After the dark and depressing themes running rampant through Season 6, and after the announcement that Season 7 would indeed be the final season, it's not surprising that the expectations of the small but intensely loyal group of fans were high at the beginning of this season. It started out on that high note, but the absences of Joss Whedon and Marti Noxon were soon apparent (Joss was expending his energies on the short-lived Firefly and Marti removed herself from the gritty details after being blamed for the majority of Season 6 issues).

Season 7 opens cheerily and promisingly enough…Buffy is spending quality time with Dawn, which both sisters have sorely needed. Xander is coming into his own, managing a successful construction company. Anya is a Vengeance Demon again, albeit a very hesitant one. Willow is in England, learning to control her powers under the watchful eyes of Giles and a powerful coven of witches.

After a few pretty good episodes, it seems like all the character development that happened in the first six seasons comes to a screeching halt. One of the biggest themes through those seasons was that Buffy's strength came in large part from her love for her family and friends, unlike her predecessors. She reverts to a loner and takes on Season 3 Faith-type attitudes ("I am the Slayer, hence I am the Law"). Giles comes back to Sunnydale, much like he came in Season 1. He's not so much the Father figure he developed into, but he's a stuffy, by-the-book Watcher again.

New arrivals in Sunnydale include the Potential Slayers, a group of girls the First Evil is trying to wipe out. Most often, they are whiny and annoying and their stay in the Summers house reminds you of a loud, cumbersome sleepover. One of these Potentials met with more fan resistance than any other: Kennedy (played by Iyari Limon) comes as a replacement for Tara. Fans on both side of the Tara fence agreed that, in no way, had enough time passed for Willow to pick up a new love interest. Of course, there was another character fans did find themselves divided on: Season 6's Andrew comes back, this time fighting the good fight. I found myself on the pro-Andrew side, and surprising myself each time I laughed and sympathized with the former Trio member.

As always, the supporting actors show amazing versatility and depth, but this season's shining moments belong to Spike (James Marsters) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan).

It was with a heavy heart that I watched the final episode, and when it was over, I felt like I needed more, I felt disappointment. But in retrospect, it was exactly as it should have been. Loose ends tied. Full circle. Back to the beginning. Big booms.

I have never found a show, before or since, that I enjoyed as much as this one. It was more intellectual than many I've watched, but still fun. I definitely miss it. So without further moping…


* * * * * * Season Seven: Episode Guide * * * * * *

7.1 ~ Lessons Original Airdate: September 24, 2002. Written By: Joss Whedon. Directed By: David Solomon.
Willow: Is there anything you don't know everything about?
Giles: Synchronized swimming. Complete mystery to me.

The show and season open with an unknown girl running through the streets of Istanbul, only to be fatally stabbed by some of those "Bringer" guys we first met in Amends. Dawn attends school at the brand spankin' new Sunnydale High School, rebuilt right over the Hellmouth! Finally, we run into the newly ensouled Spike in the basement of the school. Unfortunately, Spike's new soul is driving him a bit insane, and in a great ending, this season's big bad morphs from Warren to Glory to Adam to Mayor Wilkins to Druscilla (see the big bad pattern?)… to Buffy? 9 - 10.

7.2 ~ Beneath You OA: October 1, 2002. W: Douglas Petrie. D: Nick Marck.
Principal Wood: Buffy, watch yourself around these kids. If you're not careful, some of them will eat you alive.
Buffy: Oh, so you heard about what happened to Principal Flutie?

Same opening scene as last episode, only this time it takes place in Frankfurt, Germany. Buffy begins her new job as Sunnydale High guidance counselor. Anya isn't returning to the Vengeance fold with quite as much gusto as she once possessed. Spike tells Buffy about his soul in a very touching, cross-burning-skin scene. 8 - 10.

7.3 ~ Same Time, Same Place OA: October 8, 2002. W: Jane Espenson. D: James A. Contner.
Willow: I found a dead body near the high school.
Anya: Yes, that can happen.
Willow: Something horrible killed a boy, took his skin right off!
Anya & Willow: Was it you?
Anya & Willow: No!
Anya: Well with the skin thing, they're definitely going to think it was you.

Willow returns to Sunnydale to do what she can to help, but her fear that she won't be accepted makes her invisible to her friends. A disgusting demon named Gnarl (based in part on Gollum) is eating the skin off its victims and the Scoobies aren't sure if good Willow or bad Willow has returned. Anya is punished for undoing her last vengeance spell. 9 - 10.

7.4 ~ Help OA: October 15, 2002. W: Rebecca Rand Kirshner. D: Rick Rosenthal.
Cassie to Spike: She'll tell you… one day, she'll tell you.

