The strange thing about this episode for me is that I really like the first three scenes. The opening scene feels like a continuation of the teaser of “Helpless,” which I like. I even like the scene with Buffy, Riley, and Dawn, and two of those characters really irk me. (“Who’s the man?” “You are. A very short, annoying man.” Hee!) With Buffy really concentrating on becoming a super slayer during this season, I think that her interest in previous slayers’ deaths and more pressing awareness of her mortality is interesting. And I actually don’t mind Spike’s insight that all slayers want to die; in fact, I even like it. I always enjoy Spike’s ability to cut through the crap, which is probably why I dislike all the crap he spews about his past during this episode. If the episode had involved Buffy exploring her mortality in a different way with Spike coming in at the end of that exploration to cut through the crap and say what he said, I probably would have liked it more.

Riley and the Scoobies… Where do I start? Let me backtrack momentarily — I like the first three scenes of the episode, but I don’t like that Riley is the one who saves Buffy. I wish Willow and Xander had showed up or Buffy had limped away in shame, but only because I know that Riley totally got off on Buffy needing his help like that and I’m all about denying Riley that satisfaction. I do see the point that the writers were trying to make with Riley patrolling with the Scoobies. Throughout the season Riley isolates himself from the Scoobies and never quite gels with the group, which I think contributes to his decision to leave in “Into the Woods.” The patrolling scenes demonstrate Riley’s separation from the group and their difference in demon-fighting styles, but I think that distinction could have been made without characterizing the Scoobies as idiots. Xander and Willow patrolled without Buffy for several months between seasons two and three, and have clocked plenty of other field time as well. They have no excuse for acting that clueless.

Oh, and I blame the slow motion on the crossover with ‘Angel.’ If I remember correctly, the slo-mo shot felt less arbitrary in the context of the ‘Angel’ episode, probably because slo-mo was used regularly. Another stylistic technique that felt out of place was ’70s Spike talking to present-day Buffy. It was a little postmodern for the show.

Which I guess means that I like even less than you about this episode! Blah rather than bad – and not enough sparkly dialogue to raise it above the ordinary – not a single quote in your post to make me smile…was there nothing?

“The King of Cups expects a picnic! But this is not his birthday.”

Good point.