"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Graduation Day: Part 1 (1999)

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Joss Whedon (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

18 May 1999 (Season 3, Episode 21)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

The gang seeks a cure for Angel, who has been shot by Faith with a poison arrow. Meanwhile they try to find a way to stop the Mayor's Ascension and Buffy has a showdown with Faith.

Plot Keywords:

Crossbow | Bed | Female Protagonist | Sick Bed | Kissing

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Seth Green	...	Oz
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Kristine Sutherland	...	Joyce Summers
Harry Groener	...	Mayor Richard Wilkins
Alexis Denisof	...	Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Mercedes McNab	...	Harmony Kendall
Ethan Erickson	...	Percy West
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Eliza Dushku	...	Faith
Armin Shimerman	...	Principal Snyder

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the fight in Faith's apartment, you can see over the top of the set at 37:49 (very briefly), 38:15 and 38:43.

Quotes:

Buffy: Okay, ready?
Angel: Yeah.
Buffy: On 3. 1...
[pulls out arrow]
Angel: Ahh. I knew you were gonna do that.
Giles: Not too much blood here.
Angel: I heal pretty fast. I should be all right.
Buffy: I'm just glad Faith's such a suck shot.
Giles: We're sure it was her?
Buffy: Well, I've narrowed down my list of one suspect.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Jaws (1975)

Soundtrack:

Sunday Mail

The first half of the season finale

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This is the first half of the season finale. The Mayor's Accsenssion is all set to take place during Sunnydale High's graduation and Faith has a plan to distract the Scoobies by poisoning Angel. This is one of the most important episodes of the season, with a showdown between Faith and Buffy, Angel nearly dying and Anya giving the gang some important new information about the Mayor. Honestly, "Graduation Day" isn't my favorite season finale, but if you're gonna see any part of the season, you shouldn't skip it.

The Mayor's Assencession is drawing near and in order to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch, he sends Faith to kill a vulcanologist. It seems that he's only invincible when he's in human form. Once he becomes a demon, he'll be kill-able again. Meanwhile, it turns out that Anya has seen a thing or two in her 1120 years. Specifically, she's seen an Asscenssion. She tells the gang everything she know, and they try to come up with a plan to stop the Mayor. Who, as it turns out, is the speaker at the Sunnydale graduation ceremony.

The Mayor has a plan of his own. In order to keep Buffy occupied, he has Faith shoot Angel with a poisoned arrow. Angel is dying and only the blood of a Slayer can save him. Buffy decides to kill Faith and give her blood to Angel so he'll recover. She tracks Faith down and they have a long battle. Faith finally gets stabbed in the stomach and falls off the roof of her apartment building. The Mayor, learning of the fight, rushes to find Faith, while Buffy heads back to Angel's.

There's a lot to like about this episode. I love the Mayor finally confronting the Scoobies in the library. His taunts, Giles stabbing him, Oz stepping in front of Willow, it's all great. And I really like Angel getting shot. Not that I want to see Angel get hurt, but it does lead to some very cool scenes. Angel gripping Willow's hand, thinking that she's Buffy, and professing his love is pretty funny. And Faith and Mayor's conversation is really interesting. They start out discussing the shooting, but they wind-up talking about Faith's childhood and how much they've come to care for each other. I love them together. Wes is also great in this episode. He's just amazed that Buffy would quit the Council. Of course, he's about to be fired from it himself. And he may have tried to save Angel in "Graduation Day Part One", but within a few years he'll be willing to sacrifice Faith himself to keep Angel safe. So, this is kind of an indication of things to come for Wes.

On the downside, shouldn't the Mayor have investigated that poison and the cure a little bit better before giving it to Faith? Poisioning Angel with a drug that's only cure is the blood of a Slayer is just not a great plan.

My favorite part of the episode: The Mayor buying Faith a new dress for the Accsenssion. "If any boys manage to survive, they'll be lining up to ask you out."