Life Unexpected, season 1

Despite somewhat limited possibilities during her stay at Roswell, Shiri Appleby managed to convince me she had the talent to make shows interesting enough to check out just by her presence. Add Dawson's Creek's own Kerr Smith, and I had to get around to Life Unexpected sooner or later. Also hanging around is the likes of Britt Robertson (that blonde The Secret Circle-lead) and Kristoffer Polaha in leads, supported by Austin Basis (now supporting in Beauty and the Beast), Ksenia Solo (Lost Girl-sidekick) and --when I get around to season 2-- Emma Caulfield (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame).

I really enjoyed the opening, and the whole premise and feel of this show. Marketed as Juno meets Gilmore Girls, it had the exact vibe needed to not seem like false marketing. Sadly they needed way too few episodes to make some really annoyingly bad choices, and by mid-season I wished Polaha's leading character died a horrible and explicit death. That sadly didn't happen, not surprisingly, and the more they dug into his character... the weaker it got. Enough so, it completely ruined any hopes the show had of succeeding.

Robertson isn't half bad, but it's no doubt Shiri is the talent. Sadly her character also takes a few dips too many into puke-worthy territory, and whomever the showrunner was should have been sacked early into the season. They are nowhere near the potential it had, racking up sad little repeats of characters becoming less and less interesting.

I'll still check out season 2. hoping they understood how far off they were heading and salvaging it with good off-season choices. Mostly thanks to Shiri I'm not quite ready to give up on it yet, but then there's also Caulfield to look forward to.

The highlights of season 1 is no doubt the interactions between Shiri and Kerr's characters, and Shiri's acting and presence. The lowest points being uninteresting dramatic choices starring Polaha's character, and his acting isn't much better. That's another reason I'm not running towards Ringer despite its star being Buffy-star Sarah Michelle Gellar.

S.1 ★★☆☆☆

On sidenotes I've also checked out Shiri in Dating Rules from my Future Self a couple of months ago. I've only seen s1 of that show as well so far, but it's lighthearted entertainment well worth checking out. The second sidenote is the fact I noticed Shiri just released a press release about her pregnancy, so best wishes and all that. Hopefully she'll still get around to a new starring TV-show role sooner rather than later, for her talent is huge and she'll be missed until she return.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 3

Season 3 might very well be the greatest season of them all if I'd taken the time to look at average episode-scores. Still, there's a few things lacking that other seasons have going for them...

It's the final year of high school, a new player arrives to shake up the line between good and evil, we get introduced to The Mayor, it's the final season before Angel goes off to the spin-off world of L.A., and the Buffyverse get familiar with a whole new set of supernatural as werewolves and witchcraft are just a couple of elements taken further.

Honestly; it's increasingly difficult to say something useful about seasons without spoilers, so I'll just skip to the episode ratings if that's okay with you...

3.01 ★★★★★ Anne
3.02 ★★★☆☆ Dead Man's Party
3.03 ★★☆☆☆ Faith, Hope and Trick
3.04 ★★★★☆ Beauty and the Beasts
3.05 ★★★☆☆ Homecoming
3.06 ★★★☆☆ Band Candy
3.07 ★★★☆☆ Revelations
3.08 ★★★★☆ Lover's Walk
3.09 ★★★★★ The Wish
3.10 ★★★★★ Amends
3.11 ★★☆☆☆ Gingerbread
3.12 ★★★★☆ Helpless
3.13 ★★★☆☆ The Zeppo
3.14 ★★★☆☆ Bad Girls
3.15 ★★★★☆ Consequences
3.16 ★★★☆☆ Doppelgangland
3.17 ★★★★☆ Enemies
3.18 ★★★★☆ Earshot
3.19 ★★★★☆ Choices
3.20 ★★★★☆ The Prom
3.21 ★★★★★ Graduation Day (1)
3.22 ★★★★★ Graduation Day (2)

S.3 ★★★★★

For now I'll drop my photo-montages down memory lane, as they get increasingly spoiler-ish just by showing who's in them by now. At least for those lucky few who's yet to get into the magic of Sunnydale and the Buffyverse. My episode-wabbles might however become slightly more spoiler-ish as a result.

The big news of this season is Faith, called upon as Kendra died last season. She doesn't just shake things up, but give Buffy new challenges on most fronts throughout the season. Compared to Faith, the big bad of the season isn't all that. The other important arch is of course the Angel-kind. I for one wasn't to sad that particular saga came to an end, as his layers was mostly played out. Unlike my man Spike, Angel really couldn't hold my interest too long.

