Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Three (1998-99)
Season One Review
Season Two Review
When we last saw the Scoobies...
After sending the barely reformed Angel to Hell, avoiding another Apocalypse, Buffy left Sunnydale without telling anyone since her mom kicked her out. Xander and Cordelia were inexplicably together, and Willow was all hooked up with Oz.
All synopsis' are culled from the Episode Guide booklet included in the Chosen Collection, which sometimes leads to misleading plot details. If the synopsis is a bit off, I'll make mention of it. Any numbers contained by brackets are the totals for the series. I am abandoning the Victims Turned count since pretty much every vampire that rises is a victim that was turned, we just didn't see it happen. If you need a slight overview, check out my Season One preamble.
The Regular Cast
Sarah Michelle Gellar .... Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon .... Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan .... Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter .... Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz .... Angel
Anthony Stewart Head .... Rupert Giles
Seth Green .... Oz
Episode 1 (35): Anne Airdate: 9/29/98
Guest Stars: Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Julia Lee (Lily), Carlos Jacott (Ken), Mary-Pat Green (Blood Bank Doctor), Chad Todhunter (Ricky), Larry Bagby (Larry Blaisdell)
Bronze Band: Belly Love
Synopsis: Still not knowing where Buffy is, the rest of the gan returns to school. When Buffy, who is living under an assumed identity is recognized in a diner, she begins her fight to return home from the Netherworld she has fallen into. Carlos Jacott would later go on to become one of only four actors to appear in every Joss Whedon TV series to date (Buffy, Angel, Firefly).
Running Counts: Vampire Deaths (VD) - 1 (56)
Overall Rating: 7 / 10
Episode 2 (36): Dead Man's Party Airdate: 10/6/98
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Nancy Lenehan (Pat), Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder), Danny Strong (Jonathan Levinson), Jason Hall (Devon MacLeish)
Synopsis: Buffy returns home, only to find that Principal Snyder won't let her back in school, Willow seems to be ignoring her and her mother is thinking of sending her to a private girls' school. It isn't until Buffy saves them all from an invasion of zombies that things get back to "normal". If someone held a knife to my throat and asked me to make a Top Three list of Sunnydale High Principals, I'd have to go with Snyder at the top. Not for effeciency or ability, just for sheer entertainment value, something that will become awesomely apparent in four episodes time.
Running Counts: VD - 1 (57)
Overall Rating: 6.2 / 10
Episode 3 (37): Faith, Hope & Trick Airdate: 10/13/98
First Appearances: Faith (Eliza Dushku), Trick (K. Todd Freeman), Scott Hope (Fab Filippo)
Bronze Band: Darling Violetta
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Shimerman, Dushku, Freeman, Filippo, Jeremy Roberts (Kakistos)
Synopsis: There's a new slayer in town, named Faith, and she's moving in on Buffy's territory. But Faith and Buffy soon join forces when they are threatened by Kakistos, Mr. Trick and a bunch of vampires. K. Todd Freeman can be a good actor, he just didn't ever seem to ever adapt to the Whedon-esque way of doing things. His performances always struck me as a little too over the top, threatening to change the show into a farce. Also, is Angel back from Hell now?
Running Counts: VD - 6 (63)
Overall Rating: 6.6 / 10
Episode 4 (38): Beauty and the Beasts Airdate: 10/20/98
Guest Stars: Dushku, Filippo, John Patrick White (Pete Clarner), Danielle Weeks (Debbie Foley), Phill Lewis (Mr. Platt)
Synopsis: When Willow lets Xander watch Oz, who is in full werewolf form and locked in the library, things get a little hairy. Xander falls asleep on duty and a friend of Oz's is found mauled. Did Oz do it... or did Angel, who's back and in a feral state? Thankfully they redid the werewolf makeup on Oz, making him look less mock-worthy.
Overall Rating: 7.4 / 10
Episode 5 (39): Homecoming Airdate: 11/3/98
First Appearances: Mayor Richard Wilkins (Harry Groener), Deputy Mayor Allan Finch (Jack Plotnick)
Guest Stars: Freeman, Jeremy Ratchford (Lyle Gorch), Filippo, Ian Abercrombie (Old Man), Groener, Dushku, Strong, Hall
Synopsis: School's ending and everyone's under pressure. Buffy misses getting her yearbook picture taken, then challenges Cordelia in the run for homecoming Queen. Scott breaks up with Buffy. Willow and Xander share a passionate kiss and Mr. Trick kicks off "Slayerfest 98." Mr. Pitt (Abercrombie) from Seinfeld is in this ep! Also, Lyle Gorch returns! Super fun episode all around, with the Buffy / Cordy mni-war being the highlight. Well, almost the highlight actually, as that honour goes to Giles' fake-out with the "We have to find Buffy, something terrible has happened.... just kidding!" line.
