Forever/Disharmony

This week, we’re so thrilled we loved Angel again! But first, Buffy and Dawn have to bury their mother and deal with the aftermath of Joyce’s death. We argue about whether Dawn is reacting like a girl whose mother just died or if the writer’s continue to write her too young, but ultimately we appreciate the fantastic melding of horror and emotion in this episode, as well as some pretty significance foreshadowing with Willow. On Angel, Harmony travels to LA for some girl time with Cordelia, and what can we say? Hilarity ensues. Here’s to Harmony and Vampire pyramid schemes!

The Body/Epiphany

Ok it’s that episode. We spend 50 minutes watching our favorite characters deal with a death they couldn’t prevent or stop from happening. We’re wrecked but also really admiring a great episode of television. And then, we finally like Angel again! This week’s course correction is welcome and maybe a little meta about the nosedive the show has been taking these last few weeks with the spiraling Angel arc. But we’re here for the rebound!

I Was Made To Love You/Reprise

It’s the “boy builds sex robot” episode of Buffy that takes a bit of a different turn. Buffy learns to be ok with being single. And then there’s the ending we all knew was coming. Oof. On Angel, what even was that? We attempt to parse the hot mess that was “Reprise” but we just don’t know. What was reprised?

Crush/The Thin Dead Line

We mostly like this episode of Buffy this week, but we agree some of the plot points feel a little forced, especially when you tie in what’s been going on over in LA. That said, Drusilla and Spike in the same room again is a treat. And we aren’t sure if we know where the shows land on the capability of vampires to love, as Angel and Spike seem to have different ideas about that. On Angel, we finally focus more on the former Angel Investigations team, which is all we’ve been asking for. Unfortunately, they are dealing with zombie cops this week in Gunn’s old neighborhood, Wesley gets shot, and we’re not sure that poor girl ever got her eye fixed. Also, Kate is back and is almost fine. Almost.

Blood Ties/Happy Anniversary

We’re fighting this week about acting choices but we do agree this is a huge episode for Dawn and Buffy and for us. Identity, relationships and reality are all on the table. Angel continues to disappoint us on a massive scale. We like the show where the rest of the gang solve mysteries in mansions, Clue-style. Let’s watch that one!

Checkpoint/Blood Money

Glory is a great villain, but did she have to be a god? Is that at impactful as it was supposed to be? We judge the council for their methods and cheer Buff’s “I have the power” speech. On Angel this week, we see a familiar face, Chanterelle/Lily/Anne, aka the Kate we deserve! But really, we are mostly just pissed at Angel, his biased moral code, and his tendency to take agency away from female characters. 

Triangle/Redefinition

This week, we get a lighthearted breather on Buffy as Willow and Anya’s bickering sets a troll loose in Sunnydale. Elsewhere, Giles heads to England to consult the council about Glory and Buffy processes her breakup, while we argue over the cost of salamander eyes. Over in LA, everything with Angel is terrible, but his friends and enemies are saving the show this week.

Into The Woods/Reunion

We’ve been clear about the treatment of Riley’s character this season, but it all comes to a head this week, and we…have thoughts. But even if Buffy and Riley are making us angry, Anya and Xander are here to make it better. And Willow is in that one scene too (where is Willow this season?) Don’t miss the Team Xander shoutout! It’s gonna be the last for a while. On Angel, a lot of things are happening and we get a little confused, but it’s the Druscilla show, get ready.

Listening To Fear/The Trial

We have a lot to say this week about heroes and responsibility, as Buffy and Angel demonstrate the dos and don’ts of sacrifice. Buffy is starting to realize the reality of being Dawn’s sister as Joyce realizes the truth about her youngest daughter, in between surgery and fighting off an extraterrestrial demon summoned by Ben(!) to clean up Glory’s mess. In LA, Angel is generally insufferable in his quest to help Darla.

Shadow/The Shroud of Rahmon

This week, Buffy learns that her life can be turned upside down by non-supernatural forces, as she struggles to cope with her mother's illness. She shuts Riley out in the process and his reaction is ludicrous, so we try to hash out the timeline of his emotional spiral. Elsewhere, Glory makes a giant Cobra! On Angel, he and Gunn find themselves in the middle of a demonic Ocean's 5 plot to steal a mystical shroud, which drives everyone around it insane. We get back to the show's early Noir roots and Kate makes another (we hope final) appearance.

Fool For Love/Darla

It's Spike's episode this week as he tells Buffy how he killed two slayers, and we learn his history through flashbacks. He gets more Psych 101 with Buffy than she probably expected, but we learn a lot about his motivations for becoming William the Bloody and the origins of his Buffy obsession. On Angel, Spike's story overlaps with Darla's, who is struggling with her human existence. 

