Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Series) Life Serial (2001) User Reviews

The little bads

[ossie85 · 7/10 · 22 August 2022]

After returning from seeing Angel, Buffy still realises that she needs to get a life. Jonathan, Warren and Andrew decide to test Buffy with each of their powers. At UC Sunnydale, Warren places a time warper on Buffy. At Xander's construction site, Andrew summons demons to attack Buffy. At the Magic Box, Jonathan uses a time loop on Buffy. Buffy then goes out with Spike to find out who is behind this.

Why It's So Good - Life is tough when things feel meaningless, and when the biggest bad guys going around are just annoyance, it is hard to get passionate. Poor Buffy is lost.

Watch Out For - The James Bond argument and Jonathan's magic bone.

Quote - "Don't worry, don't be nervous. Do what I do, just picture yourself n...." - Anya.

Buffy goes to work

[Joxerlives · 8/10 · 25 April 2012]

The Good; Buffy in the workplace, funny...

The Bad; ... but ultimately a bit depressing

Best line; Spike; "C'mon, someones got to stake me"

Women good/men bad; The guys on Xander's building site are pretty sexist towards 'Little Britney' even though she saved their lives.

Jeez!; Shouldn't Buffy make sure she rescues all the kittens?

Kinky dinky; About the weirdest fanfic I ever read had Buffy having sex with the mummy hand. In the follow up story she lures it out of her using a magic charm then smashes it to atoms with her troll hammer (although surely all she needed to do was go upstairs and start the cycle again?). Buffy thinks that the candle buyers' girl isn't going to sleep with him whatever scent he chooses. Anya pictures HERSELF naked when selling, talk about 'sales figures' (the corset top Buffy wears to university would certainly do the trick! And check out the stripper heels she crushes Giles' specs with). Andrew thinks that Scully from the X-files 'Wants him so bad' and envies Jonathon that Buffy 'touched him'. The Nerds find free porn at the end. Lots of gags about Jonathon's 'magic bone'.

Captain Subtext; Willow is a 'breast girl'. Andrew is hesitant to hold hands but as Warren observes you know what homophobia REALLY means. Spike tells Buffy she's a creature of the night, we'll later find that's true. Anya and Dawn dance together.

Apocalypses; 6

Scoobies in bondage: Buffy: 8 Giles: 4 Cordy: 5 Will: 3 Jenny: 1 Angel: 4 Oz: 1 Faith: 3 Joyce: 1 Wes: 1 Xander; 1 Dawn; 3

Scoobies knocked out: Buffy: 16 Giles: 11 Cordy: 6 Xander: 9 Will: 5 Jenny: 2 Angel: 6 Oz: 3 Faith: 1 Joyce: 3 Wes: 1 Anya;2 Dawn; 1

Kills: 3 demons for Buffy Buffy: 96 vamps, 40 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot Giles: 5 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human, 1 god. Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon Will: 6 vamps + 1 demon +1 fawn. Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans Xander: 5 vamps, 2 zombies, 1 a demon, Anya: 1 vamp and 1 a demon Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons Spike; 3 vamps and 2 demon Buffybot; 2 vamps Tara; 1 demon

Scoobies go evil: Giles: 1 Cordy: 1 Will: 2 Jenny: 1 Angel: 1 Oz: 1 Joyce: 1 Xander: 4 Anya; 1 Dawn; 1

Alternate scoobies: Buffy: 6 Giles: 3 Cordy: 1 Will: 2 Jenny: 2 Angel: 3 Oz: 2 Joyce: 2 Xander: 3

Recurring characters killed: 10 Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce

Sunnydale deaths; 89;

Total number of scoobies: 6 Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Tara, Spike, Giles

Xander demon magnet: 5(6?) Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

Scoobies shot: Giles: 2 Angel: 3 Oz: 4 Riley; 1

Notches on Scooby bedpost: Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes? Cordy: 1? Buffy: 3 confirmed; Angel, Parker,Riley, 1 possible, Dracula(?) Angel: 1;Buffy Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?) Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley Xander: 2; Faith, Anya Willow: 2;Oz and Tara Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore

Dawn in peril; 4

Dawn the bashful virgin; 1

Questions and observations; The woman who asks for the mummy hand reminds me of Elle McPherson. The introduction of Clem, here unnamed. If I ever write a TV show I'm going to include a box of kittens in every script (I understand Marish Carey does the same thing?). The Nerds testing Buffy is reminiscent of 'Lois and Clark'. For my money Roger Moore is the greatest James Bond and Dalton the 3rd best after Brosnan. The foreman refer to 'Gidget' as did Joyce in Prophecy Girl. Britney of course, huge now, all conquering at the time. Warren's right about the o'clock thing. Connery is Warren's favourite Bond, interesting that he has a reputation for being misogynist?

Marks out of 10; 8/10

One of the best episodes of the season.

