Today in TV History: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Delivered an Epic Slayer-on-Slayer Battle – Decider

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Of all the great things about television, the greatest is that its onevery single day. TV history is being made, day in and day out, in ways big and small. In an effort to better appreciate this history, were taking a look back, every day, at one particular TV milestone.

IMPORTANT DATE IN TV HISTORY:May 18,1999

PROGRAM ORIGINALLY AIRED ON THIS DATE:Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Graduation Day, Part 1 (Season 3, Episode 21) [Stream on Hulu]

WHY ITS IMPORTANT: The second half of the two-partBuffy season 3 finale gets a lot of the attention, and for good reason. For one thing, it was the climax of the first three seasons of the show, with Buffy and all her friends standing up to the Mayors ascension as a group and saving the day (while blowing up the high school). It was also the episode that got delayed for weeks at the last minute because of network concerns over high-school violence.

photo: Mutant Enemy Graduation Day, Part 1 is less heralded, but undeservedly so. This wasnt just some extended setup for the events of the finale. It was, in fact, the culmination of season 3s best mini-arc, which pitted Buffy against dark-slayer Faith. The psychologicaljuxtaposition of both slayers was one of the best arcs Joss Whedon ever pulled off. And when Faith poisoned Angel with a toxin-tipped arrow, the only way to get him well was to feed him the blood of a slayer. Cue up the showdown of a lifetime.

The Buffy-Faith brawl goes down as the single best fight sequence onBuffy and one of the best fight sequence on all of television. Scored by Christophe Becks high-stakes score, Buffy and Faith go toe-to-toe, destroying Faiths cushy penthouse pad and everything inside it. By the end, Buffy gets the upper hand. Shes proved herself to be the superior Slayer. But still perhaps not the most cunning, as Faith swan-dives to her (possible) death, taking away Buffys chance to save Angel in the process. Even at the end, Faith kind of ruled.

Where to streamBuffy the Vampire Slayer

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Today in TV History: 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Delivered an Epic Slayer-on-Slayer Battle - Decider

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero