Spike (and James Marsters) are fantastic - his moments with Joyce are a series highlight - but throughout he is funny, scary and not a little perceptive.

Willow sets a pattern (why, it's a Willow Pattern) - she turns to magic to help herself out of a problem. I love the way she says "there, there" to Spike - it is almost sincere. The episode is full of nice little moments like this: Buffy checking her make up in one of Giles' gadgets; the Mayor musing on mixed metaphors; Spike getting set alight; Cordelia's fake death - no, scratch that one, it's a bit of a cliche...

I have to agree with Cordy, Oz being able to smell Willow is disturbing, though I am surprised it wasn't just fear he could smell.

Rewind

It is a peculiar feeling when Xander is right but I don't mind because he is still pompous and obnoxious at the same time as not being wrong. There is so much lying going on at the moment, a real Scooby Gang weakness. Poor Giles.

I love Buffy, Faith and their stunt double fights so much. They look awesome together.

Rewind [I wrote a lot about this episode and I clearly cared more back then about the shenanigans going on. Now, I think I just want the soppy, soapy stuff to stop so I can enjoy great episodes like "The Wish" and "Doppelgangland".]

This episode was derailed by shirtless Tai Chi Angel, and by Willow and Xander playing footsie: both events disturbed me more than Buffy was by her elders' behaviour.

In general, this was moderately amusing but I feel it is thoroughly over-rated. So, ironically, after all this time not blogging Buffy, I don't have much to say. Sorry Jane.

Rewind

It's the fluke.

Oh Americans and their strange school rituals.

SlayerFest is a super name for anything really.

Rewind

This article by Ada Conroy was one of the few that I could find quickly that shares my dismay with the message of the episode and there is also this (though I don't know who the author is).

Unfortunately, the funniest moment in the episode is a violent one when a startled Faith gives Buffy a backhander - "Hey, Buffy, don't get hit!" I am pleased to say that there is a gif of this out there and it is a gift - thanks, goodbyepiccadilly!

The second funniest moment is when Giles is downed by a tranquillizer dart - definitely bloody priceless.

I did like Trick's meta-commentary about the whiteness of Sunnydale: it's a pity nothing was really done about it though.

Scott Hope was actually rather cute but so, so, not suitable for Buffy.

And one of my favourite quotes from Buffy:

The girl’s not playing with a full deck, Giles. She has almost no deck. She has a three.

I love what happens to Buffy over the course of the programme: she can't help but do the right thing and when she she does it is magnificent: starting with the offhand reply to the nurse's question  ("Breaking into your office and going through your private files") to wielding that hunga munga in one the best fight sequences so far in Buffy.

However, it is Sister Sunshine/Chanterelle/Lily/Anne who makes me tearful. She is so pathetic but there are glimmers of inner strength notably when she pushes Ken-demon off the ledge and knowing she later administrates a shelter for the homeless (in Angel) it is good to see just how much good Buffy does despite her mistakes.

Rewind

This episode tells us all about Angel and that is as interesting as that sounds.

Buffy falls for an old trick and as a result Kendra dies. That's going to cause Buffy some mental anguish.

There is something deepy icky about Buffy sucking on that lollipop.