Graduation Day: Part 2
- Episode aired Jul 13, 1999
- TV-PG
- 1h
On Ascension Day, Buffy and her friends prepare for the ultimate battle as they face off against the mayor and a horde of vampires.On Ascension Day, Buffy and her friends prepare for the ultimate battle as they face off against the mayor and a horde of vampires.On Ascension Day, Buffy and her friends prepare for the ultimate battle as they face off against the mayor and a horde of vampires.
- Rupert Giles
- (as Anthony Stewart Head)
- Larry Blaisdell
- (as Larry Bagby III)
- Dr. Powell
- (as Paulo Andres)
- Dr. Gold
- (as Tom Bellin)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDuring the time of its airing, this caused a great deal of controversy in the media. The Columbine High School massacre, only four weeks before the airing of Graduation Day: Part 1 (1999), was widely blamed on violence in entertainment. The WB had already pulled the plug earlier with Earshot (1999) (which itself was not aired until September), and feared that several scenes in this show would provoke high school students to do the same thing, especially those depicting the entire graduating class handling weapons against the mayor. On May 25, 1999, only two hours before this was due to air, The WB suddenly decided to replace it with a re-run from earlier in the season. This sudden move received huge attention in the media and thousands of letters were sent to the network demanding that the season finale be shown. Sarah Michelle Gellar publicly spoke out against the decision, although Seth Green agreed that it would seem "callous and inappropriate" after the Columbine shootings. The WB did not air this until July 13, 1999, almost two months after it was originally scheduled. Since nearly all US schools end their term in May or June, it was then felt safe. It attracted 6.5 million viewers, atypically high for The WB during summer, and comparable to what the show of the season had received.
- GoofsAs Angel's group charges into the fight, stage lighting is clearly reflected on the ground.
- Quotes
Buffy Summers: I haven't processed everything yet. My brain isn't really functioning on the higher levels... It's pretty much, "fire bad, tree pretty."
Rupert Giles: Understandable. Well, when it's working again, congratulate it on a, a good campaign. You did very well.
Buffy Summers: Thank you. I will.
Rupert Giles: I, uh, I ferreted this out of the wreckage. Now, it may not interest you, but, uh...
[reaches into his jacket and pulls out a high school diploma]
Rupert Giles: I'd say you earned it.
[takes a deep breath and looks around at the remains of the school]
Rupert Giles: There's a certain, um... dramatic irony attached to all this... a synchronicity that borders on-on predestination, one might say.
Buffy Summers: Fire bad, tree pretty.
Rupert Giles: Oh, yes. Sorry. I'll... I'll go and tend to Wesley. See if he's still, um, whimpering.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Gift (2001)
This season finale was a lot of fun. We see just how far Buffy is prepared to go to save Angel and that the mayor genuinely cares for Faith; it wasn't just an act to keep her on his side. I liked the fact that Buffy's plan was kept from the viewer right up until it was put into action; that way one could keep speculating on what would happen right up till the end. The finale may have been a little cheesy but I couldn't help enjoying it; the only real flaw was the moment of the mayor's transformation as the special effects looked rather dated. Once transformed he was suitably menacing though. Anybody hoping that Angel would stay with Buffy may be disappointed but anybody wanting to know what happens to him next can watch 'Angel', his own spin-off series. As well as the demon/vampire slaying action there are some amusing scenes; notably when Cordelia and Wesley finally kiss and sparks don't fly. Overall this episode was an enjoyable conclusion to the High School era of the series; look forward to seeing how they cope at college.
- Tweekums
- May 19, 2018