Freaks and Geeks - E04

Kim Kelly Is My Friend
First Aired: Tuesday September 5, 2000

Lindsay has been trying very hard to be nice to Kim, but Kim keeps putting her down or she is bitchy towards her. On the verge of giving up trying, Kim asks Lindsay to come to her house for dinner.

Ever since the first episode, Kim has been nothing but hostile towards Lindsay and her intrusion into their clic. After she talks to Nick about it, Kim asks her to come over to her house for dinner that night. Worried Nick said something, she doesn't know what to say but agrees anyway. Sam has been having trouble with Kim's one friend, Karen, who started berating him when Sam confused their lockers. Karen starts to write demeaning stuff on his locker so that he will remember. When he tries to write over the latest one, a teacher sees, thinks Sam did it, and tells him to write a paper for the next day. Lindsay goes to Kim's home, which is a total madhouse, and learns that Kim is only using her to show her parents she has a "normal" friend. Also, she has been using Lindsay as an excuse on weekends. When Lindsay slips up, the two girls have to make a frantic exit from the premises. Going to find Dan, they instead notice him being very touchy-feely with Karen, so Kim proceeds to try to run him over. The girls retreat to Lindsay's home, where Kim is treated nicely, though awkwardly, by Lindsay's parents. Eventually, Dan shows up and the two make up. The next day in school, Kim had written "SLUT" on Karen's locker, which Sam thanked her for.

This was another average episode of the show. There were some good parts, but overall I felt this was more just awkward humor then anything. It was fun trying to figure out if Kim is being sincere or not and I am interested in just what will happen in the next feew episodes. One thing this episode was missing was more Bill and some of Seth Rogen, which might have been the downfall of the episode.

Score: 3 / 5

Buffy - S4E19

New Moon Rising
First Aired: Tuesday May 2, 2000

As the Scoobies contemplate what to do next about Adam, an unexpected guest shows up; Oz.

The episode begins with Willow taking Tara with her to Giles' home for a Scoobie meeting. Buffy and Giles are both becoming concerned since demon activity is down for Buffy but up a lot for the Initiative. As the meeting comes to a close, an unexpected guest arrives; it is Oz. Back in town, he wishes to talk with Willow. Riley and Buffy patrol and get into a fight when it is revealed that Oz is a werewolf, since Riley only sees Good and Evil. Buffy becomes angry because she still hasn't told Riley about Angel. Elsewhere, Oz shows up at Willows and takes her outside, showing her that he can control his changing now, since the moon is out. They then end up spending the night together talking. The next morning, while Willow goes to freshen up before breakfast, Tara comes to the door and Oz answers. Flustered, Tara leaves and when Oz tells Willow, one can see she is in conflict. Buffy and Riley wake up with her still mad at him, but this is stymied when word reaches Riley that a werewolf attacked Graham's group the night before. Buffy returns to her room and talks with Willow about the previous night she spent with Oz. She reveals that things are complicated because of Tara. Buffy becomes freaked a bit, but is ultimately understanding. Willow goes to Tara's to talk. As Tara goes to class then, Oz, who is signing up for classes again, smells Willow all over Tara and transforms after becoming upset there might be something going on. Before he can hurt her, Riley and the commandos show up and bag Oz. Tara goes to tell Buffy and the Scoobies devise a plan to infiltrate the Initiative. While they are doing this, Riley finds out the wolf is Oz and tries to help him escape, but doing so lands him in trouble. Spike, now recruited by Adam, helps Buffy and the others get into the complex. They spring both Riley and Oz. Riley is now on the run and is hiding out in the ruins of the old high school. It is during this time that Buffy decides to begin to tell him about Angel. Elsewhere, Willow and Oz have their final conversation before Oz leaves town for good. The episode ends with Willow going to Tara's room and finally telling her how she feels.

Well, this it it. This is the episode where Willow and Tara finally officially being their relationship. Having seen the whole series already (and knowing what happens), it was sweet to see the progression of the relationship before they became girlfriends. Of course, I feel bad for Oz because he did this all more or less for Willow. The ending was a neat little contrast to the other episode where Oz left; the two are juxtaposed, with Oz getting the most emotional and heartbroken. In the overall arc of the season, we see Spike being employed by Adam and start to see Adam's plan to overrun the Initiative. It was sad that Seth Green never returned, even near the end.