[katierose295 · 10/10 · 3 September 2006]

Maybe it's because I have a little brother who's a "Star Wars" fanatic, but when Jonathan, Andrew and Warren start bickering about the airbrushed Deathstar on the side of their van I always start chuckling. "I'm using the Empire's revised design!" Really, a lot of "Life Serial" is like that. The Trio's jokes are hilarious, if you get them. If you've seen the X-Files episode "Monday" and understand that Mulder is stuck in a mysterious time loop, then it's easy to laugh when they bring it up during Buffy's battle with the mummy hand. (God, I can't believe that I really know the name of that "X-Files" episode right off the time of my head. I need to get out more.) But, if you've never seen "The X-Files," or "Star Wars," or James Bond movies, this episode could be harder to really understand. Still, even if you aren't exactly a sci-fi fan, this episode does have some great scenes. It also introduces Clem, kitten poker and the mummy hand, all of which will be cited again in later episodes. I highly recommend that you see it.

Basically, "Life Serial" revolves around the Trio's newest plan to test Buffy's weakness, which has the side benefit of driving her nuts. Buffy has come back from her reunion with Angel, determined to get on with her life. She decides to get a job and go back to school. Things don't go too well, though. The Trio is determined to get information on her response times and abilities. (Or so they say. Personally, I think that they're just having fun.) Warren has created a piece of "magic lint" that speeds up time. Sticking it on Buffy, her fast forwards her life as she tries to audit classes at UC Sunnydale. Then Buffy tries to work at Xander's construction site, but Andrew calls on some demons to attack her and she's fired. Moving on to the Magic Box, Buffy gets a job as a sales clerk, but Jonathan casts a spell that sends her into a time loop as she tries to sell a customer a ancient mummy hand.

Discouraged, Buffy winds up at Spike's crypt. After drinking together for awhile, they decides to go to some underworld haunts to see if they can scare up any information on who might being doing all this to her. Spike winds up in a poker game with some demon pals of his, including Clem a friendly demon with saggy skin. Buffy keeps drinking and becomes annoyed when Spike won't take some proactive steps to discover her tormentors. Like kill someone for information. Spike tries to calm her down, but Buffy is drunk and frustrated and stalks out. Spike follows her and together they stumble across the Trio's van. Jonathan uses a spell to disguise himself as a demon and tells Buffy that he had come from another dimension to fight her... But know he's leaving. Then he runs away. Spike and Buffy look at each other, blankly and go home. Back at the Summers' house Giles gives Buffy some money to help pay her bills. Touched, she says that Giles being there is like having her mother back and taking care of her again.

There's a lot to like about this episode. I love the scene in the Magic Box with Buffy battling the mummy hand. It plays out again and again, with Buffy growing more and more frustrated each time. She tries everything to get out of the time loop, and some of her ideas are pretty funny. I especially like when she stomps on Giles glasses. Also, I enjoy the Trio arguing over which actor was the best James Bond. "Timothy Dalton should win an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!" And it's interesting that by the end of their little "tests," they're actually voting for Buffy to win. When she finally beats the mummy hand they cheer. They're not really evil yet, just... annoying. I also adore Clem and it's cool to see his introduction. He'll be a recurring character into season seven and you just have to like him. The idea of Spike and Clem playing poker for kittens is just hilarious. "What? They're delicious!" Finally, I think it's sweet that Giles gave Buffy that check. He really does love her and I think that their relationship is at the heart of the show. He SO shouldn't leave.

On the down side, I don't care if "Angel" is on some other channel or not, I want a Buffy and Angel on-screen reunion. Their brief time together in season seven's "Chosen" seems out of place and sort of strained. They should have had a scene together this season, once again establishing their deep feelings and the fact that they can never be together. Plus, it would have given Buffy yet another reason to be depressed. (For now, the closest we get to a Buffy and Angel reunion is over on "Angel," where Cordy and Wes helpfully act out what was probably said when Angel saw Buffy alive in all its melodramatic glory.) Also, not to nit-pick, but the statue that Buffy was looking at in Tara's Renaissance art book is Gian Lorenzo Bernini's "Ecstacy of St. Teresa," which is from the Baroque period, not the Renaissance.

My favorite part of the episode: Buffy watching poutily, while Spike cheats Clem and the other demons at kitten poker. Finally, she lets all of his "winnings" go, while the demons gasp and try capture them again. "Run free kitties!"

Hilarious

[waynestevens1991 · 10/10 · 24 May 2010]

I just saw this episode last week for the second time. I was looking forward to it since I originally saw it back in 2003. In regards to the episode at hand, the van was set up pretty sweet (too bad they lost the mural). Having them fool around with Buffy like she was a video game. I thought that Andrew's demons were pretty lame and not original thinking. Warren's test was freaky and created some questions as to how many laws of Physics he broke/ warped. Johnathan's was the best in terms of just making her suffer psychologically (and get strangled over and over). She was like a rat in a maze.

