BUFFY REVIEWS: SEASON FIVE

[Dalton]

This thread contains the ScoopMe Reviews for the Fifth Season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
9/27/2000

“To each generation a Slayer is born.”

So Giles, where do slayers come from?

Buffy is entering her fifth year as a practicing Slayer. It’s about the appropriate time for her curiosity to be piqued. She spent her early years finding her footing; figuring out how to put one stake in front of the other. After a couple years on the prowl and a few scary bouts with death, Buffy is now ready to research her roots. But a question comes to mind: are slayers born or made? What about Buffy is innate and what is her own free will? These and many more questions arise in the season premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

When last we saw a non-rerun, our favorite freshman and friends were enjoying not-so-sweet dreams and preparing for summer fun. It’s now another autumn in Sunnydale. With the departure of the Initiative, the town has room for a few new residents. Furthermore, that lovely castle on top of “Are You Shitting Me Hill” just went on the market. You know - the one with the torch-lit hallways, chick pits, and sexy mood lighting? Who better to occupy the dark and dreary mansion that never existed before than good old Vlad the Impaler and his minion of blood sucking immortals?

Until now a resident of legends and the big screen, Count Dracula has surfaced in Sunnydale and he’s craving the notoriously smooth skin of Buffy Summers’ neck. The reconfigured Scooby Gang is shocked to find out the famous vampire is more fact than fiction. While they seem to have enjoyed a playful summer (did anyone else note the similarity between the rock video-like smoothness of the beach scene and the now defunct Beverly Hills, 90210?), the Gang must spring into action when they realize that Dracula’s reputation for enthralling young women is no exaggeration. He’s after Buffy. Not only does he want to suck her blood, but he also wants her to enjoy it. Scum bag.

Okay, maybe I’m a little jealous. I’ve always had a thing for Count Dracula. Did anyone else fall head-over-heals for dreamy George Hamilton in the 1979 horror spoof, Love at First Bite? I’m not kidding, folks. I wasn’t even a preteen when HBO kept replaying the film over and over again on our newly installed cable television. Hormones or not, this swingingly single, disco-dancing version of Dracula made me drool like a fool. I couldn’t wait for him to bite me! He was so sexy. It wasn’t until years later when he appeared on some talk show with stretched out fake baked skin, that I realized that vampires might be more scary than seductive. Or at least a little bit of both.

Well, I’m obviously not the only one with a fang fetish. As Riley was quick to imply, Buffy Summers also has a thing or two for the undead. However, Dracula is no Angel. He’s a sleazy, smooth talking Old World vamp. He’s like the date rapist of all date rapists - convincing his victims they want it and making them “burn for it”. Buffy gets awfully close to the fire, but she finally breaks free from the Count’s trance with enough strength to stake him a few times.

Count Dracula disappears from Sunnydale (for now), but not before placing a few ideas in Buffy’s head.

“You think you know what you are? What’s to come? You haven’t even begun.”

Nothing hurts like the truth. Last season, Buffy tasted freedom, but she also felt what it was like to be alone and vulnerable. Being alone isn’t something you can really control, but the more knowledge Buffy gains, the less vulnerable she’ll be. In order to become stronger, Buffy needs to learn more about her lineage and to find her place in this long line. While she pretends not to care much about the “darkness” Drac senses in her, it really bothers her that the Count thinks of her as “kindred” - of similar nature.

In Buffy-land, the season premiere usually sets the tone for the season. Last year, we witnessed the Scooby Gang adjusting to life post-high school. This year it looks as if we can expect each original member to do some more self-exploration on the road to self-discovery. In other words, Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles are going to try to “find themselves”. We can also count on a more in-depth look into the lives of the adjunct members - Anya and Tara. Let’s not forget about Spike, who will hopefully be making appearances more than once-in-a-while. (I’d love to see Riley and Spike actually come to blows!)

Since I was out of the country for most of the summer, I’ve been quite successful at keeping spoiler-free. To that end, let’s not speculate on the new member of the Summers household until we actually see more of her (even though I know many of you must be anxious to go there). From the look of the trailers, we’re going to get a closer look at little sis soon enough. However, if you’re eager to discuss Dawn, please feel free to dish it up on the message boards. All other comments are welcome below. Don’t be shy. Here at the new “Scoop Me”, we encourage reader feedback. Unless, of course, you’re some psycho pimply overweight vamp that calls himself Lestat.

GOODY BAG: Quotes and Queries
“Where did you get that accent? Sesame Street? 1, 2, 3...3 victims. Ah ha ha!” –Xander to Count Dracula

“You are strange and off-putting.” Count Dracula to Xander

Two things I’m wondering about: What is Riley doing in Sunnydale now that the Initiative has left town? Where does Anya live?

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
10/4/2000

It took two seasons for Emma Caulfield (Anya) to get her mug in the credits, yet Michelle Trachtenberg (" Dawnie" ) pulled a Jonathan this week. Out of nowhere the new mini (yet seasoned) actress gets to smile slyly as the Nerfherders play in the background. Is Dawn here to stay?

In Sunnydale, there are no guarantees. At least not when it comes to life or death. For four seasons, we were led to believe that Buffy was sibling-free. If there's a poster brat for "only children", Buffy Summers is it. Really. There’s no way this chick's grown up with a sister.

Yet, tonight "little sis" was finally introduced--teenybopper bedroom and all. Of course, questions arise. Was Dawn sent to breathe life into Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Or, perhaps, into Buffy Summers? Not being a member of the "Joss is God" club, I'm really demanding some sort of explanation. I can suspend disbelief for one episode, but not for much more than that.

Tonight was painful. Journal entries read aloud above quirky mood music? Blonde bimbos with bold ambition trying to push around a pack of slobbery men? How very…(Where's Winona Rider when you need her?) It was clever and quaint for about thirty seconds. After that, I felt my eyes rolling upward toward my forehead more often then is probably good for my complexion. Every time a new cast member showed up to interact with Dawn, an effort was made to integrate her as if she had been trailing big sis and friends since grade school. With greetings like "Hey Dawnie" and phrases like " Dawn Patrol", Willow and Xander acted as if they'd been surrogate sibs all their lives.

Here's a groaner. It just dawned on me that maybe we're supposed to simply sit back and enjoy the mystery of this sudden appearance. Unfortunately, the urge to figure out the "purpose of Dawn" ahead of schedule is overwhelming. I've never been a fan of unexplained change on my favorite shows. As you can imagine, I had BIG problems with the new Darren Stevens, the new Becky Connors, Scrappy Doo, cousin Oliver Brady, and even Leonardo Dicaprio showing up in the Seaver's basement. Impatience is my middle name! Who do Joss and crew think they are after all? Do they think we're such loyal lackeys that we'll just remain with our hands folded in front of the set until they feel like giving us an explanation?

Well, this lackey is only going to twiddle my thumbs for one…maybe two more episodes! Three at the most. Okay, I'll give him 'til Thanksgiving.

My biggest gripe with tonight's episode (and with all the Dawn hub-bub) is that it's overshadowing all the other important character developments and prohibiting interesting plot development. Instead of examining Giles' obvious entry into mid-life crisis (fancy new purchases like hot wheels and a magic store) and other Scooby goings-on (like Willow and Tara’s new living arrangements), we're forced to listen to Harry Potter references. I want to know more about what's been happening in the lives of the Gang. Where are all the scary new forces of evil? Dawn's presence is even limiting my enjoyment of witty banter. Spike and Buffy come to face-to-face and the Slayer's too rushed to offer more than a sucker punch.

Admittedly, there were a few moments that earned chuckles. Harmony always makes me laugh—until she starts getting on my nerves. The peppy group leader routine was comical at first. (Her smiley face on the note was classic.) However, by the time Buffy showed up in her lair, I was hoping it would be Harm’s last chance at showcasing her stupidity. Instead of staking the tramp, Buffy focused on reprimanding Dawn.

Anya's attempts at human-like behavior are also usually good for a hee-haw or guffaw. Fortunately, tonight was no different. From the moment she appeared behind Xander toting classic board games, Anya's performance was silly enough to make me smile, while still remaining on the other side of annoying.

Unfortunately, entertaining scenes were few and far between. The majority of the episode revolved around Dawn and her inner thoughts. Like Harmony (and most efforts at comedy shoved in my face one too many times), I became bored pretty rapidly. If the "World According to Dawn" doesn't start moving a little quicker, I’m going to lose interest…fast.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
10/11/2000

"I'm gonna miss the way you used to holler for help before you found your courage."
--Dorothy Gale

Luckily, they don’t set a time limit on finding one’s self. It takes longer for some than it does for others. I’m sure there are social security recipients out there who still aren’t able to look in the mirror and say "I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and gosh darnit…." Well, you know the rest.

