Buffy Season 3 Retrospective
A buffy season 3 retrospective shows the point where Buffy the Vampire Slayer stopped being a cult hit and became a fully realised long-form drama. Season 3 deepens the show’s emotional stakes, introduces lasting consequences, and challenges the idea that power automatically leads to heroism.
Following the groundwork laid in our Buffy Season 1 retrospective and expanded in our Buffy Season 2 retrospective, Season 3 pushes its characters into morally grey territory that reshapes the series forever.
Faith and the Cost of Being a Slayer
Any buffy season 3 retrospective must begin with Faith. As the second Slayer, Faith represents a version of Buffy without stability, guidance, or emotional safety. Where Buffy internalises responsibility, Faith
rejects it.
Season 3 uses Faith to explore what happens when trauma goes unresolved. Her arc isn’t about becoming evil overnight; it’s about small decisions compounded by neglect and manipulation. This slow descent gives the season much of its emotional weight and long-term relevance.
Band Candy and Controlled Chaos
One of the most entertaining chapters in a buffy season 3 retrospective is Band Candy. The episode strips adults of their authority and allows characters like Giles and Joyce to regress into exaggerated versions of their younger selves.
Beyond the humour, Band Candy reinforces a core Season 3 theme: identity is shaped by responsibility. By temporarily removing that responsibility, the episode exposes who these characters might have been without it.
Doppelgängland and Facing the Shadow Self
Doppelgängland stands out in this buffy season 3 retrospective as a pivotal moment for Willow. Vampire Willow may be played for laughs, but the episode quietly introduces the idea that power and intelligence can become dangerous without restraint.
Season 3 excels at planting narrative seeds, and this episode foreshadows conflicts that will not fully surface until much later in the series.
The Mayor as an Underrated Big Bad
In any serious buffy season 3 retrospective, the Mayor deserves recognition as one of the show’s most effective villains. His politeness, optimism, and complete lack of moral doubt make him deeply unsettling.
Rather than chaos or vengeance, the Mayor represents institutional control. His relationship with Faith highlights how authority can exploit vulnerability while maintaining a friendly face.
Graduation Day and the End of Sunnydale High
The emotional peak of any buffy season 3 retrospective is Graduation Day. The destruction of Sunnydale High functions as both a literal ending and a symbolic one. Buffy’s childhood is over, and the world will no longer be neatly divided into right and wrong.
What makes the finale resonate is collective recognition. Buffy is finally seen, acknowledged, and supported by the people she’s spent years protecting.
Why Buffy Season 3 Still Matters
A buffy season 3 retrospective makes it clear why this season remains so highly regarded. It balances humour, tragedy, and consequence without losing momentum, while asking questions the show had previously avoided.
Season 3 challenges the idea that strength alone is enough. It argues that support systems, accountability, and empathy matter just as much.
Legacy and Context
Season 3 also benefits from the creative voices behind the scenes. For more insight into the physical storytelling and stunt work that shaped this era of the show, check out our interview with Jeff Pruitt, which adds valuable context to how Buffy’s action language evolved during this period.
Final Thoughts
This buffy season 3 retrospective confirms why the season stands as a turning point for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It bridges adolescence and adulthood, certainty and doubt, isolation and community.
Season 3 doesn’t just raise the stakes — it teaches the show how to live with them.
Chapter List
00:00 Welcome to Season Three of Buffy
02:30 Favorite Episodes of Season Three
11:19 Character Development and Critiques
15:15 Exploring Themes of Identity
19:52 Prom Night and Recognition
25:13 Villains of Season Three: The Mayor and Faith
27:11 Exploring Complex Villains: Faith’s Character Arc
29:03 Ethical Dilemmas of Being a Slayer
31:58 The Introduction of Wesley: A Complicated Character
34:54 The Impact of Relationships and Cheating
42:16 Graduation and the End of High School: A Satisfying Conclusion
54:30 Exploring the Buffy’s Timeline
Transcript
OH!CAST (00:01.22) Good evening everyone. Welcome back to Old Castier Island Gateway to All Things Geek. I'm Cal and well welcome back. You can see the Assemble gang here tonight so I think you know what's going down and I will immediately hand over to our radio ceremonies tonight. Rhianna, take it away. Rhiannon Eliza (00:20.174) Hello hello! So it is absolutely lovely to see you all here this evening. You know what time it is? It is season three time. I'm gonna jump straight right in and say hello to my co-host this evening. Would you all care to introduce yourselves? We have our watcher, Graham. Graeme (00:39.065) Hello! Hello, it's Graeme. I'm here again, live from the library in Sunnydale. Alena Bihan-Gallic (00:44.207) Thank Rhiannon Eliza (00:46.952) Absolutely, I was gonna say you've totally come dressed for the occasion. There's no notes, absolutely no notes, great, you look amazing. And although we have lost her slightly to the next island along recently, we are absolutely delighted to see you back amongst us, Elena Anjanke, for tonight. How are we? Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:06.853) Hello, I'm great. We're great, me and Anianka. I'm just a bit disappointed that Graham didn't take a big book of vampire and slammed it on a desk in front of us. Rhiannon Eliza (01:14.286) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (01:20.206) Yes, yes, Graham, next time you must do this. There you go. There's some notes from improvement next time we expect better. OH!CAST (01:21.338) I'm Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:30.661) I'm already starting to think like Ania, know, just like looking for the most efficient way to... Graeme (01:31.235) I'll work on that. Rhiannon Eliza (01:34.807) No, I... Rhiannon Eliza (01:38.712) Yeah! I'm surprised you didn't tell him like you needed more money. That's the only way that that could have been more Anya coded. I love it. Amazing! But yeah, so as I said, we're gonna jump into season three tonight, which again, I'm so excited. I mean, I'm excited every time. There's not anything not to love about the buff, or is there? So I think we will start by doing our usual run through. Can we? Graeme (01:40.547) Mm-hmm. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:47.269) Okay. Rhiannon Eliza (02:05.134) List and name our favourite episodes of Season 3. Anyone want to take us off? What are our highlights? Graeme (02:13.389) I think in the interests of fairness that you should get to go first this time. Alena Bihan-Gallic (02:15.725) Well. Rhiannon Eliza (02:20.578) What, me? Graeme (02:21.837) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, because I'm too- Rhiannon Eliza (02:23.468) Me? What did I do to earn such an honour? Alena Bihan-Gallic (02:24.878) Because we're suspecting that you're the biggest fan of this season out of the three of us. Rhiannon Eliza (02:30.894) really? Interesting, interesting. I mean to be fair I think I just find it hard not to love it all but I do have some standout favourites. I'm probably gonna say that the thing that stands out to me about this season the most is the arrival of a gem. A new slayer is in town. Graeme (02:31.62) this. Rhiannon Eliza (03:00.65) and goes by the name of Faith. And I'm just excited to have her here in every episode that she touches to be honest. However, the one I'm gonna go for is probably the one just before she gets here, I believe, which is Bad Candy. I love Bad Candy. I think it's a great episode. It is filled with... It's just... I love getting this little snapshot into Ripper. I feel like we, whilst we have not yet been blessed with a spin-off regarding or a prequel regarding the antics of Rupert Giles, which if anyone out there is listening, please, please give it to us. I want nothing more than a Ripper prequel. And I love the fact that we get to see a bit of that. I love seeing more of Joyce actually as well. And generally I can't not mention Schneider because Schneider gets some great moments in this and I think it's just honestly as an all-over it's one of those episodes of Buffy that's really fun and I'm okay with it. Like it doesn't does it further the plot hugely? I mean maybe parts of it does and obviously Ethan Reign comes back and Graeme (04:20.601) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (04:25.376) Again, I've said in the last episode we did actually, think I like the fact that he's a bit of a recurring face of mischief. But yeah, what do you guys think? What would you pull out of Bad Candy? Graeme (04:38.795) I had band candy noted down as my favourite episode because I thought nobody else would have picked it. Rhiannon Eliza (04:45.614) mate! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, well that's good. Two for two on bad candy, we love it. Yes, there are other good ones. So why is it your favourite, Kriim? Why did you pick it? Graeme (04:50.755) That's okay. Those are the good ones. Graeme (05:01.015) So again, very similar reasons. It's the total subversion of, particularly Snyder who goes from the sort of previously discussed how much he actually hates kids to seeing him what he was like when he was young. Young Ripper is just a thing. Joyce going from being such almost a neurotic mum. Yeah, she goes from being almost kind of neurotic. Rhiannon Eliza (05:22.348) This is... feral. Graeme (05:30.071) at start of the episode and the rest of the season really to just... feral's the right word for it. She's... and it's just so much more character... yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (05:37.496) Cutting loose! I tell ya, I want that jacket. I want that jacket she has. I mean, I know they nick it out of the shop window, but I'm there like, you know what? She's got good taste. Good taste. Graeme (05:42.095) Mm-hmm. Alena Bihan-Gallic (05:42.338) Hahaha Alena Bihan-Gallic (05:48.494) Yeah. Well, Buffy had to get it from someone, right? Rhiannon Eliza (05:52.334) That's right you are. Right you are. Absolutely. It's just for choice. Just for choice. Alena Bihan-Gallic (05:57.113) Justice for Joyce. Graeme (05:59.344) And let's be honest with Alena Bihan-Gallic (06:01.23) She's more than an annoying mom. Graeme (06:05.037) Yeah, and let's be honest we did all cheat a wee bit when Giles and Joyce hooked up. Rhiannon Eliza (06:12.034) Yeah, twice. Twice. Alena Bihan-Gallic (06:15.94) Ha ha! Rhiannon Eliza (06:19.694) and even that, think it's nice because it's, it is definitely one of those like callback kind of episodes. For me, when I think of Buffy, Band Candy stands out. Like it's one of those ones where I always remember finding it bit entertaining. And again, as Buffy, something that I've grown up with, the older you get, I think you kind of start relating to that a little bit more. And then you're like, I am no longer what one would describe as the kids. And yes, actually. Graeme (06:26.168) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (06:49.454) 9pm and shouting at my, well, know, parenting my children to not be running off and murdering vampires sounds like something I would probably say. So yeah, so I, no, I like it. I think it's, I think it's fun to see them in a different light. Graeme (07:03.503) of thing. Graeme (07:08.207) Is it band candy that they listen to Tales of Brave Ulysses, the cream song as well? when Giles is introducing Joystick. Yeah, that comes back later. Rhiannon Eliza (07:18.22) I think so. I think you're right. Rhiannon Eliza (07:23.618) Yeah, and they're sat and he's like, he's doing his hair and he's like smoking a cigarette in the living room. And she's like, my God, you're so cool. Like, I love that for her. Joyce, Joyce, Joyce, Joyce. We've all been there. God bless. Yeah. It's like, it's almost like that thing in Barbie film when they're talking about Ken, you know, sitting there playing on the guitar, he gets like his records out and it's been like, you know. Graeme (07:27.213) Yep. Yep. Alena Bihan-Gallic (07:27.876) You Graeme (07:32.751) Ha Rhiannon Eliza (07:51.138) These are my records and Joyce is like, wow, you're so cool. What a classic. Yeah, you have records. Wow. I love it. So what would, what we saying, what we saying Elena and Janka? What's our favourite? Graeme (07:54.735) You have records! Alena Bihan-Gallic (08:09.956) Well, obviously Anianka would say probably The Wish. However, I'm noticing that I'm always, it's my favorite, I'm always picking episodes where there's like a shadow side exploration. So it's, and I'm going to start with saying that it's hard to pick the best one and probably, you know, I would pick like at least five. Rhiannon Eliza (08:17.473) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (08:27.477) Okay. Alena Bihan-Gallic (08:39.236) But I'm gonna go with Doppelgängland because we get to see dark side of Willow that we already saw earlier in the season. And there's some very important foreshadowing as well in that one. And yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (08:45.346) Okay. Alena Bihan-Gallic (09:06.212) I just, also I have to say, the first quarter of the season is quite hard for me to watch because of Willow and Zander's whatever. So then when it's like finally over, when it's finally over and also like I didn't really actually like the vampire Willow when it shows Rhiannon Eliza (09:16.492) Yeah. Hmm. Whatever that was. When the pain ends. Alena Bihan-Gallic (09:35.628) It's in the wish, right? Earlier in the season. Because I'm not really into this like insane maniac vampire but cute persona. Rhiannon Eliza (09:47.79) I have to say that I was quite into it, but maybe for different reasons. Alena Bihan-Gallic (09:56.206) Well, we're gonna discuss that. Graeme (09:57.029) I think I might have the same reasons as you. Rhiannon Eliza (10:04.654) Yeah, guilty as charged! Yeah, I think that at the time when I started watching Buffy, I didn't quite realise that I also liked girls. And about five minutes into seeing Evil Willow, I went, oh. So I think that is real possible that that was my sort of bisexual awakening. Alena Bihan-Gallic (10:05.89) Well, let's hear it. Let's hear it. Graeme (10:26.447) Ha Rhiannon Eliza (10:32.942) alongside, you know, the mummy in general. But yeah, Dark Willow was a mood. She was a whole mood for me personally. But I do, I understand what you mean sort of like as that being almost like her juxtaposition, her as a character, that's supposed to be like almost like, almost like her complete opposite, which in a way, or the way that it's presented in the timeline is that this is like the alternate universe and this is the alternative to you. You know what mean? And so yeah, it's interesting that those are the kind of qualities that they honed in on her for being a vampire or for being Willow in this universe. And I can see, I can see why that might not be, might not be the vibe, but as you know, as she says, she's, well, carry on. Alena Bihan-Gallic (11:05.315) Yeah, yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (11:25.294) Well, I was just gonna say it makes sense. So, you know, just to clarify, like it makes sense that she would be like that as a vampire. It's just personally. Yeah, it's just personally to me. It's like that's all like what I struggle with with Willow altogether. This like adorable or adorkable, you know, even like how she changes words to make them sound cuter. I just. Rhiannon Eliza (11:33.408) right, okay. Alena Bihan-Gallic (11:52.869) It's not at all the type of femininity I can relate to, so efficient violence. Rhiannon Eliza (11:57.986) Fair enough. Alena Bihan-Gallic (12:01.23) But yeah, like I said in the Doppelgängland, I actually like that character because I guess they're both there. So yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (12:01.932) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (12:14.158) Excellent. So I guess that also kind of touches on some of the things that are lesser, not as much of a favourite parts of the series as well. Graham, do you have any that spring to mind? Graeme (12:33.475) got all an under zeppo. because one Xander, bad enough, two Xanders, what are you doing to us? It's... yeah, the whole episode... yeah, pretty much it's just so frustrating. It doesn't add anything to the overall story. It's like a one-off episode again for that kind of... the self-insert, you know, the whole... Rhiannon Eliza (12:44.792) So why did you make us sit through that? Graeme (13:06.425) title of it's the play on the Marx Brothers and like the most superfluous of the Marx Brothers that's what Xander is to the Scooby Gang. It just... I just can't stand it. Rhiannon Eliza (13:27.946) Yeah, I mean, I feel bad that, I mean, do I? Do I feel bad that, like, every episode, kind of lightly slag Xander off to a degree? Do I feel bad? No, no, I don't actually, and in fact, I will encourage it. yeah, I- Alena Bihan-Gallic (13:33.668) haha Graeme (13:35.585) Yeah. Graeme (13:43.023) and to whole hook up with Faith while we're there. Rhiannon Eliza (13:46.926) I mean, again, I understand. But at the same time, it just, yeah, it is this whole, it's this whole insert situation every time. And I think the more, the second your bubble is shattered and you realize that that actually is what Joss has done, you're just like, I can't actually cope. Which is a shame because before- Graeme (13:48.825) Just, Graeme (13:55.699) yeah. Graeme (14:01.519) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (14:15.734) I was aware of that bubble. I think I actually had more time for Xander as a character than I do now. And it's like, the second that becomes clear I was just like, I now hate this and I hate everything about it. Graeme (14:20.355) Yeah, yep. Graeme (14:26.543) Yeah, think even if after the hookup, there's been some sort of development for him as a character where he was maybe a little bit more secure in himself, then okay, fine, it serves a purpose. Rhiannon Eliza (14:41.838) Yeah. Graeme (14:43.631) But it's... yeah. and just with fear. Rhiannon Eliza (14:48.95) It's just that kind of like, like, what was me? And you're like, I feel like I missed. Yeah. It's like, okay. Like, and it's like, so you had consensual physical relations with this person and then that was it. Right? Like, I don't see why you were necessary, why you were owed any more time from her. Confused. Graeme (14:53.55) Yes. Graeme (15:00.441) Mm-hmm. Graeme (15:16.121) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (15:17.428) It was just, yeah, it kind of felt like I was meant to feel sorry for him and I did not. Owl. As usual. Alena Bihan-Gallic (15:26.936) Yeah, I think there was like one moment in the entire season when I felt positive about Zender, which was when he agrees or when he shows up. Yeah, when I felt positive about him. When he shows up to the library and offering to help Buffy and Giles research what's going on with Angel. Kind of like... Rhiannon Eliza (15:34.914) We found one. Alena Bihan-Gallic (15:53.829) It's like the Christmasy episode, right? So Christmasy Zender was okay for me. But then in the moment when I thought, he's so nice. I thought, no, he's doing for the first time like a normal friendly thing. And that's why I think he's nice. Rhiannon Eliza (16:06.722) Mm-hmm. Something that's not totally self-serving in every way. Yeah, definitely. I'm trying to think... Hold on. Graeme (16:07.278) Yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (16:11.95) Yeah. Graeme (16:12.511) I in that exact moment it's probably the one time where he does get over his own issues and thinks about the greater good. Rhiannon Eliza (16:31.606) Mm-hmm. No, you're right. And I think it's probably the first and last time. It's like, that's it, folks. We have identified the first and last time that Xander does not do something entirely self-serving as a character. Yeah, it's pretty terrible. I'm just trying to think