Doomed

Reviewed By: Adam Bardwell

Rating: 6/10

This episode really brings home the fact that Buffy has lost its consistency that it had in season 3. This episode really is been-there-seen-that material. Its reasonable but only a shadow of the previous episode "Hush". That episode was so good that it was always going to be impossible to match its quality with the next episode but this falls so short of that standard. In some ways this episode set itself up for comparison with the previous episode for it ones with an extension of the final scene of "Hush" creating the impression that the episodes are going to be connected (and catching people out who were trying to edit out the recap - grrrr!).

The premise here is yet another end of the world, Armageddon affair. To be fair it is written in a 'oh not again' manner which shows that the writers no that they are rehashing old episodes. This does deflate the clichédness of the episode slightly. One of the problems, however, is the ease at which Armageddon is almost caused and then stopped. You would have though demons would have performed the Armageddon ritual long ago if it is really that easy! The demons didn't even seem to have to finish the ritual before they could cause the Hellmouth to reopen for Buffy disrupted them and still they sacrificed themselves (or tried to).

The remainder of the episode is basically made up of long scenes between Buffy and Riley arguing over whether or not they can be together. Riley says yes, Buffy no because its too dangerous and it will only end in pain. This scenes are welled played out but become quite repetitive and the argument is never really resolved - they just kiss at the end. Although Buffy seems to argue that she wanted a regular guy having someone who can look after himself in the face of the forces of darkness would take away a lot of the worry she would face if she was with regular Joe so I didn't find her argument very convincing. However, her pessimism is understandable after her previous experience with the pain Angel / Angelus brought her and of course there was 'poo head' Parker. I'm not that keen on Riley but they seem like a logical couple and I think Buffy deserves some happiness so I'm glad that they basically decided to give it a go at the end of the episode although some dialogue to that effect would have been nice.

Spike had a pretty good episode. I can think of far easier ways to dust herself that falling on a stake, however, like going into the sunlight. The revelation that he can hurt demons was necessary for without it he would have ultimately committed suicide. This revelation does fly in the face of his inability to fight in "Something Blue" but does now allow Spike to be potentially useful. Of course his discovery that he can still be violent also had comedy value; "I'm back and I'm a bloody animal!". His keenness to fight evil is ironic and its a pity in some ways that he couldn't have kept it up. As his higher priority to violence, getting his clip removed, did not pan out in "Primeval" maybe he will return to being useful next season.

Percy West, the dumb basketball jock Willow successfully tutored last season, makes a cameo appearance. He calls her a nerd when he thinks she can't hear him. Willows reaction shows how worried she is about her image and the way perceived. Linking this with her dream in "Restless" it is clear that she is worried that she is really still a geek like in season 1 and that she is living a lie. Like the revelation that Cordelia knows she's a bad actress (in the Angel episode "Parting Gifts") this is bound to be a new layer to the character which will resurface in the future.

Great Buffy Moment: Spike wanting to kick some demon butt at the end ("C'mon! Vampires! Grr! Let's annihilate them! For justice. And for the safety of.....puppies. And Christmas. Right?")