For as long as we’ve known Xander Harris, he’s been on the lookout—searching for the shoes in which he felt most comfortable walking. Figuratively, of course. Fashion, as we know, is not Xander’s strong suit. Or is it?

Sometimes, all it takes to find what you’re looking for is the willingness to look harder and deeper. If you examine something for a good deal of time, you might begin to notice particulars you never noticed before. If you look at yourself in the mirror long enough (again, figuratively) you might start to recognize qualities--like strength, confidence, and bravado—you never knew you even possessed. For as long as Xander has been a member of the Scoobies, he’s always been a "Shaggy." He played the part pretty effortlessly. Always the goofy, helpless, yet hopeful sidekick, Xander began to see himself in this role and this role alone.

Two weeks ago, Xander claimed he was "sick of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's butt monkey." It took more than a mirror on the wall to show him (and us) that he already was the Xander he always wished he could be. He just didn’t know it. But, somebody did.

The other Xander.

The first scary demon of the season visited Sunnydale this week. Toth—he of molten lava skin and olfactory presence—popped in with a purpose. Like a psychiatrist-gone-mad, his goal was to find Buffy and give her a split personality rather than cure her of one. With a supernatural personality zapper, all Toth had to do was point, shoot, and split. Lucky for Buffy, Xander got in the way…again.

Or so it seemed.

Rewind. Play the scene again. Maybe, instead of getting in the way, Xander jumped in the way. On purpose. To protect Buffy. Perhaps this time Xander was the hero instead of the Zeppo.

Intentionally or not, Xander saved the day. Instead of dividing Buffy into two unequal parts, Toth-man bisected Xander hence dividing his unique personality traits into two identical bodies. Scaredy Xander and Xander Suave.
Unlike Hailey Mills or Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap or David Canary on SMG’s alma mater All My Children, Nicky Brendan didn’t have the opportunity to show off his schizophrenic side playing both the "good" and "evil" twin. Nick has a real-life twin who apparently wants the chance to strut his dramatic stuff. Nick’s twin, Kelly Schultz guest starred as Xander Suave allowing twin bro to take one last swing at being pure Shaggy. For it looks as if Xander has finally found himself. I don’t think this butt monkey is going to be eating any more insects.

The moral of this story seemed very familiar to me. The idea first came to me as I watched Willow’s commendable attempts at reassuring Scaredy Xander that his life was worth living (which also happened to be one of the funniest scenes in the whole ep. I loved both the robot idea and Willow’s casual reminder that she already had an evil twin.). In the end, when Xander finally lets "the spell be ended," it all became clear to me. I heard distant voices in my head.

Dorothy: Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?
Glinda: You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.
Dorothy: I have?
Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her before?
Glinda: Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.

Xander Harris learned he’s not all Shaggy. He’s also a little bit Fred. Heroic. Brave. Good with the ladies. Neither Xander was good, nor evil. If the real Xander Harris would please stand up, he’d see that he’s actually Scaredy and Suave mixed together.
Toth hoped that by dividing Buffy Summers, he’d kill her. Instead, he chopped Xander in half and by doing so made the new Xander that much more whole. Scaredy Xander saw that Xander Suave actually exists inside him. He just needed to find out for himself.
It’s always a treat for me to have a Xander-heavy episode. I think that Nicholas Brendan has an innate ability to handle comedy. He really shined tonight as Scaredy Xander. I can’t wait to see how Nick handles the transformation his character is bound to go through following this life-changing event. I have a feeling everyone’s going to start treating him like a grownup now. And we’ll start seeing him a little differently, too.

Bits and Pieces
Who are The Leftovers and why do they have posters all over town? (i.e. on the phone booth and in Xander’s basement)

So, we finally get a brief glimpse of Anya’s home life. We still don’t know where her pad is, however, or how she affords it.

Is Buffy now living at Joyce’s for the semester, since Willow moved in with Tara?

Speaking of Tara, did she go away for a weekend witch retreat? Where was she? Why wasn’t Willow with her?
Make Me Laugh!

"I’m not dead or unconscious, so I say ‘bravo for me’!"—Giles

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
10/17/2000

"Sugar and spice and everything nice:
That’s what little girls are made of
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails:
That’s what little boys are made of."

I’m doing everything I can right now to keep my semi-feminist half from rearing her ugly game face. Spike was too kind when he labeled Riley a hall-monitor. The AWOL army boy reminds me more of my sixth grade gym teacher—stubborn, sexist, and pure eye of snip (which I think is a British word for something yucky).

Not that "Out Of My Mind" drastically altered my opinion of Mr. Macho. Riley Finn has rubbed me the wrong way ever since he showed his face in the opening credits. From the moment Riley learned the truth about Buffy and her super-huMAN powers, he’s been a walking inferiority complex. Riley doesn’t just want Buffy’s bod.

He wants her bod. Literally.

From the beginning, Riley has been jealous of Buffy’s physical strength. And as much as he claims to love and adore her, his competitive nature just might keep him from doing so.

Last week, Riley bared his soul to Xander (and to us) when he claimed how much he loved Buffy…and how he believed she did not love him back. Tonight, Buffy tried to convince Riley of the error in his thinking. Did she succeed?

I’ll tell you one thing: No matter how much her lower lip quivered, I didn’t believe her. Not for a second. I’m not implying she’s lying (Although you may have noticed that the word "lying" rests inside of "implying".). I’m just saying that the writers of BtVS have yet to convince me of the legitimacy of this romance. Unlike some of my fellow fans, I did not shed a single tear when Riley gave his puppy dog eyes to Xander. In fact, I snorted. Loudly. I shouted a big loud " Duh!" when he claimed that his love for Buffy was not being reciprocated. I made piggy noises once again tonight when Buffy insisted that "nobody has ever known me the way you do." Maybe in the biblical sense, Buff (even though you were pretty free love with Parker). But, how much of your inner self are you really sharing with Riley off-screen? Because we haven’t been witness to any of it.

Please don’t think me cold or cynical. I am neither when it comes to love. However, I am very critical of Hollywood romance. I have to feel it in order to believe it. I know the writers of BtVS have the capability of convincing me. Remember Angel? The formerly "moody, broody, but now chasing Darla-booty" love of the Slayer’s life? Now there was a romance that reeled me in hook, line, and sinker. I shed real tears for this Hollywood love. I spent the first half of last season praying to the PTB that they have mercy on my favorite couple. Eventually, I mourned the loss and got on with my fantasy life, but it doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten the love that once resided there.

Buffy hasn’t forgotten it either. I truly believe that.

When it was front and center, you could see Buffy’s love for Angel in her eyes. You could hear it in her voice. You could practically feel the heat between them seeping through the screen. It’s just not the same with Riley and Buffy. Not even after a year. No matter how many post-sex scenes they feed us with Riley and Buffy bragging about how good their lovemaking just was, I’m not convinced that they’re actually making love! Isn’t it more likely that sex is the only way that Riley can prove his manliness and Buffy can show him love?

Buffy doesn’t love Riley. Who knows why? Perhaps it’s the sexist, macho thing (Annoying!). Maybe it’s the hardy-har-har Iowa Farm Boy thing? (Boring!) Or, maybe she just doesn’t love Riley. There’s no other explanation. She might like Riley a whole lot. She might enjoy sleeping with him. But, she doesn’t love him.

Fortunately, for this fan, Buffy-verse doesn’t revolve around Ms. Summer's love life or her yawner of a temporary boyfriend. There are so many more interesting things happening on the sidelines.
We’re getting much closer to the Truth Behind Tara. Why does she look so threatened of Willow’s power?
We’re getting much closer to the Derivation of Dawn. Joyce had a vision—how very rare!

Is Spikey-wikey in "wove"? (That’s cutesy talk for wondering, "is Spike finally seeing that he’s head-over-bloody-heels for the Slayer?)

All in all, an ep filled with Riley is a boring ep. Luckily, the players on the sidelines kept me very entertained. The characters I count on to keep me laughing--Xander, Anya, Spike, and Harm—really took care of me. Plus, they took the time to tease us a bit about Dawn. I’m listening…

What’s your opinion on Buffy’s love life? Are you hoping (like me) that Riley heads back to the Initiative to find an innocent little army wife he can break in two if need be? Or do you wish that he come to his senses and the two live happily ever after? I’d like to know. The floor is now yours.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
10/24/2000

Surprise and intrigue. It’s what I like best about Buffy. My favorite episodes are those that make me laugh, those that make me cry, or those that keep me on the edge of my seat until the unexpected finish. I haven’t laughed or cried too hard at an ep as of late. Plus, while this season hasn’t been exactly what one would call predictable, I haven’t been interested enough in the plot lines to experience the thrill of being kept in suspense.

