James Marsters Movies
An unlikely candidate to end up as immortal vampire Spike on Joss Whedon's popular television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (in addition to reprising his role for the spin-off series Angel), former stage actor James Marsters got his start in the spotlight by performing in such Shakespeare classics as The Tempest before donning fangs to portray the conflicted bloodsucker who eventually falls for the one girl sworn to do battle with the undead. Marsters was born in the Northern California logging town of Greenville, later moving with his family and spending much of his childhood in nearby Modesto. From his grade-school stage debut as Eeyore in a production of Winnie the Pooh, the aspiring thespian knew that he had the talent and drive to become an actor. After studying his craft at New York's renowned Juilliard School of the Arts, he set his sites on Chicago, making a name for himself with impressive performances at the Goodman Theater before heading west to Los Angeles. The talented stage actor made a transition to the small screen when he made an appearance on the popular series Northern Exposure in 1992, with a few other minor television roles preceding his rise to fame on the wildly popular Buffy. Though his character, Spike, was originally supposed to be killed off during his first season on the show, he proved so popular that he was kept on and eventually made a regular. In addition to his appearances on Buffy and Angel, Marsters also found time to act in a pair of independent films entitled Winding Roads and Chance. While fans of his character on Buffy may have been saddened when that series wound to a close, they could take some solace in the fact that he would return as the mischievous Spike in the 2003-2004 season of successful spin-off Angel. Marsters' other small-screen roles included appearances in Strange Frequency and Andromeda, as well as voice work on the animated television series Spider-Man in 2003. In addition to his theater roles, Marsters maintained an entirely different stage persona as a member of the rock band Ghost of the Robot. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
James Wong adapts the rich mythos of the Dragonball series that grew from a manga into various popular animated series with this 20th Century Fox production starring Justin Chatwin. The plot revolves around Goku (Chatwin), Earth's greatest champion, who must defend the planet against an invading race of alien warriors hell-bent on dominating the universe. Wong directs from his own script, with Kung Fu Hustle's Stephen Chow producing. Buffy the Vampire Slayer's James Marsters co-stars as the film's villain, Piccolo, with Jamie Chung playing Chi Chi and Emmy Rossum portraying Bulma. Hong Kong legend Chow Yun-Fat rounds out the cast as Master Roshi, Goku's mentor in the film. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Justin Chatwin, James Marsters, (more)
- 2008
Inspired by Sheriff David Reichert's memoir Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer, this Lifetime Movie Network mini-series details how the killer who stalked Washington State for two decades was finally captured and brought to justice. An elusive madman has the citizens of Washington State locking their doors. Just when it begins to seem as if the killer will never get caught, however, a young woman named Helen "Hel" Remus' (Amy Davidson) has a chance encounter with the Green River Killer that leaves her forever changed. Meanwhile, local Sheriff David Reichert (Tom Cavanagh) puts both his family and career on the line to see that justice is served. In a last ditch bid to save any more innocent girls from being slaughtered, Sheriff Reichert seeks the advice of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy (James Marsters), whose expertise on the topic at hand may give the frustrated lawman just the lead he needs to crack the case. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Cavanagh, James Marsters, (more)
Separate from the government, outside the police, beyond the United Nations, Torchwood sets its own rules. Led by the enigmatic, ever watchful Captain Jack Harkness, the Torchwood team delves into the unknown and fights the impossible. Everyone who works for Torchwood is young. Some say that's because it's a new science. Others say it's because they die young.
