Something special. Or blue.
And we're back. Apologies for the unintentional hiatus - various family and fandom things got in the way. But at least we have a pretty special episode to return on. Music to the heart of any Spuffy fan, but sheer hilarity for almost any viewer. This is the Buffyverse, though. There are dark overtones.
Willow is sad, but finds sniffing clothes soothing. (Giles did tell her knowledge should be smelly, after all.) It's all she has left, poor moppet, since Oz went. His room is full of their memories, balm to her soul.
Riley has shocking news for Buffy. He is, in fact, a lesbian. (foreshadowing of a sort, do we think?)
Buffy's hair looks like she's had another sort of shock, mind you - a Van der Graaf type.
Riley actually asks her out. Well, for a picnic. Daytime dates are a fairly new experience for Buffy.
Buffy and Willow are discussing men, loss, slaying. All the usual stuff. A vamp is irritating enough to get in the way, and Buffy deals with him effectively.
Other vamps can be irritating. Much more so, and for much longer. Mind you, I think I would be quite annoying if I were chained up in somebody's bath.
Spike wants food and comfort. Buffy wants information from him. Neither is getting what they want, both are really, really irritated.
Even when he has a mug of blood, Spike is less than helpful.
Though Buffy is a naughty taunter
Giles is fed up with both of them. Perhaps Willow could try a memory spell?
Willow's doing OK, thinks Buffy. Spike disagrees. With his ability to see what people actually feel, he knows she's hanging in by a thread, at most.
That thread is about to break. Willow drops by Oz's room to have another sniff. It's empty. She is not a happy Willow.
Giles would really like to take a shower. Alone.
Buffy and Riley have their picnic. He is astonished to find she doesn't drive, and offers to take her out in his car.
Willow comes to join them, as full of sunshine and puppies as ever.
At the Bronze the Scoobies are talking about Willow. Who is dancing the dance of the brave little toaster.
It's also the dance of the exceedingly drunk and exceptionally unhappy little witch. Xander reminds her of Buffy's experience with the demon drink. Anya reminds him not to think about Buffy in a Raquel Welch fur bikini.
Willow just doesn't see why it has to hurt so much. Why can't the pain just go away, poof!?
Perhaps it can. Instead of a memory spell Willow gets up during the night and performs a "my will be done" spell. In a rather grand bathroom.
It doesn't seem to work, however, not even as much as unbending a Q-tip.
Giles is worried about Willow, which inevitably turns into a lecture - she really needs to pull herself together. Of course he sees what her problem is
no he doesn't, Willow feels. He doesn't see anything. She has a flashy-eye moment.
And Giles has problems with his vision.
He can't even see to cast a spell on a bolshy vampire.
So the vampire nicks the keys and runs off.
Willow bemoans her lack of power. A decent witch could have made Oz stay. Or at least unmagicked Amy. Behind her, Amy appears
and then becomes a rat again. The girls' night in continues till Buffy is summoned to look for Spike
and that annoys Willow too. After all, he's likely to be just outside. And so he is.
That crisis is over quickly, then. Spike does identify where the Initiative exit was before the inevitable slapping around. Then Buffy marches him back to Maison Giles.
Giles is really suffering with his sight now, but the two are squabbling too much to notice.
Xander visits Willow, but gets nowhere.
She's far too self-obsessed sad. And cross because everyone is putting her needs last. Xander's a demon-magnet and Buffy and Spike should just get married. Nobody, including her, notices more flashy-eye moments.
Suddenly, though, Spike is on his knees.
Of course it's yes! They are in love and engaged.
Giles is aghast.
There is much canoodling.
And Buffy asks Giles to give her away. He is flattered despite the insanity of it.
Buffy really is living the dream.
Giles is now totally blind, though. Spike points out they can probably help with a spell; after all, Giles is more or less his father-in-law now, isn't he? Buffy goes off to get supplies, but stops to do a little window-shopping on the way.
She meets Riley and shares the joyful news. She doesn't like her fiancé, who is "totally old", but she does love him. Riley feels the need to go somewhere away and be ... away.
Xander's make-out session with Anya is interrupted by demons. Yes, plural.
Giles is really suffering.
Buffy is in love, so barely notices.
Anya and Xander are dishevelled; they have barely managed to shake off the demons.
Astutely, Xander notices Spike is not tied or chained up. Buffy breaks the joyful news.
(Does that pose remind anyone else of Spike and Dru in School Hard?) Xander is gobsmacked. "How? What? How?" Three excellent questions.
And the penny drops. Giles and Xander must be suffering from a Willow-spell. Not Buffy, of course. She's the Slayer and probably immune.
Willow goes home. Sadly.
A demon appears and snatches her away in a flash of light. By the time the Scoobies, plus a bickering Spike, arrive, all that's left is the sort of burn on the carpet that will be really difficult to explain to the dorm authorities at the end of the year.
Spike is more interested in Buffy's fluffy clothing. Not in a good way.
Anya gets it. Of course - it has to be D'Hoffryn.
