everytime Jonathan utters the words "Buffy Summers, Class Protector" - I cry or at least choke up, no matter how many times I've seen this episode upon re-watches. she finally got her moment and finally got to see that people really do appreciate what she does, even if they don't fully know how she does it. she definitely needed that.
I realise "Young Lady" and "My Girl" might sound a bit creepy from the middle aged Mayor, but when you take the Mayor's chipper personality in full, it really is just a paternal relationship to him.
Married with a dog, insists his employees wash their hands, likes mini golf and using the paper shredder, yep. And he's Giles complete opposite. Giles has ripper and rock and roll collection, he treats Buffy with autonomy. The mayor gets people to do his dirty work for him, uses control as a parenting tactic, and probably scoffs at rock and rock. I wonder how Giles feels about mini golf?
Well, paternal relationship in which he also makes her murder people and do other dirty work for him. So there's definitely an abusive aspect to this, even if it is not sexual.
What makes it even better is that SMG said in an interview that this is her favourite episode out of the whole series because this is where her character really feels seen and appreciated by all the others.
38:01 - Jonathan saying, "most of the people here have been saved by you." after seeing the events in "Earshot" where Buffy saved Jonathan from committing suicide is particularly touching. As you know, "Earshot" was pulled from it's intended broadcast date and did not air until several months after season three had ended, so when "The Prom" originally aired we did not know that Buffy had saved Jonathan in that clock tower.
Yes, yes, yes. I always loved how it was he who awarded Buffy the parasol. And there's a knowing look between them as he bends down and passes it to her. Lots to say about Johnathan.
@@CoasterTrax it aired in my country (South Africa) as well, so it made the episode that much more special for me. I wonder now if they aired this in most other countries but just not the US due to the Columbine event?
@@maruskaehrensdorfer its most likely they released it everywhere else. But here in germany the seasons aired half a year later than in america anyways
@@CoasterTrax yes, same for our country. We had to wait six months after it aired before we could see the episodes. But due to no internet in the beginning (the internet only came to South Africa in 1999) and very little internet access at the time, the episodes could not be spoiled for me.
The fascinating thing about the Mayor is: for all his evilness and all his inhuman abilities, at his core he is still partially human, complete with human feelings. So I think he said all that to Buffy and Angel both 1) because he wanted to hurt them emotionally and mess with their heads, but also 2) because he felt a twinge of genuine empathy for their situation, and wanted to offer them some actual wisdom and perspective.
Having the evil character be the one to deliver the truth, especially the unwelcome truth, is a regular feature of this show. Remember Spike's big speech to Buffy and Angel in "Lover's Walk?" ("You're not friends. You'll never be friends ... Love isn't brains, children, it's blood! Blood screaming inside you to work its will!") The Mayor won't be the last example.
I always loved how it was Johnathan who awards Buffy the "Class Protector" parasol, when only a few epsiodes ago it was he who was saved by Buffy in his attempted suicide.
It’s very true but, at the time, we didn’t know that. Earshot didn’t air until just before the S4 Premiere so in 1999 he was just another background character who had popped up a few times. It was still a very touching moment and showed that her classmates did recognise that she protected them, but the significance of Jonathan being the one to give her the award was completely lost on everyone at the time.
I don't think this is a "Who is right, Joyce or Buffy?" question in The Prom. It's Buffy, Angel, and Joyce versus reality here. Neither of them were looking to fall in love with the other, but they did. Neither of them knew he would come back from the dead, but he did. It's just the reality of the situation against them, that they can't work here and now. And Angel loving Buffy so much that he's not willing to deprive her of normal human relationships and is willing to leave the one and only person he's ever loved in nearly 300 years is huge. He's a very shallow and flawed character up to this point in the Buffyverse because we spend so little time with him, but when he gets his own show you see that he has a lot more depth and a lot more went into this decision and he becomes 100x more likeable. To the point that, on rewatches, he's way better in Buffy because you know his past and his personality when he's not on screen that much more.
Angel's series begins it's first season as Buffy goes into season 4. With the storylines and characters you're interested in seeing further arcs on I highly recommend you watching Angel as you move forward with this series 😁 You can find some good lists for watch order online, and some that identify specifically what episodes are especially relevant crossovers for what's happening on Buffy (and sometimes completions of stories that start on Buffy since it aired right after).
Jonathan giving Buffy that award hits a lot different having seen Earshot. Prom always makes me cry at least thrice. Easily one of Xander's best moments.
Willow choosing to stay in Sunnydale to fight with Buffy is one of my favorite moments of the whole show. Such a pair of episodes! Great reaction!! Love all your videos!
The first time Oz goes postal was wonderful in "Choices". The Mayor makes a valid point. And Snyder and his line regarding "Why can't you just be dealing drugs like normal people" is one of his best lines in the entire series. Willow scores by stealing pages. Wesley continues to be Wesley. The fact that they are both going to UC Sunny Dale seems to indicate what might be coming. "The Prom" is one of my top ten episodes, and hopefully without spoiling watch for possible echoes from this episode, and enjoy! Anya's asking for a date with Xander is incredibly funny. Joyce echoes the Mayor's speech from "Choices", and both are absolutely correct. And Xander also had a high character moment in paying for Cordelia's dress. But the special award presented by Jonathan is one of the more heartwarming things in the entire series, and why the episode is in my top ten.
"The Prom" was SMG's favorite episode of the show since she didn't attend her high school prom at the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in NYC. She was at the Daytime Emmys in Los Angeles, getting her award for Best Supporting Actress in the soap opera, "All My Children".
The last scene with Faith is so ambiguous to me. Is she just pausing because she doesn’t want to leave her pretty new knife in the wall? Or is she realizing that walking out with the mayor is cementing her choice to be the bad guy in this scenario? Her chat with Willow was also fascinating to watch. Faith tries to be flippant and act as if she doesn’t care what the Scoobies think, but when Willow comes back at her with such an unforgiving tone, I see a flicker in Faith’s eyes- It’s when she realizes that maybe she really did screw herself over and went down such a dark path that even the “good guys“ will never forgive her. Personally, I think Willow overstepped her bounds and possibly closed a door that Buffy might want to have left open for Faith. The first time I saw Joyce talk with Angel in “the prom” I was annoyed with her. I was like, “mom, butt out! This is not your business.!” But now that I am a mom, I’m much more forgiving. She’s just looking out for her baby girl - and honestly, she didn’t say anything Angel wasn’t already thinking about himself.
Yeah, I think Willow may have overstepped, and Buffy was probably still willing to leave the door open, but I don't think it makes much of a difference for Faith. I think Faith had an avoidant attachment style and it's impossible for her to trust people or believe they won't betray her in some way, so I don't think she really trusted Buffy or anyone to take her back. She can't forgive herself for what she did, so it's impossible for her to believe anyone else would.
