A near-feature episode despite it revolving around Riley Finn and Buffy Summers supposedly being madly in love - though no direct evidence of this attraction has thus far been seen in the acting.
Plot Synopsis:
The events - surprisingly powerful as they are - may be located here, courtesy of BuffyGuide.com.
The Skinny:
A few things that made this episode stand out for me:
- Buffy Summers' lonely hearts club band (Spike and Riley) commiserating over how frustrating it was to be madly in love with someone and have no realistic shot at ever truly connecting with her was a stroke of genius. Spike - because Buffy really is better than him - and Riley, because Buffy believes (mistakenly) that strength revolves around stoicism and therefore finds it next to impossible to let someone into her life entirely...they both have their reasons for feeling helpless and broken by their feelings for Buffy.
- The decision to use Buffy's "tragic" splitting with Riley to finally affirm Anya and Xander as a serious couple...also brilliant. They've had their moments before, but Xander is exactly the type of person who would be pushed to finally fully express how he feels when he sees the cost of not doing so for one of his friends.
- Never...ever...piss off the slayer. Apparently she gains about five times the speed and strength (and this is relative to her super-powered self!) when she has a personal reason to want you deader than dead. LOL That all-too-brief fight scene was spectacular to behold. :)
- The writers do in fact have it right regarding the tragic flaw in Buffy and Riley's relationship. Riley is never going to be happy in a relationship where he doesn't feel needed...and Buffy is not currently prepared to be the needy one - believing she needs to always be the strongest person in the room. Neither of them is a bad person for wanting what they want out of a relationship, but it makes them a bad fit - of course we knew they were a bad fit from about the fourth episode in which Riley appeared. And neither of them is innocent, oh BTW. Riley is the one having a spiritual affair with a vampire, but Buffy hasn't exactly been spiritually faithful to Riley...actually, she's been using him for sex this whole time, despite what she might think. This fair and balance portrayal of a relationship that simply isn't meant to be is what makes BtVS great...and is one of the reasons I generally appreciate Noxon's scripts.
Writing: 9.5
The psychology is well understood by Noxon and it comes across in her plot developments and especially in her dialogue. Some of the speechier (new word of the day!) moments in this one are among the most memorable of this highly memorable season.
Acting: 8.5
Sadly, Marc Blucas' final contribution to the canon is to kill a potentially feature-worthy episode with some very uneven acting that takes away some of the momentum from his and Buffy's final fight.
Message: 8.5
The moral of this story would seem to be that love is something that requires more from us that we might automatically be comfortable with. It requires us to subjugate our egos and risk exposure. Riley acted shamefully with those vampires, but Buffy has something to learn form this as well (and Xander appears to have learned this lesson well). Love isn't about what's fair or who is to blame. Love just is...and sometimes to have everything you want, you have to give something of yourself...even your pride.
Highlights:
Dawn: When I was younger, I used to put my chopsticks in my mouth like this, and then Buffy would chase me around the house yelling, "I am the Slayer! I'm going to get you!"
Anya: That's disturbing. You're emotionally scarred and will end up badly.
Dawn: No...it was fun...she didn't actually stake me... (LOL)
Xander: So what do you want to do now, Dawnster? Keeping in mind I won't chase you because I'm old and full of moo-goo-gai-starch.
Anya: We could play life!
Xander: We've done that to death.
Anya: But it's such great fun!
Willow: For you...you always win.
Anya: Well...we could wager something. I could take your real money. That would make it more fun.
Xander (sarcastically): And after we teach her to gamble, maybe we can all get drunk!
Anya: I don't think the bar would serve her, but we could bring something in. (To Dawn) Strawberry schnapps tastes just like real ice cream.
Willow: Ooookaaay...how about we see a movie? (LOL)
(a bit later)
Anya: Oooh...a hockey playing chimp! We have to see that! It's hilarious...the ice is so slippery and the monkeys are all irrational. We have to see it!
Dawn: It's okay. You guys don't have to make a big deal for me. I'm only sleeping over here so Buffy and Riley can boink.
Xander: No, no, that's not it at all, they just need time to, um, be tender. Relax.
Anya: He's not very convincing is he? (heh)
Dawn: "Alone time" always translates into "get Dawn out of the house so we can have loud obnoxious sex."
Anya (softly to Xander): Oh, does that mean we can't?
Joyce: But you should go out...spend time with your friends. Have Riley take you to a movie!
Buffy: I gave Riley the night off.
Joyce: I don't think he thinks of being with you as a chore, Buffy.
Buffy: No, that's not what I meant...I just...told him to make other plans because I wanted you all to myself, OK? Besides...I'm sure Riley will come over later looking for a little... Bible study.
Joyce: Well, good. I mean just as long as two of you are spending some quality time with... the Lord. (riiiiight)
Buffy: Every time you show up like this, you risk all of your parts, you know that?
Spike: I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a good reason. As usual, I'm here to help you, and I— are you naked under there?
Buffy: Get out.
Spike: No, I'm serious. I mean, not about the naked part, I mean— (LOL!)
