It’s almost time for the Buffy Musical and I’m fairly antsy to get there after all these years, so let’s not waste any more time.

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Retrospecticus…

All the Way

• Written by Steven S. DeKnight / Directed by David Solomon
• Where is this very small witch girl’s guardian? She’s just wandering around this very busy store then a stranger leads her away. And this kid in the fireman costume was on many shows during this time period, but I can’t say I was ever a big fan of anything he did.

• Dawn’s thievery stuff shows up again. It’s not that I forgot about it, but more that I don’t find it important enough to care about. 
• “If anything calamitous should happen tonight, history suggests it should happen to one of us.” Giles certainly isn’t wrong.
• “I’m gonna marry that girl” and Buffy mistaking him to mean Dawn turns out to be a glimpse into the future–although, now that I think about it, do they get married? They live together and have a baby for sure, but married?

• Willow magics up some party decorations, which I don’t think is necessarily a huge deal, but Tara takes issue. I understand all of Tara’s points, and Willow goes too far when she starts altering people’s thoughts to make her own life easier, but if Willow did these kinds of spells for ease in more moderation I think it’d be fine.
• Buffy says she was only out of commission for three months, but Spike very specifically said 147 days. That’s more like five months, or are Sunnydale months 50 days long instead of the standard 30?

• So, all this Dawn stuff with her friend and these idiots guys is a big shrug. I don’t even really have much to say about it. Much of the cast was busy prepping for “Once More, With Feeling” and the price for the incoming excellent episode is some time fill stuff in this one. This old man is creepy enough, even if every single thing about him is just a big red herring and he was actually just a lonely old guy looking for company.
• Giles asks Xander if Anya’s moving in with him, which I kind of thought happened already. I guess not, but how often is she really staying at her place? Seems like a waste of money to have two separate homes.

• I always thought it was lame that Xander *immediately* started freaking out about getting married. Was it important that we know as early as possible that no way would this engagement turn out well?
• Dawn says here that she’s a freshman, but next season is her first year of high school. I’m sure there’s some fan explanation that explains it so that it makes perfect sense, though.
• Giles wastes no time giving assignments and getting down to business when he realizes Dawn’s MIA.

• Tara putting her foot down when Willow wants to phase everyone in the Bronze into an alternate dimension for a second is quite understandable. See, if Willow kept it to easy party decorations and non-perilous stuff I could be on her side. She’s got other ideas, though.
• Giles’ jump kick is really quite impressive. Who knew he had that in him?
• So, Dawn sure looked like she was happy to go along with becoming a vampire. Momentary lapse?

• Giles dusted three vampires, at least, and possibly four. That’s a pretty good total.
• When Buffy slams that door closed on a vampire so that he dusts completely, how does that go? The door must have sliced through that guy like he was tissue.

• Willow officially pushes everything too far with that memory augmentation spell. The fact that she has the magical plant ready to go right away and generally doesn’t seem miffed at all by what she just did suggests to me that wasn’t the first time.

Billy

• Written by Tim Minear & Jeffrey Bell / Directed by David Grossman
• Angel giving Cordy some combat lessons seems like the kind of thing that should have started a long time ago. I mean, she’s been in a pretty steady stream of danger for the last several years.

• Does Lilah know what Billy is capable of? She’s not terribly concerned about what might happen or what Gavin could do before his sudden burst of violence. I can’t really believe Lilah didn’t get back at him for this, even if it was Billy’s fault more than Gavin’s.
• Wesley officially expresses interest in Fred for the first time. It won’t exactly be smooth sailing.
• What’s this security camera photo of Billy from 20 minutes before the crime occurred? Why would that be in the file?
• Lilah drinking in the dark is an odd touch. And she seems to know what’s up with Billy now, but I guess she could have been doing some reading since the assault.

• These cops sure aren’t at all concerned with the smashed open window they waltz in and out of like it’s a door, or Angel’s presence at all. They also won’t care in a minute when Angel roughs up a guy on the street right in front of them. Good policing.
• Cordy loading up on weapons to go Billy hunting because “How can I not?” has always been one of my favorite Cordy moments.
• Is this really the first time Cordy and Lilah meet? How weird. “Primordial misogyny” is a questionable statement, I think, but that’s an article for another day. Cordy’s “vicious bitch” speech is another great scene for her.
• Wesley becoming quietly threatening Fred a little more with each moment is unsettling. “Lie to me again and we are going to have a problem.” The entire Wesley/Fred confrontation continues to be increasingly unpleasant. We see a lot more of the Hyperion as Wes creepily wanders down the hall and it looks like a lot of work is surely needed.