That "class protector" moment brings me to tears every time. Buffy deserved to have all she's done and sacrificed acknowledged by her peers. It was all very beautiful and satisfying. I appreciate your confusion and mixed emotions in the first episode of this video, when the Mayor is saying things that are actually true and correct. That trope where the bad guy speaks the truth - just because we don't like the source doesn't mean it isn't actually sound, solid advice. :( I think you may have misread the Mayor's relationship with Faith. Some of what makes it so interesting to me is the fact that it is complex and it is REAL. He does actually care about her, and she cares about him. He's given her a sort of parental influence/relationship she's missed all her life. A sort of stability even. Very much can't wait for your next video!!! :)
It's weird that you wonder what your audience thought when they first saw these scenes, when the fact is I have no clue what I thought during my first watch. It was over 20 years ago, and all of my feelings of all of the times I have watched this show have melded together in my current feeling of Buffy. Honestly I would love to know how I felt in 1999. This is why I like watching reacts of shows I like, it gives a new and honest first reaction that I can never have again.
You'd think Wesley would be more concerned about Willow. She must forgive him later though. The actors, Alexis Denisof and Alyson Hannigan, have been married since 2003.
@@JhadeSagrav he cares about her a ton nobody’s denying that. I think it’s just made very clear throughout the show that he only has a father-like relationship with Buffy
I always get tears in my eyes when I see the clip of Jonathan presenting her with the Class Protector Award (including this time). I post about it every year. It's one of my favorite scenes in this whole franchise.
40:40 Speaking of Angel (the show) - Buffy season 4 onwards and Angel are meant to be watched in parallel. There are lists on the internet giving you an idea in what order the episodes should be watched.
As always, loved the reaction. I can’t believe you’re almost done with season three. Without fail the class protector award always makes me tear up a little.
Fun dork fact, as a teen I wrote out the entire break up scene. Weird teen girl obsessions. I do remember being so mad at joyce at the time, for interferring. Of course as an adult woman and mother myself now I am very much on her side. Also, I remember feeling sad about the end of the high school yrs, and not vibing with the next season, but I really love it now and think I was too young to relate at the time.
Now that you know nothing shocking or bad happens at the end of the Prom episode, I really encourage you to go back and watch that whole scene again. I feel like you’ll appreciate it so much more and actually ALLOW it to warm your heart. That speech from the class of 99 given by the boy she saved just episodes ago from killing himself??!! Ugh!!! The recognition and gratitude given to her when she probably felt unappreciated?? And then ending the night with her love and Prince coming to give her that prom fantasy every senior dreams about even if it was just for that night?!?! UGH!!!!! I CRY EVERY TIME!!!!! She deserves it all!!!
I love 'The Prom'. That award they give her, and the speech Jonathon gives - and the fact that it comes from Jonathon, specifically - the whole thing just makes me cry. It is so sweet. (Jonathon is the kid she stopped from hurting himself in 'Earshot', btw.)
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE watch Buffy and Angel simultaneously after this season. There are a few recommended viewing orders online for both shows, but since you are already watching two episodes per video, you can actually watch them one after the other, the way nature intended. That's how we watched them when they originally aired back in the day: Buffy would play and then Angel right after on the same night. It would also be cool because there were a bunch of crossover episodes that would air the same night, so you were supposed to watch them together in pairs. You will be the first reactor I have ever seen do it this way if you actually pull through and that would be great!
The way nature intended. Yes! Angel was on right after Buffy. The viewing guides then to clump together some episodes where it helps with the flow of some mini-arcs.
I've really been loving your reactions to these, because you think through things the way I do. (I'm notorious for overthinking shows. :D ) More importantly, you really are grasping the themes of the show and the characters, so that's been delightful. I second the recommendation someone else made here that you watch Buffy and Angel back to back going forward, since they do cross over and it works very well to see them intersect. Also, many of the character themes you've called out (your understanding and suspicion of Wesley, your grasp that Willow is struggling with her identity, imposter syndrome, and role in the group, and more I won't spoil) play out in one, the other, or both, and that's worth following since you *have* noticed them. Quick side note, since you asked - I saw this in my mid 20s when it came out, so I was good with both Joyce's real understanding of the problems for Angel and Buffy while also being willing to go with it if they wrote them defying the odds. Since I personally adored the Angel sacrifice at the end of Season 2, I was also not thrilled with him returning in Season 3 (I wasn't as lukewarm on the ship as you, though) and in the end the very nice bittersweet understanding separation worked for me very well. All that said - I have to warn you that Buffy was conceived as a show about high school and the monsters as metaphors for high school problems. It never quite finds its footing after this season . Some of the absolute BEST individual episodes happen in seasons 4-7, but the show never quite works as a thematic season-long whole as well as it does in seasons 2 and 3 again. There are lots of good things and good ideas, but it never quite hangs together properly after this. (The fact that they also hit the end of some people's stories, but still have them on contract and so can't pull the trigger also hurts them more than once.) You should absolutely keep going, the good far outweighs the bad, but it really does drop off after this.
Love your reactions to BTVS. Can't wait to see you watch the next two episodes 😊. I have watched this series a couple of times, but watching you react to it makes me see new things and think about things that I never had thought of before. Thank you! 🧛🏻♀️
I was heartbroken as a teen watching Buffy and Angel break up, but now as an adult, I recognize that it was the right thing to do. That being said, I wholeheartedly believe they will find their way back to each other someday. I shared the same reticence about the Mayor as you do when I watched this when it aired, but the Mayor really does love Faith like a daughter. It's in a sick, terrible parent kind of way, but he does genuinely love her. It isn't an act. I know it sounds totally contradictory to what we know about evil beings like him, but that's the whole point of villains in Buffy. The writers often added the message of just because someone is evil and inhuman, does that preclude them from the most human of sentiments like love and protectiveness for another person? Also the question of: can soulless people experience genuine romantic love, or is it just obsession that they mistake for it? The writers said you're meant to see vampire love as inherently as fickle, and therefore not true love, because being without a soul makes you selfish and uncaring at baseline. That's why Angel is the exception at this point. He has a soul, so his love is selfless and genuine (thus, why he breaks up with Buffy). A soulless vampire would not care if the relationship was bad for Buffy, even if they claimed to be "in love" with her. They would continue to engage in it, because it made THEM happy. They selfishly would resent Buffy ending things because of the way it affected them, instead of being glad if ending the relationship improved Buffy's life. The Mayor subtly shows that in another way. He treats Faith as a daughter, but if it came down to it, he would never stop his plans of Ascension for her. He also had really unhealthy expectations of her. If she randomly decided she didn't want to work for him anymore, and just wanted to be his daughter, he would be very upset. In short, the Mayor has a fickle, selfish fatherly love for Faith. Angel is the opposite, because he loves Buffy enough to leave because it's what's best for her, and he knows what they have right now is unhealthy for her
One element of Buffy getting the Class Protector award is throughout the series so far, they have talked about how "no one will ever know." This is especially made clear in Zeppo. But here we see, no matter how unseen you may feel, people do see, and they do feel the consequences of your life in theirs. You life maters to others, even if you don't always feel like it does.
