"Buffy The Vampire Slayer" Season 3 (Part 3) Reviews (Spoilers)

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Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Consequences"

Buffy Characters Behaving Badly.

It's not just Faith that's the problem. Not by a longshot. I think the only major characters in the episode not to make disastrous mistakes are Giles and Angel. Everybody else approaches the problem all wrong.

I think maybe I want to talk about how Faith spirals out of control. We learned something about the character here we didn't know before. She's manipulative. The things she says to Xander are literally the most hurtful things you could tell a guy you slept with (and her accusing Buffy of secretly digging it when Angel went psycho is similarly appalling). Marti Noxon wrote a very effective counterpoint to Whedon's scene in "Innocence" here. But really, until Faith falsely blames the death on Buffy to Giles, I think Buffy is handling it all wrong. When Faith says near the beginning of the episode, "It's WE. You were right there with me. Everything I go down for, you go down for," she's right. It's the fact that Buffy is viewing this as Faith's sin which is why Faith refuses to face it. And as seen by her dream Buffy does feel a great deal of responsibility. It bothers me that until the "dirty" speech she refuses to verbalize it.

Let me be clear: This fault of Buffy's probably wouldn't have helped anything if she didn't have it. I think Faith is simply a broken person. It's nice she reformed the next season on Angel, but she believes she has the high ground now, and nothing is gonna change her mind at this stage of the game. The problem with doing an intervention with Faith at this stage of the game is that she hasn't hit rock bottom yet. While she still thinks she's in the right, there is no redemption possible.

I felt bad for Xander, but cannot help but still think he's a bit of a creep in telling Faith that sure, he'd like that to happen again... Sometime. "Just not like this." It does seem to me that Xander saying that while he's trying to comfort her gives him a clear, superficial (and toxic) agenda. The things Faith says and does to Xander are super gross, appallingly violent and hurtful, and out of line. But Xander isn't treating her very well either. He's acting like she's a potential future conquest. Why SHOULD she believe he's really on her side?

Opinion: Faith would have killed Xander if Angel hadn't shown up. Further opinion: The scene was badly written because there is no way Angel should have been able to enter Faith's motel room. Unless he was invited there off-screen at one point and we missed it. But that's sloppy writing.

I'll tell you the major problem I had with that scene, especially compared to "Innocence". I have taken Whedon to task for writing that scene plenty of times, but I don't think I ever gave Marti Noxon the proper level of shade for this scene. And I should have. Not merely because it's essentially the same toxicity with the gender dynamics reversed. I'm not suggesting it's equivalent because of that. It's because it started Noxon's disturbing trend of equating sex and violence, and using dirty talk and actions to work out the sexual frustrations she felt as a youth. I will talk smack about Whedon writing the scene he did. But if he ever said the specific things Angel said to another woman he slept with, I'd be surprised. And this is me knowing the allegations against him. But the problem with THIS scene is I can totally picture Noxon telling a guy these things. She's stated in interviews a lot of season 6 was her working out her youthful sexual indiscretions. The truth is I don't care about them, they make the show worse than it ever should be, and she needed to leave her therapy to the professionals. Perhaps the reason I was not down on this scene before now is that I never noticed Noxon wrote this episode before. But it's the start of a disturbing trend.

Also, this toxicity that Noxon has portrayed in her writing on the show is a reason I'm a bit annoyed she got on the MeToo bandwagon against Whedon. I think Whedon treated Charisma Carpenter like crap. But the truth is his time as showrunner involved a lot less objectification and sexual humiliation of the characters than hers did. Which is saying something because Whedon sexually humiliated characters a LOT. But I don't like Noxon claiming to be on Carpenter's side, because she was entirely on the wrong side of the issue while she was on the show. It's very hypocritical. I will listen to Emma Caulfield, Amber Benson, and Michelle Trachtenberg's stories. Not Noxon's. I seem to recall Sarah Michelle Gellar was very unhappy about the gross and violent sex scenes she was asked to perform in Season 6. She was embarrassed by them. That was Noxon's tenure. And it pretty much all started in this episode.

I liked the Mayor being dismayed with the horrible thought that Alan was about to betray him, and him being dead, and being unable to "scold him". Similarly great was him instantly admitting to Faith he sent Mr. Trick to kill her, her telling him he's dust, and him saying, "I thought he might be what with you standing here and all."

