Buffy Challenge Post 29: Season 4: Episode 4 - 5

Fear Itself

After double checking, I am 100% sure that this is episode 4, I hope.

Nice camera angle through the pumpkin eyes to start it. Buffy is using the pumpkin for a metaphor for her life. Fantasia can be a frightening film, Come on Mickey being attacked by possessed mops, that is scary in any reality. Xander is feeling a little left out seeing that he is the only one not in college.

Poor Buffy, I'd hate to be anyone jumping in front of her with a Halloween mask on to try to scare her. Yeah like that guy, STUPID, YOUR SO STUPID!!!!! What is going on with Buffy? her life is spinning out of control she has no guidance. Still not a fan of Willow the witch. It seems that I'm not the only one as Oz and Buffy seem to agree with me. Oh look it's that jerk man-whore Parker. The worst monster that Buffy has faced in this show so far. I thought Halloween was the Vampires day off? Giles in a Sombrero, I think it could catch on! I could see all the kids at school wearing them! Wow Buffy must be really depressed as she just turned down chocolate.

What is Americans fascination with Halloween? I don't get it to be honest. Anya is back wondering why Xander hasn't called, I think his Uncle is just glad to see Xander has contact with an actual female. Anya does have a valid point he does have very little in common with Buffy, Willow and Oz at this stage of their lives. Professor Walsh is hard but fair. Marking papers is scary stuff, you should see some of the answers students come up with at my school.

Alright, evil symbol on the floor during Halloween, that is not going to cause any problems later in the episode. (Star Wars reference, with the disturbance in the force, nice.) Did that plastic spider turn into a real one? and if Buffy is that close to home why is she living at college? Little Red Riding Hood is a scary costume. It seems that the topic of Buffy's father is still a touchy one. She is having real issues with relationships with males, It seems that every time she gets close to one they betray her trust or end up leaving her. (Even Giles who is the closest thing to a father figure had betrayed her trust at one point last season.) Willow as Joan of Arc, also nice!

Hey didn't Little Red Riding Hood also carry weapons in her basket? Oz's costume is clever (sacrilegious but clever). All hell has broken loose in the house of horrors. Kids make sure you read the instructions before painting evil symbols on the floor of the attic. I loved Abbot and Costello, they made the funniest monster movies they did meet Dracula, Frankenstein and the mummy! Finally we see some bats in a show about vampires! it only took 4 seasons! What could be more frightening than a pink bunny rabbit. It seems that is the scariest thing Anya has seen in her 1000 years as a demon.

Oz turns off the annoying sound effects where Buffy remarks, "Thank the Lord!" to which Oz replies "Your welcome" -HA!

Now I have been really hard on the special effects in this show, but the skeleton looked fantastic! (not the plastic one but the hallucination one!) Senior Giles is waiting for Halloween trick or treaters unfortunately everyone learned from a few years ago and all he gets at his door is Anya who has her priorities on one saving one person only. Great comeback Willow "So's your face!" works for everything. Also she does have a point, she is not Buffy's sidekick. Is the deal here that their worst fears come alive? As Buffy thinks she is alone or is it that Xander is feeling he is not important and has disappeared?, Oz is turning into a warewolf which is looking even better than last season. Willow has conjured up her first guiding spell which goes horribly wrong. Buffy's fear seems to stem from her lack of trust, her feeling of not having direction in her life and oh and getting attacked by vampires (who would of figured?) GILES WITH THE CHAIN SAW!!!!! That's how you make a door!

They have snapped out of their fears but it looks like they were led to the attic. The fear of the people in the building is feeding the demon. That is the coolest entrance so far in the show, Great work Giles. Once again Buffy acts on instincts before thinking. Who's a cute little fear demon now? It is tacky, to taunt the fear demon. I love the symbolism of how our fears may seem huge to us and if we let it rule our lives it can consume us, however in the cool light of day fear is a really tiny thing and can be quashed easily.

What a difficult episode to give a mark to, the deep meaning behind it was brilliant. It was however really patchy at times. Not the worst I've seen however not the best either so I think due to the really great symbolism that we can't let a LITTLE thing like fear rule us........

6/10

Beer Bad

And now for a message on the dangers of excess alcohol consumption from Buffy Summers...........

Straight into the action for this one. The action in this show is really good and jerk face Parker has realized that Buffy is a real hero ....... in her dreams. One of my big regrets is not taking Psychology as a major during my studies in education. Why is Buffy hung up on this Guy? Is it the dashing good looks? It's most likely the hair I think. She really knows how to pick them doesn't she.

Xander has got a Job, as a bartender. Of course all you need to be a bartender is to see cocktail the movie. Willow what an imagination. (too much soapies I think?) I think Buffy has it wrong, guys don't have a bubble where they keep "The girl of their dreams" while they are playing around with others. Guys like that is just looking for the next conquest. Once again WHY IS SHE SO HUNG UP ON THIS GUY? Xander is doing it tough pouring beer for these pretentious tools who think they are better than us normal people. Buffy this is not your fault YOU ARE NOT A SLUT! HE IS A SLUT! (or the male equivalent of a slut. any help guys? anyone know what the right phrase is here?) Isn't the legal age to drink in the states 21? Another EMO CHICK singer. Is it me or is Oz looking at her oddly? I'd hate to say this but I think the beer is making people crazy and act out of character. This is really out of character for Oz.

Dumb Buffy week! (another spin off that didn't get off the ground "Buffy the Drunken Vampire Slayer!") Why do television shows have to over do the tubing in science experiments? The beer is spiked with some type of potion. The big evil of this episode "Binge Drinking" This is the first out of character episode for Oz I've seen. YOUR ALL STUPID!!!! Xander do something please, Stop this madness. Willow is confronting Parker about his romping around. What does he do? he uses his lines to pick up Willow. I really hate this guy. We are not animals who should go around mating with anything we see. There is no such thing as casual sex, Parker is what is wrong with the world, the whole "what is good for me attitude" is destroying society.

Talk about taking things literally, drink beer and become a Neanderthal. Jack the owner of the bar has got to be behind this. These guys look like and remind me of some of the kids I went to school with. Good thing cavemen have thick skulls. WATCH OUT WILLOW! Parker is pure evil and he will say and do anything to add you to the list. YES! ALRIGHT WILLOW! You legend, you saw though his little act!

Cave Slayer Buffy coming next fall to FOX!

Sorry going to deviate here for a second but this scene where the cave boys set fire to the bar reminds me of a great scene from "Final Crisis #1" by Grant Morrison (available at your local comic store! check it out it's a great read and the art by JG Jones is to die for) "You ask me Fire was our FIRST mistake" "Like everythin' else the sad, stinkin' human race ever thought of........ we take a good idea." "And we use it to KILL ourselves"

Cave Slayer Jumps into the fire on her instincts to save FRIEND! Xander bravely follows in. (I wonder how long it took for them to do S.M.G's hair like that?) Will Cave Slayer kill Parker? most likely not but it doesn't mean she won't give him a nice memento to remember her by whacking him over the head with a stick! Hit him again!!!! YES!

I've gotta say I have not been disappointed by the final scenes of each episode so far in this season. (only the commando ending of the first episode of the season I didn't like)

Another Meh episode, not great but not horrible. It had some moments that were good, Like seeing Willow see through Parker and Buffy whacking Parker over the head not once but twice! Didn't like where Oz was going in this episode and it didn't make much sense that kids under the age of 21 in America were freely served beer at a bar. (or able to get a job at a bar to be honest.)

5/10

So far this season has been OK, no real thread flowing through the first 5 episodes but they have been good stand alone tales.