This series is so good! Made more so because it often goes against trope. And moments like Buffy and Giles' moments in the last episode, or Xander and Cordelia, or even Willow being able to take care of herself and even proclaim at knife point that she is no longer afraid of Faith. And her reasons for wanting to stay and fight!! Those are the moments that elevate the show to a different level! Thank you for you comments and analysis! I like the depth with which you are able to identify certain issues and plot points and their implications, or even just about the story telling! It is why I enjoy watching these reactions! As for tearing up when Giles shows his fatherly side.... I am guessing that it may be due to the depths of despair that Buffy is in, creating so much anxious tension, only to have Giles come in and give Buffy the space to feel vulnerable and relieve some of the tension with her. Anyway, looking forward to the next set of episodes!
Choices is a good episode Buffy and angel were the perfect match even though their relationship is doomed. The prom is a good acknowledgment to Buffy for everything she sacrificed and the music during Buffy and angel's dance is perfectly bittersweet
Angel's dream of marrying Buffy and walking out into the sunlight only for her to burn instead of him is perfect. They have both been in denial about their relationship all season. They can't be together in the way they truly want and they're just making themselves and each other suffer as a result. Spike had their number they can't just pretend. Its a shame this had to happen just before prom. Couldn't wait until after? Anyway there's so much to love about this episode. "You're all going to have a nice normal time if I have to kill everyone on the face of the earth to do it" lol The school all acknowledging Buffy's contribution and finally openly talking about everything that happens is so wonderful. She may never have that normal life she so desperately wanted but she's a hero and the school recognized that. Warms my heart. OH and finally "oh for god's sake man she's 18 and you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Have at it will you and stop faffing about" one of my favorite Gile's lines of the series gets me every time LMAO.
It might help to read some of the main plot points of Angel to understand the gaps in Buffy, because the two shows share characters and plot points at times starting from season four. Also, I know Anya came out of nowhere, but she’s pretty cool 😆
Enjoyable reactions and takes on these episodes.If the breakup of Buffy and Angel seems somewhat forced, the go ahead to spin off Angel to his own show came down about halfway in the filming of Season 3. The WB network wanted the spin-off but Joss Wheadon was negotiating money for both shows as well as making sure Angel followed Buffy on Tuesday night. What a 2 hour block it was for a couple of years. When Johnathan asks if Buffy Summers is here? Starts one of the sweetest and heartwarming minutes of the entire series. The Sunnydale students has been portrayed has unaware, insensitive brutes and bitches for most of the show. For Buffy to have a moment in the spotlight and to be recognized, she gets that one perfect High School moment she talked about in Homecoming . And then to have her high school crush to give her closure with a slow dance to the song Wild Horses allows her the completion of a High School wish.
I think what made Angel show up was when Buffy made the off hand remark about " being over Buffy gets one perfect highschool moment." I think that drove it home how poor his timing was not waiting till after prom.
For me its the "right now I'm just trying to keep from dying" it kills me every time. I think a lot of us have been in the position where looking at it objectively, and looking at the bigger picture we know something is the correct decision, but that doesn't take the pain away in the moment
You aren't the only one who gets mushy when Giles goes dad mode. I grew up raised by my mother as a single parent but my uncle's did this kind of stuff for me.
"We are right back where we started." Which means we haven't _lost_ anything. At worst, it was an effort that didn't pay off but didn't lose anything. And there are those pages which may still put us a bit ahead of where we were. "Yes, thank you." And Charisma Carpenter has an absolutely gorgeous smile. Oh and: "Buffy Summers, Class Protector" gets me misty every. single. time.
I do love this episode. So many little moments that represent the growth of the characters, both internally and between each other. Buffy getting the award will always be one of my favorite scenes. We get very few happy (episode) endings in the series; I’m glad they let us have this one and provided closure in some scenarios. I’m always bawling by the end.
I agree with you, Cass. As a younger person who watched the show when it aired, my heart ripped every time someone would point out that Buffy and Angels relationship was doomed. Watching it back as an adult, I understand that logic and am with Joyce now. P.s. You might want to consider watching Buffy and Angel back to back after season 3. There are some cross over episodes that make more sense starting with season 4 if you watch how it aired on TV originally with Buffy first and then an episode of Angel after. It would also align well with how you are watching two episodes at a time. It would just be one episode Buffy Season 4 and one episode Angel Season 1 and so on an so forth.
S3 is definitely one of the best seasons from the whole show. The arc of the show building up to Graduation Day is brilliantly handled. The part where they try to break in to steal The Box Of Gavrok is obviously a parody/homage to The Mission Impossible movie and adds some comedic relief to the episode. Willow is now really gaining real power, and this is great foreshadowing here. It was interesting to see Oz who is normally calm and collected in human form absolutely flip when Wesley was saying there should be no swap. Great interaction with Angel and The Mayor. Faith leaving the knife behind also very symbolic for the future. Graduation Day is a brilliant finale to come.
I feel like Wesley... ok, so he's annoying, because he seems to have a point to prove... but ultimately he is viewing it from the larger picture. He has no real connections to these people, so they are only as important to him as every other person. He wants to save the most people all the time. However, he hasn't dealt with the nuance of this particular group so he doesn't understand that they are capable of winning without sacrifice. He's always got a valid point... but he has very little context. So while he believes he's seeing the Big Picture, his Big Picture is riddles with holes.
Can’t wait for you to start Angel Season 1 alongside Buffy Season 4 as they do have crossover episodes. I really love your reactions and all the insights along the way.
The funniest part of "The Prom," in my opinion, was Buffy willing to kill "every person on the face of the earth " just so her friends could have a fun prom. If she actually did that, there would be no prom to go to.
Definitely the best season. It starts to go downhill as of season 5, for me, though that one has a superb ending. I find 6 and 7 mostly unwatchable personally.
@@RossJr8604 - Yeah, season 2 is so iconic too (especially the Spike, Dru and bad Angel dynamic as villains). I think I dislike the gradual change in tone after seasons 2 and 3. Though the themes remain heavy, the tone starts to become too characterised by excessive, goofy comic relief. It begins to lose its darkness, just in my personal view.