- Starring:
- John Barrowman, Eve Myles, (more)
A grieving widow finds her husband's warmth radiating from the afterlife when she discovers that he left her a series of tasks to be revealed in ten monthly messages and designed to help her overcome her sorrow while gradually making the transition into a new life. Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) is a New York real estate broker whose good-humored husband, Irishman Gerry (Gerard Butler), always stood by her side. Suddenly, and seemingly out of nowhere, Gerry succumbs to a brain tumor and Holly is left to face an uncertain future. No one in the world knows Holly better than Gerry, not even her mother (Kathy Bates) or her best friends, Sharon (Gina Gershon) and Denise (Lisa Kudrow). But while Holly remains unsure if she can go on without the love of her life to help guide her, Gerry has planned ahead. On Holly's 30th birthday, she receives a cake and a special tape recording from Gerry that implores her to get out and celebrate instead of staying in and mourning. Later, as the months wear on, a series of additional messages arrive from Gerry -- always delivered in the most remarkable and surprising of ways. With each new message comes a new adventure, and each letter signs off in the same familiar way: "P.S. I love you." Despite the fact that Holly's mother and friends think these humorous, posthumous messages are keeping Holly bound to the past, the truth is that they are lovingly guiding her into the future while proving that sometimes death isn't just the end, but a new beginning as well. Director Richard LaGravenese teams with screenwriter Steve Rogers to adapt author Cecelia Ahern's best-selling novel. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, (more)
Inspired by the best-selling DC comic The Death of Superman, the animated feature Superman Doomsday finds the Man of Steel locked in mortal combat with an intergalactic serial killer named Doomsday. Never before have two rivals of such equal footing squared off in a duel to the death that could determine the fate of an entire planet. Will Superman summon the strength needed to save Metropolis by making the ultimate sacrifice, or could it be that the denizens of this bustling city are about to witness the demise of the greatest protector they ever had? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, (more)
As its final season began, Angel had already established a tone and theme for the year. In "Home," the final episode of season four, the titular vampire hero (David Boreanaz) had agreed to take over the Los Angeles branch of demonic law firm Wolfram & Hart. Vowing to put the firm's vast resources to work in the fight against evil, Angel and company effectively sold out -- with the best of intentions. Parent series Buffy the Vampire Slayer had recently spent its own final season developing an extended metaphor about the "war on terror." Now, Angel sets out to explore a subtler form of evil: the slippery slope of compromised idealism. Given the WB network's continued lack of faith in the show (the fifth season almost didn't happen and the sixth never did, despite a nice ratings bump) critics pointed out that Angel's decision to fight from within the belly of the beast served as a metaphor for the show's quest to tell compelling scripted stories on broadcast TV. Angel spent the season making compromises, so its producers had to settle for smaller budgets and self-contained episodes. They also had to bring Buffy alumnus James Marsters on board as a cast regular, despite his character's heroic death in the Buffy finale. With a ghostly Spike installed as Angel's gleefully snide conscience and rival, the writers brought in several other new and returning characters. Ditzy vampire bombshell Harmony (Mercedes McNab) stepped in as Angel's secretary and the show's central comic relief, while the smarmy Eve (Sarah Thompson) and the affable Knox (Jonathan M. Woodward) served as Wolfram & Hart's human faces.
As for the show's remaining mainstays, Angel romanced a werewolf named Nina (Jenny Mollen) and, along with Spike, came to terms with his feelings for his ex-girlfriend Buffy. (Much to fans' disappointment, though, Sarah Michelle Gellar did not reprise her signature role.) Street-smart demon hunter Gunn (J. August Richards) made a Faustian pact with Wolfram & Hart's senior partners and paid the price for his moral ambivalence. Scientist Fred (Amy Acker) found her soul shattered and her body colonized by an ancient demon named Illyria. Wesley (Alexis Denisof) went off the deep end when Illyria snuffed out his new romance with Fred. Only Lorne (Andy Hallett), the green-skinned empathic demon, got short shrift on the plot points, his presence reduced to the occasional quip or helping hand. This made room for a steady parade of guest stars. For the 100th episode, former Buffy and Angel regular Charisma Carpenter once more brought the caustic and beautiful Cordelia Chase to life. Vincent Kartheiser twice reprised his role as Angel's son, while Buffy vet Tom Lenk helped the fang gang keep tabs on their old friends from Sunnydale. The most unexpected guest of all came in the form of Christian Kane, whose scheming Lindsey McDonald resurfaced to set the stage for a finale that ended as abruptly and heroically as the series itself. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
