“The Puppet Show” – Buffy the Vampire Slayer S1E9
AKA: Don’t Be a Dummy
I fell in love with the girl at the Puppet Show
We open on a PoV shot backstage during a talent and puppet show rehearsal as a creepy voiceover says, “I will be whole.” On stage, we have one very off-key Cordelia Chase singing The Greatest Love of All and an exasperated Giles dismissing her. Kind of rude of him, because she hadn’t even gotten to the sparkler portion yet.
Our trio walks in to rib Giles about his assignment as Talent Show Coordinator. Mr. Snyder, the new principal (RIP Mr. Flutie) wants him to interact with students more. Snyder overhears this student-teacher interaction and decides that Buffy, Willow, and Xander also need to be more integrated with the school. As such, they will be required to participate in the talent show. He explains that Principal Flutie was too touchy-feely for his liking, and Sunnydale will neither touch nor feel on his watch.
We also learn that Buffy is wigged by puppets as Sid, our titular puppet, takes stage for his rehearsal slot. He is actually talking, much to the shock of the puppeteer Morgan. The rest of the rehearsing students believe this to be an actual ventriloquist act.
In the locker room, we get the creepy voiceover once more as he attacks a student: “I will be flesh.”
Leave your heart on the stage
Chaos abounds at an additional rehearsal. Willow has decided that a dramatic scene is the easiest talent they could do. Sid the puppet starts sexually harassing Buffy and Willow, and he allows Morgan to take the fall. Or, at least, he partially takes the fall. Buffy does threaten to turn Sid into a Dura-Flame log.
Principal Snyder and Giles talk about all the misfortunes Sunnydale High has endured recently. While he would prefer to blame our Scoobies for it all, his current plan is to run a tight ship. Then a scream comes from the locker room.
Emily, the dancer seen at rehearsal, was found dead with her heart removed. Giles says some demons will remove hearts, but typically with their claws and teeth. Emily’s heart was neatly cut out. All but Buffy assume a simple human murder, until our Slayer reminds them of the Hellmouth of it all.
The Scoobies interview everyone in the talent show in an attempt to trace her last steps. Everyone says they saw Morgan with her last. They also describe Morgan as “always rubbing his head and moaning.” Our sweet Cordy is devastated, because “Emma” was her best friend and the murder could’ve been her. Never short on an existential crisis, that one.
Buffy talks to Morgan. He rubs his head a lot. She eventually yells at him after Sid tries to end the conversation. Morgan makes a half-hearted attempt to explain before giving up and leaving.
The Slayerettes are all too willing to blame Morgan, but Buffy says being a weirdo doesn’t necessarily correlate with being a murderer. Giles cautions everyone not to rock the boat with Principal Snyder. They cannot afford additional scrutiny.
It’s the Puppet Show, not Puppet Tell
Buffy artfully breaks into Morgan’s locker by slamming the lock out of the door. It is after hours, though, and Principal Snyder does not condone loitering, heart-removing murders, and smoking. Before Buffy is forced to leave, she sees Sid the puppet’s case is empty.
Backstage, Morgan and Sid are arguing. Morgan does not want to “do it.” Sid says he must, because Buffy is clearly the one. She will be the last one before he is free.
That night Joyce tells Buffy she is excited to support her at the talent show. Buffy tries to direct her away from doing so. Her mom tries to dig deeper at what’s bothering her, but eventually encourages her to get some sleep.
And sleep Buffy does – until she wakes to something in her covers. Joyce rushes to check her room, only to find the bed empty. Buffy is clearly stressed, and her mom tries to calm her. Joyce also recommends she not go to sleep with the window open. Buffy murmurs that she didn’t.
Cordelia is arguing with Giles about her placement in the talent show. Her song is sad and sappy, but a rock band is before her. The mood will be all wrong. Giles stares at her for a moment before saying something about her hair, prompting her to run off in horror to check for herself. Apparently Xander gave him this tip.
Buffy tells the rest of the gang that she thinks Sid was in her room last night. Xander assumes it was a cat, and Giles and Willow are inclined to agree because Buffy has admitted to a fear of puppets.
Investigation isn’t for dummies
Buffy wants to get Morgan away from Sid so she can talk to him. Giles has found information about demons that collect body parts to take a human form. Morgan doesn’t quite fit this theory, though, because he keeps getting weaker while this particular brotherhood of demons are preternaturally strong.
