Rewatching Season 2

[Nikkolas]

It occurs to me that my love for the first couple seasons of Buffy is mostly unfounded. It's really a nostalgia thing and I'm always looking back at the past fondly. Season 2 was when I was still watching Buffy on TV when it first debuted and it's just a lot of happy times.

Sadly, that was over ten years ago and not counting the bits and pieces I've watched since then, Season 2 remains, as a whole, blank for me. I remember the major things obviously but the details are all a blur.

So, I thought I owed it to myself go back and relive the entire season. Thanks to Amazon.com and UPS one-day shipping, I'm doing just that right now.


I hope no one minds if I just use this as my little repository for my views on each episode and the characters as I go through the season.

My general thought so far is...wow. The only seasons I've watched in their entirety recently is Season 5 and 7. Looking at Season 2...things are just so weird but in a nice, cute way. It's easy to forget in later seasons that Buffy is in fact a teen drama as much as it is a show about fighting vampires.

Honestly, I kind of miss it all. It's quite ingenious how they re-imagined the ideals and morals teens should learn in regular life by splicing in the supernatural so said high schoolers actually care.

Now, with that out of the way, my thoughts on the first four episodes (the first disc is all I've finished at the moment)

1. School Hard was obviously the best episode thus far. The introduction of Spike, which I kind of take for granted now, is nevertheless still great.
Also calling back to how this show is meant to appeal to teenagers, Snyder is the most amazingly unreasonable authority figure in the history of fiction. "I told him not to go out that window." What a jerk.

2. I really felt sorry for Willow in the Mummy Girl episode. I kept looking at her as she stared forlornly at Xander and I had to just keep telling myself "no, don't be sad!! You'll find your true love in a couple years!!
...then she'll die. Oh god why Joss."
And she's so adorable with her little hat... How could Joss do all that to her.

3. I don't get why so many people whine and complain about Angel on BtVS. Maybe it's the nostalgia talking but this is how I saw him first so this is how I am used to him. Sure he grows a lot more personable in his own series but that's just because he's the main character. The main character cannot lurk in the shadows and just appear a random.
Speaking of which, I like the lurking. I think he looks awesome with his face partly in shadow most of the time.

So that's my thoughts so far. The season just started so not much more I can say really. I am getting a huge kick out of looking at everything from the benefit of hindsight though. That kind of keeps things interesting ya know?

And I shall post again when I finish Disc 2. Or when someone is polite enough to comment on my ramblings.

 

[paks]

I am in the middle of re watching season 2 right now. I just finished Innocence today. I really enjoy season 2, it is one of my favorite seasons. The bliss and happiness Buffy feels and then the total heartbreak she goes through, have always torn at my heart. I am looking forward to reading what you think about the season.

 

[VisionGirl]

I agree, Season 2 rocks. That is all.

 

[moonshadow]

Season two really started for me at the end of "School Hard". Spike throws the anointed one in a cage and pulls him up into the sunlight...you don't see him combust, just some wafting smoke as a lullaby plays the episode out.

With writing that wicked I thought anything was possible...

enjoying the commentary

 

[Nikkolas]

Just finished Disk 2.

Thoughts:

1. Favorite episode is "Lie To Me". I'm sure most people probably prefer "Halloween" but beyond its entertainment value, I don't think that ep did much for the characters.
Sure it had a bit of development in Buffy's and Angel's relationship but "Lie to Me" had a lot more.
Plus it's always good to see Drusilla back when she was still awesome and creepy.

2. Another thing that is coming back to me with this rewatch is how sweet the Giles/Jenny couple was. Tow people so dissimilar yet they care about one antoher so much.
Then stupid possessing demon had to come and make a speedbump in the relationship that was going just fine.

3. Speaking of which, Ethan Rayne is pretty awesome. He just has this lovable smarmy quality to his speech and attitude. It makes him likable even though he is a total coward. Well, he did burnt hat tattoo off so maybe he has some balls on him.

4. I had completely forgotten about the steady build-up to Woz with Oz just staring at Willow and looking all enchanted. It's really cute.

Anyway, that's my thoughts so far. Off I am to the next disc.

