Ill

_**½

Daria is hospitalized after coming down with a persistent rash, causing a number of rumors regarding her health to circulate the school. Daria's resistance to talk about her situation only fuels the rumors about her status, leading many students to visit her under the assumption that she may not survive.

De Jour. Belle de Jour.

_****

Belle is hired to help a client fulfill his fantasy of being James Bond, but her favor with the client is put at risk when she and Duncan run into he and his wife. After a drunk Ben and Byron confront Duncan about Hannah, Hannah decides to sever her ties to Ben completely.

Coming Up: Thursday, Saturday

The best of Life on Mars has been discussed, so now it's time to take a look at the worst; meanwhile, Firefly's big screen debut will be looked at this week, marking the final time that these actors will inhabit these skins...at least for now, that is.

Week Twenty

The theme of the week is finding one's role and either living up to it or shunning it entirely in order to follow one's own desires. For some this is a practice in finding themselves, while others devote themselves entirely to pleasing those who would push their expectations onto them.

Firefly Special: The R.Tam Sessions

_****½

Kept prisoner at the Academy, River Tam becomes the subject of Alliance experimentation, falling deeper and deeper into psychosis and losing sight of who she is. Though never directly stated, River's given mission grows steadily clearer the longer she's held hostage, and she's forever changed by the experience.

The Impertence of Communicationizing

_****½

A typo made in an office memo leads the employees of Veridian Dynamics to believe they can insult one another without repercussion; meanwhile, Veronica starts feeling guilty about her most recent promotion, despite her best efforts to feel otherwise.

Life on Mars: Top 3

Life on Mars is a series that had a lot to offer, and more often than not the stories told were superb, but in retrospect there are always a few moments that stand out above the rest. Listed here are the top three episodes, according to myself, not only for the series as a whole, but also for both series individually.

What's My Line (Part 2)

_***

Spike kidnaps Angel for use in a ritual to restore Drusilla's sanity, while Buffy contends with the fact that there's a new Slayer in town in the form of Kendra, the girl called after Buffy died at the hands of the Master.

What's My Line (Part 1)

_***½

Buffy tries to work out what the future has in store for her as Sunnydale High's career fair heats up; meanwhile, Spike hires a group of assassins to take care of the town's Slayer threat, potentially risking Angel's life in the process.

Gifted

_****

Daria and Jodie spend the weekend with their families at a school for the gifted, learning along the way that not all the students at said school are worth knowing. Quinn, meanwhile, spends the weekend hopping between the houses of her Fashion Club friends, unable to find a combination that works for her.

Taking Chances

_****

Belle is well aware that women in her line of work simply can't make romantic relationships work, but seeing Bambi so happy with Byron makes her think that she might have written off her chances with Duncan far sooner than she should have.

Coming Up: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday

Multi-Part episodes, a series of webisodes, and an editorial ranking the top 3 episodes are what you can expect from this week, as Buffy presents a Slayer-related event, the Life on Mars specials come to an end, and Firefly readies itself for the big damn movie.

Week Nineteen

The theme of the week is the end of relationships, in one form or another, whether those relationships are romantic, friendly, or simply of having known one another. The results vary, with some friendships broken, others culminating in a kiss, and a few that end in caskets.

Firefly Special: Those Left Behind

_***½

Figures from both Mal and River's pasts come back to take their revenge while Inara and Book both consider their upcoming departures from Serenity.

Change We Can't Believe In

_***

Phil and Lem are made to work on a project alone with Veronica while Ted is busy dealing with an overly attached security guard determined to become his new best friend.

Life on Mars Special: La Chica de Ayer

_****½

Samuel finds himself in 1977 after being involved in a traffic accident and is made to work alongside a man with much different values in order to make his way back to 2009 Madrid.

The Dark Age

_***

Ethan Rayne returns, this time with a demon from Giles' past in tow, revealing a darker side to Giles' history that could put the lives of everyone he loves in jeopardy.

The New Kid

_**

Daria bonds with Ted, a previously home schooled student, when she's forced into contributing to the yearbook. Their relationship is later complicated, however, when Daria inadvertently rejects him, and the nature of their friendship is called into question.

Potential Hazards

_****

Hannah/Belle struggles to maintain a professional working relationship with Duncan, while Bambi does the same with Byron. Meanwhile, Ben has decided to end things with Jackie but is unsure of how to go about it.

Coming Up: Thursday, Saturday

One series continues on in Spanish, while another is written into a graphic novel. Life on Mars and Firefly may both have come to an end, but there are still great things to come from both of them.