Holy shit balls, you guys. We made it. Episode 144. It's been a long time coming - I mean, we started this whole crazy trip at the start of July 2012 - and I think the three of us have been anticipating this moment for months now. And now that it's here, I don't quite know how to deal with it. Sure, we haven't always loved the show, and sometimes recapping it twice a week has been indescribably painful. But I'm not sure how to adjust to life without Buffy recaps. Seriously - I wrote S07 E22 up there in the title and immediately teared up.
Sweeney: There's going to be a lot of that. It's been a long road and it's surreal to be here. MANY FEELS.
Lorraine: Just chiming in to say, "YEP." Perhaps I wasn't as ready to say goodbye as I thought I would be. For that reason, I should also warn you that things get very capslock-y and SQUEE-y in the recap below. I'm not even sorry that I'm not sorry. No apologies; feels abound.
This episode title is a liar because there's one more episode! It's JUST BEFORE the end. Silly title. This episode begins immediately where we left off. Faith tells everyone to get down and the bomb blows. Buffy eyes her prize as Priest-ion comes downstairs, gloating about how she can't pry it from solid rock and she easily lifts it up. It's a nice callback to the time it was assumed that the troll hammer couldn't be wielded and Buffy lifted it all NBD. Wolf howl.
Kirsti: Buffy's insta-pull and Priest-ion's face made me giggle.
Kirsti: Buffy's insta-pull and Priest-ion's face made me giggle.
We skipped out on the dance party during our season three wrap-up post, but hot damn do we deserve it this time:
Season four was an interesting experience. I think I felt a similar need to get out of a season back when we were doing Buffy season 6, but at the same time this was a completely different beast. Buffy season 6 made me angry. I understood the story, but I didn't like the story. These are all things you've heard before. The point is that here, there was a lot less anger, but like exponentially more head scratching.
And bursts of laughter.
Season four was an interesting experience. I think I felt a similar need to get out of a season back when we were doing Buffy season 6, but at the same time this was a completely different beast. Buffy season 6 made me angry. I understood the story, but I didn't like the story. These are all things you've heard before. The point is that here, there was a lot less anger, but like exponentially more head scratching.
And bursts of laughter.
In a nutshell: Aliens have made contact and now Cara Sweeny (no extra e, so a lot less cool than everyone's favorite Snark Lady) is chosen to host one of the first ever alien exchange students, Aelyx. (You can tell he's an alien because he has an x in his name.) Cara's doing it for the scholarship she'll get out of it, and she even has an idea to blog about the experience. Things turn sour when people in her town get swept up in an anti-alien paranoia. Plus, she also starts to fall in lurve with Alien Aelyx (shocker) and he's keeping a major (ish) secret.
We pick up immediately where we left off. Angel demands to know what Lilah's doing there, but Wes insists that it can't be Lilah on account of he chopped her head off. "There's a signed dollar in your wallet that says different," Lilah says. Wes turns away. Lilah looks to Angel and tells him to use his creepy vampire senses. He tells Wes that it's really Lilah. Fred asks how it's possible, and Angel uses his supersmelling powers to deduce that Lilah's still dead. (L: EW. JESUS. WHY.)(S: Mega letdown because I was hoping for crossover magic with this being first!Lilah. Boo.) (K: That would have been much better than reality.) Gunn asks if she's a vampire, and she "EW NO GROSS"es before pulling down the high collar on her shirt to show the line across her neck from where Wes decapitated her, which means she can't be a vampire. She and Wes share a meaningful look.
We open to a deserted Los Angeles and the zoomy cameraman zooming all over the place. He zooms in on the city, then individual buildings, then pans underground and zooms some more in the sewer tunnels. The battle continues between the Fang Gang and the soldiers. Connor throws Wes across the room into a wall, and demands to know where Angel is. Segue Magic to the alterna-world. The creature close in on Angel, then cower away when he holds up the magic glow ball. He looks up to see a path leading to a temple-y looking thing and THIS WHOLE SCENE IS SO BADLY BLUE SCREENED THAT I JUST CAN'T EVEN. Thankfully, we're thrown to the Electric Cellos.
Lorraine: But why does the blue orb keep the Clickety Demons away? WHY?
Lorraine: But why does the blue orb keep the Clickety Demons away? WHY?
In an attempt to make Connor even more unsympathetic than he was before, it appears he is immune to Gina Torres's blood. We join him now, telling Angel that he's wrong about everything and that they are going to tear him apart. More Jasminenites approach. Angel reacts quickly, shutting the door and using his body weight to hold it closed. He tells the rest of the Gang to make a run for it. Someone who knows the truth must survive. They all take off down the fire escape as Angel keeps trying to hold the door.
In an attempt to make Connor slightly less unsympathetic than a minute ago, he starts banging on the door, and in between hits, he says he's finally part of something.
In an attempt to make Connor slightly less unsympathetic than a minute ago, he starts banging on the door, and in between hits, he says he's finally part of something.
Because Gina Torres, things are decidedly un-Angel-like as we're played into the episode with The Beach Boys "Wouldn't It Be Nice." You know shit's messed up because of all this happiness.
Lorraine: Weirdly, I always associate this song with Drew Barrymore. Thanks, 50 First Dates!
Kirsti: Clearly, there's some kind of weird connection between Drew Barrymore and The Beach Boys because, you know, Never Been Kissed...
Lorraine: Weirdly, I always associate this song with Drew Barrymore. Thanks, 50 First Dates!
Kirsti: Clearly, there's some kind of weird connection between Drew Barrymore and The Beach Boys because, you know, Never Been Kissed...