Until tonight.

You’ll remember my frustration with the introduction of Dawn. Especially those of you in the Peanut Gallery (I use that term affectionately) who couldn’t control the urge to Jen-bash my "need-to-know now" attitude. Okay, so maybe I was quick to criticize…and a little impatient. I’ve been spoiler-free for about five weeks now, and irritability is generally a symptom of withdrawal.

Breaking my spoiler habit wasn’t easy. I’ve had to practice serious self-restraint since I’m registered for about three spoiler mailing lists and have every official and unofficial Buffy fan site bookmarked in my browser. Plus, there are always novices on the Posting Board who suddenly delurk to offer spoilers without warnings. In case you’re wondering, I’m now over the hump and truly appreciating my spoiler-free lifestyle. I highly recommend it.

The trailers suggested that this episode would shed light on the mystery of Dawn. Other than that, I had no idea what was going to happen. Not knowing how the story line would unfold, I experienced each discovery at the same moment Buffy did and with the same "oompf." Nothing compares to the feeling of anticipation like the one that rushed through my veins as Buffy entered her trance. That scene, thoroughly trippy and way fun, caused me to hold my breath until Buffy saw—in flashing photos reminiscent of Back to the Future—the truth about Dawn. The curtain lifted as Buffy floated her way to Dawn’s room and finds that it’s not just the photographic Dawn that’s fading in and out of reality—the real Dawn isn’t fixed in this dimension either. In her incense-induced state, Buffy achieves clarity—little sis is not who she appears to be.

Why, then, does Buffy leave Dawn alone in the house? That’s not how the Slayer’s supposed to deal with evil. Was Buffy frightened or just plain confused? I found myself wondering what I would have done in a similar situation. While it’s pretty easy to imagine myself as a stunningly sexy super-hero, I couldn’t quite picture myself in a situation in which I discovered that the brat who lived down the hall from me wasn’t actually my sister (I’ve never had a sister.). Wouldn’t it have been wiser to deal with the Dawn situation before heading over to the warehouse? Especially since Buffy was so concerned with Joyce’s condition and safety.

When Joyce returned to the house to find Dawn bearing tea and a sly smile, I could hardly contain myself. "Watch out, Joyce!" I found myself saying out loud. What was Dawn going to do? Was Dawn the cause of Joyce’s mysterious illness? And what connection did she have to the psychedelic orb?

When Buffy finally gets the scoop from Friar Tuck, I was just as surprised and resistant as she was at first. It’s just not fair that someone turned her from an only child to a big sister without asking her. Buffy continues to pout until Friar T. tells her that Dawn doesn’t know that she’s Key Girl. Like Buffy did, Dawn also believes she is the younger daughter to Joyce Summers—little sis to the Slayer. She has no idea that this reality was conjured up buy a bunch of guys in brown robes. The realization that Dawn is actually helpless totally changes Buffy’s opinion of the situation. It also changed mine.

The fact that Dawn is another innocent pawn in this game; the fact that she is clueless to her own importance; the fact that she is in serious danger--all of these factors tugged at Buffy’s heart strings and at my own. I was quite relieved when Buffy returned home to apologize to Dawn and even went as far as caressing her hair. I’m actually looking forward to seeing how Buffy handles this new knowledge: Will she tell the rest of the Gang? Will she tell Joyce or Dawn? Or, will she keep it all to herself as she has been known to do in the past?

Although the new little sis in Buffy’s life is no longer a mystery, we’re still in the dark when it comes to a few other important (some newly introduced) elements of Season Five. First if all, I was totally blown away by "she which cannot be named, but can look incredible in a slutty red dress." I like her! She’s got the spunk and spirit that all the other demons this season have been lacking. This could have something to do with her recent role in the cheerleading movie, Bring It On. Perhaps fellow cast member Eliza Dushku told her what fun it was pretending to kick SMG’s ass each week. I’ve been itching for another Celebrity Bitch Match ever since the other Slayer left Sunnydale. Keeping the beast’s true identity hidden for a while is fine with me, just as long as you keep her!

Speaking of spunk and spirit, let’s say hello to Sunnydale’s hottest new intern—Dr. Ben! He’s now been in two episodes with lines and everything. Could he be a potential new love interest for Buffy? I think he’s a much fancier boy toy than Riley. And a doctor! There’s nothing finer than a man in blue scrubs.

Wouldn’t mom be proud?

As long as Joyce remains alive and well that is. No one knows yet what is causing her headaches and fainting spells. Buffy is now aware of the new evil in town, but she hasn’t told the Gang yet, and they haven’t had a chance to figure out how it relates to Joyce’s migraines. Did slutty red dress chick get the urge to suck at Joyce’s brain, too?

Last, but certainly not least: Has Spike gone batty?!? He’s turned into a drooling preteen waiting and watching for the cute girl to come out and play. I loved it!! Poor Spike—always a victim of love.

I’m back in the game, folks! I’m finally pumped for season five. "No Place Like Home" reminded me why I sacrifice my Tuesday nights to the television and computer. Surprise and intrigue galore. Bring it on!

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
11/7/2000

As I’m writing this article Bush is still leading Gore in electoral votes and 20 police cars and ambulances combined are outside my house investigating a really bad car crash. At about 8:45 P.M., as I was switching between MSNBC, CNN, and the WB, I heard a super loud bang outside my window. I couldn’t figure out what needed my attention more—my curiosity about Tara, who would be elected the new President of the United States or the hullabaloo outside my window. I figured that since the VCR would eventually tell me the Tara story and the pundits on the television would let me know what happened in the polls, I should head out to see what was going down out in the street.

Glad I decided to finish watching the ep after the crowd dispersed instead of assuming I had seen all there was to see of "Family." Since I left off right before Spike (in his second "humane" action of the evening) punched Tara in the nose, I missed the important plot twist. While Tara has spent the entire last year hiding her demon status from her new girlfriend and potential new friends, her efforts were for naught. Turns out she was just a victim of a cruel and sexist lie invented by her trailer trash family to keep her holding onto the broomstick rather than flying on one.

In this latest installment of BtVS (after a week of back-to-back Halloween reruns), the curtain finally lifted and the Tara Truth was revealed. I have to tell you that I’m a little disappointed in this plot twist. We, the Buffy obsessed, have been speculating about Tara since she popped into the picture. Who was she? What was she? Did Willow fall in love with a more-than-boring-old-human type again? Didn’t she suffer enough at the hands of her werewolf ex?

Willow’s feelings may have been spared by the end result (Tara’s official human status), but I personally feel a little cheated. First, because we’ve been anticipating this moment for so long and it fell somewhat flat toward the end. Second, because I just can’t swallow the Gang’s swift acceptance of Tara. Did Buffy et al. suddenly have a change of heart about the girl they had thought up until an hour before a tad bit strange? Xander and Buffy were pretty open with each other and with Giles about their Tara discomfort. After almost a year of having her around and more than a summer of knowing the extent of her involvement with Willow, you’d think that they’d have gotten to know her a little better. Did this one event suddenly change their opinion of her? I find it a little bit weird that rather than being super-pissed at her for casting a spell on them that almost got them killed, they embraced her as one of the fam.

Were they just trying to protect Willow? It wasn’t too long ago that our favorite redhead was in really bad shape, pining away for Oz. Perhaps, the Gang didn’t want to see Willow go through that again so soon. I’m not really sure why they stood up for Tara, but the "we are family" routine left a rotten taste in my mouth. Couldn’t tell if it was Cheddar or Swiss, but it sure was cheesy.

After watching the episode for a second time, I realized that "what is family" definitely prevailed as the big theme of the evening: Xander and Riley fake fighting like brothers, Buffy continuously acting like Dawn’s overprotective big sister, and Giles being the ever faithful father figure trying to soothe and calm everyone down. Buffy even mentioned good old delinquent dad who’s off gallivanting in Spain as part of the cliché boss-secretary affair. It seems that Joss and Co. was trying to hit us over the head with the fact that family doesn’t always equal blood kin; sometimes your closest friends know you and treat you better than your own flesh and blood. While I accept this notion, and even agree that the Gang is very much like a family, how could Tara be on the outside for so long and in one night make her way in?