• Cordy hesitating to kill Billy and Angel getting in the way is nonsense. He’s gleefully evil and will continue to result in death and mayhem as long as he’s breathing. Just put him down. At the very least she could shoot him in the mouth so he stops talking.
• The whole Angel fakeout at the end isn’t needed, if you ask me. There’s enough going on that they didn’t need that extra momentary wrinkle.

• Fred hitting Gunn’s head with that pointy chair leg (a couple times) seems like the kind of thing that could very easily have caused *a lot* of damage. Lucky it was one of those TV head wounds. Wes, also. He gets smashed in the head with a fire extinguisher and falls through the floor.
• Lilah killing Billy, while a good moment for her, feels a little like a cop-out when it comes to Cordy doing it.

• Evil Wesley is actually rather mean. Creepy and awful, too, obviously, but mean. Then sad Wesley sits around his place trying to find the right words to say to Fred in a letter, obviously with little success based on the crumpled papers all over. Fred’s more forgiving and understanding about this whole ordeal than Wesley can process at this time–all he can do is cry in the dark.

Once More, With Feeling

• Written & Directed by Joss Whedon
• Fun & silly opening credits set the stage, quickly followed by a peppy and informative day-in-the-life sequence set to a score medley of many musical bits to come.

• What in the world is there even to say? Wonderful opening number in “Going Through the Motions” that’s quite quickly followed by another one. I cannot express how much I was looking forward to this a couple of decades ago and it somehow didn’t–-and hasn’t–ever disappointed. The fact that it’s all their own voices, original songs, and very relevant and aware of “Hey, I’ve died twice.”

• The first big group number also gets high marks. And, of course, “They Got the Mustard Out” to establish this is a town-wide situation.

• Tara’s ren-fair outfit always seemed odd to me, but everyone is singing and the whole thing is “odd” so that seems fair. Tara’s solo is both romantic and sexual. 
• Giles’ mug gets some screentime in the musical–is this the last time we see it? I’ll keep you updated.
• Xander and Anya’s retro-pastiche number is energetic and silly.

• Marti Noxon (executive producer, writer, director) does pretty well as Parking Ticket Lady. David Fury (writer, director) also wasn’t bad as the Mustard Man from earlier.
• “The sun sets and she appears.”–I like Spike’s solo and his reluctance to even participate in the first place. He gets into it pretty quickly, though. And a night funeral doesn’t seem like the brightest idea in Sunnydale.

• Dawn singing “Does anyone even notice? Does anyone even care?” only to be immediately abducted and then sought after suggests there are many who do both notice and care about her. It was a nice surprise that we didn’t have to do a whole song of Dawn’s lament–the dance is a better choice.
• I used to wonder how Anya, of all people, wouldn’t notice those things Dawn stole were missing, but there’s a commotion at the Magic Box often enough that I’m sure some things are simply broken or lost to mystery.

• Hinton Battle has a great energy and timing, which would make sense considering his musical background. An abundance of riches. That’s what this whole episode is, just scene after scene of great & engaging entertainment.
• Mm, yes. Giles solo time. Yay! Then a Giles and Tara duet, however briefly. It’s wonderful for the time it lasts, though.

• The misdirect with the puppet monster guy just spewing out exposition instead of singing anything is a good touch.
• I’m curious about that one child bride situation Anya knew of that worked out well. Are they still together somewhere?
• And now from here on out the rest is more gold. “Walk Through the Fire” is another great group number for everyone, but really Buffy. SMG does a lot of great work this whole season, I say, and this episode is a great example of that.

• I wonder who owns the Bronze and how it’s at all worth the hassle. I know this time it’s mostly just a busted door, but there’s always some calamity around the corner.
• “Life’s a Show”–how else can I say how great every moment is? Buffy’s heavenly reveal moment is a perfect climax. Willow’s face as she realizes what she’s done works great.

• Oh yeah, the Xander reveal. There’s a lot that could be said about how this was all Xander’s fault, he resulted in innocent deaths, etc–but why linger? It’s pushed into the past on the show quite quickly and I accept this choice.
• BtVS musical sing-a-long “Shut up, Dawn!” annoying bunch.

• Buffy and Spike have kissed before, a few times, but this one is quite different. Long lasting fallout from this one!
• Grr Arrg also gets in on the musical fun.

