Bob Morrisey

Richard (Edward Herrmann) wants to reconcile with Floyd Stiles (Lawrence Pressman), father of his business partner Jason (Christopher Eigeman), but this proves difficult for two reasons: Richard now knows of the relationship between Jason and Lorelai (Lauren Graham), and Floyd intends to sue both Richard and his own son for stealing his clients. Meanwhile, Rory (Alexis Bledel) blows her top when she learns that Dean (Jared Padalecki) has no intention of continuing his education. And Dean's wife Lindsay (Arielle Kebbel) finally figures out that her husband's heart still belongs to Rory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Baldwin Jones (Henry Simmons) goes after the low-life who may be hiding the identity of the stalker who attacked Valerie Haywood (Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon). A murder brings Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) in contact with a lapsed alcoholic and a former loan shark who claims to have mended his ways. And in her efforts to prevent the parents of her scummy brother-in-law, Frank, from gaining custody of baby Michelle, Connie (Charlotte Ross) tracks down Frank's sister, Adrian (Katy Selverstone), who may have been raped by a member of her own degenerate family. Chandra West makes her first appearance as Dr. Jennifer Devlin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) awaits her role as sacrificial victim for monstrous hell-god Glory (Clare Kramer), her slayer sister (Sarah Michelle Gellar) withdraws deeply into herself. Devastated by the shame of having allowed Dawn to be kidnapped (see "Spiral"), Buffy retreats into the safety of an illusory childhood in which she's safe with her long-estranged father, her now-deceased mother, and her mystically incarnated baby sister. Meanwhile, Glory battles for control with Ben (Charlie Weber), her unwilling host body. Ben's conscience and memories keep leaking into Glory's consciousness, leading her to pontificate about the misery of the human condition to the captive Dawn. Ben briefly manages to wrest full control from his demonic sibling. He attempts to free Dawn, but Glory promises him immortality if he'll stop fighting. He acquiesces, earning Dawn's disgust. Meanwhile, a firm but patient Willow (Alyson Hannigan) uses her magicks to wrench her way into Buffy's subconscious and give the Slayer a good talking-to. Buffy awakens from her catatonia, ready to save the day. That's when Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), recovering from his injuries, reveals that Glory's plan to break down the barrier between dimensions requires that Dawn's blood be spilled at a certain place and time; the barrier will remain open until all of Dawn's blood is spent. Originally broadcast May 15, 2001, on the WB network, "The Weight of the World" marked episode 99 of the cult-favorite series. This episode marked the first of several posthumous appearances by Buffy's mother, Joyce, played by Kristine Sutherland. The recently deceased Summers matriarch would feature in another of her daughter's hallucinations (see "Normal Again") and pop by for a beyond-the-grave chat with Dawn (see "Conversations With Dead People"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

As Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and the gang continue to fight demons in L.A. and Fred (Amy Acker) adjusts to life back in her home dimension, Angel (David Boreanaz) works off his grief over the death of Buffy by fighting demon monks in Sri Lanka. Returning home, Angel soon finds himself at odds with an old crony from his days as evil blood-sucker Angelus. During a mission to save some hapless college kids from a pack of vamps, Angel stakes a woman only to realize belatedly that she is Elisabeth (Kate Norby), beloved mate of arch-fiend James (Ron Melendez). In flashbacks, Angel remembers his days terrorizing Europe with Elisabeth, James and his own lover, Darla (Julie Benz) -- and their flight from relentless vampire-hunter Holtz (Keith Szarabajka). Back in the present, James vows vengeance upon Angel and visits the sinister Dr. Gregson (Bob Morrisey) for "the cure," a procedure that grants him temporary invulnerability but guarantees his imminent demise. Angel manages to survive the ferocious attack leading up to James' death throes, but not before his former friend makes him take a hard look at his feelings about Buffy. Meanwhile, in Nicaragua, Darla seeks a shaman to counsel her about a startling development -- although she's a vampire, she's pregnant. Originally broadcast September 24, 2001, on the WB network, "Heartthrob" marked season three, episode one of the supernatural comedy drama. Actress Amy Acker, a guest star in previous episodes, joins the regular cast starting with this episode. "Heartthrob" also marks two other firsts: the inaugural widescreen episode and the first to air after parent show Buffy the Vampire Slayer switched networks from the WB to rival UPN. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

