Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 2
Episodes	22
Premiere	"When She Was Bad"
Finale	"Becoming, Part Two"
(September 15, 1997)
(May 19, 1998)
Starring	Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Nicholas Brendon as Xander Alyson Hannigan as Willow Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia David Boreanaz as Angel Anthony Stewart Head as Giles

The second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer originally aired on The WB television network from September 15, 1997 to May 19, 1998. It was the first full season of the show, containing 22 episodes.

Synopsis

After her death at the hands of the Master and a summer vacation spent with her father, Buffy returns to Sunnydale in a strangely withdrawn and snappy mood. She's also determined to break off her relationship with Angel and seems a little too eager to renew her Slayer training. But getting Angel out of her blood proves to be harder than she thought. And as the two draw even closer together, their passion erupts into a danger neither of them could have foreseen — affecting not only Vampire and Slayer, but all of Buffy's friends and family and even her Watcher…

Summary

Buffy returns to the town, after leaving her friends bored in Sunnydale to spend the summer with her dad in L.A., and interrupts a moment of tenderness between Xander and Willow. She works to overcome her feelings regarding her temporary death when she fought the Master, finally coming to terms with what happened when she prevents his resurrection. Season Two continues with many standalone episodes, but the tone soon turns serious along with the relationship between Buffy and her vampire lover.

The Anointed One takes over from the Master, however his reign is short-lived as a cocky vampire named Spike rolls into town with his mad lover Drusilla. After dispatching the Anointed One with a dose of unhealthy sunlight, the two became Buffy's adversaries. As the season continues, Buffy and Angel get closer and soon begin a relationship and later sleep together. What she, and in fact no-one knew, was that a moment of happiness was all it would take to remove Angel's his soul and he once again became Angelus – a vicious vampire who lived for the pain more than the kill. This is perhaps the most potent example of the show's metaphoric exploration of adolescent fears, as an allegory for the girl who sleeps with a man and discovers that he changes completely afterwards. Angelus joins with Spike and Drusilla as they torment Buffy and her friends.

New characters this season include Oz, a guitar player and werewolf who becomes Willow's boyfriend; Kendra, a Slayer called when Buffy died; and Ethan Rayne, an evil but weak Warlock who knows Giles from his rebellious youth.

Angelus' torments become more sinister as he kills Jenny, just as she discovers a way to restore his soul, and leaves her body in Giles' bed, as he knew the two were about to become romantically involved. Ultimately, Angelus discovers an ancient demon he can revive to destroy the world by sucking it into hell. The particulars of the ritual dictate that, once Angelus opens the portal, the only way to close it is by killing him. The gang hopes to either kill Angelus or restore his soul before he can perform the ritual. However, in a classically tragic conclusion, they succeed in restoring his soul only after he has performed the ritual.

Even though Buffy's love has been restored and made "good" again, she still must kill Angel to save the world. In the end, having been expelled from school, revealed her demon-fighting life to her mother, and killed her true love, Buffy leaves Sunnydale with the intention of never coming back.

The Big Bads of this season are Spike, Drusilla, and Angelus.

Cast

Main cast

In order of character appearances:

• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy (22/22)
• Nicholas Brendon as Xander (22/22)
• Alyson Hannigan as Willow (22/22)
• Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia (22/22)
• Anthony Stewart Head as Giles (22/22)
• David Boreanaz as Angel (21/22) (Does not appear in "Inca Mummy Girl")

Regular cast

In order of character appearances:

• Juliet Landau as Drusilla (12/22)
• James Marsters as Spike (12/22)
• Kristine Sutherland as Joyce (12/22)
• Robia LaMorte as Jenny (11/22)
• Seth Green as Oz (10/22)
• Armin Shimerman as Snyder (8/22)
• Danny Strong as Jonathan (7/22)
• Bianca Lawson as Kendra (3/22)
• Andrew J. Ferchland as Collin (2/22)
• Jason Hall as Devon (2/22)
• Robin Sachs as Ethan (2/22)
• Larry Bagby III as Larry (2/22)
• Saverio Guerra as Willy (2/22)
• Brian Thompson as Judge (2/22)
• Max Perlich as Whistler (2/22)
• Mercedes McNab as Harmony (2/22)
• Julie Benz as Darla (1/22)
• Dean Butler as Hank (1/22)
• Jeremy Ratchford as Lyle (1/22)
• James Parks as Tector (1/22)
• Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy (1/22)