Running Counts: VD - 1 (64)
Overall Rating: 9 / 10
Episode 6 (40): Band Candy Airdate: 11/10/98
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Groener, Freeman, Robin Sachs (Ethan Rayne), Shimerman, Hall
Synopsis: As Buffy stresses over her SATs, Principal Snyder enlists the students to sell candy to raise money for the band's new uniforms. Everyone knows kids love candy, but what these chocolate bars do to the adults of Sunnydale is anything but sweet. Probably one of the funnest Buffy episodes in the entire show's run. Shimerman absolutely steals the show throughout, and Joyce and Giles are later revealed to have had sex... on top of a car... twice! Ethan Rayne would be up there on a list of recurring Buffyverse bumbling villains.
Running Counts: VD - 4 (68), Vampire Victims (VV) - 1 (29)
Overall Rating: 7.2 / 10
Episode 7 (41): Revelations Airdate: 11/17/98
Guest Stars: Dushku, Serena Scott Thomas (Gwendolyn Post), Hall
Synopsis: Faith's new Watcher arrives and brings distressing news: she's been sent to report on Giles' performance and a demon named Lagos is coming to Sunnydale in search of the Glove of Myhnegon. Things get worse when Giles finds out that Angel is back... and that he has the Glove. A show that may not seem very integral in the overall season arc, but it allows for the reintroduction of Angel to the rest of the Scoobies, as well as laying the seeds for Faith's further seperating from the core group.
Running Counts: VD - 2 (70)
Overall Rating: 7 / 10
Episode 8 (42): Lover's Walk Airdate: 11/24/98
Guest Stars: James Marsters (Spike), Sutherland, Groener, Plotnick
Synopsis: Love casts its magic spell and leaves a trail of broken hearts in Sunnydale. Spike blames Angel and Buffy when Drusilla breaks up with him. Cordelia and Oz catch Xander and Willow kissing, and Buffy decides it's time she stops seeing Angel. The fantastic drunken return of Spike, all because Dru broke up with him. As Spike tells it: "I caught her one night on a park bench making out with a Chaos Demon. Have you ever seen a Chaos Demon? They're all slime and antlers, there're disgusting." In a later season, we'd finally get the payoff of seeing that awesomely disgusting Chaos Demon.
Running Counts: VD - 4 (74), VV - 1 (30)
Overall Rating: 9 / 10
Episode 9 (43): The Wish Airdate: 12/8/98
First Appearance: Anyanka/Anya (Emma Caulfield)
Guest Stars: Caulfield, Mark Metcalf (The Master), Bagby, Mercedes McNab (Harmony), Strong
Synopsis: Cordelia finds out you must be careful what you wish for. When she tells her new friend Anya that Buffy is to blame for all her problems, Cordelia unleashes a demon that only Buffy can save her from. What doesn't this episode have? Well besides cast members spontaneously breaking out into song (have to wait for Season Six for that), it has alternate universe versions of all the Scoobies, and foreshadows a few future plot twists and character developments. Plus, my favourite Buffy character of all time makes her first appearance!
Running Counts: VD 1 - (75) ... all alternate reality vampire kills and victims don't count
Overall Rating: 8.8 / 10
Episode 10 (44): Amends Airdate: 12/15/98
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Dushku, Saverio Guerra (Willy the Snitch), Shane Barach (Daniel), Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar), Edward Edwards (Male Ghost), Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy (Margaret)
Synopsis: The Christmas spirit is dead in Sunnydale. Buffy, Giles and the gang's research into why Angel has been sent back to Earth, leads them to "The First Evil" and the first snow Sunnydale has ever seen. Meanwhile, Willow and Oz decide to give their relationship another shot. The First Evil and the Bringers will play a big part in about four seaons time, but right now it definitely seems like they're a bit of a throwaway villain team.
Running Counts: VV - 2 (32)
Overall Rating: 5.8 / 10
Episode 11 (45): Gingerbread Airdate: 1/12/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Groener, Shimerman, Elizabeth Anne Allen (Amy "the Witch" Madison), Jordan Baker (Shelia Rosenberg)
Synopsis: When two young children are found dead, the whole town rallies together and blames the death on witchcraft. When witch paraphernalia is found in Willow's locker, no one believes it was for a special birthday present she was preparing for Buffy. The first and only appearance of Willow's mom, as well as the last time we get to see the lovely Elizabeth Anne Allen for an extended period as a human being, since she turns herself into a rat in this ep to escape the crazy townsfolk.