A depressive girl (Cassie, named after the Greek prophet, Cassandra, who predicted her own murder but could do nothing to prevent it) calmly predicts her own death and Buffy is determined to save her life. 8.5 - 10.

7.5 ~ Selfless OA: October 22, 2002. W: Drew Goddard. D: David Solomon.
D'Hoffryn (after seeing Anya's fraternity house job): It looks like someone slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog!

Anya grants a scorned woman her wish ("Just once, I wish they all knew what it felt like to have their hearts ripped out"), to the extreme. Her guilt, however, won't go away, and she offers D'Hoffryn the required price to reverse the spell: the life of a Vengeance Demon. 10 - 10.

7.6 ~ Him OA: November 5, 2002. W: Drew Z. Greenberg. D: Michael Gershman.

In the lamest show of the entire series (that's series, not season), Dawn, Buffy, Anya and Willow all fall for a High School quarterback (anyone else having flashbacks to when all the girls fell for Xander? Yeah, those flashbacks are included in this episode too). Xander and Spike suspect foul play and work together to figure it out. 5 - 10.

7.7 ~ Conversations With Dead People OA: November 12, 2002. W: Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, Marti Noxen and Joss Whedon D: Nick Marck.
Willow: From beneath you it devours.
Cassie/The First: Not it. Me.

In one of the best episodes of the season (desperately needed after the previous fiasco), four different stories run simultaneously: Buffy and a new vamp she knew from High School go back and forth between fighting and discussing philosophy; Dawn, alone at home, deals with a very frightening demon, and The First comes to her in the guise of her dead mother; Willow, at the library, has a conversation with Cassie Newton, who claims to be talking for Tara, but is in fact, The First; and we run into Jonathan and Andrew again, one of which is having conversations with The First, disguised as Warren… see where the Episode name comes in? 10 - 10.

7.8 ~ Sleeper OA: November 19, 2002. W: David Fury And Jane Espenson. D: Alan J. Levi.

Another girl is chased and killed by the Bringers, this time in London. After learning that Spike is siring new vampires, the gang tries to figure out how the First is controlling him. Giles finds a fellow Watcher as he is dying. 8 - 10.

7.9 ~ Never Leave Me OA: November 26, 2002. W: Drew Goddard. D: David Solomon.

Spike is locked up at the Summers' house, until they can figure out why he's "losing time" and how he's able to hurt people, and Willow runs into Andrew at the Butcher's shop, where she takes him captive and brings him back to the house as well. The Bringers come and kidnap Spike. 9 - 10.

7.10 ~ Bring On The Night OA: December 17, 2002. W: Marti Noxon And Douglas Petrie. D: David Grossman.
Buffy: I'm beyond tired. I'm beyond scared. I'm standing on the mouth of Hell and it's going to swallow me whole…and it'll choke on me.

Giles returns to Sunnydale with three potential Slayers, claiming that the First Evil is systematically wiping out the entire line of Slayers, and their Watchers, in order to open the Hellmouth. Buffy comes face to face with what was raised with Spike's blood. It is technically called a Turok-Han, but Buffy rechristens it an Ubervamp. 8 - 10.

7.11 ~ Showtime OA: January 7, 2003. W: David Fury. D: Michael Grossman.
Druscilla/The First: And what makes you think you have a choice? What makes you think you will be any good at all in this world?
Spike: She does. Because she believes in me.

More potentials show up, looking for protection by the Slayer. The First infiltrates their tight-knit group and fills them all with doubts. Buffy has to face off with the Ubervamp, in order to restore the girls' faith in her. 7.5 - 10.

7.12 ~ Potential OA: January 21, 2003. W: Rebecca Rand Kirshner. D: James A. Contner.
Xander: Seven years, Dawn. Working with the slayer. Seeing my friends get more and more powerful. A witch. A demon. Hell, I could fit Oz in my shaving kit, but come a full moon, he had a wolfy mojo not to be messed with. Powerful. All of them. They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie, to be the one who isn't chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me. I saw you last night. I see you working here today. You're not special. You're extraordinary.

Spike and Buffy train the potentials, so they are able to defend themselves when the time comes, while everyone continues searching for other potentials. Dawn begins to believe that she is a potential herself. Xander shows, once again, that he is the "one who sees". 7 - 10.

7.13 ~ The Killer In Me OA: February 4, 2003. W: Drew Z. Greenberg. D: David Solomon.
Initiative Guy: We're to provide you with everything you need to help a s s-face here. Those were his [Riley's] exact words.

Spike's chip is going wonky, so Buffy takes him to the old initiative to look for help. Everyone starts noticing that Giles hasn't touched anything since his return, and they begin to believe he is actually The First. Those are the good sub-plots of this episode. The actual main plot, well, it just plain sucked. Willow goes on a date with potential Kennedy (I wasn't a huge Tara fan, but c'mon, mourn the woman who made you go all veiny and homicidal, please) and is forced to come to terms with Tara's passing, when she becomes Warren. 6 - 10.