The bigger question on my mind is: What should we look forward to now that the big secret of the season is out? I’ve mostly been a fan of Tara and her relationship with Willow. I am extremely pleased with how the Buffy crew is handling their romance. Plus, the incorporation of things Wicca into the show really spices things up. But, what will happen now? I am very afraid that since we now know the truth behind Tara, the focus will be more on the dynamics of the relationship—specifically, the fact that it is a same sex coupling—than on the development of the characters.

Speaking of which, tonight showed more intimacy between the two then ever before. Even though we’ve seen Riley and Buffy in bed numerous time over the past year, we had not yet seen Willow and Tara sharing the same bed. If I’m not mistaken, tonight was the first time we even saw that they had one full bed as opposed to two twins. That’s a big step for network television and a loud statement on the part the WB. In addition to the snuggling scene between the two, we also watched the couple slow dance for the very first time and come very close to kissing. I love that their affection and love for each other blends very smoothly into the show, and I hope that this does not change in an attempt to boost ratings.

I’m sorry to report that I’m back to questioning Joss and Co.’s methods and madness. While I mostly enjoyed the suspense throughout the evening, I was hoping to get a better feeling of closure from BtVS than I did from the news media in regards to the presidential election. At this juncture, I’m still furiously furrowing my eyebrows at both matters. Hopefully in the coming weeks, it all sit a little better with me—Tara’s new status and the new POTUS.

Still pondering…
Hellooooo Dr. Ben! Glad the scary sore demon didn’t suck you marrow quite yet. But it makes me wonder, what exactly will be your purpose in Sunnydale?
What’s up with Riley’s drinking problem? Shouldn’t he be taking it easy after his life threatening surgery not too long ago? Just confirms what I always thought—Riley’s a doofus!

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
11/14/2000

Did anyone else think Riley was going to bite the dust tonight? I almost felt sorry for the guy when it seemed that he would die at the hands of Punk Vamp while his girlfriend did the dance with William the Bloody. Lucky for Marc Blucas, Riley survived another moronic macho match and made it to the next ep. Wonder who will outlast whom: Riley or Joyce?

Although it probably didn’t come as a surprise to Riley, it certainly shocked Buffy (and me) that the former commando avoided a fight to the finish with Punk Vamp, while Buffy almost lost her life to him. The vampire—whose wardrobe placed his death in the late 70s/early 80s or somewhere in the U.K.—almost won the blue ribbon for slaying the Slayer with her own stake. Ignoring Buffy’s persistent requests that he stop following her on patrol, Riley happened to be in the graveyard with his Initiative-issued zapper at just the right moment. While Buffy was down for the count, her man appeared to save the day—and her life.
Buffy freaked and began to think, " Shit! Am I losing my touch? Even Riley could kick this guy’s ass." Her insecurity quickly led her to Giles and the history books to investigate the deaths of Slayers past. Before long she realized the books weren’t going to supply her with the information she most desperately wanted. The only way to find out exactly how a Slayer could be defeated would be to talk to a reliable source—someone who actually witnessed a Slayer go down. Someone who battled a Slayer and won. Someone who happens to live in Sunnydale and would do anything for a little bit of cash. Someone named Spike.

Since his return to Sunnydale, Spike has spiced up both the Scooby scene and the show. Your responses have been so pro-Spike and for obvious reasons. He is one of the funniest elements of the show and the writers are constantly surprising us by taking the character in a totally unexpected direction. For Spike lovers, "Fool for Love" was a rare treat.

Flashbacks are a favorite of mine, especially when they allow us insight to the more intriguing characters like Spike. As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I have never been a Dru fan. She annoys me to no end. Including Spike’s sire in the flashbacks was essential, but I prayed for as many Dru-less scenes as possible, and I certainly hope her cameo doesn’t lead to something more.

Riveted as I was by a human William the Bloody and a pre-Sunnydale Spike, it was easy to ignore Dru. We learn that just as Angel is forever haunted by his past, so is our Spike. Rather than being troubled by the lives he’s taken, Spike’s obsessed with the loves he’s lost. Dru wasn’t the first lady to break his unbeating heart.

LONDON, 1880
Hardly recognizable in shaggy hair and specs, human William is a gentle poet who abhors " dark ugly business" such as the menace that lurks in the city. The young William is also a romantic, but unfortunately Cecily, the object of his desire, thinks him beneath her. These harsh words break William’s heart. When Dru finds him weeping in a barn, he is ready and willing to let her have her way with him. As he becomes a vampire, he discovers a power he never knew he had. But some things never change. William may lose his soul, but he remains a sucker for love.

YORKSHIRE, 1880
Spike, now scarily resembling James Van Der Beek, becomes the most attention-seeking member of the Fang Gang, which includes Angel and his "women," Darla and Dru. As soon as Angel introduces the concept of the Slayer to the freshman vamp, Spike’s obsession begins.

CHINA, 1900
Spike tastes Slayer blood for the first time. Curious that the Slayer’s last words were, "Tell my mother I’m sorry." The fact that Spike couldn’t understand her, but we, the audience could, makes me wonder exactly how much of what we’re seeing is actually what Spike is telling Buffy.

THE BIG APPLE, 1977
In Shaft-like sequences, Spike enjoys the blood of another Slayer. Why didn’t I find it surprising that Spike was a CBGB punk rocker back in the day?

SOUTH AMERICA, 1998
Dru disses Spike for an oozing moose head demon saying, "I look at you and all I see is the Slayer."
Poor Spike. To any other respectable vamp, he’s pathetic. In fact, to most every creature living or dead, he’s pathetic. These opinions started long before he got a chip implant, though. Way back in 19th century London, others were quick to look down on William the Bloody, failing to appreciate his sensitivity and warm heart.

Somehow, when Dru stole his soul, she left part of his heart intact. Someone needs to explain to me a Joss concept I’ve never really understood—how can a vamp be so heartless, yet possess the ability to love and be loved? How can one lacking a soul experience such sensitivity? Spike is really sad; sadder than we ever realized he was. Before tonight, Spike’s life seemed depressing enough: he spent more than a century overshadowed by Angelus; Drusilla ran out on him; and the Initiative placed a chip in his head that denied him his one last pleasure in life—inflicting harm upon humans. Tonight, however, we learn that he harbors pain from long ago. Long before he actually lived up to the name of William the Bloody.

He relives this pain once again as he shares his secrets with Buffy. Once again, wearing his heart on his sleeve, Spike lets the Slayer know how he’s feeling. Once again, the object of his desire rejects him: claiming he’s beneath her. Buffy, disgusted by both Spike’s story and it’s implications, exits the scene. Spike, in complete despair from yet another rejection, falls to the ground and weeps.

It doesn’t end there. Determined to finally kill the Slayer (and in turn kill all those who ever made him feel like dirt), Spike grabs a gun and heads over to her house only to find her in hysterics on the back porch. In what may have been one of the sweetest, yet shocking moments on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, rather than blowing her brains out, Spike sits down next to Buffy in an attempt to comfort her.

Thank you to the writers for totally shocking me, but I’m utterly confused! This episode left me with such warm feelings and hungry for more. But, it also reminded me of the inconsistencies of Joss-world and his vampire lore. What allows Spike the ability to still be true to his heart when he has no soul? Is it possible that one can work independently of the other? I’m not so sure if I can accept this concept. When Angelus returned, his heart seemed to harden—there was no Angel to be seen.

How is it that Spike can be such a softy? Is this another confusing element of Buffy-verse we meant to just sit back and accept?

Let’s discuss.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
11/21/2000

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: If there’s anyone in desperate need of therapy it’s Buffy Summers. She’s a big ball of twisted psychological yarn.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a psych degree to back up my diagnosis. But, I do know my fair share of crazies. Not that "in need of therapy" is bad. In fact, I think many of the most talented and creative people out there have a case or two of the crazies—myself included.

The Buffster has a shopping list full of major issues. She’s practically fatherless. As the Slayer, she’s constantly haunted by scary nightmares and sleepless nights. Plus, she’s been in charge of saving the world since her teens. She has major control issues, not to mention a penchant for dating the dark ones. All this could be worked out in time with a good shrink. Yet Buffy feels the need to keep her problems to herself. She’s insistent upon carrying her burdens alone. (This is yet another issue she could be discussing with her therapist.)

A season or two ago, she pissed her friends off by withholding valuable information regarding Angel’s return from the depths of Hell. For years, Joyce was clueless about Buffy’s after school job. Buffy’s never been good about sharing her feelings with Riley. No one even knows the truth about Dawn except for Giles. How can Buffy expect anything from her close friends if she isn’t willing to share things with them? It’s not healthy for her to keep it all to herself. She’s not letting her friends be good friends. She’s not giving them the chance.

