In this episode's prologue Buffy has a rather disturbing dream; she wakes up and on exiting her room finds herself in the Bronze where things aren't quite right. Her mother asks her is she is sure that she is ready then Drusilla kills Angel
she wakes worrying that it is more than a dream. Giles tries to assure her that it was just a dream but she isn't so sure. As Buffy's seventeenth birthday is approaching her friends are preparing a surprise party. They aren't the only ones preparing for a party; Drusilla is preparing one too
only her present could spell the end of humanity! It emerges that her presents are parts of 'The Judge', an immortal demon whose body parts had been scattered around the world and if brought back together he will come back to life. Meanwhile it emerges that Jenny is in fact a Gypsy from the family that originally cursed Angel and it is her duty to ensure he never finds happiness; which means finding a way to end his relationship with Buffy.
This story gets off to a fine start; all too often when a TV show includes a dream sequence it is so that it looks as if something bad is happening only for it to be 'all a dream'. Here it is obviously a dream from the start; strangely that makes it rather more creepy. As the story proceeds there is some great character development; most obviously the revelation that Jenny has a larger than previously realised role to play in the story but also the fact that Willow and Oz finally start their relationship. Oz's reaction when he saw Buffy slay a vampire was priceless. It was interesting to see how Spike and Drusilla have changed since we last saw them; Dru is stronger, but as mad as ever, and Spike is weakened and in a wheelchair. The Judge proves to be an ominous threat; even vampires aren't safe from his judgement. The 'to be continued' ending was great; something has clearly affected Angel but what remains a mystery. Overall a really impressive episode, season two is proving to be a real corker, I can't wait to see what happens next.
This story gets off to a fine start; all too often when a TV show includes a dream sequence it is so that it looks as if something bad is happening only for it to be 'all a dream'. Here it is obviously a dream from the start; strangely that makes it rather more creepy. As the story proceeds there is some great character development; most obviously the revelation that Jenny has a larger than previously realised role to play in the story but also the fact that Willow and Oz finally start their relationship. Oz's reaction when he saw Buffy slay a vampire was priceless. It was interesting to see how Spike and Drusilla have changed since we last saw them; Dru is stronger, but as mad as ever, and Spike is weakened and in a wheelchair. The Judge proves to be an ominous threat; even vampires aren't safe from his judgement. The 'to be continued' ending was great; something has clearly affected Angel but what remains a mystery. Overall a really impressive episode, season two is proving to be a real corker, I can't wait to see what happens next.