(S01E09) It's funny, but when I started to watch this episode, I felt a tinge of dread fall over me. For some reason I thought this episode was one of the awful ones, especially with the hokey title: 'The Puppet Show.' I mean, come on, how unoriginal is that?
In any case, there's one thing that this episode definitely did for me and likely most anyone else who's seen it: I find ventriloquist dummies to be very, very clown-like freaky.
One major happening in this episode was the arrival of Principal Snyder to Sunnydale High. He has some great lines and immediately takes a disliking to the Scoobs (and actually, to all students in general). There was one strange scene with Giles seeing Snyder backstage, as if we were supposed to be lead to believe that Snyder was behind the whole mess at the school that week. Also, we get one hell of a creepy look at his nearly see-through wombat ears.
The whole puppet thing actually turned out to be a neat story, since he turns out to be a cursed demon hunter. I wonder how he wound up in the possession of that kid in school, though. God, those tippy-tapping feet running across the floor was both funny and downright creepy at the same time.
Wow, only a few more episodes left in the season. It's nice to be looking back at this season so closely and realize it's not as bad as some people make it out to be.
Main points of interest in this episode:
- First appearance of Principal Snyder.
Quote of the episode:
Snyder: "There are things I will not tolerate. Students loitering on campus after school. Horrible murders with hearts being removed. And also smoking."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-25-2006 @ 1:42AM
sharon said...
Where in the world are you seeing Buffy episodes now? I really miss that show! I don't believe I have ever seen that episode and I thought I had watched every one! I never see it listed on any channel any more.
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7-25-2006 @ 3:55AM
jOHN said...
"Redrum... redrum!!!" Haha. I loved it when Xander did that.
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7-25-2006 @ 8:33AM
Michael said...
I remember when CBS/FOX released the first set of Buffy VHS tapes that this was one of them. This was on that WB hadn't repeated during the summer after season two when they ran most of season one in repeats as a catch-up on MOndays (translation: we ain't got nothing else to show). The first set of Buffy included six episodes--WttH, The Harvest, The Witch, NKaBotFD, Angel and this one.
Looking back, I'm not sure why this one was picked over, say, the more pivotal season finale, Prophecy Girl. All the other episodes in the set contribued to the arc of season one, while this one didn't as much. It is a fluffy, almost fun episode (more on that in a minute) but it's not where in the same league as Prophecy Girl, which is the first written and directed by Joss episode.
I do think part of it was the little scene that is included with the closing credits. Didn't WB only air it once and I bet part of the incentive to throw this one out was that fans wanted that funny little moment if they'd missed taping it the first time.
That said, Puppet Show is a tale of two halves for me. The first half is effective and entertaining but the second half it all falls apart. Once we find out Sid isn't the evil behind everything, it becomes rather less interesting.
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