 

[xfivebyfive]

I'm not really a big fan of season 2 it has it's highlights though. I love School Hard. And it is nice sometimes to go back and see them when they are all still so innocent really. But I find it can get really boring for me anyway.

Sorry Nikkolas but I am one of those people, no matter how much I adore Angel, I find him incredibly boring on Btvs. He is really best once he becomes Angelus though, he's great as him.

Aw and woz. Even though I'm a diehard Tillow I love watching Woz in the early seasons.

 

[dan k]

Season 2 is a great season. It still has that innocent feel and its still a learning curve in regard to the characters. The storyline of Angel turning is captivating and the two part "What's My Line" and "Becoming" are fantastic.

A special mention about "Passion" and "Innocence" which for me are episodes that show Buffy can be serious and ultimately brillant in depicting drama and making you as a viewer feel deeply for these characters.

The scene where Buffy cries on her bed, where Giles says she'll only have his respect, great moments, why i love the show.

 

[Nikkolas]

And there goes Disc 3. I'm really racing thorugh this season.

1. It's easy to see why Kendra was wrote off. You just can't expect anyone to take a character seriously with that outrageous an accent.
Other than that, What's My Line? was pretty good.

2. Ted is really creepy. BtVS is about teaching lessons to teenagers by using the supernatural. But now all those teens conflicted about a parental replacement will also worry if said replacement is a killer robot.
Good episode though.

3. Oh my god, blast from the past with Bad Eggs. Does anyone else remember Gigapets? They were the biggest thing in like sixth grade.
Apart from that and the Bangel smooching though, the episode was rather unremarkable.

Oh yeah and final thought is it's really hard to get into the mindset of the season. Let me explain. I look at the Order of..whatever assassins in Whats' My Line and think "why the heck is Buffy so scared of these losers?" But I have to check myself. This is before she took on gods, the origin of evil, demon cyborgs and all sorts of other nasties.

At this time, Buffy wasn't nearly the amazing champion she would come to be. She has a lot of growing up to do in many ways. I like seeing her doing that actually.

So, that's it for now. I might take a short break so I don't go through the season too fast.

 

[Nikkolas]

Just want to add I've discovered an inconsistency. Having also just rewatched Angel Season 5, the guy Kane who hunts and skins warewolves in "Phases" doesn't mesh with what happens in "Unleashed".

WESLEY
She has to be, at least through dinner. Once a werewolf dies, it reverts to its human state.

 

[NothingButSong]

I look at the Order of..whatever assassins in Whats' My Line and think "why the heck is Buffy so scared of these losers?" But I have to check myself.

That guy that turns to bugs is pretty terrifying!

 

[Icarium]

Oh yeah and final thought is it's really hard to get into the mindset of the season. Let me explain. I look at the Order of..whatever assassins in Whats' My Line and think "why the heck is Buffy so scared of these losers?" But I have to check myself. This is before she took on gods, the origin of evil, demon cyborgs and all sorts of other nasties.

As much as I love to defend S2, I think the problem here isn't so much Buffy's relative lack of experience but the mediocre execution of the story. In theory assassins would still be dangerous even if Buffy had beaten gods - see how even Warren is dangerous and he isn't exactly a sharpshooter. The Taraka fellows give up pretty easily despite Giles's claims that they never do so, not to mention I still wonder what threat could the bug man possibly be. And this is coming from someone who has a bug phobia. I mean, how was buggy man supposed to kill? I like WML I and II anyway but I wish they hadn't presented the Order as such an underwhelming threat. But it has so many great Scooby moments that I rewatch it often. Plus, I love Kendra.

At this time, Buffy wasn't nearly the amazing champion she would come to be. She has a lot of growing up to do in many ways.

I beg to differ. For me S2 Buffy is way stronger than say S5 Buffy ad let's not even start with S6-7. Buffy has already more than proven her worth in Prophecy Girl. As amazing and tragic Becoming is, I see it more as re-confirmation of Buffy's strength than treading some radically new ground.

 

[Tome]

I love season 2, period. Really lots of great eps. 😀 Only 'Reptile Boy' and 'Go Fish' are average.