Gina Torres gushes about how wonderful the gross warehouse is while Connor - still covered in blood - and Angel fawn over her. She kneels next to a comatose Cordy and thanks her for having her free will taken away so that she could exist protecting her. She tells her to be at peace, then gushes some more about how perfect everything is. There's one thing that's not perfect, Angel interjects. And that's the fact that he came there to kill her. He hands her his sword and says that he deserves to be punished. She takes it and says that she can feel his suffering, but that the suffering ends now. He drops his head, bracing himself for the blow, but it never comes. He looks up to find her gone. Cue Electric Cellos.
After the credits, Fred's scurrying around the office, cleaning up fallen books as Lorne watches and sips a cocktail because he's the only sane character in this show. He tells her to stop because she's making him twitchy.
After the credits, Fred's scurrying around the office, cleaning up fallen books as Lorne watches and sips a cocktail because he's the only sane character in this show. He tells her to stop because she's making him twitchy.
Inside the Summers' home, it's somewhat clear that whatever happened at the end of the last episode, it wasn't well thought out. All the Potentials, Giles, Willow, Faith, Xander, Anya and Principal Wood are having a disorganized discussion about how to have organized discussions. Kennedy is pretty much just excited about having more of a say.
Faith keeps trying to calm everyone down. Amanda goes on and on about parliamentary procedure. During this, Giles tries to assure Dawn that what they did was for the best. Dawn says it doesn't feel that way. Finally, Faith tells everyone that they need to chill out and get some sleep. Kennedy wonders if they have time to waste and Faith basically answers, "things suck so let's sleep." I support this plan. It's pretty much the best one we've heard this season.
Faith keeps trying to calm everyone down. Amanda goes on and on about parliamentary procedure. During this, Giles tries to assure Dawn that what they did was for the best. Dawn says it doesn't feel that way. Finally, Faith tells everyone that they need to chill out and get some sleep. Kennedy wonders if they have time to waste and Faith basically answers, "things suck so let's sleep." I support this plan. It's pretty much the best one we've heard this season.
The stare down from the end of last episode continues. I wanted to think that Lorne was in the background this whole time playing with his Magic 8 Ball, but a wider shot reveals he's holding a crossbow. Damn.
Cordevilia asks Angel what finally tipped him off to the evil. He says it was a slip of the tongue as earlier, Cordelia called her demon spawn, "my sweet" which was apparently a phrase she used while she was talking to Angelus via head-intercom. Cordelia's all, "SERIOUSLY?" because considering that she was wearing a giant I'M FUCKING EVIL outfit, and generally acting shady as shit, saying a few simple words seems like a lousy way to go down.
Cordevilia asks Angel what finally tipped him off to the evil. He says it was a slip of the tongue as earlier, Cordelia called her demon spawn, "my sweet" which was apparently a phrase she used while she was talking to Angelus via head-intercom. Cordelia's all, "SERIOUSLY?" because considering that she was wearing a giant I'M FUCKING EVIL outfit, and generally acting shady as shit, saying a few simple words seems like a lousy way to go down.
We open in Sunnydale's main street. It's busier than we've ever seen it, bumper to bumper traffic as people flee the Hellmouth-y vibes.
Lorraine: Only seven season later. Better late than never, population of Sunnydale!
Sweeney: "See, even the population of Sunnydale is peacing out! We promise we're a couple episodes away from a real mega apocalypse!"
K: A+.
Lorraine: Only seven season later. Better late than never, population of Sunnydale!
Sweeney: "See, even the population of Sunnydale is peacing out! We promise we're a couple episodes away from a real mega apocalypse!"
K: A+.
Hunkering back down into our pre-holiday-craziness schedule has been a challenge. We've gotten a little better in the last week or so, but we've yet to give you a full week of posts since the new year started. Sorry, but also, life is hard.
Sweeney: This is your monthly update that yes, indeed, life is still hard and we are still daydreaming about our magical future in which we quit our jobs and become full time Snark Ladies.
Lor: We aren't there yet.
Sweeney: This is your monthly update that yes, indeed, life is still hard and we are still daydreaming about our magical future in which we quit our jobs and become full time Snark Ladies.
Lor: We aren't there yet.
The episode begins with an extended shot of naked Mal sitting on a rock in the desert. He's got a tattoo on his hip. This is awkward, what with the other girls fighting over their TV Boyfriend claims. Guys, he just chose to show up naked in my episode, all right?
Lorraine: I'm secure enough in our relationship that this does not bother me.
Sara: I just hope you guys aren't jealous that this is something I get to look at all the time because of how he's my boyfriend and all.
Lorraine: I'm secure enough in our relationship that this does not bother me.
Sara: I just hope you guys aren't jealous that this is something I get to look at all the time because of how he's my boyfriend and all.
Rosewood's One Restaurant is enjoying the patronage of our young Liars. They question whether or not they believe Jenna's story, that she was casually riding around when she spotted a very drunk Emily. Hanna wants to just assume that Jenna is telling the truth, because assuming everyone is a liar might make her head explode. We Snark Ladies assume everyone is a liar, but we are professionals.
Spencer says a truth-telling-Jenna means she's crossed off the suspect list for the New A. Who are the remaining suspects? Emily suggest Lucas but Hanna is pretty sure that not taking a shower doesn't equal New A.
Spencer says a truth-telling-Jenna means she's crossed off the suspect list for the New A. Who are the remaining suspects? Emily suggest Lucas but Hanna is pretty sure that not taking a shower doesn't equal New A.
Plugin by Social Author Bio