Offspring

• Written by David Greenwalt / Directed by Turi Meyer
• Angel flashback time. Holtz stuff happens and I don’t know, I could just never manage to care much about Holtz or his business. The glasses Holtz is wearing are at least pretty amusing–they look quite out of place in 1771. Also, Holtz sure just stands there and does nothing as Darla shoots him with a flaming arrow.

• Darla had quite the meals on wheels bus experience. Her last massacre, actually.
• It should be said now how much I remember the dissatisfaction of witnessing Angel and Cordy begin to couple. I was not alone in those feelings, I can tell you that. Lots of discussion board chatter about how much of an unwelcome development that was.
• Wesley and Gunn handle being held at gunpoint quite well. They’re a fairly well oiled machine.

• These moments of Angel chatting with Cordy and everyone else working on prophecy translation are the last few scenes of life before Connor, or the threat of Connor–simpler times.
• I think Cordy makes too big a deal out of Angel lying about sleeping with Darla. Also, Cordy acts like Darla had no agency in her spontaneous sex with Angel. She was quite jazzed to participate and would have happily done more. Cordy also behaves like Darla being pregnant is some normal occurrence and Angel being wary of it is typical male behavior–they’re vampires and all this prophecy crap is fresh in their mind. Yeah, Cordy’s really annoying and a moron so far–she certainly gets a reality check when Darla bites her.

• Darla’s insane laughter as Angel chokes her out in that play place is a wonderful moment.
• Gunn shouldn’t be standing with his back to Darla. How does that make any sense? Also, I think it’s funny that Gunn is often referred to like he’s a formidable threat for Darla. He’s not.
• Holtz shows up now, too, as if all the baby stuff wasn’t fun enough.

Tabula Rasa

• Written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner / Directed by David Grossman
• This cemetery Buffy and Spike are having their post-kiss chat in is quite well lit, for a cemetery. Hey look, it’s the loan shark demon–who apparently didn’t believe his underling about Buffy being the slayer.

• Willow both acknowledges how she was so selfish in bringing Buffy back from the dead and then immediately decides to take Buffy’s memory into her own hands. Then when Tara confronts Willow about altering her memory Willow doesn’t seem to get why it’s a big deal. She acts like the dinner order was wrong, or something.
• Good for Tara, putting her foot down about things. The memory violation seems like a huge hurdle to overcome. Willow seems to decide that she’ll have to hatch a scheme to keep Tara around around as soon as she hears the words “We’ll see.”

• Giles breaking the news to Buffy (and us) that he’s leaving is a big blow and I agree with Buffy when she simply says “You’re wrong.” Of all the reasons for him to leave suddenly, just because Buffy should be more adult never seemed like a big enough deal. Maybe he just really, really wanted to see Olivia again.
• High drama of Buffy and Giles declarations immediately switches to wonderful silliness. This is one of those times BtVS reminds me of Frasier. The mistaken couplings and presumed familiar relations, largely based on where they were placing when they woke up, is always amusing.

• “Balderdash and chicanery” is a favorite Giles expression of mine. And all their silly interplay is lots of fun and I don’t have a ton to say about it, because it’s just nicely amusing and I don’t want to quote all of it.
• Xander tries Benny’s technique from The Mummy of praying to multiple gods. It goes better for Xander, but it’s still not successful.

• What is the purpose of these spells that create bunnies from nothing? Did some wizard have lots of huge snakes to feed and this was a great means of accomplishing that? It seems to be one book with the only purpose being to create rabbits.

• Giles sword fighting a skeleton is one of the most wonderfully silly moments of the series for me.
• “And I think I’m kinda gay” again.
• Dawn calling Xander “Alex” is one of the more strange tiny moments that always stuck with me.
• I think on some level that Tara feels like Willow forced her hand when they’re down in that extremely lit up sewer. All Willow had to do was not magic things up for a week and instead she wipes everyone’s memory, resulting in near-death hijinks.

• Michelle Branch song time. It’s been a while since a song from the Bronze was so featured. It’s good to spice things up now and then.
• Willow and Tara breaking up felt quite monumental at the time. They’ve been a thing for a number of years by then and then no more! Also I wondered how that would change Tara’s presence in the group.
• It already happened by now, yes, but I’m sticking this gif of Giles/Anya here since the last one already ended with a Buffy/Spike kiss.