Sid is with Morgan in class, and he is staring at Buffy. He is also answering the teacher’s questions and causing class disruption. The teacher puts the puppet in a closet, but he is still talking. She believes Morgan to be a very talented ventriloquist. After class she tries to check on Morgan, because he has been acting off lately. When she opens to closet to retrieve Sid, he is gone. Morgan said Sid knew to wait for him.
Xander reveals he took Sid so Buffy could talk to Morgan alone. Xander beats Sid against a desk to prove he isn’t real to a still-wigged Buffy. While she looks for Morgan, Willow and Giles research re-animation and organ harvesting, respectively. Xander babysits the dummy.
The dressing room is creepy and mostly abandoned, except for Principal Snyder. He does a harbinger-esque bit about Buffy not being safe on her own with everything going on lately. She assures him she can take care of herself.
Willow finds some information on possessed toys that harvest human organs. Now they want to believe Buffy. This is unfortunate timing, because Xander stopped watching Sid long enough to do some homework. When he realizes the puppet is gone, he yelps and jumps on a table. Willow and Giles do some yelping as well once they learn of the situation.
Buffy, meanwhile, has found Morgan… without his brain. As she reels back in horror, a chandelier drops on her and pins her down. Overhead we see the scurrying of tiny, wooden feet. Buffy works on getting free while defending herself from a knife-wielding Sid.
Pulling Strings
She escapes and manages to pin Sid against the wall. Then they each accuse the other of harvesting organs in order to become human. It turns out Sid is a demon hunter. He got turned into a puppet years ago. The demon he is hunting only needs a heart and a brain to remain human for another seven years. It is the last in a line of seven demons; Sid has already killed six.
The group figures if they can find out who is missing from the show they will know who the demon is. Sid has a plan: Giles will form the Power Circle to hype up the talent show participants while Buffy observes to see who is not there. Sid comes with Buffy to harass her some more. What is with these ageless dudes hitting on a fifteen year old? Sid also reveals that he will die once the last demon is dead, and he is relieved by this.
Cordelia is not relieved, because she is hit with stage fright. Giles suggests she picture the audience in their underwear, though they both agree it might be best to leave Mrs. Franklin out of that.
No one (who is still alive, anyway) is missing from the Power Circle. While Giles gets the show started, Buffy tries to find Willow and Xander. Sid has disappeared while she was gone, so she must find him as well. She feels a mysterious dripping when backstage and upon investigation discovers Morgan’s brain. The demon body rejected it.
Take a bow
Willow searches Morgan’s file. Though he was one of the smartest kids in the school, his attendance record was shoddy. It turns out he had brain cancer (hence the headaches). They believe the demon will go for the next smartest kid in school – Willow Rosenburg.
Marc the magician asks Giles for some pre-show help. His assistant is a no-show, and he needs Giles to pose in his guillotine.
Our trio determines that the demon could still be in the talent show, since it still needs a brain. They also realize Giles is a very intelligent person.
They arrive backstage to see Giles strapped in to the guillotine. Marc has his head positioned so his “brain can just fall right out.” Giles asked what the trick is, and Marc says there isn’t one. Buffy tries to fight Marc the demon while Xander frees Giles. Sid reappears and helps everyone get the demon strapped into the guillotine and cut off its head.
Sid says the heart needs to be taken out as well to truly end things. He stabs the demon’s chest then slumps over. Buffy picks up the dummy with some reverence just as the curtains rise. Principal Snyder looks at the scene and asks if the puppet show is avant-garde.
In our only concurrent-with-credits scene of the series we see Buffy, Willow, and Xander struggle with their Oedipus recitations, to a smattering of laughter in the audience. Willow runs off frightened.
“All I could think of was Mr. Marbles.” – Trav’s one sentence review of this episode.
I have a lot of fun with The Puppet Show. It’s a monster of the week with a huge ick factor and some fun plot twists. We also get the introduction of Principal Snyder, who is a fantastic side character.
(5 / 5)
Episode four of Amazon’s Fallout wasn’t the best-liked. Of course, that’s relative to the rest of the season. While this is the second-to-last-ranked episode, it’s still an 8.1 on IMDB.