One of the reasons the Scooby Gang exists is because Buffy can’t do it all herself. Whether she admits it readily or not, she needs people to love and to love her back. The Gang has proven themselves worthy time and time again (Willow and Tara’s magical capabilities, Anya’s demon knowledge, Xander’s…well Xander). Why doesn’t Buffy lean on them more? As much as I’m enjoying Buffy and Spike’s new found friendship, an ardent fan must wonder why Buffy spent the whole night crying on Spike’s shoulder instead of searching out Willow or Xander. As her good friend, I’d be really hurt that Buffy confided in her sworn enemy before coming to me. Of course, one could make the argument that Buffy was rightfully upset about her mom and she reached out to the first person available. Still, it seems a bit shady and selfish.

"Selfish?", you say. "The girl just found out her mother needs a CAT scan!" True. Buffy’s in a tough place right now. How she acts in light of her mother’s illness can’t really be counted, but this is not a new story. It’s the same old same old. Buffy chooses when and how she needs her friends. She lets them in at her discretion; not unconditionally. When she finally tells them about Joyce’s diagnosis, it’s only because she needs their help in finding a spell to cure her. It’s not to look for comfort or support.

Buffy feels helpless. With her mother’s illness, Buffy may finally realize that she can’t kill every demon and that some evil will prevail. Not only is Buffy dealing with personal issues, but she also continues to get her ass kicked by Glory. Tonight, the Evil in Red opened up a second can of whoop ass on Buffy. Although Summers women are "tough" (per Riley), they aren’t gods. Not even the Slayer.

Buffy’s world is beginning to fall apart. If she doesn’t reach out to someone soon, she’s liable to crack.

It’s happened before. Remember Faith? She, too, had problems before becoming a Slayer. These past problems and familial issues returned to haunt her ten-fold once she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. In fact, as Buffy continued to pummel the cobra demon long after he kicked the bucket, I was reminded of how Faith frequently used her power to kill as a way of releasing anger. Was Buffy doing the same thing?

You’d think the Watcher’s Council would require a yearly psychological evaluation. Granted, neither Buffy nor Faith has had much to do with the Watchers’ Council as of late, but Giles might consider recommending counseling to Buffy. There must be a qualified practitioner in Sunnydale who wouldn’t be too shocked to hear Buffy’s weekly torments. (For any of you who also watch Roswell, we recently learned that even aliens can go into therapy.)

Buffy has a lot on her plate. Despite her killer bod and great wardrobe, I don’t envy her in the least. Life would be hard enough with just her Slayer duties, but now she has to cope with her mom’s illness. Mother-child roles will surely reverse as they sometimes do when a parent becomes ill. While Buffy has been on her own for a while now, she could always expect Joyce to try to play the mother role. With Joyce out of commission, Buffy will have to be substitute parent to both Dawn and herself. While she fights to gain control of her life, it’s only spinning more and more out of control. How long until she loses it? How much can one woman take? After all, a Slayer is still human--with human needs. One of which is the feeling of comfort and security. Buffy can’t be feeling comfy or secure right now. How will she decide to deal with this? Will she continue to run away or will she ask for help? Her decision will determine her fate.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
11/28/2000

The mental ward patients weren’t they only ones who were bugged out tonight. This latest installment of BtVS gave me the super creeps. It seemed more like a B-horror movie than a "New Tuesday." Giles coined a proper subtitle for the ep when he called their latest mission, "Killer Snot Monster From Outer Space."

There are only a few things in life that truly gross me out. "Listening to Fear" utilized two of them: large bugs and mucus. Sometimes living in Sunnydale seems like one big trip to the Haunted House. It makes me wonder why Joyce has kept residence there for so long. It’s one thing for Buffy and the Gang to stay around town—they have a job to do. But what’s Joyce thinking hanging around the Hellmouth? Isn’t there a nice suburb nearby that wouldn’t be too much of a commute to the gallery?

The world’s a scary place. As we (and Buffy) are quickly learning, there are other elements in life that are just as frightening, if not more so, than vamps, demons, and various creatures of the night.

Things like Disease. And death. And watching someone you love deteriorate before your very eyes.

Learning that someone close to you is ill (possibly terminally ill) can change your way of thinking in an instant. It makes other everyday happenings seem irrelevant. Buffy’s not focusing on school or patrolling or any other of her Slayer or non-Slayer duties. She’s dropped it all to take care of Joyce--the toughest job she may ever have.

It takes a lot to drive Buffy to tears. While staking vamps and chasing after killer Queller demons only pumps her adrenaline, Buffy is terribly affected by what is happening to her mother. When she couldn’t hold it in anymore, she lets loose all over the kitchen sink. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Buffy break down. She may not be confiding in her friends as of late, and she may be acting like a major control freak, but at least she’s not shutting down. At least she’s practicing the healthy art of crying.

Unfortunately, the insanity in Sunnydale doesn’t wait for Buffy’s personal problems to subside. Lucky for her, the Scoobies are being super sensitive and doing their best without the Slayer’s help. In fact, secret agent Riley has even brought in temporary help—his good ole’ military buddies.

You don’t have to be psychic to see that Commando Boy is also on the list of Sunnydale’s most mentally unstable. I’m surprised the Queller demon didn’t head on over to Riley’s house. Not that he would have found him there since the former white-bread-Professor Walsh-wannabe is now spending his time in seedy vamp lairs with blood sucking prostitutes (who certainly puts a new spin on the phrase "bloody whore".) Yes, folks, I’m removing the Riley gag order I placed on myself. The guy’s either into S & M or he’s completely lost his marbles. On top of catching a fang fix every night, Riley’s also calling in Graham and the Initiative for assistance on Scooby missions. Plus, he’s keeping big time secrets from his girlfriend’s cronies. Is Riley switching sides? And if so, which side is he on—Scooby, Initiative, or Vamp? As we’ve been discussing here for weeks, if Riley continues this asinine behavior, Buffy’s not only on her way to becoming an orphan, but she’ll also find herself a bachelorette once again. Of course, there’s always Spike (who can’t seem to stop stalking her) or Evil Dr. Ben who may be both "badder" and better looking than Angel.

Kudos to the member of the Peanut Gallery who saw through the handsome doctor’s nice guy façade. One of you predicted that he might be one of Glory’s lackeys. Whether or not he gives the orders or takes them from the Bitch in Red, Dr. Ben’s definitely in cahoots with her. At least to the point where he called on a maid service from outer space to clean her maniacal mess.

Alien roaches and stinky snot aside, what disturbed me the most tonight was the concept that mentally unstable individuals might not be so crazy after all. What is normal anyway? All of the crazies were able to see right through Dawn. Why? Perhaps, they’re not abnormal; they’re supernormal. Perhaps, when Glory takes away their power of bodily control, she gives them extrasensory perception. Maybe they possess a gift. But, what good is such a gift if no one ever listens to what you have to say? It’s an interesting concept. One that totally freaks me out; more so than vampires ever will.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
12/19/2000

"You say yes, I say no;
You say stop, I say go, go, go
You say goodbye and I say hello."
Oh, the contradictory emotions that exist in young love and good-byes.

Some would say it’s difficult to truly know love in your young twenties. As you’re adjusting to the feeling of independence, free from parental control and completely responsible for making you own decisions, you’re really just getting your feet wet. You must make mistakes and lose something (or someone) you really care about before you’re capable of really loving another human being. The kind of love that allows you to shed a tough exterior skin and bear an exposed and fragile heart.

In such a short time, Buffy Summers has been fortunate enough to be deeply loved by at least two men (okay, a male vampire that was still able to perform). This doesn’t even account for the countless others who love Buffy in secret (like Spike). I don’t doubt that her feelings for these men were true, but they were also very selfish. Her relationship with each of them was very Buffy-centered. One can only guess what traveled through Buffy’s mind as Xander shared his thoughts with her, but something propelled Buffy to run as fast and as hard as she could to catch up to Riley.

She didn’t make it to the woods on time. Without a reason to stay, Riley left Sunnydale and Buffy. Whether she wanted him to stay or simply wanted to make a clean break that Xander suggests, Riley’s exit is bound to have an enormous effect on Buffy. She’s experienced two kinds of loves: the passionate, yet dangerous kind; and the dependable, yet sometimes boring kind. She has also experienced two difficult good-byes. One she had no real control over and one she could have prevented. Buffy needed to experience both the loss of Angel (her first love) and Riley (her first human love) before understanding exactly what Xander was trying to tell her—that the love Riley had for her was the kind of love that lasts. Perhaps Buffy may now begin to let people in, because she now knows what happens when you don’t. People leave you.

