Ultimate Buffyverse Episode Ranking: #254 – #226

#254-
‘ The Pack ‘, Buffy Season One, Episode 6

The Worst episode of Buffy in my opinion and I know that many out there will disagree. This episode brings nothing to the table both for the series overall and for any of the characters. The only good thing I can think of is Giles line about having to kill Xander since he’s turned into a mean 16 year-old boy. The plot is amongst the most stupid plotlines in the Buffyverse. A Hyena possession is very, very silly and was not well thought out with the only merit coming from making Xander a victim of the possession. The eating of Principal Flutie was not only stupid but unfortunate because I found his character quite charming, although it did allow for Snyder which was a admirable replacment. I also found Buffy to be very ineffective throughout the episode. And lastly, the whole climax involving Giles being subdued by a zoo trainer responsible for the possessions before finally being killed by Buffy is not only crap but doesn’t match with the non-human killing principles established by the show later. Thankfully, this is one of only 4 episodes that I believe are pure bad in the whole of each series.

#253-
‘ Doublemeat Palace ‘, Buffy Season Six, Episode 12

Poor plot, lack of character development, painfully slow pacing & a very poor villain. Buffyverse episodes aren’t perfect, we all know this but virtually all episodes provide something which make it good fun to watch, whether that be a decent plot, some nice humour or, in most cases, just the pleasure of watching the characters. Unfortunately, there is little to none of these redeeming qualities. To be honest, I can’t remember much of this episode, I watched it twice and that was enough. The whole ‘fast food is bad’ message also seemed poorly executed. On the whole, lacklustre, to the extreme.

#252-
‘ The Bachelor Party ‘, Angel Season One, Episode 7

The worst of the Angel episodes which is unfortunate because I really liked Doyle and one of his critical background episodes is a stinker. The main letdown is a very slow and poor plotline which turned just a little two weird. The parts involving Doyle’s past and his continuing relationship with Cordelia provide some positives but not enough to make the episode salvagable.  The whole bachelor party part of the episode is boring and lacked any of the usual punch. Angel is also very subdued and provides little apart from a bit of a fight scene in the end.

#251-
‘ All The Way ‘, Buffy Season Six, Episode 6

The last of what I consider to be the worst of the Buffyverse episodes. All The Way focused on Dawn and she doesn’t quite provide the same importance or interest as other characters. For the most part it’s a basic, “I’m a teenager and I’m rebelling.”, plot. There is some nice character stuff though. Willow’s magic abuse becomes more apparent to Tara and Xander announces his engagement to Anya. Buffy is also a little more fun which I like but not enough to save an episode that for the majority of the time is fairly boring.

#250-
‘ Wrecked ‘, Buffy Season Six, Episode 10

A critical episode in the development of Willow’s abuse of power storyline, well, at least it should of been. Instead, we had a drug addiction storyline that felt cheap in comparison. Now, don’t misunderstand, I thought Alyson Hannigan performed quite admirably. But her storyline just wasn’t as good as it potentially could have been. I would have rathered a more subtle addiction device or the continued use of power corruption. Unfortunately, the drug storyline used is very unsubtle and the use of a secret, magical drug den filled with magic addicts and a dealer who is just plain bad makes me cringe. Thankfully, we do get a few redeeming moments. The morning after with Buffy and Spike is very amusing and Willow’s regret at the end is quite strong.

#249-
‘ Reprise ‘, Angel Season Two, Episode 15

I will definetly be in the minority here but I never liked this episode. I can’t put my figure on why I don’t like it either. It has some very critical moments for the season and series. Kate & Angel finally hit rock-bottom and both seek comfort which is not good for them, drugs and Darla respectively. It all sounds great but it never grabs me. Throughout the episode all I can think about is how I want the next episode to come. I just don’t get held by it’s storyline. The best part is when Holland Manners explains to Angel that the home office is actually Earth. I know I should feel something for the storyline but I don’t, and I’m sorry for people who find this episode great but I just can’t see it.

#248-
‘ She ‘, Angel Season One, Episode 13

The worst of the run of pretty basic case-of-the-week episodes that Angel ran during that first season. The basic concept in this one is women’s rights which is a good concept but just fails a little in the execution. Bai Ling appears as a guest star but doesn’t click with David Boreanaz which breaks one of the basic plotlines of the episode, the attraction between the two characters. The villains didn’t come across as all that powerful and the pacing for the episode is basic and lacks punch. The best part is the start of the episode where we get to see Angel and Wesley dance, hilariously mind you. That in itself is worth watching the episode.

#247-
‘ Bad Eggs ‘, Buffy Season Two, Episode 12

Much like She, this episode is the worst of the monster-of-the-week episodes during season two. There’s not much to say about this episode. The plot is bad, there’s less than great character moments and the episode on the whole is just poor. The vampire brother’s Lyle and Tector are fairly interesting but badly cliched. Thankfully, there’s a couple of character interactions that are fun watch.

#246-
‘ The House Always Wins ‘, Angel Season Four, Episode 3

A very average episode which focuses on Lorne and being a slave to the poker machines. The Lorne side is mildly interesting but the gambling side in which Angel get’s his destiny taken from him is silly and a little boring. Lacks some consistent humour and any real exciting action.

#245–
‘ I Fall To Pieces’, Angel Season One, Episode 4

An episode with fairly average concepts and moments. Nothing great to report and nothing much to dwell on. Just a basic case-based episode.

#244-
‘ Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight ‘, Buffy Season One, Episode 11

A poor episode based around an invisible girl terrorising Sunnydale high, particularly Cordelia. Much like many of these bottom ranked episodes there’s not much to talk about. The plot is unspectacular and there’s a lack of great character interaction. Cordelia does have a nice moment where we see a different side of her character which is nice.

#243-
‘ Go Fish ‘, Buffy Season Two, Episode 20

More silliness. The fish storyline is very average. There is some humour which makes the episode a bit of fun but doesn’t make it a good episode. The ending is also fairly unsatisfying. Once again, I find when Buffy tries to intergrate a message or moral into it’s story things go down the drain, in this episode, it’s about steroid abuse with athletes. Thankfully, this is one of the last pure monster-of-the-week episodes for series which is a good.

#242-
‘ That Old Gang Of Mine ‘, Angel Season Three, Episode 3

Something of a polarised episode. I fall on the side that doesn’t like it. The episode has some decent concepts and some decent action but just lacks the punch of the better episodes on this list. Also, the character of Gio is very unlikable, but maybe that’s his purpose. I feel sorry for Lorne as his Caritas gets shot up quite badly this episode.

#241-
‘ Habeas Corpses ‘, Angel Season Four, Episode 8

Not the best of episodes. Wolfram & Heart finds itself completely and utterly destroyed by The Beast. Connor also finds himself trapped within. Things aren’t too bad until all of a sudden, the victims turn into zombies, for no apparent reason. That’s the biggest downfall of this episode, well, aside from the average quality of everything else.

#240-
‘ Goodbye Iowa ‘, Buffy Season Four, Episode 14

A Riley-based episode in which he finds himself torn between his duty & honour as a soldier and his love for Buffy. Things just don’t seem to click for me this episode. I’m unsure about Adam and wasn’t very impressed by his character. Riley, while troubled, was sort of annoying throughout the episode as well. Buffy and the gang had some nice moments but for the most part, this episode is just a little too weak.

#239-
‘ Double Or Nothing ‘, Angel Season Three, Episode 18

There’s something about Las Vegas and Angel that doesn’t seem to sit to well with me. While I prefer this episode to the other Vegas-based episode, The House Always Wins (see #246) I still find it quite average. The relationship between Gunn and Fred has developed quite strongly and gets tested during the episode so that side of the plot is fairly interesting but the character of Jenoff is sorta boring. Also, the episode just feels like a break from the overall story arc of this season.

#238-
‘ Some Assembly Required ‘, Buffy Season Two, Episode 2

An episode wrecked by an unfortunate plot. The one-episode character’s of Daryl & Eric are just a little too cliched, and even Chris, the younger brother who your supposed to sympathise with isn’t likable enough. One of my pet peeves early on in the show is when, for the sake of action, they pit Buffy against a foe who is clearly no match for her. In this episode, Daryl, who’s virtually a zombie, manages to pretty much defeat Buffy and til this day I still don’t understand how.  On a positive note, I think Giles is absolutely hilarious in this episode, so watch the episode for him.

#237-
‘ Him ‘, Buffy Season Seven, Episode 6

An unfortunate episode at the start of a pretty strong last season. As a humourous episode, it manages to be fairly funny but Dawn’s whining throughout is just too annoying.

#236-
‘ The Cautionary Tale Of Numero Cinco ‘, Angel Season Five, Episode 6

Probably the most boring episode. I never liked this episode and watching it seems something of a waste. Mexican wrestlers, while colourful and talented, don’t seem to fit the universe. Lack of any decent character moments also drag it down.

#235-
‘ Billy ‘, Angel Season Three, Episode 6

Another episode with a strong message laid into it, this time, violence against women. It’s a fairly interesting concept involving a male who,by touch, can make other men irrationally violent. It makes for a nice in-house chase scene between Fred and Wes, who by the way is surprisingly scary. The downfall comes from the weakness of the pacing for the most part and the lack of subtlety in it’s message.

#234-
‘ War Zone ‘, Angel Season One, Episode 20

The introductory episode for Gunn. I think the main letdown is that the episode focuses too largely on Gunn and his life. While it’s mildly interesting and does have a personal moment that goes with it, it’s just a little too dull. There’s just not enough Angel, Cordy & Wes. Lack of major villain hurts too.

#233-
‘ The Harvest ‘, Buffy Season One, Episode 2

The second part of the Buffy opener and unfortunately, it doesn’t quite live up to the first part. There’s some nice moments, for example, the explanation of vamps to Willow and Xander and the aftermath of the harvest. But, those moments are overshadowed by the lamish plot, slowish pacing and lacklustre battle at the end. Thankfully, the show was finding it’s feet so it’s pretty forgivable.

#232-
‘ Gingerbread ‘, Buffy Season Three, Episode 11

A blemish in the incredibly strong season three. Once again, the moral of this story is about the mob mentality taking over a town.  In this case, the mob is against magic. Now, there’s some merit in this episode, the idea of Sunnydale trying to rise against the strangeness brought on by the hellmouth is quite logical. The downfall comes when the two murdered kids who started the uprising are found out to be a very crappy demon. It just sorta sucks. There is a lack of nice character interaction as well which dents the episode as well.

#231-
‘ Why We Fight ‘, Angel Season Five, Episode 13

Suffers from the same problems as the previous Angel season five episode on this list (see #236), just a little too boring and slow. The idea of a vampire sired from Angel since he got his soul is interesting but the rest of the plot involving a submarine and the like is just too weak. It’s also very weird to see Spike with black hair.

#230-
‘ Untouched ‘, Angel Season Two, Episode 4

A very strange episode. To be honest, it’s just very boring. Lilah gets a little more face time but is nowhere near her best. Everything else is pretty basic. The character of Bethany is also unlikable and I feel no remorse for her which hurts the episode the most.

#229-
‘ The Thin Dead Line ‘, Angel Season Two, Episode 14

A part of the middle season slump that happens during Angel season two. This episode features zombie cops who are incredibly brutal which is an obviously based on police brutality. For the most part it’s a weak episode. Angel is still all lonesome, and Anne get’s a reappearance which is nice. The best part is when Wesley gets shot, not because I don’t like Wes, quite the contrary, rather it’s the worry the episode makes you feel for his life. Still, it’s not enough to save this episode.

#228-
‘ The I In Team ‘, Buffy Season Four, Episode 13

I’m unsure why I don’t like this episode. Buffy’s entrance into the Intiative is quite funny and the betrayal by Walsh is interesting. Maybe because there’s a major lack of character interaction which is what I tend to enjoy most. Just an average episode.

#227-
‘ Forgiving ‘, Angel Season Three, Episode 17

Let’s make it known now, I’m not a big fan of Wesley’s betrayal storyline. I like the consequences which turn Wesley into an awesome dark rogue. The whole stealing Connor situation is very suspect for me and I prefer the other storylines in other seasons. This episode deals largly with the immediate response to Wes’s betrayal and Holtz’s abduction of Connor. Angel is understandably pissed and that’s all good but I just think maybe things could have been executed better. I’m sure there’s fans out there that will completely disagree, but that’s what makes opinions so great.

#226-
‘ Blind Date ‘, Angel Season One, Episode 21

Another average episode, mainly because Angel and co. get less screen time than usual. Lindsey gets that extra time and while it’s mildly interesting it ultimately means nothing because he ends up back at Wolfram & Hart anyway. Holland Manners is introduced and he’s quite cool but on the whole it’s just an average episode.

B422- Restless

Written by: Joss Whedon.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, Amber Benson, Mercedes McNab, George Hertzberg, Seth Green & Armin Shimerman.

Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles meet at Buffy’s to relax with videos, one of them Apocalypse Now. They fall asleep before they even get through the FBI warning and are confronted by the First Slayer in their dreams. Each of the four Scoobies experience vivid dreams.

Willow’s dream

The episode begins with Willow painting a Sapphic love poem in Greek on Tara’s back; she is then faced with the opening performance of Death of a Salesman, featuring Riley as the cowboy, as part of a drama class she signed up for. Willow realizes with increasing uneasiness that she knows neither her lines nor her role. Buffy then takes Willow to stand in front of a classroom in the same nerdy clothes she wore in “Welcome to the Hellmouth” and “The Harvest”. Xander mocks her as she nervously begins her book review. Oz and Tara flirt with each other while watching Willow do her book report. Willow has the life sucked out of her by the First Slayer in front of the class.

Xander’s dream

In the longest dream, Xander wakes on Buffy’s couch to find a bizarrely altered version of Apocalypse Now playing on the television. After excusing himself to use the restroom, he finds himself the object of an attempted seduction by Joyce. He then meets Buffy, Giles, and Spike in a playground where Giles tells him that Spike is being trained as a Watcher, switches to an ice-cream truck with Anya where Willow and Tara (wearing skimpy clothing and cheesy make-up suited to porn-film “lesbians”) make a pass at him in the back. Xander comes across Giles, who starts revealing the reason for the dream, but then starts speaking French. A reenactment of the Apocalypse Now scene with Colonel Walter Kurtz turned into a discussion between Xander and Principal Snyder follows. Finally, Xander has his heart torn out by the First Slayer in the guise of his father.

Giles’ dream

Giles swings a watch in front of Buffy, sitting on a chair in Giles’ apartment, which is bare of everything, except the chair and a bed upstairs. She laughs, and Giles’ dream cuts to a family scene with Buffy and his girlfriend Olivia at a fairground. Quicker than the others to understand that something is wrong, he confronts Spike, who is posing for a photo-shoot in his crypt. In The Bronze, he meets Anya failing as a stand-up comedian and Xander and Willow, who warn him of their attacker. He breaks out into song, giving suggestions on how to deal with what hunts them, but when the sound system breaks down, he crawls backstage. He begins to realize his pursuer is the First Slayer, just in time for her to scalp him.

Buffy’s dream

In the final dream sequence, Buffy is woken by Anya in Buffy & Willow’s dorm room, only to switch to her own room at home where she talks to Tara. At the old school, Buffy talks to her mother who lives in the walls, then meets Riley at the Initiative. He has been promoted to Surgeon General and is drawing up plans with the human Adam for world domination through coffee makers that think. The three of them are interrupted by a demon attack, and Riley and Adam leave to create a pillow fort for protection. When Buffy finds her weapons bag, the only thing in it is mud, which she smears on her face. Transported to the desert, she finally confronts The First Slayer, who uses Tara’s voice. The First Slayer tells Buffy that she cannot have friends and must work alone, which Buffy rejects. The Slayers fight in the desert and then in Buffy’s living room next to her dying friends until Buffy realizes that she can stop the fight mentally. The First Slayer vanishes and everybody wakes up when Buffy starts talking about hair care.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+4)

• +1/ Falling asleep within seconds of beginning to watch video’s with the Scoobies.
• +1/ Her acting during the play we see in Willow’s dream, she’s hilarious as a old-time stage actress and her little speech on men is very amusing-
  “(with contempt) But what else could I expect from a bunch of low-rent, no-account hoodlums like you? Hoodlums, yes, I mean you and your friends, your whole sex, throw ’em in the sea for all I care, throw ’em in and wait for the bubbles, men with your groping and spitting all groin no brain three billion of you passing around the same worn-out urge. Men! With your … sales!”
• +1/ In Giles’ dream, being the hyperactive daughter who must play with everything at the carnival. It’s fun because we don’t see Buffy so carefree normally and to see her bounce around and talk fast as a kid would is great (see Giles point 4).
• +1/ Overcoming the First Slayer and refusing to give up her friends which then leads to a big Slayer fight which Buffy eventually stops by deciding to wake up.

XANDER- (+5)

• +1/ Falling asleep nearly straight away after putting the video’s on.
• +1/ Saying something rather crude about Willow’s relationship about Tara, it’s still fairly funny though-
  Xander: So whatcha been doin’? Doing spells? (To Oz) She does spells with Tara.
  Oz: Yeah, I heard about that.
  Bell rings.
  Willow: (anxious) I’m gonna be late. (Walks off)
  Xander: Sometimes I think about two women doing a spell … and then I do a  spell by myself.
• +1/ Actually responding to Joyce’s advances of a sexual nature in his dream. His lines in that little scene are great, very Xander-esque. Obviously, Xander finds Joyce attractive-
  Joyce: Hey.
  Xander: Hey Joyce. Mrs. Summers. (Takes a step closer) We’re not making too much noise down there, are we?
  Joyce: Oh, no. Anyway, they all left a while ago.
  Xander: Oh, I should probably go catch up.
  Joyce: (grins) I’ve heard that before.
  Xander: I move pretty fast. You know, a man’s always after-
  Joyce: Conquest?
  Xander: (shrugs) I’m a conquistador.
  Joyce: (we see her face and hear her voice, but her lips aren’t moving) You sure it isn’t comfort?
  Xander: I’m a comfortador also.
  Joyce: (leans seductively against the door frame) I do know the difference. I’ve learned about boys.
  Xander: That’s cool about you.
  Joyce gives him a seductive look. Xander just stares at her.
  Joyce: It’s very late.
  Again we hear her voice although her lips don’t move.
  Joyce: Would you like to rest for a while?
  We see her bed with the covers turned down. Xander looks from it to her.
  Xander: Um, yeah. (Confidently) I’d like you. I’m just … gonna go to the bathroom first.
• +1/Snyder: Where are you heading?
  Xander: (shrugs uncertainly) Well, I’m supposed to meet Tara and Willow, and possibly Buffy’s mom.
• +1/ Being all skittish around Joyce after his dream-
  Joyce: Xander?
  Xander: Yes, what, Joyce? (Nervously) Uh … Buffy’s mom.
  Joyce: Be my kitchen buddy again, help me carry? (Nods toward the kitchen)
  Xander: Yes. Sure. (Nervously) Buffy’s mom.

WILLOW- (+6)

• +1/ Willow’s line about blackmailing patriotically, reminded me a lot of the old Willow which shows she hasn’t changed too significantly-
  Buffy: Are you sure you’ll be all right? Cause I can be there in the morning.
  Riley: (shakes head) It’s just a debriefing. They’re not gonna make me disappear, and they’re not pinning anything on me. I got Graham and a lot of the guys testifying I’m the
  reason they’re alive. I might actually get out of this with an honorable discharge.
  Giles: In return for your silence, no doubt.
  Riley: Oh yeah. Having the inside scoop on the administration’s own Bay of Mutated Pigs is definitely an advantage.
  Willow: (cheery) It’s like you’re blackmailing the government. (They look at her) In a … patriotic way.
• +1/ Like the others, falling asleep right away after the video’s get put on.
• +1/ Recalling her nightmare from Nightmares, I love it when character’s recall old episodes-
  “I just think it’s really early to be putting on a play. I, I don’t even know what… (Eyes widen) This isn’t Madame Butterfly, is it, because I have a whole problem with opera.”
• +1/ Getting very upset by the whole play scenario, she’s fun agitated.
• +1/ Buffy: Well, you must have *done* something. (Frowning in disapproval)
  Willow: No. I never do anything. I’m very seldom naughty.
• +1/ Being all sexy with Tara in the back of Xander’s ice cream truck.

