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Season 3, Ep 21 (Patreon)

Published:
2022-03-15 16:26:33
Edited:
2023-07-01 15:33:44
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

ahhh happy finale day part 1!! 🔪🔪😳

Files

Buffy Season 3, Ep 21 - Graduation Day Part 1

Vidyard video

Comments

Jessica Roth

And here we go! I'll hold off on most of my comments until after part 2, but I do have some specific bits that I adore here.

Tim Pierce

Every time you said "I wonder if Faith will get her knife back", I wanted to respond "kinda".

Sika6061

From one baker to another, I feel your pain. Ironically I was making a triple layer mousse cake for my co-workers' birthdays while watching this. I'm sure your cake will be delicious. Looks are not important compared to yumminess. Can't wait for tomorrow! Yay!

Claire Eyles

Aww, your cake is fine, it's like a three tiered cake it's just all in one. Plus it looks tasty, and that's what's important. <3

Noah

I’m not sure why, but those horns (trumpets?) which start at around 43:58 always give me Star Wars vibes. Is there a term for that rapid-fire thing they’re doing? Is there a musician in the house? :)

Jessica Roth

Actually, why don’t I try live-blogging for once? (Because I’ll ramble more than usual, that’s why. But, to quote Buffy, “people underestimate the value of a good ramble”, right?) Amusing that recording early is new for you. You’ve pretty much become a lunch-time habit for me. Speaking of lunch, I think it’s nice that you’re celebrating the end of high school by baking up one of those mini-volcanos we had to make in chem class, lol. Lol at your callback to the yearbooks and the Marcie episode. But it’s “have a nice summer”. Or, in Willow’s case, “Have a great summer. Because she cares. :) I think the “trusty soda machine” bit is a reference to how in “Halloween”, Buffy slammed Larry into the machine and got a Diet Dr. Pepper when that wasn’t one of the choices. Joss teasing the props department about that screw-up, perhaps. (I’d say that Willow shouldn’t mock the soda machine, since Xander used it to help him save the world in “The Xeppo” [toppling it onto Zombie Bob]. But, of course, Xander never told her that.) I do love Willow’s desperate hope that the Graduation speaker will be Siegfried…or Roy…or one of the tigers. (“This being Sunnydale and all…” having the tigers speak at Graduation would not be that odd, lol.) Nice job of finding Willow’s voice by Joss…and I love the little frown Aly does when Xander shoots her down. You thought the high school was big because they SAID it was big. (Xander, about why they didn’t remember Marcie: “This is a big school”.) Joss just says “100 kids” because that’s all the extras they could afford. But that’s just sloppy…there’s no reason Buffy couldn’t have said “ALL those helpless kids” without naming a number. The population of the town is 38,500, per the sign Spike knocks over (“School Hard”/“Lovers Walk”). In contrast, my town was under 20,000…and there were 310 in my graduating class. (I was #6 [/random pointless bragging].) So you’d think about 500 or so. That extra over Xander’s shoulder in the classroom scene…he’s wearing one of Xander’s old sweaters, isn’t he? The grey with the black stripe and the white stripes above and below it, that’s Xander’s sweater from act 1 of “School Hard”! I remember him dancing at the Bronze in it! Cynthia Bergstrom’s recycling. Don’t know how I feel about that. Okay, okay. There’s no reason the town isn’t big enough to have a menswear store with a nice stock of sweaters and the extra bought the same one Xander has. (Maybe Larry told the extra about Xander, and the extra has a crush? Unlikely, though.) It’s just a bit distracting. And also I feel bad for Xander, since I’m not feeling the aquamarine sweater he wears for the rest of the episode. I know Cordelia told him that she liked teal, but that’s not the same. And anyway, you two are broken up. Dressing up like a rejected Miami Dolphins ballboy won’t make a difference. Dang, now I want to hear Anya’s story about the shepherd, too. What could the sheep be lying with? Clearly not him, he was a horndog, so he’d probably enjoy it. Not her, I wouldn’t think. Wolves? Well, not to be cruel, but you can always get more sheep… Everybody loves that scene with the Mayor in the Library. I completely hate it. It’s so utterly pointless. “We’re going to fight soon. Tune in next week!” 1:45 of completely wasted screentime. (Again, it only took 1:39 for Angel to chase and kill Jenny. Sigh.) So is Whedon “learning” from Marti Noxon now? Writing pointless filler scenes isn’t a “skill” I want him to pick up. (And, on a minor point, we saw in “Choices” that the Mayor does bleed when you wound him. So the sword should have at least ruined his shirt. Not that we should care; his clothes are very mediocre. You’ve got a big day coming up, wear a decent suit! And put on a necktie, FFS.) Yes, the gang already knew that the Mayor is invulnerable. All of them, bar Anya, were at the cafeteria exchange in “Choices”, they all saw Hizzoner survive the Spider attack. And Wilkins even said he was invulnerable. And Angel would have told them, anyway. Not that I necessarily trust Fang, but Buffy seems to do so. So again, it’s a pointless scene. No new information whatsoever. It’s nice that Whedon still has Buffy/Joyce conversations have “Buffy’s a lesbian” subtext. (“I wish I could be…normal.”) But it’s been a whole year since “Becoming”, and Buffy hasn’t even kissed Faith back. Either Sapph or get off the plot, dude. I do appreciate that we finally get to see the bathroom set, though. I don’t really like Giles sending Angel to “back up” and “watch out for” Buffy. I’m on Buffy’s side; she can do fine without Angel’s help. We have an entire Angelus arc to prove that she does fine even when Angel is on the other team. And the psychological pressure isn’t helping. (Giles, you do remember that he just DUMPED her, right?) But I do love how Buffy answers Angel’s either/or question with a “yes”. I try to do that as often as I can, in homage. You laughed at “office romance”, but I am SO glad Joss put that in. IMO, that’s the whole problem with Buffy/Angel, aside from the vampire parts. This isn’t a high school romance, kids growing up together, sharing common experiences as they try to find out who they are. This is two people united by nothing but a common task, always focused on the work. It’s fine if you’re older and have experience (and really even Angel doesn’t have that, since he sat around brooding for most of his post-evil days, and this is the first time he’s really been interacting with humans like this), but it’s too much, too soon for Buffy. JMO. I just realized: neither of them have made any progress since “Some Assembly Required”. He annoyed her by implying she was “just a kid”; now he’s calling her a “brat”. She pissed him off because “whenever we fight, you always bring up the ‘vampire’ thing”; as recently as last episode she took a shot at him with “you have a heart? It isn’t even beating!” People TOLD them about the problems, that Angel isn’t human and he’s wayyyy too old for her (Support-o-Gal Willow pretty much spells them out way back in “Angel”), but they were like, “it’s true love, none of that matters.” Well, to quote Ted, “Beg to differ.” Not that the relationship hasn’t made for fine television (especially when he was evil), but they’re clearly in a rut, as Buffy said two episodes back. And I rather resent pretty much wasting Season 3 on one long stall just to calm the ’shippers, until Angel’s ready for his spin-off. (Which again, should have happened ELEVEN episodes ago. Get gone, already, would you?) Of course, an arrow to the chest has its appeal, too. :D