I broke out the world's tiniest violin for Willow crying over Xander and Faith. Truly annoyed by that especially after everything else. Her referring to the situation as Faith "Being with my people," was cute though.

I think the characters, including Faith are clearly throwing around the word "murder" too freely and inaccurately. It was an accident, which is the opposite of what murder is. The proper word is homicide.

Wesley handles things terribly too and is probably the real reason Faith turned. How much of Giles and Buffy's conversation did he hear? Did he miss the most important part where Giles tells Buffy this isn't the first time something like this has happened and that involving the Watcher's Council wouldn't be in Faith's best interest? Also him intruding into Angel's mansion with a group of guys and a cross to throw a net over him feels like the dirtiest of moves.

To be honest, I think Angel is saying the things Faith needs to hear, but I can't help feeling the things he is saying are emo and just insufferable. I won't deny she responded to them, and that she is the type of person who responds to emo things to begin with. But I personally don't respond to them and find them annoying instead.

I find this episode extremely distasteful in hindsight, and think Marti Noxon needs to check herself before she lays claim to being on the side of the MeToo movement. I think her portrayals of women and their sexuality on this show did far more harm than good. Even compared to Whedon. **1/2.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Doppelgangland"

It's kind of a shame Whedon didn't write or direct more fun episodes than he did. As this episode shows, he's really good at them.

Really, it's the humor and jokes that make this otherwise underwhelming episode enjoyable. I mean the start of "Bored now," and "I think I'm kind of gay," is NOT great, but the individual jokes just landed one right after the other. And that included the stuff without Vampire Willow in it!

Vampire Willow calling Willow the b word upon being shot with a tranq dart pretty much sums up the differences between the two characters. Also, "Hands!"

My favorite Vamp Willow line was said to Cordelia: "Cordelia, I promise to never steal your boyfriend again." If Cordelia couldn't see what was wrong with her based on THAT specific line delivery, she deserves to get eaten.

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, not being useless for the first time this season.

I love that when Xander holds up the cross to Willow he starts shaking it because it's not working right. Crosses work the same as faulty toasters in Xander's mind.

"She was truly the finest of all of us." "MUCH better than me." "Much, much better." It's such a devastating situation that the show finds the right comedy for. It's amazing how the show navigated stuff like that.

I like that the instant Willow covertly waves to Oz is the instant he knows she's all right. Unlike everyone else, he doesn't need to be convinced. He knows. I find that interesting and cool.

Perhaps I should discuss "Bored now" and "I think I'm kind of gay." The only thing you need to know about "Bored now" is that it's appalling that Season 6 brought that formerly wonderful character to a place where she'd believably say it. I don't love that aspect of it.

But "I think I'm kind of gay," bothers me. A LOT. Especially in light of Season 7 and Willow's later quip, "Gay now." One of the reasons I objected to Joss Whedon randomly turning Willow gay, (besides the troubling objectification he did with Amber Benson and Alyson Hannigan to titillate the audience) is that Willow's behavior is not gay in the first three seasons. I don't mean she doesn't act like a gay person. I mean she is legitimately attracted to Xander and Oz. Willow is a clear bisexual, and the show portraying her as having "switched teams" is not accurately showing the struggle lesbians go through. I don't like the idea that the show is sort of diminishing her feelings for Xander and Oz in hindsight. I watched those feelings. They were genuine. There is no "Gay now" switch. Whedon famously nixed a scene in Season 6 where Willow and Amy used a spell to turn a bully gay as punishment for making fun of Willow's gayness because it suggests being gay is something you can turn on and off like a switch. And David Fury is not a terrible writer, but perhaps the reason he had that questionable idea to begin with is that's how Willow's gayness was treated. I respect Whedon for stepping in and saying that is not something that should be treated like a punishment. But the "switch" note doesn't feel true to what happened to Willow.

Angel is about to tell Buffy that a person's personality doesn't change much as a vampire, and she doesn't want to hear it. My opinion: That's something she NEEDS to hear. Say what you will about how ill-advised the later Angel / Cordelia ship was, at least Cordelia understood exactly who and what Angel was before and after both times he was cursed. The only superior thing with Angel and Cordelia to Angel and Buffy is that Cordelia went into that ship with her eyes wide open. Buffy refusing to entertain the notion that Angelus was very similar to Liam is why Buffy and Angel could never work.

