Didn’t Buffy already see the runes when Spike was, like, you know, hanging barechested on the wall when she came to rescue him?
But what happen to SIW!Chloe?
I was sort of spoiled (not really: just knew it would be a Dawncentric ep), and I guess I fit the pattern: I was underwhelmed. I’m not so big on Dawn, and Buffy’s speeches are getting a little corny and redundant. I hate how they seem to strech out plots to fit non-sweeps episodes… so all the really important stuff can happen during sweeps. If the holding pattern was a real stand-a-lone ep (aren’t there any other deamony plots in Sunnydale these days? Used to happen every week in ole’ Sunnydale) I might be fine: but these feel like story arc eps… that never go anywhere. Xander’s speech at the end carried the ep.
Apos That and the fact that the bringers are still at large.
Exactly!!! I’m glad I’m not the only one that noticed that she somehow totally dissapeared without a trace and without any mention of what happened to her. I thought I had missed an episode where she got killed or something. It was driving me nuts. Did the writers think we wouldn’t notice? Oh well, maybe she will magically reappear again in a future episode.
Anyway, moving on to my thoughts on this episode. I really liked it. It didn’t do much in the way of advancing the story line, but it was still well written and fun to watch. I thought Xander’s talk with Dawn at the end of the episode was very moving. I almost got teary-eyed myself. I also thought the discussion Buffy had with Xander on the phone at the school at the very beginning of the episode was really funny. Especially the part where Buffy tells him that if he wants to take a shower at her house he needs to lock the bathroom door and her little comment of “Of Course they’re curious!”
The only things that bothered me about this episode (besides the unexplained vanishing of SIT Chloe) was the fact that Giles was absent again with very little explanation of when he had left and how long he was going to be gone. Also, did anyone get the point of Clem’s little demonstration? Was it because the SIT’s where not taking what Buffy said seriously? And did his sudden reappearance really serve any purpose in this episode? I guess I shouldn’t complain. It was nice to see Clem again.
Torben
Mayhap Spike doesn’t want to be felt up in front of a bunch of curious SITs?
torben -
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Buffy does mention Giles is in Shanghai trying to find another SIT.
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Clem’s demon-stration was obviously to show the twerps to be on guard at all times around the demon sort. That and so they could get a laugh.
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pepperlandgirl, were you being fecetious earlier about Xander “seeing things”?
The entirely inconsistent writing for Xander from Season 6 was one of my biggest beefs as well. Especially when watching the Season 1-3 DVD’s (on Season 3, Disk 1 right now 
)you can see the more consistent character development all around.
As far as the episode last night, the first half had me seriously worried. Slow, and seemingly quiet predictable (seemingly 
) I was worried I was going to become one of those net nerds constantly bitch and moan about a show moving past its prime. When Dawn was all glowed up, my eyes rolled quite far into my head.
Of course, I was wrong. The episode picked up quite briskly and the plot twists and surprising speech from Xander left me quite breathless. Yeah!
8/10.
Given the enjoyment of the twists I don’t see how someone can enjoy the show as much having spoiled the plot for the next 6-8 weeks ahead of time. It is like unwrapping your presents early on X-mas eve while everyone else sleeps. Sure it takes away the tension of not knowing, but it also removes much of the fun of the event. I have done it both ways, and spoiler-free is much better.
Anybody else think Buffy’s going about the training all wrong? I mean, look what happened to Dawn’s little friend - she was thrown to the wolves(er, vampires) with very good results. The show set her up to be arguably the weakest of all potentials, and she did the best with the least buildup. I think Buffy should give up in the pep talks and just take them all on patrol. Trial by fire, so to speak.
Loved the Xander speech - and I felt the Dawn-as-Watcher vibe, too. Don’t mind that arc - if it leads to whiny Dawn getting knocked out every week just to get her out the way of the action, I’m all for it.
I got the impression with the Spike scene that it wasn’t his chest he was feeling up… and that Spike was really … into … having Buffy kick his ass.
Oh, and I’ve been kind of wavering on the whole chip thing (I felt that the First was overriding Spike’s ability to feel pain when he sired all those vampires), but I guess the roughing-up of the SIW last night means it’s dead for good. Or they’re being inconsistent, but what are the odds of that happening?
Ethilrist: Semi-spoiler from UPN’s Buffy Newsletter, for the Feb. 4 episode concerning Spike’s chip:
Buffy helps Spike with what seems to be his malfunctioning chip, ultimately leaving Buffy with a shocking choice.
Crap episode.
Too much whiney Dawn. “I’m special! But I still simply shreik and run. Maybe I’ll help things out by taking a stroll - and putting myself in danger!”
Gee, folks. Dawn has preven herself over and again to be quite the attention sink. Dis her at your peril.
The scene in the bar was just filler. Tho I agree, it is nice to see Clem again.
The school vamp was weird. Had a stupid look on his face, and held himself and moved strangely. What was the deal with that?
And the newest SIW was mildly amusing at first, but soon began to grate.
Are we supposed to believe things are heating up again between Buff and Spike? And she is unable to control herself around her trainees?
Well, gee, seeing as Buffy has had so much experience training people and being a grownup, and as she’s the most responsible person in the world, I can’t imagine what that last comment was supposed to mean, Dinsdale.
:rolleyes:
I dunno if its been addressed in the show, but Joss Has Spoken (in interviews): There is only one Slayer line, which passes from Buffy -> Kenda -> Faith. Buffy is an evolutionary dead end; a new slayer will be called only when Faith dies.
Sua
Gorgon she’s been the go-to-girl for the past several years. How many times has she had to inspire, organize, and mobilize the forces of good? She’s saved the world how many times? She has been the head of a household for a couple of years. She’s held various jobs - some better than others. And a quick look at Buff and Willow makes clear they aren’t the young girls they once were. Is she ever going to grow up?
Yet she is so oversexed that while trying to impart vital info to her trainees she can’t keep her hands off of a demon who attempted to rape her? Yeah, I guess that is the part of her character I always loved.
Funny that I encounter many 20 year olds with far less experience than her, who demand to be treated as adults.
Let me know if there is anything else you need cleared up.
If I got my hands on Spike, I wouldn’t care who is watching. And I’m 33.
I was kind of unimpressed with the episode – not liking the preachy Buffy.
Best line of the episode: “A lot of people think she’s some sort of high-functioning schizophrenic.”
Dawn goes to kill a vamp without even a stake? OK, I get the emotional turmoil and all, but that’s no excuse for being stupid. The first episode of the season, we saw her taking lessons from Buffy on slayage. And at least what I took away from the episode is that 15 year old girls are going to be vamp-chow pretty much no matter what they do.
(I found it odd that super speed, super strength vamp couldn’t catch two girls jogging through a high school. )
I did like the fakeout with Dawn as proto-slayer. In fact, when the glow hit her, it was as if I hear a million minds crying out in anguish. (NB: I personally like Dawn – I just wish they didn’t write her as so suicidally stupid.)
Oh please, Xander was functionally blind all through S6.
If I rolled my eyes any harder, they would fall out of my head. He was brutually tortured not too long ago, which she rescued him from, then she threw him against a headstone and sat on him, and noticed that due to the torture, his ribs hurt. She was making sure they weren’t broken or sticking out of his skin.
I mean, I’m so much of a shipper that I take every single crumb they can throw at me, and while I’m excited about the straddling (because, hey, it’s straddling) even I can see what her motives were.
Thanks for that objective analysis, pep!
Anytime! 