So let’s talk about why it might have slipped a bit but was still a great episode of TV.
The story
Let’s start our discussion of this episode with Maximus.
After he and Thaddeus successfully retrieved the head from the Gulper, they’re in high spirits. Together they celebrate around a fire, giving a lovely impression of two people who have been drinking despite not seeing a bottle in sight. Thaddeus even convinces Maximus to brand him.
While having a good time, Maximus’s consciousness gets the better of him. He admits to Thaddeus that he’s not Knight Titus, but he is Thaddeus’s old punching bag.
Rather than responding to this act of honesty with an equal measure of grace and brotherhood, Thaddeus immediately disables Maximus’s suit, taking the power source and the head. He then leaves Maximus trapped in the suit that he wanted so much, doomed to die in it.
Lucy isn’t in a much better place. If you’ll recall, last episode she drank radiated water out of desperate thirst. She’s now suffering from radiation poisoning. Fortunately, before she succumbs to this poison, she finds Maximus. He has the medicine she needs, and she can free him from his suit before he’s eaten by giant cockroaches. It seems like a win/win. If that is, the two of them can trust each other. And haven’t they both learned that trusting other people might be the most dangerous thing in this very dangerous world?
What worked
The first thing I want to draw attention to is the relationship between Lucy and Maximus. A lot has happened since the last time the two saw each other when there were some sparks but no time to do anything about them. Both have been betrayed and hurt. So while they’re instinct is clearly to trust each other, it’s also to be cautious. And that makes sense. They are both good people, driven by the desire to help others. But both are cautious of being hurt again.
This was not only relatable, but it gave a much different feel to a standard will they/won’t they relationship. Will they be able to trust each other enough to let their feelings out is the real question. Which is a lot more interesting, in my opinion.
I also found the giant, mutated bugs to be fantastic. They were the perfect blend of cute and terrifying. At first glance, they seem like a larger version of Hal from Wall-E. Then, you realize how few of them it would take to eat someone trapped in place. And how little time it might take.
And how long it might feel like while it’s happening.
We don’t need to see that happen to feel the terror there. And to feel some concern about the tiny pests that sometimes share our homes.
Of course, the highlight of this episode was the political intrigue surrounding Vault 33, and how its leaders always seem to be from Vault 31. This storyline is quickly becoming my favorite part of the season. It’s a dark and creepy mystery, which is always fantastic. But it’s also fascinating to see the character of Norm blossoming into someone whose life has meaning. Because at the start of the season, he was lacking that.
All in all, while this was a slower episode it was still a good one. And its ending certainly left me excited for what was to come.
(4 / 5)
If you like my work, you can check out my latest science fiction/horror novel, Nova, launching on May 17th. Pre-orders are available now on Amazon.
Movies n TV
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), a Film Review
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) is a horror comedy directed by Halina Reijn. This R-rated horror film stars Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) is a horror comedy directed by Halina Reijn. This R-rated horror film stars Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la, Rachel Sennott, Chase Sui Wonders, Pete Davidson, Lee Pace, and Conner O’Malley. The film is currently available on fuboTV, Netflix, Hoopla, and Showtime.
Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) brings her girlfriend (Maria Bakalova as Bee) to her friend’s hurricane party. Lasting resentment and toxic relationships infest the group, leaving Bee to witness increasingly uncomfortable situations. Soon after, bodies start dropping.
What I Like about Bodies
The chemistry between these toxic friends gives me anxiety. If toxic friendships aren’t a universal experience, toxic traits certainly make themselves apparent in any friend group, and this film maximizes this experience. It’s not revolutionary, but effective and uncomfortable.
Several subtle clues hint at the relationships of these friends, building up as the story progresses and chaos ensues. I love these moments, though the film doesn’t seem confident that the viewer picks up these clues. This decision hinders execution, an unfortunate point for later.
While the performances are strong throughout, Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova remain the main characters and receive the most opportunities to perform. However, almost every character has a moment, or several, and lives up to those moments once given.
The twist seems obvious, but that doesn’t hinder the viewing experience. While not the biggest fan of the execution, I enjoy the spiraling chaos it creates.
The opening scene shows the two leads making out for viewer engagement. However, I think the contract toward the end gives this scene added context and plot relevance beyond simply sex appeal. While it is unavoidable that so well, many films will go no further. So, added relevance deserves a nod.