As for the show's remaining mainstays, Angel romanced a werewolf named Nina (Jenny Mollen) and, along with Spike, came to terms with his feelings for his ex-girlfriend Buffy. (Much to fans' disappointment, though, Sarah Michelle Gellar did not reprise her signature role.) Street-smart demon hunter Gunn (J. August Richards) made a Faustian pact with Wolfram & Hart's senior partners and paid the price for his moral ambivalence. Scientist Fred (Amy Acker) found her soul shattered and her body colonized by an ancient demon named Illyria. Wesley (Alexis Denisof) went off the deep end when Illyria snuffed out his new romance with Fred. Only Lorne (Andy Hallett), the green-skinned empathic demon, got short shrift on the plot points, his presence reduced to the occasional quip or helping hand. This made room for a steady parade of guest stars. For the 100th episode, former Buffy and Angel regular Charisma Carpenter once more brought the caustic and beautiful Cordelia Chase to life. Vincent Kartheiser twice reprised his role as Angel's son, while Buffy vet Tom Lenk helped the fang gang keep tabs on their old friends from Sunnydale. The most unexpected guest of all came in the form of Christian Kane, whose scheming Lindsey McDonald resurfaced to set the stage for a finale that ended as abruptly and heroically as the series itself. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Boreanaz, James Marsters, (more)
- 2002
- Add Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 07 to QueueAdd Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 07 to top of Queue
Buffy the Vampire Slayer began its seventh and ultimately final season with a metaphorical return to its roots. Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) enrolling at a rebuilt Sunnydale High School and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) quickly installing there as a guidance counselor seemed to poise the series for a return to teenage metaphors and a lighter tone after the darkness of the previous season. But when a new villain is announced by taking the form of each season's previous "big bad" villain, Buffy embarks on an extended story line that mirrors America's deepening commitment to the "war on terror" and the post-9/11 invasion of Afghanistan. The continued assaults of the First Evil -- the malevolent but bodiless force from which all other evil springs -- force Buffy to become the general of an ad-hoc army and stage a preemptive strike against the Hellmouth. The resulting story line brings the series to an ultimately hopeful finale, but one suffused with loss. Some fans and critics think that consistently excellent writing was an early casualty of the season. For one thing, series creator Joss Whedon had a full slate executive producing the spin-off Angel and the short-lived Firefly. The introduction of copious new faces in the form of Buffy's new slayer-in-training army didn't leave room for much focus on the show's established characters. When the Scoobies were bestowed with extensive plot lines, they often reflected the season's overarching themes of loneliness and the isolation of power.
Cut off from her friends by returning to the vengeance-demon fold, Anya (Emma Caulfield) finally comes to terms with her search for herself. Meanwhile, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) struggles to redeem herself and master the immense powers that nearly destroyed her. Newly ensouled Spike (James Marsters) finds redemption of his own as Buffy's lieutenant and protector. Geeky former villain Andrew (Tom Lenk) throws in his lot with the good guys who didn't really want him. Dawn and Xander (Nicholas Brendon) struggle with their roles as non-combatants.
Despite a jokey subplot that toyed with the idea that he was an agent of the First, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) tries unsuccessfully to check Buffy's autocratic recklessness. New Sunnydale High Principal Robin Wood (D.B. Woodside) proves an enigmatic presence at first, but the eventual revelation of his ties to Spike and the slayer line adds yet another personality to the Scoobies' rapidly expanding ranks. The return of reformed rogue slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) for the final five episodes helps fulfill the promise that the seventh season would bring Buffy back to its roots.
Written and directed by Whedon himself, the series finale turns the concept of "the chosen one" on its head. New and beloved characters alike bite the dust, as does the town of Sunnydale itself. But Willow and Spike at long last find their redemption, and the show's feminist themes found an excellent final metaphor. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
Cut off from her friends by returning to the vengeance-demon fold, Anya (Emma Caulfield) finally comes to terms with her search for herself. Meanwhile, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) struggles to redeem herself and master the immense powers that nearly destroyed her. Newly ensouled Spike (James Marsters) finds redemption of his own as Buffy's lieutenant and protector. Geeky former villain Andrew (Tom Lenk) throws in his lot with the good guys who didn't really want him. Dawn and Xander (Nicholas Brendon) struggle with their roles as non-combatants.
Despite a jokey subplot that toyed with the idea that he was an agent of the First, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) tries unsuccessfully to check Buffy's autocratic recklessness. New Sunnydale High Principal Robin Wood (D.B. Woodside) proves an enigmatic presence at first, but the eventual revelation of his ties to Spike and the slayer line adds yet another personality to the Scoobies' rapidly expanding ranks. The return of reformed rogue slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) for the final five episodes helps fulfill the promise that the seventh season would bring Buffy back to its roots.
