When Buffy began, it was fairly lighthearted. In Season Two, the show took some darker turns, which was a trend that I hoped would not be shied away from. So far in Season Three, I have not been disappointed. The season starts, like the season before it, with Buffy not dealing so well with the consequences of her actions. When we (or more accurately, I) last saw her, she was ditching Sunnydale, and so the season premiere deals with her new assumed identity on the run. I wasn’t totally crazy about the fact that she still encountered demons away from the Hellmouth, but the hell-on-earth story was interesting enough to make me not mind too much. I also thought her return home was handled really well in terms of how all of the other characters (Willow and Xander especially) reacted to having Buffy back, but once again, I thought the demon of the week in that episode was a little forced .

I like Faith as a character,  but I’m confused as to why a second slayer was summoned after Kendra was killed.  If there’s only supposed to be one, and a glitch in the system allowed for there to be two when Buffy died (just for a minute or two), shouldn’t everything have been square when Kendra was permanently killed?  I don’t know if that will ever be really explained or not, but it made me wonder.  Still, Faith works great as a slayer who’s point of view is radically different from Buffy’s.  And Mr. Trick sort of pales in comparison to Spike as recurring villain of the season, but admittedly those were big shoes to fill.

I really liked the reveal that Principal Snyder is a lackey for Mayor Wilkins, who is himself in bed with all sorts of demons, and has apparently sold his soul for political power.  Though he should have read the fine print if all he got for his soul was to be mayor of a small town; why not go for President or something?  Still, it is interesting to see the politics necessary for running a town on the Hellmouth, and Joyce’s turn in the “Gingerbread” episode made me wonder if an ouster of the corrupt mayor is coming.

On the love-lorn front, I wasn’t that crazy about Scott as a love-interest for Buffy, as he seemed pretty boring.  The tension of Willow and Xander stealing kisses on the side made for a lot of cringe-worthy moments, and I was pretty worried that Cordelia was going to bite it after being impaled on that metal rod thingy.   I’m bummed that she and Xander are no more, but I’m happy that Oz gave Willow a second chance.  And I love how Joyce and Giles sleeping together while under the influence of the band candy keeps sneaking back up as awkwardness between the two.

It sort of bugged me that there was no mention for a while as to how Angel was freed form his demon dimension, but I have to say that the episode that did explain that, “Amends,” was amazing, and a strong candidate for my favorite of the series so far.   And keep in mind, that’s coming from a Jew who HATES very special Christmas episodes, so that’s a really big compliment!  Bringing back Jenny was a great touch, and Giles’ distrust of Angel was played really well.  But nothing compared to the weight of Angel deciding to take his own life, and Buffy doing all she could to talk him out of it.

I’m moving right along, and still really enjoying the show.  The way it brings back characters (Chantarelle/Lily, Spike, the Master, Jenny) and themes from episodes past,  coupled with the way that the people have real-world reactions to these fantastic scenarios, really helps to make the Buffy world feel surprisingly realistic.  I’m starting to understand why people were so obsessed with this show, and I feel myself becoming one of those fans.