Also, this raises question for Buffy and Spike's ship, especially once he was reensouled. Is Big Bad Spike really all that different that William the Bloody Awful Poet? If not why do Big Bad Spike and Reensouled Spike still seem to have the same dry personality? It's very interesting to think about is what I think.

Vamp Willow's "F bomb" being cut off right before she was staked was pretty great.

It's interesting that Faith has no idea how to treat the Mayor. I don't see HOW he's "a family man" with his wife dead for a century, but by the same token it's refreshing he refuses to allow Faith to call him her sugar daddy. Him setting that limit suggests he's the first man in Faith's life never to treat her as a potential conquest. Let's face it, even Giles got an "Aw shucks" look on his face when Faith called him hot when they first met. Wilkins setting that limit with Faith might have literally been the first time that has ever happened. Like the questions raised about vampire personalities, it's very interesting. Do I think Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a complicated and complex enough show to deserve all of the psychological dissertations and essay's its gotten? No. Do I understand why it has them to begin with? Definitely yes.

It's not a great or perfect episode. But it's fun, which a lot of the later seasons forgot to be. ****.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Enemies"

That was a bit of a mess. Not plotwise. But characterization-wise, specifically between Faith and the Mayor and Buffy and Angel.

I love Faith's relationship with the Mayor usually, but this feels very off, especially after MeToo. I think the show had him basically prostitute Faith out to turn Angel evil played as an evil father figure having different values than a good one. But I now find it unacceptable. As well as him telling her to pull her hair back. That was done back then to show him being fatherly. Instead he strikes me as every sexist boss a woman has to suffer through. What kills me is that there are good things between the characters too, such as her being unable to stop herself from smiling at his excited suggestion of miniature golf at the end. But along with his veiled threat about having to replace her at the beginning of the episode, I think the writers were still trying to figure their relationship out and things were a work in progress at this stage of the game.

It bothers me enough that the Mayor mispronounces "Angelus". It especially drives me nuts that ANGEL does too! Weirdly, Wesley is the only one to say it correctly in the episode.

I was always soured on Faith's line of "You played me!" It strikes me as the writers trying to be more current and hip than white people were in 1999, and I thought that back in 1999 too. The line hasn't improved with age. Also what is Faith truly angry about? She betrayed the both of them first.

The demon helping out Giles because he introduced him to his wife was a very funny and relatable idea. What kills me is that if he didn't owe that specific favor to Giles, he would have done what the Mayor asked, Angel would have been lost, and the Mayor probably would have won. We are very lucky Rupert Giles was where he was. I like how his line readings were much gentler and not scary when he was talking to Giles. That was a very nice touch.

"A demon's a demon." The mindset to killing demons is very different on this show than it was on Angel: The Series. If somebody had killed the harmless demon trying to sell those books on Angel: The Series, Angel and friends would be investigating the murder. It bothers me that Faith can tell Buffy there is nothing they can do and she just accepts that.

I am annoyed at Buffy for being mad at Angel for doing exactly what she asked of him. It wasn't exactly a request that he could refuse, but the reason I'm mad is that Buffy spends way too much time trying to make-believe the other guy doesn't exist. As we can see Angel can slip back into it like a glove utterly convincingly. When Angel was about to tell Willow that vampires have the same personalities as their human victims a couple of episodes ago, he should have finished the thought instead of allowing himself to be stared down by Buffy.

Do you know what DOES bother me though? Angel was more convincing than he needed to be. Complimenting Joyce's hair was very authentically Angelus, but Faith is kind of dumb, and would not have needed that specific thing. She DID appreciate it, but she never would have needed it. The only reason I can't dismiss Buffy being totally mad is that Angel played the part better than a dope like Faith needed him to. Part of me thinks he was having a little bit of fun in the role in that moment, which is why I myself am a little annoyed at him.

I love "Are you still my girl?" "Always," though. I'm not made of stone. That's awesome and iconic.

My favorite moment in the Buffy / Angel / Faith drama is Buffy telling Faith that Angel is a killer, and that the second they kill her he'll turn on Faith next. Angel helpfully admits "I probably will," so Faith cheerly says that that means they should probably keep her around for awhile. Faith may be stupid usually but her cold logic there is impeccable.