Running Counts: VD - 1 (76)
Overall Rating: 7.2 / 10
Episode 12 (46): Helpless Airdate: 1/19/99
First Appearance: Quentin Travers (Harris Yulin)
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Yulin, Jeff Kober (Zackary Kralik)
Synopsis: As Buffy's 18th birthday approaches, she begins losing her powers. When she finds out from Giles that it is a test that she must pass at this age, she feels betrayed by him. As she struggles to regain her powers, Giles is fired for not being an impartial Watcher. Jeff Kober would later return to the show in season 6 as Rack, and was apparently in the season premiere of 24's fifth day.
Running Counts: VD - 3 (79), VV - 2 (34)
Overall Rating: 5 / 10
Episode 13 (47): The Zeppo Airdate: 1/26/99
Guest Stars: Dushku, Guerra, Channon Roe (Jack O'Toole), Michael Cudlitz (Bob)
Synopsis: Is Xander losing his cool? When a series of incidents lead Cordelia to remark that he is useless compared to his friends, who are Slayers and werewolves, Xander sets out to prove her wrong. But joining a gang and fooling around with Faith might get him into more trouble than ever. Great, fantastically funny ep that showcases just how much little stuff Xander actually does, including inadvertantly saving the Scoobies and possibly the world. Also, he loses his virginity to Faith in this one.
Overall Rating: 9 / 10
Episode 14 (48): Bad Girls Airdate: 2/9/99
First Appearance: Wesley Wyndam-Pryce (Alexis Denisof)
Guest Stars: Dushku, Groener, Freeman, Sutherland, Denisof, Plotnick, Christian Clemenson (Balthazar)
Synopsis: Mr. Trick brings the swords of El Eliminati vampires to Mayor Wilkins, who doesn't want anything to get in the way of the upcoming "dedication." But Buffy and Faith are determined to eliminate the Eliminati and nothing will stop them. Finally, Wesley makes his first appearance. Watch how much his character grows from this first bumbling appearance to the final season of Angel. Truly one of the Buffyverse's greatest character creations. DEATH: Deputy Mayor Allan Finch, staked by Faith, even though he wasn't actually a vampire.
Running Counts: VD - 10 (89)
Overall Rating: 7 / 10
Episode 15 (49): Consequences Airdate: 2/16/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Dushku, Groener, Denisof, Freeman, Plotnick, James MacDonald (Det. Stein)
Synopsis: Even though Giles thinks it's a waste of time, new Watcher Wesley orders Faith and Buffy to investigate the murder of Finch. With everyone, including the police questioning them, Buffy and Faith soon find themselves arguing over whether to tell the truth about their involvement. STAKED: Mr. Trick finally meets his end.
Running Counts: VD - 3 (92)
Overall Rating: 6.6 / 10
Episode 16 (50): Doppelgangland Airdate: 2/23/99
First Appearances: D'Hoffryn (Andy Umberger), Percy West (Ethan Erickson)
Guest Stars: Caulfield, Groener, Dushku, Denisof, Shimerman, Erickson, Hall
Bronze Band: K's Choice
Synopsis: Doomed to live life as a mortal since her amulet was destroyed by Buffy and the gang, Anya begs with a demon to get her powers back. When she approaches Willow for help, Willow agrees, hoping to shed her reputation as "Old Reliable." Funtastic episode, one which drops many hints to future character developments in regards to Willow's sexual orientation, as well as the second appearance of Anya, & the first appearance of the always funny D'Hoffryn.
Running Counts: VD - 4 (96), VV - 1 (35)
Overall Rating: 9 / 10
Episode 17 (51): Enemies Airdate: 3/16/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Dushku,Groener, Denisof, Michael Manasseri (Demon), Gary Bullock (Shrouded Man)
Synopsis: A demon offers to sell Buffy and Faith the Books of Ascension but Faith, acting on behalf of the Mayor and defying Buffy, kills the demon and steals the books. When Angel refuses to help Faith, the Mayor enlists a shrouded demon to rob Angel of his soul. Pretty suspenseful episode, with the highlight being Angel punching out Xander. "Guy bugs me."
