S2.E8

The Dark Age

Episode aired Nov 11, 1999
TV-PG
45m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)

Action Adventure Drama Fantasy Horror Romance

Giles' past comes back to haunt him as a demon he and Ethan Rayne summoned in their wild youth seeks them out in Sunnydale.Giles' past comes back to haunt him as a demon he and Ethan Rayne summoned in their wild youth seeks them out in Sunnydale.Giles' past comes back to haunt him as a demon he and Ethan Rayne summoned in their wild youth seeks them out in Sunnydale.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos52

+ 46

User reviews12

7.63.9K

Featured reviews

9Aegelis

Shaded Side of Giles

Seems everyone has their secrets, even the librarian who used to be called "Ripper". Battling the forces of darkness again, we find out more about Giles' past as well as Angels. Willow steps up to a leadership role and suspense mounts as Jenny Calendar's life hangs in the balance.

Can Buffy and the crew piece everything together before time runs out? Full of action, baddies, and an interesting twist to finish, the episode surely keeps viewers' attention. A few scenes seem a little disjointed for me though, not seeming to follow a logical sequence, but overall was tied up neatly for the finish. A credit to the series with great writing, directing and acting.

7kellyq12

A slight dip in season 2

Season 2 is very good overall, and I like this episode, esp. Because it gives us another side into Giles (Ripper?!). But the zombie-esque monsters are just alright overall. The ending resolution is creative!

9nicofreezer

The very best episode yet ! Better than Vampires stories

Thats the episode i was waiting for, this is the kind of episode that can make you love a show, become fan of it. " The Dark Age" is the best written and directed episode yet, probably with the best acting also, Giles actor beeing the best actor of the cast without a doubt, its pretty cool to have some deph on his great character, The dark age " have been better than all the vampires stories.

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
There is a photo of a young Rupert Giles holding a bass guitar. The production crew faked the photo by superimposing his head onto a photo of Sid Vicious.

Goofs
Willow discovers the origin of the Mark of Eyghon, explaining that its "not Egyptian, it's Etruscan, mistaken for Egyptian by the design pattern, but any fool can see it pre-dates their iconography". However, the Etruscan civilization's earliest records are dated to about 700 B.C.E. while the Ancient Egyptian civilization came together around 3000 B.C.E. In other words, the Etruscans did not pre-date the Egyptians.

Quotes
Willow Rosenberg: We have to figure out how to kill this thing and we need to do it fast.
Xander Harris: Uh... hot lava.
Willow Rosenberg: That's for a heretic.
Xander Harris: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, okay. Uh... Ooh-ooh! Bury a potato... No, that's for warts. Who *writes* this stuff?
Cordelia Chase: I've got the solution right here.
[reading]
Cordelia Chase: "To kill a demon... cut off its head."
Xander Harris: Oh, yeah-yeah-yeah. We'll, uh, find Ms. Calendar, then we'll decapitate her. Hey, she'll be the first headless computer teacher in school. You think anybody'll notice?
Cordelia Chase: Do you know what you need, Xander, besides a year's supply of acne cream? A brain.
Xander Harris: That's it! Twelve years of you and I'm snappin'! I don't care if you're a girl or not. I'm throwin' down! Come on!
Cordelia Chase: I've seen you fight. And don't think I can't take you!
Cordelia Chase: Give it your best shot.
Willow Rosenberg: [yelling] *Hey*! We don't have time for this! Our friends are in trouble. Now, we have to put our heads together and-and get them out of it! And if you two aren't with me a hundred and ten percent, then get the hell out of my library!
Cordelia Chase: We're sorry.
Xander Harris: We'll be good.

Crazy credits
Character names are garbled: Diedre, correctly spelled by Giles in the episode, is misspelled "Dierdre" in the credits, and Morgue Attendant is misspelled "Mourge Attendent".