what else. Okay, this is maybe just me, because actually, I think it is a good episode. Alena Bihan-Gallic (16:32.953) Yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (16:43.521) I'm Rhiannon Eliza (17:01.326) in a way. But I really can't cope with gingerbreads. I don't know if it's because it's good that it stresses me out. Actually, it might be. I think it's that whole thing with being like, you need to get the bad girls and like the little kids just being like the mums all being so annoying. I was just like, I think I just find it. It's again, I think it is a good episode. And by the end of it, you go in like, when they bit, when they realised there was other children, you know, the children are the same children, it's repeating and it's the gingerbread story. And the bit at the end, when she stabs it through the neck and she's just going like, did I get it? Did I get it? It's like, did I get it? It's like, it's funny. I don't know. I think it's the fact that like, yeah, the Moo acronym. Actually, you know what? I go back on this. It's actually not. Alena Bihan-Gallic (17:44.644) Did I get it? Graeme (17:46.37) Ha ha! Rhiannon Eliza (17:55.518) it's a bad episode in any way, it's that it perfectly captures how I feel about it, which is that Buffy's going, are you actually insane? you're all here and don't get me wrong, I'm assuming this is a metaphor for something bigger, which is that these children have died and actually they're not choosing to do anything productive to change. Like, you know what mean? They're not actually doing anything. They're just kind of conflating whilst also ignoring maybe the sort of major issue that actually needs to happen. Dunno, maybe that's me. But yeah. Yeah, Moo. What an annoying acronym. Alena Bihan-Gallic (18:35.776) No, definitely I agree that it's a hard episode to watch, although it's good. And it's almost like, you know, if the characters, if I were treating them as a psychologist or counselor, I would totally expect that Buffy's mum Rhiannon Eliza (18:44.654) you Alena Bihan-Gallic (19:05.26) always like, or Joyce, why do I call her Buffy's mom? She has identity. And now she leads Moo. but she's she keeps she's in denial about what's really happening. And we can imagine that most parents in Sunnydale are in denial because otherwise they would pack their kids and move away. And then it's like when it finally like, is triggered or like the the, you know, Rhiannon Eliza (19:25.634) Yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (19:33.732) curtain is lift. They just overreact and develop in this almost like crowd, I almost want to say crowd psychosis. It's just like... Rhiannon Eliza (19:46.806) Yeah, like a sort of a complete mob, like, mob thing at the end. Yeah. No, yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (19:50.252) Yeah. And while as always there's some like dark magic in it, right? It's not like just them reacting like that. It kind of like ties neatly with the rest of the situation in Sunnydale. Graeme (19:53.688) It's... Rhiannon Eliza (20:08.718) Totally. Yes. You have far more eloquently than I managed to put that into words because that is exactly what I meant. So thank you. It's like for anyone out there, I feel like I'm running on like 20 % today. So thank you so much for saying that. I think you're spot on. Graeme (20:08.751) It's an allegory for s- Graeme (20:27.471) It is an allegory for the Salem Witch Trials though, isn't it? Rhiannon Eliza (20:33.964) Yeah, I imagine so. think it's probably like a, Hey, do you want to know a fun fact? Do you want to know a fun fact about the Salem witch trials actually? So I was raised in the, yeah, a fun fact. it was Salem witch trials is actually the, it was the biggest witch trials in British written legal history because it was still, like it was still Graeme (20:34.741) the mob getting carried away and so on. Graeme (20:40.43) Yes. Alena Bihan-Gallic (20:44.004) A fun fact. Rhiannon Eliza (21:03.758) part of the British colonies at the time and the same papers that were used to try the witches of Lancaster were shipped over to Salem. I know this because my hometown is Lancaster. But yeah so technically Salem is the biggest witch trials in British written legal history. There you go. Fun fact. Alena Bihan-Gallic (21:15.862) Alena Bihan-Gallic (21:26.26) that's interesting. Graeme (21:27.247) That was a fun fact. Rhiannon Eliza (21:28.462) If you find things like that fun. mean, that's possibly just a window into the things that I find fun, which is maybe kind of tragic. But, yes, I was going to say, yeah, it's dark fun and it was witch relevant. there you go. It could be worse. Could be worse. Let me... Anyankara proves. Excellent. We love to see it. She was probably there to be fair. What was I thinking? Alena Bihan-Gallic (21:39.3) was dark fun. Graeme (21:45.935) Mm-hmm. Alena Bihan-Gallic (21:47.14) Anyanka approves. Alena Bihan-Gallic (21:55.364) Mm. Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (21:58.004) moment I'd like to actually put into my love category is the prom. When Buffy gets her umbrella. Alena Bihan-Gallic (22:10.488) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (22:11.468) I got that the right way around? That is in season 3 isn't it? Yes, class protector. Graeme (22:11.855) Yeah, yeah it is. Alena Bihan-Gallic (22:13.494) Yes, that's the problem. Graeme (22:18.799) episode 20. Rhiannon Eliza (22:23.27) right at the end it's just before graduation in it. Graduation part one. Yeah I think that that is just like... honestly is it possibly like one of the only times that Buffy actually gets a genuine pat on the back from like anyone? Like other than just constantly being told how she could do better. Alena Bihan-Gallic (22:26.574) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (22:51.374) at saving the world and dying several times. I think it might be like one of the few times that people genuinely turn around and be like, no you are absolutely solid, thank you so much. And so I love to see our girl getting recognised even by the mere mortals, you know, they don't even know to what extent, but it's that her goodness on the huge scale has been felt even by the people just kind of... Graeme (23:03.939) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (23:19.224) kind of next to her and obviously it being Jonathan that gives it to her after we've had Earshot, which I think was just like a couple of episodes before that. I know it's at the back end of the, yeah. Which again is a very, for many reasons I'm sure, a very sensitive episode for a lot of folk. And yeah, it was actually brought, I think a really nice human element to it because it's like, you know, these gestures, thoughtful gestures go quite a long way. Graeme (23:27.032) after your shot, yeah? Rhiannon Eliza (23:48.942) and it was nice to see her win for a change. Graeme (23:49.412) Yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (23:49.998) Yes. Alena Bihan-Gallic (23:53.977) And it was almost like, you know, episode Dead Man's Party, where she gets basically the second episode after she comes back to Sunnydale. And everybody is like going after her, which I find really hard to watch. And I always just hate, I just hate all the characters. Rhiannon Eliza (24:17.942) I can't cope. Graeme (24:22.777) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (24:23.522) Yeah, it's really not the one. Alena Bihan-Gallic (24:27.62) So it's almost like that's like the opposite episode, the prom. And then between you have the wish where we see what Sunnydale would look like if Buffy never arrived, which is also kind of like, know, nobody tells her, nobody appreciates her, which like obviously the gesture with the umbrella is way more important because she actually gets to enjoy that. But even there we see that. Graeme (24:34.04) Yeah. Graeme (24:39.727) without. Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (24:41.495) Yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (24:58.136) Yeah, people don't know what they have in Sunnydale. Rhiannon Eliza (24:59.692) It's just, it's definitely nice. No, people don't know what they have. And yeah, it's nice just letting, she actually, think it's like one of those one moments where she actually gets what she's always wanted, which is like a regular teenage girl human moment for a split second for one night. She gets that. And actually I like that because obviously, you know, like that's what everyone hopes prom will be. Graeme (25:04.484) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (25:29.634) Everybody hopes prom will be that you get a nice award or you win a crown or you do a thing and then you get to dance with somebody and they're like in the ideal of like what prom should be. That's generally the thoughts associated with it. And it's just, I think it's nice that for once our girl gets it. Well, I like that. Graeme (25:48.035) Yeah, I think especially given how the series starts. Rhiannon Eliza (25:49.848) I like you mention about... Graeme (25:55.504) Sorry, I think especially given how the season started with Anne, where she's more or less makes the conscious choice to go back to that life. Because she could have stayed in LA, she could have stayed working at Helen's kitchen. But there's that moment where she fights the overseer and says I'm Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And you know she said the thing first of all, she said the title. But it's that moment where she has almost came to terms with her identity in that way. That she got to pretend she was Ann for a little while but she actually is Buffy. Rhiannon Eliza (26:42.538) Mm-hmm. She is the buff. Lady buff of Buffonia No, I... Yeah, there's a lot of... Yeah, I think you're right, actually. This season has quite a lot of sort of identity. What would the world be if she wasn't there or if the world was different? You know, like these kind of slight alterations to the reality where we almost get all of our what-ifs answered in different ways. So like with the wish with her being Anne with it's like, it's like you kind of sitting in a daydreamy or what if this had happened kind of motion