GILES- (+5)

• +1/ Falling asleep straight away, like the others.
• +1/ Being the play organiser and delivering the inspirational speech to his actors, I also love how he tries to ignore Harmony’s bites.
• +1/ “A Watcher scoffs at gravity.”
• +1/ Being Buffy’s father in his dream, he’s very hard on her, which is somewhat like he treats normal Buffy-
  Buffy: Come on! Come on! We’re gonna miss all the good stuff.
  Olivia: Does she always want to train this badly?
  Giles: Well, it appears she’s never heard the fable about patience.
  Buffy pulls them through crowds of people. Carnival booths, colorful lights.
  Olivia: Which one is that?
  Giles: The, the one about the fox, and the, uh, less patient fox.
  Buffy: (stops in front of a game booth) Here, I want to, I want to!  (Jumping up and down)
  Giles: Yes, go ahead.
  Buffy turns to the booth. There’s a big coffin with a fake-looking vampire standing behind it.
  Vamp: (bouncing) I am a vampire!
  Buffy throws a yellow ball at it, misses by a mile.
  Giles: (exasperated) Buffy, you have a sacred birthright to protect mankind. (Buffy turns to look at him, pouting) Don’t stick out your elbow.
  Olivia sighs.
  Vamp: (bouncing) I am a vampire!
  Buffy throws another ball, hits it right in the chest. It falls backward.
  Vamp: Ahh, you staked me!
  Buffy spins around, grinning with delight. Giles looks unimpressed.
  Giles: I haven’t got any treats.
• +1/ His expositional song explaining what’s happening, possible precurser to Once More, With Feeling.

SPIKE- (+2)

• +1/ Swinging on some swings with Giles, in a tweed suit, a very amusing sight.
• +1/ Posing for some camera’s in his crypt. Some of the poses he comes up with are great.

ANYA- (+2)

• +1/ Allowing Xander to go into the back of his truck with Willow and Tara, since she’s learned how to steer the the vehicle by gesturing emphatically….we then see her do it, brilliant.
• +1/ Her joke for the Bronze crowd, the way she delivers it is the funny part as with most Anya things-
  Anya: Okay. A man … walks into the office of a doctor. He’s wearing on his head, um…
  Anya looks at her papers she has in her hands.
  Anya: Wait, there’s, there’s a, there’s a duck. Is that right?
  Man in Crowd: You suck!
  Anya: Quiet! You’ll miss the humorous conclusion.
  Giles: She’s doing quite well.
  CONTINUED….
  Anya: And … then the duck tells the doctor that there’s a man, that’s attached to my ass.
  Crowd laughs. Xander laughs.
  Anya: See, it was the duck, and not the man that spoke. (Smiles proudly. Applause)

RILEY- (+3)

• +2/ Playing a stupid cowboy in the play in Willow’s dream. Not only does he look humourous but he’s acting is fantastically bad-
  Riley: (swaggers forward, pushes up cowboy hat) Why, hello, little lady. Can I hold those milk pails for you? (Laughter from audience)
  Harmony: Why thank you, but they’re not very heavy. (Overacting) Why have you come to our lonely small town, which has no post office and very few exports?
  Riley: I’ve come looking for a man. (Looks directly into camera) A *sales*man.
• +1/ Planning world domination with Adam-
  Riley: Oh. (Looks at Adam ) We’re drawing up a plan for world domination. (Looks back at Buffy, pleased.) The key element? Coffeemakers that think.
  Buffy: (frowns) World domination? I-is that a good?
  Riley: Baby, we’re the government.
  He swings around in his chair to strike a James Bond-like pose.
  Riley: It’s what we do.
  Adam: She’s uncomfortable with certain concepts. It’s understandable. Aggression is a natural human tendency. (Looks at Buffy) Though you and me come by it another way.
  Buffy: We’re not demons.
  Adam: Is that a fact?
  Riley: Buffy, we’ve got important work here.  A lot of filing, giving things names.
  Buffy: (looks at Adam) What was yours?
  Adam: Before Adam? (Shakes his head. Suddenly the lighting turns blue) Not a man among us can remember.
  Buffy looks around at the blue lighting. In the background we see shadows moving; we hear noises like emergency doors slamming shut.
  Computer Voice: The demons have escaped. Please run for your lives.
  Adam: This could be trouble. (He and Riley stand)
  Riley: We better make a fort.
  Adam: (nodding) I’ll get some pillows. (Leaves)

TARA- (+2)

• +1/ Being all sexy with Willow in the back of Xander’s ice cream truck.
• +1/ Being all foreshadowy with Buffy, very closely related to the scene Buffy had with Faith back in Season Three. Tara mentions Buffy’s death clock and Dawn.

JOYCE- (+2)

• +1/ Upset that Buffy had not introduced Riley to her yet, showing just how little Joyce has been in this season.
• +1/ Trying to seduce Xander, very strange but slightly sexy (see Xander point 3).

HARMONY- (+1)

• +1/ Trying to bite Giles as he gives his actors a speech before the play. An obvious reference to Harmony’s ineffectiveness as a vampire.

ADAM- (+1)

• +1/ His little scene with Riley as they plan world domination, it’s nice to see him normally and not a mish-mash of demon parts (see Riley point 2).

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +141
WILLOW- +112
XANDER- +94
SPIKE- +69
GILES- +65
RILEY- +57
ANYA- +42
OZ- +37
FAITH- +14
TARA- +13
HARMONY- +12
ANGEL- +9
JONATHAN- +8
FORREST- +5
ADAM- +5
JOYCE- +5
THE MAYOR- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +448
WILLOW- +358
ANGEL- +302
XANDER- +296
GILES- +217
SPIKE- +139
OZ- +129
RILEY- +57
ANYA- +50
JOYCE- +46
FAITH- +43
THE MAYOR- +36
TARA- +13
JONATHAN- +12
HARMONY- +9
FORREST- +5
ADAM- +5
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

A brilliantly strange and entertaining Joss episode. Not only was it strange to have a finale that runs after the season arc had finished but also to have an episode that is like a character bible is just fantastic TV. This episode is full of foreshadowing, self-references and incredibly deep exploration into the main characters. It’s also structured wierdly, with each act being a dream of one of our core Scoobies. It’s hard then to review this as a normal episode because it just isn’t, there’s a villain who is interesting but since she doesn’t speak often and isn’t on the screen a lot it’s hard to really appreciate her involvement. After all, this is about our character’s not a normal plot. Willow’s and Giles’ dreams are the standout’s for me. All the dreams are great however and full of references and foreshadow. Willow’s and Giles are just more entertaining. Another appeal of this episode is that we get to see character’s in ludicrous situations that we wouldn’t normal see. We see Buffy act like Giles’ child, Willow in her old school clothes from Welcome To the Hellmouth, Xander with a gaping hole in his chest, Giles as a play director, Spike in a tweed suit & Riley as a cowboy. That’s half the greatness of this episode, it’s like the actors got to just have a bit of fun out of character and that’s fun to watch. As usual, Joss’ writing is superb and very sharp. The plot of them being hunted by the First Slayer is interesting and not overly powerful so that the character’s take forefront. The episode is also remarkably funny like so many of Joss’ episode. One of the better season finales.

89/100

B421- Primeval

Written by: David Fury.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Leonard Roberts, Amber Benson, Bailey Chase, George Hertzberg & Lindsay Crouse.

Buffy and the original Scoobies finally manage to find out that Adam is hiding at one of the Initiative’s secret labs. Buffy figures out that Spike played them and reunites with the original gang. They decide to finish this themselves without the help of Anya or Tara. After a disappointing idea by Xander, Giles comes up with a plan as he figures out a way to make Xander’s idea work. Buffy, Xander, Giles, and Willow find a way into the Initiative, and stop at a room near area 314, where Adam and his people hide planning to build and release an army of hybrid cyborg monsters. Buffy leaves through a secret door while the rest prepare a spell the significance of which is still not clear.

Buffy finds Riley and leaves him fighting Forrest, now turned into a killer cyborg demonoid. Then she goes on to tackle Adam. Things don’t look good for her at first, but then the significance of the spell is made clear: Giles, Willow and Xander invoke the powers of the primeval slayer and beg to be led with her into Buffy’s body so they can defeat Adam together. It works, turning Buffy into an eerie version of herself with the powers of the primeval Slayer and the gang. After an intense fight in which she’s able to use powers like creating an invisible wall to protect her from bullets and turning a small missile into doves, she easily rips the uranium nucleus out of Adam’s chest which kills him. After this, she falls down in the arms of a surprised Riley, who arrives just in time to hold her. Giving all of their strength and power to Buffy leaves the rest of the gang totally exhausted and vulnerable as a demon breaks through but Spike kills it and saves them so they decide not to stake him for his actions. Buffy, Riley, Xander, Giles, and Willow team up together with the Initiative’s soldiers to stop the demon attacks saving most of them with only 40% casulties amongst the Initiative. The government decides to shut down the Initiative for good after this and fill up the base with concrete. Which is the last time the Initiative base in Sunnydale is heard from in the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” series, until The Killer in Me episode in Season 7.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+7)

• +1/ Bringing the Scoobies together to make up after she figures out that Spike orchestrated the break up. It was much to hard to watch them not together, even if it was for a bit of one episode (see Xander point 1).
• +2/ Her proper make-up talk with Willow as they descend the Initiative elevator shaft. It’s nice to see them talk out their problems as best friends. They then hug and descend before taking in Xander for a big Scooby group hug-
  Buffy: How you doing?
  Willow: Super.  What was I thinkin’, using stairs all this time?
  Buffy: Okay.  Will–
  Willow: No, really, Buffy.  It’s not as scary as I thought.
  Buffy: No.  It’s not what I was gonna say.  I just…I’m sorry. I hate that things have been so strained between all of us.
  Willow: It’s not your fault.  Spike stirred up trouble.
  Buffy: Yeah, but I think trouble was stir-uppable.  I think we’ve all sort of drifted apart this year, don’t you?
  Willow: Maybe a little.  But, you know, first year of college, it’s hard to keep the old high school gang together.
  Buffy: But I want it together.  Will, I miss you.  And Giles, and Xander.  And it is my fault.  I’ve been wrapped up in my own stuff, I’ve been a bad friend.
  Willow: You’re the Slayer, Buffy.  Your stuff is pretty crucial.
  Buffy: I mean Riley.  And…Riley, mostly.
  Willow: Well, I haven’t been Miss Available either.  I–I kept secrets.  I hid things from everyone.
  Buffy: That’s not your fault.  Will, you were going through something huge.
  Willow: I wanted to tell you, but I was so scared.
  Buffy: You can tell me anything.  I love you.  You’re my best friend.
  They hug.
  Willow: Me, too.  I love you too.
  They begin falling due to the weight.
  Willow: Oh, falling now!
  They land on the ground, but continue to hug.
  Buffy: Let’s promise to never not talk again.
  Willow: I promise, I promise.
  Xander slides down. Buffy and Willow hug him.
  Buffy: Xander.
  Willow: Oh, wonderful Xander!
  Buffy: You know we love you, right?
  Willow: We totally do.
  Xander: Oh God, we’re gonna die, aren’t we?
  Willow: No, we just missed you.
  Xander looks up.
  Xander: Giles, hurry up!
  Giles looks down.
  Xander: You definitely wanna get down here for this!
• +1/ Telling off Colonel McNamara, and doesn’t he need some telling off.
• +3/ Using the power of the Scoobies and the First Slayer to turn into Uber-Buffy. She’s actually pretty scary and ultimately powerful, she even speaks Sumerian.

XANDER- (+6)

• +2/ Making up with the Scoobies, he gets the extra point because he’s a tad funnier-
  Buffy: (to Xander) Where’s Anya?
  Xander: Oddly, Anya decided not to join us, despite all the fun we had at our last meeting.
  Willow: And I don’t think Tara felt welcome.
  Buffy: Why?  Because of the things that we said?
  Willow nods.
  Buffy: Will, who told you we were talking behind your back, specifically?
  Willow: Well, um…Spike, specifically, but–
  Buffy: And who told you that we thought you’d be better off joining the Army?
  Xander: That’s not…exactly what he said.
  Giles: Well, uh…S–S–Spike can be very convincing when–when–when, uh…I’m very stupid.
  Buffy: He played us.  He wanted us to fight to split us up.  That’s where it came from.  The stuff we said the other night.
  Giles: Of course.  Well, piffle, let’s move on.
  Xander: I’m movin’.
  Willow: Me, too.
  Buffy: Good.  Great.
  Willow: So…why do you think Spike made with the head games?
  Xander: He’s all dressed up with no one to bite.  He’s gotta get his ya-yas somehow.
  Buffy: I think it was more than that.  I think it was Adam.
  Xander: Spike’s working for Adam?!  After all we’ve done–nah, I can’t even act surprised.
• +2/ His part in the group hug, I envy him so much, to be between those two ladies is quite a nice position (see Buffy point 2).
• +2/ Being the Heart in the Slayer spell and helping Buffy to defeat Adam.

WILLOW- (+6)

• +1/ Being both annoyed and happy after the disk self-decrypts-
  Tara: Maybe you should rest.  Clear your head?
  Willow: Can’t. Not now.  I–I think I’m on to something.  I’ve been assuming the–the ciphertext was encrypted with an asymmetric algorithm.  Then it hit me.  A hexogonic key pattern.  It’s–
  Tara: Hey, look, you did it.
  Willow: I didn’t.  I haven’t even finished typing in the new code.
  Tara: Something’s doing it.
  Willow: Must be programmed to  self-decrypt to a certain point. That is so annoying.  It’s like someone blurting out the answer to a riddle just when you’ve–I mean Yippee! We have the information.
• +1/ Her part in the make-up scene (see Xander part 1).
• +2/ Making up properly with Buffy as they infiltrate the Initiative, it’s very nice scene and gets funny when Xander becomes involved (see Buffy point 2).
• +2/ Performing the Slayer spell and providing the spirit element to make the Uber-Buffy.

GILES- (+3)

• +1/ His part in the make-up scene, Giles figures out Buffy’s train of thought quite quickly though (see Xander point 1).
• +2/ Providing the Mind in the Slayer spell and helping to defeat Adam.

SPIKE- (+3)

• +1/ Realising the flaw in his plan when discussing things with Adam-
  Spike: She’s separated from her friends. They want nothing to do with her. She’s all alone.
  Adam: That’s how I want her.  Where I want her is down in the Initiative. She will ensure that as many demons die as humans, she will achieve maximum carnage before she’s too weak to go on.
  Riley: No.  You can’t–
  Adam: Stop talking.
  Riley stops.
  Spike: Right.  The Initiative.  But getting her there–that’s what the bleeding disks are for, isn’t it?  Our little witch gives her the info and pop–Alice heads back down the rabbit hole.
  Adam: The witch.
  Spike: Uh, Willow.  (uses his hands to demonstrate height) About so high, perky, good with math.  Natural choice.
  Adam: A friend.
  Spike: Right.
  Adam: One of the friends from whom you so efficiently separated her.
  Spike: Damn right I did.  You should’ve seen her.  They won’t be talking to each other for a long, long–
  Adam looks down at Spike.
  Spike: Hang on.  I think I might’ve detected a small flaw.
  Adam: So you failed.
  Spike: Well, hey, you’re supposed to be so smart. You let me plan this thing.  Okay, let’s not quibble about who failed who. The important thing is make sure the Slayer is where we want–
  Adam: Go.
  Spike: Gone.
• +2/ Saving the Scoobies from a demon so that he himself will be spared-
  Willow: Wow.  That was–
  The door breaks down and a demon comes inside. Spike comes in and breaks the demon’s neck. The demon falls to the floor.
  Spike: Nasty sort of fellow.  Lucky for you blighters I was here, eh?
  Giles: Yes, thank you.  Although your heroism has been slightly muted by the fact that you were helping Adam to start a war that would kill us all.
  Xander: You probably just saved us so we wouldn’t stake you right here.
  Spike: Did it work?
  They all get up.
  Spike: Well, then everything’s all right.  And we all get to be not staked through the heart.  Good work, team.

ANYA- (+1)

• +1/ Trying to help Xander get over his fight with his friends, in a very Anya-like way-
  Xander is lying in bed. A door closes.
  Anya: Xander?
  She comes down the stairs.
  Anya: You said you wanted to check the board at the unemployment office this morning.
  She lifts the covers.
  Anya: You can’t go like that.  They won’t even interview you if you’re naked.
  Xander: I’m not going.  There’s never anything good.
  Anya sighs.
  Xander: Maybe I should join the Army.
  Anya: Don’t they make you get up really early in the morning?
  Xander: Oh, yeah. (pulls the covers over himself) Never mind.
  She pulls the covers away from his face.
  Anya: Are you still upset about that fight you had with your friends? It was hours ago!  Get over it.
  Xander: Anya, you–Forget it.
  Anya: So, they all think you’re lost, directionless loser with noplans for his future?  Pfft.
  Xander: Anya, you can’t “pfft” that stuff away.
  Anya: Why not?
  Xander: I don’t know.  ‘Cause I think maybe they’re right.
  Anya sighs and kneels down to Xander’s bed and lays on his chest.
  Anya: So what if they are?  You’re a good person, and a good boyfriend, and…and I’m in love with you.  Whatever they think of you, it shouldn’t matter.

RILEY- (+3)

• +1/ Digging out his Initiative chip, that required so awesome determination and i must of hurt like crazy.
• +2/ Having a nice fight with demon Forrest and eventually blowing him up.

ADAM- (+1)

• +1/ Pointing out the flaw in Spike’s plan, Adam got somewhat angered by that (see Spike point 1).

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +137
WILLOW- +106
XANDER- +89
SPIKE- +67
GILES- +60
RILEY- +54
ANYA- +40
OZ- +37
FAITH- +14
HARMONY- +11
TARA- 11
ANGEL- +9
JONATHAN- +8
FORREST- +5
ADAM- +4
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +444
WILLOW- +352
ANGEL- +302
XANDER- +291
GILES- +212
SPIKE- +137
OZ- +129
RILEY- +54
ANYA- +48
JOYCE- +44
FAITH- +43
THE MAYOR- +36
JONATHAN- +12
TARA- +11
HARMONY- +8
FORREST- +5
ADAM- +4
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

This is a very strange episode. Firstly, this episode ends the season arc a whole episode before the end of the season, which is strange for a TV series. Secondly, this episode is a big team effort by the Scoobies. Buffy usually has to finish things off by herself with a bit of help from the Scoobies but all four core characters are vital in the defeat of Adam. Also, we have three fairly large battles running con-currently, Buffy vs Adam, Riley vs Forrest & Initiative vs Demons. These fights are fairly well done, even though Buffy and Adam’s battle is a little too wacky for me. On the whole, this is a strong episode, there’s some really nice character moments, especially between the Scoobies that make this episode memorable. The scene in the elevator with Buffy, Willow and Xander is a very nice scene and a real stand-out. Spike and Anya also provide some good moments to go along with our core. In saying that, this episode lacks the feeling of a finale and also feels slightly disjointed. Apart from the few nice scenes involving the Scoobies there’s little else that really brings this episode together. Still, it’s a strong episode with some major action that entertains quite well.

82.5/100

B420- The Yoko Factor

Written by: Douglas Petrie
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Leonard Roberts, Amber Benson, George Hertzberg & David Boreanaz.

Colonel McNamara talks with a superior about plans for the Initiative, getting Riley back and dealing with Buffy. Spike tells Adam that Buffy is going to be a difficult challenge to defeat and he shouldn’t underestimate her. Spike talks about killing two slayers and not being able to kill Buffy, especially because of the chip now in his head. The two plan to separate Buffy from her Slayerette friends. Still upset about Angel, Buffy returns from L.A. to her empty dorm room. Xander brings Riley some rather colorful clothes to wear, and they talk about their mutual distaste for Angel. Not realizing he didn’t know, Xander accidentally tells Riley about how pure happiness with Buffy is the trigger that sets Angelus free.

Giles is practicing his singing when Spike surprises him by showing up in his apartment. Spike talks with Giles about files inside the Initiative that he might be able to get for a very large price. Spike tells Giles that Buffy doesn’t respect her former watcher anymore, and that upsets Giles. Willow and Tara play with their new kitten while planning their class schedule for next year. They also talk about future housing plans, but Willow hasn’t talked with Buffy yet and isn’t sure what she wants to do now that things have changed so much.

Riley goes to Buffy in the funny clown pants Xander gave him to wear. Using a radio, he’s tapped into the Initiative and is making sure he’s aware of everything going on with the operation. She mentions that Angel upset her, but she doesn’t want to talk about it and Riley leaves. Xander and Anya bring Spike fatigues to wear and a fake gun. Spike continues to tear apart the Scooby gang by making Xander feel unwanted by convincing him that the rest of the gang doesn’t feel he’s useful.

