No new Buffy or Angel since February, and fans are still more than two weeks from fresh slayer. But it just might be worth the wait!
Meet “Xander’s Girl” (or “XG”), a 20-year-old college junior who also seems to be one of the most dedicated Web compilers of spoilage on “Buffy,” “Angel” and “Roswell.” Her sites are The Slayer’s Sixth Sense (a “Buffy” spoiler site), Beautiful Stranger (an “Angel” spoiler site), and Cherry Colas and High School Fantasies (a “Roswell” spoiler site).
As XG’s newest fan, I am loathe to believe some of what she offers. In her FAQ, she admits that her sources sometimes get stuff wrong. This is borne out by her “Roswell” spoilers, which I know to contain lots of disinformation - but which also get a lot of the facts very straight indeed. As you root through XG’s material on the Mutant Enemy shows, be careful to keep it all in mind.
(We’re not going to get into “Roswell” in this post because a source I believe to be more reliable than XG already gave us Coax’s recent “Roswell” Spoilerama.)
We post this stuff because it fires imaginations. Be grateful for everything XG gets wrong; her missteps will make the episodes that much more exciting for us when they finally air!
Some highlights (edited and marginally enhanced) from XG’s “Buffy” and “Angel” coverage:
April 17
BUFFY 5.17
“Forever”
Written by Marti Noxon (author of “Buffy vs. Dracula” and the Riley exit story “Into the Woods”).
* Anya, fretting about her own mortality, is offered her powers back.
* Glory realizes she’s running out of time.
* Surprise visitors show up for Joyce’s funeral (presumably Hank Summers and his new cookie).
Here's The TV Guide:
In the aftermath of Joyce's funeral, the Summers girls attempt to cope with their loss in entirely different ways: while the Slayer withdraws into numbness, Dawn acts on her fears. Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) finds comfort by confiding in a visiting Angel, but her sister's inability to accept their mother's death isn't as easily alleviated. Denial leads Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) to a supernatural remedy for grief - a magical recipe for resurrection. Willow and Tara refuse to assist with the dangerous spell, but Spike has no such qualms about helping to bring Joyce back. More Dawn-centered danger brews when Ben lets a crucial Key-related clue slip to Glory.
A non-XG Update from a reader calling herself "Scriptgirl":
A non-XG Update from a reader calling herself "Scriptgirl":
"In 5.17 Glory finds out that The Key is in the form of a human."
ANGEL 2.17
“Disharmony.”
Written by David Fury (author of “Real Me,” the first Dawn-centric installment of “Buffy,” and “Crush,” which finally reunited Spike and Dru). This is Fury’s third “Angel” script and his first this season.
* Willow and Xander head to L.A. to give Angel the bad news about Joyce, but never find him.
* Willow and Xander do, however, meet The Host.
* The Host tells Angel of "a boy with a grim future," seemingly making reference to Xander.
* Angel learns of Joyce’s demise from Harmony (now making her home in the City of Angel).
Here's TV Guide:
Angel Investigations may be together again (under new management), but that doesn't mean the family is ready to add a new sister. While the crew tracks down a cult of vampires led by a former motivational speaker (Pat Healy) with a wicked pyramid scheme, Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) gets a surprise visit from her old high-school buddy Harmony (Mercedes McNab). Unaware her flaky pal's a bloodsucker, Cordy mistakes Harm's strange behavior for lesbianism - until the truth comes out (so to speak) in a call to Willow. Much to the dismay of her co-workers, the ever loyal Cordelia resolves to give her undead friend a chance at fighting for the good guys.