• I know we already got a Giles departure scene in the season premiere, but I still feel robbed of one this time. It’s going to be a while until we see him again–the longest time between Giles appearances of the series–and the sudden way he’s just gone is a bummer. Buffy obviously feels quite bummed, too, hence the heavy makeout with Spike.

Quickening

• Written by Jeffrey Bell / Directed by Skip Schoolnik
• Holtz and his family flashback stuff of finding them all dead at home, courtesy Angel/Darla, works pretty well. I don’t care for any of the Holtz stuff, generally, but I definitely see why he hates Angel.

• “Are you going to do it? Or am I?”–Darla’s nice and creepy when she says this line about killing the baby.
• This episode always feels very much like the middle chapter of a trio, but mostly because it is.
• Holtz getting a crash course in the last 227 years of history via multiple TV screens going at once, with no volume, seems like a strange way to learn. What information do you absorb via random images all paraded in front of you like that?

• All the Sahjan/Holtz stuff and the W&H scenes have a padding nature to them.
• Lilah looks much better than the last time we saw her all bruised up in “Billy.” Does she have super healing, too, or what? And Linwood is no Holland Manners. He’s not awful, but he just comes across as more of a typical company man.Angel Sense Fail: He doesn’t notice all these vampires entering the hospital room and surrounding them?

• How does Sahjan knock on the door at the demon boxing club place? I thought he couldn’t touch stuff.
• I have never understood how Holtz managed to kill a squad of mercenaries with a sword. I mean, there’s no chance in the world. They can lose the picture all they want, there is no amount of cutting away that justifies the outcome. Holtz would be shot, simple as that. Even with these other demon helpers he has, just no.

Smashed

• Written by Drew Z. Greenberg / Directed by Turi Meyer
• I don’t think we’ve ever witnessed Buffy interrupting a mugging before, despite her mentioning that it’s not exactly the first time. Being a mugger in Sunnydale seems like an extra bad career choice. And the exposition about Spike’s chip always jumps out as especially awkward. Just in case we forgot how all that works, they provided a refresher.

• This “cho ke fu non e pu” spell Willow does to finally de-rat Amy sounds more like made-up nonsense than most of the magic stuff.
• The SFX of Andrew descending from the ceiling and Rusty being frozen with a freeze-ray are especially silly. As for Rusty, he’s not too bright about what The Trio are doing in the museum five hours after it closed right in front of the missing diamond case.

• Amy seems more magically-inclined post-rat than she was pre-rat, with the window closing and stuff. And finding out you lost three years of time stuck as a rat would surely be a huge deal. I know it’s played for laughs and stuff, but that has to mess with a person. Also, in “Earshot” Larry said he was so out he had his grandma fixing him up with guys, so Amy sure wasn’t in the loop back when. “How’ve you been?” “Rat. You?” “Dead.”
• Buffy must have moved at the speed of light to get to the museum in time to witness the removal of Rusty the Frozen statue. I guess they were waiting for Buffy to make a move.

• The fact that Spike immediately chooses to kill someone when he thinks the chip is broken definitely says a lot about how changed he really is by now. Yeah, he has to kind of psych himself up into doing it, but he does wind up going in for the kill.
• Tara and Dawn are on their own separate tangent this whole episode. It’s a nice treat for everyone (or maybe just me) to get a relaxed and easy Dawn.

• Willow really demonstrates how little she learned from the whole “Tabula Rasa” experience and what she did to Tara’s memory considering she looks at this as a difference of opinion and nothing more.
• Spike and Andrew meet for the first time, even if Warren’s mostly the one Spike interacts with during his chip checkup.

• Lots of Giles mentions this episode, which is appreciated, but I think after this one he’s barely mentioned again–even at the wedding–until the last couple episodes.
• Even though Spike can’t hurt people, he’s finally actually a threat to Buffy again for the first time in years. So, despite his murderous feelings for strangers, he doesn’t try anything like that with Buffy.

• Willow and Amy playing magic pool in the Bronze–what’s up with that? Does everyone else see them using pool sticks or something? Hm. And if Amy has magical abilities (like being able to snap her fingers to get someone attracted to Willow) then how did she even manage to get caught and tied up in the first place back in S3? Another hm.
• Anya barely locks up the Magic Box on their way out. It looks like she just locks the door knob from the inside and closes the door. How solid can the knob lock really be?

