Spoiler Slayer

Back To The HellMouth

It's kind of strange writing my thoughts on 'Lessons', since I knew well in advance that it was going to be a good episode. When you're actively working on tracking down the plot or summary for Episode Seven, it almost feels like I'm writing about one of last season's episodes.

Even so, I was surprised at exactly *how* good the episode actually was. Out of all the Season Premiere's, it's certainly the best yet. Maybe it's because this season, none of the characters are really treading on new ground. In Season One, it was about introducing the concept. In Season Two, Three and Six it was dealing with the events of the previous Season. Season Four and Five ended up be a combination of the two.

While the situations have changed for the characters, the focus in this premiere was on Buffy and Dawn, who seemed to have worked everything out at the end of last season. The bright sunny day they walked off into at the end of 'Grave', seems to have carried them throughout the summer. Added to this, the stage that the episode played out on is extremely familiar. It might be a new school and a new shooting location, but very little has changed from what we remember from Seasons One through Three. It's Sunnydale High and it's built on the Hellmouth, nuff said. Which is why I think neither Buffy, Dawn or Xander raised an eyebrow when things started going wrong.

I was also glad to see that neither Dawn's training or the 'Scrappy Gang' were heavily focused upon, which was a major concern when info on the premiere first started leaking. While current spoilers suggest that the former will continue, the latter is nowhere to be seen in the near future. However, I doubt that this will be the last of Kit and Carlos. But it just goes to show that it's unwise to judge a show solely by a few pages of script. Even the Wildfeed can't do justice to the final scene with Spike, words just can't describe it.

If I had to find one complaint with the episode, it would be the repetition of certin themes. I get it, everything is connected, we're going back to the beginning, High Schools and Hellmouths don't mix. Yet there is very likely a reason for why this was drummed into our heads.

In the end, I think that season has gotten off to a very good start. I think that as seasons go, this will be one of the best. While most shows would be struggling to continue bringing fresh stories this many season in, I think going 'Back To The Beginning' was exactly what the show needed. A fresh start, but a familiar one as well. I think there will be much to look forward to this season.

That's what I thought of the episode itself, but not what in means in terms of the story. Tomorrow, I'll take a crack at what the events in may indicate for the future. Plus, the first installment of the Buffy Formula for Season Six should be in the Weekend Update.

The Other Drew

Drew Goddard posted on the Bronze a few days ago, both archives are now up at the Bronze VIP Archive. He did confirm that he was writing Episode Five, but for some reason the site's being difficult and not showing the spoiler that's been posted for about a half a month (database issue, thanks to the fans who pointed out that it was missing). I'll hit it with a wrench tomorrow to see if I can get that info updated.