30:22 he did not say that he didn't want his life to be with her. What he was saying is he didn't want her life to be with him. He said I don't to her comment. A subtle way of phrasing something can completely change the meaning
CHOICES This episode really goes hard on setting up the Angel spin off through the truth of Buffy and Angel and their relationship. I love Snyder reaction to what he walks in on. But truth be told, why are they doing this in the school lol. Him going "My girl" is not a sexual thing, he does actually see her in a fatherly way. Cordelia's big change here is given context that continues towards her character growth. I do understand Wesley's point of view, they risk the deaths of many others for 1 person. I do find it ironic that he's suggesting Willow's life is worth the risk because he's married to Alysson Hannigan in real life. The Mayor is human, he's made a pact but is still human so he did have a life with a love. Now his angle is using the truth to mess with them in a psychological warfare type way. THE PROM Standard episode with a few moments that stays a point in the show and is saved by the ending being cheesy. "One night of Glory is all that we ask" haha any Buffy fans reading this comment give a like on the irony of that phrase. It will be important at least for S4, S5 & S7 of Buffy to watch back to back with Angel S1, S2 & S4 due to the crossovers & story mentios. So basically Buffy S4 Episode 1 than Angel S1 Episode 1.
the thing that breaks me about the whole "Faith/Wilkins" dynamic is that its the inverse yet parallel to the Buffy/Giles dynamic. He is her father, he takes care of her, and most of all, he loves her. It's actually really sad cause its not like the Spike/Dru dynamic, cause they're people, they have souls.
regarding the Angel/Buffy thing, I am on Joyce's side, because if they didnt split up, we wouldnt have had my favourite TV show of all time.....Angel :)
Xander being a hero when you least expect it, and he learned from the Zeppo, you don't need recognition for your good deeds. the people who matter will know.
On the contrary Faith with the Mayor is complete freedom. Freedom to kill without someone there to judge her. Freedom to not have to face the guilt. She feels far more free because The Mayor doesn't get "uppity" about how she does things. And its not an act. He truly does care for her. Villians in this show are way more complicated than you might suspect.
I've been waiting for you to get to The Prom. You reacted exactly how I expected. Pretty much the same way I did first time I saw it tbh. But when you start next season, you really need to add Angel to the schedule. Whether it be two separate videos or split the reaction into one episode each. Just a suggestion
Ooh, I kinda like the idea of one Buffy and 1 angel in one video reaction! Then the overlap will stand out more and we don't have to think back to past week etc.
It'd honestly be so funny if you just said "I'm not going to even watch Angel" and just carried on with the Buffy reactions! Not that I think you shouldn't watch it, but I'm wondering how you'd do your regular two episodes per video if you did. I personally hope you do one episode of each, as the watch order guides can get a bit silly sometimes.
I watched them simultaneously when they first aired back in the day and have watched reactions following the convoluted reactions order. I still feel that watching one of each each week is the best and easiest way to watch them... as they were designed.
Please please please watch angel as well when you start season 4 of buffy you won't be disappointed, please watch the angel tv show aswell xxx love the reactions
Yeah so Angel S1 and Buffy S4 happen at the same time, and there are actual lists online to find out which episodes to watch in what order because of a character going on the other show for an episode and stuff like that.
Knowing that you've already watched the last two episodes of the season, you now have a choice to make: Will you watch ANGEL alongside BTVS or not? The show has a bit of a different (more mature?) feel to it and it definitely has its highs and lows, but it's worth checking out because there are some rather important (and some completely unimportant) crossover episodes. The best way to watch both shows is probably sticking to the SlayAlive watch order. Switching back and forth between shows can take you a bit out of it, but on the other hand some storylines just work best when watched in that correct chronological way. I really think your format of combining two episode reactions in one RUclips video could make for some interesting content because sometimes it would mean two episodes from different shows. I don't recall having ever seen that online. As for your question about who's side we're on: I just can't side with anyone who's trying to mess with other people's relationships, no matter how good the intention. Terrible tragedies have come from those good intentions.
Okay. Let's say Joyce told Buffy to break up with Angel. Do you think Buffy would listen? No. The Mayor, as much of a scoundrel as he is, lays down the truth about a relationship between a mortal and an immortal. Should Buffy and Angel ignore that and give in to their storybook romance or deal with reality (Angelus is still a timebomb)?
@@Madbandit77 It's really their choice. What's true for one relationship doesn't have to be true for any other. They both know there's pain ahead. Most relationships end in pain. The question is how much love and joy you can feel until then. Either way: Their choice.
I bawl like a baby when Buffy gets the class protector award every time.
same
everytime Jonathan utters the words "Buffy Summers, Class Protector" - I cry or at least choke up, no matter how many times I've seen this episode upon re-watches. she finally got her moment and finally got to see that people really do appreciate what she does, even if they don't fully know how she does it. she definitely needed that.
A lot of scenes in Buffy that tears do flow. What a great show.
@@HelloXrancidkittehshe DEFINITELY deserved it
"we noticed..."
🥹🥹🥹
"Buffy Summers"
🥲🥲🥲
"Class Protector"
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I realise "Young Lady" and "My Girl" might sound a bit creepy from the middle aged Mayor, but when you take the Mayor's chipper personality in full, it really is just a paternal relationship to him.
Yeah he shut Faith down immediately when she called him sugar daddy & tried to come on to him.
Married with a dog, insists his employees wash their hands, likes mini golf and using the paper shredder, yep. And he's Giles complete opposite. Giles has ripper and rock and roll collection, he treats Buffy with autonomy. The mayor gets people to do his dirty work for him, uses control as a parenting tactic, and probably scoffs at rock and rock. I wonder how Giles feels about mini golf?
Its why I love the mayors characters. Demonic rituals aside he is just a family guy and quite a nice one
Pretty much every reactor seems to just assume he's being false or creepy towards her. Cass has even said "Eww..." a couple times so far.
Well, paternal relationship in which he also makes her murder people and do other dirty work for him. So there's definitely an abusive aspect to this, even if it is not sexual.
buffy finally getting recognition from her schoolmates is easily one of the most cathartic moments ever.
What makes it even better is that SMG said in an interview that this is her favourite episode out of the whole series because this is where her character really feels seen and appreciated by all the others.
The look on Buffy's face when Angel says, "I don't." Emmy worthy.
"Buffy Summers--Class Protector" Four words that never fail to make me tear up.
38:01 - Jonathan saying, "most of the people here have been saved by you." after seeing the events in "Earshot" where Buffy saved Jonathan from committing suicide is particularly touching.
As you know, "Earshot" was pulled from it's intended broadcast date and did not air until several months after season three had ended, so when "The Prom" originally aired we did not know that Buffy had saved Jonathan in that clock tower.
Yes, yes, yes. I always loved how it was he who awarded Buffy the parasol. And there's a knowing look between them as he bends down and passes it to her. Lots to say about Johnathan.
I knew it, since it aired in my country. I think im one of the lucky ones 😅
@@CoasterTrax it aired in my country (South Africa) as well, so it made the episode that much more special for me. I wonder now if they aired this in most other countries but just not the US due to the Columbine event?
@@maruskaehrensdorfer its most likely they released it everywhere else. But here in germany the seasons aired half a year later than in america anyways
@@CoasterTrax yes, same for our country. We had to wait six months after it aired before we could see the episodes. But due to no internet in the beginning (the internet only came to South Africa in 1999) and very little internet access at the time, the episodes could not be spoiled for me.
Wild Horses was such an excellent song selection.
So much nostalgia with that song...
Ive seen the Prom at least 25 times since it first aired and i still tear up when Jonathan reads his speech.