Score: 4 / 5

Angel - S1E19

Sanctuary
First Aired: Tuesday May 2, 2000

Angel is now harboring Faith and begins to try to reason with her. Wolfram and Hart learn about this situation and send another assassin to kill both, but the biggest surprise is when Buffy shows up.

Continuing where the previous episode ended, Angel has brought Faith back to his offices and lets her stay in his bed. The next morning, Angel tries to act a bit nonchalant about it, but Wesley becomes enraged because Faith had just tortured him the previous evening. He storms out and Cordelia goes paid vacation to stay away from Faith. Wolfram and Hart learn about this curious situation and employ another demon to kill both targets now. As Angel starts to get through to Faith, the creature attacks and they kill it. While he is consoling Faith afterwards, Buffy shows up and begins to make matters worse. Elsewhere, Wesley has been propositioned by the Council Elite to bring Faith back to England. His reward would be that he would be reinstated. Wesley seemingly agrees, but shows up to Angels to let them know about the trap. Faith bolts for the roof and, with Buffy following her, begin to take the men on. Meanwhile, Kate is brought information by Lindsay about how Angel is harboring Faith. The group is able to take care of the Council men, but Angel is immediately arrested by Kate. At the station, Buffy is surprised to learn that Kate knows about him being a vampire, but before they can send him to his cell, they notice Faith. She had arrived earlier at the station to turn herself in. With her in custody, Angel is free to go. He and Buffy have a heated discussion that leads with each other hurting themselves emotionally. The episode ends with Angel and Wesley discussing their hopes that Faith will survive and find some sort of peace.

Again, Eliza Dushku does an amazing job and, surprisingly, SMG does an even better job of acting in this episode then she does on her own show. It must have something to do with the writing team dealing with more "sophisticated" themes. The rooftop action scene was bar-none the best fighting scene I have seen so far since the beginning of this first season. Also, I started to like Lindsay more in this episode then that others. His bravado didn't see as over the top. In the end, this was a nice complimentary episode to the previous one.

Score: 4 / 5

Spider-Girl Vol 1 #2

Bedeviled?
November 1998
Written by Tom DeFalco

This issue begins a few weeks after the first one. May is fighting some thugs when Spider sense goes a little wonky as she notices a figure on a rooftop. Before she could find out who/what it is, she is attacked by Crazy Eight. May begins to worry because she didn't think she would be facing off against a real super villain. Still not up to superhero standards yet, May decides retreating would be her best shot. While recovering on the rooftops as the thugs get away, May is waylaid by Darkdevil, a strange new version of the Daredevil.

He does identify himself as a vigilante like May, but says the streets are not for the faint of heart and finds May lacking as a superhero. He then proceeds to attack her. He leaves her with an invitation to met him at Pier 87 the next night if she truly thinks herself ready to be a hero. Racing back home, she starts to feel more and more self-doubt. Peter and Mary Jane both lie awake in their room thinking about what is happening with May. The next morning, she overhears them talking about Peter mentioning something at their lunch date. At school, May's friend Jimmy is accosted by the jock Moose Mansfield right as Jimmy was about to ask May something. When Coach Flash Thompson breaks up the two, Jimmy just walks away. May goes to meet her father at Midtown South Police Department, but only finds Phil Urich instead. He tells her about the webbing he found at the scene from the first issue. May asks him not to tell her father and he agrees for some reason. May and Peter then go to an awkward and silent lunch together.

Back at MHS, Jimmy had agreed to fight Moose while May was gone. May takes matters into her own hands and shoves Moose into a locker so he will miss the fight. Jimmy becomes perturbed again, since he thinks May did something. That evening, May makes her way to Pier 87 to see that Darkdevil's test is actually Crazy Eight and his thugs from the previous evening. She takes him on and holds her own for awhile before he uses a sonic ball, which disrupts her equilibrium. May seems to retreat, which puts Crazy Eight at ease, but she comes from behind him and knocks him out. May gloats a bit over his unconscious body before the Darkdevil shows up, stating that he wants to save her from a funeral before leaving. The issue ends with May contemplating all of the complications no facing her, including having to fill her fathers tights and namesake.