7.14 ~ First Date OA: February 11, 2003. W: Jane Espenson. D: David Grossman.
Willow: What happened?
Xander: What do you think happened? Another demon woman was attracted to me. I'm going gay. I've decided I'm turning gay. Willow, gay me up! Come on, let's gay.
Willow: What?
Xander: You heard me! Just tell me what to do. I..I'm mentally undressing Scott Bakula. That's a start, isn't it?
Andrew: Sigh, Captain Archer..
Xander: Come on, let's get this gay show on the gay road. Help me out here.
Buffy: What if you just start attracting male demons?
Dawn: Clem always liked you.
Anya: Serve you right.

Remember the Slayer Spike killed on the subway in New York? Turns out, she had a son, one who grew up to be principal of a new Sunnydale High School. I loved that fun twist. Buffy goes out on a date with Principal Wood, and Xander goes out on a date with guest star Ashanti. 8 - 10.

7.15 ~ Get It Done OA: February 18, 2003. W&D: Douglas Petrie.
Spike: Get up, get out, get drunk. Repeat as needed.

Buffy opens a box that belonged to Robin's Slayer mother and it transports her back to the shamans who created the first Slayer. 9 - 10.

7.16 ~ Story Teller OA: February 25, 2003. W: Jane Espenson. D: Marita Grabiak.
Andrew: Come with me now, if you will, gentle viewers. Join me on a new voyage of the mind…a little tale, I like to call, Buffy, Slayer of the Vampires.

Andrew decides to videotape a day in the life of the Slayer, for future generations to learn. He likes the idea of being an uninvolved participant, but balks when he realizes he has to get on the other side of the camera in order to close the Seal of Danzalthar, which is a door to the Hellmouth, home of the Ubervamps. 8 - 10.

7.17 ~ Lies My Parents Told Me OA: March 25, 2003. W: David Fury And Drew Goddard. D: David Fury.

Giles tries to deactivate the trigger that allows the First to control Spike, and in doing so, sends Spike back to deal with an old emotional wound. Robin asks for Giles help in destroying Spike, which only destroys the trust and bond between Giles and Buffy. 9 - 10.

7.18 ~ Dirty Girls OA: April 15, 2003. W: Drew Goddard. D: Michael Gershman.
Spike: Let me guess - leather pants, nice right cross, doe eyes, holier-than-thou glower - you must be Faith.

Willow comes back from helping the gang in L.A., and brings back Faith, to help in Sunnydale. The First has a helper, and evil doesn't begin to describe Caleb. Buffy makes a horrible judgment call, and as a result, potentials lose their lives, and Xander also suffers a loss. 8 - 10.

7.19 ~ Empty Places OA: April 29, 2003. W: Drew Z. Greenberg. D: James A. Contner.
Xander (now wearing a patch over his left eye): I'm trying to see your point here Buff, but I guess it's a little to my left, 'cause I can't see it.

Faith decides the potentials need a night of relaxation, which causes a giant riff in the Summers house. With Spike out investigating Caleb's vineyard, a democratic (unanimous) vote puts Faith in charge, and sends Buffy out of the house. 9 - 10.

7.20 ~ Touched OA: May 6, 2003. W: Rebecca Rand Kirshner. D: David Solomon.
Spike: I've been alive longer than you and dead longer than that. I've seen things you couldn't imagine. I've done things I preferred you didn't. I've never had a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood, which doesn't exactly rush in the direction of my brain… A hundred plus years and there's only one thing I've ever been sure of…you…I've seen the best and the worst of you and I understand with perfect clarity what you are. You're a hell of a women. You're the one, Buffy.

When the Big Bad is incorporeal, there has to be an episode that shows just how important human (or the non-human) touch truly is, and this is that episode. Faith finds (temporary) solace in bed with Robin, Spike and Buffy hold each other all night, and Kennedy replaces Tara's place in bed next to Willow. Buffy leaves Spike in the morning to pull some Matrix-like fighting on Caleb and finds an ancient scythe. 7 - 10.

7.21 ~ End Of Days OA: May 13, 2003. W: Douglas Petrie And Jane Espenson. D: Marita Grabiak.
Old Woman: I'm sorry, what was your name?
Buffy: Buffy.
Old Woman: No, really…

Buffy finds the last woman of the group who initially forged the Scythe. She tells Buffy that it was created to destroy the last pure demon on Earth and anyone who touches it feels its power. Buffy takes it to use against Caleb. 9 - 10.