The fascinating thing about the Mayor is: for all his evilness and all his inhuman abilities, at his core he is still partially human, complete with human feelings. So I think he said all that to Buffy and Angel both 1) because he wanted to hurt them emotionally and mess with their heads, but also 2) because he felt a twinge of genuine empathy for their situation, and wanted to offer them some actual wisdom and perspective.
Having the evil character be the one to deliver the truth, especially the unwelcome truth, is a regular feature of this show. Remember Spike's big speech to Buffy and Angel in "Lover's Walk?" ("You're not friends. You'll never be friends ... Love isn't brains, children, it's blood! Blood screaming inside you to work its will!") The Mayor won't be the last example.
I always loved how it was Johnathan who awards Buffy the "Class Protector" parasol, when only a few epsiodes ago it was he who was saved by Buffy in his attempted suicide.
It’s very true but, at the time, we didn’t know that. Earshot didn’t air until just before the S4 Premiere so in 1999 he was just another background character who had popped up a few times. It was still a very touching moment and showed that her classmates did recognise that she protected them, but the significance of Jonathan being the one to give her the award was completely lost on everyone at the time.
Reminder: do not watch the opening credits of Buffy 4-1 or Angel 1-1
Wait….is it official ?? She’s watching Angel aswell?? She announced that?
I don't think this is a "Who is right, Joyce or Buffy?" question in The Prom. It's Buffy, Angel, and Joyce versus reality here. Neither of them were looking to fall in love with the other, but they did. Neither of them knew he would come back from the dead, but he did. It's just the reality of the situation against them, that they can't work here and now. And Angel loving Buffy so much that he's not willing to deprive her of normal human relationships and is willing to leave the one and only person he's ever loved in nearly 300 years is huge.
He's a very shallow and flawed character up to this point in the Buffyverse because we spend so little time with him, but when he gets his own show you see that he has a lot more depth and a lot more went into this decision and he becomes 100x more likeable. To the point that, on rewatches, he's way better in Buffy because you know his past and his personality when he's not on screen that much more.
"This is like their version of running into each other at the grocery store." 😂😂😂
That was hilarious cause it was so accurate lmao
Angel's series begins it's first season as Buffy goes into season 4. With the storylines and characters you're interested in seeing further arcs on I highly recommend you watching Angel as you move forward with this series 😁
You can find some good lists for watch order online, and some that identify specifically what episodes are especially relevant crossovers for what's happening on Buffy (and sometimes completions of stories that start on Buffy since it aired right after).
Seconded ❤
Third-ed.
Fourthed!
That speech Jonathan gives in Buffys honor for the award of class protector and it being a pretty pink engraved umbrella gets me emotional every time.
The mayor genuinely loves Faith there’s no other agenda
Jonathan giving Buffy that award hits a lot different having seen Earshot. Prom always makes me cry at least thrice. Easily one of Xander's best moments.
That's right. This episode aired before Earshot back in '99, so the audience wouldn't have known how personal that speech was for Jonathan.
@@SylviusTheMad And yet, "Superstar" negates that, being a prelude to [REDACTED].
Did you miss how far Willow telekinetically drove that pencil into the vampire? Only its eraser was showing when the vampire dusted.
Willow choosing to stay in Sunnydale to fight with Buffy is one of my favorite moments of the whole show. Such a pair of episodes! Great reaction!! Love all your videos!
The first time Oz goes postal was wonderful in "Choices". The Mayor makes a valid point. And Snyder and his line regarding "Why can't you just be dealing drugs like normal people" is one of his best lines in the entire series. Willow scores by stealing pages. Wesley continues to be Wesley. The fact that they are both going to UC Sunny Dale seems to indicate what might be coming.
"The Prom" is one of my top ten episodes, and hopefully without spoiling watch for possible echoes from this episode, and enjoy! Anya's asking for a date with Xander is incredibly funny. Joyce echoes the Mayor's speech from "Choices", and both are absolutely correct. And Xander also had a high character moment in paying for Cordelia's dress.
But the special award presented by Jonathan is one of the more heartwarming things in the entire series, and why the episode is in my top ten.
"The Prom" was SMG's favorite episode of the show since she didn't attend her high school prom at the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in NYC. She was at the Daytime Emmys in Los Angeles, getting her award for Best Supporting Actress in the soap opera, "All My Children".
The last scene with Faith is so ambiguous to me. Is she just pausing because she doesn’t want to leave her pretty new knife in the wall? Or is she realizing that walking out with the mayor is cementing her choice to be the bad guy in this scenario? Her chat with Willow was also fascinating to watch. Faith tries to be flippant and act as if she doesn’t care what the Scoobies think, but when Willow comes back at her with such an unforgiving tone, I see a flicker in Faith’s eyes- It’s when she realizes that maybe she really did screw herself over and went down such a dark path that even the “good guys“ will never forgive her. Personally, I think Willow overstepped her bounds and possibly closed a door that Buffy might want to have left open for Faith.
The first time I saw Joyce talk with Angel in “the prom” I was annoyed with her. I was like, “mom, butt out! This is not your business.!” But now that I am a mom, I’m much more forgiving. She’s just looking out for her baby girl - and honestly, she didn’t say anything Angel wasn’t already thinking about himself.
You said everything right
Yeah, I think Willow may have overstepped, and Buffy was probably still willing to leave the door open, but I don't think it makes much of a difference for Faith. I think Faith had an avoidant attachment style and it's impossible for her to trust people or believe they won't betray her in some way, so I don't think she really trusted Buffy or anyone to take her back. She can't forgive herself for what she did, so it's impossible for her to believe anyone else would.
That "class protector" moment brings me to tears every time. Buffy deserved to have all she's done and sacrificed acknowledged by her peers. It was all very beautiful and satisfying.
I appreciate your confusion and mixed emotions in the first episode of this video, when the Mayor is saying things that are actually true and correct. That trope where the bad guy speaks the truth - just because we don't like the source doesn't mean it isn't actually sound, solid advice. :(
I think you may have misread the Mayor's relationship with Faith. Some of what makes it so interesting to me is the fact that it is complex and it is REAL. He does actually care about her, and she cares about him. He's given her a sort of parental influence/relationship she's missed all her life. A sort of stability even.
Very much can't wait for your next video!!! :)
It's weird that you wonder what your audience thought when they first saw these scenes, when the fact is I have no clue what I thought during my first watch. It was over 20 years ago, and all of my feelings of all of the times I have watched this show have melded together in my current feeling of Buffy. Honestly I would love to know how I felt in 1999. This is why I like watching reacts of shows I like, it gives a new and honest first reaction that I can never have again.
"Anya: Hi" Cass, oh so rudely: Who are you?!"
"you'd think it'd feel cramped"
i think it helps that buffy knows she's been in denial, and has touched on some of the issues in prior episodes.
Fun fact, the actor who played Tucker (who bred the hellhounds) was the singing voice for the original animated version of Disney's Aladdin.
Brad Kane.
He had a bit of a look of Norman Bates in Buffy.
You'd think Wesley would be more concerned about Willow. She must forgive him later though. The actors, Alexis Denisof and Alyson Hannigan, have been married since 2003.
