Restless/To Shanshu in L.A.

We talk weird dreams and repeat dreams this week, as the Scoobies find themselves stalked by the first slayer in their sleep. It’s the odd duck of Buffy finales, but also the dividing line between two very different shows with a clear direction for the fears and questions to be faced by the gang as they move into adulthood. Later, Angel’s finale is less successful as a finale, but works well to shut the door on the film noir journey and embrace the antagonists of Wolfram & Hart, and Angel’s journey with the Shanshu prophecy. Also, hey Darla! You look good for a pile of dust! 

Primeval/Blind Date

We talk dated Matrix references this week in both “Primeval” and “Blind Date”, and whether there are any good reasons to keep Spike around, and we strongly disagree on the success of Buffy’s showdown with Adam. But, for “Primeval”, we do agree this pseudo finale was as good as it could be with a glorified demon of the week promoted to Big Bad. Ultimately, can a finale type episode work when the main emotional stakes don’t belong to our heroine? Maybe this is Riley’s story and Buffy is just wandering in. On Angel, it’s a Wolfram & Hart episode and we all know those are the best episodes.

The Yoko Factor/War Zone

We disagree on “The Yoko Factor” but we do agree that drunk Giles is forever amazing and that the episode undoes last week’s amazing ending of “Sanctuary”. Elsewhere, feminist hero Spike sets the record straight on who broke up the Beatles and in “War Zone”, we get Gunn’s origin story and a promise that he’ll be back. ’Til next time, Ginny would like everyone to watch Bones.

New Moon Rising/Sanctuary

We chat Oz’s return and Faith’s rehabilitation this week. Oz finds things are not just the way he left them and we get treated to the best depiction of a love triangle maybe ever. On Angel, everyone is shocked, shocked to find out Angel is trying to help Faith, while Wesley makes his allegiances clear and Buffy and Angel have their most honest conversation (ok, fight) ever.

Where the Wild Things Are/Five by Five

Faith surfaces again this week, this time to wreak her violent game on Angel and team, with a little financial incentive from the legal team of Wolfram & Hart. Speaking of, welcome Lindsey and Lila to the actual story! Elsewhere, Buffy and Riley have a lot of sex, the end.

Superstar/Eternity

Jonathan is back this week as just the Superstar needed to help Buffy get back to herself in! We also chart the real life superstar career trajectory of Danny Strong, Ginny tells us about the amazing Buffy/Aladdin connection you never knew existed, and on Angel, we grapple with the absolute nonsense of a happy pill turning Angel temporarily evil, but otherwise, a solid outing! Things are looking up for Angel Investigations and we could not be more ready.

Danger!

Who Are You?/The Ring

Faith’s back again this week to sow her special brand of destruction - or, wait, is that Buffy? It’s a Slayer Freaky Friday as Faith sees a way out of her dead end of consequences, only to learn that maybe there’s a reason not to do things “because it’s wrong!” On Angel, our hero finds himself drafted into an underground demon fight club, Cordelia and Wesley learn to work together, and we finally meet Lila! 

This Year's Girl/The Prodigal

This week, we talk dreams and how Buffy just does them so well. Little sis is coming! Faith also wakes up from her coma to meddle in Buffy’s new life, and on Angel, Kate is back and it’s time to admit fetch is never gonna happen, ok? It’s fine, the flashbacks with Darla and Mrs. Reynolds got us through it.

So many familiar faces this week

Goodbye Iowa/I've Got You Under My Skin

This week, Ginny fills us in on her Phantom of the Opera experience and we discuss the concept of “sweeps” and what it used to mean when Nielsen regularly broke our hearts (pour one out for Enlisted and Trophy Wife). But meanwhile, on the shows we are supposed to be talking about, we need to talk about Adam. On Angel, there’s a demon possession, but we’re living in the alternate reality of Watcher. It’s nice here. 

The I in Team/She

This week, we are talking about two examples of feminism on TV, one successful, one not (guess which). Buffy joins the Initiative and we meet our Big Bad, while Angel finds himself in the middle of a gender war from another dimension. Also, are the Initiative disruptors?

A New Man/Expecting

This week, we say "NO" to a Buffy reboot (unless it's Fray) and chat "A New Man" and "Expecting"! There's a lot of demon stuff this week, as Giles gets turned into one by mortal enemy Ethan, and Cordelia faces the prospect of giving birth to seven little ones. There are also some themes about growing apart and growing up and finding your family, blah blah. It's just good character work.

Doomed/Somnambulist

This week, Buffy is at her melodramatic worst, and we are over it. As for the Hellmouth Apocalypse, whatever, the Zeppo did it better. On Angel, Kate is back, which is annoying, but hey! Jeremy Renner is here to work out his daddy issues with his sire! So much 2000s era hair gel and facial hair to enjoy!

So tell me about those archery lessons...

Hush/Parting Gifts

Is “Hush” a perfect episode of TV? Does that even exist? That’s right, It’s the “Hush” episode! Also, we watch an episode of Angel, but first the Gentlemen are here to cut our hearts out and clap politely. Buffy and Riley learn they have a lot in common, and the Scoobies learn to stop talking and take some action already. On Angel, Wesley is the best thing to ever happen, and we could watch the gang eat breakfast all day. 

Something Blue/Hero

This week, Claire’s back! We talk “Something Blue”, “Hero”, and Spike’s favorite show, Passions! On Buffy, Spike and Buffy succumb to Willow’s wicca will and find themselves betrothed (“Wind Beneath My Wings”, yay or nay?). On Angel, we say goodbye to Doyle, and mostly we’re just relieved.

You won't get the visions if you don't use tongue!

Pangs/I Will Remember You

This week, we try to have a thoughtful, respectful conversation about Pangs and we apologize if we failed. Then, on Angel, our hearts get broken by what might have been.

We're not crying, you're crying.

The Initiative/The Bachelor Party

This week, we talk too much about bananas, so sorry. But! Hostile 17 is back and he got a promotion! Elsewhere in the Initiative complex, it turns out that Riley has a Special Agent job and special feelings for Buffy. Meanwhile in LA, Angel and Cordelia learn more about Doyle’s past and demonic pre-wedding customs.

Wild at Heart/Sense and Sensitivity

 Can we tell you the most boring, mundane stories of outlives? Yes? Good, we are already doing that. And we’ve got a PSA on the dark side of donations. In Buffy world, Oz leaves, we cry. Are we maybe team Riley? Maybe. As for Angel, we don’t care, forget it. But you can be a rainbow.

Beer Bad/Rm with a Vu

This week, Ginny got a new couch! Allie talks about her suitcase workouts in Japan, and we blame Christopher Nolan for pop culture's bleak landscape and tell you again to watch The Good Place. Elsewhere, Buffy discovers the prehistoric perils of binge drinking and Cordelia fights a poltergeist for possession of her new apartment. Rent control at any cost, amirite?

Fear Itself/I Fall to Pieces

This week, Buffy and her friends must confront their biggest fears through the smallest demon and we just have so many unrelated questions. Meanwhile, on Angel, we're just really ready for Doyle to die and for Angel to start saving some men, ok?

The Harsh Light of Day/In the Dark

This week, Anya’s back! She's got some questions for Xander to DTR, and Spike is back with a new R and a new plan to get outside during the day. His scheme follows Oz to LA where Angel must confront just how much power he wants to wield.