This second issue of the series is a slight step up from the previous issue, but not by much. I like the direction it is taking in a bit of a more serious sense (unlike J2). May has some serious issues she has to address. I like the constant struggle she is in with how to talk with Peter. The only thing that irks me about the series being all about May is that she somehow is able to narrate about what Peter and Mary Jane are feeling. I think it wouldn't hurt the writers to give them their own narration, if only shortly/slightly. Though the character of Crazy Eight was a bit cheesy (having never read him before in the Marvel Universe), I do like the mystery surrounding the Darkdevil. So far, I like the direction this series is taking.

Score: 4 / 5

Angel - S1E18

Five by Five
First Aired: Tuesday April 25, 2000

When Faith comes to Los Angeles, Angel has to deal with her after Wolfram and Hart contract her to kill Angel.

This episode begins with Angel killing some demons in order to save a latino gang member. At the same time, Faith is shown getting off of a bus in Los Angeles and mugging a mugger. Angel uses his *ahem* persusive manners to get the gang member to testify in a pivotal Wolfram and Hart case, headed by Lindsay. The senior partners are unhappy with Lindsay's results and he tries to figure out a way to kill Angel. It is brought to the attenion of Lyla and him that Faith, the rogue vampire slayer was in town. The make contact with her and offer her safe haven, as well as money, if she kill Angel, which she gladly accepts. She shows up and her first attempt is foiled, but Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia are shaken by the encounter. As the story progresses, Angel goes to Wolfram and Hart and confronts Lindsay, but leaves intact. Elsewhere, Faith is waiting in Cordelia's home and kidnaps Wesley. She tortures him until Angel shows up and they proceed to fight. In the closing scene, Angel isn't fighting back as he doesn't want to make it "easy" for Faith. She begins to lose composure and cry, begging Angel to kill her. It ends with him holding her as she cries and Wesley dropping a knife he brought with intent to kill her.

While I commented highly on Sara Michelle Gellar's acting in the two-parter where she "became" Faith, I was totally blow away by Eliza Dushku's acting in this. Going from the extreme pyschopath torturing Wesley to the broken woman begging to be killed, this was the best I could ever remember Dushku being Faith. I know that Faith comes back briefly in season four and then for the rest of season seven of Buffy, but I really wish she would have gotten her own series. Boreanz's acting, as well, can't be discounted. Overall, one of the best Fatih-centric episodes.

Overall: 5 / 5

Freaks and Geeks - E3

Tricks and Treats
First Aired: Saturday October 30, 1999

In this Halloween themed episode, Lindsay wishes to be with her new friends for the evening, but her mother is psyched to spend the night with her handing out candy. Sam wants to go trick-or-treating after finding out he has to read Crime and Punishment.

Around the Weir table, the family discusses Halloween. Their mother wonders why Sam no longer wants to trick-or-treat, but he tries to make it clear he is fourteen and in high school now. She is still excited about spending the night giving out candy with Lindsay, though. At school, Lindsay joins the "freaks" at lunch and Daniel tries to get her to go out with him, Kim, and Nick for the evening. She refuses because she wants to spend it with her mother. Later on in the day, she sees her old friend Millie kissing a guy. It is revealed that Millie met a boyfriend at bible camp and she didn't want to tell Lindsay because she didn't have one. Lindsay becomes upset and goes to tell the guys she is going out with them. Elsewhere, Sam and his friends have to read half of Crime and Punishment by Monday. This seems to make Sam have the resolve to be younger again, so he tries to get his buddies to go trick-or-treating with him. On Halloween, Lindsay tries to brooch the subject, but things keep getting in the way. Finally, she just leaves when Dan shows up. While she is out doing mischievous things, Sam and his friends meet resistance around every corner, including from their bully. The last straw is when Lindsay unknowingly pelts him with eggs. Lindsay comes how quickly, but Sam doesn't tell on her. Their mother is upset that Lindsay didn't come to her to tell her about Halloween. The episode, however, ends with Lindsay dressing up anyway and helping her give out candy while Sam begins to start reading Crime and Punishment.