Buffy goes patrolling and runs into Forrest, who is also looking for Adam. They argue as they go into a cave and find Adam. The three of them fight, Adam skewers Forrest and Buffy makes a run for it. Limping, she falls and slides down a hill, hitting her head on a rock. Pretending to have sneaked into the Initiative and retrieved some disks with information, Spike charges into Giles’s place. Giles continues to get drunk while Willow tries to decrypt the disks. Spike talks to Willow and Tara about their Wicca interest and how her friends don’t seem to support it. Willow thinks that means that their friends aren’t accepting their romantic relationship.

Riley hears that there is trouble on the streets through his radio and goes to check it out. He finds that it is Angel fighting off the commandos, and Riley refuses to let Angel go see Buffy. The two have a brutal fight, of which Angel is clearly the victor. Since the fight is personal for both combatants, no punches are pulled. Angel, who normally refrains from using his superior physical strength against a human and still stinging from Buffy’s recent comments in LA, holds nothing back in the fight. Similarly, Riley, having just learned what makes Angel lose his soul, uses every weapon (literally) on him. During the fight, Riley uses his tazer, a bottle, and his baton on Angel. However, these weapons prove futile in comparison to Angel’s brute strength, better fighting skills, and experience. The fight violently ends when Riley, having momentarily stunned Angel with his tazer, is lifted by Angel and thrown into several trash cans. Angel then picks him up again and throws him once again into the side of a building. Finally, both run off when a military truck comes down the street. Buffy returns to her dorm room and Angel shows up. As Angel tries to talk to Buffy, Riley barges in and raises a gun to Angel. Angel taunts Riley and the two come to blows again. Buffy separates them and wants to talk to Angel alone.

Buffy goes off on Angel and then they laugh when Angel confesses he came to make up. They both apologize for the things they said and did in L.A., and part on friendly terms. Angel leaves, stating that he doesn’t like Riley. Spike reports back to Adam, happy to have split up the Scooby Gang. Riley is worried that Buffy has reunited with Angel, confesses that he already knows about how Angel can lose his soul. They profess their love to each other and then Buffy brings him bad news. She tells him that Forrest is dead and he leaves quickly.

The damage that Spike has done to the gang starts to become clear as gang breaks out into a fight. While Tara and Anya sneak into the bathroom and hide, Buffy argues that she is going to take on Adam alone. Giles is incredibly drunk and makes funny comments in the background. Xander complains that his friends don’t need him and Willow complains that Buffy doesn’t accept Tara, revealing their relationship to Xander and Giles. While Giles goes to sleep the alcohol off, Buffy leaves, telling her friends that she doesn’t need them.

In Adam’s lair, Riley shows up as an expected guest.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+6)

• +1/ Her meeting with Forrest in the, uh….Forest. There’s quite a bit of animosity there which makes the interaction entertaining-
  Forrest and Buffy are pointing their blasters at eachother.
  Forrest: Don’t shoot.
  Buffy: Give me a reason not to?
  Forrest: You’re killing humans now?
  Buffy: Not yet. (lowers blaster) Beating you senseless should do just fine.
  Forrest: I can have a patrol here in under a minute.  So here’s the plan: you go you’re way, I’ll go mine.
  Buffy turns and continues to the cave.  Forrest starts to follow but stops when she looks back at him.
  Buffy: I’m checking out that cave.
  Forrest: My orders exactly.
  Buffy: Alone?
  Forrest: We’re spread a little thin, so yeah.  Family’s tearing apart.
  Buffy: (sarcastic) Family.  What kind of family are you?  Corleones.
  Buffy steps inside followed by Forrest.
  Forrest: We weren’t until you showed up.
  Buffy: What?  No girls in the club?
  Forrest: You think you’re the first girlfriend Riley’s ever had? (she stops to glare at his back as he continues ahead) Such a big head on that skinny little body. (he stops to face her) No.  You’re just the first one to get him to commit treason.  Riley had a career.  And a future till he met you.  And, yeah, I got a problem with that.
  Buffy: A future?  A future doing what? (steps closer to him) Illegal experiments. Torture.  Murder.  I guess killing someone isn’t really a problem for you.
  Forrest: Less and less.  And why don’t you get the hell out of here before I–
  He takes a threatening step to her.
  Buffy: (angry) Touch me and you’ll find out what Slayer strength is like.
  Forrest: (gamely) I think it’s about time you showed me then.
• +1/ Having to stop Angel and Riley from fighting, it’s fun to see Buffy have to be a mediator between two big men, she also threatens them with pain, which she can do (see Angel point 2).
• +2/ Buffy and Angel Apologising to eachother for the way they carried on in Sanctuary, a very amusing scene and a reminder of the pain both of those two dealt with for the past 3 years-
  Buffy: (angry) Okay.  I come to see you, to help you, and you treat me like I’m just . . . your ex.
  Angel: Well, technically–
  Buffy: Shut up!  And then you order me out of *your* city and then you come here and start pounding on my boyfriend?! I would really like to know what the HELL are you trying to do?!.
  Angel: I was trying to make things better.
  She regards his sincere expression and can’t keep herself from laughing.  It becomes contagious because Angel can’t help but to smile also.
  Angel: Heh.  Well.  (chuckles)  It’s a . . . going pretty good, don’t you think?
  Buffy: (smiling) Swell.
  Angel: You know– heh. (seriously) I couldn’t leave it like that.  The way I spoke to you– I came to apologize.  I . . I had no right.
  Buffy: And Riley?
  Angel: I got jumped by some soldiers.  He came in in the middle.  And wasn’t real forthcoming with the benefit of the doubt.
  Buffy: Put yourself in his place.
  Angel: (considers) I get it.
  Buffy: Look . . . You weren’t entirely wrong, what you said in L.A.  We don’t live in each other’s worlds anymore.  I had no right to barge in on yours and make judgments.
  Angel: I’m still sorry.
  Buffy: Thank you.
  Angel: And, next time . . I’ll apologize by phone. (Buffy laughs softly)  Uh, things are pretty tense around here.
  Buffy: They really are.
  Angel: Can I do anything?
  Buffy: Honestly . . . I think the best thing you can do right now is–
  Angel: (understandingly) Okay.
  Buffy: It means a lot that you came.
  Angel just looks at her for a moment then starts walking down the hall.  Buffy his heading to her door when Angel turns around again.
  Angel: Oh, and . . .  Riley.
  Buffy: Yeah?
  Angel: I don’t like him.
  Buffy: (smiles) Thank you.
• +2/ The awesomely large fight between Buffy, Willow, Xander & Giles which Spike expertly orchestrated. Very fun to watch. Buffy tries to be the only sane head in the bunch but ends up feeling like her friends have abandoned her and leaves angrily-
  Buffy: Sorry, you guys, but we’re on a clock here.  Okay, Adam was at that cave so maybe he was there for a reason?  I-I can–I can go back, scope it out, track him if I have to.
  Willow: (sarcastic) Right.  And then maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll still be there and he can rip your arms off for you? (sternly) Buffy, you can’t go back alone.
  Giles: You never train with me anymore.  He’s gonna kick your ass.
  Buffy: (shocked) Giles.
  He steps out of the kitchen, drink in hand, and leans against the entrance of the hallway.
  Giles: Sorry.  Was it a bit honest? (drunken grin) Terribly sorry.
  Xander: (standing) So she doesn’t go alone. (turns to him) Giles, weapons all around.
  Buffy: You’re not going, Xander.
  He turns to face her, giving her a hard look.
  Buffy: Y-you’d get hurt.
  Xander: (as if expecting this) Oh.  Okay.  You and Willow go do the superpower thing, I’ll stay behind and putt around the Batcave with crusty old Alfred here. (with a thumb to Giles)
  Giles: Ah-ah, no.  I am no Alfred, sir.  No, you forget.  Alfred had a job.
  Buffy: Willow is not going either.  I’m doing it alone.
  Willow: (still sarcastic) Oh, great.  And then when you have your new “no arms” we can all say “Gee, it’s a good thing we weren’t there getting in the way of that!”
  Xander: Right!  Maybe we can help in other ways? (to Buffy) Want some fighting pants, Buff?  I can get ya some new fighting pants!
  Buffy: You guys, this isn’t helping.
  Willow: Oh, wow!  We’re already getting in the way.  We’re pretty good at this, Xander, huh?
  Xander: Right.  I’m so good at it you might have to ship me off to the Army to get me out of the way!
  Buffy: The Army?
  Xander: You didn’t think I knew about that, did you?  You two talking about me behind my back.
  Willow frowns at him.
  Buffy: Us talking about *you*?  How about you telling Riley every last detail of my life with Angel?
  Willow: And besides, when is there any “us two?”  You two are the two who are the two.  I’m the other one.
  Xander: Uh-huh.  But maybe that all changes when I’m doing sit-ups over at Fort Dix?
  Giles almost chokes on his drink.
  Giles: Fort Dix?
  He bursts out in a wheezing laugh.  The three of them stare at hi.
  Buffy: Are you drunk?
  Giles: (happily) Yes.  Quite a bit, actually.
  Buffy: Well, stop it! (to Xander and Willow) This is stupid.
  Xander: Stupid?  So you finally have the guts to say it to my face?
  Buffy: I didn’t say you were stupid!  So . . stop being an idiot and let me fix this!
  Xander rolls his head in an exasperated way and sits down on the couch.
  Buffy: Okay, I need you.  I need both of you.  All the time! Just . . not now.  Adam is very dangerous.
  Willow: Wait.  How do you need me, really?
  Buffy: You’re . . good with the computer stuff. (Willow accepts that)  Usually. (Willow glares at her) And-and there’s the witch stuff.
  Willow: (accusingly) Witch stuff?  What exactly do you mean by “witch stuff?”
  Buffy: You guys, what is happening?  This is crazy!
  Giles: Oh, no, it’s not. (moves to his desk) It’s all finally making perfect sense and I’m not going to miss a moment of it.
  He sets his drink down and tries to sit.  But his aim is off and his ass doesn’t come close to hitting the chair and he drops to the floor.
  CONTINUED…
  Xander: And if I did join the Army, I’d be great!  You know why?  ‘Cause they might give me a job that couldn’t be done by any well-trained border collie.
  Giles: That’s it.  I’m going to bed.
  He struggles to pull his sweater over his head as he stomps up the stairs.  Willow stands beside Xander.
  Willow: No, you’d do wonderful in the Army.  Hey, do you think the umbilical cord between you and Anya can stretch that far?
  Xander: I knew it!  I knew you hated her!
  Giles’ sweater drops down from the loft above and falls on him covering his face.  Xander yanks it off his head.
  Willow: Look, I’m not the one being judgmental here.  I’ll leave that territory to you and Buffy.
  Buffy: Judgmental?  If I was anymore open-minded about the choices you two make my whole brain would fall out!
  Xander: (to Willow) Oh!  And superior.  Don’t forget that. (to Buffy) Just because you’re better than us doesn’t mean that you can be all superior!
  Buffy: You guys, stop this!  What happened to you today?
  Willow: It’s not today!  Buffy, things have been wrong for a while!  Don’t you see that?
  Buffy: What do you mean wrong?
  Willow: Well, they certainly haven’t been right, since Tara.  We have to face it.  You can’t handle Tara being my girlfriend.
  Xander: No!  It was bad before that! (he steps out in between them again)  Since you two went off to college and forgot about me!  Just left me in the basement to– (turns on Willow in shock) Tara’s your girlfriend?
  Giles: (from upstairs)  Bloody hellll!
  Buffy: Enough!  All I know is you want to help, right?  Be part of the team?
  Willow and Xander shake their heads, grumbling.
  Willow: (unison) I don’t know anymore.
  Xander: (unison) Really not wanted.
  Buffy: (raising her voice) No!  No, you said you wanted to go.  So let’s go!  All of us.  We’ll walk into that cave with you two attacking me and the funny drunk drooling on my shoe!  Hey!  Hey, maybe that’s the secret way of killing Adam?!
  Xander: Buffy . . .
  Buffy: (hurt and angry) Is that it?  Is that how you can help? (a beat) You’re not answering me!  How can you possibly help?
  They don’t reply and turn their eyes away from her.  She regards them silently for a moment.
  Buffy: (somberly) So . . . I guess I’m starting to understand why there’s no ancient prophecy about a Chosen One . . and her friends.

XANDER- (+7)

• +2/ Discussing Angel with Riley, in which he sorta lets the whole Angel-Buffy trigger out of the bag, much to Riley’s dismay, silly Xander-
  Riley: I take it you’re not an Angel fan either?
  Xander: Well, it’s not like I hate the guy.  Just, you know . . the guts part of him.
  Riley: Can’t blame you.  But to be fair, it’s not him you hate.  It’s the curse.
  Xander doesn’t respond.
  Riley: Right?
  Xander: What did Buffy tell you?
  Riley: On Angel?  Everything.  More than I wanted to know sometimes.  She loved him.  He turned evil.  He, uh, killed people.  She cured him.  He left.  Interesting little curse.
  Xander: One moment’s happiness.
  Riley: What do you mean?
  Xander: You know, it’s his trigger.  Angel’s an okay guy if he’s mopey and sad and brooding, but if you give him even one second of pure, real pleasure . . .
  Riley: And that sets him off.
  Xander: Only in the big ol “kill your friends” kind of way.  And you know what makes Angel happiest?  I’ll give you a hint.  It not creme brulee.
  Riley doesn’t say anything for a couple of seconds.
  Riley: Buffy.
  Xander nods, opening his palms in a “there you go” gesture.  Riley dwells on this for a moment and it dawns on him.
  Riley: Sex (scoffs softly) with Buffy.
  Xander’s jaw drops as he realizes . . .
  Xander: She . . . kind of left that part out, huh?
• +2/ His reaction to Spike telling him of Buffy and Willow’s suggestion that Xander head off to the army, which of course, never happened. Xander is pretty unhappy of course but makes for an amusing little scene (see Spike point 3).
• +3/ Xander’s part in the huge argument where he gets all upset about Buffy and Willow’s supposed plan to ship him off the the army. Xander tends to have the best lines which is why he gets 3 points, I especially love his batcave reference with Giles and his reaction when he finds out that Tara is Willow’s girlfriend (see Buffy point 4).

WILLOW- (+3)

• +1/ Being dramatic with her cat after she discusses taking drama next year, show’s just how much Willow has changed. She couldn’t even stand up in front of people in high school.
• +2/ Her part in the big argument. Her sarcastic remarks are quite fun and champions her side of being the excluded one because of her new sexuality (see Buffy point 4).

GILES- (+5)

• +1/ Singing ‘Free bird’ by Lynryrd Skynryd, one of my favourite classic songs.
• +4/ His part in the huge argument. Giles is at his funniest…ever. He’s drunk and plays it well. Every line he says in the argument is hilarious and are standouts. I especially love his reaction to finding out Willow’s now a lesbian…”Bloody hell!” (see Buffy point 4).

SPIKE- (+6)

• +1/ Warning Adam about underestimating Buffy, Spike nows from experience-
  Spike: The Slayer’s dangerous is all I’m saying.
  Adam: Yes.  She makes things interesting.
  Spike walks up to him.
  Spike: No.  See?  You’re not getting it, Mr. Bits.  You’re gonna be interestingly dead. (paces again) Little Miss Tiny’s got a habit of  bollixing up the plans of every would-be, unstoppable bad-ass who sets foot in this town.  Just want you to know, when the big ugly goes down, the Slayer’s gonna be right in the thick of it.  You ready for that?
  Adam: I’m counting on it.
  CONTINUED…
  Adam: Two Slayers.
  Spike: That’s right.
  Adam: And you killed them both?
  Spike: (grinning) Yeah.  I killed the hell out of them.
  Adam: Yet you fear this one?
  Spike: (offended) Hey, watch it, mate.  I don’t fear anything.  Just know my enemies.
  Adam: Do you?  Then why haven’t you killed this Slayer yet?
  Spike: Because . . . (trails off) Stinking, rotten luck is why.  On top of that, now I got this buggering chip up my head.
  Adam: Yes.  Your behavior modification circuitry.  I know what you feel.
  Spike: (scoffs softly) Not likely.
  Adam: You feel smothered.  Trapped like an animal.  Pure in its ferocity, unable to actualize the urges within.  Clinging to one truth.  Like a flame struggling to burn within an enclosed glass.  That a beast this powerful cannot be contained.  Inevitably it will break free and savage the land again.  I will make you whole again.  Make you savage.
  Moved, Spike has to blink back tears.
  Spike: (awed) Wow. (composes himself) I mean, *yeah*.  I get why the demons all fall in line with you. (sits up) You’re like Tony Robbins.  If he was a big scary . . Frankenstein looking– (reconsiders)  You’re exactly like Tony Robbins.
  Adam: I will restore you to what you once were.  When I have the Slayer . . . how and where I want her.
  Spike: (sighs) Easier said.  She’s crafty.  Her and her little friends.
  Adam: Friends?
  Spike: There’s your –what do you call it– variable.  The Slayer’s got pals.  You want her evening the odds in a fight you don’t want the Slayerettes mucking about.
  Adam: Take them away from her.
  Spike perks up at that idea.
  Spike: Now there’s a plan.  She’s working solo, she won’t have a chance to come after us when the wild rumpus begins. (chuckles) Plus, it will make her miserable.  And I never get tired of that.
  He sits back again.  He smiles at that prospect.
  Spike: (to himself) Yeah.  Leave `em to me.
  Adam: You can’t hurt them.  What can you do to make sure they’re out of the picture?
  Spike: Not a blessed thing.  They’re gonna do it for me.
• +2/ First, he strikes Giles, discussing his lack of job and the lack of respect Buffy has for him, well crafted, Spikey-
  Giles: What do you want?
  Spike: Hmm, year supply of blood, guaranteed protection, merry bushels of cash, and, most important . . . a guarantee that I’m not to be in anyway slain.
  Giles: (puts on glasses) Done.
  Spike: With a smile and a nod from you?  Sorry.  Not close to good enough.  This deal’s with the Slayer.
  Giles: I’ll tell her.
  Spike: Oh, you’ll tell her!  Great comfort that.  What makes you think she’ll listen to you?
  Giles: Because . . . (trails off, unsure)
  Spike: Very convincing.
  Giles: I’m her Watcher.
  Spike: I think you’re neglecting the past-tense there, Rupert.  Besides, she barely listened to you when you were in charge.  I’ve seen the way she treats you.
  Giles grows uncomfortable at those words.  He grabs a bottle off the bar and starts to pour himself a drink.
  Giles: Oh, yes?  And how’s that?
  Spike: Very much like a retired librarian.
  Giles doesn’t say anything and continues to pour.
  Spike: Look, I’ve got what she wants as long as she has what I want.
  He walks out of the kitchen and heads for the door.  As he passes Giles–
  Spike: Spread the word.  She knows where to find me.
  Giles: (softly, without authority) I’ll think about it.
• +2/ Next, he gets Xander by praying on his insecurity about his place within the Scoobies. He makes up the story that he heard Will and Buffy discussing the army and Xander. Spike, brilliantly, remains focused on other things, not on his great tactical strike-
  Xander: Can I tell you how much I really . . don’t care?
  Spike: (warningly)  Attitude.  See how far that’ll take you in boot camp. (Xander gives him a questioning look) Say, I hope you get one of those toughs-as-nails drill sergeants who’s only hard on the men because he’s trying to keep them alive when the bullets start flying.  I love that stuff.
  Xander: Boot camp?  Yeah.  Like I’d go there.
  Spike: What, you changed your mind?  Not gonna join?
  Anya hits Xander hard on the chest.
  Anya: (angry) You’re joining the Army!?
  Xander: (to Anya) Okay, one– Ow. (to Spike) Two– Where’d you get that idea? (to Anya) Three– OW!  I’m not joining the army!
  Anya: Oh, good.  Stopped that nonsense just in time.
  Xander: I was never–
  He turns to Spike who’s examining the fake gun.
  Xander: Who’d you hear this from?
  Spike: Oh, your girlie-mates were talking.  Something about, uh, being all you can be.  Or all *you* can be.  And having laugh.  Figured you were signing up.  Say, have you got anything larger in the . . toy gun line?
  Xander: “All I can–” (paces to the other side of the crypt) Can you believe this!?  Like I’m some sort of useless lunk.  It happens I’m good at a lot of things.  I help out with all kinds of . . . stuff.  I have skills . . . and . . . stratagems. I’m very . . . (looks to Anya) Help me out.
  Anya: (nonchalant) He’s Viking in the sack.
  Spike: (not caring) Terrific. (indicates the clothes in his hands) You didn’t have these cleaned after the last time, did you?
  Xander continues as if not hearing him.
  Xander: This is so like them, lately.  It’s all about them and the college life.  Well, you know what college is?  It’s high school only without the actual going to class.  Well . . high school was kinda like that too.  But the point is, I’m out there working hard to make a living.  It’s nothing but a huge joke to them.  Xander got fired from Starbucks.  Xander got fired from that phone-sex line.
  Anya: They look down on you.
  Xander: And they hate you.
  Anya: But they don’t look down on me.
  Spike: Hey, it was just a laugh.  There’s no need to go insane over it.
• +1/ Lastly, he strikes Willow and uses her ‘witch stuff’ as a metaphor for Willow’s change of orientation to which he has Buffy not liking, what’s interesting is that Spike is able to key into Will’s relationship by just watching Tara with her, Spike in quite the observer which is how he manages to break them up-
  Spike: Can you fix `em?
  Willow: Crack a government encryption code on my laptop?  Easy as really difficult pie.  Why?
  Spike: (sighs) You’re not exactly the whiz these days either.  God, I’m never gonna get paid.
  Effected by the offhanded remark, Willow shifts uncomfortably in her chair.
  Willow: I am a whiz.
  Tara: She is a whiz.
  Willow: If every a whiz there was.  I-I just need some time.
  Spike: No.  I just heard you weren’t . . . (Willow hits a key and the jittering stops) Your mates said you weren’t playing with computers so much. (indicates Tara) Into the new thing.
  Willow: (frowning) What new thing?
  Spike: (nonchalant)  You know, you two.  The whole wicca thing.
  Willow: They-they were talking about that?
  Spike: Can we get back to business here?  I’ve got a deal at stake.
  But Willow is very concerned now.
  Willow: What did they say?
  Spike: (impatient sigh)  Talking about, you know, it’s a phase.  You’ll get over it.
  Willow: What?  Who said that?  Was it Buffy? (to Tara) ‘Cause . . . you know what she means by that.
  Spike: No, she was defending you.  ‘Cause Xander said you were just being trendy.
  Willow: Trendy?
  Spike: I don’t know what they were going on about.  A person wants be a witch, that’s their business.
  Willow shakes her head, thoughtfully.
  Willow: (softly) I knew Buffy was freaked.
  Tara: You should talk to her, ’cause I’m sure she–
  Spike: Pressing business, ladies. (pointing to the screen) Don’t want to get sidetracked. (taps it with his finger) Still got your monsters to fight.