It is. He's making Willow an offer he doesn't want her to refuse.
She doesn't believe she's caused any harm.
But the Scoobies are in a graveyard. And there are more demons.
The only place to go is a crypt, and blocking the door will only work so far.
It's mayhem. Buffy has hardly any time to snog Spike. She makes some, though.
Willow is aghast as she is shown what is happening and politely turns down the offer. D'Hoffryn is surprisingly unenraged and opens a portal.
And, poof! Willow is here and undoes her spell.
Buffy and Spike stop mid-snog.
Yes, it's that revolting. So Willow has to do much cookie-baking to assuage her guilt and apologise.
And Spike gets a cookie to shut him up. Who needs to know all the details of Buffy's wedding plans?
Yes, the cookie-dough is baked.
And Buffy manages to explain things to Riley. She was just joking.
Really. Just a joke.
*****
So, I may just have gone a little overboard on the screencaps there. Can you blame me?
This episode, between Pangs and Hush, often appears in "10 best" lists. It's on mine. As so often, there's a really serious theme at the heart of the story - love really does make you do the wacky, and loss, heartbreak and loneliness can cause immense damage. It's worth noting that, amongst all the hilarity, there is a grain of truth in many of the spells. Xander actually is something of a demon-magnet, from the giant mantis onward, and is in a relationship with an ex-demon right now. Giles sometimes perceives things less clearly than he thinks he does, as we will see in the future. In this season we begin to see the cracks in the facade - just like all parents of young adults, he is not all-knowing and gradually this becomes clear. He certainly doesn't see how hurt Willow is.
And as for Buffy - she will tell Spike she loves him, one day, without a spell. And he will be deeply in love with her. Foreshadowing or sowing a seed? Hence sprang many, many pages of Spuffyfic at least.
Willow's magic goes wrong. How unusual. Willow wants to use magic to make all the pain go away at once, to make everything work right for her. Again, how unusual. The offer of demon-status is seriously-meant, and brings her to her senses, but there is a real warning here of the dangers of going too far, of abusing and exploiting power. We may just see more of this.
*****
So, favourite lines/scenes? I have too many to list, I confess. Superb acting from the cast - real ensemble work and fabulous interaction, from Anya's "Off-topic, Xander" to Willow's cookie-mania. Pain, bewilderment, genuine joy, acute embarrassment - all nailed.
Anything you don't like? If you dislike the Spuffy relationship even the comic form may not amuse you. Is Willow too whiny or her friends too uncaring or inactive? Is Riley believable in his courtship of Buffy even after the bizarre bridal-shop meeting?
Please share your feelings, likes, dislikes, quotations - whatever you like.
All caps courtesy of Screencapped.net
Willow is sad, but finds sniffing clothes soothing. (Giles did tell her knowledge should be smelly, after all.) It's all she has left, poor moppet, since Oz went. His room is full of their memories, balm to her soul.
Riley has shocking news for Buffy. He is, in fact, a lesbian. (foreshadowing of a sort, do we think?)
Buffy's hair looks like she's had another sort of shock, mind you - a Van der Graaf type.
Riley actually asks her out. Well, for a picnic. Daytime dates are a fairly new experience for Buffy.
Buffy and Willow are discussing men, loss, slaying. All the usual stuff. A vamp is irritating enough to get in the way, and Buffy deals with him effectively.
Other vamps can be irritating. Much more so, and for much longer. Mind you, I think I would be quite annoying if I were chained up in somebody's bath.
Spike wants food and comfort. Buffy wants information from him. Neither is getting what they want, both are really, really irritated.
Even when he has a mug of blood, Spike is less than helpful.
Though Buffy is a naughty taunter
Giles is fed up with both of them. Perhaps Willow could try a memory spell?
Willow's doing OK, thinks Buffy. Spike disagrees. With his ability to see what people actually feel, he knows she's hanging in by a thread, at most.
That thread is about to break. Willow drops by Oz's room to have another sniff. It's empty. She is not a happy Willow.
Giles would really like to take a shower. Alone.
Buffy and Riley have their picnic. He is astonished to find she doesn't drive, and offers to take her out in his car.
Willow comes to join them, as full of sunshine and puppies as ever.
At the Bronze the Scoobies are talking about Willow. Who is dancing the dance of the brave little toaster.
It's also the dance of the exceedingly drunk and exceptionally unhappy little witch. Xander reminds her of Buffy's experience with the demon drink. Anya reminds him not to think about Buffy in a Raquel Welch fur bikini.
Willow just doesn't see why it has to hurt so much. Why can't the pain just go away, poof!?
Perhaps it can. Instead of a memory spell Willow gets up during the night and performs a "my will be done" spell. In a rather grand bathroom.
It doesn't seem to work, however, not even as much as unbending a Q-tip.
Giles is worried about Willow, which inevitably turns into a lecture - she really needs to pull herself together. Of course he sees what her problem is
no he doesn't, Willow feels. He doesn't see anything. She has a flashy-eye moment.
And Giles has problems with his vision.
He can't even see to cast a spell on a bolshy vampire.
