Series Finale of UPN's "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" (05/20/03)

[Mark Holtz]

From Zap2It (http://tv.zap2it.com/news/networkupdate.html?31530):

Angel Returns for the Series Finale of UPN's "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" (05/20/03)

"Chosen" - Buffy, her friends and the Potentials are the world's last, best hope to beat back the ultimate forces of evil, on the series' volatile finale of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, Tuesday, May 20 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. David Boreanaz returns as Angel, Eliza Dushku guest stars as Faith and Nathan Fillion guest stars as Caleb. Joss Whedon, the creator and executive producer of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, wrote and directed the episode.

Hatching an ingenious and daring plan to destroy 'The First' and his minions, Buffy turns to those closest to her to help save mankind.

[TerryC]

I wonder why the series finale is only one hour long. It deserves a two hour blockbuster finish. As a fan I can't help but feel a little short changed by that.

[jrjcd]

it's only one hour long because despite the fanboy lip service, whedon and (more importantly) geller is sick of this show-geller esp hasn't wanted to do it since it went to upn and has absolutley no interest(at least until the next scooby doo flops like a wet fish and she needs the cash)in making buffy films...

[Lyle_JP]

The reason the finale is one hour is simple: The story can be told in one hour. If Joss needs more time to tell a story, he gets it (the episode "Once More, With Feeling" ran 10 minutes over). The 5th Season Finale was possibly the most powerful in the series. It too needed to only be one hour long.

[jayn_j]

I tend to agree with Lyle. The season started out really strong, but I've felt that the last 4 episodes were worth 2 hours total. The show has been dragging as they prepare for the final showdown this time. If they can wrap it up in an hour, so much the better.

[TerryC]

Usually a series finale to a long running show is two hours. Maybe because they know that it'll get better than normal ratings so they can get twice as much time to show commercials at a higher charge. But I agree this show is nothing of what it used to be. I remain surprised it's only an hour long.

[Mark Holtz]

Well, last years two-hour finale was really two episodes back to back.

Although I wonder if James will be back as Spike, or as another character.

The Sunnydale sinkhole, and we're left wanting more. Just as it supposed to be.

[jrjcd]

oh please...that was a really lame ending for a show that was once reallly good...ugh

[gcutler]

I liked the ending. Except for Anya dying, nothing that happened was expected.

[Randy_B]

I thought it was good episode and enjoyed it. Tied up a lot of things, left other open for future consideration. I am very curious how Spike will be resurrected. I saw an interview with James Marsters where he said the finale was going to "redeem" Spike.

I also thought there were some really good throw away lines. I really liked Angel's comment after finding out Spike has a soul "Sure, now everyones got one."

Question from last week: Where in the heck did the unconscious Dawn instantly come up with the Tazer to zap Xander?

[Glenn]

If you'll recall, they loaded the car up to the rafters (do cars have rafters?) with weapons before they hit the road. Although, it was certainly right-there-handy, wasn't it?

[TerryC]

How effective are tazers on vampires?

[gcutler]

Originally posted by Randy_B
I thought it was good episode and enjoyed it. Tied up a lot of things, left other open for future consideration. I am very curious how Spike will be resurrected. I saw an interview with James Marsters where he said the finale was going to "redeem" Spike.

Even since early season 5 when Buffy started leaving both Mother and Dawn, then just Dawn under Spike's care when danger appeared, I thought spike was redeemed (and continued to redeem himself on a fairly regular basis). But now with chip gone, and giving his "Life", he is totally redeemed.

But of course on Buffy (and Farscape), death just seems to be a matter of inconvenience that will eventually fix itself :p

[Mark Holtz]

From Zap2It: "Enterprise" finished its season with a 4.4/7 on UPN. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" staked a 4.7/7.

[BobMurdoch]

Originally posted by TerryC
How effective are tazers on vampires?

Fairly effective as Angel and Spike have both been temporarily incapacitated on numerous occasions by them.....

[BobMurdoch]

Given the fact that most "final" episodes of a series are unsatisfying (MASH, Cheers, Seinfeld, etc.), I felt that Whedon did a good job.

The final 30 minutes were as good as any episode of the show has been. Right about the time that The First comes into Buffy's basement to taunt her and gives Buffy the clue on how to defeat it, the show kicked into high gear. Anya and Geekboy have a few great moments, Lots of action (love the Lord of the Rings-esque charge of the demons once they enter the hellmouth), Willow goes all white magic on us ("that was Nifty!" <thump>), and a zillion slayers come online at once. Spike gets a great final scene (Buffy: "I Love you, Spike" Spike: "No you don't, but thanks for saying it"), Anya's fate was shocking when it happened, Geekboy and the other three playing D & D was as funny as any gag in the show's run, and the destruction of Sunnydale were all satisfying to me.

Too bad the show didn't find more of theis in the last two seasons as UPN got stiffed with too many bleak episodes and not enough humor for balance.

All in all, the show dodged the final episode jinx quite well I thought...... Here's hoping for some Angel crossovers or another spinoff (there are a couple of thousand potentials coming online now).