Riley’s exit will not only affect Buffy’s behavior, but it will also have a big effect on the show itself. It changes the dynamic, though not as drastically as it might have last season. As we’ve been discussing here, the BTVS writers have been very obviously leading us in the direction of Riley’s departure. So this plot change is no surprise. However, as much as they’ve been fading out Riley, they’ve been increasing the participation of Xander, Anya, and Spike. Tonight’s episode marked the return of Gang-related plot lines. All the Scoobies were with Buffy in the hospital when she was waiting for the results of her mother’s operation. Plus, Xander ended up following Buffy on her hunt assumedly as her back up (even though she didn’t need him). This also seems to be an indication that the second half of Season Five will revolve more around the Gang, their supernatural escapades, and their friendship, and less on their love lives.

We now have some closure on the three major relationships:

Willow and Tara are magically in love and accepted as a couple by their friends,

Xander is madly in love with Anya (despite her quirkiness) and she with him,

For good or for bad, Riley is off the show and his romance with Buffy is over for now.

This allows the writers to pursue more Gang-centric story-lines and in a nutshell, return to what made the show so popular in the first place: Buffy, her friends Willow and Xander, and their "adult" representative (and friend), Giles.

I hope this doesn’t mean we’ll see less of Anya, Spike, and Tara. Their performances (especially Emma’s and James’) have been spectacular, partly because the writing has been so good and partly because these seasoned actors know how to handle comedic roles. As usual, both Anya and Spike kept me laughing. I was so excited when it was time for a scene focusing on one of the two of them. Hopefully, we’ll also see more development of Willow and Tara’s magical powers. Last season, Willow really grew as a witch. It was fun to watch her experiment. Hopefully, we’ll see more of this as well. There are so many possibilities.

For a while now, Buffy the Vampire Slayer seemed more like "As Sunnydale Turns": more like a soap opera than a " dramedy." Let’s hope that this goodbye will bring a hello.

POINTS TO PONDER
Spike finally admitted out loud and to a real person that he’s in love with Buffy. His remarks to Riley were intensely sensitive. Any thoughts?

Xander is really coming into his own and is really beginning to act like an adult. How will this affect the dynamics of the Scooby Gang?

About three days passed in the time that Buffy and Riley experience their dramatic farewell. Was Glory on vacation? Was Dr. Ben speaking at a medical conference? In Sunnydale, evil doesn’t stop for love implosions. What’s the deal?

[Dalton]

by Matthew R. Heitzer
1/9/2001

Jen is on vacation this evening, so tonight’s review is provided by Matthew R. Heitzer.
As a child…well, when I was younger, at any rate, I was a comic book fan. Batman, mostly, with some X-Men and Spiderman thrown in for good measure. Later on, I got into a nifty title by the name of Sandman (which, if you are familiar with it, has been a major influence on my web-novel, The Red Door). Around that time, DC was putting out a series called Elsewhere, which basically consisted of putting familiar comic book characters in totally unfamiliar situations. What if Clark Kent’s little spaceship crashed in Gotham and was raised as Bruce Wayne? What if Batman lived in 19th century New Orleans and Vampires were real? That sort of thing.
It was a cool series, opening up the imagination to other, infinite possibilities in a world where pretty much anything was possible anyway.

I couldn’t help but wax nostalgic for the old Elsewhere series while watching tonight’s episode. Something about "Triangle" was just off, as if our faithful Scoobies had all been shipped off to an alternate universe that was almost, but not entirely, unlike our own. I recognized our heroes, but I didn’t feel that their behavior was exactly true.

At some point, I started looking at our friends as if they were in some sort of strange morality play, asked to take on roles similar to their own personalities, but still different, altered, in some significant manner. Aspects of their true selves were tweaked or amped or twisted, and in the end, we were left with an odd incarnation of Sunnydale Presents: Dinner Theatre.

Maybe that was the intention. Maybe not. I don’t think so, but I’m not Joss Whedon, and, to paraphrase Vertical Horizon, he’s a god and I’m not, so…

Whatever the reason, a great deal of "Triangle" is all over the place. Joss seemed to be trying to thread a number of story lines through a single needle, and the overall effect is a bit disconcerting. Not bad, just not a slam dunk.

Where did it go wrong? Well, for starters, there is no real hero here. This is not a Buffy episode, that’s for sure, but it really isn’t a Willow or Xander one either, though they are more prominently featured than our title heroine. "Triangle" is, simply put, an ensemble piece, with each of our familiar Scoobies pretending to be anything but…familiar.

The Cast:
Xander: The Conflicted Brooding Boyfriend/Best Friend…
What surprised me most about "Triangle," especially concerning the previews, was how much of this episode did not concern Xander’s Sophie’s choice. Girlfriend or Best Friend? One of them has to die, who is it going to be? This might have been the basis for an entire plot, and a good one at that. Take the girls and place them in a situation where only one of them can be saved and then really make Xander choose…the repercussions of that choice would be felt for weeks, if not seasons, even after both are successfully saved.

What we had, instead, was Xander doing his best Angel impersonation: "Let the mortals act like children, I’m not getting involved and I’m going to sulk in a bar, but you girls sure are an infuriating bunch."

Mr. Harris had his moments, and he has certainly begun to throw off his mantel of being the guy who gets the funny syphilis and stepped things up as a man. But the trademark wit took a breather for much of the ep.

Willow: The plucky (and somewhat bitchy) lesbian best friend…
The significance here is that Willow took on quite some added bitch tonight. Usually the sweet mediator, she got very territorial and confrontational. She had her reasons (she didn’t trust that Anya’s stripes were truly changed from her demon ways), and they were good ones, but it was the first time we’d heard anything about them. If there had been a subtle build-up over weeks and months concerning Willow’s fears that Anya might be bad news for Xander in the long run, then this story line would also have (and should have) made an excellent plot for a whole episode. Another wasted opportunity.

But it wasn’t all a waste. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit here is the presence of the first affirmative and unflinching admission by our favorite Wiccan coed that she is, in fact, gay. We all knew this, of course. Any actual question concerning the nature of the Tara–Willow relationship went out the window a long time ago. But there is something to be said for announcing her sexual preference to the world.

Spike: The Boy (Vampire) Next door
At times, Spike’s quite unrequited love for the Slayer can rise to the level of pure comic genius (his smelling of Buffy’s undergarments a few eps back comes to mind), but other times it comes off as mildly creepy and unrealistic. Tonight had some sampling of both, often in the same scene. His "I did it for your own good" speech to the Buffed-out mannequin had this effect on me. The premise was downright hilarious – the self-professed biggest badass vampire in history needing to practice on a plastic doll with a bad wig – but the execution could have been better. Likewise his fumbled attempts at drawing information out of Xander at the Bronze.

Spike is in love with Buffy we know, even if it is still a little bizarre, but his preoccupation with whether she blames him for Riley’s demise crossed some line. Spike is now reduced to being the lonely boy next door, in love from afar without a chance in the world. He had also rapidly become domesticated and somewhat human, for lack of a better explanation. Noting Xander’s bowl of peanuts, Spike actually comments on the state of mortal food: "They have chickens wings too, you know, and also a sort of flower shaped thing they make with an onion. It’s brilliant." It’s funny, but it also tends to de-flower his typical Spikisms, usually rooted in his distaste for all things normal people do. When he says, " I’m paralyzed with not caring very much," when offering no resistance to our demon-of-the-week, the line, which might have come off as daring Spike rancor in the past, is reduced to a lame attempt at recapturing his old swagger.

I’ll be honest, I’m beginning to miss ye olde Spike. I hope he discovers the virtues of Viagra soon, because his impotence is beginning to rob us as well.

Buffy: Of the recently imploded relationship…
Jen would love this.

She is going to call me on it, that’s for sure.

I liked Riley. Well, kind of. I liked him in the way people rubberneck at accidents on the turnpike. Riley’s hangdog love for Buffy, so obviously underrequited if not downright unrequited, made him sad sack pathetic. He was not right for Buffy much in the same way you should never mix roadside Cambodian food and fifteen-cent tequila shots twenty minutes before a date with a Supermodel. Somebody is going to get hurt and somebody is going to get messy and she’s never going to return your phone calls no matter which role ends up as yours.

But for all his puppy loyalty and doe-eyed sweetness, Riley was an interesting character nonetheless. His devastating downward spiral into bloodsucker addiction (metaphor for heroine addiction anyone? I mean, which vein did he keep offering up to that dime store vamp?) may have been short-lived, but it was real (again metaphorically) and it was powerful.