3.01 Anne

I really enjoyed the opener of the season. As Buffy ran away at the end of the last, we catch-up with her alone in the big city. Not only is her lonesome torments interesting, but also the case of the week have stuff going for it. It's only the opening of season six that starts of better.

3.04 Beauty and the Beasts

The case of the week side isn't very interesting, but Buffy's personal life get increasingly interesting with the return of her former lover.

3.09 The Wish

The second 5-rating of the season brings us an alternate reality as Cordelia Chase gets her wish. How would life have been in Sunnydale if Buffy never came there? Somewhat funny, somewhat deep and all the way enjoyable.

3.10 Amends

Some prepare for Christmas, and other struggles with the ghosts of murders past. In hindsight I clearly remember quite a few scenes and moments later on in the show that elevated far past this big one, but it did get emotional there for a while...

3.13 The Zeppo

I always found Xander's storylines mostly boring, and I quite frankly did so here as well, but the interesting part is really the way they turned this episode up-side down by following the B-story rather than the A-story. It makes playful use of cliches, and take more than a few stabs at their own 'verse. Nothing like a little self-awareness to remind us they're not full of them self.

3.21 & 3.22 Graduation Day (1&2)

The last half of the season is really all of very high standard, but it's not until the final two episodes they manage to hit top scores again. The Mayor, Faith, Angel, Ascension and --once again-- choices, are keywords to the end of another season. A season of high quality, but personally I think they managed to hit the really high heights of the show later on....

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 2

As I mentioned in my season 1 post, season two is really where it all started to make sense, and elevate from the cheese to something larger. It's also the first season to get five stars-episodes from me, and no less than 4 of them from the second half of the season... making episodes 13-22 of season 2 the first really great stretch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

BtVS becomes emotional and personal, and the Hellmouth-ian take of The Master in season 1 becomes a minor problem in hindsight. Back then all solutions seemed to at least be simple...

It's also the season Big Bad enters Buffy's world, and he's an insurance for great entertainment. It's no coincidence that character ranks extremely high in Sci-Fi polls, despite being antagonist rather than protagonist... It speaks greatly to the achievements of actor James Marsters, creator and showrunner Joss Whedon, and the rest of the writing staff in bringing to life --or un-death, as it may be-- a truly fascinating character with wit.

2.01 ★★★☆☆ When She Was Bad
2.02 ★★☆☆☆ Some Assembly Required
2.03 ★★★★☆ School Hard
2.04 ★★☆☆☆ Inca Mummy Girl
2.05 ★★☆☆☆ Reptile Boy
2.06 ★★★★☆ Halloween
2.07 ★★★☆☆ Lie to Me
2.08 ★★☆☆☆ The Dark Age
2.09 ★★★★☆ What's My Line? (1)
2.10 ★★★☆☆ What's My Line? (2)
2.11 ★★☆☆☆ Ted
2.12 ★★☆☆☆ Bad Eggs
2.13 ★★★★★ Surprise (1)
2.14 ★★★★★ Innocence (2)
2.15 ★★★☆☆ Phases
2.16 ★★★☆☆ Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
2.17 ★★★★★ Passion
2.18 ★★★☆☆ Killed by Death
2.19 ★★★★☆ I Only Have Eyes For You
2.20 ★★☆☆☆ Go Fish
2.21 ★★★★☆ Becoming, Part 1 (1)
2.22 ★★★★★ Becoming, Part 2 (2)

S.2 ★★★★☆

So. While I won't go deep into spoiler-territory this season either, I'll still dip my toe into a couple of the mini-spoiler'ish positives from it. And I'll once again do one of my vintage photo-montages of the season, --again-- with a few spoilers I'm afraid...

The main archs of the season are twofold; Spike and Drusilla arrives as main opponents and old pals of Angel, and then the Buffy and Angel saga continues to unfold with some interesting curveballs thrown into the mix. It's also a season where Whedon starts making small changes to the premises we've taken for granted in the Buffyverse, and in most cases with a lot of luck. More importantly; this was the season the cheese and silliness elevated to inside jokes and excellent wit. On my first visit it won me over a few episodes further out than on this revisit, but then again it speaks to a greater achievement that the full knowledge makes it possible to enjoy some episodes, scenes and jokes even more on the revisit.

