Graduation Day I and II (Joss Whedon)

Buffy stabs Faith in Graduation Day I

The yearbook thing and the graduation ceremony to the tune of Land of Hope and Glory (I mean, Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1) is all a mystery to us on this side of the Atlantic. We just leave school after we finish our exams and that is it.

Anyway, poor Amy, as much as it sweet that Willow and Oz get it on at last, she hardly deserves to get to watch and listen. And it's typical that Willow gets to spend most of the two episodes in a peach top but we do get to see her on a bike.

Buffy and Faith:

  • Faith is now being portrayed as a cold-blooded killer and she does have an awful lot of redeeming to do. We get a glimpse of her past as she recalls her childhood: "You little firecracker".
  • "Faith has you at a disadvantage, Buffy." "Cause I'm not crazy or cause I don't kill people?" "Both, actually." "I hear you. I can't kill her, fun as it may sound."
  • "No, it's perfect. Angel needs to drain a Slayer, then I'll bring him one." "Buffy, if Angel drains Faith's blood, it'll kill her." "Not if she's already dead." One of the many strengths of BtVS is the moral ambiguity. Is Buffy right to even contemplate killing Faith to save Angel (who is actually a mass murderer rather than one making baby steps)? Do we think at this point that she actually will attempt kill Faith? I have to say I was shocked when she did.
  • "Well, look at you. All dressed up in big sister's clothes." "You told me I was just like you. That I was holding it in." "Ready to cut loose?" "Try me." "Okay then. Give us a kiss."
  • Buffy kisses Faith: surely, Buffy realises she isn’t so different from Faith? Buffy denied Faith's assertion in Consequences that "You know in your gut we don't need the law. We are the law" but Buffy in the end did take the law into her own hands. Buffy did something that Faith may well have done even when there was an alternative (the one that lead to Buffy being in hospital). I believe that Buffy was guilty of attempted murder.

"Men like sports. I'm sure of it." "Yes. Men like sports. Men watch the action movie, they eat of the beef, and enjoy to look at the bosoms. A thousand years of avenging our wrongs and that's all you've learned?" "I'm trying, okay? You don't need to take my head off." Oh Anya, you have four more seasons of these patronising put-downs to put up with.

It happens a lot in BtVS when characters make decisions for others: in this case, Buffy decides for Joyce. This was probably so the writers didn't have to write anything for Joyce to do.

I don't really like the scene when Buffy mutinies partly because I dislike making somebody who hasn't done anything wrong (except being annoying and pompous) into the bad guy and also have him say the only thing that makes sense. Buffy prevails in spite of all the bad decisions she is constantly makes.

Willow loses her ability to type as Oz plays with her hair. The same doesn't happen with Tara in The Yoko Factor, which is either a very valuable pointer to the difference in their relationships or just the programme makers shying from making the latter relationship too blatant or maybe me trying too hard.

Faith is eating red vines and probably would be smoking too except maybe she isn't as evil as Angelus. The mayor loves Faith. “Well, I'd get set for some weeping if I were you. I'd get set for a world of pain! Misery loves company, young man, and I'm looking to share that with you and your whore!”

Metaphors sometimes work…Buffy makes Angel drink her blood and this scene is way hotter than any soft focus heavy breathing nonsense we’ve had before (and have in the future).

When I don’t like Xander, I hate him: “Well, it’s just good to know that when the chips are down and things look grim you'll feed off the girl who loves you to save your own ass.” – just, shut up, you don’t know anything.

“If I need someone to scream like a woman I'll give you a call.” this sort of line really bugs me – Buffy screams like a woman in Hush.

The Mayor and Snyder

The end of High School (Graduation Day)