Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 5 (Box Set 2) [1998]

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James Marsters takes Spike to the next level in Season Five, 2006-03-13
Because "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was a mid-season replacement on the WB there were only 12 episodes that first season instead of the full slate of 22. That meant when the show ended its fifth and final season on the WB the last episode would be number 100 for the series and since the fate of the show was uncertain, creator Joss Whedon had to make sure that if "Buffy" did not find a new home that there would be a big finish. That he certainly provided, but as I watched the second half of Season Five (Episodes 12-22) again, what struck me is how many of the best moments have to do with Spike. Specifically I am thinking of when Spike tells the "Buffybot" why he would not betray Buffy and a couple of moments in the final episode: when Willow tells Spike to "go" and he does without a second thought, the look of horror on his face when he realizes he has failed Dawn, and when he is the one who totally breaks down at what happens to Buffy. The show took a character who was basically Billy Idol with fangs, put a chip in his head so that he was effectively neutered when it came to humans like Buffy and the Scoobies, and inspired by what happened in "Something Blue," decided to have William the Bloody fall in love with the Slayer. But it was James Marsters who took that character and made him so memorable that Spike still has a calendar and Angel does not. The big story arc is Glory's relentless search for the Key, but watch these episodes again and notice how often Spike becomes the focus of your attention:

Episode 12, "Checkpoint" (Written by Douglas Petrie & Jane Espenson, First aired January 23, 2001) has Buffy and the gang going up against the Watchers Council. Quentin Travers has information about Glory, but insists the Slayer and her friends undergo a review first, which does not go well (although Willow declaring Tara is her "lesbian-gay-type lover" is awfully cute). At least Buffy finally gets to find out that Glory is not a demon (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 13, "Blood Ties" (Written by Steven S. DeKnight, February 6, 2001), finds Dawn hanging with Spike and reading in a Giles' journal that she is the Key. If that was not bad enough, Ben learns that Dawn is the Key, right before he turns into Glory. This just cannot be good (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 14, "Crush" (Written by David Fury, February 13, 2001), is what Spike has on Buffy and dressing up Harmony as the Slayer is just not cutting it. Then Drusilla shows up in a forgiving vein and when she knocks out Buffy, Spike knocks on Dru so that he can offer to kill her to prove his love for Buffy. Not that Harmony likes any of this (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 15, "I Was Made to Love You" (Written by Espenson, February 20, 2001), has a strange girl name April looking all over town for some guy named Warren. It turns Warren made April, who is a robot, to be the perfect girlfriend. Apparently there is such a thing as too perfect (4 Stakes).

Episode 16, "The Body" (Written & Directed by Joss Whedon, February 27, 2001), Buffy comes home and finds Joyce dead. After Joss received an Emmy nomination for writing "Hush" we figured there would be a second one for this episode. He did not get that, but the bigger insult might be not getting a directing nomination (5 Stakes).

Episode 17, "Forever" (Written & Directed by Marti Noxon, April 17, 2001), is how long Joyce will be dead and a grief stricken Dawn cannot take it. So she does a spell to bring Joyce back from the dead (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 18, "Intervention" (Written by Espenson, April 24, 2001), is what is called for when Xander and Anya see Buffy boinking Spike. The only thing is that Buffy is out communing with the First Slayer (Buffy's gift is death apparently). It seems Spike got Warren to create the Buffybot, which provides Sarah Michelle Gellar's funniest moments in the entire series. But before Buffy can kill Spike it seems Glory will beat the Slayer to it because she thinks Spike knows who is the Key (5 Strakes).

Episode 19, "Tough Love" (Written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner, May 1, 2001), finds Buffy quitting college to look after Dawn. But then Glory drains Tara's brains, turning her insane, and Willow goes off to take revenge against the god. Then things get really bad as Glory finally learns that Dawn is the key (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 20, "Spiral" (Written by DeNight, May 8, 2001), has Buffy getting Dawn and everybody else out of town to try and save the Key from Glory. But then the Knights of Byzantium, sworn to destroy the key, attack the Winnebago carrying everybody, and Buffy and the gang have to hold up in an abandoned gas station. Giles is seriously wounded, so Buffy calls Ben, not knowing that she has invited Glory's host past Willow's mystic defenses (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 21, "The Weight of the World" (Written by Petrie, May 15, 2001), finds Buffy has gone off the deep end and is in a catatonic state. Willow takes charge and gets everybody back to Sunnydale, where she enters Buffy's mind to make sense of the circular dream images that Buffy shows her. Meanwhile, Glory plans to use Dawn's blood to open up the doors between the hell dimensions (4.5 Stakes).

Episode 22, "The Gift" (Written & Directed by Whedon, May 22, 2001), begins with a reaffirmative that Buffy is not "just a girl." If Dawn's blood is spilled, Hell will be unleashed on Earth and the only way to stop it is to kill Dawn. But Buffy did that with Angel and she refuses to do it with her sister. Glory is going to enact the ritual atop a giant scaffolding constructed by her minions, and Buffy leads an all-out attack on Glory. Although they defeat glory, it is too late, and the demons are coming to make Earth their home (5 Stakes).

'Out. For. A. Walk... ', 2003-09-09
The first half of this season had a lot of clearing up to do. It had to restablish a darker tone, theme and story arch following season four, it had t ointroduce Dawn and, most importantly devote time to getting rid of Riley. As a result it was slow getting going. Thankfully all the plots, subplots and even two year old prophetic dreams are excellently tied up by the great finale 'The Gift'. It all makes perfect sese in the end.
Buffy's slayer destiny is well explored, as are the origins of Dawn, Glory and Ben. This half of the season also sees the emergence of James Marsters as far more than a bit part support player.
The highlight is 'The Body' a briliantly directed, acted, and written departure for the show. There's not a stake in sight as the Scoobies suffer various forms of grief after Joyce's death. It's harrowing, coldly devoid of incidental music and almost claustrophobic in it's awkward realism. A meditative, excellently put together piece of television that's probably too smart for those misconceived people who can't get past the name of the show.
Other highlights include 'Spiral', probably the best action-centric show they have produced, 'Intervention', featuring a great performance by James Marsters, 'Tough Love', likewise Alyson Hannigan (wasted on pies; American) and 'Forever' featuring David Boreanaz.
It's not all great, obviously we should't be attributing God like infallibility to Joss Whedon just yet. Occasionally the pace is sluggish, the Knights of Byzantium are a bore (and look faintly ridiculous; who wouldn't notice hundreds of Monty Python extras in Southern California?) Nicholas Brendon is given no where near enough to do, and you never really think that Glory is scared enough of the 'Gang to be a threatening presence.
On the whole, a very well told story that should have been the way it all ended ridding us of the awful season six.