I liked Angel throwing the letter-opener at the Mayor and him catching it through his hand. That was neat. Him acting like a protective "What are your intentions towards my daughter?" father figure to Angel is a little too soon in their relationship for my taste though, especially since he tried to pimp her out earlier in the episode. That didn't feel right.

Giles' standards jokes were funny.

Giles asking for the receipt for the bribe Xander gave Willy is one of the most genius jokes I have ever heard. I love every inch of it.

Do you know what I liked? Wesley whining to Giles about telling the Council on him being turned around by Giles telling him that he should. This is actually a bad reflection on HIM, not Giles. This IS something the Council needs to know, and it's Wesley who is gonna be in the doghouse, not Giles.

The episode isn't bad exactly, but I don't think the characterization felt right. ***.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Earshot"

Many of the sites I post these reviews on frown on talking politics and I need to talk politics a little before I start this review. What I CAN do is keep things a bit vague and general, and not specific. But this episode was pulled by The WB after Columbine due to the sensitive nature of the school massacre subject. I'm not going to get into the politics of gun control or bullying. What I'll talk about instead is television's constant need to postpone perfectly acceptable episodes due to real-world events the creators of the shows in question have no control over. I realize Columbine was the worst school shooting in the country's history, but it wasn't the first (Oz astutely points out school shootings had become trendy at the time) and I think that made the lessons "Earshot" was imparting MORE important after that, not less. The WB could have editted out the line of Xander asking who hasn't idly wondered about taking out the place with a semi-automatic, and the episode would be very necessary and healing for the country to see. And television always does this. Instead of having tough conversations about difficult subjects, television wants to ignore them until people forget about them. The modern day politics of school shootings are that people are tired of waiting to talk about it and that there is apparently no good time to bring up their concerns because these mass shootings happen so often. I'll go one further. When it comes to terrorist attacks, or even stuff as mundane as hurricanes, TV should not be censoring producers exploring that subject matter simply because it's become unintentionally relevant. If anything, that should give TV MORE license to take those kinds of chances.

As with any of my TV rules, there is an exception to this notion. American Horror Story had to censor a scene with a mass shooting after a VERY bad mass shooting in I believe the seventh Season (Cult). But American Horror Story also had a mass shooting in the fourth season finale that was so upsetting and exploitative to me, that I quit watching the show. I think in that one instance, the producers getting it through their thick skulls that that specific idea is not any acceptable level of horror "entertainment" is a good thing. But that is the only example against this rule off the top of my head. Usually TV needs to be more flexible to allowing shows to tell their stories, no matter what happens during the news cycle.

We got all of the annoying politics out of the way and I hope I kept things vague enough to pass muster on the sites this is posted on. How was the episode?

I'll tell you why it's solid. It has a new and unusual sci-fi premise handled beautifully. It's a perfect high-concept for a show filled with teenagers to explore how loud their pain actually is. Buffy is right about one thing: Jonathan is an idiot. A person does not go up on a clocktower with a high-powered rifle to kill themselves. He's the red herring to the lunchlady murderer, but the problem is that he's wasting focus on finding the actual murderer by doing something so stupid. Granted, he doesn't know there is another murderer, which is another thing to suggest Buffy is also right that everyone else has their own pain and Jonathan is not exactly being mindful of anyone else, and does not have the high ground there.

The quips and one-liners in the episode, particularly by Oz, are VERY strong. I don't want to say unusually strong, but this is the part of the season Oz says his best lines, but still, it's something to be proud of. Of course Jane Espensen is always annoyed when people quote the great Oz lines from the episode at her because they all tended to actually have been thought up by Whedon. I love that Oz usually enjoys lame, but this leaving him cold. I love that when he gets the school paper he usually heads straight to the obits (and I equally love that the school paper has obits). And I like that when he reads the review that his band plays as if they have giant Polish sausages taped to their fingers he believes that criticism is fair. SO great.

Do you know who else is great? Cordelia! I love that it turns out like we thought: The girl says exactly what she's thinking! And I loved her walking up to the creepy teacher and simply asking him if he was planning to murder a bunch of people. You'd think she was discussing the weather.

I groaned at the notion that Angel's thoughts were like the mirror. I like that Buffy's initial reaction to hearing that is denial she's trying to read his thoughts, immediately undercut by curiosity as to why she couldn't. The reason I don't like it (besides it not operating under Our Earth Logic) is that it's one of those rules that should box the show in. And really, it's something the producers would have to remember to always follow. And they didn't. The Beast's Master can read and speak to Angelus's thoughts just fine in Angel: Season Four. I don't think the series is particularly clever for making the one person whose thoughts Buffy wants to read be blank. I think they are buying themselves future headaches. And God bless me, I'm right.

Wesley's scene of not trying to think about Cordelia while Buffy smirks at him says the show should have given Gellar and Alexis Denisof more comedic scenes together than they did.

I feel for Xander's panic at what he can't help thinking. As far as guys go, I rarely think about sex (comparatively speaking) but if I knew someone could read my thoughts, my panicked mind would go to dark and horrible places it never goes. Xander's ideas are basically the show demonstrating how bad that would be in a PG-13 manner.

Willow being upset that Buffy knows what Oz is thinking when she doesn't is a legit complaint. Especially because what Oz is thinking is so meta and weird.

Buffy's reaction to learning Joyce had sex with Giles was classic, as was her dropping that bomb on him at the end of the episode (causing him to walk into a tree).

For the record, Xander being distracted by Jello in the dire moment he was shows that Xander utterly sucks, and you can't count on him for anything. That moment of selfishness and stupidity leading to finding and stopping the real killer feels like a cheat to me. Xander is the worst hero in the episode, and saves the day at the same time. That's not cool. I hate Monterey Jack on Rescue Rangers but at least he was portrayed as a genuine nuisance for his cheese obsession. I don't like Xander being made the school savior by being distracted from tracking down a potential kid with a gun because of Jello. Seriously bogus.

Larry is such a sunny and kind character now. It is SO nice how that bit of progression has stuck for him. It makes me even more mad for how he was treated in the season finale.

Angel should NOT be telling Buffy he'll never leave her two episodes before he breaks up with her.

I laughed at Willow asking if it was a boy demon. Thanks, Willow. Buffy did NOT need that put into her head.

For the record, this definitely television. The demon is fully naked, and has no visible genitals. How is it there are two of them? How do they reproduce? It's TV, not HBO.

I hope Giles and Wesley were kind enough to share the rest of that cure to the crazy guy afflicted with the same telepathy Buffy had, or at least told the Watchers in charge how to make it. That felt like a loose end.

The episode was relevant, did not deserve to be postponed, and could have aired with a single edit. And it's also a solid sci-fi high concept, and a great allegory for teenage pain. It's a very good representation of the show at its best and what it can be. ****1/2.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer "Choices"

Underrated episode. I absolutely love the Mayor's speech to Buffy about her having no future. I love it because he directs it towards Angel. And everything he says is actually true, which is what makes it especially devastating. His story about Edna Mae was similarly heartbreaking and especially made what he was saying true. Angel is being selfish.

Faith does NOT want to leave that knife behind. This will come up again.

Willow confronting Faith is not as impressive to me as her stealing those important pages from the Books of Ascension.

Xander looking for someone to hit Wesley was verbalizing my feelings,. but the truth is Wesley was actually right, and I think Giles' knew it. So I was very relieved Oz lost his cool for the first time ever and destroyed the bowl, taking the decision out of his hands. That would have been a very uncomfortable drawn-out argument, especially because Wesley was right, and I didn't want him to be.

Speaking of uncomfortable arguments, even if Xander didn't know Cordelia was broke and hurting, the things he was saying to her were unfathomably cruel. He tells his friends she brings out the worst in him, but if that's the worst of him, he's not a great guy at all. Especially if it can be brought out so easily.

Snyder is starting to see his faith in the Mayor might be misplaced. I really look forward to seeing him being eaten by him.

I like that the frame that the Mayor uses when Faith frustrates him by not wanting to do the errand he gave her was that she was being spoiled. Him saying this wasn't a free ride was more than accurate, but accusing her of being spoiled is a very fatherly way to put it.

We never saw Oz lose his cool before, and this was the first time we saw Wilkins's rage too upon losing the box. When Faith showed up with Willow and a knife to his throat I instantly saw why he liked and valued her. Willow was right that it was too late for the group to make up with and forgive Faith, but she's wrong that she has nobody who cares about her.

The episode was better than I remembered. ****.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer "The Prom"

I love and hate the episode at the same time. It's so weird how divided my feelings are at various points.