--May Contain Spoilers--- In regards to this season, I liked The Trio. They were more fun/ interesting to watch than compared to the airhead hell-bitch Glory. Season 5 had all of this hype about Glory being unstoppable. When push came to shove, Anya's plan about using the ogre's hammer destroyed Glory. Why couldn't anyone have thought of this sooner? I saw The Trio as how Willow and Xander may have ended up had they not met Buffy. In many ways Warren was Willow minus not having a person like Buffy in his life. Warren's technical skill and increasing illusion of invincibility led him down a dark path that consumed him. Willow's growing use of dark magic led to her disregard for Tara, threatening those around her, and other dark things. Basically, Season 6 was a welcome break from the stereotypical big bad of the season. It provided great character development for all the cast.

Life series.

[buffysummersapologist · 10/10 · 29 March 2023]

"Life Serial" is a standout episode from Buffy the Vampire Slayer's sixth season that showcases the show's exceptional writing, humor, and creativity. The episode focuses on Buffy's struggle to find a job and make ends meet, as she becomes trapped in a series of bizarre and surreal situations.

One of the metapgors of this episode is the struggle to find purpose and meaning in life. Buffy's frustration with her dead-end jobs and her desire for a more fulfilling life is a relatable experience that many viewers can identify with. The episode also touches on the theme of control, as Buffy finds herself trapped in a series of situations that she cannot escape.

The episode is also filled with clever metaphors and subtext. Buffy's various jobs, including her work in a fast-food restaurant and a magic shop, serve as metaphors for the monotony and absurdity of modern life. The episode also makes references to the concept of the "rat race" and the idea that modern society is obsessed with productivity and efficiency.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is known for its deep philosophical subtext and meaningful metaphors, and "Life Serial" is a prime example of this. The episode's exploration of the struggle for purpose and control is a powerful commentary on the human experience, and the clever use of metaphors adds depth and complexity to the episodes.

Life Serial is such a brilliantly crafted episode that combines humor and creativity with deep philosophical subtext. The episode's exploration of the struggle for purpose and control, combined with its clever use of metaphors, makes it a standout episode from Buffy the Vampire Slayer's sixth season. The show's talent for creating meaningful metaphors and exploring complex themes is one of the reasons why it has become a beloved classic among fans and is still relevant today.

The One That Goes Over And Over...

[taylorkingston · 10/10 · 17 October 2014]

I love this episode, it's so funny. It's like the Charmed episode, Deja Vu All Over Again.

In this episode, Buffy decides to get up and do something with her life. First she decides to go back to college, so she audits Willow's and Tara's classes. But then something happens. Her time is skipping forward. That's because the "Geek Trio" have decided to take Buffy down a peg or two, by having a contest. This is Warren's turn. Making her think time is skipping forward. She gives up and decides to work for Xander has his construction sight. This is Andrew's turn. He summons a demon to disrupt her at work, and when no one else can see it, the crew thinks she's crazy. She gives up and decides to work for Giles at the Magic Box. This is Jonathan's turn. He gives her a task, getting a mummy hand for a customer, and until she completes it, time will keep going backwards, and she must repeat it all over again. When she figures out how to complete the task, Anya reveals that she forgot to charge the woman for shipping. Buffy gives up, once again. Then she decides to go drinking with Spike. This works out better. She finds the "Geek Trio" but Jonathan has disguised himself as a demon, so that Buffy thinks the Trio isn't a part of it.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10.

Life Serial. Soggy.

[skay_baltimore · 6/10 · 2 August 2010]

Willow (on choosing chicken parts): "I'm a breast girl myself. But then again...you knew that".

Is there anything scarier than being stalked by 3 Geeks? Maybe...maybe not.

Buffy returns from her brief meeting with Angel with a bucket of "deep fried chicken parts". She doesn't want to talk about whatever happened with Angel, other than to say it was intense. When asked about her plans she begins to talk about what to do about all the bills. The gang points out that they were referring to life plans. She ends up deciding to monitor classes with Willow and Tara. The fact that getting a job never seemed to enter her purview at that stage bugged me. Granted...she tries later on. But this is a recurrent problem in the series -- sometimes she's uber responsible, to the point of being obnoxious, and other times she's the same old helpless Buffy from 5 seasons ago.

The Trio = silliness. And as such, a lot of things related to said Trio are silly. It's inevitable. Example: Buffy hears a noise after Warren puts the time-changing lint thing on her. Then she immediately jumps to: "There's something on me", even though it's behind her and she can have no real way of knowing anything is there. It's silly. Stupid. Unrealistic/impossible. Boring. And that's just one small example.