Episodes

No.	Image	Title	Air date
01		"When She Was Bad"	September 15, 1997
		Writer: Joss Whedon	Director: Joss Whedon
		When Buffy returns home to Sunnydale after a spending the summer away, Xander and Willow become concerned with her disturbingly cold and distant behavior. Meanwhile, Cordelia and Sunnydale High teacher Ms. Calendar are kidnapped and Buffy is convinced that the fight to protect them and the world from the undead is hers alone. Still reluctant to risk getting close to Angel, Buffy turns him away before either one can express his or her true feelings.
02		"Some Assembly Required"	September 22, 1997
		Writer: Ty King	Director: Bruce Seth Green
		When the body parts of dead girls are discovered missing from their graves, Buffy and her posse discover that the parts are being used to create the perfect woman, with the final touch being Cordelia's head. Meanwhile, Giles finally musters the nerve to ask fellow teacher Ms. Calendar out on a date and Angel admits his jealousy over the amount of time Buffy spends with Xander.
03		"School Hard"	September 29, 1997
		Writers: David Greenwalt, Joss Whedon	Director: John T. Kretchmer
		When parent-teacher night is interrupted by uninvited guests, Buffy must protect her fellow students, the principal and her mother while keeping her secret. Meanwhile, Angel's old friends, Spike and Drusilla visit Sunnydale for The Night of Saint Vigeous — the holy night of attack.
04		"Inca Mummy Girl"	October 6, 1997
		Writers: Matt Kiene, Joe Reinkemeyer	Director: Ellen S. Pressman
		Buffy and Giles are suspicious of Ampata, a Peruvian exchange student staying at Buffy's house, when a fellow student goes missing during a school field trip to the Natural History Museum and a broken Peruvian pictogram-cover plate is found in his place. Meanwhile, after Xander falls head over heels for Ampata, he faces certain death when his love interest is revealed to be an ancient mummy who must kill to stay alive.
05		"Reptile Boy"	October 13, 1997
		Writer: David Greenwalt	Director: David Greenwalt
		Buffy and Cordelia become unlikely party pals when at a fraternity bash they are offered as human sacrifices to Machida, a horrible half-man, half-snake creature.
06		"Halloween"	October 27, 1997
		Writer: Carl Ellsworth	Director: Bruce Seth Green
		Buffy, Willow and Xander are recruited by Principal Snyder to trick-or-treat with the neighborhood kids, but the night doesn't turn out as they had planned when Buffy's costume causes her to lose her slaying ability and the other kids transform into their costume characters. Meanwhile, when Giles begins to paste together the night's events, he learns that it's his past that is making this a very haunted Halloween.
07		"Lie to Me"	November 3, 1997
		Writer: Joss Whedon	Director: Joss Whedon
		Buffy's fifth grade flame, Billy "Ford" Fordham, unexpectedly arrives in Sunnydale with one motive: to deliver Buffy to Spike in exchange for the immortal life of a vampire. Meanwhile, Buffy and Angel confront their feelings for each other and Angel owns up to his past relationship with Drusilla.
08		"The Dark Age"	November 10, 1997
		Writers: Dean Batali, Rob Des Hotel	Director: Bruce Seth Green
		Giles' quiet existence in Sunnydale is jeopardized when a murder victim, who is found to be linked to Giles' past, is discovered on the steps of the school library. Meanwhile, when the Mark of Eyghon — a demon that takes possession of a dead host — takes over Ms. Calendar, Buffy and Angel discover the one way to save her soul.
09		"What's My Line? Part One"	November 17, 1997
		Writers: Howard Gordon, Marti Noxon	Director: David Solomon
		In part one of a two-part episode, Buffy and Angel finally go out on their first date; Angel sets out to hunt down his rival, Spike, however, unbeknownst to Angel, Spike and his new recruits are determined to capture him in hopes of helping the frail Drusilla; and Buffy encounters her new ally, Kendra.
10		"What's My Line? Part Two"	November 24, 1997
		Writer: Marti Noxon	Director: David Semel
		In this conclusion of a two-part episode, Buffy reluctantly confronts Kendra the new vampire slayer, only to find that the two are polar opposites in every way. Much to Buffy's chagrin, she must join forces with Kendra to save the man who means the most to her — Angel. Meanwhile, with Buffy on the hunt, Xander and Cordelia are left to wait at Buffy's home where they have a close encounter of their own kind.
11		"Ted"	December 8, 1997
		Writers: David Greenwalt, Joss Whedon	Director: Bruce Seth Green
		The whole gang falls for Buffy's mom's new boyfriend, Ted — everyone, that is, except Buffy, who suspects there may be more to him than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Giles tries to repair his relationship with Ms. Calendar after her near-death experience with a demon; and still reluctant to let anyone know about their romantic involvement, Xander and Cordelia continue to hide their rendezvous from their friends.