This was a good episode, little above average. I think it was a building block for Sam most of all, since it really isn't spelled out to the viewer, but it seems Sam does a double take. He tries to become a kid again in order to get out of having to be grownup and read the book his class was assigned. By the end of the episode, though, he has resigned himself to his fate and begins to read the book. I am not really sure if Lindsay grew much in this episode. She runs from her roots of helping her mother, but comes back in the end. The constant "toe in"/"toe out" of water is disrupting her with who she is trying to figure out she really is. She at first gives herself up to be bad with Daniel and his friends, but then retracts fast once she sees the damage she has cause her brother. She wants the best of both worlds (of the brain and of the freak/cool), and she can't see to find an equal balance. I find myself enjoying her brother's parts more than hers, which was not the case with the first episode. While watching this, I get a feel of Dawson's Creek, but with a hardnosed edge, which I like. Also, I want Lindsay to slap Kim ... 'nuff said.

Score: 3 / 5

Buffy - S4E18

Where the Wild Things Are
First Aired: Tuesday April 25, 2000

Buffy and Riley's sexual energy releases something in the Lowell Fraternity house. When the guys of Lowell through a party, everyone is put into danger, especially Buffy and Riley.

The episode begins with Buffy and Riley battling a vampire/demon tag-team duo. Afterwards, their sexual energy leads them back to Lowell house instead of to Giles to report the strange occurrence of vampire helping demons. When they finally do tell him the next day, Riley comes to the conclusion that Adam is behind the unlikely pairing. Buffy and Riley run off to have sex again while the focus shifts to Anya and Xander. Xander, now an ice-cream man, is getting guff from Anya for not having sex with her the previous night, leading her to believe their relationship was over. Elsewhere, while preparing for the party, Riley's men overhear Buffy and him going at it again, but for some reason the fireplace erupts over one of the men. Later that night, Anya goes to the Bronze and encounters Spike, who tries to rob her, and they bound over dissing on their signifacant others. Back at the party, Buffy and Riley again go off to have sex and strange things begin to occur. Spike and Anya show up as well, but Xander is not willing to let her get under his skin. Once things start to get really out of hand, the Scoobies get out of the house and try to find Giles for help. They research and find out that the house used to be a boarding home, run by a decorated public social worker. They go to talk with her and in the process find out that she used severe punishment for the children being "unclean". The gang then surmises that Buffy and Riley are trapped in order to keep having sex, with the ghosts sucking the energy from them until they will ultimately die. Tara, Willow, and Giles try a spell to distract the spirits while Xander and Anya enter the house. While not successful at first, Anya's determination saves Xander and they get to Buffy and Riley shortly afterward. The episode ends with the Scoobies all talking about transpired, focusing more on the fact that Giles sings and plays guitar.

I am not a big fan of sexually themed episodes. When they are a part of the overall story, I do not mind the sex. Otherwise, it should be left to closed doors. I understand that they have to show the fact that Buffy and Riley were doing this, but it still irked me a bit. Overall, the premise of the episode was interesting, but it wasn't anything great. I think the best parts of the episode came from Xander and Anya, where there relationship continues to grow, as well as Anya's human side. Spike also added some very good lines/acting, which is always a given. Overall, I felt this was a good Xander/Anya-centric episode, but sub-par for the series nonetheless.

