Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4, Episode 8: Pangs
Written by Jane Espenson; Directed by Michael LangeThere's some good stuff in this feel-good Thanksgiving episode, but unfortunately it's a little hard to notice when the idea itself is so bad that it should never have been attempted. Didn't you always want to watch Buffy fighting Native American spirits? Or how about Willow lecturing us about how terrible genocide is? And hey, one of the Indians turns into a flock of birds in a special effect so bad it will give you nightmares for a week. This, by the way, is the first part of a crossover with Angel, but it's not a very good one. Angel shows up in town because Doyle has had a vision of Buffy in trouble. He skulks in the shadows and shows up to throw a few punches - hey, it's like he never left. The Angel half of the crossover, in which Buffy heads to LA, is better, but it's still nothing special.
On the other hand, I really appreciate the way this episode highlights the extent to which the gang's friendship is reaching breaking point. Everyone is arguing and doing their best to ignore the fact that there's a serious problem, and the extent to which the writers manage to thread multiple simultaneous conversations together is impressive. In fact, it reminds me of Christmases aboard the HMS Whimsy of old, when all four grandparents got together and attempted to hold four conversations at once. And we get to see Spike tied to a chair in the middle of Giles' living room with several arrows protruding from him.
Overall rating: 6/10.
Next time: Something Blue.
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