ANYA- (+1)

• +1/ Not liking the idea of Xander going to the army, she then tells Spike that Xander is a Viking in the sack, you gotta love Anya (see Spike point 3).

RILEY- (+6)

• +1/ Discussing Angel with Xander and finding out that Angel’s curse is triggered by having sex with Buffy, which tears him up (see Xander point 1).
• +1/ I liked the way he didn’t push Buffy about what happened with Angel, even after what he knows from Xander.
• +1/ Duking it out with Angel, he holds his own for a while but does manage to get the worst of the beating.
• +2/ Arguing with Angel in front of Buffy and stoically remaining in the room to hear what they say only to watch them leave to talk privately (see Angel point 2).
• +1/ Explaining his actions to Buffy, I like his description of Angel, very funny-
  Riley: Buffy . . . I feel like we’ve gotten really close.  At least I thought we had.  I don’t know much about Angel (Buffy lowers her eyes) or your relationship with him . . but . . . all I ask is . . if you’re gonna break heart, do it fast.
  Buffy looks up at him, frowning.
  Buffy: What?  You think that Angel and I . . .
  Riley: Didn’t you?
  Buffy: No.  Of course not.  How can you even ask me that?
  Riley: (sighs)  I don’t know.  Xander said–
  Buffy: Xander?!  Oh, he’s the deadest man in Deadonia.
  Riley: No.  It’s not his fault.  I prodded and he explained how Angel went bad.  The, uh, trigger.
  Buffy: (quietly) Oh.
  Riley: And, uh (chuckles) after that, I went a little nuts!  You know?  I mean . . . On the one hand . . I should believe in us.  But on the other . . Sometimes things happen between exes and when I saw that he was bad. . .
  Buffy: He’s . . not bad.
  Riley just looks at her.
  Riley: Seriously?  That’s . . a good day? (Buffy rolls her eyes in confirmation) Well, there you go.  Even when he’s good he’s all Mister . . Billowy Coat King of Pain and girls really–
  Buffy: Riley, stop.
  Riley: See?  Nuts.

ADAM- (+2)

• +1/ His description of the beast inside Spike, it was so good that he actually moved Spike.
• +1/ Knowing who the beatles are and liking ‘Helter Skelter’, somewhat predictably.

FORREST- (+1)

• +1/ Running into Buffy as they both try to explore a cave that Adam is using as home, I like the animosity he has for Buffy (see Buffy point 1).

ANGEL- (+5)

• +1/ Having a punch up with Riley. Riley inflicts a bit of damage but Angel eventually gets the better of him.
• +2/ Arguing with Riley in front of Buffy. I love that Angel immediately turns jealous and petty around him, it makes him hilarious-
  Angel: Buffy, please.  I really don’t have a lot of time.
  She hears the slight urgency in his voice.
  Buffy: (concerned) What’s going on?
  The door bursts open a Riley steps in, steadying himself against the shelf of Willow’s desk.  He raises his arm and aims the Baretta in his hand at Angel, thumbing back the hammer.
  Riley: (pissed) I told you you weren’t coming near her.
  Buffy: (pissed) You’ve got to be kidding me.  This is why you came?
  Angel: No.  This was accident.
  Buffy: (very pissed) Running a car into a tree is an accident!  Running your fist into somebody’s face is a plan!  Please, explain this to me!
  Angel doesn’t answer her but looks at Riley.
  Angel: (calmly) Put that gun down.
  Riley: It’s pretty much all I got left, so I’m thinking not.  He attacked four of my men, Buffy.  I think he’s up to his old tricks.
  Buffy: He won’t hurt anybody. (to Angel) Tell him.
  Angel starts to move forward.
  Angel: (with contained violence) Might hurt you.
  Riley steps forward.
  Riley: Please try.
  Angel: Heh.  Some threat.  You can barely stand.
  Riley brandishes the gun in front of his face.
  Riley: Trigger finger feels okay.
  Angel: (sideglance to Buffy) You actually sleep with this guy?
  While his head’s turned, Riley punches him in the face.  Angel quickly hits him back.
  Buffy: Okay, stop it!
  Buffy steps in between them and shoves them apart.  Riley slams back against Willow’s desk and Angel goes flying onto Willow’s bed.
  Buffy: Okay, that’s enough!  I see one more display of testosterone poisoning and I will personally put you both in the hospital!
  She glances back and forth between them.  Riley looks like he still wants to shoot Angel.
  Buffy: (challengingly) Anybody think I’m exaggerating?
  Angel: He started–
  Buffy points a warning finger at him and he wisely shuts up.
• +2/ Finally getting his chance to apologise to Buffy for his behaviour in Sanctaury, it’s a nice scene (see Buffy point 3).

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +130
WILLOW- +100
XANDER- +83
SPIKE- +64
GILES- +57
RILEY- +51
ANYA- +39
OZ- +37
FAITH- +14
HARMONY- +11
TARA- 11
ANGEL- +9
JONATHAN- +8
FORREST- +5
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
ADAM- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +437
WILLOW- +346
ANGEL- +302 (3rd to Triple century in 67 episodes).
XANDER- +285
GILES- +209
SPIKE- +134
OZ- +129
RILEY- +51
ANYA- +47
JOYCE- +44
FAITH- +43
THE MAYOR- +36
JONATHAN- +12
TARA- +11
HARMONY- +8
FORREST- +5
WILLY- +3
ADAM- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

A fantastic lead in to the season arc finale. It was inevitable that this day would come, when the Scooby gang would break up and this season provided the best impetous for it. Buffy’s infactuation with Riley, Willow’s relationship with Tara, Xander’s life off-campus & Giles’ lack of purpose since his sacking. All this culminated to a breaking point, which Spike just raised the tempreture under so that it finally broke. Strangely enough though, this argument is what brings them together again. Without these fears being talked about, the Scoobies could have separated so much that reassembling would be very tough, but having them argue allowed them to realise how much they love each other, but I’m getting ahead of myself. This episode is the break up. I love how Spike strategically lays doubts into the minds of the Scoobies, each personally tailored by his observations of them. He’s so delicate that it’s somewhat fun to see his work come to fruition. In saying that, the argument is just fun to watch, and not only because Giles is drunk. The acting and writing is brilliant and really is among the best of this season. The set-up before the argument is nearly as good, we see Angel come to town and fight with Riley, which is fun and we watch Spike’s deft little movements. Actually, the acting on the whole is fantastic, it’s hard to pick a standout. Plot-wise, it’s all moving toward the end and the eventual break-up. The pacing is fantastic and ech scene is sharp and fun to watch. Top shelf episode.

93/100

B419- New Moon Rising

Written by: Marti Noxon.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Leonard Roberts, Amber Benson, Bailey Chase, George Hertzberg & Seth Green.

Willow and Tara walk around the school grounds holding hands and talk about Tara getting a cat as a pet. At the Scooby Gang meeting, Buffy explains that there is little going on, but as usual, Giles knows that means trouble. As the meeting ends, Oz shows up in the doorway, shocking everyone into silence. Oz arranges to talk with Willow later, and after Oz leaves, Tara also leaves the incredibly uncomfortable situation. Buffy and Riley talk about how bad Willow and Oz’s break-up really was, and Buffy accidentally mentions that Oz is a werewolf. Buffy goes off on him when he negatively comments on Willow dating a werewolf (he says that Willow seems smarter than to date a dangerous guy, unknowingly drawing a parallel between Willow and Oz and Buffy and Angel).

Oz takes Willow for a walk outside during a full moon, showing her that he’s not in werewolf mode. While in Tibet, with the help of herbs, charms, chanting, and meditation, he’s learned to control the wolf inside. Oz wants to get back together with Willow, but she is reluctant. Graham patrols with a team and they are all attacked by a four-legged demon, closely resembling a werewolf. Willow and Oz talk all night about their lives while they were apart. Tara comes by in the morning while Willow is away, and upon having Oz answer the door she gets nervous and leaves.

Buffy wakes up at Riley’s, but she’s very distant from him. They talk about the night before in the graveyard and Riley’s reaction to Oz, then Riley leaves after hearing news about Graham getting hurt. Willow shocks Buffy with the news about Oz being able to control the wolf. Buffy is even more shocked as Willow subtly explains that her relationship with Tara is now serious and that complicates things with Oz. Adam goes to Spike for his help in exchange for getting the chip out of Spike’s head.

Willow tells Tara that she and Oz only talked the night before, and then they hug. Oz and Tara have a confrontation and after smelling Willow on Tara, Oz concludes that the two are romantically involved. He loses control, and starts to change into a werewolf. Werewolf Oz chases Tara into a classroom, and then Riley and the Initiative guys take Oz away. The gang meets up and makes a plan to free Oz. Oz is kept caged at the Initiative and just as Riley is about to shoot him dead, he changes back into his human form.

Despite Riley’s attempts to help, the scientists start performing tests on Oz. Spike shows up at Giles’ place and offers to lead Buffy and the gang into the Initiative. Riley sneaks in, gives Oz some clothes and tries to help him escape. On the way out, they get caught. Colonel McNamara lectures Riley about betraying the Initiative on so many levels and how he will be court-martialed. Dressed as commandos and scientists, Spike and the gang sneak into the Initiative through a back door. Adam secretly helps them by running operations through a computer and helping them shut down the power for most of the city.

Holding the Colonel hostage, Buffy gets Riley and Oz free, Riley leaving the Initiative for good. Now that his life is in danger, Riley camps out underground with Buffy at his side. He confesses that he was wrong about Oz, and then Buffy volunteers to tell him about her past, and hopes that it won’t destroy their relationship. In Oz’s van, Willow and Oz say their sad goodbyes and then Oz leaves town again to escape the Initiative and Willow, who unintentionally is the cause of him turning into a werewolf. Willow goes to Tara’s, bringing her a candle. Tara tells Willow that she should be with the person she loves, and Willow replies that she is. Tara blows out the candle.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+5)

• +1/ Defending Oz when Riley assumes that because he is a werewolf that he is dangerous. It’s obvious that she is correlating Oz to Angel.
• +2/ Finding out that Willow is involved with Tara, at first Buffy is a little freaked by the revelation but she tries to be supportive as any best friend would do (see Willow point 4).
• +1/ Rescuing Oz from the Initiative, that’s gotta be the 3rd time she’s had to infiltrate the Initiative, she must be quite good at it now.
• +1/ Discussing Oz for a bit before finally getting the courage to tell Riley about Angel. It’s nice that they connect the fact that Buffy can now forgive Riley for assuming Oz was dangerous after Buffy had her wig when she found out about Willow.

WILLOW- (+13)

• +1/ Overhelping Tara during a Scooby meeting, she’s adorable.
• +1/ Finding out that Oz has controlled his wolf-side, for a moment, she’s the old Willow again and is excited before realizing her dilemma again (see Oz point 1).
• +1/ Talking all night with Oz, it’s nice to see them together again-
  Willow: So Tibet was your favorite?
  Oz: Well, it’s where I stayed the longest. This warlock in Romania sent me to the monks there to learn some meditation techniques. Very intense. All about keeping your inner cool.
  Willow: Good, ’cause you were such a spaz before. (Smiles.) So that’s it? You keep your cool, and no more wolfie?
  Oz: No, there’s more. I take some herbs and stuff. Some chanting. A couple of charms.
  Willow: It’s incredible. You’ve been all around the world. You’ve had this… complete mind/body transformation. I’ve just been here. (Chuckle) Same old Sunnydale.
  Oz: Doesn’t mean you haven’t gone through a lot.
  Willow: It’s true. Some of it, you know, was me telling myself I hated you and cursing your name. Not literally.
  Oz: Well, thanks for that.
• +2/ Telling Buffy about Tara, who has a little trouble with this change at first. You gotta feel for Willow. Two people she loves vying for her and it’s left for her to choose-
  Buffy: Hey.
  Willow: Hey. You okay?
  Buffy: (rubbing her neck) Yeah, I just – I don’t wanna talk about it. I wanna hear about you and Oz. You saw him, right?
  Willow: I was with him all night.
  Buffy raises her eyebrows.
  Buffy: All night? (Grins) Oh my god. (Sits on Willow’s bed.) Wait. Last night was a wolf moon, right?
  Willow: Yup.
  Buffy: Either you’re about to tell me something incredibly kinky, or-
  Willow: No kink. (Smiling) He didn’t change, Buffy. He said he was gonna find a cure, and he did. In Tibet.
  Buffy: (smiling) Oh my god. I can’t believe it. (Pause) Okay, I’m all with the woo-hoo here, and you’re not.
  Willow: No, there’s “woo” and, and “hoo.” But there’s “uh-oh,” and… “why now?” And… it’s complicated.
  Buffy: Why complicated?
  Willow: (sighs, steels herself) It’s complicated… because of Tara.
  Buffy: (frowns) You mean Tara has a crush on Oz? No.
  The clue-by-four hits Buffy.
  Buffy: Oh!
  Willow gives a nervous smile. Buffy stands up.
  Buffy: Oh. Um… well… that’s great. You know, I mean, I think Tara’s a, a really great girl, Will.
  Willow: She is. And… there’s something between us. It-it wasn’t something I was looking for. It’s just powerful. And it’s totally different from what Oz and I have.
  Buffy: Well, there you go, I mean, you know, you have to – you have to follow your heart, Will. And that’s what’s important, Will.
  Willow: Why do you keep saying my name like that?
  Buffy: (with false cheer) Like what, Will?
  Willow: (sits up) Are you freaked?
  Buffy: What? No, Will, d- (stops herself, sighs) No. (Sits on bed) No, absolutely no to that question. (Willow looks skeptical.) I’m glad you told me. What did you say to Oz?
  Willow: I was gonna tell him … but then we started hanging out, and … I could just feel everything coming back. (Buffy looks sympathetic.) He’s Oz, you know?
  Buffy: Yeah. I know.
  Willow: I don’t wanna hurt anyone, Buffy.
  Buffy: No matter what, somebody’s gonna get hurt.  And the important thing is, you just have to be honest, or it’s gonna be a lot worse.
• +2/ Talking to Tara about her problem and reassuring her that they’ll be friends no matter what, a very powerful scene-
  Willow: I just want you to know that what you saw this morning, it wasn’t-
  Tara: No, it’s okay. I-I always knew that if he came back-
  Willow: We were just talking. Nothing happened.
  Tara: (hopeful smile) Oh. (Pause) Really?
  Willow nods.
  Willow: But, you know, it was intense. Just talking. We have a lot to talk about. (Frowns) I kinda feel like my head’s gonna explode.
  Tara: (struggles for a moment) Whatever, you know, happens … I’ll still
  be here. I’ll still be your friend.
  Willow: Of course we’ll be friends! That’s not even a question.
  Tara: (upset) But I’m saying, I know what Oz means to you.
  Willow: How can you, when I’m not even sure? I mean, I know what he meant to me. But he left, and… everything changed. I changed, and… then we–
  Tara: What?
  Willow: (teary) I don’t know. I just – life was starting to get so good again, and — (sighs, moves closer to Tara) You’re a big part of that. (Crying) And here comes the thing I wanted most of all, and… I don’t know what to do, I … I wanna know, but I don’t.
  Tara looks sympathetic. She brushes the tears off Willow’s cheek.
  Tara: Do what makes you … h-h-happy.
• +1/ Calling Spike an evil olive when he wears the army camouflage.
• +4/ Her goodbyes with Oz, a very emotional scene. The last scene of my favourite Buffyverse couple. Even though I would’ve liked Oz to stay, they ended it well, you can feel how much they do love eachother even as they say their farewells-
  Oz: I shouldn’t have come back now…. I just thought I’d changed.
  Willow: You have changed. (Smiles) You stopped the wolf from coming out. I saw it.
  Oz: But I couldn’t look at you. (He still can’t.) I mean, it turns out… the one thing that brings it out in me is you… which falls under the heading of ironic in my book.
  Willow: It was my fault. I upset you.
  He finally looks at her.
  Oz: Well, so we’re safe then, (sarcastic) cause you’ll never do that again.
  Willow tries to look amused.
  Oz: But… you’re happy?
  Willow: (smiles) I am. I can’t explain it-
  Oz: It may be safer for both os us if you don’t.
  Willow looks sad.
  Willow: I missed you, Oz. I wrote you so many letters… but I didn’t have any place to send them, you know? (Pause.) I couldn’t live like that.
  Oz: It was stupid to think that you’d just be… waiting.
  Willow: I was waiting. I feel like some part of me will always be waiting for you. Like if I’m old and blue-haired, and I turn the corner in Istanbul and there you are, I won’t be surprised. Because… you’re with me, you know?
  Oz: I know. (Pause) But now is not that time, I guess.
  Willow: (shakes her head) No.
  They look at each other.
  Willow: What are you gonna do?
  Oz: I think I better take off.
  Willow: When?
  Oz: Pretty much now.
  Willow nods. She’s teary again. Oz leans over and they hug.
• +1/ Seeing Tara and telling her of her choice, a nice way to end the episode.

GILES- (+1)

• +1/ His reaction to Anya’s offer of a high-five, they are great together (see Anya point 1).

