Pangs

Reviewed By Adam Bardwell

Rating: 7.5/10

This is the first appearance of Angel in a Buffy since he left in "Graduation Day Pt. 2" and so if the first cross-over involving a lead character. However, Angel is not at the heart of this episode, it is actually a Thanksgivings episode dealing with the spirit of the indigenous peoples wanting revenge, and Angel seems a bit surplus to requirement - Buffy's been in worse situations and Angel hasn't come to helper. Buffy and Angel don't even get to exchange a sentences and as a result the episode is a disappointment. However, without this set up we wouldn't have had the brilliant Angel episode, "I Will Remember You", where Buffy comes to L.A. to complain about Angels actions.

The main question of the episode is whether Thanksgiving is a sham (with yams!) or not. It also has a killed or be killed element to it. This was interesting material. I can't really relate to Thanksgiving being British but the whole issue of history being based on conquest which met brutal treatment of the indigenous peoples is relevant everyone. I'm with Willow in that I think we shouldn't forget the less than pleasant aspects of our history. However, I think her judgement was clouded - the spirit was killing and giving Xander syphilis (what is it with this show and syphilis?) - and the gang needed to stop it, no question. Although all these issues are intriguing they weren't really resolved that satisfactorily. A better more powerful example of a killed or be killed story can be found in the ST:DS9 episode, "Rocks and Shoals" (I try to stay in the Buffy universe in my reviews but this episode is a personnel favourite and needed a mention).

This episode has some good humour, as Espenson's scripts so often do. A particular favourite of mine is Willows; "I happen to think that mine is the level head and yours is the one that things would roll off of". As a Brit. I also appreciated Giles line; Always behind on the terms. Still trying not to refer to you lot as bloody colonials!". However, it is Spike you steals every scene with his usual top quality comedy values. I liked his reaction to Buffy making a bear but the whole battle scene with him tied up was brilliant. It was good the Spike wasn't just used for comedy - you felt sorry for him when he is stumbling about with the holy blanket looking for somewhere to go, to belong and of course blood.

There are two moments in this episode which seem very inspired by different features. The first is the scene with Xander falling into the lost mission and looking up which is reminiscent of a scene from The X-Files movie. The second scene is Xander, Willow and Anya on stolen bikes. It remedied me of ET - the music indicated that this was intentional. Both moments are more homage's than parodies.

Anya and Xander's relationship returns here and it still seems to be based on little more than physical attraction and sex. This is shown by Anya's desire to see Xander dig (and ripple!). She still doesn't see herself as Xander's girlfriend. However, there are signs that they are becoming closer as she shows by not minding the risk of catching one of Xander's various aliments saying that dying together would be romantic (so she as heard of the word! Ah I was forgetting their romantic plans in "Who You Are"!). Current rumours are suggesting that we are going to see more conflict between these two over the issue of Anya's vengeance past. This is hinted at here and hopefully this will be foreshadowing for later episodes (if its not it should be for the gang seem to have forgotten Anya's dark past although from "Restless" it is clear that Xander does worry about Anya returning to her vengeance ways).

In a nut shell: As a crossover disappointing but deals with some interesting issues and sets events up for the following Angel episode.