Written and directed by Whedon himself, the series finale turns the concept of "the chosen one" on its head. New and beloved characters alike bite the dust, as does the town of Sunnydale itself. But Willow and Spike at long last find their redemption, and the show's feminist themes found an excellent final metaphor. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, (more)
- 2001
- Add Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 06 to QueueAdd Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 06 to top of Queue
As Buffy the Vampire Slayer began its new life on UPN after five years on the WB, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) herself returned to the living thanks to the necromancy of her friend Willow (Alyson Hannigan). Her back-from-the-dead depression setting a darker tone for the series, the Chosen One faced new responsibilities as de facto parent of sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg). The show's producers have accurately described the theme of the sixth season as "real life is the 'big bad.'" Depression, addiction, relationship wreckage, and dead-end jobs did more to plague the Slayer than the actual bad guys, a trio of nerdy ex-Sunnydale students who fashioned themselves as super-villains. Previous guest stars Danny Strong, as Jonathan, and Adam Busch, as Warren, were joined by newcomer Tom Lenk, as Andrew; their endless Dungeons & Dragons and Star Wars banter provided the bulk of the season's comic relief even as their attempts at villainy grew darker and more successful. Meanwhile, in the celebrated episode "Once More, With Feeling," series creator Joss Whedon fulfilled a lifelong ambition to write a musical. Falling under the spell of an all-singing, all-dancing demon, Buffy and the Scoobies found themselves bursting into song to declaim their innermost feelings. The big revelations included the reservations Xander (Nicholas Brendan) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) felt about their impending marriage; the fact that Willow had manipulated the memories of her girlfriend, Tara (Amber Benson); and the anger Buffy felt when her friends' resurrection spell plucked her not from hellish torment, but from peaceful reward.
With Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) heading back to England in an attempt at tough love, an isolated Buffy turned to the smitten Spike (James Marsters) for comfort. The graphic depiction of the pair's twisted sexual relationship proved controversial, especially to Gellar, who later complained that she found the portrayal degrading. Gay-rights activists, who had long praised the show's depiction of lesbian love between Willow and Tara, raised even bigger objections to the climactic story line. After spending the season attempting to recover from her highly metaphorical addiction to magic, Willow went mad and nearly destroyed the world to avenge Tara's death at the hands of über-geek Warren. An affectionate riff on the classic "Dark Phoenix" saga in Whedon's beloved X-Men comics, this "Dark Willow" story line -- including a promotional spot that declared "Hell hath no fury...like a Wiccan scorned" -- struck some viewers as a sad capitulation to pop culture's "crazy lesbian killer" stereotype. Not that things went very well for the show's heterosexual romances, either. Xander left Anya at the alter, leading her to resume her role as a vengeance demon. And Spike, dumped by Buffy, attempted to rape her, then endured a series of supernatural trials to earn back his human soul and become worthy of her love. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
With Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) heading back to England in an attempt at tough love, an isolated Buffy turned to the smitten Spike (James Marsters) for comfort. The graphic depiction of the pair's twisted sexual relationship proved controversial, especially to Gellar, who later complained that she found the portrayal degrading. Gay-rights activists, who had long praised the show's depiction of lesbian love between Willow and Tara, raised even bigger objections to the climactic story line. After spending the season attempting to recover from her highly metaphorical addiction to magic, Willow went mad and nearly destroyed the world to avenge Tara's death at the hands of über-geek Warren. An affectionate riff on the classic "Dark Phoenix" saga in Whedon's beloved X-Men comics, this "Dark Willow" story line -- including a promotional spot that declared "Hell hath no fury...like a Wiccan scorned" -- struck some viewers as a sad capitulation to pop culture's "crazy lesbian killer" stereotype. Not that things went very well for the show's heterosexual romances, either. Xander left Anya at the alter, leading her to resume her role as a vengeance demon. And Spike, dumped by Buffy, attempted to rape her, then endured a series of supernatural trials to earn back his human soul and become worthy of her love. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, (more)
- 2000
As flashbacks document the tangled history between Angel (David Boreanaz) and Darla (Julie Benz), Angel tries to save his newly resurrected, now-human sire from Wolfram & Hart -- and from her own desire to become a vampire again. The vague stirrings of her newborn soul lead Darla to seek Angel's help, but lawyer Holland Manners (Sam Anderson) keeps her a virtual prisoner. With assistance from reluctant ally Lindsey McDonald (Christian Kane), Angel rescues Darla but refuses to turn her into a vampire, so she flees. In flashbacks, Darla is seen as a mortal in Virginia in 1609 -- a syphilitic prostitute turned into a vampire by ancient and powerful bloodsucker The Master (Mark Metcalf). Other scenes depict the first meeting between Angel and The Master; the bloody antics of Angel and Darla with Drusilla (Juliet Landau) and Spike (James Marsters); Darla murdering the gypsies who cursed Angel with a soul; and the soul-stricken Angel trying and failing to reunite with Darla during the Boxer Rebellion in China. Back in the present, the lawyers of Wolfram & Hart manipulate Darla into returning to Angel, with whom she engages in a long philosophical debate about pain, suffering, and redemption. Frightened and weak, she flees again, ordering Angel not to follow. Originally broadcast November 14, 2000, on the WB network, "Darla" marked season two, episode seven of the supernatural comedy drama. Spike is a regular character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, while The Master has served as villain for several episodes of that series, most notably the entire first season. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- 2000
