poor Topher). It almost makes me laugh that it was mostly the girls left standing, whilst apart from Victor/Tony all the main male character died- very Joss Whedon! It would have been nice to get some answers as to where the main cast had been and what they had been doing in the last few years. We had some sense of that, but there was a lot left unanswered. Great to see Alpha, Bennett and the future cast back again and I have to give props to all the cast for doing a fantastic job both in this and the final few episodes. Overall though a great and fitting finale to the show.

Brothers and Sisters- 4x07 The Wig Party
I'm a bit annoyed by the stock description of this episode as it only referred to the last few minutes of episode, which spoiled the impact of the episode a little.
Firstly of course, there was Kitty losing her hair. An emotional moment at the fundraiser led to Kitty shaving off all her hair. The scenes were very heartfelt and I like that Kitty chose to do it with her mum and sister rather than her husband, as its obviously a very difficult and horrible thing to go through and it kinda makes sense that she wouldn't necessarily want her husband to be the first person to see her.
The second spoiled reveal was Rebecca's pregnancy, which in all honesty is a bit yawn, is there no other storyline for the pair? Justin constantly diagnosing Rebecca due to his studies at school was funny though and very true to life.

Elsewhere I was thrilled to see Scotty get a storyline separate of Kevin and the Walkers. The cheating dad thing is perhaps a little much in this show considering William's past, but the story had a sweet of predictable ending, and I liked Scotty's maturity in dealing with his father's infidelity and parents separation.
I also liked seeing Nora being pursued by a younger man. Nora in relationships is always good to watch, mostly because Sally Field carries it off so well, but especially this time round as it gives her a break from cancer and from being the overbearing mother that she is. Plus this new guy seems like a lot of fun!