The Trio gets very old very fast. The only "big bad" about The Trio is that...well they're bad. But not in a good way. They're bad in a change-the-channel kind of way. But they're not totally without merit. Warren to Jonathan: "You're insane. You're short, and you're insane." And Jonathan to Warren: "Stop touching my magic bone". Funny stuff.

But Buffy...in pigtails, construction hat, and a clingy little blouse? Priceless!!

Groundhog day/mummy hand. Oddly amusing. Vaguely familiar. Somewhat clever. Not particularly original, however.

Buffy & Spike...doin shots out of a flask. Sweet. "You're not a school girl. You're not a shop girl. You're a creature of the darkness. Like me. Try on my world...see how good it feels."

And the greatest discovery of all? "Free...cable...porn."

Rating: Two thumbs up. If they'll fit. (But where?) Ouch!!

Not Very Good

[g-girly · 4/10 · 16 January 2010]

For me the sixth season hasn't been very good so far. But this episode was sorta like rock bottom. Okay, I admit there were good parts (Namely Spike playing 'Kitten Poker'), but I just found it incredibly stupid! The general idea of the trio being the new 'Big Bad' is just laughable... And NOT the kind of laughable the writers were clearly aiming for. I could understand this being a sorta jokey episode meant for fooling around but it just wasn't very funny. Another thing that bugged me was that in the beginning of the episode where Giles, Willow, Tara, Dawn, and Buffy were talking about what to do about money Buffy completely shirks the idea of getting a job. Instead she goes off about avoiding paying certain bills to pay other ones it was just plain irresponsible not to mention selfish. I understand that happening with 17 year old but with 20 soon-to-be-21 year old it was really exasperating. All in all the only good part that didn't have me vomiting in my mouth was the 'Kitten Poker' (thanks Spike). Hopefully you found it more enjoyable then I did.

The 3 Trials of Buffy

[Samuel-Shovel · 5/10 · 15 May 2018]

In "Life Serial", Buffy returns from her rendezvous with Angel and tries to figure out what exactly her plan for the future is. She tosses on a few hats in this episode: heading back to school, being a construction worker, being in retail at the Magic Shop. But each stint is interrupted by strange happenings: some kind of time warp only affecting her, a batch of gooey demons attacking her, a moment in time occurring over and over again. Buffy conquers all these obstacles but realizes that none of these jobs are for her. Her and Spike hit a demon bar for information with zero success. The Trio (the group behind all these shenanigans) almost gets caught in the end but escapes to survive another day. A drunk Buffy returns home where Giles gives her a check assuaging her money troubles.

I have to be honest: I'm not digging the Trio too much thus far. I like the concept of an unorthodox rival to Buffy, it can't always be some buffed out demon or vampire. But these 3 really grind my gears and are extremely annoying. Their constant "nerd talk" just feels like the writers trying too hard and the characters feel non-threatening to Buffy at all times.

This episode has a bit of good and a lo of bad. I enjoyed Buffy's Groundhog Day moment. It had some good comedic moments and a nice rhythm to it. Now for the bad: pretty much everything else. Spike's kitten poker was a dumb gag that accomplished nothing. The constant riffing of the Trio is annoying. Buffy's newfound friendship with Spike feels unearned at this point due to their history. All in all, there hasn't been much to like so far in Season 6. Here's hoping it gets better...

I dislike the Trio

[The_Brave · 3/10 · 14 October 2007]

Although I'm a great fan of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer", I must recognize that sixth season is very disappointing to me. I really hate the Trio. Nothing in them is hilarious to me. I hate a lot Warren. I hate Andrew and I don't like the idea of Jonathan as main character. To my eyes, these three are the worst "bads" of all seven seasons. Nothing to see with Glory, The Master, Spike and Drusilla. The Trio has no "glamour" and they seems have a kind of parody that I don't find at all. I think too that Joss Whedon had a big mistake with the departure of main characters very nice to me, as Riley, Tara, and also Giles, who was not yet a regular member of the cast, since the sixth season. I have would like that the relationship between Riley and Buffy continue during that season. Also, Marc Blucas is very better actor that the Trio together. With the Trio, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", lost his magic and it became a kind of self-parody. By the way, I will continue being in love with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Sorry for my bad English.

Jobs

[Realrockerhalloween · 5 October 2016]

Buffy now must find a way to support herself and Dawn. The trio find ways to make her job hunt torture. The trio are impressive their first run by making demons attack which no one else can see, rewinding time so she has to sell the same item and speeding up class so she can't learn. I wish they were portrayed as less nerdy though as they argue over action figures, touching a pretty girl and star wars. It robs them of any penance or being a big threat.

The only interesting aspect is Buffy overcoming the obstacles and beating the bad guys. She's been through worse, died and now must tackle life itself even though its off to a Rocky start. Another aspect is Files being there for her, getting caught up on Bill's and helping her as a father would. I find it very sweet to help his daughter get on her feet when her own won't or doesn't care.