OZ- (+11)

• +3/ Learning to control himself for Willow and wanting to get back together. It’s a sad scene because you feel happy for Oz and his accomplishment but also feel for him because he doesn’t know who Willow is involved with-
  Willow: Oz… (He stops walking)  This is all so weird. I-I-I feel like… this isn’t really happening. Like it’s a dream or, or something.
  Oz: It’s real. Look up.
  Willow: What?
  Oz: (smiling) Look at the sky.
  Willow looks up. The moon is full.
  Oz: I guess you stopped keeping track of ’em after I left.
  Willow: Full moon. (Looks at Oz, back up at moon)
  Oz: Full moon.
  Willow: Full moon, but-but how? I mean (smiling) you did it! How, how did you do it? Where did you go?
  Oz: It’s a long story.
  Willow: (looks up again, then down, smiling) Oh my god, Oz!
  She hugs him. He holds her and closes his eyes. Willow pulls back. Not smiling any more.
  Willow: This is… I mean, it’s wonderful for you.
  Oz: I talked to Xander, and he said you didn’t have a new guy.
  Willow: No. No new… guy.
  Oz smiles and takes her hand.
  Oz: I know what I put you through, and I’m not gonna push. But I am… a different person than when I left. And I can be what you need now.
  Willow looks sad.
  Oz: That’s what I want. That’s why I’m here.
• +1/ Talking with Will all night (see Willow point 3).
• +1/ Meeting Tara, not knowing who she is, he invites her in but she scurries away.
• +1/ Finding out about Tara and Willow by smelling Willow on Tara. A fairly bad way to find out which turns him into a werewolf again…in the middle of the day.
• +1/ Having to control himself more than ever around Willow, obviously still upset by the revelation of her involvment with Tara.
• +4/ Saying his goodbyes to his beloved Willow before leaving Sunnydale for good, a very, very sad moment (see Willow point 7).

SPIKE- (+2)

• +1/ Meeting Adam for the first time. Spike tries his normal ‘your a demon and I kill demon’s routine’ only to find him a little bit too big. Doesn’t stop him trying though which you have to admire him for.
• +1/ Having to wear Initiative camouflage so they can rescue Oz, he looks incredibly strange which is what happens when your used to seeing him in black leather coats all the time.

ANYA- (+1)

• +1/ Anya celebrating with Giles-
  Anya: Slap my hand now! (Chuckles and holds up hand)
  Giles: Beg your pardon?
  Anya: In celebration.
  Giles: Oh… (slaps her hand) Yes.
  Anya: Ow!

RILEY- (+3)

• -1/ Being very black & white about demons, that’s not very smart of you Riley.
• +1/ Trying to break Oz out, he’s redeemed himself.
• +1/ Ditching the Initiative and becoming a rebel, a good choice I’d say.
• +1/ Helping to rescue Oz.
• +1/ Apologizing to Buffy for being so black & white.

TARA- (+2)

• +2/ Telling Willow that she’ll always be her friend no matter who she chooses, not only is that nice but shows that Tara really does love her (see Willow point 5).

ADAM- (+1)

• +1/ Having parts of a boy scout, funny and strange.

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +124
WILLOW- +97
XANDER- +76
SPIKE- +58
GILES- +52
RILEY- +45
ANYA- +38
OZ- +37
FAITH- +14
HARMONY- +11
TARA- 11
JONATHAN- +8
FORREST- +4
ANGEL- +4
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
ADAM- +1
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +431
WILLOW- +343
ANGEL- +297
XANDER- +278
GILES- +204
OZ- +129
SPIKE- +128
ANYA- +46
RILEY- +45
JOYCE- +44
FAITH- +43
THE MAYOR- +36
JONATHAN- +12
TARA- +11
HARMONY- +8
FORREST- +4
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
ADAM- +1
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

The ending of an important era in the Buffyverse. Oz departure breaks the last remnant of of the old Buffy away. The old days of high school are now well and trully behind, new characters are now tied into the scene: Spike, Anya, Tara & Riley have tied themselves to our core group and lead us into the next phase of Buffy and this episode is a good one to close the old phase off on. Oz’s departure is quite sad for me because he is such a good character and one of my favourites. I’m happy that he did get a proper chance to leave considering what happened in Wild At Heart, which was earlier in the season. While this is about Oz, the focus does end up on Willow and her dilemma of choosing between Oz and Tara. That choice is what drives the episode and eventually leaves to Oz departing us. I remember when I watched this for the first time I was so upset that oz was leaving that I developed a irrational hatred for Tara which wouldn’t subside for at least a season. Thankfully, having seen the series multiple times, I’ve developed an affection for Tara and now see the choice more objectively. That in itself show’s how powerful this show is and just how much people care for the characters, well at least me anyways. I still would’ve preferred Oz but Tara is a fine replacement. Many of the best scenes from this episode are based around Willow choice, whether it be interactions with Oz, Tara or Buffy. Willow is brilliant throughout and Oz finally gets some focus, Buffy leads the others with a decent score but many of the others don’t have much because of the focus on the A plot. The plot on the whole is strong and pacing is decent but this episode is about character and that’s where it shines.

87/100

B418- Where The Wild Things Are

Written by: Tracey Forbes.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Leonard Roberts, Amber Benson & Bailey Chase.

Buffy and Riley fight a vampire and a demon in the cemetery, finally disposing of both of them. While they intend to go tell Giles about the odd pairing of demon and vampire, they opt for sex at Riley’s dorm at Lowell House. Riley gets up in the middle of the night, acting as if he hears something from the restroom. All he finds is a dripping faucet in the tub. Xander’s driving an ice cream truck for his new job, and Anya rides along with him to complain about their diminishing relationship. Trying to convince her that there is nothing wrong with him or their relationship, Xander suggests they have sex right there in the truck. He doesn’t realize that there is a group of kids waiting outside for their ice cream.

The gang talks about patrol the night before, and they realize that Adam is bringing the races of demons together. Buffy and Riley escape for some alone time, which is no secret to the rest of the gang. The two continue their sex romp through the night. While the rest of the house is freezing cold, Buffy and Riley continue to keep occupied, and warm. An initiative agent is badly burned when a fire in a fireplace bursts forth into the room. The next night, Spike jumps out at Anya in the streets, trying to scare her into giving him her money. At the party, Buffy and Riley are making eyes at each other from across the room while their friends attempt to talk to them. Spike and Anya bond over a couple beers at the Bronze, complaining about what it’s like to be without their harmful demon powers.

A guy is talking to a girl, when he places his hand on a wall and suddenly gets very excited. Xander flirts with a girl named Julie. Riley and Buffy escape upstairs to resume their own private party. Willow and Tara talk about horses, but Willow had a bad experience with them and she’s very afraid of them. Willow touches Tara’s knee, but Tara backs away, inexplicably disgusted with the gesture. Anya and Spike then arrive at the frat party and the two verbally gang up on Xander.

A group is playing spin the bottle and Xander joins in. On Xander’s turn, the bottle lands on Julie, and he kisses her on the cheek. She suddenly jumps him and starts kissing him aggressively. After she runs away, Xander follows and finds her in the closet cutting off her hair. Willow goes to the restroom looking for Tara and instead finds a body drowning in the bathtub. When she reaches for it, it disappears and reappears behind her. All this time, Buffy and Riley have barely come up for air, not even stopping when they hear Willow scream or the gang calling for them outside the door.

The house begins to shake violently, and vines begin to cover the walls. Forrest and Graham run downstairs for instructions from their commanding officers. A ghost runs straight through Anya and Spike is strapped to a chair. Spike breaks free of his bonds and everyone escapes outside. The gang goes to Giles for help and find him singing and playing the guitar at the Espresso Bar. He’s surprisingly very good, which Willow, Tara, and Anya all find slightly appealing.

Research leads them to information about the Lowell building, which used to be the old Lowell Home for Children. They find the woman, Genevieve Holt, who ran the children’s home and she confesses that she rewarded the children when they were good and punished them when they were dirty. She’d cut off their hair and “baptized” them by holding them under water in a bathtub. After leaving Ms. Holt’s place, they conclude that a group of poltergeists is now releasing their pent up sexual energy thanks to the repetitive acts of sex by Buffy and Riley. When Buffy and Riley are drained of all their strength, they will die.

Willow, Tara, and Giles perform a spell to stop the spirits. Xander and Anya hack their way through the vines and try to reach Buffy and Riley. Anya is knocked across the house while Xander is dragged into the bathroom and held underwater. Anya makes her way upstairs to save Xander and they fight against the vines and finally open Riley’s dorm. The next day, the gang talks about Giles’s “mid-life crisis” and the consequences of Buffy and Riley’s endless sex. Unconvincingly, Buffy and Riley say how horrible the experience was.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+4)

• +1/ Fighting a vamp and demon with Riley which gets them a little worked up, sexually. They can’t keep the hands off eachother and even go home to have sex instead of telling Giles of their encounter. There’s this nice line where Buffy directs Riley in the fight by saying- “Okay, you get Fang, I’ll get Horny”.
• +1/ Reacting to Riley’s poor disguised offer of sex-
  Riley: Buffy, hey, look at the time. Don’t you, uh, have a class?
  Buffy: Yeah, in about 20 minutes.
  Riley: Yeah, but … I have that … thing… (Buffy gets it)
  Buffy: Right, that … thing, we could … squeeze in … before.
  Riley: Yeah.
  They get up.
  Buffy: Bye!
  Riley: Gotta run.
• +1/ Buffy once again pulling Riley upstairs to go have sex, she’s one horny girl-
  Buffy: Hey, uh, can we- (points upstairs) I, um, need you to take a look at an … essay, for … class.
  Riley: That … essay, right. Here. (Hands his drink to Forrest. Forrest looks annoyed. Graham looks amused)
  Riley: I’ll catch you guys in a minute, uh, essay … gotta look at …
  Buffy pulls him upstairs.
• +1/ Discussing what happened with the gang, specifically her constant affections with Riley and the revelation that Giles sings, funny scene-
  Buffy: I just had no idea. It’s so creepy! (Looks up at the others) He was really singing?
  Willow nods.
  Xander: I’d say it was more like crooning. (To Anya) If we grow old together, remind me to skip the midlife crisis. (Puts his hand on her knee.)
  Anya: (smiling, softly) Okay. (They look affectionately at each other.)
  Willow: Come on, you have to admit, it was kinda sexy.
  Xander: Please stop saying that. I’m willing to offer cash incentives.
  Riley: We’re just lucky no one got injured. (Looking at Buffy) No thanks to us.
  Willow: Don’t be too hard on yourself.
  Buffy: He’s right, Will. If Riley and I hadn’t … gotten so wrapped up in each other, none of this would’ve happened.
  Anya: True. Feel shame.
  Xander: My girlfriend. Mistress of the learning plateau.
  Willow: Really, it wasn’t your fault. You were under the influence of powerful magics.
  Buffy: We were like zombies. I had no control over myself at all.
  Willow: Must have been horrible.
  Buffy looks sidelong at Riley. Riley looks at her, looks down.
  Buffy: Yeah. Horrible.
  They both nod firmly.
  Riley: Uh-huh.
  Buffy: Mm-hmm.
  Riley: It was bad.

XANDER- (+6)

• +2/ Trying to reassure Anya that he still finds her attractive and that their not breaking up, it’s a hilarious scene and a tribute to how great their are comedically and as a couple (see Anya point 1).
• +2/ Breaking up with Anya in the middle of the frat party, once again, a funny scene because they clearly like eachother but they lack communication-
  Xander: Anya? What are you doing? (pointing at Spike) You brought *him* here?
  Spike: That’s what *I* said! Only I hit the “here” part.
  Xander: Anya, this is crazy. (Anya crosses her arms, glares at him) We had a little fight. It just means that we have to work our way through some stuff. It doesn’t mean that we rebound with the evil undead. (Spike looks offended) And what have we been doing with him anyway?
  Spike: (grinning) Oh, who’s the puffed-up manly man? All splotchy and possessive. (Walks over to Xander)
  Anya: It’s not very convincing, is it?
  Spike: Yeah. I see now what you said about him earlier. (Looks Xander up and down) No follow-through.
  Xander: (loudly) Hey! What a surprise! Hostile 17! (Spike trying to shut him up) Can I get you a drink, Hostile 17?
  Spike looks around anxiously to see if anyone heard.
  Anya: Xander, stop.
  (pike jumps back from some people who walk by. A bunch of guys walk past, ignoring them. Spike looks around.
  Spike: Pfft! (Regaining his confidence) Well, may be some fun to be had in the lion’s den after all. You two keep scraping. I’ll find the liquor. (Walks away)
  Xander: Anya. What are you doing with him?
  Anya: (angry) We didn’t have sex, if that’s what you mean. That’s all I do now, not have sex.
  Xander: You’re overreacting. We had a fight. But see, it’s okay. It’s normal.
  Anya: Yes. The normal part of the ending a relationship right before the vengeance begins.
  Xander: Right. No! Vengeance?
  Anya: Relax, I’m not gonna do it. I’m just trying to tell you that we have nothing in common besides both of us liking your penis. And now I don’t even have that! So I get to say when it’s done. And it’s done.
  Xander: Okay, you know what? You don’t deserve to be the one to walk away from this. I’ve put up with a hell of a lot from you … much of that in the last minute … and if anyone gets to be the one to leave, it’s me. (Starts to walk away)
  Anya: (incredulously) You’re leaving *me*?
  Xander: Yes. I am.
  Anya: Where are you going?
  Xander: To enjoy the party. (Walks away)
  Anya: (yells as she pushes through the crowd, moving away from him) Well then, then I’m staying too, to, to show you how much I’m not bothered by you having fun! Because I’ll be having more fun!
  Xander: (yells across the room) I’m having fun already!
  Anya: (yells) Me too! (Unhappy face) Woo hoo! (Turns and stalks off)
• +1/ Being horrified at seeing Giles sing, the girls are riveted however, much to Xander’s dismay (see Willow point 2).
• +1/ Saying poltergasm, that’s point worthy-
  Giles: Not a ghost. An apparition. I believe we’re dealing with a kind of poltergeist. A whole cluster of them, in fact, born out of intense adolescent emotion and sexual energy.
  Anya: Both of which were totally pent up during Mrs. Holt’s reign of repression.
  Xander: So with Buffy and Riley having … you know, acts of nakedness around the clock lately, maybe they set something free. Like a … big burstin’ poltergasm.
  

WILLOW- (+2)

• +1/ Taking advantage of Buffy’s fixation on Riley-
  Tara: So you don’t even know if she’s coming tonight.
  Xander: I’m thinking no. She was… pretty upset. Which, makes me wonder, is it me? Am I the crazy one?
  Willow and Tara shrug at each other.
  Buffy: (still looking at Riley, not listening) Uh-huh. Absolutely.
  The others look where Buffy’s looking.
  Willow: Hey, Buffy, this might be a good time to mention that someone, so not me, spilled something purply on your new peasant top which I would never borrow without asking. Still love me?
  Buffy: Uh-huh.
  Willow and Tara look at each other and laugh. Buffy ponders for a moment, then looks at Willow.
  Buffy: Huh? What about my peasant top?
  Willow: Nothin’.
  Tara: (quickly) Xander was just talking about Anya.
• +1/ Being completely enamored by Giles’ singing-
  Anya: Oh.
  Willow: Wow.
  Giles: (sings) To be fated…
  Xander: Um, could we go back to the haunted house? Cause, this is creeping me out.
  Tara: Does he do this a lot?
  Xander: Sure. Every day the earth rotates backward and the skies turn orange.
  Giles: (sings) But my dreams, they are as empty, as my conscience… (Notices the kids watching, looks embarrassed but keeps singing) seems to be…
  Willow smiles.
  Giles: (sings) I have hours, only lonely…
  Willow: Now I remember why I used to have such a crush on him.
  Giles: (sings) …my love is vengeance…
  Tara: Well, he *is* pretty good.
  Giles: (sings) …that’s never free-ee….
  Anya: (agreeing) His voice … is pleasant.
  All three girls are riveted.
  Xander: What?!
  Giles: (sings) No one knows what it’s like…
  Willow: Oh, come on, he is kinda sexy.
  Giles: (sings) Like I do…
  Xander: I’m fighting total mental breakdown here, Will. No more fueling the fire please.

GILES- (+2)

• +1/ Singing and playing guitar for an audience, go Giles!
• +1/ Telling off Mrs. Holt who was the strictest of strict people, and I say good on him.

SPIKE- (+4)

• +2/ Trying to scare Anya as part of his way of making money. It’s pretty sad that one of the most feared vamps makes a living by jumping in front of innocents and scaring their money from the pockets-
  Spike: (Spike leaps out, wearing his vampire face, growling.) Grr!
  Anya jumps back with a yell. Spike looks annoyed.
  Spike: Oh, it’s you. (Morphs back to human face)
  Anya: Spike! (petulantly) What are you doing? You made me yell really high.
  Spike: Hey! Yeah, I did. I scared you. (Grins. Walks right up to her until his face is inches from hers) Gimme money.
  Anya: I’m not paying you for scaring me. (Pushes him away.)
  Spike: You’re not paying me. I’m robbing you.
  Anya: Oh, well now that’s just ludicrous. You can’t hurt me because you’ve got that chip in your brain. Also, I like my money the way it is… when it’s mine. (Starts to walk past him.)
  Spike growls and spins her around.
  Anya: Oh, now come on. You’re not even bumpy any more.
  Spike: (feels his forehead with fingers) Oh. I was just a minute ago. Hang on. (Steps back, preparing) Get me mad again.
  Anya: (sighs) Does this really work? Scaring people into giving you their money?
  Spike: Yeah, it works. Keeps me in blood and beers. (Grins) Plus, you know, funny. Watching those little humans quail.
  Anya: I’m beginning to understand why you’re so friendless.
• +1/ Discussing their poor relationships and their good ol’ demon days with Anya, they make a strangely good couple-
  Anya: A year and a half ago, I could have eviscerated him with my thoughts. Now I can barely hurt his feelings. (Sighs) Things used to be so much simpler.
  Spike: (wistfully) You know … you take the killing for granted. (Anya nods nostalgically.) And then it’s gone, and you’re like, “I wish I’d appreciated it more.” Stopped and smelled the corpses, you know?
  Anya: Yeah. Now everything’s complicated.
  Spike: It’s a terrible thing, love is. I been there myself. (Pause) It ended badly.
  Anya: Of course it did. It always does. Seen a thousand relationships. First there’s the love, and sex, and then there’s nothing left but the vengeance. That’s how it works.
  Spike smiles, leans in really close.
  Spike: You and I … should just go do the vengeance. Both of us! You eviscerate Xander, and I’ll stake Dru. Like a project.
  Anya looks tempted.
  Anya: I don’t know. I just can’t. (Sighs)
  Spike looks resigned.
  Anya: (encouraging) You can go do Dru though.
  Spike: (nods) Yeah. I will. (Sits still for a moment) Maybe later.
• +1/ Originally willing to help the Scoobies with Buffy, only to convince himself that it isn’t worth it-
  Willow: We have to go back in there.
  Anya: Why?
  Xander: Because Buffy and Riley are trapped.
  Anya: So? (Willow and Tara look surprised) She’s the Slayer, he’s a big soldier boy, what do they need you for?
  Xander: Anya, look around! There’s ghosts and shaking, and people are going all Felicity with their hair… We’re fresh out of superpeople, and somebody’s gotta go back in there. (Deep breath) Now who’s with me?
  Willow and Tara hesitate.
  Spike: I am.
  Everyone looks at Spike in surprise.
  Spike: I know I’m not the first choice for heroics … (drops his cigarette and grinds it out with his foot) and Buffy’s tried to kill me more than once. And, I don’t fancy a single one of you at all. But… (pauses) Actually, all that sounds pretty convincing. (Frowns, shakes his head and walks away.) I wonder if Danger Mouse is on.

ANYA- (+6)

• +2/ Thinking that she and Xander are going to break up because they didn’t have sex the night before, not only is it illogical but it’s hilarious-
  Xander: Aw, come on. Big party at Riley’s house. It’s gonna be fun. Why don’t you wanna go?
  Anya: You know why not. Those initiative men make me… not comfortable. And you don’t care.
  Xander: They don’t even know that you’re an ex-demon. And we don’t know that they’d care even if they did know. Which, by the way, they’re not gonna find out. Anyways, they’ll probably be too busy flirting with every other girl at the party to even notice you.
  Anya: So … you don’t think I’m desirable enough to be flirted with? (looks surprised) Is that it?
  Xander: I’m just not gonna win here, am I?
  Anya: (sighs. Accusingly) You don’t find me attractive any more.
  Xander: What are you talking about? I think you’re gorgeous.
  Anya: Oh, really? Well then, why didn’t we have sex last night?
  Xander: (looks up) Is that what this is about? We’ve gone other nights without sex.
  Anya: (angry) I know. Twice! I can’t believe we’re breaking up.
  Xander: Breaking- We’re not! Are we?
  Anya: Of course we are. You, you’ve obviously grown tired of me. I mean, I’ve seen it happen to thousands of women over the centuries, I just never thought it would happen to me.
  Xander: Anya, there’s a lot more to you and me than the sex. (Anya rolls her eyes) Well, there should be! I mean, a relationship is something that you work at. Work through. Together.
  Anya: I don’t understand. I’m pretty, I’m young… I mean… (stands up, walks closer) Why didn’t you take advantage of me? Is something wrong with your body?
  Xander: (getting mad) There’s nothing wrong with my body.
  Anya: Well, there must be. I saw that wrinkled man on TV talking about erectile dysfunction-
  Xander: Whoa! Hey. (Chuckles nervously) All systems go here. (Gesturing at his crotch) No function problem, okay?
  Anya looks skeptical.
  Xander: (claps his hands, starts unbuttoning his shirt) You want sex? Let’s have sex. Right here. Hot, sweaty, big sex.
• +1/ Not falling for Spike’s scaring people for money routine (see Spike point 1).
• +1/ Discussing her demon days with Spike, like I said in Spike’s section, they make a nice couple (see Spike point 2).
• +1/ Breaking up in the middle of the frat party with Xander, hilariously done by the way (see Xander point 2).
• +1/ Saving Xander from being drowned in a bathtab, which brings them back together as a couple.