• I know there could be a lot to say about Willow and Amy going magic-crazy in the Bronze with all kinds of crazy nonsense, but the Buffy/Spike house “You came back wrong” fight that turns into violent, house-destroying sex (which is such a rock bottom moment for Buffy) takes all the attention from me.

Lullaby

• Written & Directed by Tim Minear
• Angel seems genuinely surprised to see Holtz, which is a pretty good achievement on Holtz’s part. Angel doesn’t like to be obviously caught off-guard, even if he’s surprised by things more often than he would like to admit.

• Holtz’s daughter was turned into a vampire really quickly, no? The morning hasn’t even come yet and the fire is still burning. As much as the Holtz stuff isn’t my favorite, him singing to his vampire daughter is good and forlorn.
• Lilah seems dragged down by Gavin and Linwood. It’s a shame she lost Lindsay and got these two idiots instead.
• Wesley muses about a shotgun as the demons approach in the alley, but one day he won’t just muse about it. And he takes a page from Giles’ book when he gets knocked out in that alley

• So, Angel can pretty much walk away from a direct grenade explosion?
• Lilah just casually stealing those prophetic scrolls is a nice little moment. And her scroll translator guy is one of the better random supporting guys who pops up.
• Darla ran over the demons, but then in the next shot when she drives away there aren’t any demons. Error!
• Any scene in Sahjan’s sandy floor living room is a drag. There’s just something about this room that feels stagnant & uninteresting.

• Angel and Darla’s extended rooftop scene is their last one together, just the two of them. There are a bunch more scenes to come, obviously, but there’s a bunch of others around all the time. Darla crying about losing the baby’s soul and not being able to love it is nicely effective. Oh wait, Angel and Darla have another bedside scene to themselves towards the end.

• The shot of the bloody seat to indicate how poorly things are going is also nicely effective.
• Holtz popping into Caritas for a moment before blowing up the place continues the good streak of scenes that wrap up this episode. And Goodbye Caritas, thanks for all the good times. Shame it had to end this way.

• “You died in an alley”–Darla’s self-staking to leave the baby behind was quite a solid blow that first time–unexpected and rain-soaked.

Wrecked

• Written by Marti Noxon / Directed by David Solomon
• I’ve never cared for “Dawnie” as a nickname and I wish it would stop. And it’s very bright out for being about 6am, or whatever Tara said.
• Buffy and Spike’s morning after exchange goes from Buffy struggling with him and telling him “No”/”Stop” to almost having sex again, before he ruins it with the slayer killing chat. One day he’ll ruin it in an entirely different way.

• This is the first time Amy’s been in two consecutive episodes. It’s been strictly a one episode per season arrangement up to now (except for S5, with zero appearances).
• Anya’s not wrong about them wasting their time looking for a diamond stealing/Rusty freezing demon. Aside from gang-related shenanigans (musical demons, amnesia) Xander and Anya are actually having a fairly peaceful last few episodes–even though it’s still obvious their wedding it doomed.

• Jeff Kober (Kralik once upon a time) always brings a threateningly friendly energy to his characters. He’s having a good time, even if those around him are frightened. 
• Willow’s druggie experience of laying down on the ceiling, seeing that weird red demon dragging a lady’s body along, and then kind of teleporting around familiar locations is nicely bizarre.

• Willow inflating Tara’s clothes into a temporary comfort buddy seems like something a person would do when they felt down if they had the chance.
• Checking the newspaper for movie showtimes, how quaint. I remember doing things like that once upon a time.
• Amy didn’t seem to be such a druggie for magic back in S3 pre-rat, but maybe being a rodent for a few years exacerbated things. And Buffy certainly has no patience for junkie Amy–lots of shaking and interrogation.

• I know this episode is generally considered a dud, but it’s actually pretty okay. I never really look forward to it, myself, but while watching it I don’t have a ton of objections. The magic being like drugs storyline rubbed many people the wrong way and I remember not being a huge fan at the time–it’s not the worst thing, though. This is definitely where some controversial storylines coalesce (Buffy/Spike & Willow/drugs), so I’m sure that’s one reason it’s not exactly loved.

• This demon Willow created is amusingly animalistic and the guy did a pretty good job at being a creepy monster. And did Willow incinerate the demon with her mind powers? That’s a pretty neat trick she never uses again.
• Willow taking Dawn on her trip to Rack and to wander around the streets of Sunnydale at night is definitely a genuinely asinine move on her part. I mean, once she’s high her bad decision making is more understandable compared to sitting around at home thinking all of that was a good idea in the first place.