Score: 3 / 5

J2 #1

Call the Kid ... J2! / Decisions, Decisions! / Rocked by Rollerblast!
October 1998
Written by Tom DeFalco

Call the Kid ... J2!
This first issue is about the origin of Juggernaut's son, Zana Yama. It begins with Zane having the nightmare he has had since he was young, which is being chased by a "big, mean unstoppable" monster. The next morning, his mother, Assistant District Attorney Sachi Zama, reassures her son that his father, Cain Marko, won't be coming back to Earth anytime soon. Zane narrates that his mother had met Cain before he became the Juggernaut, but afterwards reverted back to her maiden name of Yama. He tries to impress the beautiful girl Talia Zamora, but strikes out when he thinks their math homework would be a good topic of conversation. The jocks Curtis and Miller make fun of Zane, but the enigmatic tomboyish Montana yells at them about how Zane is going to surpass them by so much once high school is over. Upset by her intrusion, Miller later threatens Zane and follows him all day in the school. When the final bell rings, Miller hunts down Zane like a cat and mouse. Zane unexpectedly gets a wicked headache though and is somehow transformed into a hulking man that is a shadow of his former body. Visibly upset, Zane stampedes (naked) through and out of the school, stopping momentarily only to smash Miller's motorcycle. The story ends up Zane huddled in an alley corner, calming down. When he does so, he reverts to his normal state for reasons he doesn't understand.

Decisions, Decisions!
This second story is short and sweet. It shows Zane going through the motions of trying to find a suitable costume to wear when he is transformed. He first tries to sew something, like Spider-Man did, but fails. He then goes to the local costume shop, but all they have is the more popular heroes and nothing on the original Juggernaut. He even tries a big and tall store, but doesn't find what he is looking for. In the basement of his house, however, he finds some memento's that his mother kept from his father. Using silver spray paint on select pieces of Juggernaut armor and tying a flannel shirt around his waist, Zane official gives himself the name J2.

Rocked by Rollerblast
Zane is at the amusement park with Montana, hoping to be able to talk to Talia. Miller is also there and becomes agitated when Curtis tries to convince him Zane was talking with Talia. Before Miller can do anything, the purple costumed thief Rollerblast and his cohorts announce that they are robbing the park and everyone inside. Changing into J2, Zane defends Montana, who was being accosted by the men. He and Rollerblast face off until Rollerblast starts to try to make a break for it. It is then that Zane throws something in his path that he can't avoid and goes flying. When Zane reverts back, he is bewildered to see everyone is congratulating Miller for helping J2 take down Rollerblast. The story and issue ends with the X-People, lead by Jubilee, forming in order to investigate rumors that the Juggernaut had returned.

Well, it is sad to say, but this is my least liked comic I have read recently. I think perhaps this one perhaps more than Spider-Girl 1 and A-Next 1 felt totally geared towards a younger readership. I understand that was the whole point of the MC2/Earth-982 universe, but this comic seems to have embraced this concept the most. I generally enjoy only one story per issue. Perhaps since this one was the first and showed J2's origin, it was meant to be broken up. Overall, I hope they make this a one story comic. Otherwise, as with the other two books, the art work is top notch, and the transformed Zane skates the ice of almost looking like the Hulk, but still pulls it off. I think I can like Zane more in the future, but right now, I think there is something right on the surface that is stopping me from enjoying him totally. I am not sure what made Marvel choose this character over other possible ones in the universe, such as the Fantastic Five, but I hope later issues show why they did by making this a more complete book.

Score: 2 / 5

Freaks and Geeks - E02

Beers and Weirs
First Aired: Saturday October 2, 1999

When Lindsay and Sam's parents go out of town, they leave the children alone instead of getting a babysitter. Words gets around and Lindsay ends up hosting a kegger while Sam tries to stop it from happening.

The episode begins in the Weir household where the family argues about whether Sam and Lindsay need someone else to watch them while the parents are out of town. Lindsay ultimately convinces their parents to let them alone. In school, Lindsay mentions the party in passing to the "freaks" and they suggest having a kegger. Lindsay agrees due to the snarky nature of Kim, who had apparently broken up with Dan. Lindsay tries to get same to keep quiet, but he is worried their father will be mad at him if he doesn't tell on her. Sam and his friends try to devise a plan to stop the party from getting out of hand. Bill gets the idea of replacing the keg of beer with the non-alcoholic kind. They are successful in doing so, but as the party goes on, the guests don't seem to notice any difference as they seem to get wasted anyway. Millie, Lindsay's old friend, shows up as well and vows to have fun sober. Cindy also shows up to Sam's delight. A bit later on, Lindsay is looking for Dan and stumbles into her room to find him and Kim making out. She retreats outside since she is upset and talks with Nick, who tries to unhook her bra. Disgusted, she goes to her parents room. There, Sam's friend Neil consoles her and suggests that they call the cops to make the people in the house scatter. She worries at first but then he lets he know it is non-alcoholic beer. As Sam lets out the call, everyone scrambles to leave. The episode ends up with Bill, who had started drinking from the real keg while watching Dallas, passed out on the floor being kicked lightly by Lindsay.