Family/Guise Will Be Guise

We hope you are ready for a discussion of the early filmography of Amy Adams! We’re enjoying the little breather this week before we get heavy into the flashbacks next week, with “Family” on Buffy and “Guise Will Be Guise” on Angel. Tara’s family comes to collect her back home and out her demon side to her new friends, except, wait for it! There is no demon side and her family are just a bunch of misogynists. Luckily, Tara’s got a great group of people they’ll have to go through first. Not Spike though, he doesn’t care. In LA, Angel heads off to see a Swami about his Darla issues, leaving Wesley to fill in when the Wizard Mafia comes calling. Not a great day for Angel, but Wesley sure seems to have a good time! 

No Place Like Home/Dear Boy

Hey! Dear Boy did a lot happen this week! Buffy goes on a vision quest to get to the bottom of Joyce’s illness, only to find out the tragic truth about Dawn. Later, she and we meet the Beast, in all her red satin Glory. In LA, a badly sleep-deprived Angel encounters and confronts a demon from his own past. 

Out of My Mind/Untouched

Spike gets us talking about that time Allie spoiled Dawson’s Creek for Ginny, and then we chart the natural, nuanced exit for Riley that could have been. Speaking of Riley’s exit, Spike begins to suspect his hatred for Buffy might be turning into…something else. Ship sets sail. On Angel, the team must deal with a telekinetic runaway from Wolfram & Hart, which we don’t have a ton to say about but we like where this season is going. Finally, please enjoy our recommendation for a 90’s Robert Downey Jr. Rom Com marathon!

The Replacement/First Impressions

We get extra chatty this week about adventures in cat sitting before settling in to chat double the Xander and a day in the life of Charles Gunn. On Buffy, Xander finds his life suddenly taken over by a more responsible version, but he turns out to be just another side of the smooshed coin. Meanwhile, we discuss whether Anya or Xander has a healthier approach to villain recovery, but, we’re sorry, we forgot to talk about Buffy’s heinous brown pants. We were just too angry about the onset of Bad Boyfriend Riley. On Angel, we aren’t sure if the Darla stuff works, but we’ll wait and see. We are, however, definitely here for the well-rounded characterization of Gunn and his slow involvement with the team.

Real Me/Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been

We finally meet Dawn this week, and find out all about Buffy’s little sister, who has definitely been here this whole time, totally, don’t you remember? Over in LA, the team confronts a demon from Angel’s past and finds some new digs.

Buffy vs. Dracula/Judgement

We’re back for Season 5! Aka the start of the era of golden haired, adult Buffy. Dracula is in Sunnydale and everyone is a little too cool with it until they’re not. Meanwhile, over in L.A., Angel and team are racking up victories until Angel makes an oopsie and has to sing some Barry Manilow about it and then joust to fix it. We discuss our meh feelings about these season intros, but we all know the real, big news: Dawn is not coming, Dawn is here. Are we looking forward to next week? Maybe?

OMWC Season 5: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 5 and Angel, Season 2

We continue our Buffy and Angel coverage, with season 5 and 2, respectively. This season, the Scoobies head further into adulthood, with apartment leases, siblings, and family tragedy. Buffy learns the ropes of elder sisterhood and begins to dig more into her slayer heritage, while the gods come to play on the hellmouth. Over in L.A., Angel continues to expand his team and and begins his quest to realize the Shanshu prophecy, as Wolfram & Hart pursue their own agenda.

Restless/To Shanshu in L.A.

We talk weird dreams and repeat dreams this week, as the Scoobies find themselves stalked by the first slayer in their sleep. It’s the odd duck of Buffy finales, but also the dividing line between two very different shows with a clear direction for the fears and questions to be faced by the gang as they move into adulthood. Later, Angel’s finale is less successful as a finale, but works well to shut the door on the film noir journey and embrace the antagonists of Wolfram & Hart, and Angel’s journey with the Shanshu prophecy. Also, hey Darla! You look good for a pile of dust! 

Primeval/Blind Date

We talk dated Matrix references this week in both “Primeval” and “Blind Date”, and whether there are any good reasons to keep Spike around, and we strongly disagree on the success of Buffy’s showdown with Adam. But, for “Primeval”, we do agree this pseudo finale was as good as it could be with a glorified demon of the week promoted to Big Bad. Ultimately, can a finale type episode work when the main emotional stakes don’t belong to our heroine? Maybe this is Riley’s story and Buffy is just wandering in. On Angel, it’s a Wolfram & Hart episode and we all know those are the best episodes.

The Yoko Factor/War Zone

We disagree on “The Yoko Factor” but we do agree that drunk Giles is forever amazing and that the episode undoes last week’s amazing ending of “Sanctuary”. Elsewhere, feminist hero Spike sets the record straight on who broke up the Beatles and in “War Zone”, we get Gunn’s origin story and a promise that he’ll be back. ’Til next time, Ginny would like everyone to watch Bones.