My arguments with Jen concerning his value to the show were never based in his value to Buffy as a beau. Jen was right. Xander was right. Riley was right. Buffy never really loved him. Was he a good boyfriend? Sure. Did he have a lot to offer her and her life? Without question. But the passion wasn’t there, and, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship that never rose above the level of comfortable will tell you, you can’t live without the passion. Not for long.

I always felt justified in my defense of Agent Finn because I always assumed that Joss intended this. I always believed that everyone behind the scenes of Buffyland was setting Riley up as the so-called transitional guy. You never bet real money on the transitional guy. They never last.

But when Buffy became "girly" (sorry folks, but what would you call it?) tonight, breaking down at the slightest mention of true love, I have to admit that it caught me unprepared. It actually made me uncomfortable. It just didn’t fit. I expected her, to be quite honest, to be hurt. I expected her to be in that inevitable awkward transition stage from part of couple to being one of the hopelessly newly single.

But teary-eyed?

Not-so-much.

Let’s just hope that it’s the idea of love that choked her up and not the idea of Riley. The former makes sense, even if the guy you just dumped was the Uni-bomber or, god forbid, George W. Bush, but the latter shakes my faith to the very foundation.

Joss is too smart, however, to not bring tough-as-nails Buffy back soon. For those of us who remember all too well the suffering we all went through when Buffy killed the newly-restored Angel and skipped town, we should at least pray we are spared a return of her melancholy.

Anya: Well…still pretty much Anya.
Gotta love Anya. She didn’t change much tonight, if at all, and god bless her for it. From her bomb clock analogy to her driving stunt and all points in between ("I have finesse coming out of my bottom!" ), Anya has become a true gem. Of course, Olaf was her ex-boyfriend. Of course, she became a vengeance demon because she turned him into a troll. Her on-going struggles with what it takes to be human are both riotous and touching, and I warm to them more and more every week.

Tonight, she single-handedly saved us from a weak villain (was that Kubiak from Parker Lewis Can’t Lose?) and a weird story. And, after all is said and done, her odd-ball take on being a mere mortal may be exactly what Xander needs to achieve true manhood.

Here’s to hoping that when she helps him get there, everyone else is back to playing themselves.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
1/23/2001

Look up the word "power" in the dictionary. There are at least eleven definitions listed including: "physical force or energy", "authority over others", and "a particular strength or skill."

Some might say our society is based on power—and also on certain hierarchies that the possession of power creates. Political hierarchies. Financial hierarchies. Familial hierarchies. The horrendous hierarchies of high school.

Depending on which definition you choose and on your priorities, a Supreme Court Justice may have no more or less power than Bart Simpson.

But what about the concept of power that the third definition above suggests: "a particular strength or skill?" This understanding of the word allows the idea that any living being possesses some sort of power. Everyone has a particular strength or skill: super-hero or not. One theme of "Checkpoint" is that power comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better; size doesn’t necessarily matter; and the pen is possibly mightier than the sword.

Since Buffy the Vampire Slayer first appeared, many claimed it just might supply young women with a positive female role model on television. By having a female heroine as its lead (one who is not only physically capable, but also courageous and well liked), Buffy was one of the first television programs to introduce the idea of "girl power" to this generation. And through almost five seasons, the show has continued to succeed as such a device (no matter what some right-wing religious zealots might say). At the close of "Checkpoint", Buffy Summers tells the Watcher’s Council what BtVS has been telling its young female viewers for five years—"Power. I have it." (Ironically enough, Sarah Michelle Gellar recently displayed her own power when she told entertainment bigwigs that she’d leave the show if they moved it to another network.)

The Watcher’s Council, who has always been represented as a central and controlling force, comes to Sunnydale to evaluate the Slayer’s power. Their supposed intent? To see if Buffy has what it takes to possess stats they claim to have on Glory. But, perhaps their real intent is to remind Buffy and her rogue Watcher who’s in charge. As Quentin Travers says, "The Council fights evil. The Slayer is the instrument by which we fight." Quentin’s comments piss Giles off. His threats both anger and intimidate Buffy. By having the ability to affect Giles’ life negatively, the Council has power over Giles and over Buffy who cares deeply for Giles. The Council has political power and they use it very skillfully. But, their power would disappear faster than they could say, "Here’s some stuff we know, pip pip", if their threats weren’t…well…threatening.

For example, if Giles responded "Fine, deport me. I’m tired of hanging out with these wacky teenagers anyway." Or, if Buffy didn’t feel so insecure about Glory and so desperate for tips. If she were to say to Quentin and his lackeys, "Fine. Take your Glory info and shove it up your ass. See where that takes ya!" But, the Council has something Buffy feels she needs. Information: another form of power.

Glory also wants some information. She may have the brawn and seems to have the brains (at least when it’s feeding time), but she’s missing something of great value: information. She needs to know where The Key is. Buffy has this information. Glory uses her own powers—strength and brain sucking—to try to intimidate Buffy. This has now become a game of power between the two, but not the physical kind in which Glory consistently prevails. This time it’s a mind game. Glory needs the power that the Slayer possesses--knowledge. Knowledge, too, is power (And that, for all you Saturday morning-cartoon addicted children of the eighties, is "one to grow on." ).

Let’s stop the waxage of philosophy for a moment. Instead, let’s look at how power (or lack thereof) has deeply affected the Scooby Gang and appendages during the time in which we’ve known them. And hence has played an important role in the development of both the characters and the show.

Let’s start with those dearly departed:
Angel: Left Sunnydale because he felt out of control.
Riley: Left Sunnydale because he felt Buffy had more power than he did.

Faith: Wanted power so badly, she’d do anything for it. Even kill.

Cordelia: Left Sunnydale because money=power and she lost her cash flow.

And those who remain:

Xander: Up until recently, has felt that he lacked any skill or strength.

Willow: Practicing magic has given her a sense of power she never felt she had as an insecure brainiac.

Giles: Possesses great skill and strength, but his authority over anyone is questionable.

Anya: Experiencing a tough transition from having vengeance demon powers to mere human abilities.

Tara: Let’s just say her picture is located somewhere near the word "insecure" in the dictionary. But, to her credit, she found the power within herself to break free from her overpowering family.

Spike: Loss of "vamp-abilitiy" = Loss of power.

And, of course, Buffy:
For all the physical strength and extraordinary skills Buffy possesses due to her Slayer status, she has very little authority over others. She may be able to shuffle Joyce and Dawn out of the house. She may be able to win Giles over with her sulky, puppy dog eyes. But, she has little control over the goings-on in her personal life. And as Spike reminds her, she has had no authority over the significant men in her life (dad, Angel, Riley). Now the Watcher’s Council returns to tell her that in addition to all this, she is not even a player in a game they are playing. They are only using her as their pawn to act out their moves.

Well, a girl can only take so many beatings in one bad day. From her morning class forward, various people tried to make her feel powerless. And dumb. Clingy. Unable to hold a man’s interest. Disposable. And then the WC shows up and takes away the one last representation of power she felt she owned: her physical and mental skill as a Slayer.

What took Buffy so long to realize she could tell all of them to sod off?

What exactly triggered the realization in Buffy that she had power over the people who made her feel most powerless? What lit a fire under this petite firecracker? What restored her self-confidence and the conviction that she and her friends do have the power to fight evil? That the Scoobies represent something in this fight. That they possess power. Power to the people. Rock on.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
2/6/2001

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I am a very vivid dreamer. This is a welcomed treat when I wake with memories of Jared Leto and margaritas on a sandy beach, but I don’t always open my eyes remembering such pleasant images. My good dreams can be really good. But my bad dreams—my nightmares—can sometimes be really frightening. Lucky for me (at least so far), I have always awakened with that sense of relief you get when you know that the bad stuff seemed so real, but actually wasn’t. It was all just a dream.

Dawn’s not so lucky. Learning the truth about her "existence" must have felt worse than any nightmare. In a span of 24 hours, she finds out her family isn’t really her family, everyone has been lying to her and whispering about her behind her back, lots of bad guys are after her and only crazy people can really see her. Scariest image of all: Friendly doctors who suddenly morph into scary bitch goddesses from demon dimensions. Yikes! Unfortunately for Dawn, she can’t wake up, turn on the light, or yell for Joyce to come tell her it isn’t real. This isn’t a dream. This is her reality.

Or is it?

What is real? Who is real? Whose perception is right? Whose perception is wrong? Do demons really exist? Do vampires? Does God? What is God? Is my life all a dream? Am I crazy? Ahhhhhhhhhh….