RILEY- (+4)

• +1/ Helping Buffy fight off a demon and a vamp, which gets them all worked up.
• +1/ Coming up with a rather poor escuse to go have sex with Buffy (see Buffy point 2).
• +1/ This time, reacting to Buffy wanting to have sex, thay may as well not disguise it at all (see Buffy point 3).
• +1/ Feeling ashamed after their sexual escapades fueled the poltergeist house (see Buffy point 4).

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +119
WILLOW- +84
XANDER- +76
SPIKE- +56
GILES- +51
RILEY- +42
ANYA- +37
OZ- +26
FAITH- +14
HARMONY- +11
TARA- +9
JONATHAN- +8
FORREST- +4
ANGEL- +4
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
ADAM- 0
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +426
WILLOW- +330
ANGEL- +297
XANDER- +278
GILES- +203
SPIKE- +126
OZ- +118
ANYA- +45
JOYCE- +44
FAITH- +43
RILEY- +42
THE MAYOR- +36
JONATHAN- +12
HARMONY- +8
TARA- +9
FORREST- +4
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
ADAM- 0
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

A lot of people aren’t fans of this episode but I find it fairly decent. The thing that makes it so is the humour that Xander, Anya and Spike dish up. Those three save this episode from obscurity and provide with some memorable points. For example, Anya thinking she and Xander are breaking up which they end up doing because of her illogical paranoia as well as Anya talking to Spike about their old demon days. These scenes are some of the funniest in the season and make this episode passable. Buffy anf Riley have a few nice moments but are mainly having sex for the whole ep, Willow and Giles also have small moments. Plot-wise, it’s probably the weakest in this season, the whole house poltergeist fueled by sex is pretty silly and the lack of a major villain to come against is detrimental. On the whole, a passable ep.

71/100

B417- Superstar

Written by: Jane Espenson.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Danny Strong, George Hertzberg, Leonard Roberts, Amber Benson & Bailey Chase.

Buffy and the gang slay vampires in the graveyard, but when they discover a nest of the vampires that is too much for them all to fight, they go to Jonathan for help. At Giles’ place, Jonathan checks out weapons and even practices hand-to-hand with Buffy. Willow uses her computer to try and find a way to attack the vampire nest, but Jonathan quickly finds a better way to enter. With a plan in mind, Jonathan passes out weapons and tells everyone where to go. In the crypt, Jonathan slays the majority of the vampires, leaving Buffy to feel inadequate, as she allows one vampire to get by her.

As they leave the crypt, Jonathan poses for some picture. He senses Spike hiding in the shadows and the two go face-to-face. Buffy’s at a lack for her usual puns, but Jonathan steps in to knock Spike’s confidence down. While putting pictures of Jonathan up on a wall, Willow and Tara talk about the fight earlier that night and Buffy’s relationship with Riley. At Riley’s dorm room, Buffy tries to play basketball, but she is too uncomfortable being around Riley to let him get close.

Jonathan comforts Buffy and he tells her that she’s really just mad at Riley because he doesn’t know her as well as she’d like him to. He tries to convince her to forgive Riley because deep down, her expectations are too high. All the while, Jonathan is encountered with overzealous fans, and signing autographs for them. Colonel George Haviland is the new commander at the Initiative, but Jonathan takes over and explains the plans to find and destroy Adam. One fan, Karen is spying on Jonathan’s house, but is attacked by a demon and barely manages to run away.

Jonathan talks to Riley about his relationship with Buffy, and then he shoots at apples atop of the heads of Initiative operatives, while blindfolded. When Jonathan takes center stage singing at the Bronze, Buffy and Riley take the dance floor. Xander and Anya are inspired to go somewhere to have sex when he starts to play the trumpet. Buffy lets Riley know that she forgives him and wants to move on with their relationship. Karen goes to the Bronze for Jonathan, and when she is taken back to his place, Karen describes the demon’s appearance to them all. Jonathan seems to act weird when she draws a symbol she saw on the demon, but he dismisses it as a harmless monster that he’ll take care of.

Adam realizes right away that something is wrong with the world, and that Jonathan isn’t supposed to be as popular as he currently is but decides to sit back and see how the situation develops. When twin blond girls call for Jonathan to come to bed, he drops his robe to reveal a symbol on his shoulder that is just like the symbol Karen drew. On her way to her dorm room, the demon attacks Tara. She chants a spell and manages to escape with her life. The next morning, Tara identifies the demon by the symbol on its head, and Buffy suddenly has even more reason to question Jonathan.

Buffy stops by Xander’s, and only finds Anya and plenty of things on Jonathan. Buffy questions how Jonathan could be so perfect. He is credited for all the great things that have happened in the world (starring in The Matrix, inventing the internet etc.), when it seems pretty impossible for him to do them all. Riley encourages everyone to follow Buffy’s lead. They look at Jonathan’s swimsuit calendar to see the monster’s mark on Jonathan’s shoulder. He arrives and explains to everyone that he has a history with the monster and every time he faces it, he is overcome by a great deal of confusion.

Buffy and Jonathan go look for the demon, and get some information on the demon’s location from Spike. Willow discovers that Jonathan did an augmentation spell that would make him everyone’s target of adoration. The downside is that a demon is created that would be everyone’s worst nightmare and if it is destroyed, the spell is reversed. The gang has a hard time dealing with the prospect of a world without Jonathan.

In a cave, Jonathan tries to prevent Buffy from falling into a deep pit, but the demon interrupts them. Jonathan leaves it up to Buffy to fight the demon. Her fighting skills improve greatly as the fight goes on, and then Jonathan pushes the demon into the pit and his own life is saved by Buffy. After the demon falls into the pit, everything goes back to normal and Jonathan is back to being ignored. Buffy talks with Jonathan and asks him how he did what he did. At counseling after his attempted suicide, another guy informed Jonathan about the augmentation spell, but he unfortunately skipped the demon part. Buffy and Riley are kissing on his bed, until she moans, “Jonathan”.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+7)

• +1/ Seeing her all unsure of herself and not confident, it’s strange yet fun.
• +1/ Trying to insult Spike, not really succeeding-
  Spike: Yeah, back off ‘Betty.’
  Buffy: It’s Buffy, you big bleached… stupid guy.
• +1/ Still hurting after what Riley and Faith in Buffy’s body did, she has trouble even standing near him.
• +1/ Discussing Riley with Jonathan, It’s fun to see Buffy to be the one without strength, she also has some funny lines-
  Buffy: It’s all Faith’s fault. She’s like poison. No worse, she’s like acid that eats through everything. Maybe she’s a bomb. The point is everything was going along great with Riley and then she comes along and messes everything up.
  Jonathan: Buffy you know what I think: I don’t think this about you being angry with Faith, I think you’re angry with Riley.
  Girl: Hi, could you please?
  Jonathan accepts a pen and a notepad from a blonde girl who can’t stop grinning.
  Jonathan: Sure.
  Jonathan signs an autograph.
  Jonathan: I mean you have this amazing connection with him and then at the one moment when it matters the most he looks into your eyes and he doesn’t even see that it’s not you looking back at him.
  Buffy: There’s no way he could know. I mean you don’t just look at someone and say ‘Hey that’s not your body, get out of that body with your hands up!’ (She gestures with her hands up.)
  Jonathan: I know you know that. But you have to believe it! Buffy if there’s any part of you that’s blaming Riley for what happened, it seems like there’s a part of you that needs to forgive him.
• +1/ Thinking something is very fishy with Jonathan so she assembles the Scooby gang to discuss it, Buffy’s leadership skills are breaking through the spell-
  Buffy: I’m just saying it doesn’t make any sense. H-he starred in the Matrix but he never left town. And how’d he graduate from med school? He’s only eighteen years old.
  Xander: Effective time management?
  Giles: I-I’m sorry Buffy, but I just don’t understand what you’re trying to say.
  Anya: Yeah and when is Jonathan going to get here and start the meeting?
  Buffy: This is the meeting.
  Willow: This is the meeting?
  Buffy: Well, I was just kind of wondering if maybe anyone thought that Jonathan was kind of too perfect?
  Xander: No he’s not! He’s just perfect enough! He crushed the bones of the master, he blew up a big snake made out of mayor and he coached the U.S. women’s soccer team to stunning World Cup victory! We saw him doing those things!
  Buffy: But that’s just it. I’m not entirely sure that we can trust our memories. Anya tell them about the alternate universes.
  Anya: Oh ok. Umm. Say you really like shrimp a lot. Or we could say you don’t like shrimp at all. Blah, I wish there weren’t any shrimp you would say to yourself.
  Buffy: Stop you’re saying it wrong! I think that Jonathan may be doing something so that he’s manipulating the world and we’re all like his pawns.
  Anya: Or prawns.
  Buffy stares at Anya.
  Buffy: Stop with the shrimp I am trying to do something here!
  Giles: Of course, but it may be a little out of your depth.
  Buffy: I’m not.
  Riley: Sounds like nonsense. (Buffy looks discouraged.) But I’m starting to know this girl pretty well (he stands, walks and stops beside Buffy) and I think she sees things that the rest of us don’t. I think, for once, we should follow her lead.
• +1/ Intimidating Spike, which doesn’t happen in this spell affected time, Buffy is all strong and snappy again, I’ve missed.
• +1/ Defeating the demon, with Jonathan’s help.

XANDER- (+4)

• +1/ Practicing his quick-draw staking technique, some great Xander hilarity-
  “Quick draws about more than speed. It’s also about pointing a stake the right way. (He quickdraws again.) And there can be splinter issues. It is a true test of dexterity.”
• +1/ Complaining that Anya was moaning Jonathan’s name during sex-
  Anya: Did not.
  Xander: Last night with me you said Jonathan.
  Anya: It was a moan!
  Xander: Fine! You moaned Jonathan!
  Anya: Not unh! It was like unnh-unnh-atha.
  Xander: Maybe it was ahh-onathan. Still not fluffing up the old ego.
  Riley: Quite the couple, aren’t they?
  Buffy: They get into a fistfight, I’ve got a fifty on Anya.
• +2/ Even after finding out Jonathan’s secret Xander still sides with Jonathan. He then manages to cast a spell by speaking some Latin in front of a spell book.

WILLOW- (+3)

• +1/ Her part in the post-nest attack dialogue (see Anya point 1).
• +1/ Building a Jonathan shrine with Tara.
• +1/ Figuring out Jonathan’s secret via research, Willow heads the research but still has trouble believing, even after saying it out loud.

GILES- (+2)

• +1/ Owning a Jonathan swimsuit calendar…I sort of lost a little respect for him there but it’s still funny.
• +1/ Helping to find out Jonathan’s secret.

SPIKE- (+2)

• +1/ Calling Buffy and the Scoobies a strangely funny name-
  ” I wasn’t exactly pining for a noisy visit from ‘wonder Jonathan and his fluffy battle kittens’.”
• +1/ Being quite seductive with Buffy the second time they meet, that’s until she has enough and starts to interrogate him.

ANYA- (+5)

• +1/ Her part in the post-nest attack-
  Xander: I think did great. We knocked em dead. Which they already were.
  Willow: We knocked ’em deader!
  Anya: They weren’t very well organized. If they had all rushed at Buffy they could have killed her right away.
  Buffy: Thanks Anya. That won’t keep me awake all night.
• +1/ Defending herself after Xander caught her allegedly moaning ‘Jonathan’ during sex (see Xander point 2).
• +2/ Having trouble being a good hostess when Buffy comes to visit. Anya is great fun in the scene and shows how great she is as a comedic element-
  Anya: Xander’s not here.
  Buffy: Oh.
  Anya: You’re not going away. Why aren’t you going away?
  Buffy: Oh I was kind of hoping to look at some of Xander’s stuff.
  Anya: Oh. (Smiles) Sure. Come on in. (Waves Buffy in.) Make yourself at home. And so on.
  Anya sits on the couch and starts reading Jonathan’s book. Buffy sees a poster of Jonathan, a Jonathan comic and lots of trading cards of Jonathan. Many pictures of Jonathan adorn the walls. After looking around Buffy sits on a table or couch arm near Anya.
  Anya: Oh you’re still here. (miles faintly) That’s nice.
  Buffy: May I ask you something? Does it every seem just a little strange that Jonathan is so good at everything?
  Anya: (shrugs) He’s Jonathan.
  She resumes reading the book. Buffy takes the book.
  Anya: Hey! I was just at the part where he invented the internet.
  Buffy: Anya he fights better than I do. And I’m the slayer. (Points to self) The Slayer! That’s supposed to mean something right?
  Anya: Oh! buck up you. (She punches Buffy in the arm very softly.) You kill the best. (She makes rah rah gestures.) Go you. Kill, kill.
  Buffy: Actually not needing validation right now, but thank you.
  Buffy: He just seems too perfect. (She looks at the book which is titled ‘Oh Jonathan’ an autobiography.) I don’t know.
  Anya: So I can have my book back?
  Buffy: Anya when you were a demon, you granted wishes right?
  Anya: Vengeance wishes on ex boyfriends. I’d wish he was a dog or ugly or in love with president McKinley or something.
  Buffy: But someone could wish the whole world to be different right? That’s possible?
  Anya: Sure, alternate realities. You could uh, could have like a world without shrimp. Or with, you know, nothing but shrimp. You could even make like a freaky world where Jonathan’s some kind of not perfect mouth breather if that’s what’s blowing up your skirt these days. Just don’t ask me to live there! Now if I, uh, could just have book back you could be on your way someplace else?
• +1/ Trying to help Buffy explain the alternate realities but ends up dwelling on the shrimp or lack of shrimp worlds (see Buffy point 5).

RILEY- (+2)

• +1/ Siding with Buffy after she proposes the crazy idea that Jonathan isn’t who he says he is. A sign of loyalty from him (see Buffy point 5).
• +1/ Feeling way too tall after being around Jonathan.

TARA- (+2)

• +1/ Building a Jonathan shrine with Willow.
• +1/ Managing to escape the floppy demon.

JONATHAN- (+8}

• +1/ Defeating Giles in chess by just looking at the board, he’s just too good.
• +1/ Being the strong and supportive one in the post-attack scene. He tries to reassure Buffy about her skills.
• +1/ Reassuring Buffy about Riley’s love and helping her on her way to forgiving him. At least this spell is providing some helpful bonuses (see Buffy point 4).
• +1/ Leading the Initiative briefing…the funny part is how small he is….it’s hilarious.
• +1/ Singing and playing trumpet at the Bronze.
• +2/ Helping Buffy defeat the demon, even at the cost of his paragon status, it’s fun to see him fight with the need to be important and the need to help Buffy.
• +1/ Feeling very sorry for what he did but still providing some advice for Buffy.

ADAM- (+1)

• +1/ Managing to pick up that a spell has been cast over reality, it’s good that the real villian is not fooled.

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +115
WILLOW- +82
XANDER- +70
SPIKE- +52
GILES- +49
RILEY- +38
ANYA- +31
OZ- +26
FAITH- +14
HARMONY- +11
TARA- +9
JONATHAN- +8
FORREST- +4
ANGEL- +4
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
ADAM- 0
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +422
WILLOW- +328
ANGEL- +297
XANDER- +272
GILES- +201 (6th to double century in 73 episodes).
SPIKE- +122
OZ- +118
JOYCE- +44
FAITH- +43
ANYA- +39
RILEY- +38
THE MAYOR- +36
JONATHAN- +12
HARMONY- +8
TARA- +9
FORREST- +4
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
ADAM- 0
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

For me this is a strange episode. It has a original plot with an interesting concept and there is some nice funny lines too, but I still find the episode a little too crazy and a little too far out of the bounds of a normal episode. Jonathan leads the episode and does a fairly decent job, his cool and calm demenour is a little off-putting and you always now that it’s a ruse so youy never really invest in him. Buffy is strong as usual and seeing her be unsure of herself is quite nice as well. The fact that her ability to lead is still strong enough to overcome a spell is a testament to her leadership skills. The demon involved isn’t all that convincing and the plot is a little silly and slow. Willow, Xander and Anya provide some nice humour which spices up the show but on the whole it’s a decent episode.

77/100

B416- Who Are You?

Written by: Joss Whedon
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar (as Buffy/Faith), Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, George Hertzberg, Leonard Roberts, Amber Benson & Eliza Dushku (as Faith/ Buffy).

Faith (in Buffy’s body) stands by Joyce while Buffy (in Faith’s body) is uncomfortable by this sudden affection. Afterwards, Faith goes upstairs to take a bath. She tries to get used to her new body, and practices phrases she thinks Buffy would say. Faith then crimps her hair, puts on sultry makeup, and gets dressed up in black leather. Soon after, she buys a plane ticket with Joyce’s credit card, and then goes out to meet the gang. Meanwhile, Willow and Tara confesses that she “belongs” to Willow.

An armored truck runs into the cop car carrying Buffy, and the leather-clad members of the Watchers Council jump out and capture Buffy. Giles soon informs the gang that the Watchers Council has sent a team to apprehend Faith and take her back to England. Faith is ecstatic at the news, and she celebrates by dancing with several men and women (concurrently) at the Bronze until she runs into Spike. Once she realizes who Spike is, Faith speaks to him seductively and teases him ruthlessly, telling him all the things she could do to his body; when it is obvious that Spike is confused, yet attracted to her, she concludes by telling him that she won’t do anything she could do to Spike “… because it’s wrong.” Frustrated and furious, Spike promises that as soon as he gets his chip out, they will have a confrontation. Faith, however, merely smirks at Spike’s threat, and walks away from him, and he storms out of the Bronze soon after.

Elsewhere, a vampire pack return to their nest to find Adam waiting for them. Adam talks to them, discussing things that vampires fear and concluding that vampires are a paradox; because they are immortal, they fear death at every corner even more than mortals do. Meanwhile, Buffy awakes to find herself chained in the back of a truck with the council members. She tries to convince them that her body has been switched with the other Slayer, but they are unfazed: she is merely a package for them to deliver. At the Bronze, Willow introduces Tara to Faith. When Willow goes to get drinks, Faith makes no effort to maintain Buffy’s persona and says several rude, harsh things to Tara. Willow returns and points out a vampire with a girl, which Faith reluctantly leaves to slay. When the girl thanks Faith for saving her, Faith is stunned by the girl’s gratitude.

One of the council members, Smith, enters the truck where Buffy is being held, and she attacks him. However, the other members, Collins and Weatherby, remain focused on the mission. At the Bronze, Tara explains to Willow that Buffy was not Buffy; Tara recognized the dark energy coming from the body, and knows that it is not Willow’s friend. As Willow and Tara prepare to perform a ritual to locate Buffy’s real energy, Faith visits Riley and seduces him in the guise of Buffy. At first, Faith is overly sexy and provocative; however, she is surprised to find that Riley is not interested in games, and that he wants to make love rather than just have sex. After they sleep together, Riley tells Faith that he loves her, which confuses and disturbs her own identity yet again. In the morning, she attempts to leave quickly from a sleeping Riley and catch her flight, but ends up having a confrontation with Forrest, who is concerned about her influence over his friend.

Adam speaks to the pack of vampires who have become his devout followers and tells them that he is aware of his purpose in life: to extinguish life wherever he finds it. He appoints them his harbingers and asks them what they fear more than anything else.

When the council members realize that they will not be able to get the dangerous Slayer to England, they decide to kill her instead. Buffy, however, is prepared; she uses Collins’s gun to break her chains and the lock on the door, and then moves to the driver’s seat and leaves with the armored truck.