Far from the bloodiest film out there, but it doesn’t hesitate to bleed its cast. It uses this blood and limited gore to add weight to the deaths as opposed to haunting or nauseating its audience.
Tropes, Triggers, and Considerations
As previously hinted, toxic relationships remain key points in the plot. Falling in line with this are points of spousal abuse (physically and mentally) that should remain a consideration.
Idiocy to push the plot along certainly plays a role in the plot. In this case, I consider it a feature. However, it’s still a required taste for viewer consideration.
Addiction and recovery drive several characters. I’ll avoid pointing to them so as not to give away plot details. However, usage and relapse deserve a mention in this section.
If any of these are deal breakers, give this film a skip.
What I Dislike, or Food for Thought, about Bodies
Bodies shifts between a mindless and clever horror comedy, never comfortably sticking to one or the other. It pulls off elements of both with expertise, but the tugging and pulling of these different elements limits the execution of either. Because of the above friction, Halina Reijin gives us all the clues to piece everything together and still tells us. Pick an audience and trust them.
As a horror comedy, this film leans on the humor over the horror. The unraveling of characters certainly earns respect but expect a comedy for a better experience. It’s not a particularly scary film, and it doesn’t try to occupy that space.
Final Thoughts
Bodies Bodies Bodies spirals into a chaotic horror comedy, banking on the toxic chemistry of its cast to deliver both. The film never makes a strong stance in either claiming a mindless or clever horror comedy, shifting between both at the expense of the whole. It remains a bumpy but engaging viewing experience, nonetheless.
(3 / 5)
Episode four of Amazon Prime’s Fallout was a great one for character development. It was also great because one of my personal favorite actors was involved.
Let’s discuss.
The story
This episode’s story revolved largely around Lucy and The Ghoul. He’s still dragging her about on a rope, but we aren’t sure why. While she can track the Head, she certainly hasn’t shared that information with the Ghoul.
What he wants her for soon becomes clear, when he barters her for vials of the medication that keeps him from losing himself to the ghoul illness.
At first, Lucy thinks this is a step up. She’s taken by a robot surgeon named Snip Snip to get a new thumb. Since, you know, The Ghoul shot her thumb off.
However, after stitching a new thumb on, Snip Snip takes her to his masters. Who then say they want him to cut her up for her organs.
Lucy manages to escape and even frees the other people trapped by these organ brokers. In doing so, she comes into the possession of many, many of those vials that The Ghoul needs so desperately.
Meanwhile, Norm is starting to suspect that all is not what it should be in Vault 33. While the rest of the vault is preparing to elect a new overseer, he takes Chet and sneaks off to Vault 32. There, they find some horrific sights. Long dead bodies, next to messages scrawled in blood. There are especially bodies around the door that leads to Vault 31, where someone has written We Know What’s in There on the wall.
Of course, we don’t know what’s in there. But I’m sure we’re going to find out.
Norm continues to dig, checking for information on the old Overseer’s computer. And he finds that the door to Vault 32 was opened by a Pip-Boy. To be specific, it was a Pip-Boy owned by Norm and Lucy’s mother.
I’m sure that won’t be relevant later.
What worked
The more I see of this season, the more I like Lucy. She is growing and evolving as a person, just like Wilzig told her she would have to do. She is becoming harder. But her kindness and values haven’t changed yet. She is still a good person. I love that.
I also love the dark, creepy storyline with Norm. I love how serious he is, especially when compared to the rest of his community. I especially love that, even as emotionally disturbed he is by what he’s learning, he seems passionate. And from what we’ve seen of this character, this is possibly the first thing he’s felt passionate about his entire life. I am impressed with the writing and acting that have allowed us to see his lack of passion with minimal focus. He is a fun, well-written character.
Finally, I’d like to shine the spotlight on Matt Berry. He is a delightful actor known for What We Do in the Shadows and IT Crowd. And he is playing the remarkably funny role of Snip Snip, the robot surgeon. His voice lends an extra level of humor to an already funny premise. This was another example of the great casting we’ve seen so far on Fallout.
In the end, this was a great episode from all points. It was fun, heartfelt, and dark. In short, I have no notes. I’m only excited to see what happens in the next episode.
(4 / 5)