Chas Summers

Is part 2 not until next week?

charlie ray

Omg Jenny fadingloooooooool true

Jordan Haddow

Just paused for a sec on the , "What's an icy?", part. Isn't an icy one of those icy cones you used to be able to get as a kid. Someone scoops up a ball of crushed ice into a paper cone and then dribbles flavored syrup over it. It tastes great for the first 3 bites, then tastes just like crushed ice afterwards. That's what comes to my mind at least. Now, back to the show.

Jordan Haddow

Okay, done now. Just to add a quick note. Yes, Giles knew that the Mayor would heal, but he just couldn't help himself. Not only did Angel tell him about it, but they all saw him heal when that spider thing jumped him and tried eating his face. Remember, Snyder even saw his face heal afterwards. Okay, anyways. I love that you really enjoyed Anya's part in this episode. I love the little details and I really loved that she came out of a bit part on the Wish and ended up being a key element to their understanding how to fight the Mayor, or well, at least, a key part of their starting to understand the Mayor. They don't seem to have any sort of strategy yet, other than maybe pants crapping. Pretty sure stocking up on diapers isn't really a slayer power though, so they're going to have to work on that, hopefully soon. Anyways, have to release the nerd a bit here for this episode. So, I don't know if you noticed, but I kind of have a thing for the episode Ted. I tend to bring it up a bunch. Well, it rears it's head big time in this episode. In the beginning, Buffy admits she can't kill Faith, what with her being human. Note how Giles doesn't argue the point. Yet, at the end, we see her embedding Faith's wicked awesome blade deep in Faith's gut. I'm sure you remember how Buffy originally reacted to killing a human in Ted. You probably also remember Faith's reaction to killing a human in Bad Girls. Faith didn't want to admit what she had done was wrong and pay the price. So, we can see that from that event, Faith became lost. Then here in this episode, Xander says he doesn't want to lose Buffy, she says she won't get hurt, and then he says that's not what he meant. So, at least in my mind, I think he's saying that if Buffy kills Faith, she'll become Faith. She'll be just as lost. This is backed up by Faith and Buffy's little tête a tête before their big battle. Faith talks about how Buffy won't take her alive and Buffy says it won't be a problem. Faith responds by saying how Buffy's dressing up in big sister's clothes, or becoming Faith. Now, the biggest thing is too look at Buffy's face right after stabbing Faith. Then go look at her face after she kills Ted. She does the same exact face. She's killed Faith and it hits her immediately what she's done. How she wants to take it back. It may be a cheesy episode, but it builds a foundation that holds up so many episodes in the show. Loved the reaction and can't wait for the next one. Somehow, i don't think you will be disappointed.