I think this was a good follow up to the pilot. This episode seemed about 75% drama and 25% comedy. I think I like it a bit more than the pilot because it was more human. While certainly not the most original idea for an episode, I believed it showed a good progression of Lindsay's character, of how she feels for Dan, and of how both Neil and Nick have feelings for her, even though the latter is her younger brothers friend. One of the things I personally enjoyed the most were the references to the time period, including Dallas (hahaha, "Dallas rules") and the mention about Jon Bonhman dying.

Score: 4 / 5

Angel - S1E17

Eternity
First Aired: Tuesday April 4, 2000

Angel takes on a case to protect a famous actress after he saves her life. She becomes enamored with him, even after finding out he is a vampire, because he doesn't know who she is and how much of a star she is.

The episode begins with Angel and Wesley trying to devise an exit strategy ... from Cordelia play. They try to reassure her about her acting afterwards, but Angel is distracted when he saves the life of Rebecca Lowell, a famous television star. The next day, she visits Angel's office because she can't believe there is someone who doesn't know who she is or care. Angel refuses to help her with her stalker problem, which Wesley postulates is because Angel is attracted to her and is afraid to get close. That evening after a party at Rebecca's house, Angel stops another attempt on her life. She notices that Angel doesn't have a reflection after the fight and she isn't freaked out by it. The next day, she wishes Angel to accompany her to a movie premiere, but as they are leaving the mystery man tries to shoot them. Angel again stops the guy and this time he is captured by the police. Rebecca's agent reveals to her that he was a stunt man he hired to make publicity for the woman, since she didn't get her latest role. She becomes distraught because the character Raven she played will be forever young while she continues to age. She then devises a plan to have Angel sire her. Angel becomes wise to her plan, as does Cordelia, but it is a little late because she had drugged Angel with a drug that induces euphoria. This in turn brings out Angelus, who confronts Rebecca, Wesley and Cordelia. Ultimately, Wesley is able to knock Angelus out a window and they chain him up. When Angel returns, he tries to apologize and while Cordelia and Wesley understand, they know he meant what he said.

This was a decent enough filler episode, helped immensely by the great acting of David Boreanz as Angelus. I have to check, but this might have been the last appearance of Angelus until season four when they tried to have him help kill the Big Bad. I found the character of Rebecca Lowell to be wholly un-interesting and bothersome. It was funny to actually see Cordelia trying to act ("line?") and this is perhaps a natural progression towards her realizing she can't act.

Score: 3 / 5

A-Next #1

Second Coming!
October 1998
Written by Tom DeFalco

In this spin-off of What If Volume 2 #105 and the series Spider-Girl, this is Earth-982's take on who are Avengers now fifteen years after the current timeline of Marvel comics. The issue begins with the group, consisting of Kevin Masterson (Thunderstrike), Cassandra Lang (The Stinger), Helen Takahama (Jolt), Mainframe, Zane Yama (J2), Robert Baldwin (Speedball), and Jubilation Lee fighting some denizens Asgard for some reason. The narration focuses on Kevin as he begins to reminisce about how this was all his fault.

Flashing back several hours ago, Kevin had shown up at the Avengers Mansion at the request of Edwin Jarvis, the mansions chief of staff. The Mansion is currently managed by the Maria Stark Foundation, since the Avengers disassembled years previously. At Thor's request, Jarvis gave Kevin the weapon Thunderstrike, which Kevin's now deceased father, Edwin Masterson, wielded during his time as hero and Avenger. Kevin leaves the Avengers Mansion only to be attacked by troll-men while still in the compound. While the mansions security measures leap to action, Jarvis sends out the Avengers beacon. It is only recieved by Jubilation Lee, now leader of the X-People, and Helen Takahama, now a mother. Cassandra Lang, daughter of former Ant-Man Scott Lang, picks up the signal on her Wasp antenna while out testing modifications for her father and also responds. As Kevin is running through the streets, he also catches the attention of Speedball and J2. Kevin is cornered and at the last second is saved by the mechanical Iron Man-looking Mainframe. As the other heroes show up, they begin to fight the troll-men.