7.22 ~ Chosen OA: May 20, 2003. W&D: Joss Whedon.
Buffy: Faith still has my room and…
Spike: Well you're not staying here, you can't buy me off with shiny beads and sweet talk, you've got Angel breath. I'm not just gonna let you whack me back and forth like a rubber ball, I've got my pride, you know.
Buffy: I understand.
Spike: Clearly you don't, because the whole "having my pride" was just a smokescreen.
Buffy: Oh, thank God

Well this is it…time to pit good against evil. Buffy reveals her plan, which makes Willow and Spike the key players in the fight. Spike is more than ready, but Willow isn't sure about her magicks. Like common consensus, I wish this had been a two hour episode, because I would have liked more, more, more. But in retrospect, the show went out like it came in, with a bang! 10 - 10.


* * * * * * DVD Extras * * * * * *

~ Commentary on Lessons by Joss Whedon and David Solomon.
~ Commentary on Selfless by Drew Goddard and David Solomon.
~ Commentary on fan favorite Conversations with Dead People by director Nick Marck, writer/co-executive producer Jane Espenson, writer Drew Goddard and actors Danny Strong (Jonathan) and Tom Lenk (Andrew). (Note from Stef: funny, interesting, worth listening to)
~ Commentary on The Killer in Me by Drew Z. Greenberg and David Solomon.
~ Commentary on Lies my Parents Told Me by David Fury, Drew Goddard, James Marsters (Spike) and DB Woodside (Robin Wood).
~ Commentary on Dirty Girls by Drew Goddard and Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris).
~ Commentary on Chosen by Joss Whedon
~ Featurette: Buffy: It's Always Been About the Fans. Fans share their feelings about the show, how obsessed they became with it, information about web rings and conventions with the cast and crew.
~ Featurette: Buffy: Full Circle. The status quo overview of the entire season, with some of the cast and crew giving their two cents.
~ Featurette: Buffy 101: Studying the Slayer. Professors and academic types discuss some of the deeper themes of the show
~ Featurette: Generation S. Key players of the show discuss the Potentials.
~ Featurette: The Last Sundown. Joss Whedon talks about what the show has meant to him and gives his top 10 favorite episodes.
~ Outtakes Reel. If you don't know what this is, you don't watch television or movies and shouldn't be reading this review!
~ Featurette: Buffy Wraps. This is some footage of the wrap party after shooting the final episode (Sarah Michelle Gellar is missing in action).
~ Trailers for previous Buffy seasons and Angel seasons 1-3, as well as the Chaos Bleeds video game, the Slayer Collection DVD compilations, and the original Buffy movie.


* * * * * * Cast and Characters * * * * * *

in the opening credits…
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Emma Caulfield as Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
James Marsters as Spike
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg

recurring characters…
Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
Eliza Dushku as Faith
Tom Lenk as Andrew
Nathan Fillion as Caleb
DB Woodside as Principal Robin Wood


* * * * * * Miscellaneous Notes and Trivia * * * * * *

~ In the season premiere, the house and the horse that are shown in the shots of England, with Willow and Giles both belong to Anthony Stewart Head (Giles).

~ Principal Robin Wood got his name in the script because until days before shooting, Joss wasn't sure if the role would be played by a man or a woman.

~ In 7.2, Beneath You, in the opening scenes that take place in Germany, the song that can be heard has the lyrics: "Von der Tiefe verschlingt es", which is German for: "Beneath you it devours". In the German dubbed version of this episode, they used "Kommt aus der Tiefe, dich zu verschlingen" which translates to "Comes from the deep to devour you".

~ Camden Toy, who plays Gnarl in 7.3, Same Time, Same Place also played one of the gentlemen in Season Four's Hush, and comes back in 7.9, Never Leave Me to play the Ubervamp.

~ The Buffy production team created a Geocities website that belonged to Cassie Newton, the girl who Buffy tried to help in 7.4, Help. The website, no longer available, contained poetry and art based on the episode's writer, Rebecca Rand Kirshner's teenage journals.

~ Episode 7.7, Conversations with Dead People, was a collaborative effort: Marti Noxon wrote most of the Willow/Cassie story, Joss Whedon wrote most of the Buffy/Holden story, Drew wrote the Andrew/Jonathan/Warren story at the High School, and Jane Espenson wrote the Dawn/Joyce story.

~ The Mutant Enemy monster at the end of each episode is altered twice this season. At the end of Episode 7.16, Storyteller, he claims "We are gods", and after the final episode, he turns toward the camera, towards the fans to proclaim his final "Grrrr…Argh."


* * * * * * Related Reviews * * * * * *

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season One, Season Two, Season Three, Season Four, Season Five, and Season Six

Angel, Season One, Season Two


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older