Dan: "Post-modern Ambivalence"

It was a case of perfect timing for the Cult team: sneaking off right on Thanksgiving afternoon to watch this very timely episode (with stomachs suitably stuffed in honour of the occasion). However, I must confess to finding Pangs a little below par. Interesting issues of American history are raised and suitably entangled in post-modern ambivalence, but it's all handled in a rather watery manner that serves only to underline the moral impotence of our epoch.

The episode highlight is undoubtedly Buffy's ability to remain fixated on the turkey stuffing and still deal with her foes - the very epitome of Girl Power, Slayer-style. While Angel's return is welcome, I tended to see him as confused and underutilised, often looking as though he'd actually walked into the adjacent studio lot by accident.

P.S. Memo to wardrobe: lose the person who chose Buffy's off-the-shoulder top. Very look-back-in-horror.

Sarah: "America Triumphant"

America: Nice nation, shame about the genocide. Willow agonises over the dreadful treatment of the indigenous races and cannot share Buffy�s desire to set up the perfect Thanksgiving �sham with yams."

Her ambivalence about slaying the vengeance demon soon degenerates into a 'Calamity Jane' style Cowboys 'n' Indjuns beat-em-up, and the point is beautifully made. The irony is made even more delicious by having English Spike represent Triumphant America.

What other series could put forward the issue of unresolved race war in so light and yet bloody a vein?

James: "Beautifully Written Chaos"

It's lovely seeing Angel back - and even nicer that it's the self-aware ironic Angel of the spin-off series, rather than the whimpering Adonis he became towards the end of his time on Buffy. His distant tortured looks are lovely, and Espenson gives him some cracking moments ("Who's that guy?" he asks, all fragile vanity, when he sees Riley).

The episode itself is odd - perhaps slightly uneasy with the Native American elements, it lets Buffy concentrate on cooking dinner, while the beautifully written chaos unravels around her. Anya, especially, rocks - but after all, she is Jane Espenson's favorite character.

Kim: "Xander-obsessed Luuurve-muppet"

How fantastic is Anya? From man-baiting vengeance demon to Xander-obsessed luuurve-muppet: some change! For my money, the scene of the groundbreaking is one of the funniest in Buffy. Anya gets the cracking lines ("It's a ritual sacrifice, with pie.") and Emma Caulfield delivers them with style.

It�s also refreshing for an American programme to deal with moral issues in such an ambiguous way. Exterminating the first peoples was undeniably A Bad Thing, but it isn�t a problem that irritating political correctness can solve. No amount of cultural exchange will ever hide the fact that major-league genocide happened.

Running this episode on Thanksgiving would be a bit like running Scorsese�s �The Last Temptation of Christ� on Christmas Day over here. Let's just say, it�ll ruffle a few feathers...

Stephen: "Struck down with Syphilis"

This is a perfectly enjoyable instalment, mostly as it unites the Scooby gang with aplomb. The siege by the vengeful Shumach Indian spirits elicits some of the best comic interaction we�ve seen for ages. It is good to have Angel back too, though he could have been put to more dramatic use.

Xander being struck down with syphilis puts his knack for comedy to full use, and the arrival of the cavalry on bicycles was a great touch!