Buffy: Get out or I will drop you out head first.
Anya: Who ordered more chickens' feet? The ones we have aren't moving at all.
Xander: That's generally what happens when you cut them off the chicken.
Anya: I'm serious! Maybe we could do a... holiday promotion. One free with every purchase!
Giles: Oh, yeah. Dear holiday memories. Merry tykes by the fire, enjoying their new Christmas... chicken feet.
Willow: Aw, holding them tight as they fall asleep. Painting their little toenails.
Anya: That's very humorous. Make fun of the ex-demon! I can just hear you in private. "I dislike that Anya. She's newly human and strangely literal."
Willow: Anya, I don't say that! No one says that. No one talks that way.
Anya: There's nothing wrong with my idea anyway. I've been very good for this store. If it wasn't for me, Giles would be a terrified old man staring at a quarterly tax statement and wetting himself.
Giles: I say, that's an exaggeration!
Willow: Anya, you've helped out a lot, but I have too.
Anya: Yes, I forgot about all the vigorous sitting around.
Xander: Anya, you can back off a little. You get paid. Willow's doing this on her own time.
Anya: I'm sorry, Willow. Thank you for making time in your busy life to come in here and get in the way of mine.
Xander: Anya, play nice.
Anya: You know, fine, take her side instead of mine even though I'm the one who sleeps with you and feeds you, bathes you...
Willow: She bathes you?
Xander: Only in an erotic, Penthouse-y way, not in a sponge-bath-y geriatric sort of—
Giles: Please! Stop, I beg of you. (ROTFL!)
Riley: You actually think you've got a shot with her?
Spike: No, I don't. Fella's gotta try, though. Gotta do what he can.
Riley: If you touched her... you know I'd kill you for real.
Spike: If I had this chip outta my head, I'd have killed you long ago. Ain't love grand?
Spike: Sometimes I envy you so much it chokes me. And sometimes I think I got the better deal. To be that close to her and not have her. To be all alone even when you're holding her. Feeling her, feeling her beneath you. Surrounding you. The scent... No, you got the better deal.
Buffy: Then what? What else do you want from me, Riley? I've given you everything that I have, I've given you my heart, my body and soul!
Riley: You say that, but I don't feel it. I just don't feel it.
Buffy: Well, whose fault is that? Because I'm telling you, this is it. This is me. This is the package. And if it's so deficient that you need to get your kicks elsewhere... then we really have a problem.
Xander: Take this, for instance. You don't wanna deal, so you hide? It's not very Slayer-like.
Buffy: Just leave me alone, Xander. You have no idea what's going on.
Xander: No? Good, so you and Riley aren't imploding? (Buffy turns to him in surprise) It doesn't take a genius. What I can't figure out is how you never saw it coming.
Buffy: What? Who told you?
Xander: Nobody told me anything, Buffy. It was right in front of my Xander face. The guy would do anything for you.
Buffy: The guy got himself bit by a vampire! He lied to me! He ran around behind my back and almost got himself killed! And now he tells me that he's leaving with some covert military operation at midnight unless I convince him not to. Now tell me that you understand. Because I sure as hell don't.
Xander: You gonna let him go?
Buffy: It's not my decision to make.
Xander: Of course it is.
Buffy: Well, it's not fair!
Xander: Who cares if it's fair? In about twenty minutes, Riley's gonna disappear, maybe forever, unless you do something to stop him.
Buffy: What am I supposed to do? Beg him to stay?
Xander: Why wouldn't you? To keep Riley here you—
Buffy: I don't even know who he is anymore! I mean, I thought he was... dependable.
Xander: Dependable? What is he, State Farm?
Buffy: You know what I mean.
Xander: Yeah. I think you mean convenient. I think you took it for granted that he was gonna show up when you wanted him to, and take off when you didn't.
Buffy: Look who's talking. Look who has Anya following him around like a lovesick puppy.
Xander: Oh boy, is this not about me.
Buffy: Is she more than a convenience? 'Cause that would kinda be a surprise!
Xander: (angry) If you don't wanna hear what I have to say, I'll shut up right now.
Buffy: Good, 'cause I don't.
Xander: I lied. See, what I think, you got burned with Angel, then Riley shows up.
Buffy: I know the story, Xander.
Xander: But you missed the point. You shut down, Buffy. And you've been treating Riley like the rebound guy. When he's the one that comes along once in a lifetime. He's never held back with you. He's risked everything. And you're about to let him fly because you don't like ultimatums? If he's not the guy, if what he needs from you just isn't there, let him go. Break his heart, and make it a clean break. But if you really think you can love this guy... I'm talking scary, messy, no-emotions-barred need... if you're ready for that... then think about what you're about to lose.
Buffy: Xander...
Xander: Run.
Xander (to Anya): I've gotta say something, 'cause I don't think I've made it clear. I'm in love with you. Powerfully, painfully in love. The things you do, the way you think, the way you move... I get excited every time I'm about to see you. You make me feel like I've never felt before in my life. Like a man. I just thought you might wanna know.
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