Buffy Challenge Post 32: Season 4: Episodes 10 - 11

Hush

SHHHHHHHHHHHH! Hush now, be quiet as were about to start the challenge. Now just a side note Hush is also the title of one of my all time favorite Batman stories, written by Jeph Lobe and Illustrated by Jim Lee! Check it out the art alone is awesome!

Anyways enough about DC comics, it's Buffy time!

Straight into class, it seems it is the only class that Buffy is taking at college. Typical? Buffy? I don't think so! Now this is awkward wait it's just another one of those wacky Buffy dreams that we keep seeing. The one thing that is constant in this show is that all the little kids in it are creepy. The old sleep though the important part of the lecture bit. Willow gives the I've got something to do line and they are off.

That was an odd start to an episode even for this shows standards. The eternal mystery that is Buffy's brain! Spike is still a "guest" at Giles house. Anya is giving Xander the 3rd degree about their relationship and she still hasn't got the whole tactfulness thing down yet. After an evil chant they are motivated to hold a back sale. So they are a bunch of witches that do nothing and are not witches. Did I mention I don't like the whole Willow the Witch story? I did, ok sorry. (Another DC reference "Clark Kent our way......").

Xander is taking caution to the whole Spike babysitting thing. I agree with Spike on this one, I wouldn't bite him either! Alright Giles, finally getting some action and over the whole Jenny Calendar affair. Now that was odd, the whole breath leaving thing. The demon has stolen their voices so it seems I'm going to have to concentrate more on what I see as I can't listen to dialogue. (I wonder if the subtitles work for this episode?)

OK FOLKS WELCOME TO THIS WEEKS INSTALLMENT OF BUFFY CHARADES!

The music is really picking up in this episode and has to be a real character in the show. You really feel the tense nature of the situation. (On a side note, where do I get one of those voice stealing boxes? I could really use it in some of my classes!) Kind of sucks when you can't speak into a vocal recognition program that is ready to kill intruders! Ah the wonderful sound of silence! The whole town is infected and the means for communication has become difficult. The highlighted verse is Revelations 15:1 "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in the wrath of God is complete." Are they seeing this as a punishment from God? or that the end is now approaching. As in any great disaster there is always someone out to make a Buck! $10 for a mini white board!

Which Buffy and Willow bought! A city wide hoax? how does that work? Thank God for the computer talking software. No rioting? what kind of american town is this? Great time to steal a kiss Rily as you can't be verbally abused for doing so. What is with the Joker looking demons. I don't know but I still hate the way they make the demons look in this show. (Although this one is not too bad I have to admit.) "WHY SO SERIOUS?" Also the reason you don't see the feet of the floating demons is because they are on a board with wheels, how do I know this? simple, they showed the board for a split second. (Tighten up in post production)

Nice angle shot of the demons, When you have no voice, no one can hear you scream! Oh they are so happy with themselves with their own personal heart collections! Quiet please, class is in session with Mr. Giles, This is the reason overhead projectors are never used in schools anymore, as it always takes forever to get the sheet on the right way.

No Xander that is not what they want! close but wrong! Uh Buffy? I think you need to re think that gesture! Oh you mean stake them, right! Buffy and Riley are on patrol and are being attacked by the henchmen in straight jackets. They are so going to run into each other. Which they do!

Even without talking Anya still doesn't know how to be subtle! Willow is using the Force, wait this isn't star wars, she used her witch craft to move the vending machine. Buffy figures out that the box is needed to be smashed, which Riley does and Buffy's scream causes the demons head to explode, which was hilarious as it reminded me of the ending to the weird al video for Spy Hard. As seen below.

The moment of truth for our characters now as they are able to discuss the happenings of the silent times at Sunnydale. Which leaves us with what else but an awkward silence to end the episode!

Oh boy did I have a lot of fun watching this one! I think it's proberly the episode of the season so far! The acting was brilliant it is really hard to mime an episode and It had me intrigued. Very funny moments though out and the ending was great!

