This one was quite a bit of fun. There have been numerous takes on the old "dummy comes to life" bit. I can think of at least three of them off the top of my head, one for instance on The original Twilight Zone. What makes this one different is a new take on the dummy in question. This episode revolves around a school talent show where Buffy and her pals are heard ridiculing the participants (for instance Cordelia has one of the worst voices I've ever heard). The new principal, who took over from the guy who was eaten by the hyena boys, hears their jeers and demands that they perform in the talent show. He is a nasty character who announces that he hates kids. One cannot really judge some of the school absurdities that take place in this series but there are some rather interesting ones. For once thing, several students have been killed violently and the principal eaten along with the school mascot. Life goes on. The kids routinely attended a dance club where demons have appeared and others have been killed. Somehow this doesn't seem to bother anyone. But, after all, it takes place in Hellmouth. The less one thinks about the events, the more fun.
Review of The Puppet Show