So the vampire nicks the keys and runs off.
Willow bemoans her lack of power. A decent witch could have made Oz stay. Or at least unmagicked Amy. Behind her, Amy appears
and then becomes a rat again. The girls' night in continues till Buffy is summoned to look for Spike
and that annoys Willow too. After all, he's likely to be just outside. And so he is.
That crisis is over quickly, then. Spike does identify where the Initiative exit was before the inevitable slapping around. Then Buffy marches him back to Maison Giles.
Giles is really suffering with his sight now, but the two are squabbling too much to notice.
Xander visits Willow, but gets nowhere.
She's far too self-obsessed sad. And cross because everyone is putting her needs last. Xander's a demon-magnet and Buffy and Spike should just get married. Nobody, including her, notices more flashy-eye moments.
Suddenly, though, Spike is on his knees.
Of course it's yes! They are in love and engaged.
Giles is aghast.
There is much canoodling.
And Buffy asks Giles to give her away. He is flattered despite the insanity of it.
Buffy really is living the dream.
Giles is now totally blind, though. Spike points out they can probably help with a spell; after all, Giles is more or less his father-in-law now, isn't he? Buffy goes off to get supplies, but stops to do a little window-shopping on the way.
She meets Riley and shares the joyful news. She doesn't like her fiancé, who is "totally old", but she does love him. Riley feels the need to go somewhere away and be ... away.
Xander's make-out session with Anya is interrupted by demons. Yes, plural.
Giles is really suffering.
Buffy is in love, so barely notices.
Anya and Xander are dishevelled; they have barely managed to shake off the demons.
Astutely, Xander notices Spike is not tied or chained up. Buffy breaks the joyful news.
(Does that pose remind anyone else of Spike and Dru in School Hard?) Xander is gobsmacked. "How? What? How?" Three excellent questions.
And the penny drops. Giles and Xander must be suffering from a Willow-spell. Not Buffy, of course. She's the Slayer and probably immune.
Willow goes home. Sadly.
A demon appears and snatches her away in a flash of light. By the time the Scoobies, plus a bickering Spike, arrive, all that's left is the sort of burn on the carpet that will be really difficult to explain to the dorm authorities at the end of the year.
Spike is more interested in Buffy's fluffy clothing. Not in a good way.
Anya gets it. Of course - it has to be D'Hoffryn.
It is. He's making Willow an offer he doesn't want her to refuse.
She doesn't believe she's caused any harm.
But the Scoobies are in a graveyard. And there are more demons.
The only place to go is a crypt, and blocking the door will only work so far.
It's mayhem. Buffy has hardly any time to snog Spike. She makes some, though.
Willow is aghast as she is shown what is happening and politely turns down the offer. D'Hoffryn is surprisingly unenraged and opens a portal.
And, poof! Willow is here and undoes her spell.
Buffy and Spike stop mid-snog.
Yes, it's that revolting. So Willow has to do much cookie-baking to assuage her guilt and apologise.
And Spike gets a cookie to shut him up. Who needs to know all the details of Buffy's wedding plans?
Yes, the cookie-dough is baked.
And Buffy manages to explain things to Riley. She was just joking.
Really. Just a joke.
*****
So, I may just have gone a little overboard on the screencaps there. Can you blame me?
This episode, between Pangs and Hush, often appears in "10 best" lists. It's on mine. As so often, there's a really serious theme at the heart of the story - love really does make you do the wacky, and loss, heartbreak and loneliness can cause immense damage. It's worth noting that, amongst all the hilarity, there is a grain of truth in many of the spells. Xander actually is something of a demon-magnet, from the giant mantis onward, and is in a relationship with an ex-demon right now. Giles sometimes perceives things less clearly than he thinks he does, as we will see in the future. In this season we begin to see the cracks in the facade - just like all parents of young adults, he is not all-knowing and gradually this becomes clear. He certainly doesn't see how hurt Willow is.
And as for Buffy - she will tell Spike she loves him, one day, without a spell. And he will be deeply in love with her. Foreshadowing or sowing a seed? Hence sprang many, many pages of Spuffyfic at least.
Willow's magic goes wrong. How unusual. Willow wants to use magic to make all the pain go away at once, to make everything work right for her. Again, how unusual. The offer of demon-status is seriously-meant, and brings her to her senses, but there is a real warning here of the dangers of going too far, of abusing and exploiting power. We may just see more of this.
*****
So, favourite lines/scenes? I have too many to list, I confess. Superb acting from the cast - real ensemble work and fabulous interaction, from Anya's "Off-topic, Xander" to Willow's cookie-mania. Pain, bewilderment, genuine joy, acute embarrassment - all nailed.
Anything you don't like? If you dislike the Spuffy relationship even the comic form may not amuse you. Is Willow too whiny or her friends too uncaring or inactive? Is Riley believable in his courtship of Buffy even after the bizarre bridal-shop meeting?
Please share your feelings, likes, dislikes, quotations - whatever you like.
All caps courtesy of Screencapped.net