Buffy 3x20: The Prom

[fajrdrako]

Buffy 3x20: The Prom

Loved this one - for many reasons. Well, not counting the absence of Spike.

I must say, though, that proms were either not the custom in Canada in my day, or I simply ignored them. So I only know about proms from TV shows like this. It's a strange, strange world.

1. Love the beginning, with Angel watching Buffy sleep. "This place really isn't girl-friendly. No mirrors, no natural light." And he thinks she looks perfect. Aww.
   
   
2. Buffy describes to Angel what a prom is: "Think cotillion with spiked punch and electric slide." That would clarify everything, if I knew what 'electric slide' meant.
   
   
3. Xander to Anya: "Well, hey, it's demon Anya, punisher of evil males." What a very expository way of saying 'good morning'. Well, that's Xander. Combines necessary background and gaucherie all in one line.
   
   
4. Lovely dialogue here, though: Anya: I have witnessed a millennium of treachery and oppression from the males of the species and I have nothing but contempt for the whole libidinous lot of them.
   Xander: Then why you talking to me?
   Anya: I don't have a date for the prom.
   It's a tough life for a Demon Punisher of Evil Males, even a pretty one.Anya: Men are evil. Will you go with me?
   Xander: One of us is very confused, and I honestly don't know which.Joss, maybe.
   
   
5. Anya says, "You're not quite as obnoxious as most of the alpha males around here." My jaw drops. (a) How does Anya define 'alpha male'? (b) how much worse to the men in Sunnydale get? she thinks sock puppet boy is better? Does this reflect her taste, or the terrible reality of Sunnydale?
   
   
6. Anya: Fine. Look, I know you find me attractive. I've seen you looking at my breasts.
   Xander: Nothing personal, but when a guy does that, it just means his eyes are open.
   Is it unfeminist of me to have laughed out loud at this?
   
   
7. Sock puppet. Less said the better.
   
   
8. Joyce visits Angel. That's kind of charming. Except that she infuriates me by what she says: "when it comes to you, Angel, she's just like any other young woman in love. You're all she can see of tomorrow. But I think we both know that there are some hard choices ahead. If she can't make them, you're gonna have to. I know you care about her. I just hope you care enough." Faugh. A plague on evil mothers who interfere with their child's love life.
   
   
9. Cordelia says to Wesley, "I bet you would look way 007 in a tux." Woo. Yes. Sometimes I like the way she thinks.
   
   
10. Giles: "I myself will be wearing pink taffeta as chenille would not go with my complexion." Love that man.
    
    
11. Another Buffy nightmare. Am I misremembering, or is it a while since we've seen one of those?
    
    
12. Conversation between Angel and Buffy:Angel: I've been thinking... about our future. And the more I do, the more I feel like us, you and me being together, is unfair to you.
    Buffy: Is this about what the Mayor said? Because he was just trying to shake us up.
    Angel: He was right.
    Buffy: No. No, he wasn't. He's the bad guy.
    I'm agreeing with Buffy here.
    
    
13. Angel: "Before you know it, you'll want it all, a normal life." How does he know? Gad: I hate it when people prescribe a 'normal' life for people who don't want one. Buffy can't have 'normal' anyway, she's a Slayer. Is guilt making him unable to think straight?
    
    Maybe it isn't 'normal' he thinks she wants. Maybe it's sex.
    
    Anyway, my sympathies here are all with Buffy, and Angel's being a jerk.
    
    
14. So Cordelia's family has lost their money. She seems bitter.
    
    
15. A hellhound. Why does that immediately make me think of the Hellhound in Good Omens?
    
    
16. Good Oz line: "Once again, the Hellmouth puts the special in special occasion."
    
    
17. Good Buffy line: "I'm going to give you all a nice, fun, normal evening if I have to kill every single person on the face of the earth to do it." I think the poor girl is suffering from frustration.
    
    
18. Great Buffy line to Angel: "I can lie to you if I want to now. We're ex, remember?"
    
    
19. Who paid for Cordelia's dress? Surely Xander didn't do something nice?
    
    
20. Another great Buffy line: "The great thing about being a Slayer, kicking ass is comfort food."
    
    
21. Buffy to Tucker: "Every maladjust has his reasons. Luckily for me, you're an incompetent maladjust."
    
    
22. The Hellhounds advance. But Buffy is in fine form.
    
    
23. So they make Buffy "Class Protector". So sweet. They noticed! That is unexpectedly delightful. (Does Snyder know about htis?)
    
    
24. Reason #624 that I love Giles:Wesley: Mr. Giles. I'd like your opinion. While the last thing I want to do is muddle bad behavior in front of impressionable youth, I wonder if asking Miss Chase to dance would...
    Giles: For God's sake, man, she's eighteen. And you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Just have at it, would you, and stop fluttering about.
    I love his sense of reality.
    
    
25. Then Angel dances with Buffy. Willow was right: perfect.