Jessica Roth

So much for keeping things brief…well, in for a penny in for £100, right? Live-blog, part 2 David does a good job of showing Angel being scared when he says “it’s poison”. I guess vampires figure they would only die in combat or through carelessness. Subtle attacks aren’t something they stress about, usually. Okay, so Willow is entitled to “do that thing” by now, but I’m not so sure she should have done it right after an argument that shows that she doesn’t understand Oz’s emotions, doesn’t feel he appreciates hers. Taken with the bit from “Earshot” where she “never knows what Oz is thinking”, that’s a bit worrisome, IMO. But OTOH, he’ll be gentle (perforce) and he’s experienced (whereas Angel probably hadn’t for a while and Faith dgaf how Xander felt) and he does seem to love her. Plus, it’s a bit of payback for Xander wasting his “first” on psycho-girl. (Although one hopes for Oz’s sake that Willow isn’t consciously thinking about that; after he went to the trouble of turning her down in both “innocence” and “Amends” because he didn’t want to be used, it would hurt if she still had issues.) That said, I couldn’t help notice that Willow was wearing the same red Adidas sneakers she had on while playing footsie with Xander in “Band Candy”. And the reason I couldn’t help notice is because Joss takes a slow pan across them…between that shot and the floor-level angle on Giles and Wesley fencing, I’m starting to wonder if it’s not just Marti rubbing off on Joss, but James “Foot-Fetish” Contner, too. One of them really should have taken the phone off of the hook, though. What if Giles had called earlier? I do love that Joss once again shows us why Xander is a Hero: “I might die” carries no weight for him when compared to “I got friends on the line.” It’s not that Xander wants to die or that he doesn’t fear death; it’s just that other things scare him more. Such as Willow getting hurt or his letting Buffy down. (It’s understandable that Anya doesn’t get that, though. She has a better reason for not having friends than even Angel did, back then.) Well, you made it past “I’m talking about watching my lover die” without cracking up. I’m impressed :) I do think the whole “think of it as graduation” scene is a bit unearned. We haven’t seen enough of the Council providing resources to make Buffy’s repudiation feel like any sense of sacrifice. Basically, all she’s doing by telling of Wesley is…snubbing *Wesley*, specifically. And I like Wes, but this is a classic straw man situation. “Come on, guys; the suspense is killing Angel.” At least Joss is giving Xander decent lines for a change. (For someone who allegedly identifies with Xander, Whedon hasn’t written him well all year, IMO.). But, speaking of killing Angel…is there not even the slightest thought about Giles being left alone with him? I guess Giles being tortured and losing Jenny is all wiped off of the board, huh? Hanukkah Spirit and all that? Lucky Forehead, I suppose…sigh. And then Xander tells Buffy that he doesn’t want her to kill Faith, in so many words. Because killing a human being to save Fang, that’s not what Buffy’s supposed to be about. Yes, it was Faith’s actions that put her there, yes, it looks as if it’s either Faith or Angel and he’s the innocent party (never mind Buffy’s emotional connection), but Buffy has to know this is wrong. If ever a situation cried out for a “Kobayashi Maru”/third way solution, this is it. A bit disappointing that Buffy can’t see that, IMO. But, of course, the whole point is to get us to our Kick-Ass Girl Fight. It’s what Faith’s entire arc has been building towards, and Jeff Pruitt lets completely loose here. (Reputedly he asked Joss what he could break [since set decor costs $$$] and Joss said “Break everything”. As he should. Well done.). The fight is thrilling and well-paced, the cuts to the Library and the Mayor’s office not breaking the momentum. (Remember that trivia game I used to play, which I wrote about back in “Homecoming”? When I found it on the forum I used to visit, it had already been going for a few months [so I didn’t see this for myself] and I’m told, somebody once used this scene as a theme. Have a line that connects to every punch and kick and so on. Probably the cops cuffing Buffy and Faith in “Bad Girls” was the connection for Buffy handcuffing Faith here, for example. I was never so good at visual themes like that [my biochemist friend was an ace at them, though], so I find it very impressive.) There’s