• Buffy reading Willow the riot act about all her poor choices while she sobs on the floor is another glimpse of harsh Buffy, which–as I’ve said–is one of my favorite Buffy’s. And Dawn’s face right before she slaps Willow is kind of funny.
• I certainly understand Willow’s mindset of wanting to make amends for all the stupid things she’s been doing, but I always thought they leaned too hard into magic being like cocaine here (sweaty withdrawals in bed) and in the future. 

Dad

• Written by David H. Goodman / Directed by Fred Keller
• Yay, now there’s a baby around all the time. Honestly, I’m never a big fan of babies on TV shows. They just require so much attention and I couldn’t care less about “cute” baby stuff.

• Lorne moving in and being on the team pretty much full time now is the best thing to come out of this episode. Although it winds up he’s mostly just Angel’s nanny, really.
• Angel being a doting papa bear who doesn’t want Wesley to say the word “sex” around a newborn baby is only the beginning. And apparently my limit for being amused by adults making funny faces and noises for a baby is nonexistent.

• Sahjan’s right about how many steps this whole process should be. Just stake Angel and move on with life instead of this meandering process. Sahjan had (and has) so many other means to kill Angel and the baby if he really wanted to, though.
• Holtz uses Demons, Demons, Demons–Cordy’s old standby for monster research.
• No, Angel, don’t circumcise the baby. It’s a pointless and archaic ritualistic disfigurement and should go away forever.
• What’s with Angel citing Darla (“I made a promise to his mother”) to the team as a reason they should try their best? She was a murderous monster and very recently tried to kill Cordy. FYI.

• Angel loves his baby, thank you, but I could really pass on this whole scene where he makes funny faces until using the vamp face to calm Connor down.
• Oh yeah, we also meet the files and records lady (Flo?) in this one. It’s her job.
• Holtz finding Justine is obviously relevant going forward, but this all feels like wasted time. His issues and her issues, who cares? The fact that the actress isn’t very good in the role doesn’t help. I also have trouble buying Keith Szarabajka as a huge physical threat to regular humans, let alone Angel.

• Angel’s dramatic gesture of holding his arm out in the sun to demonstrate how he’ll do whatever it takes to take care of Connor is idiotic. I understand his sentiments, but c’mon–he has no sensible argument. It’s just Angel being sanctimonious, as usual. And why didn’t Angel’s hand burst into flames? It only vaguely sizzles.
• Holtz killing over 300 vampires in his heyday is ridiculous. How are vampires so incompetent? He’s not exactly built to kill and has no superpowers. Did vampires used to be weaker, or something?

• The fact that this whole episode’s climax ends up being a ruse for the W&H cameras doesn’t help the replay values–the drama of it is all weightless once you know what’s up. And all these demons and vampires who just stand there and wait for Wesley to fry them aren’t exactly the brightest bulbs.
• How long was Angel leading this caravan on a trip to nowhere? And Angel looking at the fake baby while he’s rambling about fatherhood makes less sense once you know the plan of meeting up at the hospital later.

• Angel gets out of this old mine and peels out in the car before that vampire guy even unravels the baby bomb, so Angel must have gotten a burst of super-speed somehow.
• Linwood summarizing the details of Lorne’s secret note situation is astonishingly forced and poorly done exposition. One of the most glaring and unnatural scenes of the series for me.

Gone

• Written & Directed by David Fury
• First, Buffy’s wig isn’t great. Bad, bad wig. Second, this magic purge “Willow has a problem” stuff is already annoyingly simplistic.
• Willow discarding that unfinished omelette on the already messy counter is crappy roomie behavior.
• Buffy didn’t get Dawn into a car accident. I know Dawn’s just trying to be difficult, but c’mon–way to twist reality to fit your feelings.

• This social worker lady isn’t my favorite actress. I’ve never been bowled over by her, and this role doesn’t change my mind at all.
• Wait, Buffy threw Spike’s lighter in a box and then he fished it out of her pocket minutes later?
• The Nerd Trio wanted to be invisible to watch women get bikini waxes? I know they aren’t well-rounded or anything, but that’s weird. Oh, and that’s some amazing coincidence they stumbled on Buffy while debuting their invisi-ray.