Faith, meanwhile, now at the airport, prepares to leave town by obtaining a boarding pass for a plane. Buffy arrives at Giles’s place and struggles to convince him of the truth about the body swap. She reminds him about his stint as a demon, and about his sexual relationship with her mother, which sufficiently convinces him of her true identity. Willow and Tara arrive, having created a katra that will switch Buffy and Faith back the next time they make contact. After turning on the TV, they learn that the group of vampires are holding hostages at a church. At the airport, Faith sees this on TV and decides to visit the church as well. Riley arrives, wanting to help, but Faith reminds him of his injury and asks him to stay outside.

Faith challenges the vampires inside, and as the last one is hitting Faith, Buffy stakes him from behind. The two Slayers fight and Faith lets out her anger towards Buffy and herself. Buffy grabs Faith’s hand and the two switch back to their own bodies. The real Faith runs away and is gone without a trace. The next day, Buffy and Riley talk and Buffy realizes that Riley had sex with her while Faith was in her body, a revelation that deeply troubles them both. Faith leaves town in a cargo car of a train.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+5)

• +1/ Managing to escape the Watcher’s wetworks team, Buffy has to make her escape in a truck and since she’s a very bad driver, it turns out to be slightly funny.
• +3/ Coming to Giles for help, but since she’s in Faith’s body, she has to try to prove herself to him, it’s a brilliantly written scene and acted well-
  Buffy: Giles!
  Giles: God!
  Buffy: Don’t move. Ok, Giles, you have to listen to me very carefully. I’m not Faith.
  Giles: Really?
  Buffy: Really.
  Giles: Cause the resemblance is striking.
  Buffy: I know. Giles, you just have to…(Giles starts to move away) Stop inching. you were inching.
  Giles: Look, I-I know what you’re going to say, and-and uh…
  Buffy: I’m Buffy.
  Giles: All right, I didn’t know what you were going to say, but that doesn’t make you any less crazy.
  Buffy: Faith switched. I mean, she had some device. She switched our bodies. Giles, I swear it’s me.
  Giles: U-um, if-if you are Buffy, then, uh, then you’ll let me tie you up w-without killing me – until we find out whether you’re telling the truth.
  Buffy: Giles, Faith has taken my body, and for all I know, she’s taken it to Mexico by now. I-I don’t have time for bondage fun. Ask me a question. Ask me anything.
  Giles: Who’s president?
  Buffy: We’re checking for Buffy, not a concussion.
  Giles: Oh, yes, Alright. um…
  Buffy: Umph, Giles, you turned into a demon, and I knew it was you. I mean can’t you just look in my eyes and be all intuitive?
  Giles: How did I turn into a demon?
  Buffy: Oh, cause, uh, Ethan Rayne. And-and you have a girlfriend named Olivia, and you haven’t had a job since we blew up the school, which is valid lifestyle wise. I mean, it’s not like you’re a slacker type, but… Oh, oh! when I had psychic power, I heard my mom think that you were like a stevedore during sex. What? Do you want me to continue?
  Giles: Actually, I beg you to stop.
  Buffy: What’s a stevedore?
• +1/ Her big face off with Faith at the church, it’s strange because being in the different bodies they’re bodies have different fighting styles, Strangely, Faith in Buffy’s body get’s the upper hand until Buffy switches them back.

XANDER- (+1)

• +1/ A bit slow in taking offence to Faith’s insult of Xander’s sexual stamina (see Anya point 1).

WILLOW- (+3)

• +1/ Preferring to keep Tara to herself, which probably would have been a good idea.
• +1/ Recalling the pack after Tara picks that all isn’t right with Buffy.
• +1/ Performing the very sexual spell with Tara.

GILES- (+4)

• +3/ Having Buffy in Faith’s body come to him for help. he of course thinks he just has a killer in his house but she tries to prove that she is Buffy. Giles asks her some pretty silly questions but ends up being thoroughly embarassed by some of Buffy’s attempt’s at proving herself (see Buffy point 2).
• +1/ Causing a distraction at the church so that Buffy can enter, he’s hysterical ramblings are hilarious-
  “Damn it, man, we have to get inside. Our, um, uh uh families are in there. Our, um, mothers and-and tiny, tiny babies.”

SPIKE- (+2)

• +2/ Interacting with Faith who he thinks is Buffy, can’t help but think that this interaction ramped up Spike’s obsession quite a bit (see Faith point 3).

ANYA- (+1)

• +1/ Taking offence at Faith’s insult-
  Xander: We kind of have a romantic evening planned.
  Anya: We were gonna light a bunch of candles and have sex near them.
  Faith: Well, we certainly don’t want to cut into that seven minutes.
  Anya: Hey!
  Xander: I believe that’s my hey. Hey!

RILEY- (+2)

• +1/ Not taking to Faith’s overly sexual suggestions, Riley just wants Buffy to be Buffy which is nice.
• +1/ Saying ‘I love you’ to Faith who he thinks is Buffy, how very sad for him that he finally says something very important only to have Buffy not there.

TARA- (+3)

• +1/ Declaring herself Willow’s. Their relationship has hit a peak.
• +1/ Picking up that Buffy isn’t Buffy, and she hadn’t even met her yet. She is quite powerful.
• +1/ Performing a very sexual spell with Willow.

FAITH- (+8}

• +1/ Making a little joke about what will happen to Buffy in prison, a dead giveaway that it’s Faith-
  Joyce: I just don’t understand what could drive a person to that kind of behavior.
  Buffy: Well, how do you know she got drove? I mean, maybe she likes being that way.
  Joyce: I’ll never believe that. I think she’s horribly unhappy.
  Buffy: Well, could be things are looking up. I mean, a little stint in the pokey, show her the error of her ways. I’m sure there’s some big old Bertha just waiting to shower her ripe little self with affection.
• +2/ Trying out Buffy’s body in front of the mirror, a hilarious scene. The way she says “because it’s wrong” is brilliant.
• +2/ Her interaction with Spike, thoroughly entertaining and wonderfully powerful-
  Spike: What, are you keeping tabs on me? You’re gonna give me a hard time now?
  Faith: Um, do I usually give you a hard time?
  Spike: Very funny. Well, you don’t have to worry about me drinking. Unless you’re here to protect innocent beers. (He holds up a bottle.)
  Spike walks away a little and Faith follows.
  Faith: You’re a vampire.
  Spike: Was. And as soon as I get this chip out of my head, I’ll be a vampire again. But until then, I’m just as helpless as a kitten up a tree. So why don’t you sod off?
  Faith: Ok.
  Spike: (angry) Oh, fine! Throw it in my face! Spike’s not a threat anymore. I’ll turn my back. He can’t hurt me.
  Faith: Spike? (Gets it.) Spike. William the Bloody with a chip in his head. I kind of love this town.
  Spike: You know why I really hate you, Summers?
  Faith: ‘Cause I’m a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun?
  Spike: Well, yeah, that covers a lot of it.
  Faith: Cause I could do anything I want, and instead, I choose to pout and whine and feel the burden of slayerness? I mean, I could be rich, I could be famous, I could have anything. Anyone. (Faith moves closer and puts her hands on Spike’s chest.) Even you, Spike. I could ride you at a gallop until your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I’ve got muscles you’ve never even dreamed of. I could squeeze you until you popped like warm champagne, and you’d beg me to hurt you just a little bit more. And you know why I don’t? (She moves closer and looks up at him pursing her lips.) Because it’s wrong.
  She moves off.
  Spike: I get this chip out, you and me are gonna have a confrontation.
  Faith: Count on it.
• -1/ Being mean to Tara.
• +1/ Saving a girl from a vamp, the start of Faith’s redemption. When the girl thanks her, you see Faith feel differently. She trully feels the the thanks of a person instead of being in Buffy’s shadow. That feeling is what will bring her back to the church later.
• +1/ Having sex with Riley. Not only does Faith take Buffy’s boyfriendbut she gets the moment when he says ‘ I love you’, a double whammy.
• +1/ Coming back to the church to stop Adam’s vamps.
• +1/ Fighting it out with Buffy, she actually gets the upper hand because she was beating up herself. A very powerful scene.

ADAM – (+1)

• +1/ Discussing vampire’s, I liked it-
  Adam: I’ve been thinking. About vampires.
  Vampire: This is my place.
  Adam: You’re place. Yes. The sewers. You hide from them, Crawl about in their filth. Scavenging like rats. What do you fear?
  Vampire: Kill this guy already. [One vampire charges Adam and Adam grabs it by the throat and holds it.]
  Adam: You fear the cross. The sun. Fire. And, oh, yes…
  Adam puts his other hand on the vampire’s shoulder and he lifts the vampire’s head from its shoulders. The body falls and he drops the head on it and they turn to dust.
  Adam: I believe decapitation is a problem as well.
  Vampire: You can have the place. I mean, we don’t have to stay here anymore.
  Adam: You fear death. Being immortal, you fear it more than those to whom it comes naturally. Vampires are a paradox.
  Vampire: Ok, we’re a paradox. That’s cool.
  Adam: Demon in a human body. You walk in both worlds and belong to neither. I can relate.

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +108
WILLOW- +79
XANDER- +66
SPIKE- +50
GILES- +47
RILEY- +36
OZ- +26
ANYA- +26
FAITH- +14
HARMONY- +11
TARA- +7
FORREST- +4
ANGEL- +4
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
ADAM- -1
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +415
WILLOW- +325
ANGEL- +297
XANDER- +268
GILES- +199
SPIKE- +120
OZ- +118
JOYCE- +44
FAITH- +43
THE MAYOR- +36
RILEY- +36
ANYA- +34
HARMONY- +8
TARA- +7
FORREST- +4
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
ADAM- -1
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

What a fantastic episode. I love that what seems like a gimmick episode, switching Buffy and Faith’s body, turns out to be incredibly powerful and important for the character’s of Faith and Buffy. This episode is especially important for Faith because it begins her road to redemption. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Faith for the majority of the episode and does a brilliant job of portraying her character, Eliza Dushku is also superb as Buffy. The acting is surprisingly subtle with certain things being mimiced or carried between characters. The concept of having Faith live in Buffy’s shoes for a day is the main idea of the episode and is an incredibly good idea. Having Faith get the friends, the family, the loving boyfriend and the thanks of a saved victim is more than she can handle. Faith realises how good Buffy’s life is and I think she desires what she has. Importantly, Faith also gets the chance to see herself from the outside and take her guilt out on the evil person she sees herself as. While much of the episode deals with Faith in Buffy’s world, many other things are shown. Willow and Tara’s relationship has gotten to the point that Will introduces Tara to Buffy (or in this case Faith), Spike gets a in-person meeting of the now very sexual Buffy and Giles and the real Buffy have a very nice interaction where Buffy tries to prove her identity. The episode is written flawlessly, as it would be considering it’s a Whedon penned script and the acting is all top shelf. On the whole, one of the best episodes of this season and a standout in Faith’s story arc.

96.5/100

B415- This Year’s Girl

Written by: Douglas Petrie.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Kristine Sutherland, George Hertzberg, Leonard Roberts, Bailey Chase, Amber Benson, Harry Groener & Eliza Dushku.

In a dream, Buffy and Faith put clean sheets on a bed, until suddenly Faith’s blood begins to drip onto the white sheets. Buffy twists a knife in Faith’s stomach. Xander is checking out the Blaster gun from the Initiative, but he doesn’t have the knowledge to fix it. Giles is concerned about Buffy because she’s been patrolling non-stop for days without finding Adam. Buffy is worried about Riley because she still hasn’t seen him. Xander accidentally shocks himself with the Blaster, but no one notices. Riley wakes up and tries to leave the hospital but Forrest and Graham try to talk him out of it. On patrol, Buffy, Willow and Xander find a demon strung up on a tree opened up like a dissection experiment. Buffy explains her plans for getting Riley out, but it turns out it’s not necessary as he has gotten away from the hospital and is there in Xander’s basement with them.

At the hospital, Faith, still in a coma, is dreaming she is having a picnic with the Mayor. The dream becomes a nightmare when Buffy arrives, slits the Mayor’s throat, then chases Faith into an open grave. As Faith climbs out of the grave in her dream, she awakens from her coma. Pulling free of the tubes in her body, Faith walks out into the hospital halls and encounters a girl. She thinks it’s still the day of Graduation, but the girl informs her of the date and that the Mayor died at the graduation ceremony. Faith leaves the hospital in the girl’s clothes. Riley and Buffy talk about their jobs working to fight the forces of evil. Buffy tells him he has a choice in what he does with his life. At the hospital, a detective talks with members of the hospital staff. They find a girl, beaten up and stripped, but no Faith. A nurse makes a call, asking for a team to be sent out.

Faith walks around Sunnydale looking at all the things that have changed, ending up outside Giles’ house eavesdropping on the Scooby Gang’s plans to attack Adam. A phone call informs Buffy that Faith is awake and on the loose. They talk about how they’re going to deal with her, but conclude that they’ll have to see what condition she is in first. On campus Buffy and Willow run into Faith. The two Slayers talk about what happened and fight briefly before the cops arrive and Faith runs.

Willow brings Tara along with her to search for Faith. Xander and Giles go searching the streets for Faith and Adam but instead encounter Spike. He’s not willing to help them, but instead help Faith find and kill them all. A helicopter lands, three men carrying briefcases exit and after conversing with the nurse, they go into the hospital. Faith is approached by a demon that tries to give her a gift, but she kills him and runs off with the box. She breaks into a multi-media store to watch a video tape of the Mayor on one of the VCRs and then opens a box from him that contains a special gift.

Buffy and Riley talk about Faith; Buffy doesn’t mention that she stabbed Faith to save Angel. Faith arrives at Buffy’s house and punches out Joyce. Keeping Joyce her captive, Faith doesn’t think Buffy will arrive, but is surprised when Buffy flies through the window. The Slayers have a fight that travels through almost every room of the house while Joyce calls the police.

Giles finds the lights don’t work at his apartment but a lamp turns on and the three men with briefcases are there. One of them says “Hello Rupert”, and then both Giles and the audience know they are from the council.

Faith puts the gift from the Mayor on her hand and grabs Buffy’s hand. A light flows through them and Buffy punches Faith. Buffy smashes the metal contraption from the Mayor and when Joyce asks her if she’s okay, Buffy responds, “Five by five.”

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+7)

• +1/ Rallying Xander & Willow for battle with Adam so they can rescue the wounded Riley, only for him to turn up at Xander’s place, much to the delight of Buffy.
• +2/ Taking care of Riley who’s hit a crossroads in his life. Buffy represents the side of rebellion and freedom and she champions it very well. She’s also quite cute during the scene-
  Buffy: You seem a little…somewhere else. Is there anything I can do?
  Riley: Give me an order. That’s what I do isn’t it? Follow orders.
  Buffy: You don’t have to. Riley: Don’t I? All my life that’s what I’ve been groomed to do. They say jump, I ask “How high?”, I get the job done. Just don’t know if it’s the right job anymore.
  Buffy: I know how you feel. Giles used to be part of this Council. And for years all they ever did was give me orders.
  Riley: Ever obey them?
  Buffy: Sure. The ones I was going to do anyway. The point is, I quit the Council. And I was scared. But it’s okay now.
  Riley: Now, see, that’s where you and I are different. I just suck at the whole gray area thing.
  Buffy: It’s a choice. Go back in there and make some changes from the inside. Or you can quit the team, fight demons in your own way.
  Riley: You make it sound so simple. I don’t even know what my way is.
  Buffy: Well, it’s time to find out.
• +1/ Discussing the return of Faith. Buffy is fairly nervous but confident. I like that she thinks that maybe Faith is sorry and crying alone somewhere, doesn’t seem to be the Faith way to me-
  Buffy: It’s Faith. She’s awake. (All look surprised) She beat someone up, took her clothing and disappeared out of the hospital. No-one knows where she is.
  Xander: I’d say this qualifies for a “Worst Timing Ever” award.
  Willow: What do we do?
  Giles: Well, we have to find her.
  Willow: What about Adam?
  Xander: I’d hate to see the pursuit of a homicidal lunatic get in the way of persuing a homicidal lunatic.
  Buffy: Well, Faith’s not exactly low-profile girl. I’ll patrol and wait for her to make a move.
  Giles: But then what?
  Willow: Oooh! I have an idea! Beat the crap out of her!
  Xander: Good plan.
  Buffy: Good on paper. But we still have a decision to make. Do we hand her over to the cops? They wouldn’t know what to do with a Slayer even if they knew we existed. Willow: What about the Council?
  Xander: Been there. Tried that. Not unlike smothering a forest fire with napalm as I recall.
  Giles: Well, the Initiative, they do have containment facilities.
  Xander: One word: Evil.
  Buffy: There’s no way around it. Faith is back, and whether I like it or not, she’s my responsibility.
  Willow: Yeah, too bad. That was the funnest coma ever.
  Buffy: We have no idea where she is. We don’t know what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling…
  Xander: Who she’s doing.
  Buffy: She could be terrified. Maybe she doesn’t even remember. Or maybe she does and she’s sorry and she’s alone hiding somewhere.
  Giles: Well, perhaps there’s some form of rehabilitation we just haven’t thought about.
  Willow: And if not, ass-kicking makes a solid plan B.
  Buffy: I’m not going to rule it out. First thing, we need to find her. Then we can take it from there.
  Riley: Who’s Faith?
• +1/ Running into Faith. They have a little battle then she chases off the campus. Buffy tries to remain cordial, in a way, but Faith isn’t up for peace and prefers to pick up where they left off(see Faith point 2).
• +2/ Coming to her mother’s rescue and having a big fight with Faith in the Summer’s house, it’s a pretty nice fight too.

XANDER- (+5)

• +2/ Trying to fix an initiative blaster. He has some nice lines and ends up getting zapped, which remains oblivious to the other Scoobies. I love that Xander looks for sympathy after his zapping but since they didn’t notice he just goes back to work-
  Xander looking at blaster.
  Xander: So, here it is. The latest in state-of-the-art combat technology. I gotta say, it doesn’t look that complicated.
  Buffy: So can you repair it?
  Xander: Sure. As soon as I get my master’s degree in advanced starship technology. (Slams down blaster.)
  Willow: Well, why don’t we experiment? Press some buttons, see what happens.
  Giles: I’d like to veto that.
  Xander: Second. It’s called a blaster, Will, a word that tends to discourage experimentation. Now, if it were called ‘the Orgasminator’, I’d be the first to try your basic button press approach.
  Buffy: Just tell me. Can you repair it or not?
  Xander: I’m working on it, I’m working on it. (Continues to work on it)But if I blow a whole in my mom’s exterior patch then the neighbours will not be pleased.
• +1/ Having a couple of nice lines during Buffy’s rescue planning scene-
  Xander: Question: Will hiding in a cabin with stockpiled chocolate goods be any part of this plan?
  Buffy: No.
  Xander: (To Willow) Told you.
• +1/ Discussing Faith with the Scoobies, Xander has some nice lines, some which reference him specifically (see Buffy point 3).
• +1/ Asking Spike for information on Faith which actually just gave an enemy ammunition against them (see Spike point 1).

WILLOW- (+6)

• +1/ Discussing Initiative and Riley’s rescue with the other Scoobies, there’s a nice little scene where Riley apologises for his behaviour, specifically to Willow who takes it in stride.
• +2/ The big Faith discussion, Willow has many fantastic lines, many which stem of her hatred of Faith (see Buffy point 3).
• +1/ Running into Faith at college, Willow prepares to help Buffy during the battle by distracting Faith but Faith doesn’t fall for it.
• +2/ Discussing the Faith situation with Tara. Willow is quite funny and like before, her hatred for Faith is apparent-
  Willow: Thanks for coming with. Hunting for a psychopathic superbitch is definitely in the above and beyond category.
  Tara: It’s okay, really. So, what do we do if we find her?
  Willow: Run, flee, maybe skedadlle. We’re not here to engage. This is strictly recon.
  Tara smiles.
  Willow: What?
  Tara: You said “recon”. You’re like “Cool Monster Fighter”!
  Willow: Well, technically, Faith isn’t a monster. And as far as fighting, I’d be lucky to bruise her fist with my face.
  Tara: Oh.
  Willow: What?
  Tara: Face-punching, I’m not so good with the whole..(Imitates throwing punches rather badly)
  Willow: Swimming?
  Tara: Violence.
  Willow: Don’t worry, we’re sure to spot Faith first. She’s like this cleavagy slut-bomb walking around “Ooh, check me out, I’m wicked-cool, I’m five-by-five.”
  Tara: Five-by-five? Five what by five what?
  Willow: See, that’s the thing. No-one knows. Buffy can handle Faith and you’re plenty safe with me.
  Tara: So, um…….we recon till nightfall?
  Willow: Then the ritual hiding begins.