And a non-XG Update from a reader calling herself "Deepthroat":
And a non-XG Update from a reader calling herself "Deepthroat":
"I actually have the official episode synopsis in my hot little hands and I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that at least when it comes to this particular episode of ANGEL quite a few details are wrong. Xander does not make any kind of an appearance in this episode and Willow just has a short phone call exchange with Cordelia and later with Angel (the first exchange being a good little bit of lesbian humour). Harmony hooks up with Cordy because she's been banished from Sunnydale. Cordy has been feeling lonely lately and is encouraged to be reunited with her old high school chum. Harmony is told by The Host that her destiny lies with Cordy. Ultimately Harmony betrays Cordy and Co. and joins some kind of motivational cult for vamps. She's banished from LA too and decides to hang out in Mexico by the episode's end.
This link for “Angel” 2.17 (titled “Disharmony” and set to air April 17), seems to confirm Willow’s telephonic guest spot in the episode).
April 24
BUFFY 5.18
“Intervention.”
Written by Jane Espenson (author of the Xander-duplicating “The Replacement,” the troll-conjuring “Triangle,” the Watcher-heavy “Checkpoint,” and the robot-centric “I Was Made To Love You”).
* Angel arrives in Sunnydale to find Buffy an emotional wreck.
* Buffy’s dad Hank and his new cookie (Melissa Gilbert) turn up to collect Dawn.
* Spike gets his Buffybot, which immediately starts trying to kill him.
* Ben the Intern disappears.
* Glory possesses Spike.
A non-XG Update from a reader calling herself "Scriptgirl":
Buffy, who starts to fear she is losing the ability to love, agrees to leave Dawn with Xander and Anya and join Giles on a desert retreat so she might gain information from "The Guide" (in the form of the “First Slayer” from “Restless”). Buffy’s “guide” will tell her that love will lead her to her gift – and that "death is your gift."
Glory, now aware that The Key is human, dispatches minions to spy on the Scoobs because she thinks Buffy knows the identity of The Key.
Spike gets his Buffybot from Warren. Spike whines about it looking plasticky, but once Buffybot kisses him, he is very satisfied.
A post-coital Buffybot heads out on patrol and runs into Xander and Anya, also on patrol. Xander is surprised to see Buffy back so soon, and finds her behavior most passing strange. Soon Xander catches the Buffybot having sex with Spike, and relays this news to the other shocked Scoobs, who think Buffy must be doing this out of her grief over Joyce’s death.
As Xander speaks to Spike about Buffy, Glory’s minions bust in and kidnap Spike. Because the Buffybot was seen protecting Spike, the minions are now convinced that Spike is The Key. When Spike is delivered, Glory is enraged; Spike can’t possibly be The Key because he’s not human! Glory sets about torturing Spike for information about The Key.
Worried about Spike spilling the beans about Dawn to Glory, the Scoobs head to Buffy’s house to gather weapons, only to be met there by the Buffybot, itself looking for help. As the Slayer Circle tries to stage a (hilarious) intervention, Buffy herself returns and is hugely peeved that the Scoobs couldn’t tell the Buffybot from the real thing. On the way to find Glory’s lair, the Buffybot is damaged by minions.
Though beaten and bloodied by a Key-seeking Glory, Spike can’t resist mocking her, calling her a “god of bad home perms" and the like. Glory hits Spike so hard she breaks his restraints, and Spike manages an escape. Glory abandons her lair as the Scoobs close in.
The damaged Buffybot returns to the Spikecrypt and finds Spike with his eyes so swollen he can barely see.
BUFFYBOT: Why don’t you just tell Glory what she wants to know?
SPIKE: Because I can't do that to Buffy. The real Buffy.
(The Buffybot kisses Spike on the lips, sweetly)
SPIKE (pulling back in shock): What did you do with my robot?
BUFFY: The robot is gone. The robot is gross. Don't do it again. And thank you.
Here's TV Guide:
After Buffy and Giles leave town for some Slayer soul-searching, the Scoobies mistake Spike's custom-made romance with his Buffybot for the real thing. Then, Glory's minions kidnap Spike in the belief that he is the coveted Key. Meanwhile, Buffy has a reunion with the first Slayer (Sharon Ferguson) out in the desert. Spike: James Marsters. Glory: Clare Kramer. Xander: Nicholas Brendon.