only one tiny problem. To paraphrase the movie “Murder by Death” (when one of the great detectives offers his theory of the crime and another says there’s only one problem): “Is stupid. Is most stupid [scene] I ever saw.” • For starters, if Angel specifically needs ALL of Faith’s blood, then wtf is Buffy doing even bringing the Chekhov’s Gun, I mean Faith’s knife, to the fight? Suppose Buffy guts Faith, drags her corpse halfway across town (did Buffy even bring a car for transportation? Joyce just took their Jeep out of town, remember) and then Angel can’t be cured because most of Faith’s lovely blood is in her carpet and on the sidewalks of Sunnydale. Sheesh. Obviously, knocking Faith over the head or strangling her or chloroforming her makes a lot more sense, from the “save the blood” standpoint. But then we wouldn’t get to use the knife, so… • Why is Buffy going to Faith’s by herself? What, she doesn’t need backup? What if Faith tosses Buffy to the floor and then decides to make a break for it? (Buffy herself realizes that Faith might run; that’s why she broke the handcuffs.) This is where Xander could slow her down by briefly scuffling with her…and getting thrown into the wall, but Xander understands that such delaying tactics are worth it, no matter how painful. Going all the way back to when he saved Buffy in “Witch” by getting magically choked by Catherine-in-Amy, which bought Giles enough time to complete the spell. Or if Faith pulled out a gun or whatever when Buffy wasn’t looking, Willow could be the extra pair of eyes to yell “Buffy! Look out!” But noooo. It’s just SO important to completely exclude Those Puny Humans from the action nowadays. Gone is the whole idea of the group working as a unit, as in S1 and S2. Grrr. And, to quote “Innocence”, “Oz has a van”. That would solve Buffy’s transportation issues. Sigh. • Why doesn’t Buffy take the tranquilizer gun? It stops werewolves and vampires, it would drop Faith in a second. No muss, no fuss. But of course we wouldn’t get our Kick-Ass Girl Fight™ then, and apparently Whedon decided that logic is no match for spectacle… • WTF is Buffy doing, turning off the music and having a chat before fighting? Faith’s back is turned, she didn’t hear you come in, she’s defenseless…just jump on her from behind and snap her neck. (Or whatever.) But, of course, that way we couldn’t get our Kick-Ass Girl Fight™. Good gravy. What, Buffy thinks of this as a duel of honor, she has to give Faith a fighting chance or something? Hello, your “lover” is DYING. Right now. Never mind that Faith might win or escape, even the few minutes you take to subdue her might be too much for Angel. But Whedon already has Part II plotted and he doesn’t gaf about story logic and pesky things such as that. Buffy read the script, don’t you know? All Joss wants is the fight. • Faith’s knife made for a lovely Chekhov’s Gun, and you caught the subtle hint given by her use of a different blade in killing Lester Worth. (Plus the knife was featured in the “Previously” segment, IIRC.). But Faith’s story about jumping into the quarry is the clunkiest “gun” Anton Chekhov never saw. It comes out of nowhere and it doesn’t even fit what happens; the story is about how Faith wasn’t afraid to jump, but here Faith is DYING. It really doesn’t matter if she sticks the landing or not. The only thing Faith wants to do is land on the truck so her corpse can get away. (Assuming the driver somehow doesn’t notice that a body just fell into his truck bed from five stories up and stop the truck to check, thus ruining Faith’s “clever plan”.) Which makes the quarry story completely irrelevant, given that (last I checked) stone quarries don’t actually move. Sigh. Some good stuff, but overall deeply annoying. “Surprise” was a better part 1. 7/10, and IMO that’s generous. Will Whedon redeem himself with Part 2? Tune in tomorrow. (The Mayor pretty much told you to, after all.) **************** On a side note, one of the classic blunders of the wide-screen version is in this episode. When Buffy and Faith are fighting on the balcony, the wide-screen shot shows the camera crew off to the side, filming the scene. Of course, FOX could have digitally painted them out (or even just superimposed a static image of the building), but that would have involved effort and time and money and…caring, and the makers of the “HD remaster” were sadly lacking in all four. Grr argh, indeed.

Rhi

I love Rupe's random outbursts of violence :D