Buffy the Vampire Slayer 3x22 "Graduation Day Pt.2" Full Reaction

Out of the finales Liam has posted as of this date, I think in order of best to worst finales (as in, would have served as good last ever episodes, rather than as in individual episode/season finale quality) it goes: 5, 3, 2, 6, 1, 4. 6 would be above 2 if not for the cliffhanger final scene. Restless has too much crypticness not to be followed up on, 3 clearly alludes to the future in a way that 5 doesn't, 2 is more depressing than 3 but more narratively conclusive than 6, and 1 is only the defeat of a single villain rather than a good narrative conclusion like most of the others. I know where I would put the S7 finale on that list, but will wait until Liam gets to it in the next couple of months before posting that on his Patreon.

Ed Green

What? Season 3 and season 1 finale would have been horrible finales.

Bastion33

"That three-minute tracking shot... " It's a thing of beauty, boss.

UTU49

I was very happy to see that you enjoyed Angel Season Zero.

UTU49

"He was so mad at her being hurt that he called Buffy a 'whore' out loud. The Mayor, who never swears at all... " Nice observation. You're right. Yelling "whore" in a public place is even more extreme behaviour from The Mayor than it would be from most other people. Similarly with his "FIND THEM!!!" in Faith's apartment.

UTU49

Such a great finale. The show knows how to have epic finales and as others have pointed out this could have been the series finale. The S1 finale as well could have been the final finale. I can't wait for you to start S4. Great reaction!

Angela Colon

Heeey I'm back with random trivia. Hope you didn't miss me too much lol. I'll write some trivia on episodes I missed eventionally too :-D Oh and I loved your reaction as always. Looove this finale, but it's still not my favorite, can you believe that lol. Here we go: 1.) According to Marti Noxon in a DVD commentary, the explosion scene was filmed at 5 a.m. in Torrance, California, where the outdoor scenes had been filmed for the previous three years. The explosion was so huge it woke up many of the residents, broke windows and set off car alarms. As a result, the town refused to allow Buffy to film there again. 2.)This line was cut: Xander: "Guys, we blew up the school! It's the best day ever!" (is it wrong to wish I could do that sometimes? :-P) 3.) Douglas Petrie wrote a Buffy comic, Double Cross, that takes place immediately after this episode and concerns events after Angel left Buffy. 4.) The Sunnydale High Yearbook seen in this episode was released as a tie-in product after this episode aired.

I love that analysis of the Buffy-Faith dream! I always thought it was a transference of slayer power to let Buffy recover faster.

HuntingSwan

Ooh, now I'm wondering what your favorite oner is. I'm assuming it's from a future episode, and I should know. Hmm.

Rachael

This finale always gives me hype feelings too. :D

Katherine Thoreson

I'd have to really think about it, but I'm pretty confident that hospital scene is my 2nd favorite oner in the series, and Harry Groener (the Mayor) just kills it. When he snaps, he almost looks like a different person.

KT

@Rachael Glad blowing up the library didn't accidentally open the hellmouth 😂

KT

Ah ok! I'm always curious about that stuff with reactors :)

KT

This is a great season finale. I also love the dream with Faith. No comment on some of it, but in terms of symbolic language, my favorite part was when Faith told Buffy to take what she needed. Faith, as Buffy's dark side, is saying, "Take the strength that your darker instincts sometimes give you... but leave the rest here." As I understand it, the moment when Cordelia hugs Jonathan was Charisma Carpenter's idea, to show that Cordy really has become a much different person. Props to Denisof and Carpenter also for the most awkward kiss ever committed to the screen. :D

FernWithy

It's not terribly important, but Buffy burned down the gym at Hemery (she was a cheerleader at the time). Here, technically it's Giles who blows up his library although it was Buffy's plan, but I like the poetry of that. The library is where the Scoobies convened, and it's on top of the hellmouth. If high school is hell, of course Buffy is going to destroy it.

Rachael

That three-minute tracking shot in the hospital going from Buffy & Angel to the Mayor & Faith to the Mayor & Buffy to Angel & the Mayor is a roller coaster of emotions and tension.

Rachael

Whenever I am fixated on something that I love so much, I pretty much try to recall lines that are very interesting for me. I am not sure if it's a part of my autism (because I know I tend to soak in a lot with those I am severely obsessed with like the F1 and Doctor Who like a sponge) or whatnot but I feel like if I were to take live notes down, I'd kind of be distracted. There are one or two occasions I may rewind an episode to find a quote if I am having trouble remembering but never for Buffy because I watch them on the PS4 and navigating with a controller than a mouse is time wasting as well as having no issue recalling what was said :)

Liam Catterson

My aim is really not to pay attention to the Previouslys on every show. Especially the CW shows (which can basically spell out the plot for coming episode in the previouslys) :D Yeah that is a pretty good point regarding Angel snacking on Faith. The hardest part for Angel was not wanting to do that to Buffy and the ramifications he received from the Scoobies was crushing and I was under the impression she wouldn't have to be killed outright like Buffy was still alive but barely responsive. He couldn't have known anywho without taking Buffy out <3 And yusss, the Mayor is probably going to be hard to beat in terms of villainy. He has an evil plan with him, and yet is charming, lovable, he actually cares for those he cherishes and as you put it, that hilarious "Well gosh" bit to exit on was so in character even in his demonic form. I am going to miss him. Thank you so much :) I'm recording my first episodes of Buffy S4 and Angel S1 this coming week so keep an eye out for the start of a new era :D

Liam Catterson

Since this is the final high school season, I always get chills with the Mayor's line, "Nothing will ever be the same. Nothing." Also, when Giles says, "There's a certain dramatic irony attached to all this, a synchronicity that borders on predestination, one might say." he's referring to the fact that Buffy blew up her school gym in LA before coming to Sunnydale lmao Do you take notes during the reaction? If not I'm amazed at your ability to recall lines.

KT

Very glad you enjoyed this episode! If the show had ended here, this would have been a fine Series Finale, I believe. I do have a few things to say. Firstly, regarding Angel feeding off of Faith... Ever since he got his soul back, Angel has tried his best to not feed off of humans. The difference between murder and manslaughter, if I recall correctly, is intent. The deputy mayor was manslaughter. If Angel (or Buffy) had succeeded in taking Faith's life, even to save Angel, that would have still been murder, and while Buffy had revenge on her mind, I'm not sure if Angel would have gone through with it, what with his whole penance schtick. I do love the Mayor, and he is perhaps my favorite Buffy villain. I think it was really telling that his feelings for Faith weren't an act at all. He was so mad at her being hurt that he called Buffy a 'whore' out loud. The Mayor, who never swears at all... That got a reaction out of him, and it was so much more jarring coming from him than it would have from anyone else. That being said, "Well, gosh!" are about the best Famous Last Words ever, and they were so fitting for his character. Loved it! I may or may not be remembering correctly, but I believe that some episodes of both Buffy and Angel do cross over from time to time, and they let you know beforehand by saying "Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel" or something to that effect. You seem pretty attentive to the show in general, so I would personally recommend skipping the "Previously On" segments for all episodes in both series, just so that you can be pleasantly surprised if something or someone you weren't expecting shows up, just so that the surprise isn't spoiled. Thank you for sharing your reactions, and congratulations on graduating from Buffy's high school years. Let's sleep through summer and wake up to Season Four of Buffy and Season One of Angel soon, I hope!

Jonathan Bruser