Giles being a dad will never fail to make me SOB
Buffy and Willow are his daughters😂..
@@lessismore8533 don’t think he sees Willow as one but definitely with Buffy
@@halenjulianna365 idk the hug in Doppelgangland when they realize Willow is not dead might beg to differ. 😁
@@JhadeSagrav he cares about her a ton nobody’s denying that. I think it’s just made very clear throughout the show that he only has a father-like relationship with Buffy
@@halenjulianna365 alright, boo, i was just making a joke 😁
I always get tears in my eyes when I see the clip of Jonathan presenting her with the Class Protector Award (including this time). I post about it every year. It's one of my favorite scenes in this whole franchise.
40:40 Speaking of Angel (the show) - Buffy season 4 onwards and Angel are meant to be watched in parallel. There are lists on the internet giving you an idea in what order the episodes should be watched.
Look guys, it's Tucker!😊
"Who?"
"Andrew's brother."
"Oh."
😁
As always, loved the reaction. I can’t believe you’re almost done with season three. Without fail the class protector award always makes me tear up a little.
I loved the "I know it's not going to be as easy as going through the vents" cut to "The skylight" even easier.
Fun dork fact, as a teen I wrote out the entire break up scene. Weird teen girl obsessions. I do remember being so mad at joyce at the time, for interferring. Of course as an adult woman and mother myself now I am very much on her side.
Also, I remember feeling sad about the end of the high school yrs, and not vibing with the next season, but I really love it now and think I was too young to relate at the time.
Now that you know nothing shocking or bad happens at the end of the Prom episode, I really encourage you to go back and watch that whole scene again. I feel like you’ll appreciate it so much more and actually ALLOW it to warm your heart. That speech from the class of 99 given by the boy she saved just episodes ago from killing himself??!! Ugh!!! The recognition and gratitude given to her when she probably felt unappreciated?? And then ending the night with her love and Prince coming to give her that prom fantasy every senior dreams about even if it was just for that night?!?! UGH!!!!! I CRY EVERY TIME!!!!! She deserves it all!!!
I love 'The Prom'. That award they give her, and the speech Jonathon gives - and the fact that it comes from Jonathon, specifically - the whole thing just makes me cry. It is so sweet. (Jonathon is the kid she stopped from hurting himself in 'Earshot', btw.)
The "Class Protector" part ALWAYS makes me cry.....
all Buffy Season’s hits so hard with moments like the “Class Protector” ❤️🩹🫶🏻
her: “who are u?”
Anya fans: if only u know… 😂
The mental image of them sending Amy the rat into the vents to get the box took me out 😂
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE watch Buffy and Angel simultaneously after this season. There are a few recommended viewing orders online for both shows, but since you are already watching two episodes per video, you can actually watch them one after the other, the way nature intended. That's how we watched them when they originally aired back in the day: Buffy would play and then Angel right after on the same night. It would also be cool because there were a bunch of crossover episodes that would air the same night, so you were supposed to watch them together in pairs. You will be the first reactor I have ever seen do it this way if you actually pull through and that would be great!
The way nature intended. Yes! Angel was on right after Buffy. The viewing guides then to clump together some episodes where it helps with the flow of some mini-arcs.
THIS!!!
Jules Reacts watches in that order, so Cass wouldn't be the first.
@@FourTilSunday Well, maybe not the first ever, but the first I have seen personally. I never watched Jules Reacts, but thanks for the tip.
I've really been loving your reactions to these, because you think through things the way I do. (I'm notorious for overthinking shows. :D ) More importantly, you really are grasping the themes of the show and the characters, so that's been delightful.
I second the recommendation someone else made here that you watch Buffy and Angel back to back going forward, since they do cross over and it works very well to see them intersect.
Also, many of the character themes you've called out (your understanding and suspicion of Wesley, your grasp that Willow is struggling with her identity, imposter syndrome, and role in the group, and more I won't spoil) play out in one, the other, or both, and that's worth following since you *have* noticed them.
Quick side note, since you asked - I saw this in my mid 20s when it came out, so I was good with both Joyce's real understanding of the problems for Angel and Buffy while also being willing to go with it if they wrote them defying the odds. Since I personally adored the Angel sacrifice at the end of Season 2, I was also not thrilled with him returning in Season 3 (I wasn't as lukewarm on the ship as you, though) and in the end the very nice bittersweet understanding separation worked for me very well.
All that said - I have to warn you that Buffy was conceived as a show about high school and the monsters as metaphors for high school problems. It never quite finds its footing after this season . Some of the absolute BEST individual episodes happen in seasons 4-7, but the show never quite works as a thematic season-long whole as well as it does in seasons 2 and 3 again. There are lots of good things and good ideas, but it never quite hangs together properly after this. (The fact that they also hit the end of some people's stories, but still have them on contract and so can't pull the trigger also hurts them more than once.)
You should absolutely keep going, the good far outweighs the bad, but it really does drop off after this.
The vents was in Gingerbread ep Oz and Xander climbed in them to rescue Willow, Buffy and Amy.
Love your reactions to BTVS. Can't wait to see you watch the next two episodes 😊. I have watched this series a couple of times, but watching you react to it makes me see new things and think about things that I never had thought of before. Thank you! 🧛🏻♀️
I was heartbroken as a teen watching Buffy and Angel break up, but now as an adult, I recognize that it was the right thing to do. That being said, I wholeheartedly believe they will find their way back to each other someday. I shared the same reticence about the Mayor as you do when I watched this when it aired, but the Mayor really does love Faith like a daughter. It's in a sick, terrible parent kind of way, but he does genuinely love her. It isn't an act. I know it sounds totally contradictory to what we know about evil beings like him, but that's the whole point of villains in Buffy. The writers often added the message of just because someone is evil and inhuman, does that preclude them from the most human of sentiments like love and protectiveness for another person? Also the question of: can soulless people experience genuine romantic love, or is it just obsession that they mistake for it? The writers said you're meant to see vampire love as inherently as fickle, and therefore not true love, because being without a soul makes you selfish and uncaring at baseline. That's why Angel is the exception at this point. He has a soul, so his love is selfless and genuine (thus, why he breaks up with Buffy). A soulless vampire would not care if the relationship was bad for Buffy, even if they claimed to be "in love" with her. They would continue to engage in it, because it made THEM happy. They selfishly would resent Buffy ending things because of the way it affected them, instead of being glad if ending the relationship improved Buffy's life. The Mayor subtly shows that in another way. He treats Faith as a daughter, but if it came down to it, he would never stop his plans of Ascension for her. He also had really unhealthy expectations of her. If she randomly decided she didn't want to work for him anymore, and just wanted to be his daughter, he would be very upset. In short, the Mayor has a fickle, selfish fatherly love for Faith. Angel is the opposite, because he loves Buffy enough to leave because it's what's best for her, and he knows what they have right now is unhealthy for her
This is literally my favorite season of Buffy!