 

[Nikkolas]

Aw come on More Season 5 hate?

Though, having just finished the season, I can maybe see your point.

Buffy stuck a sword in the gut of the man she loved and sent him to Hell. By contrast she wouldn't contemplate letting Dawn die.

However I don't think her change makes her less of a champion - it makes her more of one.

Lindsey, by far my favorite character on Angel, has a rather relevant quote on this.

"Every day you sit behind your desk and you-you learn a little more how to accept the world the way it is. Well, here's the rub. Heroes don't do that. Heroes don't accept the world the way it is. They fight it."

Buffy had already lost - sacrificed - Angel. I think it shows growth in her character to not accept sacrificing Dawn.

But that's just me.

Now...I just finished Season 2 like I said. I decided to stop doing the disc-by-disc summaries because I was too engrossed in what was going on.

Final Thoughts:

1. Angelus is so much better on here than he was in AtS Season 4 that it's not even funny. What did they do possibly the best villain in the Buffyverse?

2. Becoming Part 2 has to be the most depressing finale ever. I almost wish Buffy had died like in "The Gift". Dying is easy as they say. Having her with absolutely nothing at the end of this episode... It broke my heart and then crushed the pieces into dust.

On the lighter side, I think Snyder finally speaks for all of us with this line.
"In case you haven't noticed, the police of Sunnydale are deeply stupid."

At least it's not just bad writing. They're acknowledged to be idiots.

3. Speaking of which, maybe it all comes back to the Mayor. I liked how there were a couple of ominous mentions of him. A great lead in to his pivotal role in Season 3.

So...my thoughts for best episode of the season. A lot of candidates.
In the end though...I'll have to say Becoming Part 2. It's just an amazing rollercoaster of action and emotion. This was the big climax and they did everything perfectly.

I'd almost say it could have been the best episode in the series.

So, that's that. I think this is possibly my favorite season of the series. Not sure. It's up there with 3 and 5. I loved pretty much every episode and am going to miss the excitement of coming to this point.

Thank you all for politely reading my babble.

 

[Hale Caesar]

I just finished season 2 for the first time and I thought it was solid. I like Spike a lot more than Angel, who seems kind of bland, IMO, Spike is always funny, intelligent and has some good motivation behind him.

The Scoobies have grown so much this season, Cordelia is an important member and everyone else has become so much more prepared for whatever comes at them, as opposed to season 2 when Giles was the only one with a plan.

This season had some remarkable episodes, 4 that I really enjoyed were Surprise, Innocence, The Dark Age and Passion. Passion was easily my favorite, and the best episode I have seen so far. An honorable mention goes to Ted, because despite being not as significant as other episodes I really enjoyed it because of all the crazy twists it had

A couple weakness I did notice in season 2 was the episodes leading up to Becoming were a little boring, specifically Killed by Death, I Only Have Eyes for You and Go Fish. The season 2 finale wasn't as strong as I had hoped, the random demon (if he ends up being random) felt very tacked on. Kendra dying wasn't as emotionally charged as other deaths (like Jenny Calender) because I never felt a connection to the character.

All that being said I did enjoy Season 2 a lot, going to start season 3 ASAP!

 

[MRNewman]

When I first watched Season 2...I loved Spike. The way he was introduced, his personality which was so dramatically different than other vampires we had met up until that point, and his co-dependency on Drusila.

Favorite episode, though, was "Lie to Me." Emotional episode.

 

[socrgurl1396]

The end of s2 is really great, but when I was re-watching it, it looses some of its WOW factor because you already know what happens.

first reaction to Angel becoming Angelus and in Becoming pt.2 buffy killing him: WOWW!! OMG THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN. OMG OMG OMG.

 

[Nikita]

The end of s2 is really great, but when I was re-watching it, it looses some of its WOW factor because you already know what happens.

first reaction to Angel becoming Angelus and in Becoming pt.2 buffy killing him: WOWW!! OMG THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN. OMG OMG OMG.

Definitely. You weren't expecting half of the stuff that happened in Season 2 when you were first watching it either, but it comes with the territory of being an obsessed fan I guess, you want to watch it over and over and over again because it is great. 😀