The mystery of the Slayer's newfound sibling deepens as narrator Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) confides to her diary that she's sick of big sis Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) hogging all the attention. Buffy vents her own frustrations about having to balance her duties as the Slayer with her sisterly responsibilities -- a juggling act thrown into sharp relief when Dawn accidentally invites bimbo vampire Harmony (Mercedes McNab) into the house and gets kidnapped, necessitating a dramatic rescue. As for viewers, they may well be frustrated by the sudden and inexplicable appearance of Dawn in the surprise ending of the previous episode (see "Buffy vs. Dracula"); Buffy was an only child for the first 78 episodes of the series, but now she and her friends are acting as if Dawn has been around all along. Perhaps the truth has something to do with the mad vagrant who accosts Dawn and tells her she doesn't belong here; nonetheless, it will be three more episodes before the truth about the girl's origin is revealed (see "No Place Like Home"). In the meantime, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) decides to take over Sunnydale's magic shop after yet another of its proprietors ends up dead. Originally broadcast October 3, 2000, on the WB network, "Real Me" marked episode 80 of the cult-favorite series. As of this episode, Michelle Trachtenberg joins the regular cast. Tom Lenk, who portrays vampire Cyrus here, would return in the prominent role of geeky would-be villain Andrew throughout the sixth and seventh seasons. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Guy Ferland directed this comedy-thriller about aspiring cartoonist and pizza-delivery guy Will Sherman (David Strickland). College dropout Will delivers a pizza to murderer Reed (Ron Eldard), who later realizes Will can connect him to the crime scene. This prompts Reed to steal Will's tape-recorded diary and gather info on Will's friends. Will remains unaware that a psycho has taken an interest in his life -- but soon various people Will knows begin to die. Shown at the 1998 Seattle Film Festival and the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

The scene is Cornwell University, where college journalist Mary Stuartson (Melissa Joan Hart) shares a dorm room with Holly Sherman (Lisa Dean Ryan). Returning to the room one night in a battered state, Holly tells Mary that she has been raped by the school's star athlete, Clay Roberts (Josh Hopkins). Mary urges Holly to alert the authorities, but Holly is afraid of what the incident might do to her reputation--and besides, who'd take her word over Clay's? Galvanized into action, Mary investigates the situation and unearths several other examples of date rape that have been swept under the rug on campus. She then writes a series of articles about fictional rape victim "Molly", thereby making herself a target of persecution, recrimination and retribution by students, faculty members and "townies" alike--but Mary isn't the sort of young woman who backs down when she knows she's right! This made-for-TV drama was produced by the mother and aunt of star Melissa Joan Hart, and features Melissa's younger sister Emily Hart in a supporting role. Silencing Mary originally aired March 8, 1998 on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The double trauma of seeing his wife Vivian (Gail O'Grady) walk out on him and having his government funding eliminated causes nuclear scientist Rogers Henry (John Glover) to go off the deep end. But Vivian doesn't know about her husband's insanity when she agrees to deliver what she thinks is his model of a thermonuclear device called Medusa to the Pentagon. Nor do charter pilot Scott Nash (Vincent Spano) and researched Linda McCoy (Lori Laughlin) suspect anything amiss when Vivian boards Scott's plane en route to Washington. Only when the plane is aloft is it discovered that the "model" is a genuine bomb that has armed itself and will explode should it be taken any more than fifteen feet away from Vivian, whose pacemaker is the bomb's "control." Even worse: There's a hurricane threatening Washington, and the plane is unable to land--and someone on board requires emergency heart surgery! Based on the best selling novel by John J. Nance (who appears in a cameo role), the two-part TV movie Medusa's Child first aired November 16 and 20, 1997, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rodney Lee Rogers wrote, directed and stars in this tale of wannabe screenwriter Andy Kuchowsky (Rogers), who can't leave his day job in a Seattle coffee emporium until he sells his first screenplay -- about a wannabe screenwriter caught up in a high-risk drug deal. His pal Pete (Peter Carrs) offers critiques, leading to fantasy reenactments of script scenes, while coffee customers trigger other script revisions. Eventually, Andy seizes the opportunity to get his script into Hollywood hands. Shown at the 1997 Seattle Film Festival and the 1997 AFI/Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide