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"Oxygen, becoming an issue!"
-Willow, while being gang-hugged, "Dopplegangland"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Season Three
Original Air Date: 1998-1999, WB

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3.12 - Helpless One of the Five Worst Episodes of the Series
Can you say overwrought direction? Terrible set design? How about bad lighting?
In this episode, Buffy (who just turned 18) is stripped of her powers and forced to outwit a psychotic (literally) vampire. Has some great Giles/Buffy moments.
3.13 - The Zeppo
Yay! A Xander-centric episode! Xander proves to himself that he's much more than a sidekick as he goes on various adventures across Sunnydale, helping out a gang of zombies and losing his virginity to Faith in the process. Sadly, Cordelia is annoying in this episode.
3.14/15 - Bad Girls/Consequences
It's arc time! Buffy and Faith grow closer and Faith introduces Buffy to the dark sides of being a slayer. The season's big bad, the Mayor, is out in full force as he, Trick, and some really fat demon-thing wreck havoc onto the Scooby Gang. Meanwhile, Wesley is introduced as Buffy and Faith's new watcher after Giles' firing in that-crappy-episode-called-Helpless, and he acts like a buffoon (but will absolutely kick ass as Wesley Windam Price on Angel, where he become a main character). Near the end of Bad Girls Faith accidentally kills an innocent bystander during an attack by a large group of vampires, and later blames Buffy for it. In Consequences, rampant moralizing transpires as Wesley, Giles, and Angel all try to help Faith in their way, each one failing miserably. Xander tries to connect with Faith after their, ehem, encounter, but ends up getting strangled (and not in a fun way!). At the end of the episode, Faith has decided to work for the Mayor - becoming a full-fledged villian - and sets up greatness-to-come later in the season.
3.16 - Doppelgangland Series Essential Viewing Top Ten Buffy Episode
Hilarity ensues when Anya and Willow accidentally bring back the vampire version of Willow from the episode "The Wish." Both Willows are forced to pretend they're each other by the end of the episode to fullill their own agendas, to much, much hilarity. The cast has never been this spot-on hilarious, and Emma Caufield's Anya is inspired and hilarious (and a future series regular).
3.17 - Enemies Series Essential Episode
More over-wrought arc-ness. Faith, working for the Mayor, attempts to de-soul Angel and kidnaps Buffy for some good 'ol torture. Every actor gets to a suprisingly tense (and wonderful) place, before the big reveal that Buffy and Angel were the ones playing Faith.
3.18 - Earshot Series Essential Viewing
Another dose of comedic genious, this episode features the cast at some of their best moments of chemistry. Buffy inherits telepathy from a demon, and is forced to hear what her friends, family, and every other student at Sunnydale High is thinking. (to Joyce: You had sex with Giles! On top of a police car!? TWICE!!??) She accidentally uncovers a school-shooting plot, and Willow gets to interogate Sunnydale students "Go Fish"-style. Great scenes with Jonathan, the secondary character everyone loves.
3.19 - Choices
More arc-ness, Faith and the Mayor seriously mess with the Scooby gang and more aspects of his evil plan are revealed.
3.20 - The Prom Series Essential Viewing Tissue Alert!
Classic Buffy episode where Angel breaks up with Buffy, knowing it's the right thing to do. Excellent Cordelia, Xander, Wesley, and Anya moments break up the tear-jerky moments, such as Angel dancing with Buffy to the Sunday's "Wild Horses." The Mutant Enemy guy said it best - "I. need. a. hug."
3.21/3.22 - Graduation Day Prts I and II Series Essential Two-Parter
The Buffy/Faith fight scenes! The hilarious Anya dialogue! Cordelia and Wesley kissage! The Christopher Beck score! The foreshadow-y dream sequences! Faith gets put into a coma! Harmony gets vamped!
In this amazing and action-packed two-parter, the series once again gets turned completely upside-down by the episode's end. Buffy faces off against Faith after Faith shoots Angel with a poison-arrow, and puts Faith into a coma. A delirious Angel must feed off Buffy's blood in order to be saved, and the resulting scene is as shocking as it is erotic. Willow and Oz get bouncy. Angel confuses Oz for Buffy, to much hilarity. Xander provides the group with exposives, which Giles uses to blow up the Mayor-turned-giant-snake (and the school along with him). Say good-bye to Cordelia, Angel, and Wesley - you'll see them all next on Angel's own spin-off.

The Harsh Light of Day... Season 4