- Add Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 05 to QueueAdd Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 05 to top of Queue
After a comic go-around with the original vampire playboy in season opener "Buffy vs. Dracula," Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fifth season quickly established its overriding theme: the importance of family, both biological and adoptive. Kristine Sutherland -- mostly absent from season four -- returned as Joyce Summers, Buffy's mother. More importantly, series creator Joss Whedon surprised viewers with the introduction of the Slayer's teenaged sister, Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg). Neither a long-lost sibling nor a recent adoptee, Dawn was simply dropped into the mix as if she'd always been there. As the season progressed, though, she was revealed to be The Key, an ancient force that monks had incarnated into human form, with fake memories created for everybody. The reason? So that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) would protect it from Glory (Clare Kramer), a deposed god who needed it to get back to her own hellish dimension. Rather than the usual picturesque "big bad," Glory appeared to be a well-heeled beauty, albeit one with super strength and a propensity for snacking on people's sanity. As the hellgod stalked Sunnydale in expensive pumps, her minions furiously seeking the identity of The Key, Buffy had bigger problems. Doctors discovered that Joyce was suffering from brain cancer, while Dawn accidentally learned about her true origins and freaked out.
Focusing on her family and refusing to show any weakness, Buffy managed to drive boyfriend Riley (Marc Blucas) away. Of course, she had a little helping hand from Spike (James Marsters), who discovered, to his horror, that he'd fallen in love with his arch-nemesis. Although repulsed by the neutered vampire's affections, Buffy slowly grew to trust him as an ally -- especially after an unexpected death left her feeling more alone than ever. Friends Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendan), and Anya (Emma Caulfield) continued to serve as Buffy's inner circle, while Tara (Amber Benson) escaped from her own repressive family to become a bona fide Scooby, reinforcing the season's familial theme. When an attack from Glory left Tara drooling and helpless, Willow struck back, testing her rapidly growing magical abilities. She failed, leading indirectly to Glory's discovery of The Key's identity. With Dawn in the hellgod's clutches and the clock ticking down to the moment when Glory could use the girl's death to break down the barriers between hell and earth, Buffy reached its 100th-episode season finale. Titled "The Gift," it summed up the season's themes of family, loss, and sacrifice and left some doubt as to the show's future. Behind the scenes, financial negotiations between the show's producers and the WB network had broken down. But upstart UPN agreed to pay top dollar for two more seasons, leaving the WB with a hole in its schedule and fans overjoyed. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
Focusing on her family and refusing to show any weakness, Buffy managed to drive boyfriend Riley (Marc Blucas) away. Of course, she had a little helping hand from Spike (James Marsters), who discovered, to his horror, that he'd fallen in love with his arch-nemesis. Although repulsed by the neutered vampire's affections, Buffy slowly grew to trust him as an ally -- especially after an unexpected death left her feeling more alone than ever. Friends Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendan), and Anya (Emma Caulfield) continued to serve as Buffy's inner circle, while Tara (Amber Benson) escaped from her own repressive family to become a bona fide Scooby, reinforcing the season's familial theme. When an attack from Glory left Tara drooling and helpless, Willow struck back, testing her rapidly growing magical abilities. She failed, leading indirectly to Glory's discovery of The Key's identity. With Dawn in the hellgod's clutches and the clock ticking down to the moment when Glory could use the girl's death to break down the barriers between hell and earth, Buffy reached its 100th-episode season finale. Titled "The Gift," it summed up the season's themes of family, loss, and sacrifice and left some doubt as to the show's future. Behind the scenes, financial negotiations between the show's producers and the WB network had broken down. But upstart UPN agreed to pay top dollar for two more seasons, leaving the WB with a hole in its schedule and fans overjoyed. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, (more)
- 1999
- Add Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 04 to QueueAdd Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 04 to top of Queue
As Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends began the transition from high school to young adulthood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer went through a number of changes itself. New cast members, a new spin-off, and a new setting characterized a season that many fans and critics saw as a partially successful experiment. Experimentation was something of a theme for the season -- the experimentation of young adulthood and the experiments of a group of sinister government scientists known as The Initiative. Their shadowy military operations providing new elements of X-Files-like science fiction, The Iniative also managed to unleash Adam (George Hertzberg), the season's Frankenstein-like über-villain. As for the characters' personal lives, Buffy and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) enrolled at the fictional UC Sunnydale, whose campus became the locus of the action. Xander (Nicholas Brendon) began his aimless swim though the minimum-wage end of the labor pool, while ex-Watcher Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) faced an impending midlife crisis. The doomed love affair between Buffy and Angel had run its course, allowing David Boreanaz to launch his own show, Angel, with former series regular Charisma Carpenter in tow. When actor Seth Green asked to be released from his contract to pursue movie stardom, Oz, too, disappeared from the Scooby Gang.