• I’m going to ignore all the logistical aspects of Buffy being invisible as if you think about it for a minute it’s nonsensical. Wouldn’t the inability to close your eyes at any point take a toll on your vision?
• I think the silly music goes a little overboard in this scene with Buffy, Xander, and Anya. It feels like the music is overcompensating for the lack of visuals. Also, Xander shouldn’t be making any assumptions about magical accidents considering he’s the one responsible for all the musical mayhem.

• This scene of Buffy playing around with social worker Doris and telling her to kill everyone is kneecapped a little by this very ho-hum actress and overdone music.
• Spike Sense Fail: Why can’t Spike still smell Buffy even if she’s invisible?
• Xander and Anya continue to spend every minute of their lives talking about wedding stuff. Sounds awful. Playing around with the invisible cone is a brief reprieve from wedding chat.

• Willow does pretty well this whole episode at old school investigating. Obviously magic makes more sense for many situations, but still–oh, and going to the Trio’s basement by herself is a dumb move. Also, letting yourself be taken hostage instead of using magic to free yourself and/or subdue your assailants is a bonehead move.
• The scene of Xander stumbling upon Spike “exercising” in bed (aka sex with Buffy) is amusing, even if it does make Xander seem rather dense. And David Fury sure has fun playing around with naked James Marsters, as does Buffy.

• Surprise, surprise, Dawn’s immediately a big whiny baby about Buffy’s invisibility. 
• I like this whole invisible fight at the end. It’s actually pretty fun. Nobody recognizes Andrew, of course, as anything but “Tucker’s brother.”

• What happens to this invisi-ray? I guess maybe Willow returned the stolen diamond and discarded the gun, but who knows. This music over Buffy & Willow’s wrapup scene is odd. And I almost forgot to mention that Buffy’s new hair is a fun change of pace.

Birthday

• Written by Mere Smith / Directed by Michael Grossman
• Cordy’s little birthday celebration winds up being the last few minutes of human life for her. It’s also her last birthday celebration of any kind–next year she’s possessed and the year after she’s in a coma, then she dies. Fun fact. And why didn’t they involve Lorne in Cordy’s birthday celebration? He was right upstairs.

• They go a little overboard on the “Champion” talk this whole episode.
• Fred very clearly meets Phantom Dennis for the first time right now, but what about when everyone was over her place for a while back when Lilah & Kal Penn were sending Cordy killer visions?

• As we eventually learn, all of this stuff with Skip is bullshit. It’s a long con to get Jasmine to birth herself etc. It’s hard to not let that color this whole experience and his slightly playful persona. I mean, he’s not offering wisdom or knowledge, just manipulation.
• “Deep down, we all know our purpose in this world”–There’s some of that manipulation I mentioned a second ago. Then there’s some classic sitcom-esque eavesdropping at just the wrong moment where Cordy listens to Angel yelling for just a few seconds.
• The whole sequence of Cordy being rich and famous is weirdly underbaked. It starts and then she immediately begins searching into the Hyperion. I almost think it should have just started in the alternate reality of Cordy being famous–like Jonathan in Superstar. Also, Cordy’s fake TV show opening credits are awful. Generic sitcom to the MAX.

• Cordy showing up at some random idiot’s house just in time to cross paths with Wes & Gunn is another thing that makes this portion of the episode feel rushed.
• Wesley being battle-damaged and world-weary is a bit of a glimpse of his future in the main reality. Gunn seems pretty much the same, though.
• So, how did Angel get the visions from Doyle? Did they makeout or something?

• Angel really fell apart with the visions, apparently. Or is this whole construct specifically designed by Jasmine to have Cordy make the choice she does by the end? Why’d they have to do any of this, really? He could have just made the half-demon offer a lot earlier, she would have accepted, and done deal. I won’t think about it more.

• “The process isn’t easy”–Ha, that’s what Skip says about Cordy becoming part demon right before he touches her forehead and she wakes up. It sure doesn’t appear to be an involved process. Also, Doyle was half demon and the visions still hurt him. What’s the deal?

I wish I could say the next half dozen episodes of each series are some of the best ones–except then I’d be lying. Everything can’t be sunny all the time always, of course, and there is eventual light at the end of the tunnel. So, see you next week for episodes 12-17.

1. What was Dawn’s cell phone number during her first (and only) year at the brand new Sunnydale High School?
2. Complete this sign from the Magic Box: “Don’t forget! Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and _____  _____ are coming!”

*Last week’s answers: 1) $28, 2) Meredith Todd, Jane Atkins, & Kathy Ryan, 3) 5121 Main Street, Apt 5, Sunnydale, CA, 90211