The heroes are shortly subdued by Loki and taken away shackled to Asgard. Loki tells them that he plans to "recharge" Thunderstrike and use it against Thor. Trying to provide a distraction for the heroes, Kevin goes and leaps for the floating mace. Somehow he fuses with the mace and becomes a more powerful version of his human self. The heroes, now freed, fight with all of their might, but the battle is turning against them. Kevin then sends up a beacon and Loki sounds a retreat. The others are stupefied as to why they did, but figure it out when Thor shows up. Upon returning to Earth, Mainframe brooches the subject of recreating the Avengers. Speedball, Jubilee, and Jolt decline due to personal matters but are always willing to lend a hand. J2, Stinger, and Thunderstrike agree and the issue closes with Jarvis and others looking on at "history being made again."

Knowing zero about the history of Eric Masterson prior to this, I must say that I really enjoyed this issue. It was a good origin story for Kevin/Thunderstrike and it was cool to see characters that have "moved on", such as Jubilee and Jolt. The art direction was on par with Spider-Girl and I enjoyed it. While the story near the end felt a bit cramped, they got what they need to out in the open. I enjoyed the small cameo by Thor and hope to see him again in the future, though I am not much of a fan of Loki.

Score: 4 / 5

Buffy - S4E17

Superstar
First Aired: Tuesday April 4, 2000

Buffy, Willow, Xander and Anya are out hunting vampires and kill one of a pair. They track the other to a nest and decide to call in the big guns and visit... Jonathan.

The episode begins innocently enough with Buffy fighting a contingent of vampires with the other Scoobies. When she stumbles upon a nest of them, they all decide they need better help. They end up going to Jonathan, of all people. He has apparently done something to have the entire world enraptured with him (including the altering of the Buffy main credits). Jonathan helps Buffy and the others in killing the vampires. The next day, he confers with Buffy about her and Riley's stinted relationship. During this time, a woman named Karen asks Jonathan to autograph his book for her. Jonathan is then shown helping the Initiative devise a strategy to bring down Adam. Jonathan shows that him Walsh's blue prints, Adam is fueled by an internal power source. He postulates that destroying this source will destroy Adam. After this briefing, Jonathan talks to Riley about he has to show Buffy how he really feels. Elsewhere, the admirer Karen is shown watching Jonathan's mansion and being attacked a strange, gangely demon. She shows up at the Bronze where Jonathan is performing jazz for the crowd, which include Buffy and the Scoobies. She describes the creature to Buffy and Jonathan, in particular a mark on it. Jonathan tells Buffy it is nothing to worry about, but the demon later attacks Tara. Buffy begins to think there is a connection between the demon and Jonathan. When she tells the group this, Jonathan shows up and gives a possible reason why this may look like something. Buffy goads Jonathan into hunting the demon with her while the others try to find out about the symbol. Shortly, they find out the true meaning of the symbol and how Jonathan had done a spell to make everyone think he is cool. Jonathan and Buffy face off against the demon, with Jonathan ultimately making the killing blow. In the end, the gang remembers some of the lingering memories, but they are beginning to fade. Jonathan tells Buffy why he did it and how, but also mentions that the advice he had given was still true. Buffy and Riley end up reconciling.

I think this was one really fun filler episode, almost as good as the third season alternate reality where Buffy never went to Sunnydale. There is one interesting fact that still makes this a connecting episode, though, and that is revelation of Adam's power source. I also liked how Adam wasn't affected by the workings of Jonathan's spell, since he is "aware, totally". I like the Jonathan character and always felt that his addition to the group would have been cool, but that never happened.

Score: 8.3 / 10