GILES- (+1)

• +1/ Trying to get information from Spike, which actually ends up backfiring (see Spike point 1).

SPIKE- (+1)

• +1/ Finding out about Faith from Xander & Giles, Spike then decides to use this information to help Faith out-
  Giles: What are you doing here?
  Spike: Me? Hey, I’m not the one out of place here.
  Xander: For your information, smarty, we’ve got a rogue Slayer on our hands. Real psycho-killer too.
  Spike: Sounds serious.
  Giles: It is. What do you know?
  Spike: What do you need?
  Xander: Her. Dark hair. Yay (Indicates height) tall, name of Faith, criminally insane.
  Giles: Have you seen her?
  Spike: Is this bird after you?
  Xander: In a bad way, yeah.
  Spike: Tell you what I’ll do then. I’ll head out, find this girl, tell her exactly where you are and then watch as she kills you. (Sees their looks of surprise and irriatation.) Can’t any one of your damn little Scooby club at least try to remember that I hate you all? Just because I can’t do the damage myself doesn’t stop me from aiming a loose cannon your way. And here I thought the evening be dull.
  Xander: Go ahead. You wouldn’t even recognise her.
  Spike: Dark hair, this tall (Indicates), name of Faith, criminally insane. Like this girl already.
  Xander and Giles watch him leave.
  Xander: We’re dumb.

RILEY- (+3)

• +1/ Meeting up with the Scoobies, he’s happy to see Buffy and apologises to Willow for hurting her recently.
• +1/ Discussing what he should do with Buffy. Riley ha shit a crossroads. On one side is his duty, honour and all the things his worked for years and on the other side lies Buffy and a sense of doing what’s right. It’s nice that he’s being torn between duty and love and you can guess which will win out.
• +1/ Wanting to know more about Faith, Buffy isn’t very talkative though.

TARA- (+2)

• +2/ Being prepared for battling with Faith by Willow, it’s a nice scene and Tara miming punching is hilarious (see Willow point 4).

THE MAYOR- (+3)

• +1/ It’s so good seeing the Mayor again. His little picnic dream sequence with Faith is nice and comforting and reminds us of the relationship he and Faith had.
• +2/ His video recording to Faith. Not only is it full of hilarious Mayor-goodness, it tinged with the love he had for her and the pain he was feeling when he recorded it, one of the highlights of the episode-
  ” Hello Faith. If you’re watching this tape, it can only mean one thing. I’m dead. And our noble campaign to bring order to the town of Sunnydale has failed. Utterly and completely. But on the other hand, heck, maybe we won. And right now, I’m on some jumbo monitor in the Richard Wilkins surrounded by a bunch of kids sitting Indian style and looking up at my face filled with fear and wonder. (Laughs) “Hi kids!” (Faith smiles) But the realist in me tends to doubt it. Now, Faith, as I record this message you’re sleeping. And the doctors tell me you might never wake up. I don’t believe that. Sooner or later you will wake up, and when you do, you’ll find the world has gone and changed on you. I wish I could make the world a better place for you to wake up in. But, tough as it is to accept, we both have to understand that even my power to protect and watch over you has it’s limits. See, the hard pill to swallow is that once I’m gone, your days are just plain numbered. Now, I know, you’re a smart and capable young woman in charge of her own life, but the problem, Faith, is that there won’t be a place in the world for you anymore. By now I bet you’re feeling very much alone. But you’re never alone. You’ll always have me.”

FAITH- (+6)

• +1/ She’s back! And starts off by beating up a nice girl.
• +1/ Meeting up with Buffy and Willow raring for a fight. But instead, she talks about Buffy and talks some sense-
  Buffy: I’ve been looking for you.
  Faith: I’ve been standing still for eight months, B. How hard did you look?
  Buffy: Are you alright?
  Faith: Five-by-five. It’s that thing about a coma. Wake up all rested and rejuvinated. And ready for payback.
  Buffy: So much for pleasantries, huh?
  Faith: What did you think, I’d wake up and we’d go for tea? You tried to gut me, blondie.
  Buffy: You’d have done the same to me if you’d had the chance.
  Faith: Lets have another go at it. See who ends on top.
  Buffy: It doesn’t have to be like this, y’know.
  Faith: Actually, I think it has to be exactly like this.
  Buffy: Faith, these are innocent people.
  Faith: No such animal.
  Buffy: I guess it was too much to hope that you’d use your downtime to reflect and grow.
  Faith: I could say the same about you. I mean, you’re still the same better-than-thou Buffy. I mean, I knew it somehow. I kept having this dream, I’m not sure what it means, but in the dream the self-righteous blond chick stabs me, and you wanna know why?
  Buffy: You had it coming.
  Faith: That’s one interpretation, but in my dream, she does it for a guy.
  Willow comes towards Faith from behind her, wielding the bag.
  Faith: (To Willow) Try it red, and you’ll lose an arm. (Back to Buffy) I wake up to find the blond chick isn’t even dating the guy she was so nuts about before. I mean, she’s moved on to the first college beefstick she meets. Not only has she forgotten about the love of her life, but she’s forgotten about the chick she nearly killed for him. So that’s my dream. That and some stuff about cigars and a tunnel. But tell me, college girl, what does it mean?
  Buffy: To me? Mostly, that you still mouth off about things you don’t understand.
• +2/ Having some one-on-one time with Joyce, they have a nice little conversation-
  Faith: OK. (Finishes with hair) How do I look? (Poses)
  Joyce: Psychotic.
  Faith: Mmmmmmm. I was shooting for sultry, but hey. Bet I know what you’re thinking.
  Joyce: Really.
  Faith: You’re thinking “You’ll never get away with this!” Moi?
  Joyce: Actually I was thinking “My daughter is going to kill you soon.”
  Faith: That a fact?
  Joyce: More like a bet.
  Faith: Whoa. You got a pair on you, Joyce, I like seeing that in a woman your age. Guess you can afford to talk that way. I mean, in the world according to Joyce, Buffy is gonna come crashing through that door any minute. But, look what I found. (Goes over and picks up some letters, comes over to Joyce. Reads adresses.) Buffy Summers, Buffy Summers, Buffy Summers, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Lotta letters. She hasn’t been by in a while, huh? And you’d think, with a crazy chick like me on the loose, crazy chick with a wicked grudge against her no less, she’d call, give you a heads up. But Buffy’s too into her own deal to remember dear old mom.
  Joyce: You don’t know the first thing about Buffy. Or me.
  Faith: Don’t I? I know what it’s like. You think you matter, you think you’re a part of something and you get dumped. It’s like the whole world is moving and you’re stuck. It’s like those animals in the tar pits. It’s like you just keep sinking a little deeper everyday and no-one even sees.
  Joyce: Were you planning to slit my throat any time soon?
  Faith: Don’t tell me you don’t see it Joyce. You’ve served you purpose, squirted out the kids, raised her up, and now you might as well be dead. Nobody cares, nobody remembers, especially not Buffy fabulous superhero. Sooner or later you’re going to have to face it. She was over us a long time ago Joyce. Too busy climbing onto her new boytoy to give a single though to the people that matter. I mean, you’re her mother, and she just leaves you hear to die. (Grabs knife)
  Buffy crashes in through the window and punches Faith.
  Buffy: Hi Mom.
  Joyce: Hi honey.
• +2/ Her big fight with Buffy, in which Faith manages to pull off the Mayor’s trick.

JOYCE- (+2)

• +2/ Being a hostage of Faith’s, Joyce does a very good job of standing up to the slightly insane Faith and doesn’t back down or even look scared. Joyce has come a long way (see Faith point 3).

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +103
WILLOW- +76
XANDER- +65
SPIKE- +48
GILES- +43
RILEY- +34
OZ- +26
ANYA- +25
HARMONY- +11
FAITH- +6
FORREST- +4
ANGEL- +4
TARA- +4
THE MAYOR- +3
JOYCE- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
WILLY- +1
ADAM- -2
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +410
WILLOW- +322
ANGEL- +297
XANDER- +267
GILES- +195
OZ- +118
SPIKE- +118
JOYCE- +44
THE MAYOR- +36
FAITH- +35
RILEY- +34
ANYA- +33
HARMONY- +8
FORREST- +4
TARA- +4
WILLY- +3
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
ADAM- -2
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

A fantastically solid episode. The re-introducion of Faith makes this episode instantly memorable and vital in the arc of the Buffyverse. Faith is a fantastic character and goes brilliantly with Buffy as the opposite version of our good Slayer. This episode is just the start of what becomes a powerful four episode arc that spends as much time on Angel as it does Buffy. The plot of the episode is very solid with nice pacing and some very good scenes with few down points. Strangely enough for a Buffy episode, a lot of the screen time is taken up with Faith who is the villain of the episode and I think this works because of how interesting Faith is. Her scenes with Buffy and Joyce are great and provide of the many highlights of this episode. Buffy is also very strong but blends in with the other good performances by Xander & Willow. Smaller character’s also had solid performances, Joyce does well with Faith, Tara is surprisingly funny and the Mayor’s recording to Faith is brilliant. If anything, some more Spike would have been nice but he doesn’t really fit in the Faith timeline so no big problem. The writing is incredibly sharp and tight and full of great lines that are spread around the characters. Overall, a brilliant episode, but pales in comparison to what comes next.

91.5/100

B414- Goodbye Iowa

Written by: Marti Noxon.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters, Marc Blucas, Emma Caulfield, George Hertzberg, Leonard Roberts, Bailey Chase, Amber Benson & Saverio Guerra.

Buffy fills the gang in on everything that’s gone on since she started to work with the Initiative, and they question whether Riley was involved in the death mission on which Maggie sent Buffy. Buffy arms the group with weapons and makes plans to hide out in Xander’s basement. Riley shows up at Giles’ place asking Buffy for information, and becomes upset when he recognizes Spike as Hostile 17. Riley does not want to accept what the rest of them are saying about Professor Walsh and the Initiative.

Leaving Dr. Walsh’s body, Adam escapes the Initiative through a vent. He approaches a young boy playing in the park and questions him about his nature. Dr. Angleman slips in a pool of blood as he enters room 314 and finds Professor Walsh stabbed to death. When Riley and Forrest see Walsh’s body, Forrest accuses Buffy of staking Maggie.

Giles is grumpy when he wakes up in Xander’s basement the next morning. The girls are watching cartoons when a news story comes on about a young boy who has been killed and mutilated. Believing it to be the Polgara demon captured in the previous episode, Buffy goes after it. Riley – against Dr. Angleman’s orders – also instructs the commandos to search for the Polgara demon; he and Buffy both end up at the park where the boy was killed. While Buffy tries to apologize to Riley, Riley informs her that Walsh is dead and asks if Buffy is happy about that.

Willow goes to Tara’s dorm room, planning to find the Polgara using a spell that shows nearby demonic activity. However, Tara secretly sabotages the spell and it fails to work. Meanwhile at Willy’s bar, Spike is badly beaten by demons for associating with the Slayer. They tell him if he is seen around again, they will kill him.

Buffy searches for information at Willy’s but Riley also shows up, very angry. He is shaking and sweating and scratching his hand so badly that it bleeds, as he questions Buffy’s intentions and pulls a gun on an innocent woman. Buffy consoles Riley as she sees that he is sick and only getting sicker, leaving him at Xander’s to rest. When Riley wakes up, Willow tries to stop him from going after Buffy but he pushes her to the ground and runs.

Disguised as a scientist, Buffy gets herself and Xander – dressed in fatigues – into the Initiative. They overhear Dr. Angleman talking to another scientist about their commandos having withdrawals from the drugs they had been secretly putting in their meals. Buffy grabs Dr. Angleman, demanding information about 314. Riley arrives to help Buffy, still unwilling to accept Professor Walsh’s sinister motives. Adam drops a dead body to the floor, revealing his presence. Adam is searching for answers about the world, and has returned to the Initiative so he can get answers about himself and who he is. He has a disk drive in his chest and when he inserts a disk labelled “Adam” he offers information that reveals that he is part human, demon and machine. He explains that even though Riley had a real mother, Maggie was also his mother as she shaped and built him into a human machine for the Initiative. Adam kills Dr. Angleman and injures Riley before escaping again. The other commandos enter and take Riley away. The next day, Buffy talks to Willow about how Adam is out there and very dangerous. At the hospital, Riley lays in bed holding a scarf Buffy gave him earlier. Even though Buffy cannot see him, he has part of her to hold on to.

From: Wikipedia

BUFFY- (+6)

• +1/ Trying to work out a place for the Sccobies to hide from the Initiative which then leads to Buffy having to explain things to Riley when he should be explaining things to her.
• +1/ Discussing Riley’s lack of normalness with Anya and Willow, I love her little tra-la-la line-
  Buffy: I don’t know.  It just seems like things could get heavier. His whole world’s falling apart.
  Anya: And after everything you’ve been through with Angel.  You really should get yourself a boring boyfriend.  Like Xander.  You can’t have Xander!
  Buffy: That was the idea.  Riley was supposed to be Mr. Joe Guy. We were going to do dumb things like hold hands through the daises going tra-la-la.
  Willow: Poor Buffy.  Your life resists all things average.
  Anya: So dump him.  But you can’t have Xander!
  Buffy: I’ll try and remember that.  It’s too late anyway – I’m already at the I hurt when he hurts, I smile when he smiles stage.
  Anya: I hate that part.
• +1/ Trying to be commanding in front of the Scoobies only to have her yummy sushi pajamas ruin it for her.
• +1/ Interrogating Willy the snitch, I miss their interactions and unfortunatley, this was the last one (see Willy point 1).
• +1/ Taking care of a severely withdrawing Riley. She has some nice mother-like qualities which are nice to see compared to her Slayer-qualities.
• +1/ Breaking into the Initiative with Xander by dressing up as a scientist and a soldier. Xander than suggests that they kiss so they can hide, Buffy immediately rejects him (see Xander point 3).

XANDER- (+3)

• +1/ Liking the idea of hosting the Scoobies in his basement.
• +1/ Seeing the Initiative and having this to say-
  “I totally get it now.  Can I have sex with Riley too?”
• +1/ Infiltrating the Initiative by dressing up as members of the Initiative. Xander then nearly stuffs it up by trying to kiss Buffy in a effort to not attract attention-
  Xander: Quick pretend to make out with me.
  Buffy: Wait, what are you talking about?
  Xander: Well I uh, you know.  In the movies the guy and the girl have to hide.
  Buffy: Please, could you possibly draw more attention to us.
  The two guys Xander saw coming up the stairs pass them as Buffy looks at her clipboard.
  Buffy: This is the Initiative Xander.  Military guys and scientists do not make out with each other.
  Xander: Well maybe that’s wrong with the world. Ever think about that?

WILLOW- (+1)

• +1/ Will has a few nice lines in the scene where they discuss hiding and Riley.

GILES- (+1)

• +1/ Not wanting to leave his apartment to go into hiding since he believe’s the Initiative doesn’t know his place, just as Riley walks in.

SPIKE- (+1)

• +1/ At first trying to hide his identity to Riley with that bad southern accent then just giving in, I love his thumbs up to Riley when he asks if he’s trying to kill Buffy-
  Riley: That’s hostile 17.
  Spike: No, I’m just a friend of Xaannderr’s. Pfftt.
  Spike drops his drawl.
  Spike: Bugger it.  I’m your guy.
  Buffy: This is Spike. He’s um.. It’s a really long story b-but he’s not bad anymore.
  Spike jumps up.
  Spike: Hey! What am I, a bleeding broken record? I’m bad it’s just I can’t bite anymore.  Thanks to you wankers.
  Riley: We’ve been looking all over the place for him – but you’ve known where’s he’s been all along.
  Buffy: It’s not like that.
  Riley: Then what is it like?.. What’s he doing here?
  Spike: Leaving you swabs to your dramatics, thanks. I’ve got my stories on the telly for that.
  Spike puts on his black leather coat.
  Spike: By the by.  If you’re trying to kill her.
  Spike leans back with a big grin and two thumbs up.

ANYA- (+3)

• +1/ Feigning happiness when Xander’s place is suggested as a hiding place.
• +1/ Telling Buffy that she can’t have Xander when they discuss Buffy’s want of a Joe-Normal (see Buffy point 2).
• +1/ Not wanting Xander to go help Buffy, hialriously cute-
  Xander: So what’s the plan?
  Buffy: Giles, Anya keep researching.  Xander, you and I are going undercover.
  Anya: Hey!  Remember before.  No Xander!  Not in a boyfriend way or a lead him to a certain death way.
  Buffy: He’s the only one with military experience.
  Anya: It’s not like he was in the ‘Nam.  He was GI Joe for one night.
  Xander: It’s ok Anya.  I’ve backed up Buffy before.
  Anya: Can’t you do something else to help them?  Like… Xerox handouts or something?

RILEY- (-2)

• -1/ Accusing Buffy of being a bad guy, that is not nice, but I suppose his world has just been flipped upside down.
• -1/ Hurting Willow, that is always a point off in my books.

TARA- (-1)

• -1/ Sabotaging a spell she was doing with Willow, not a nice thing to do but she has her reasons.

ADAM- (-1)

• -2/ Killing a nice kid, very, very evil and bad.
• +1/ His explanation of himself to Buffy and Riley, not a bad little speech.

FORREST- (-1)

• -1/ Assuming that Buffy killed Prof. Walsh. He’s pretty quick to jump to conclusions.

WILLY- (+1)

• +1/ Being interrogated by Buffy, they’ve got quite a good repore now, too bad this is the last time we’ll see him-
  Willy: You’re killing me here.
  Buffy: Oh missed you too.  Joint’s jumping.
  Willy: Yeah ya know.  I’m making some changes with my life.  Gettingaway from my old image.
  Buffy: You mean as a double dealing snitch.
  Willy: Uh Hunh.  I know you’re going think I’m blowing smoke, but after those Apocalypse demons nearly did me in I had an experience of
  the spiritual variety.
  Buffy: That’s swell really.  But I need to know if you’ve heard anything about a Polgara demon doing some killings in the last few days.
  Willy: You see that’s the thing.  I don’t talk behind people’s backs no more.  And I’m bringing some class to the joint, ya know.  It’s Willy’s Place now, see.  Brings in a better clientele.  I got one of those deep fryers.  These demons just go crazy for chicken fingers. Look – if they see me dealing with you then I’m just the same old Willy working both sides of the street.
  Buffy: I’m going to have to punch you aren’t I?
  Willy: Just once and it don’t have to hurt, just make it look good.
  Buffy cocks her arm.
  Willy: Ohhh.  Oww.
  Buffy: Not yet.  I haven’t touched you.
  Willy: Sorry right, right, g-go ahead.  Wait. (loudly) No! I can’t talk to you!
  Buffy punches him.  She doesn’t seem to have held back.  Willy grabs his nose.
  Willy: Ohhh! Owwww!

SEASON COUNT-

BUFFY- +96
WILLOW- +70
XANDER- +60
SPIKE- +47
GILES- +42
RILEY- +31
OZ- +26
ANYA- +25
HARMONY- +11
FORREST- +4
ANGEL- +4
TARA- +2
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +2
JOYCE- +1
WILLY- +1
ADAM- -2
PARKER- –2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

OVERALL COUNT-

BUFFY- +403 (1st to 400 in 72 episodes).
WILLOW- +316
ANGEL- +297
XANDER- +262
GILES- +194
OZ- +118
SPIKE- +117
JOYCE- +42
ANYA- +33
RILEY- +31
HARMONY- +8
FORREST- +4
WILLY- +3
TARA- +2
GRAHAM- +2
ETHAN RAYNE- +1
ADAM- -2
PARKER- -2
PROFESSOR WALSH- -4

EPISODE THOUGHTS-

Much like last episode, Goodbye Iowa is decent but not great with few stand-out scenes or characters. Buffy leads the best and has some nice funny moments and a couple of emotional ones with Riley. Everyone else is pretty quiet, Xander has some nice lines as well as Anya but that’s about it. Riley has one of his worst episodes as he has trouble delaing with his now upsidedown world. Adam is given more screen time and makes himself more known but isn’t all together that great. One thing I did like was the last appearance of Willy, I’ve always liked him and enjoyed his humour so it was nice to see him and Buffy one last time. Plot-wise, things are a bit slow and not all together that interesting so on the whole I’ll have to give the episode a low grade.

64/100