and we get, we get a lot of that in season three. And I kind of like it because actually for them, they're at that kind of crucial point where they are graduating high school. They are saying, what if, what does the rest of my life look like? And, you know, Buffy with Faith's arrival as well, start, you know, obviously for a hot sec there, we think it's gonna, it might be another option where she can just be like, go and live her own life and do her own thing. And yeah, it's definitely interesting. And also, you know, to just touch back on Dead Man's Party, because it would be nothing without saying, do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead. Which I think is, I dream, I dream and pray that he actually had like that was just added in, that he was just said that. Like I hope it wasn't scripted. Graeme (28:00.026) Ha Rhiannon Eliza (28:11.566) And he was just like, do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It faces the dead. Like, it's glass. It's amazing. Alena Bihan-Gallic (28:17.508) Americans Rhiannon Eliza (28:20.61) Yeah, Americans! Yeah, absolutely. Fantastiche. So let me think, what else have we got? Ooh, the introduction of probably my favourite villain ever. I think. I think it would be fair to say that we have some excellent, we do have some excellent villains in this season. What do we think, guys? Alena Bihan-Gallic (28:52.868) Well, I don't think you're talking about the mayor. Graeme (28:52.921) here. Rhiannon Eliza (28:58.326) No, I am talking about the mayor. I am absolutely talking about the mayor. I... I love the mayor. I love the mayor. Genuinely. I think he is hilarious. Alena Bihan-Gallic (29:01.508) Okay. Okay. Graeme (29:05.603) I... Yup. Rhiannon Eliza (29:11.69) I think that he is, I enjoy, I just enjoy it, I enjoy it. Sorry, I'm. my computer screen's just gone a bit funky. Bear with me, folks. Alena Bihan-Gallic (29:30.628) Yeah, well, I definitely like the mayor as the big bad of the season. was just half expecting that you will say faith, so that's But I almost want to see a spin-off that would be the mayor and glory in some like demon dimension removed from Sunnydale, just exchanging their... Rhiannon Eliza (29:42.846) no no no no no, no I am. Alena Bihan-Gallic (30:00.293) career stories. Graeme (30:07.157) would be fun. I would like to see the Mayor and Snyder having an odd couple sort of set up at home. Rhiannon Eliza (30:09.518) 100 % Rhiannon Eliza (30:16.993) I am sad that we didn't get a little bit more of the mare and Snyder. Like I would have loved like at just some awkward elevator chat. That's the only thing that I would have wanted more of. It's just to see them kind of just, I really also enjoy the dynamic where you see Snyder being such a little rodent around him where he's like such a mare bootlicker. And I kind of. enjoy it, that actually... You know, how else are gonna go other than the school being eaten by a giant snake? Like, you know, it just seemed... it just felt right. It just felt right. Alena Bihan-Gallic (31:03.266) Yeah, that's just how you graduate. Rhiannon Eliza (31:03.98) Although I might be slightly j- It's just how you graduate. I mean, I was sad we didn't get one, you know? Where was my giant snake? That's what I have to say. But no, I do think, yeah, well, introducing- But you're not wrong, Aletta. Introduction of great villains. Faith is a great villain, and I think she's very complex. She's a very multi-faceted character. She tugs on a lot of heartstrings for a lot of different reasons. Some people- I will give a shout out to my partner here, I think it's fair enough for me to throw him under the bus and say that A is might actually well be in love with Faith. I think she is the other woman, which is A-OK. It's understandable at the very least. She is fantastic and very complicated and actually I would... say that I related to Faith quite a lot as I got older. There were definitely parts in my life where her story felt incredibly relatable and gave a space for that in TV where you were... you could see a character arc and you could feel empathy for this person, you can see how they developed. You know what mean? There was redemption for her and whilst obviously things that she did were very, very, very wrong, there was healing. as we see rightly or wrongly in very odd circumstances through season four. If I'm right in thinking as well as this, yeah. As I say, I do apologize. I'm not operating on all my percentage today, so I'm a little bit slower on the regal. But yes, what are we thinking? So we've got... Graeme (32:46.745) think as well with faith. Graeme (32:52.823) I'm thinking as well with Faith that you've almost got that thing where it's the mayor has stepped in and taken advantage of what was a tragic accident and then used that to manipulate her. Rhiannon Eliza (33:04.45) Mm-hmm. Yeah, really did. Graeme (33:10.209) And for the one of slightly different circumstances, that could easily have been Buffy. Rhiannon Eliza (33:18.348) Yeah. 100%. Alena Bihan-Gallic (33:19.78) Mm-hmm. Alena Bihan-Gallic (33:23.214) Well, and did you notice that in this season they are constantly bringing up the ethical dimension of being a slayer in a world with people without supernatural abilities? Because already in the episode Gingerbread or Ginger House, this fairy tale has different name in Czech and it's always tripping me up when I'm trying to remember the name of the episode. Graeme (33:37.423) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (33:51.394) That's okay. It's gingerbread, I think. Alena Bihan-Gallic (33:54.743) Yes, thank you. that's where Buffy at first when she's under this, I'm guessing, spell of this demon, she's talking about, if human did this, she basically contemplates killing people and avenging crime that should be dealt with, legal system rather than... a slayer. the topics are already there and starts popping up. Is the slayer entitled to act outside of law? And to what extent? Because she does have to. Of course, she is acting out with the legal system, strictly speaking. But then, of course, it's really explored with faith. Rhiannon Eliza (34:27.202) Thank you. Rhiannon Eliza (34:54.37) Yeah, I think she kind of gives maybe the audience the space to do that as well because I think if we explored all of those themes with Buffy, Buffy would become that slightly less than perfect in a way that might be difficult for part of the... Do you know what mean? As a fan base, the people that are gonna find a comfort in Faith's character are gonna do that. And actually, think that does need to be separate from Buffy or else it's, that's almost like, don't get me wrong, whilst it's, it would be phenomenal to see someone portray all of those, all of those flaws and all of those character parts. Actually, that would have been a huge job for Sarah Michelle Gellar to do. Do you know what I mean? And to do consistently throughout for the rest of the seasons, whereas to have actually those split as the mirror of each other, as the sort of, you know, as Alena Bihan-Gallic (35:41.177) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (35:50.222) another what if. Like it's the what if of wish, it's the what if of faith, it's the what if is the run is for me I think possibly the underlying theme of this whole series is that. And actually what it allows us to do is that little bit of relief where if faith feels, if that story feels a bit too much, do know what I mean? You don't have to necessarily connect with that the whole time. Which yeah, but equally I kind of like seeing her break out of school for once. Like you know what? Alena Bihan-Gallic (35:52.676) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (36:19.692) Yeah, go party! Go party! Do that! Obviously not condoning it, because I'm more Joyce these days, but... Graeme (36:25.615) What do you think about the... Graeme (36:32.697) What do you think about the introduction of Wesley? Alena Bihan-Gallic (36:45.08) Well... Rhiannon Eliza (36:45.111) I find it weird forever that he dates Cordy and I will never move off that hill. Rhiannon Eliza (36:57.876) Yeah. What do I think of Wesley? If he hadn't dated Cordelia. Alena Bihan-Gallic (36:59.638) Yeah, he's actually Alena Bihan-Gallic (37:06.724) Yeah, I was gonna say he's actually quite ethically not great. I don't wanna say ambiguous because that sounds too sophisticated for him. But yes, him entertaining the idea of relationship with Cordelia and then also, you know, it turns out that he's actually very cowardly or like... There's nothing wrong about people being afraid for their lives, but that he's willing to sacrifice other people to save his own neck. He's presented like this foolish, silly man, but actually it's quite unpleasant. Rhiannon Eliza (38:01.902) I think it is whether or not they intentionally did that, like whether that was their intention or not, you're absolutely right. Like they actually created this in quite a sinister character where it's like, you've got this guy who is like, well, you know, I didn't know, so that's fine. And you're like, no, just because you're willfully ignorant of the fact does not make it fine. It's like, which is... Graeme (38:24.158) You did. Rhiannon Eliza (38:29.964) Which is a shame because in a way actually, think Wesley could have been more. And I think that maybe, you know, there's elements of that that we see developing Angel at a later time. Like, but obviously we don't see that in this series. And if this is all you ever see of him, that's all you're ever going to think. And even when I was younger, I have to say that when Wesley was hitting on Cordy, I was like, uh-uh, no, no, this doesn't sit with me. And I'm like, no. Graeme (38:55.215) that's not okay. Rhiannon Eliza (38:59.8) Joss, you sneaky dog, have you put yourself in there again? I'm like, interesting. Have you done it again, Joss? Because this feels a little bit like, what would you do if you had in fact been Xander but a teacher? Like, it's just, yeah, I think it's difficult because actually this... Sorry, carry on. Graeme (39:03.703) Have you done it again? OH!CAST (39:04.143) You OH!CAST (39:08.27) Yeah. OH!CAST (39:19.215) Yeah. Alena Bihan-Gallic (39:20.548) I don't... Now was gonna say those are the moments when Spike talking about dragging Drusilla back and torturing her until she loves him makes you feel like aww that's nice Rhiannon Eliza (39:35.214) What's wrong with a bit of good old fashioned wholesome, wholesome torturing Drew Silla conversation? You know, mean, Drew would probably love that. In his defense, he's probably being really thoughtful. She is... She's Drew. Graeme (39:35.567) That's wholesome. Alena Bihan-Gallic (39:52.641) Mm-hmm. OH!CAST (39:53.552) And I've just got to say on the Wesley thing, this is a memory I had, which is one of the times Giles acted completely out of character where he encourages Wesley to go after Cordelia. Basically saying, she's 18, bruv, away you go. Acting like that is just so non-Giles. You think he would be protective being in school with Buffy and Cordy. He would actually be a bit more, he wouldn't just go to, away you go, mate, aye, aye, nigg. Graeme (40:04.739) Yes. Graeme (40:10.671) nuts. OH!CAST (40:22.989) Wink wink, kinda, almost he did. Graeme (40:24.783) That was the problem, wasn't it? Rhiannon Eliza (40:26.126) Mmm. Graeme (40:31.46) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (40:31.746) Mm-hmm. OH!CAST (40:36.047) Cause like if that being Wesley going after Buffy, you can bet your ass Giles wouldn't have encouraged it. It's yeah. Graeme (40:36.299) And it's just. Alena Bihan-Gallic (40:42.306) Mm-hmm. Alena Bihan-Gallic (40:46.84) which then reveals that it was not intentionally showed as a wrong thing. It just kind of sneaked in there from someone's subconscious. Rhiannon Eliza (40:47.296) Yeah, as always. Rhiannon Eliza (41:02.59) I wonder whose we all say together. Yeah, I... Yeah, it's difficult because actually there was a way that that could have been presented. You know, make... These children are going through incredibly adult themes, incredibly adult situations. Okay, the adults in their life might not know about it, but that's how the show is presented. OH!CAST (41:05.188) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (41:31.254) And what we could have done is actually had an insightful conversation with regards to this, like, older guy being like, hi Cordelia, you appear to be having adult conversations. I would like to have an adult relationship with you. And for someone to turn around and go, give them the childhood we could afford them. We can't necessarily, you know, protect them from the world, but we can protect them from you. And where was that? Like, and I personally think that was actually a massively missed opportunity to have a really, to have a conversation that needs to be had with some people, apparently. Like, apparently, some people need telling that one does not try to date. Are they 16, 17 in this? Are they 16? I can't even remember how old are they supposed to be in this season? 16. Graeme (42:13.807) Yeah. Graeme (42:24.399) 16 to 18 ish. OH!CAST (42:25.807) No, they're 18 and that because the specific mention of Cordelia is now 18. it's like Giles is saying, well, you've got the green traffic light now, bro. You know, it's that kind of very blokey moment, which is very out of character for Giles. Rhiannon Eliza (42:40.554) Okay, yeah. Buffy turns. Yeah, so it's in Helpless. yes, of course, because it's Buffy's 18th in Helpless, isn't it? But still, yeah, you just go like, okay, yeah, I know, that literally, don't know. That's what mean. I'm not, I apologize all OCAS listeners. I am not quite here today. I've got one foot in the alternate realm with Evil Willow. Graeme (42:53.039) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (43:08.93) That's my excuse. I wish. But yeah, no, I think that, but it's still, it's still a conversation that could have been had. It's like, yes, she's just turned 18, but good Lord, take a minute, please. yeah, still could have been had. Graeme (43:26.127) I think as well, like Cal says, it being out of character for Giles is brought even more into focus when you think about Helpless, because in Helpless Giles goes against his so-called duty to do what's right by Buffy and to do what's right by that paternal relationship that he has with that child. Well, 18 year old, still a child. And it's just, yeah, it's so out of character. Rhiannon Eliza (43:51.463) huh. Rhiannon Eliza (43:57.696) yeah it's interesting come on Graeme (43:57.794) On a lighter note regarding Helpless, did you spot who played Kralik? Graeme (44:12.033) It's Jeff Cobar who we later see as Rack. Rhiannon Eliza (44:18.004) no way! Graeme (44:20.291) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (44:25.171) There you go! I know, I hadn't realised that. I saw him in something recently though and the whole time, literally he came on screen for like two seconds and I was like, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop. That's that's rack. I'm going to have to remember what it was. I lost my partner next time because it was definitely something recently and I spotted him. But yeah, no, just briefly swinging back to helpless actually because I think I actually... Graeme (44:40.527) Ha Rhiannon Eliza (44:55.66) mentally blocked that out of my mind because it's so deeply traumatic. Yeah, I mean, this is the thing, right? We all start talking about the series and I'm like, my goodness, it's the best thing that's ever happened to TV. And then we break the series down and then I get sad. Why does this always happen? Alena Bihan-Gallic (45:00.484) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (45:23.187) no, because actually there were all these things that were really awful. man. But no, help. Graeme (45:29.441) is that not in keeping with the show to some extent as well? Rhiannon Eliza (45:35.36) I mean, yes, I think you're right. Graeme (45:35.396) Because, you know, we want to come at it with it being this pure perfect thing. But when we actually look at it just like what happens on the show, everything has its flaws. Every character has their flaws. Everyone at some point does something that's so out of the character that they had built up to that point. Then I think there's something very honest about that actually. And that we're able to sit Rhiannon Eliza (45:59.96) Yeah. Graeme (46:03.929) however many years later and say look despite all these flaws we still love this show we acknowledge the flaws and we will absolutely call out where there's things that need to be called out but if we're doing checks and balances overall I think there's more positive things that come out of the show than negatives but that's not diminishing the negatives and not ignoring them Rhiannon Eliza (46:04.3) Yeah. OH!CAST (46:27.417) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (46:29.494) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (46:33.634) I think as well, like for example, with Helpless, like Giles acknowledging by the end of it that just because it's the done thing, it shouldn't be the thing that he, you know what I mean, he shouldn't have done it. Again, is actually a conversation probably quite a lot of people need to hear that like, just because something is what you do as in his instance, like a parent figure or somebody like, just because that's what everybody does doesn't necessarily mean what you should be doing that as well. Graeme (46:50.541) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (47:02.89) And so, as always, I say the lessons and the things that you care... What I like about this show, as you rightly say, like you can take things away from it and you can think on them and actually growing up with it or watch or coming back to it and watching it, I think you will always resonate with one, you know, something new every time. And you can kind of go, here are the imperfections, but also here are all the things that really stand out. And here we are talking about it. How many years? post and there's probably a really good reason for that. It made an impact and art should impact you. Now is there anything we, any stone we feel we have left unturned? sorry, I don't know if there's a slight disconnection with my computer today, feel like there might be. Graham, please continue. Alena Bihan-Gallic (47:34.722) Yeah. Graeme (47:43.331) And I think what you said there... Alena Bihan-Gallic (47:51.374) Yeah. Graeme (47:51.728) I think my connections a little bit slower than anyone else's tonight. I was just going to say obviously what you brought up there in terms of the not doing the done thing. It's so relevant. Our day jobs for example. How often do we hear in our day jobs, well this is the way it's always been done. Well, tough doesn't make it right. Rhiannon Eliza (48:17.816) Too often. Yeah, far too often. But it's difficult, isn't it? I think that there's sometimes, as people, naturally you can what you, you want to be hopeful and you like to think that you surround yourself with other people that want to be hopeful and work towards a better world. And actually I think sometimes that's reason why I resonate with Buffy. Graeme (48:20.431) Mm-hmm. been very careful with my work. Alena Bihan-Gallic (48:21.485) and Alena Bihan-Gallic (48:27.086) Yeah. Graeme (48:29.795) I think. Rhiannon Eliza (48:46.636) As you say, it's these imperfections and they pick them up and they learn with them and they grow with them and they allow these experiences to change their characters. And that's why I was saying about the of the Buffy faith split is actually if you gave Buffy all of this character development, my God, the rest of them would look like a shadow in comparison to the, and they already sometimes do, to the behemoth that is Queen Buff herself. So it's, you know, it's all about having that. that balance and that space to process and Buffy definitely gives us that. OH!CAST (49:24.591) I suppose I'll ask you guys, how do you feel about the whole, there's a whole lot of cheating going on in this season. Xander, Willow, Cordelia, all of them. Do you think that got a bit too much into teen angst or do you think it was necessary for the story and the characters? Alena Bihan-Gallic (49:45.273) Yeah, I don't