ANGEL 2.18
ANGEL 2.18
“Dead End.”
Written by David Greenwalt (author of “Dear Boy,” in which Angel learns Darla is really back, and “Happy Anniversary,” the one with time-freeze boy).
* Cordy and Gunn grow closer when she is beset by a nasty rash of vision spells.
* Lindsey’s new hand goes all Strangelove on him.
This link for “Angel” 2.18 (titled “Dead End” and set to air April 24), seems to confirm the fact that Wolfram & Hart attorney Lindsey gets a new hand that goes all Strangelove on him (and, to a far lesser degree, that he and Angel become friends).
Here's TV Guide: The search for a man Cordelia saw in a vision stabbing his own eye leads the gang's path to cross with Lindsey's---whose new right hand seems to have a life of its own. Back at Wolfram & Hart, Lilah fumes and frets over the extra attention that her partner's receiving. Lindsey: Christian Kane. Cordelia: Charisma Carpenter. Lilah: Stephanie Romanov.
May 1
BUFFY 5.19
The search for a man Cordelia saw in a vision stabbing his own eye leads the gang's path to cross with Lindsey's---whose new right hand seems to have a life of its own. Back at Wolfram & Hart, Lilah fumes and frets over the extra attention that her partner's receiving. Lindsey: Christian Kane. Cordelia: Charisma Carpenter. Lilah: Stephanie Romanov.
May 1
BUFFY 5.19
“Tough Love.”
Written by Rebecca Kirshner (author of “Out of My Mind,” wherein Riley loses his Initiative superpowers, and “Listening to Fear,” the one with the roach-like queller demon).
* Giles battles Hank for custody of Dawn.
* Glory realizes Dawn is The Key.
* Spike, still possessed by Glory, kidnaps Dawn.
* Buffy and Xander have “a confrontation” (about what, we don’t know; at some point perhaps he too is possessed by Glory?).
* Willow, Tara and Anya all work separately to help Xander (with what, we don’t know).
* Tara hurts herself (and perhaps her relationship with Willow) while helping Xander.
* Anya comes to the rescue.
ANGEL 2.19
“Belonging.”
Author undisclosed.
* Angel and Lindsey become friends.
* Gunn has to choose between fellow vigilante Rondell and his friends at Angel Investigations.
* Cordy and Gunn have their first date.
HERC here with a non-XG update. Informed sources indicate that Angel 2.19 will spend much time delving into the origins of The Host, and will even feature an appearance by the Host's cousin, who urges Hostie to return home to his own dimension. This episode will also be the one to feature Cordy's bikini appearance, as discussed by Whedon & Co. at the recent MTR "Angel" Event.
This link for “Angel” 2.19 (titled “Belonging” and set to air May 1), seems to confirm the Host-centric nature of the episode and the presence of The Host’s Klingon-y cousin (to say nothing of Cordy’s SP-speed-worthy first appearance in a bikini!!!!).
May 8
May 8
This is said to be a quasi-crossover night (a la the “Fool For Love”/”Darla” block from last year), with chunks of the same footage turning up in both “Buffy” and “Angel.”
BUFFY 5.20
“Spiral.”
Written by Steven DeKnight (author of “Blood Ties,” in which Dawn learns she’s The Key and we learn Ben shares a body with Glory).
* Buffy, beset by Glory, a changed Xander, the custody battle, and a talk with Anya, tries to contact Angel, but can’t find him.
* Giles and Willow come upon some surprising new information.
* Buffy implodes when she gets a letter from Graham advising that Riley is MIA and feared dead.
* Ben dies when sister Glory discards him as a vessel.
* Buffy heads to L.A. to find Angel, whom she believes can “save Xander’s soul.”
A non-XG Update from a reader calling herself "Scriptgirl":
A very good source indicates that Tara is mistaken by Glory for The Key in 5.20. Very bad things happen to Tara, but she will survive.