My biggest problem with the episode is Buffy's reaction to the break-up. She's a teenage girl about that. "This cannot be happening." I don't like that. Because that fact and the fact that she writes "Buffy And Angel 4Ever!" on her class notebook says Angel never should have been dating her to begin with. The show had been leading us to believe Buffy's emotional maturity was 16 going on 40, and since they did that, I think it was inappropriate to lean into the immature teenage girl angst as much as they did here.

Angel calling their relationship a freak-show wasn't just a horrible thing to say. It was an out of character thing to say. That's a little bit too modern of terminology for someone as old as Angel to speak. It struck me as legitimately badly written, which isn't great.

Tucker has a very interesting and largely unknown place in the show's history. Initially, the plan was to bring this dirtbag back in Season 6, and make him the head of the Villain Trio of him, Jonathan, and Warren. Out of those three characters Tucker is definitely the most overtly evil in his actions before the sixth season, but they couldn't get the actor back, so instead of recasting him, they brought in Tom Lenk as his lovably doofy younger brother Andrew, and transferred the Big Bad role to Warren. The writers turned Warren pretty repulsive in his stead, but all of the bad things Warren did and that happened to him were originally envisioned to go to Tucker. Which basically would have completely changed the dynamic of Warren and his arc on the show. Instead of being the Big Bad, Warren would have been one of the two surviving members of the Trio, and been tricked by the First into killing Jonathan in Season 7, and later joined the Scoobies and the Watcher's Council. It's amazing how things as random as being unable to contract an actor can majorly change things in a show's arc. After what Warren did, could you EVER picture the disgusting Adam Busch in lovable old Andrew's role? I certainly can't and desperately want to at the same time.

There are a few Buffy moments that I recall clearly as purely perfect. Buffy kissing Angel, stabbing him with the sword, and sending him to Hell. Spike sobbing over Buffy's dead body. Spike and the kitten poker. Those are the scenes I like to remember the show for. Buffy getting her Award at the Prom for "Class Protector" is one of those moments. And it might just be my favorite of all of them. It's definitely the most feel-good thing the show has ever done. It gives me the warm snugglies like nothing else on the show.

I noticed that Jonathan brought a hot date to the prom. I like that.

Xander paying for Cordy's dress doesn't make up for his behavior all season but it was a pretty nice peace offering.

I loved the bit with Xander's sock-puppet of love. I especially love what an antagonistic foot his and Anya's relationship gets off on here. And Xander's rage at being overlooked for Class Clown by a prop comic is another example of how rage-filled the character actually is.

Cordelia is right. Wesley DOES look way 007 in a tux.

It tickles me that the priest in the dream sequence was played by the guy who played Detective George Frankly on Mathnet / Square One Television.

I like Xander's exasperation that VCR's don't have zoom, until he sheepishly realizes they DO have pause.

I absolutely love Joyce coming to Angel's home at the beginning of the episode and telling him he is going to have to make a tough choice on Buffy's behalf about her future. I will never forgive Angel for last year, but I don't think Angel is a completely worthless person because he doesn't ever reveal to Buffy that Joyce did that, or try to pawn off the decision on her. What is especially interesting about him not doing that is that he never gets credit from the writers to the viewer for that. That's something I had to admire in hindsight, and it never registered with me how cool and fair that was of him to not drive a wedge between her and daughter to get himself off the hook a little. It's an example of him being an adult, which is unfortunately another reason someone like him never should have been dating a teenage girl to begin with.

One of the reasons Buffy and Angel being together was sort of all right before this is because it's sort of understood that all Slayers have very short lifespans. That's the job and the destiny. But Buffy is clearly not playing by that rulebook, and her surviving so long means that she CAN have a future, and that needs to be taken into account. I'm not saying she would ever be in a position to have a house with picket fences and a nuclear family with 2.5 kids, but she could definitely have more than Angel as long as her mortal outlook isn't actually terminal. While she was living on the edge, Angel as her boyfriend was all right. Since she seems to be in it for the long haul, it's not anymore.

Buffy and Angel dancing to "Wild Horses" at the end was a nice moment to leave things off with. Nice night after all.

I love and hate this episode in equal measure. And yet, the Class Protector thing is the thing I will always remember. So it gets a good grade. ****.