Reviewed By: Monica Medina
Rating: 7/10
In this episode, we meet the new principal who replaces the poor Principal Flutie, who was eaten in "The Pack". Principal Snyder turns out to be a student- hating tyrant who has serious doubts about the Slayer. He puts Giles in charge of Sunnydale High's annual talent show and forces the Scoobies to participate. The talent show then serves as the backdrop for a murder spree by an organ-stealing demon. Giles suspects the demon at work is harvesting organs. The Scoobies first suspect fellow student, Morgan, who has been experiencing extreme headaches. When Morgan turns up minus his brain, the suspicion moves to his creepy dummy, Sid. Sid turns out to be a human soul trapped inside the dummy, and he's been hunting the demon in order to free himself. Sid helps Buffy track down the demon, and save Giles from becoming the demon's last victim.
Another light-hearted filler episode, The Puppet Show comes across a little on the cheddary side. Sid the dummy supplies the cheese, as the plot meanders its way through too many false leads. Nevertheless, the hour's worth of show is still pleasing and entertaining, as everything that happens is played for laughs. BtVS tends to be a horror show that throws in a lot of humour. We especially see that in this episode from Xander's pop culture references ("Does anyone feel like they've been Kaiser Soze'd?") to the brilliant ending with the Scoobies trying to perform "Oedipus" for the talent show.
Great Buffy Moment: Principal Snyder getting his just desserts as the curtain goes up on the final ending of the great battle.
In A Nutshell: This episode does not stand up under a tough intellectual examination. However, it continues to inspire laugh after laugh despite its obvious shortcomings.