I have places to be!

The Gift (Joss Whedon)

“The Gift” could have been the downbeat conclusion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Should it have been? We wouldn’t have had “Once More, With Feeling” but then we wouldn’t have missed what we didn’t have. The pre-credits sequence is one of the best with the previously on to end all previously ons. Buffy’s casual rescue of the boy: “Hey, what's going on?”, the funny quips and “That's what I keep saying.” is excellent but back indoors it’s old grim face again. The attitude towards an Anya who is actually trying to do something is rather snotty and I do like her remark “Here to help. Want to live.”

The “I don't know how to live in this world” speech shows that Buffy is depressed and should probably see a therapist. She is in no fit state to do her job: it is an awful burden no matter what support she has and who can say she is irresponsible to want to give it up (despite the fact that the other Slayer is banged up).

“I had the pleasure moment.” Emma Caulfield looks particularly attractive just before Xander proposes.

Buffy remembers that Willow hurt Glory but actually no, Willow shouldn’t have been spending her time trying to help Tara (even though this does prove very useful). Tara’s mind is really screwed since kind gentle Tara wallops Willow quite some.

“You’re a killer!” Tara snaps at Giles: maybe that gave him the idea…

Who came off worse in the last few episodes? Tara in her PJs or Willow in her green polo neck? At least she lost the studded plaid shirt.

“Band of buggers”.

Sometimes BtVS is so sloppy but I am forgiving. When does Willow pick up her jacket? Well, would you look at that tiny tower? You would never have spotted that sooner.

Oh boy, a favourite, favourite moment : “She’s with me.” says Willow (and I love her again). Anya’s wielding of a baseball bat is inappropriately amusing. Oh, and another favourite moment :“I got so lost”… “I will always find you” (and boots).

Glory got the best funny lines: “The Slayer’s a robot. Did everybody else know the Slayer was a robot?”

They didn’t really go anywhere with the telepathy maybe because it was a bit contrived. I know, it's a programme about vampire slaying and telepathy is a bit much… And were we supposed to think Spike thought he was listening to Willow through that cylinder?

Giles murders Ben. Giles is a bad-ass.

What is Doc’s motivation? I love Buffy’s casual shoving aside of him when she gets to the top.

Oh look, Alien like monsters.

The score as Buffy decides on what she must do and tells Dawn of her intention is beautiful and makes the scene even more moving. How does she end up on her back?

This is a fantastic conclusion to a mediocre season by BtVS standards. Of course, there was the brilliant “The Body” but otherwise only “The Replacement,” “Blood Ties” and “I Was Made to Love You” were outstanding. There were far too many indistinguishable episodes, cheap laughs at the expense of carefully developed characters, and the harsh treatment of a dull but nice character led to one of my least favourite episodes ever, “Into the Woods”. And, let me add just how hard it was finding any decent Tara dialogue episode after episode. So here's hoping that season six is better!