12		"Bad Eggs"	January 12, 1998
		Writer: Marti Noxon	Director: David Greenwalt
		Buffy and the gang are introduced to parenting through a school assignment that takes a very rotten turn. Meanwhile, two wild west vampires come to town hunting for Buffy. At the same time, romance is in the air when Buffy and Angel continue to rendenzvous and Xander and Cordelia keep their liaison in the closet.
13		"Surprise"	January 19, 1998
		Writer: Marti Noxon	Director: Michael Lange
		The fate of the world is at stake when Spike and Drusilla gather the dismembered body parts of The Judge — a demon with a deadly touch — from the ends of the earth as their ultimate weapon to extinguish The Slayer. Meanwhile, Angel's ability to feel human emotion is in jeopardy when he and Buffy share an intimate moment which threatens to destroy his soul.
14		"Innocence"	January 20, 1998
		Writer: Joss Whedon	Director: Joss Whedon
		After Buffy shares an intimate moment with Angel which extinguishes his human soul, she is left with the realization that she must destroy the now-evil Angel who has transformed into his previous persona of Angelus. Meanwhile, Giles' relationship with Jenny Calendar takes on a new twist when he discovers that she is a member of the gypsy family who gave Angel his human soul, and Willow's hopes of a relationship with Xander are dashed when she discovers Xander and Cordelia's secret romance.
15		"Phases"	January 27, 1998
		Writers: Rob Des Hotel, Dean Batali	Director: Bruce Seth Green
		When a werewolf descends upon the city of Sunnydale, it is up to Buffy and the gang to protect the mostly-human being from an evil poacher who is hunting the animal for sport. Meanwhile, much to Xander's dismay, Willow turns her romantic interests to Oz, unaware of the danger she is about to face.
16		"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"	February 10, 1998
		Writer: Marti Noxon	Director: James A. Contner
		When Cordelia succumbs to peer pressure and breaks off her tryst with Xander, on Valentine's Day, he convinces a witch to put a spell on Cordelia which will make her fall in love with him. But when the spell backfires, the women in Sunnydale, except Cordelia, and including Buffy and Drusilla begin to see Xander in a whole new light.
17		"Passion"	February 24, 1998
		Writer: Ty King	Director: Michael E. Gershman
		Angel's obsession with tormenting Buffy takes a dangerous turn when he starts edging closer to her heart — and home, forcing Buffy to have a serious talk with her mom. Meanwhile, Jenny is doing everything in her power to right her wrongs, especially the one with Giles.
18		"Killed by Death"	March 3, 1998
		Writers: Rob Des Hotel, Dean Batali	Director: Deran Sarafian
		Buffy is admitted to the hospital with a raging fever where she encounters a young child who brings with him nightmares of Buffy's past and present. Meanwhile, a jealous Cordelia looks on as Xander protects a weakened Buffy from Angel's fury.
19		"I Only Have Eyes for You"	April 28, 1998
		Writer: Marti Noxon	Director: James Whitmore Jr.
		Buffy encounters a tortured spirit haunting the halls of Sunnydale High and recruits her friends to help the bitter spirit in its quest for peace. Meanwhile, Giles is filled with anguish when he believes the spiritual being is Jenny trapped and trying to impart a final message to him from the beyond.
20		"Go Fish"	May 5, 1998
		Writers: Elin Hampton, David Fury	Director: David Semel
		When a monster starts preying on members of the high school swim team, Buffy takes it upon herself to become the protector of the star players. Meanwhile, Xander goes undercover to discover the truth about the missing teammates and ends up revealing a rarely seen side of himself.
21		"Becoming, Part One"	May 12, 1998
		Writer: Joss Whedon	Director: Joss Whedon
		Buffy determines the time has come to destroy Angel and must ascertain if she is ready to sacrifice all she knows to be true to do so, but her decision is further entangled when Willow uncovers the secret that may restore Buffy's former beloved. Elsewhere, Angel chooses to unearth an evil demon that could swallow the earth and all of the beings, rather than return to the arms of his former lover.
22		"Becoming, Part Two"	May 19, 1998
		Writer: Joss Whedon	Director: Joss Whedon
		The suspense continues as hell prepares to swallow the world and Buffy is left alone to stop it. With Giles in the hands of the enemy and Angel primed for destruction, our slayer is forced into some treacherous alliances and faced with life-changing decisions.

Behind the scenes

• Joss Whedon has stated that this season "exceeded his expectations": "I think the Angelus arc really let the audience know that we were interested in change. That we were interested in shaking things up as much as possible and interested in just making things as grown up and complex as we could get away with. As it grew and the more we thought about it, the bigger it got until it became a really complex, adult kind of show."