Overall Rating: 6.4 / 10
Episode 18 (52): Earshot Airdate: 9/21/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Denisof, Erickson, Strong, Bagby, Wendy Worthington (The Lunch Lady)
Synopsis: After a vicious fight with a couple of demons, glowing demon ooze seeps into Buffy's skin. At first she is not pleased to learn what has happened... until she starts to have fun with her newfound powers. Kinda funny, but also deadly serious, as the week before this ep was originally supposed to air, the Columbine shootings occurred. Just bad luck and bad timing, so the show featuring Jonathan in the watchtower with a gun, as well as a plotline involving killing the student body, had to be shelved until September. When the mastermind is revealed though, hilarity results.
Overall Rating: 7.4 / 10
Episode 19 (53): Choices Airdate: 5/4/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Dushku, Groener, Denisof, Shimerman
Synopsis: Even though Buffy's been accepted by Northwestern University, it is obvious to everyone but her and her mother that she cannot leave Sunnydale. When Wesley tells her she can't leave, Buffy decides to launch an offensive against the Mayor, instead of waiting for the Ascension.
Running Counts: VD - 4 (100)
Overall Rating: 6.4 / 10
Episode 20 (54): The Prom Airdate: 5/11/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Caulfield, Denisof, Strong, Brad Kane (Tucker Wells)
Synopsis: The only thing more worrying than finding a date for the dance is whether or not the students are safe from the Hell Hounds, who have been unleashed by a kid in Oz's chemistry lab. Even though Angel breaks up with Buffy, he shows up at the prom to share her big night with her. When Jonathan delivers his speech at the prom, thanking Buffy for all the stuff nobody talks about, it's ... it's tear-inducing, I gotta tell ya.
Running Counts: VD - 1 (101)
Overall Rating: 7.6 / 10
Episode 21 (55): Graduation Day: Part 1 Airdate: 5/18/99
Guest Stars: Sutherland, Caulfield, Groener, Dushku, Shimerman, McNab, Erickson
Synopsis: As the gang prepares for graduation, they continue to search for a way to stop the Mayor's Ascension. As they dig for answers, Angel gets shot by Faith with a poison arrow and the only cure for him is draining Faith's blood, which would kill her. Actually, the cure is draining a Slayer's blood, which comes into play the next episode. It must have been maddening to watch this as a first-run show, as the time between part one and two is almost two months.
Overall Rating: 7.8 / 10
Episode 22: Graduation Day: Part 2 Airdate: 7/13/99
Guest Stars: Dushku, Groener, Shimerman, Denisof, Bagby, Strong, McNab, Erickson
Synopsis: When the Mayor finds out about Faith, he sends his henchmen after Buffy, who runs to get Angel and offers him some of her own blood to save him. Then Buffy, armed with Faith's knife, joins the rest of the students for graduation, which turns into a ceremony that no one will ever forget. DEATHS: Principal Snyder is eaten by the Mayor, Larry is killed, and the Mayor is blown up by the Scoobies. TURNED: Harmony gets bit by a vamp, and apparently turned. The Scoobies survived high school, but will lose two of their members as both Angel and Cordelia depart for Los Angeles for unrelated reasons.
Running Counts: VD - 7 (108), VV - 1 (36) .. that's all the ones that I saw, even though there were plenty more
Overall Rating: 7.8 / 10
The Verdict
Many events in this season will come back to haunt the characters further down the road, both on Angel and the remaining four seasons of Buffy. A good slow burning season, with exciting new characters and a charismatic Big Bad, all adds up to a pretty damn good package.
Average for the 3rd Season: 7.32 / 10
My Top Five Favourite Episodes of Season Three
5. Lovers Walk (Ep 8) - This season's only appearance of Spike. His actions lead to Xander and Cordy breaking up, as well as Oz and Willow almost breaking up. Not to mention the fight scene with Buffy, Angel and Spike involved in.
4. The Wish (Ep 9) - A horrifying glimpse into what Sunnydale would've been like had Buffy not arrived when she did. Giles gets off one of the best lines in the history of the series: "I have to believe in a better world."
3. Dopplegangland (Ep 16) - A remnant from the alternate universe that was created by Anya in The Wish is brought into the real Sunnydale, thanks to Willow's bumbling witchcraft. Willow's attempts at impersonating the vamp Willow are quite hilarious.
2. The Zeppo (Ep 13) - Second funniest episode of the season, as Xander gets the spotlight for once, and the rest of the cast tries to save the world while pretty much shuffling him off to be safe. Ironically, Xander gets to save the day, unbeknownest to any of the other Scoobies.
1. Band Candy (Ep 6) - Nothing is funnier than watching Principal Snyder act like a child, and pulling it off so perfectly. Plus, Ethan Rayne's in the episode, as well as Giles acting like a Brit-punk, Joyce acting like an airhead teenager, and Buffy's horrible driving skills.