ANGEL 2.20
“Over the Rainbow.”
Written by Mere Smith (author of “Redefinition” and “Blood Money,” the first two episodes following Angel’s firing of his staff. “Redefinition” was a series high point; it saw Angel set Darla and Dru afire).
* After Angel’s co-workers can’t talk him out of it, Angel and Kate head to Sunnydale. On the road, they hook up with Lindsey (found hiding from Wolfram in a roadside cafe), Faith (out on good behavior), and Oz (who offers use of his van).
* Cordy, Wesley and Gunn learn from The Host that they, too, are needed in Sunnydale.
May 15
BUFFY 5.21
“The Weight of the World.”
Written by Doug Petrie (author of the Spike-centric “Fool For Love,” the Glory-introducing “No Place Like Home” and the watcher-heavy “Checkpoint”).
* Giles gets custody of Dawn.
* Xander distances himself him from the group because he feels guilty about his actions "as Glory.”
* Spike learns his chip has been deactivated since the fall of the Intiative and his Clockwork Vampire fits were only psychosomatic.
ANGEL 2.21 (Season Finale)
“Through the Looking Glass.”
Written and directed by Tim Minear (who has written or co-written something like a quarter of all “Angel” episodes, including the first two with the non-flashback Dru and the most recent, “Epiphany.”
* Cordy, Wesley and Gunn catch up with Angel on his way to Sunnydale.
* The gang picks up a "familiar" hitchiker along the side of the road and you won't learn the identity until they pull up in Sunnydale.
May 22, 2001
BUFFY 5.22 (Two-Hour Season Finale and 100th Episode)
“Centennial.”
Written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon (“Hush,” “Restless,” “Family,” and the most recent episode, “The Body”).
*Buffy and Angel learn there may be more to combat than Glory (as if she weren’t enough). XG lists the following as participating in the melee:
REGULARS:
Benson, Amber (Tara)
Brendan, Nicholas (Xander)
Caulfield, Emma (Anya)
Gellar, Sarah Michelle (Buffy)
Head, Anthony Stewart (Giles)
Hannigan, Alyson (Willow)
Kramer, Clare (Glory)
Marsters, James (Spike)
Trachtenberg, Michelle (Dawn)
ALUMNI:
Benz, Julie (Darla)
Blucas, Marc (Riley)
Boreanaz, David (Angel)
Carpentar, Charisma (Cordelia)
Chase, Bailey (Graham)
Denisof, Alexis (Wesley)
Dushku, Eliza (Faith)
Green, Seth (Oz)
Hall, Jason (Devon)
Landau, Juliet (Drusilla)
McNab, Mercedes (Harmony)
Strong, Danny (Jonathon)
DEARLY DEPARTED:
La Morte, Robia (formerly Jenny)
Metcalf, Mark (formerly The Master)
Sutherland, Kristine (formerly Joyce)
Weber, Charlie (possibly soon to be formerly Ben)
MISCELLANEOUS:
Kane, Christian (Lindsey)
Richards, J. August (Gunn)
Rohm, Elizabeth (Kate)
A Non-XG Update: The following happens (all presumably in the next six episodes, and most likely in the big 100th episode/season finale):
* Tara gets severely injured and becomes a comatose vegetable!
* Anya DIES!
* and Buffy, in a heroic effort to save Dawn, leaps through the energy that Glory plans to use to kill Dawn. Buffy stops Glory, continues flying through the cloud o' power and flies through a seventh story window… plummets to the ground and dies! (Which ties in with your latest "love means death" spoiler.)
* Apparently the final episode ends with a shot of Buffy's tombstone, which reads: "She died to save the world".
Finally, one very persistent rumor we keep getting (but cannot confirm reliably) is that James Marsters (Spike) is leaving “Buffy” at season's end and will relocate to “Angel” for the next two seasons. It’s so wacky, and comes from such odd sources, I’m kinda inclined to believe it.
Who’s your daddy?