9/10

Doomed

Starts off 2 seconds from where Hush ends, and I like the line, We have to talk! seeing they did everything but in the last episode.

So talk already, Riley that was an odd question to ask, "WHAT are you?" Buffy knows exactly what Riley does, however Buffy's reputation doesn't proceed herself as the government has no Idea who the Slayer is. Oh Buffy when will you meet a nice normal guy as you put it? To think that a show based in California it took so long for an Earthquake to happen. However it seems it was no ordinary earthquake as it seemed too familiar. So Riley will be sticking around it seems as he has made the opening credits. Spike and Xander are the classical odd couple as it seems that Spike still can't harm anyone.

Giles is starting to put pieces together with the commando issue. So the slayer is on the same level as the Easter bunny. We have a goat man on the loose. A good baton to the back of the head does the job.

What better way to celebrate the earthquake than a PARTY! Doesn't anyone ever study at college in America? (not according to all the movies and tv shows I've seen!) Naked Limbo? *shuddering at the thought!* Percy is an old fashioned pig, Willow is a catch!

OH THE HORROR! Spike in a Hawaiian shirt! Xander is a big man when Spike is powerless against him! (gotta feeling that his little speech is going to haunt him!) Is it me or is Willow more upset about being called a nerd than waking up to a dead guy. It's the end of the world again, for the third time! Once again the demon looks horrible! who ever is in charge of designing them should be strung up! It is ruining the show in my opinion. You can't get a manlier code than Lilac!

Buffy is making the tough choice by not giving Riley the chance. He is rightfully confused by her action. His determination is commendable but at the end of the day he needs to respect Buffy's wishes, which he is. (Although I think that she is making a mistake.) I do like the intertwining storyline where we see Buffy and her crew discussing what their plan is and seeing the commando ops doing the same thing.

Spike is trying to commit suicide. He has lost his mojo and other than the scary shirt he is wearing he is not very threatening. I agree with Riley, Buffy's attitude is so negative and she is living deep into the past. Once again Riley has tried but if he really does care for her he needs to let her go. Spike really knows how to push the buttons of Xander and Willow. Isn't it convenient that Giles has what the demon is looking for and he gets a good beating for his trouble. Their opening the hellmouth again and were making the trip back to Sunnydale High which has seen better days. (Thanks to the big explosion of the season 3 finale)

Is it me or does Buffy like to go into things head first without thinking? which typically leads to Xander getting beat up. Spike is taking out all the vent up rage that he has built up inside for so long on the demon. The demons are the sacrafices to open the hell mouth and Buffy jumps in head first to stop the last one. The jig is up Riley, paintball indeed! Nice Yankee accent there Spike but I think it was the shirt that saved you.

Buffy finally comes to her senses and sees that Riley was right to some extent and she can't do things alone. Spike has turned to the good side, for the simple reason that he can kill monsters! His pep talk however falls on deaf ears.......

"OH COME ON!!!!!!"

This was a really average episode at best, if spike was not in it I would say it was terrible. Boring and pointless and it seems that when the "end of the world" is brought up in this show it doesn't seem that dreadful.

5/10

Half way though the season and we have Buffy now with another crime fighting boyfriend, who I can see why the people who are fans of the Angel character don't like him as he is nothing like Angel. Xander and Anya are hot and heavy. Giles is sitting at home watching TV! (oh and he has a new woman in his life, who we know nothing about!) Oz is gone and Willow is broken hearted and delving deeper into the dark arts. Oh and Spike can't harm humans but can beat the living daylights out of demons, monsters and other vampires which makes him a good guy now! I see how there is no real arch over the whole season (the commando thing doesn't really cut it.) However as stand alone episodes it hasn't been too bad a season.

Well second half of the season is coming up and if felt like episodes 10 - 11 could of been a season ender. I'm still here so this show is doing something right. See you next time Challengers!