Same, mostly because of the Mayor.
Same!💚
Not enough Spike so it’s got to be Season 5 for me, but this season is a close second. Season 4 is the absolute worst though.
@@HerHollyness One of the many reasons S3 is my favorite and S1 is my 2nd favorite is that there is basically no Spike!😆
'Buffy Summers, class protector' of prom '99 is probably my favourite Buffy moment ❤ Here's to you, Buff 🍻
One element of Buffy getting the Class Protector award is throughout the series so far, they have talked about how "no one will ever know." This is especially made clear in Zeppo. But here we see, no matter how unseen you may feel, people do see, and they do feel the consequences of your life in theirs. You life maters to others, even if you don't always feel like it does.
The fact that we’re getting her “did you know that there’s a tunnel under ocean Blvd” reaction any day now this upcoming week. I’m SCARED
The Cass/Buffy combo makes me look forward to Friday's again like I did in the pre-retirement days. Awesome pairing.
Whew damn, the class protector speech and the Sundays Wild Horses = Waterworks for me, every time.
This series is so good! Made more so because it often goes against trope. And moments like Buffy and Giles' moments in the last episode, or Xander and Cordelia, or even Willow being able to take care of herself and even proclaim at knife point that she is no longer afraid of Faith. And her reasons for wanting to stay and fight!! Those are the moments that elevate the show to a different level! Thank you for you comments and analysis! I like the depth with which you are able to identify certain issues and plot points and their implications, or even just about the story telling! It is why I enjoy watching these reactions! As for tearing up when Giles shows his fatherly side.... I am guessing that it may be due to the depths of despair that Buffy is in, creating so much anxious tension, only to have Giles come in and give Buffy the space to feel vulnerable and relieve some of the tension with her. Anyway, looking forward to the next set of episodes!
Choices is a good episode Buffy and angel were the perfect match even though their relationship is doomed. The prom is a good acknowledgment to Buffy for everything she sacrificed and the music during Buffy and angel's dance is perfectly bittersweet
Angel's dream of marrying Buffy and walking out into the sunlight only for her to burn instead of him is perfect. They have both been in denial about their relationship all season. They can't be together in the way they truly want and they're just making themselves and each other suffer as a result. Spike had their number they can't just pretend. Its a shame this had to happen just before prom. Couldn't wait until after?
Anyway there's so much to love about this episode. "You're all going to have a nice normal time if I have to kill everyone on the face of the earth to do it" lol
The school all acknowledging Buffy's contribution and finally openly talking about everything that happens is so wonderful. She may never have that normal life she so desperately wanted but she's a hero and the school recognized that. Warms my heart.
OH and finally "oh for god's sake man she's 18 and you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Have at it will you and stop faffing about" one of my favorite Gile's lines of the series gets me every time LMAO.
It might help to read some of the main plot points of Angel to understand the gaps in Buffy, because the two shows share characters and plot points at times starting from season four.
Also, I know Anya came out of nowhere, but she’s pretty cool 😆
Enjoyable reactions and takes on these episodes.If the breakup of Buffy and Angel seems somewhat forced, the go ahead to spin off Angel to his own show came down about halfway in the filming of Season 3. The WB network wanted the spin-off but Joss Wheadon was negotiating money for both shows as well as making sure Angel followed Buffy on Tuesday night. What a 2 hour block it was for a couple of years. When Johnathan asks if Buffy Summers is here? Starts one of the sweetest and heartwarming minutes of the entire series. The Sunnydale students has been portrayed has unaware, insensitive brutes and bitches for most of the show. For Buffy to have a moment in the spotlight and to be recognized, she gets that one perfect High School moment she talked about in Homecoming . And then to have her high school crush to give her closure with a slow dance to the song Wild Horses allows her the completion of a High School wish.
I think what made Angel show up was when Buffy made the off hand remark about " being over Buffy gets one perfect highschool moment." I think that drove it home how poor his timing was not waiting till after prom.
It's incredible to watch the great friendship between Buffy and Willow and realize in real life, they didn't get along. Great acting.
I was never on board with the Buffy Angel relationship. Was doomed to fail from the get go, for the precise reasons the Mayor and Joyce brought up.
For me its the "right now I'm just trying to keep from dying" it kills me every time. I think a lot of us have been in the position where looking at it objectively, and looking at the bigger picture we know something is the correct decision, but that doesn't take the pain away in the moment
When i was. kid, Joce;s words hurt, but I saw the reason." Now at almost 40, I'm cheering for Joyce... as a rule tbh.
I just adore how you talk about this show using terms like 'us', as if you are a part of the Scoobies and doing these things with them.
Synder was sent into the school to eliminate problems and keep worry down.
You aren't the only one who gets mushy when Giles goes dad mode. I grew up raised by my mother as a single parent but my uncle's did this kind of stuff for me.
Cass - are you gonna watch Angel when you start season 4 of Buffy?
"We are right back where we started."
Which means we haven't _lost_ anything. At worst, it was an effort that didn't pay off but didn't lose anything. And there are those pages which may still put us a bit ahead of where we were.
"Yes, thank you." And Charisma Carpenter has an absolutely gorgeous smile.
Oh and: "Buffy Summers, Class Protector" gets me misty every. single. time.
“Who are you going to the prom with now” lol that was my thought too
You also have to recognize that killing Faith will just activate another Slayer to further complicate things.
I love the finale episodes so much, some of my favourite of the whole show!
I do love this episode. So many little moments that represent the growth of the characters, both internally and between each other. Buffy getting the award will always be one of my favorite scenes. We get very few happy (episode) endings in the series; I’m glad they let us have this one and provided closure in some scenarios. I’m always bawling by the end.
Buffy's prom dress is fantastic.
I agree with you, Cass. As a younger person who watched the show when it aired, my heart ripped every time someone would point out that Buffy and Angels relationship was doomed. Watching it back as an adult, I understand that logic and am with Joyce now.
P.s. You might want to consider watching Buffy and Angel back to back after season 3. There are some cross over episodes that make more sense starting with season 4 if you watch how it aired on TV originally with Buffy first and then an episode of Angel after.
It would also align well with how you are watching two episodes at a time. It would just be one episode Buffy Season 4 and one episode Angel Season 1 and so on an so forth.
S3 is definitely one of the best seasons from the whole show. The arc of the show building up to Graduation Day is brilliantly handled. The part where they try to break in to steal The Box Of Gavrok is obviously a parody/homage to The Mission Impossible movie and adds some comedic relief to the episode. Willow is now really gaining real power, and this is great foreshadowing here. It was interesting to see Oz who is normally calm and collected in human form absolutely flip when Wesley was saying there should be no swap. Great interaction with Angel and The Mayor. Faith leaving the knife behind also very symbolic for the future. Graduation Day is a brilliant finale to come.
I feel like Wesley... ok, so he's annoying, because he seems to have a point to prove... but ultimately he is viewing it from the larger picture. He has no real connections to these people, so they are only as important to him as every other person. He wants to save the most people all the time. However, he hasn't dealt with the nuance of this particular group so he doesn't understand that they are capable of winning without sacrifice.