These departures left room in the cast for new love interests and new comic relief. Emma Caulfield supplied both as Xander's girlfriend Anya, a vengeance demon reincarnated as a teenaged girl, who struggled to make sense of human customs and vulnerabilities. Amber Benson soon showed up as Willow's new partner-in-Wicca, then as her new partner, period. Though the WB nixed any explicit lesbian content, Willow and Tara's mutual exploration of the supernatural provided ample opportunity for metaphor. By the time Willow was ready to come out to her friends, the show was earning high praise from gay-rights groups. Buffy, too, found new love in the arms of Riley (Marc Blucas), her corn-fed new super-soldier boyfriend. The final cast addition was a blast from the past: second-season veteran James Marsters. Spike, the actor's hell-raising vampire villain, became more of a wacky neighbor than a threat once The Initiative's mad scientists put a chip in his head to keep him from killing humans. Other return appearances included renegade slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) in one of several crossovers with the first season of Angel. As usual, series creator Joss Whedon stepped in to write and direct several episodes. "Hush" used the techniques of silent film to unleash primal horror on the Slayer and her friends, while season closer "Restless" consisted almost entirely of dream sequences. These formal exercises earned Whedon tremendous critical acclaim -- and, in the case of "Hush," an Emmy nomination -- and cemented the season's experimental tone. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
These departures left room in the cast for new love interests and new comic relief. Emma Caulfield supplied both as Xander's girlfriend Anya, a vengeance demon reincarnated as a teenaged girl, who struggled to make sense of human customs and vulnerabilities. Amber Benson soon showed up as Willow's new partner-in-Wicca, then as her new partner, period. Though the WB nixed any explicit lesbian content, Willow and Tara's mutual exploration of the supernatural provided ample opportunity for metaphor. By the time Willow was ready to come out to her friends, the show was earning high praise from gay-rights groups. Buffy, too, found new love in the arms of Riley (Marc Blucas), her corn-fed new super-soldier boyfriend. The final cast addition was a blast from the past: second-season veteran James Marsters. Spike, the actor's hell-raising vampire villain, became more of a wacky neighbor than a threat once The Initiative's mad scientists put a chip in his head to keep him from killing humans. Other return appearances included renegade slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) in one of several crossovers with the first season of Angel. As usual, series creator Joss Whedon stepped in to write and direct several episodes. "Hush" used the techniques of silent film to unleash primal horror on the Slayer and her friends, while season closer "Restless" consisted almost entirely of dream sequences. These formal exercises earned Whedon tremendous critical acclaim -- and, in the case of "Hush," an Emmy nomination -- and cemented the season's experimental tone. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, (more)
- 1999
The second part of a crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer (see Buffy, "The Harsh Light of Day"), this episode of Angel guest-stars Seth Green as Oz, the werewolf rocker, and James Marsters as Spike, one of Angel's vampire nemeses. On tour with his band, Dingoes Ate My Baby, Oz comes to L.A. bearing a gift from Buffy to Angel -- the Gem of Amarra, a magical ring that makes any vampire who wears it truly invulnerable. Thinking the talisman too dangerous to use, Angel (David Boreanaz) hides it in the sewers underneath the city. Spike soon arrives and retains the services of Marcus (Kevin West), a fearsome, child-eating vampire, to torture and kidnap Angel. Although Angel keeps his mouth shut despite unimaginable agony, Doyle (Glenn Quinn) and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) find the ring, and, in an attempt to save their boss, inadvertently allow it to fall into Marcus' hands. Angel must chase the fiend to a crowded beach in full sunlight to prevent him for exercising his bloodlust on the amassed kiddies. Afterward, Angel uses the ring's powers to enjoy one day unharmed in the sunlight before pulverizing it to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Originally broadcast October 19, 1999, on the WB network, "In the Dark" marked season one, episode three of the supernatural comedy drama. It was also the first of many crossovers with the show's parent series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Glenn Quinn
- 1998
- Add Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 03 to QueueAdd Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 03 to top of Queue
Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first two seasons had established the modus operandi of unveiling a new villain and fresh overriding concept as each season began. The Slayer's senior year at Sunnydale High was no different; themes of power, corruption, and betrayal were encapsulated in the introduction of two new characters. Scheming to achieve supernatural transcendence atop the Hellmouth, crooked Mayor Richard Wilkins III (Harry Groener) served as the season's cuddly but creepy "big bad." But it was Faith (Eliza Dushku), Buffy's new fellow slayer and eventual dark foil, whose descent into sadistic villainy packed the bigger emotional wallop. Of course, as the season began, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) was still smarting from the last time a trusted ally had turned on her. But the mysterious return of Angel (David Boreanaz) from the hell to which Buffy had dispatched him caused as many problems as it solved. (Eventually, as the season ended, Angel would leave Sunnydale for the larger horizons of Los Angeles in an eponymous spin-off that lasted five seasons.) As for the other characters, romantic entanglements continued between Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendon), Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), and Oz (Seth Green). Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) and Buffy's mother (Kristine Sutherland) even enjoyed a brief dalliance while under the influence of an enchantment. Fledgling witch Willow continued to hone her own magical talents. Xander lost his virginity -- and nearly his life -- to Faith. Stuffy new arrival Wesley Wyndam-Price (Alexis Denisof) usurped Giles' role as Watcher, allowing Buffy's mentor to exhibit a newfound suaveness and cynicism. And longtime bit player Jonathan (Danny Strong) took center stage in the controversial episode titled "Earshot." Penned by new staff writer Jane Espenson, whose gift for comedy had already made a big impact with fans, the otherwise humorous episode marked one of the first times a gun had figured prominently in a Buffy plot. In deference to the Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, CO, the WB delayed airing "Earshot" -- and the violent season finale -- until months after they were originally scheduled. Nevertheless, the third season's final arc effectively brought the show's long-running high-school-is-hell conceit to its logical conclusion. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, (more)
- 1997
- Add Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 02 to QueueAdd Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 02 to top of Queue
By the time its abbreviated first season ran its course, Buffy the Vampire Slayer had captured the zeitgeist despite its modest ratings. With a fully formed aesthetic and a small but demographically admirable audience, the show entered what many fans and critics consider its golden age. On the villain front, hell-raising vampires Spike (James Marsters) and Drusilla (Juliet Landau) arrived to shake Sunnydale up. Their twisted, Sid and Nancy-esque devotion to one another added depth and nuance to the show's moral compass. It also provided counterpoint to the fever-pitch romance between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and tormented vampire Angel (David Boreanaz). Watcher Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), too, found love, in the arms of cyber-pagan Jenny Calendar (Robia La Morte), while Willow (Alyson Hannigan) began dating laconic, guitar-playing werewolf Oz (Seth Green). As for nice-guy Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and haughty beauty Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter), they ended up, against all odds, in one another's arms. While the profusion of often star-crossed romance drove the show's emotional dynamics, it also supplied sudden shifts of allegiance and the death of a major character. In the two-parter "Surprise" and "Innocence" (aired on consecutive nights as a promotional stunt marking the show's move from Mondays to Tuesdays), Buffy and Angel finally consummated their love -- with unexpectedly disastrous results. A pesky gypsy curse and a moment of true happiness were all it took to turn Angel back into a killing machine. As the actors played out momentous story lines in a keener emotional register, new depths were revealed behind the scenes as well. Future show-runner Marti Noxon joined the writing staff and quickly became a key player, while series creator Joss Whedon wrote and directed several landmark episodes. Continuity buffs relished the revelation that Buffy's momentary death the previous season had triggered the emergence of another slayer. The brief but memorable career of Kendra the Vampire Slayer (Bianca Lawson) underscored the constant danger of Buffy's calling. Ultimately, though, it was the Slayer's lover-turned-nemesis whose seeming demise brought the season to a shattering close. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, (more)