"Blood Ties" was Philosophy 101 meets Intro to Western Civilization meets Ancient Mythology. There were enough "whos," "hows," and "whys" to, at the very least, earn us a semester’s worth of college credit.
Reality. Perception. Alternate dimensions. Gods. Demons. Energy matrices. Where’s my No-Doz? I feel like it’s the night before my thesis is due and I haven’t even written the introduction.

Like a tornado, February swept right on in and kept everyone hanging on for their dear lives. For the Scoobies and veteran BtVS watchers, it was no surprise that Buffy’s 20th birthday involved more than just prezzies and cake. However, this was certainly an action-packed, plot-thickening Buffy Birthday Extravaganza.

As the episode begins, it appears that the "Glory is a god" info has sunk in for everyone. It also seems that now Giles knows Glory is a god, he’s suddenly full of helpful information. ("Oh, now I get it!" ) Xander points out that even though they now know what Glory is, they still don’t know the secret behind the object she’s after—this key thing. And so, Buffy and Giles finally let everyone else in. The Key is Dawn.

Dawn also discovers the secret. Unfortunately, Giles and Buffy aren’t around to break it to her gently.
The action continues. Glory kills some Knights of Byzantium, sucks some brains and morphs into Dr. Ben. Spike gives the Slayer a "what for." And, someone finally listens to what the crazies in the mental ward are babbling about.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any more intense, it did.

For the first time since I started writing these Buffy reviews, I can’t figure out which topic I want to write about. There so many issues (both concrete and philosophical) to ponder. And so instead of a thesis, I present you with an outline.

I. WHAT IS REAL?
Seven months ago, Dawn Summers did not exist in human form, however, she and her family and friends have vivid memories of interactions with her.

The monks created Dawn by "transforming energy and then reality."

According to Giles’ notes, "The Key" is "an energy matrix vibrating at a dimensional frequency beyond normal human perception. Only those outside reality can see The Key’s true nature."

The mentally insane (those "outside reality" ) can all "see" Dawn.

Neither Glory, nor Ben can "see" Dawn.

There are thousands of demon dimensions "pushing on the edge of reality."

Which dimension is real? Which memories are real? How is it determined who is inside and who is outside reality?

II. GODS & MONK KEYS: Rank or Be Ranked
Glory and two fellow "Hell Gods" ruled over a demon dimension.

Glory and Ben are siblings who don’t seem to like each other too much.

These particular gods are immortal.

Gods can take human form, but this may limit their powers.

Glory needs to suck human brains.

The Byzantium believe that "The Key is the link. The link must be severed. Such is the will of God." Monotheistic culture?

The sole purpose of the Monks in the Order of Dagon is to protect The Key.

Dr. Ben’s fate is directly linked to Glory’s.

Dr. Ben claims that Glory cannot lay a finger on him; however, Dr. Ben fears for Dawn’s safety when he realizes she is The Key. He begs her to run away from Glory.

Dr. Ben can sense Glory’s presence.

Glory can morph into Dr. Ben.

Glory describes The Key as younger than she, but pretty old ("just this side of forever); as "a bright, green swirly shimmer"; as "totally evil…well, not really."

Glory is not immune to all magical spells.

III. CONCLUSION?
Here are the facts as they have been presented to us.

There doesn’t seem to be one correct answer.

Let us present and defend our theses.

[Dalton]

by Jen Sonstein
2/13/2001

What do Alicia Silverstone, Glenn Close, and James Marsters all have in common? They’ve all played mentally unstable characters who develop an unhealthy crush. After which, each tries to win over the object of their affection by first playing nice, but then playing nasty. When the love is not reciprocated, each engages in sick twisted acts in an attempt to force love upon their victims. In other words, a crush becomes an obsession.

Questions: How many of you ended up hating or at least condemning either or both of the female characters mentioned above? Raise your hands. Okay. How many of you ended up loathing or rebuking Spike at the end of "Crush"? I bet not nearly as many of you raised your stakes. You kinda felt sorry him, didn’t you? Admit it.

I admit it. As much as it irks me, I kept shaking my head at the screen thinking, "Poor Spikey."

All three are bleedin’ psychos! All three do icky things! So, what’s the diff?

The diff, according to Dawn, is that Spike's "got cool hair and wears leather coats and stuff."

The real diff is that for some reason people (mostly young women) tend to condemn the loony ladies on TV and in films, but root, root, root for the bad guys: Whether they’re wife-beaters (O.J. Simpson), rapists (Luke of General Hospital fame), or blood-sucking vampires (Angel and Spike).

"Crush" would be a great target for feminists who write papers on how obsessive male characters in movies or television are consistently portrayed as romantic heroes exploring the dark side of desire, while similarly obsessed female characters end up riding into the sunset in a wacko wagon where they belong.
However, the recurrence of sexual stereotypes in the entertainment industry is not the topic of today’s discussion.

The more important question is:
What is the diff between Angel and Spike?

In her argument with Dawn, Buffy argues that Spike’s "a killer." She continues by explaining to her that "you cannot have a crush on something that’s dead and evil and a vampire."

Oops. It’s difficult to take the high road when you’ve already done the dead vampire thing, literally. Dawn reminds her big sister of this as we all nod our heads in unison. Um, Buffy? You were in love with Angel! And he’s a stone-cold dead bloodsucker, too!

But, as we all know by now, Buffy thinks Angel is a different case. He has a soul. A soul that allows him to feel remorse. A soul that allows him to feel guilt over the hundreds of horrible murders he committed and the hundred years of pain he caused. But, in Buffy’s opinion, since Angel (no longer the bad "soul-less"
Angelus) feels bad about his crimes and now fights for good not evil, he’s different.

"Angel was good," Buffy claims.

Buffy has forgiven Angel’s crimes.

"I can be, too," Spike insists.

But, Buffy won’t forgive Spike’s.

Why not?

Spike has gradually become one of The Gang. At first, he used them as a means to an end. He needed blood and money to survive. They were willing to pay for his help. Then, Spike claimed he was only helping because fighting demons felt good. It reinstalled some self-esteem. Apparently, even vampires have egos. But, lately Spike has just been helping. He’s not doing it just for the money (if they’re still even paying). Or, for an ego boost. On the surface, it seems he is helping out of love for Buffy.

But, what if, like Angel, Spike possesses the seemingly human characteristic of deciding whether he wants to be good or to be evil? Could the chip in Spike’s head possibly have the same effect of Angel’s reinstalled soul?

Before you answer, remember this: the chip was placed in Spike’s head only a year ago. One would expect first a period of denial, a period of rage, and then, a period of acceptance—the stage in which Spike is currently residing.

From flashbacks in previous episodes on both BtVS and Angel, it seems that Angel experienced something very similar—denial, rage, and then acceptance. However, remember this: Angel has been a vampire with a soul for many years now. He’s had much more time to adapt. In comparison, Spike’s change has only just begun.
What if Spike is helping the Gang because he actually wants to fight the good fight?

It’s interesting. No one except Buffy seems to question Spike’s presence during fights. In fact, the Gang is pretty comfortable with Spike hanging around (except for the small issue of petty theft). Dawn even claims to feel safe in his presence. Joyce is even relieved to find out Dawn had been at Spike’s when she thought Dawn had run away.

People are starting to like Spike.

While we’re on the subject of other’s opinions of Spike --what does Anya have to say on the subject? She doesn’t usually say much, but also tends to stick up for the non-human kind every now and again. Buffy seems to have forgiven Anya, a former vengeance demon who claims to have performed some pretty bad vengeance, but can’t forgive Spike.

What’s the diff?

Perhaps, the difference is that Buffy has a soft spot for male vampires.

Perhaps, she’s scared to let Spike get close to her.

Perhaps, she’s afraid it might lead her down a path similar to one that has already caused her plenty of grief.

Or…

Perhaps, the difference is that she is The Slayer.
Becoming close to one vampire is only bending the rules, but letting in another would be breaking them. It reminds me of Tevye’s dilemma in Fiddler on the Roof: He lets his eldest daughter marry a poor tailor, he even lets his second oldest daughter marry a communist rebel, but when his third wants to marry a polish gentile…no way! Because before you know it—there goes the neighborhood.

What’s a Slayer to think when the creatures who are supposed to be her enemies—one by one—become her allies?

The Slayer vs. the vampire is TRADITION. Perhaps, Buffy’s afraid that opening the door to another vampire is letting in unthinkable possibilities.

So she shuts it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go…I wanna be sedated
Just put me in a wheelchair and get me to the show
Hurry hurry hurry before I go loco
I can't control my fingers I can't control my toes
Oh no no no no no…"