2.03 School Hard

The arrival of Spike. I love this character, and he's one of the main reasons this show managed to stay fresh within itself. From the beginning he shows great attitude, and it was just a small taste of things to come....

2.06 Halloween

While the problem-of-the-week might lack a little punch, Sarah Michelle Gellar get to do some fine acting taking on a completely different take to Buffy. In no way a stand-out episode in the grand scheme of things, but still really enjoyable.

2.09 & 2.10 What's My Line?

Dying has consequences, and being The Chosen One makes no exemptions to the rule. A premise-tweak that sets up greater joys later on.

2.13 Surprise (1)

Our 16 year old heroine is turning 17, and while I would never say she's a woman now... some might. My first top-rated episode on the five-star rating scale, but there were greater things to come still... even as early as at the end of the season.

2.14 Innocence (2)

When they first hit the note, they even made it back-to-back top ratings in this double feature. It's not only death that comes with consequences, and Buffy will have to deal with the fallouts of her choices. An episode that again reminds us of the delicate nuances of the character Buffy; typical high school girl/coming of age problems brings back the insecure girl as easily as demons and vampires bring The Slayer.

2.17 Passion

With life, death and souls on the line, Whedon again proofs his ability to let go. The third five-star from me.

2.21 & 2.22 Becoming, Part 1 & 2

Whedon makes his first season-ending with a bang, a trade-mark he should later perfect. Without making silly mistakes, he manages to put it all at stake --no pun intended--, and much like in first season-finale Buffy will have to face extremely difficult choices.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 1

I came late to the party, but in my humble opinion Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the greatest 'verses ever created. The popular --and fair-- opinion is however that it doesn't really kick into its gear until season 2, making season 1 the obstacle to overcome in order to benefit from the greatness of this show. You can't really skip season 1 either, as it sets the tones, premises and relations up for later gain... so despite the extreme variations of quality and interest, season 1 is much needed to truly profit from the overall story.


Thankfully it's a bit easier to overcome the season 1 obstacle when you revisit. By then you already know how huge the reward is, making 12 small episodes a small price to pay. As I now again embark on the wonderful journey of the Buffy-verse, I can at least watch it with all the knowledge of things to come, mythologies that change, powers that will be unleashed and so on and so forth. It doesn't make up for the overall lower qualities of season 1, but I won't hold it too much against the show. After all; it eventually found its footing and elevated to incredible greatness.

1.01 ★★★☆☆ Welcome to the Hellmouth
1.02 ★★☆☆☆ The Harvest
1.03 ★☆☆☆☆ Witch
1.04 ★★☆☆☆ Teacher's Pet
1.05 ★★☆☆☆ Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
1.06 ★☆☆☆☆ The Pack
1.07 ★★★★☆ Angel
1.08 ★☆☆☆☆ I Robot, You Jane
1.09 ★★☆☆☆ The Puppet Show
1.10 ★★★☆☆ Nightmares
1.11 ★★☆☆☆ Out of Mind, Out of Sight
1.12 ★★★★☆ Prophecy Girl

S.1 ★★☆☆☆

So. While I won't go deep into spoiler-territory, I'll still dip my toe into a couple of the mini-spoiler'ish positives from this first season. And I'll do one of my vintage photo-montages of the season, with a few spoilers I'm afraid...

The main arch of season one is regarding The Master, and is no-where near those coming in later seasons quality-wise. In fact; The Master is more often boring rather than interesting or fierce. The first episode does offer some insight into the mythology and 'verse we embark on, and as such isn't a complete waste. It's still two other episodes that stand head and neck above all others bite-wise.'

1.07 Angel

While Angel have been poppin' in every so often all through the season, this is the episode where we first really touch upon one of the greatest relations of pop culture. The cursed vampire with a soul finally come out of the outskirts, and it certainly makes promises of things to come in the future.

1.12 Prophecy Girl

Where Angel was the opening act of the saga of Angel and Buffy, Prophecy Girl was the first time Buffy showed proof of what an incredible character Whedon had in mind. The 16-year old girl of her was for the first time truly shown (even if there had been glimpses earlier the season), and more importantly that same 16-year old girl took a walk... The first one of several major ones to come in the seasons that followed, and the first glimpse of the heart that shine behind all the cheese and banter. While none of the first season's episodes ever came close to really gain greatness, these two episodes are still influential and important for the Buffy-verse in hindsight. That might not be much, but it's enough....