Back to Sunnydale

OK life has gotten in the way, so last week's Buffy review comes late, but better late than never as they say. Continuing with my recaps of season 3, I present my thoughts on "Dead Man's party" Episode 2.

Plot: Buffy returns, but not everything's back to normal. Principal Snyder is hellbent on keeping her out of school, while Joyce and the gang are having a tough time dealing with the emotional scars from Buffy running away. Joyce brings home a Nigerian mask from the gallery, unbeknownst to her it has the power to raise the dead.

Comments: This was another rocking ep of TV's best episodic series. Assuming I'm not spoiling much for you, or you would not be reading this blog if you weren't a bit curious, the best line in the entire show belongs to Xander when admonishing Buffy for her going AWOL and putting her family and friends through hell he says, "Buffy you can't just bury stuff, it'll come back to get you"

cut to a group of zombies raising from their graves. In yet another masterful intertwining of comedy, drama and B-movie style horror, the writers sublimely balance Buffy's pals having to deal with the pain of her self imposed exile, following the events of the second season cliffhanger, with the bizarre supernatural goings on of the Hellmouth which have become common place for regular viewers of the show by this point.

Clearly, Buffy hasn't come to terms with all that's gone on, but her friends don't give her a chance as they throw her a rocking party which soon resembles a George Romero flick. The scene between Willow and Buffy is fantastic as Willow reveals how hurt she is that her best friend wasn't around to help her deal with "scary life stuff" This had always been one of the show's strengths, zombies are scary enough, but dealing with day to day issues can be equally horrific and this show always used metaphor with cinematic zeal to pack an emotional whalop.

Great stuff. Get the DVD!!