He's always got a valid point... but he has very little context. So while he believes he's seeing the Big Picture, his Big Picture is riddles with holes.
This is only the beginning. So many great things yet to come.
Tucker's an interesting character, but I think his brother really shined this episode
Can’t wait for you to start Angel Season 1 alongside Buffy Season 4 as they do have crossover episodes. I really love your reactions and all the insights along the way.
Used to watch Buffy with my niece & nephew, so this brings back some nice memories.😃
The funniest part of "The Prom," in my opinion, was Buffy willing to kill "every person on the face of the earth " just so her friends could have a fun prom. If she actually did that, there would be no prom to go to.
Season 3 was the best of buffy Great reaction
It's my 2nd to least favourite season 😂 some great episodes but overall wasn't great for me 😮
Definitely the best season. It starts to go downhill as of season 5, for me, though that one has a superb ending. I find 6 and 7 mostly unwatchable personally.
Both season 2 & 3 are the best imo. I personally prefer season 2 for it's emotional stakes & depth.
@@RossJr8604 - Yeah, season 2 is so iconic too (especially the Spike, Dru and bad Angel dynamic as villains). I think I dislike the gradual change in tone after seasons 2 and 3. Though the themes remain heavy, the tone starts to become too characterised by excessive, goofy comic relief. It begins to lose its darkness, just in my personal view.
@@s.leochapman417 I agree!
Are you reacting to angel tv show ?
Mayor to Faith: "You, on the other hand, can do better."
Cass: "Spike! Just kidding, she cannot have Spike. Absolutely not" 😂😂
30:22 he did not say that he didn't want his life to be with her. What he was saying is he didn't want her life to be with him. He said I don't to her comment. A subtle way of phrasing something can completely change the meaning
CHOICES
This episode really goes hard on setting up the Angel spin off through the truth of Buffy and Angel and their relationship. I love Snyder reaction to what he walks in on. But truth be told, why are they doing this in the school lol.
Him going "My girl" is not a sexual thing, he does actually see her in a fatherly way. Cordelia's big change here is given context that continues towards her character growth.
I do understand Wesley's point of view, they risk the deaths of many others for 1 person. I do find it ironic that he's suggesting Willow's life is worth the risk because he's married to Alysson Hannigan in real life.
The Mayor is human, he's made a pact but is still human so he did have a life with a love. Now his angle is using the truth to mess with them in a psychological warfare type way.
THE PROM
Standard episode with a few moments that stays a point in the show and is saved by the ending being cheesy.
"One night of Glory is all that we ask" haha any Buffy fans reading this comment give a like on the irony of that phrase.
It will be important at least for S4, S5 & S7 of Buffy to watch back to back with Angel S1, S2 & S4 due to the crossovers & story mentios. So basically Buffy S4 Episode 1 than Angel S1 Episode 1.
the thing that breaks me about the whole "Faith/Wilkins" dynamic is that its the inverse yet parallel to the Buffy/Giles dynamic. He is her father, he takes care of her, and most of all, he loves her. It's actually really sad cause its not like the Spike/Dru dynamic, cause they're people, they have souls.
regarding the Angel/Buffy thing, I am on Joyce's side, because if they didnt split up, we wouldnt have had my favourite TV show of all time.....Angel :)
I’m sat on a train for the next two hours and I was so bored so this came at the PERFECT time tytyty
I love when things work out like that!🙂
Xander being a hero when you least expect it, and he learned from the Zeppo, you don't need recognition for your good deeds. the people who matter will know.
On the contrary Faith with the Mayor is complete freedom. Freedom to kill without someone there to judge her. Freedom to not have to face the guilt. She feels far more free because The Mayor doesn't get "uppity" about how she does things. And its not an act. He truly does care for her. Villians in this show are way more complicated than you might suspect.
I've been waiting for you to get to The Prom. You reacted exactly how I expected. Pretty much the same way I did first time I saw it tbh. But when you start next season, you really need to add Angel to the schedule. Whether it be two separate videos or split the reaction into one episode each. Just a suggestion
Ooh, I kinda like the idea of one Buffy and 1 angel in one video reaction! Then the overlap will stand out more and we don't have to think back to past week etc.
@@samanthas8340 that was my thinking too
It'd honestly be so funny if you just said "I'm not going to even watch Angel" and just carried on with the Buffy reactions! Not that I think you shouldn't watch it, but I'm wondering how you'd do your regular two episodes per video if you did. I personally hope you do one episode of each, as the watch order guides can get a bit silly sometimes.
Exactly, it would be awesome if she watched them in pairs the way they aired originally.
I watched them simultaneously when they first aired back in the day and have watched reactions following the convoluted reactions order.
I still feel that watching one of each each week is the best and easiest way to watch them... as they were designed.
@@TimSeraphiel Yep, and followed by an episode of Scrubs if you were watching on Sky One!
So excited for the last two episodes and your typical recap and ranking of the season!
An excellent pair of episodes. Damn, the second half of season 3 really rips. Can't WAIT to see what you think next week :D
Please please please watch angel as well when you start season 4 of buffy you won't be disappointed, please watch the angel tv show aswell xxx love the reactions
noooo the mayor does love his daughter (Faith) 😭😭😭
Yeah so Angel S1 and Buffy S4 happen at the same time, and there are actual lists online to find out which episodes to watch in what order because of a character going on the other show for an episode and stuff like that.
If you watch episode one of Angel, be sure to not look at the opening credits!
The Prom is definitely a wonderful episode and often forgotten in discussions of best episodes.
Knowing that you've already watched the last two episodes of the season, you now have a choice to make:
Will you watch ANGEL alongside BTVS or not? The show has a bit of a different (more mature?) feel to it and it definitely has its highs and lows, but it's worth checking out because there are some rather important (and some completely unimportant) crossover episodes. The best way to watch both shows is probably sticking to the SlayAlive watch order. Switching back and forth between shows can take you a bit out of it, but on the other hand some storylines just work best when watched in that correct chronological way. I really think your format of combining two episode reactions in one RUclips video could make for some interesting content because sometimes it would mean two episodes from different shows. I don't recall having ever seen that online.
As for your question about who's side we're on: I just can't side with anyone who's trying to mess with other people's relationships, no matter how good the intention. Terrible tragedies have come from those good intentions.
Okay. Let's say Joyce told Buffy to break up with Angel. Do you think Buffy would listen? No. The Mayor, as much of a scoundrel as he is, lays down the truth about a relationship between a mortal and an immortal. Should Buffy and Angel ignore that and give in to their storybook romance or deal with reality (Angelus is still a timebomb)?
@@Madbandit77 It's really their choice. What's true for one relationship doesn't have to be true for any other. They both know there's pain ahead. Most relationships end in pain. The question is how much love and joy you can feel until then. Either way: Their choice.
@@TheRealGSmith That I can agree with.