see what that did to the story at all. And also I think it's a shame because cheating is something many people will experience. And there are so many prejudices around it and so much blame is being placed without interesting questions being asked. Rhiannon Eliza (49:47.886) I'm sorry. Alena Bihan-Gallic (50:14.59) And here it's just this... I get it every time I see Willow and Xander flirt. I don't see the chemistry really. It feels really out of place for me. Rhiannon Eliza (50:25.23) It's. Rhiannon Eliza (50:30.584) There's, there is a part of me that goes, okay, if what you were trying to do was demonstrate that not all male female relationships have to have a purpose that ends in some kind of physical or sexual relation, like, I'm like, if that was the point you were trying to make, one, you kind of underdeveloped it and two, just didn't need it to be there. It's like it just bought we all know that's not why it was there. Like, like, you know, and it kind of upsets me because I'm like, actually, again, as you say, Elena, like we could have had actually kind of like an insightful conversation or if someone had been, or if, or if they, if they did do it and then we had sort of development, fine. But it's just the kind of the hollowness and the insecurity and the, it's just like, in a way, okay, is it showing us all of the bad, their bad qualities or sort of the qualities that they're most conscious of at the time. Maybe, I don't know, but I just feel like it just wasn't done in the right way if that's what they were trying to talk about. And as you say, there's loads of, you know, people get cheated on. It's absolutely horrendous. I've been cheated on. It's the worst. And again, we could have had this in a way that didn't then ultimately fracture these relations in a way that's completely irreparable for some things. Yes, people do do these things and friends do get with each other and it's awkward and it's all, know, and these ages and all the rest of it, but it's like, I just feel like the conversation wasn't there and Joss just wanted to get with Willow. mean, Xander just got with Willow at Wyrd's. Not for me. Hard pass. Graeme (52:17.239) Yeah. It's actually, now that I'm hindsight, I'd said it was the prom for the whole G.I.O.S. and Wesley think, I actually think it's Lover's Walk which puts all of the eck into, or most of the eck into one episode. Rhiannon Eliza (52:37.58) It does the yick quite well, doesn't it? Graeme (52:41.101) yeah but still Alena Bihan-Gallic (52:41.612) you Rhiannon Eliza (52:44.206) I'm so salty about it. So salty. It's just, it's also what I hate, what I hate about this, because I'm gonna jump forward in time slightly, and I think we all probably know where I'm going, but for then when he says, love you Willow, how hollow does that, that, because of that, because of that one stupid episode in season three, that lost its- Graeme (52:48.239) Ha OH!CAST (52:48.502) You Rhiannon Eliza (53:13.428) It just lost its pinch for me and I hate him for it because it could have been everything. As somebody who has a very close male best friend who I honestly think of as a brother in this life and he is a fantastic human being and also a big Buffy fan, love to see it. It just then I was like what what Why have you done this? Like, this could have been the most purest, and it could have been his one redeeming feature in the entire show that no matter what, he had stood by Willow and everything for no kind of self-gain, and they ruined it! Just like... Now. There we go. That's my firm... Rhiannon Eliza (54:10.35) So there you go Cal, that's how I feel about it. OH!CAST (54:13.187) Yeah, I don't know how many minutes that's been you doing all kinds of... I think I got a compilation of eek noises out of you at least to be used later on. Graeme (54:19.201) You can do another few. Rhiannon Eliza (54:21.966) I tell you what, was gonna say you can edit it down in post just to that if you want. Just cut the combo down to just that. OH!CAST (54:28.095) just... OH!CAST (54:33.935) I can compile a soundboard now of your ick noises for later episodes. Rhiannon Eliza (54:35.81) you Graeme (54:38.511) You Rhiannon Eliza (54:40.078) Sensational. Graeme (54:43.353) What do you think of... OH!CAST (54:43.956) And I suppose also we have to see again, sorry, carry on, Grim. Rhiannon Eliza (54:47.278) Oops. Sorry, Graham. Graeme (54:49.785) Sorry, I was just going to say, what do you think of the finale, so, graduate state parts 1 and 2, in terms of closing that chapter for high school for the Scoobs? because I think it's pretty much perfectly done. Rhiannon Eliza (55:04.676) I don't. Alena Bihan-Gallic (55:12.16) Yeah, I just agree. It's... When I was rewatching the season, I realized I have such a clear memory of the two last episodes, whereas the rest, as soon as I saw it, was like, oh yeah, this and this. it's just totally blanked. It feels like the way Buffy's and Faith's is culminating and... Yes, this feeling of like we survived high school is just very much there. So I agree. Graeme (55:57.594) Do think there's an element of spoilers here? Carry on, Rhiannon Eliza (55:59.426) I also think it was just... Rhiannon Eliza (56:06.176) No, no, no, no, You go. Graeme (56:09.315) Okay, was going to do think there's an element of foreshadowing of the end of the series entirely with this episode as well? Because if you think about how she rallies the entire class, she makes the Slayer army and arms them all and gives them the tools to fight back against the evil. Do we think that was a conscious foreshadowing or that he ran out of ideas? Rhiannon Eliza (56:31.278) I mean the showdown did go- or a happy accident? Honestly, think maybe a little bit of both. think take advantage of the fact that that was the way that it was. I wouldn't mind either way if it was a foreshadowing or if it was just simply the fact they went, know what would be really nice if Buffy actually got to save them all? Like, she's writing a wrong in a way. Graeme (56:37.902) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (57:04.778) And also, you know, I don't know about anyone else, but it was so satisfying to get back, to go back to Sunnydale High, like right at the end where you just go. And I don't know about anyone else, but if you've ever been back to your high school or your school, like the school, like your primary school or something, like if your kids or your friends go there or whatever, it is weird. It's like, I spent my entire life in this building and... It doesn't know who, like, it's not anything that I recognise now. It's like, you know, it's, no one knows who I am and doesn't recognise and I spent 10 years in this place. And it's like, you know, that's kind of for them. It's like, it's so, when I think of Buffy, I think of the front of Honeydale, like Sunnydale High. That's like, that's the first image that comes into my head. And I'm, I like the library, you know, it's weird to me that we actually only see this for three seasons because in my head they're there forever. Like, that's where they are. So no, I think, to answer your first question, I think it was perfect. think there's nothing more I could have wanted from them finishing high school. Blow it up on the way out. Too right. Giant snake. Job done. And also, yeah, just being able to have that bookend at the end of season seven is satisfying, I think. Definitely. Alena Bihan-Gallic (58:31.51) And it's true that the building is almost like another character in the show and it feels right that it ceases to exist when they leave it. Like it just wouldn't be okay for it to be there whilst they're at the prestigious Sunnydale University or whatever. Graeme (58:37.561) Mm-hmm. Rhiannon Eliza (58:59.2) Yeah, yeah don't really remember anything about the college, have to say. I wouldn't even know where to begin on campus, whereas I could probably, I reckon I could get around Sunnydale High with reasonable confidence. Rhiannon Eliza (59:21.014) I could find the music room. That would be fine. As long as I didn't get, you know, absolutely murdered by a flautist on the way out. Alena Bihan-Gallic (59:23.46) haha Rhiannon Eliza (59:38.466) Why does she not come back? That's my ending comment. Why does she not come back? That would have been great. Alena Bihan-Gallic (59:42.83) This is Alena Bihan-Gallic (59:46.798) So we haven't yet placed the season on our chart of best to the least best. Rhiannon Eliza (59:58.572) That is, I think I might actually have to take a second to think about this one, because I came in with such gusto and now I am, now I am walking into the smoke and shadows like Angel on his way to LA. OH!CAST (01:00:05.999) We've, yeah, speaking to, basically speaking to us has beaten you down. Graeme (01:00:15.215) You Rhiannon Eliza (01:00:15.596) Yeah, but it's also like, to be fair, actually, on my comment on that, also to end on the graduation day thing, Angel slinking off into the shadows, also the correct way for him to leave. I was okay with that. I thought that was right. I thought it felt very, it actually felt, felt it right in the feels, gotta say. As much as, you know, we see the comparison between Wesley and Cordelia's relationship, and then you see like, you know, he's like 200 million years old and Graeme (01:00:27.47) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (01:00:45.42) Buffy's 16th, like, you know, I'm guessing there's parallels we could have talked about there too. But at the same time, him slinking off into the shadows to LA was, felt right. Graeme (01:01:02.649) having said to her that you have to be a child. OH!CAST (01:01:03.577) He left the way he entered the show, really. Rhiannon Eliza (01:01:09.858) Yeah. OH!CAST (01:01:10.627) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (01:01:13.694) Okay, right, I'm gonna zone in and find where I place it. Who wants to go first? OH!CAST (01:01:18.159) Yes. Graeme (01:01:23.215) I'll go first. OH!CAST (01:01:23.567) think, Graham, do you have a definitive rating? Graeme (01:01:27.003) I would put this probably third in my season ranking. Rhiannon Eliza (01:01:35.054) Have we done this the same every week? Graeme (01:01:38.787) No, because you liked season one a whole lot more than I did. Rhiannon Eliza (01:01:40.61) I think we have. yeah, no I did. No, that's fair. I did like season 1. You did! I need to be contained! It's like, or else they'd all be at number 1. I know. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:01:46.094) Yeah, but then we took you down from your season one high. Graeme (01:01:50.623) Hahaha OH!CAST (01:01:51.032) Yes, I guess this it's it's a recurring theme. It's a recurring theme. Let's let's just tear down Rhiannon's enthusiasm. Rhiannon Eliza (01:02:01.038) I think that, if you can, no, I think that, to be honest, I think my problem is I either have love or not love. That's that's symbol, it's like seasons that I don't love as much as I love all of these. that's, that's my two categories. But now I think you might be right. In my head, I'm feeling third. Yes, we do. Oh my God. Oh no. OH!CAST (01:02:03.961) Yeah. Graeme (01:02:18.959) Speaking of which, we've got season four soon, haven't we? OH!CAST (01:02:27.887) I'm gonna let you in already. Gosha has been watching that and she had to stop a few times through season four saying she hated it. She really sorry. She started to hate Buffy. Yeah, okay. She was... Rhiannon Eliza (01:02:34.732) Yeah, it's okay, Gosha, we're with you on that. If she wants to let us know... Graeme (01:02:34.767) Mm-hmm. Graeme (01:02:39.843) Yep. OH!CAST (01:02:44.367) I think she's got an essay written for you. She's got a whole thesis on season four. Rhiannon Eliza (01:02:46.914) That's good. Well, you know what? At some point we should totally go through Gosha's essay. Could we go through her essay for season four? That would be great. Because I don't want to... Because otherwise I'm just going to be crying for an hour. Graeme (01:02:49.817) Bring it on! OH!CAST (01:02:52.833) Yeah, I'll get on to her to write. I could even be really mean and just say, just tell her to write it in Polish as well to even torture his words. Rhiannon Eliza (01:03:05.934) Otherwise, we're sat- if us three are sat here talking about season four for an hour, I think we're gonna like- It's gonna be difficult to say good things, I think. Which is- I don't want it to just sound like we're having a massive bitchfest about season four. That'll be another- Yeah, it's true. It's true. We'll have to- Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:03:21.38) But everybody loves a good bitch first. Graeme (01:03:23.727) at mate. Ha OH!CAST (01:03:27.267) Yeah, we're nerds on the internet. It's our job. Rhiannon Eliza (01:03:32.19) It's what we- it's our birthright. Like, we put in the man-o- or we put in the slayer hours into being able to criticise this. Yeah, no, I I think that, I'm gonna have to put it on the pfft scale, Season 4, but I'm gonna put Season 3 at third. I think you're right, I think it's third. OH!CAST (01:03:35.299) Yes. Graeme (01:03:39.439) Ha Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:03:41.892) Mm-hmm. OH!CAST (01:03:50.2) Season 3 Rhiannon Eliza (01:03:57.486) because I love them there and actually there are some great little what-ifs. Graeme (01:03:58.673) later. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:04:03.744) Yes, so I'm putting it after season two, but before season one and I'll see how it moves towards the end of. Rhiannon Eliza (01:04:18.808) how it comes together. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:04:22.006) of the buffet, the Slayer of Vampires. Rhiannon Eliza (01:04:23.418) I think we can all allow for some organic shifting here. I think this as well, because it's amazing and actually genuinely huge thank you as always guys, because like getting to sit and talk about this with people who love this topic as much as I do is just a pure delight. And it actually does really make you think about it. You've got to kind of back yourself when you're saying I think this and why. and hearing your thoughts on it is just always, always a pleasure. So yeah, I think you're right. Let's keep it reasonably flexible. Graeme (01:05:00.133) Likewise. Graeme (01:05:04.432) Yeah. I think it's. OH!CAST (01:05:04.591) Okay. So is that everybody's ratings in? Is that all the ratings in, is it? Is that everyone's ratings on the C? sorry. Rhiannon Eliza (01:05:09.652) What was that? What was that, Graham? sorry. Rhiannon Eliza (01:05:16.014) So it's all right. Graeme (01:05:16.351) I was just going to say I think that every time you watch it you need to have that flexibility because like you said you're going to pick up on something different or something something that hasn't resonated with you before you're now at a different point in your life and it does so yeah my favorite season 20 however many years ago when it aired probably wouldn't be my favorite season now Rhiannon Eliza (01:05:41.59) And I no longer fancy David Berenes, which, you that. one must- I mean I still fancy Dark Willow. So maybe I haven't grown that much. But... You know. I'm all- I'm just a girl, like, you know. There's only so much I can do. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:05:53.304) And. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:06:05.464) Let's do at the end of season 7, let's do who do we fancy the most from the entire show. OH!CAST (01:06:05.839) Okay, and with that. Rhiannon Eliza (01:06:14.656) Yeah! That sounds like a great thing to sit and debate for an hour. I'm so down. OH!CAST (01:06:15.072) It's OH!CAST (01:06:18.639) to see if there's one person we can all agree on as well. It would be interesting. Rhiannon Eliza (01:06:23.648) Hmm. Yeah, that's true, actually. I wouldn't it. Maybe we have to come with a top Trump card, like our reasons why, and then we have to state our reasons why. OH!CAST (01:06:26.095) But with that, it's now. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:06:32.14) Yes. OH!CAST (01:06:35.407) Well, and it's now time for me to spring on you some, you guys, surprise. As you know, with the guests, we do a quick fire round at the end. So I've prepared a quick fire all about season three for you guys. Rhiannon Eliza (01:06:46.458) Ooh, hooray! Graeme (01:06:48.269) Hey. OH!CAST (01:06:48.983) So it's just fingers on the buzzers or just shout out the answer as you know them. So number one, I can't believe I came up with this question. Giles and Joyce reverted teenagers in band candy. What two places do they confess to having done it on or in? Rhiannon Eliza (01:07:06.87) A police car, twice. The hood of a police car, twice. OH!CAST (01:07:11.565) You have right. You're half right, there's another one. Police car is right. Rhiannon Eliza (01:07:19.724) I'm half right. was there another area? OH!CAST (01:07:20.941) This, this, this another one. This another area. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:07:29.38) Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:07:36.354) Yeah, I saw- Where is it at school? Yeah, just tell us. OH!CAST (01:07:40.655) Shall I tell yous? It's Giles' car. Graeme (01:07:47.789) Okay. OH!CAST (01:07:49.295) See you in the right. Rhiannon Eliza (01:07:49.838) I'm sad about that. I'm sad about that. I'm taking it personally. That's okay. I'll get over it. OH!CAST (01:07:55.034) Right. Okay, number two. In the alternate reality of the wish, what is vampire Willow's pet name for Angel? OH!CAST (01:08:06.627) Yep, correct. Graeme (01:08:06.883) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (01:08:09.25) Good times. Good times. OH!CAST (01:08:10.863) All right, number three, before he ascends, what unusual food does Mayor Wilkins become obsessed with carrying around? Rhiannon Eliza (01:08:21.418) other than the weird scorpion things. OH!CAST (01:08:37.071) If you need a clue, think of a famous Arnold Schwarzenegger quote. A word he says very funny. Graeme (01:08:51.407) choppers. OH!CAST (01:08:52.719) I thought you might get over that one, Graham. No. OH!CAST (01:09:01.487) Put the cookie down! Rhiannon Eliza (01:09:05.006) yeah, it's the, like, is it Toll House Cookies? Why is it? It's... Yeah, yeah. Okay. Okay. OH!CAST (01:09:10.031) Yeah Graeme (01:09:11.693) Yeah. OH!CAST (01:09:13.903) Okay, this one might be a bit difficult. What SAT score does Buffy get? OH!CAST (01:09:22.739) I think it's really high, isn't it? Rhiannon Eliza (01:09:25.014) I can only hear Elle Woods in my head. That's not fair. It's like, I can only hear- I can only hear Legally Blonde. That is not right. my goodness, we're really not doing very well at this at all. To be fair, if I knew there was gonna be a pop quiz, I probably would have studied. OH!CAST (01:09:28.399) All right. OH!CAST (01:09:36.271) You Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:09:40.654) Is it like? Is it like 14 or something like that? OH!CAST (01:09:44.132) No, it's Farber. you're almost there, Alina. Yes, there you go, Graham. tied between Graham and Alina, team up. So, right, in the Zeppo, what is the highly suggestive name that Xander gives to his knife? Rhiannon Eliza (01:09:46.67) I don't know, Graeme (01:09:48.399) It's 14.30. It's 14.30. Thank you. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:09:53.742) Yes, we did it together. Rhiannon Eliza (01:09:53.856) Nice. Well done. Graeme (01:09:56.771) What team? Rhiannon Eliza (01:10:08.768) I was gonna say... Graeme (01:10:12.249) little Joss. Rhiannon Eliza (01:10:15.328) Yeah, literally I was gonna say I'm like... Joss... Joss Whedon? Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:10:15.406) That was awesome. OH!CAST (01:10:15.855) You Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:10:30.468) I think you have to tell us, Carl. OH!CAST (01:10:32.92) It's kitty. Rhiannon Eliza (01:10:37.732) just hate him. OH!CAST (01:10:38.479) Okay. I'm getting that feeling I had on quiz night now. It's that warm feeling I had watching people struggle. What is the main reason why Anya doesn't attend the graduation? Graeme (01:10:41.743) ... Graeme (01:10:46.906) huh. Pup, pupus. Rhiannon Eliza (01:10:58.712) She's running away. OH!CAST (01:11:01.469) Nope. Rhiannon Eliza (01:11:05.774) Ahhhh Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:11:16.516) This is so frustrating because I feel like it's just there around the corner the answer because I just watched it. Graeme (01:11:18.671) I Rhiannon Eliza (01:11:22.476) Yeah, it's like, this is what I mean, it's like, cause I've not seen season three in a while, I feel like I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:11:35.789) give up. Rhiannon Eliza (01:11:36.014) ehhhh ehhhh OH!CAST (01:11:38.607) Okay, it's she's terrified of death and massacres. Graeme (01:11:39.471) T-T-T-T- Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:11:44.472) Right. Graeme (01:11:45.689) Yes, I would give Rhiannon the point for that. She did say that she ran away. OH!CAST (01:11:50.809) All right. All right, yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (01:11:52.566) Yeah, said she was scared and so she was running away. But it's okay, I'll take half a point. I'll take half a point. OH!CAST (01:11:56.289) Yeah, yeah, okay. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:11:57.188) it. Graeme (01:11:57.615) She was... Graeme (01:12:02.242) should be at a previous ascension. OH!CAST (01:12:03.759) Okay, Rhiannon Eliza (01:12:06.388) Mm-hmm, because she was like last time that happened she was like bad news Graeme (01:12:10.489) Yeah, not good. Yeah. OH!CAST (01:12:10.799) Yeah. So when Wesley first attempts to comfort Giles after being fired by the council, what incredibly, excuse me, what incredibly stiff and awkward thing does he do? Rhiannon Eliza (01:12:33.546) exists. OH!CAST (01:12:39.183) Excuse me. Rhiannon Eliza (01:12:40.843) and Rhiannon Eliza (01:12:49.528) to know. OH!CAST (01:12:51.817) It's, well, it's a pat on the shoulder that kind of awkwardly becomes a proper hug. Graeme (01:12:52.996) Zip, zip. Graeme (01:12:59.369) okay. OH!CAST (01:13:00.879) Alright. So in the wish, what detail about Giles' vampire fighting appearance does Cordelia immediately critique? Rhiannon Eliza (01:13:11.384) Probably his clothes. It's his jacket. Yes! Yeah. OH!CAST (01:13:14.113) Exactly. It's terrible fashion sense basically is the answer. Number nine, Vishun. All right. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:13:17.892) Ha Graeme (01:13:20.537) There is nothing wrong with that man's fashion sense. Rhiannon Eliza (01:13:24.59) You better like straighten any bow tie. I love you. No! Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:13:26.294) No. In fact, many men wear it really well and more should do so. OH!CAST (01:13:28.643) Yes. Yes. Graeme (01:13:28.835) of OH!CAST (01:13:34.767) Number 9. Which character is mistaken for the second slayer during Slayer Fest 98? Rhiannon Eliza (01:13:34.99) You Very good. Rhiannon Eliza (01:13:46.392) Cordelia. Graeme (01:13:48.015) for dealing. OH!CAST (01:13:48.515) Yes, correct. Okay, okay. When Willow briefly turns... This might be one for you. It's to do with evil Willow. So when Willow briefly turns into evil vampire Willow... sorry, right. I'll have to read that. When Willow briefly turns evil empire Willow into a good girl in doppelganger land, what does vampire Willow try to organize? That's a really long, question. Rhiannon Eliza (01:13:54.198) I'm getting there, I'm fighting back! Rhiannon Eliza (01:14:20.27) I'm so sorry, would you mind saying that again? I think I kind of missed part of it. OH!CAST (01:14:22.829) So when evil willow is turned into a good girl, what does the vampire willow try to organize? Rhiannon Eliza (01:14:36.27) you Rhiannon Eliza (01:14:40.505) like a sleepover? Rhiannon Eliza (01:14:46.392) to know. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:14:48.725) my gosh. OH!CAST (01:14:50.061) It's the me festival committee. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:14:54.052) yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (01:14:56.119) Don't. Graeme (01:14:56.579) Okay. OH!CAST (01:14:57.007) You Rhiannon Eliza (01:14:58.835) Honestly, it doesn't even ring a bell. I think I was too distracted. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:15:01.506) Yeah, to be- OH!CAST (01:15:04.121) to be. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:15:04.622) To be fair, this season feels like three seasons together somehow to me. Graeme (01:15:06.528) words in that episode. OH!CAST (01:15:06.669) be fair. Hahaha Graeme (01:15:10.988) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (01:15:11.918) because you know, she's evil and skanky and kinda gay. That is all I remember. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:15:18.436) haha Rhiannon Eliza (01:15:20.11) you Graeme (01:15:21.655) and that she's bored now. OH!CAST (01:15:23.153) well, there you go. So yeah, I think I've tortured you quite a bit there with that. You can tell I write through the annual quiz cream, can't you? Rhiannon Eliza (01:15:28.398) I just feel sad. I feel sad because I wish I'd had a pop quiz for like season one and two. I feel like I would have done better at season two than I have at season three. Graeme (01:15:36.281) Uh-huh. OH!CAST (01:15:38.136) well, it's just since I've started doing this for a regular guest I thought I might as well do it with you guys as well so you know to prepare for the next season. Rhiannon Eliza (01:15:46.282) Okay. Yeah, I will. My god, I will. I shall. No, because that means I have to watch season four. That means I have to watch season four again. OH!CAST (01:15:52.515) Hahaha Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:15:52.788) Hahaha Graeme (01:15:53.265) No... Yeah, and we're gonna have to take notes on season 4 in detail. Rhiannon Eliza (01:16:03.461) No. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:16:03.524) But maybe that's a good thing because then we will be able to put together the good stuff, know, just sift through the bat and find a few gems. Graeme (01:16:04.536) Rhiannon Eliza (01:16:06.286) Wow, that's a different kind of portrait! OH!CAST (01:16:06.863) It's good. Rhiannon Eliza (01:16:13.644) What good stuff? This is literally it, I am one or the other. Like, what good stuff. OH!CAST (01:16:22.157) Yes. Rhiannon Eliza (01:16:24.526) Um, okay. In that case, we are all now... Yeah. Yeah. The hostile 17. That's it. That's it. Done. Um, yeah. Okay. In which case... Oh my god, we have to watch Beer Bad. Graeme (01:16:25.05) Hostile 17, there's the good stuff. Graeme (01:16:39.76) No, we don't. We can just pretend it doesn't exist. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:16:40.206) Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (01:16:41.492) Ugh, it's like the worst episode of TV ever made. Yeah, I know. Well, I'm trying. I'm trying. No, okay. That means we're all having to watch it. We all have to watch season four. Some of it. Before the next episode. I might have to skip the episode. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:16:54.212) Yes, we all have to watch it and the challenge is to find at least five good things we like. Graeme (01:16:55.6) Should we do a live watch along just so we can? Rhiannon Eliza (01:17:08.398) A whole five! Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:17:09.86) And it cannot be the girl art. Graeme (01:17:15.728) Hush! Rhiannon Eliza (01:17:16.609) AAAAHHHH! It can't be the theme tune! Or the end! It's like... Damn! My favourite is the last episode because it's over! Yeah, Hush is good. Hush is good. Hostile... Well, we'll get to that. We will... We'll save it. We will save it for the next episode. Graeme (01:17:23.312) Right, Hostile 17 and Hush. OH!CAST (01:17:28.377) Alright, Anyway, think save that. Yeah, we'll get to that. Because we're almost starting to review it already. think you're so desperate to get out of the way. OH!CAST (01:17:45.623) All right. No, no, we're going through it. We're going through it all bit by bit in meticulous detail. don't you worry. All right, guys. Thanks very much for coming along. I hope you enjoyed that. And we'll be back very soon. And everyone out there, please like, listen, subscribe, follow, do all that good stuff, leave reviews for us. And also, I've been looking at analytics. So tell us where in the world you're listening to us, because I'm quite curious. There's some interesting locations I've flashed up on that map. And we would love to hear from people around the globe who you're listening in to us. Just drop us a comment or send us a message wherever you can. Rhiannon Eliza (01:18:01.112) Cool days. OH!CAST (01:18:26.351) would love to hear from you. And with that we'll see you all. I think it'll be quite a while before I subject you to season four. I think you just need plenty of time to prepare. Christmas is coming so you you don't want to be doing that over Christmas. I'm not going to make you do that. Rhiannon Eliza (01:18:38.446) Thank Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:18:43.172) You Rhiannon Eliza (01:18:44.59) Point blank refuse. Graeme (01:18:45.104) Thank you. OH!CAST (01:18:48.159) I think it's going to be noted, Alera. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:18:49.041) Let's start depressing January with it. OH!CAST (01:18:53.441) Yes and it's very, and I'm just, and I've got to point this out Elena, when we spoke to Geoff Pruitt about the stunts he never mentioned season four once. He mentioned plenty of stuff about the other season. He didn't really talk and I think that was the last season he was on the show. So I don't know, did it finish him off or what? We never got around to asking him that question that we didn't think to. Yeah. Rhiannon Eliza (01:18:53.622) Yeah, January blues. Alena Bihan-Gallic (01:19:09.348) Mmm. Graeme (01:19:13.899) second time of it as well. Rhiannon Eliza (01:19:19.468) He actually just forgot it happened, because he had to live it in real time. OH!CAST (01:19:22.307) Yeah, yes, he saw all, no, even in real time, he saw everything happen very slowly. Rhiannon Eliza (01:19:28.331) OH!CAST (01:19:31.797) Alright everyone, good night and thanks for tuning in and listening and we'll see you all very soon. Bye! Rhiannon Eliza (01:19:32.738) He's stronger than us. Rhiannon Eliza (01:19:38.216) See you later, bye! OH!CAST (01:19:41.008) Right. And don't hang up immediately.
