I really loved Freefall. I loved the "back to basics" approach, and the expanding cast of Buffy's roomies and Dowling, while keeping Buffy at the center.
Going back and reading it again I will say that's its at least blessed with some sharp dialogue (lacking later on). And I did like drunk Buffy. I'm not too keen on 'aimless screw-up Buffy' though, which is what Buffy is here and for most of the season.
Also just after this arc Willow leaves and doesn't return for ages!
After that though, it just got boring and/or silly, but I did enjoy Guarded quite a bit.
Agreed. The Buffy pregnancy thing is probably one of the most hated recent things in the Buffy fandom, all so we can have some pointless Spuffy angst.
'Guarded' is okay but I felt that the writers really missed a trick with Buffy
finally facing off against W&H in what was basically a light-hearted issue arc.
I think the Faith joining deepscan plot said the same stuff- 'these two slayers aren't like the other slayers because they can't turn their instincts off'- but using half the pages.
Plus no silly squid demon thing.
Welcome to the Team really pissed me off though. It wasn't a bad story per se, but it completely trashed the supposed mantra of focusing on smaller, more personal stories, after the ridiculous Season 8 conclusion.
What annoyed me is that the writers suddenly remember Severin from when they introduced him in the very first arc (he got taken down by
a cop with a gun) and now he's this massive world-ending threat that even Illyria (Illyria restored to full power!) is somehow afraid of. Not to mention loads of other demon lords.
I never bought it.
Simone at least seemed to be an established threat- a slayer that could go one-on-one with Buffy or Spike nad have a decent chance of winning- but this guy? Illyria could just punch his head off.
The last thing that bugged me about this season was Buffy's own reactions to what she did last season. Basically she's all 'I had to break the seed' when people like Willow got on her case. Fine. I get that, break the seed or the wrold is overrun. What's never really addressed by anybody is the far worse stuff
before hand- the Twilight shagging. That caused the whole thing in the first place.
It's briefly mentioned by a royally pissed off Xander in The Watcher, but since he then goes to betray Buffy to Severin he quickly and convieniently loses all the moral high ground to Buffy.
By the end of the season both Willow and Xander end up
apologising to Buffy for 'letting her down'. It's ridiculous and simply lets Buffy off the hook with her friends rather than her having to say the words 'I made a mistake'.
Over on Angel they at least tried to address the whole thing- time and again in fact- with Angel himself admitting that he deserves a stake in the chest, but only after he's tried to undo as much of the damage as he can.
At least I enjoyed the intro of Koh and Anaheed. Dowling was too blank-slatey though and Billy was just
hideous pandering. I'm glad that CG packed him off as quickly as possible and he was promptly forgotten about. 'He chose instead of being chosen.' JE's 'special snowflake' plot contrivance strikes again.
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