2/11: Ted

[William the Bloody]

Written by David Greenwalt & Joss Whedon
Directed by Bruce Seth Green
Air date: 12/8/97

When Buffy's mother is romanced by a computer software salesman named Ted, Buffy's uneasy feelings cause her to launch a background investigation.

[Linda]

Hello everyone!

Why a robot?

Why not a demon?

Linda, who has wondered, but never asked til now.

[Rachael]

prokryote said:

Hello everyone!

Why a robot?

Why not a demon?

Linda, who has wondered, but never asked til now.

Hi Linda!

See, now, the trouble is - I don't know the answer. Or even an answer. I could hypothesize that it was a way to get out of Buffy actually killing a human, while still having the emotional squick of thinking for a while that she did (kind of like Wes' dad). Because, in all of his ickiness, Ted was basically a human personality, superimposed on the robot body. In essence, she did kill a human, just like Wes did kill his father.

[Linda]

Rachael said:

Hi Linda!

See, now, the trouble is - I don't know the answer. Or even an answer. I could hypothesize that it was a way to get out of Buffy actually killing a human, while still having the emotional squick of thinking for a while that she did (kind of like Wes' dad). Because, in all of his ickiness, Ted was basically a human personality, superimposed on the robot body. In essence, she did kill a human, just like Wes did kill his father.

Hi Rachael!

Thanks for the answer. I needed some sort of handle for what Joss was trying to convey. Because morally, just Buffy's belief that Ted was human would have been enough -- demonic, robotic same squick to me.

I think you're right that it was important that the actions/personality/motivations of Ted be ultimately human as opposed to being some random demonic nut-job.

Or maybe Joss just went to the Stepford place and couldn't escape. ;D

Linda, yep, human nut-jobs are just ickier...

[Alexandra]

I wonder if John Ritter was asked what kind of monster he felt most comfortable portraying? Maybe he was presented with a variety of choices from the writers, and he felt he could do a robot best. Or he liked the robot idea better than a demon.

BtVS had a lot of demons running through the series. Thinking about him playing a demon doesn't have the originality of the robot theme. Having John Ritter as a guest star may have influenced the writers into coming up with something a bit more off the beaten Buffy track. His face was so well known that seeing him as a demon might have felt ultimately a bit silly - hard to keep the ol' disbelief suspended. Conversely, making him a demon might cover up his face too much for too much of the episode.

The normal person revealed as demon was later done in S4 with Buffy's roommate at college, but with someone less well known in the business. Similar ending to the face between the two, though. Face damaged and metal or demon showing through, for Ted and Kathy respectively.

Perhaps we'll never know why robot instead of demon - or vampire - unless someone asks Joss. Any takers?

Alexandra (for whom "Ted" ranks at the bottom of the Buffyverse - yes, below "Doublemeat Palace."

[Lissa]

Rachael said:

Hi Linda!

See, now, the trouble is - I don't know the answer. Or even an answer. I could hypothesize that it was a way to get out of Buffy actually killing a human, while still having the emotional squick of thinking for a while that she did (kind of like Wes' dad). Because, in all of his ickiness, Ted was basically a human personality, superimposed on the robot body. In essence, she did kill a human, just like Wes did kill his father.

It's also in forshadowing for what could have happened if Ted indeed was a robot with Faith killing the deputy: going evil. Faith and Buffy don't differ much. Big difference is that Buffy as a supportive group surrounding her, which would never allow her to go to the dark side.