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| Writer: | Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt |
| Director: | Bruce Seth Green |
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| - | Review |
I really like this episode. There's a lot of powerful stuff in here. Right away I must give props to SMG in the scene where her nightmare dad tells Buffy that it was her fault that her parents separated and then divorced. That was cruel and I really felt with Buffy during that moment; superb acting. Actually, pretty much all the dreams are really telling and offer fascinating insight into these characters.
Willow is now firmly established as having performance anxiety and stage fright. This character trait shows up from time to time throughout the series, in sometimes very subtle ways. That shyness is part of the reason why she hides her relationship with Tara in S4 for so long and then later hides the true nature of how powerful the magic she possesses is. This seemingly small flaw here turns out to have a big impact on her down the road. Xander is established as somewhat gullible and also afraid of clowns. Unfortunately that's all the insight we really get into his character at this point. Oh yeah, he's also scared of Nazis crawling over his face.
It is important to take notice to the fact that Buffy's worst nightmare is a personal, not a physical fear. Her dad's rejection causes her more pain than her other fears. This will prove to be a critical character trait in future seasons, especially in the upcoming S2. She's also afraid of becoming a vampire and being buried alive. Giles' worst nightmare is failing Buffy as a 'protector' rather than as a Watcher, which is something he feels he's done, while reflecting on Buffy's death in the S6 episode "Bargaining Pt. 1" (6x01) to the Buffybot. He says in that episode, "I did what any good Watcher would do. Got my Slayer killed in the line of duty." This is the first time the more uncomfortable realities of the Slayer-Watcher relationship come out.
The big demon running around bashing things is lame, but aside from that the plot works and holds your attention. A lot of insight into the characters is gained here that excellently sets up the beginning of the characters' journies over the next seven years.
| - | Minor Pros/Cons (+/-) |
| Pros: | |
| + | I like The Master's speech on fear. |
| + | The clown in Xander's dream is very creepy. |
| + | First mention of Buffy being "prettier than the last Slayer." This is mentioned again by Whistler in "Becoming Pt. 1" [2x21]. |
| + | Buffy still looks cute as a vampire. ; ) I guess I just think Buffy's really cute in S1. |
| Cons: | |
| - | That Billy kid looks really similar to the Anointed One. |
| - | The ending is too sappy and happy for my tastes. |
| - | Foreshadowing |
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| - | Quotes |
| XANDER: | I'm sorry! I'm unruffled by spiders. Now, if a bunch of Nazis crawled all over my face... |
| WILLOW: | When Buffy was a vampire, you weren't still, like, attracted to her, were you? |
| XANDER: | Willow, how can you... I mean, that's really bent! She was... grotesque! |
| WILLOW: | Still dug her, huh? |
| XANDER: | I'm sick, I need help. |
| WILLOW: | Don't I know it. |
| - | Score |
| 85/100 | B+ |
Just misses the mark of excellence. Essentially, a great episode that's rough around the edges and/or slightly flawed. Extremely fun to watch.
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| - | Screencaps |
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| - | Comments (14) |
| 1. | 20questionsgeniusMar 11, 2006 (Sat) | |
| I know this is an old review and I don’t know how long it’s been since anyone has seen this episode but I’m curious about something. My sister and I just finished showing our dad this episode (I just bought the Chosen collection yesterday and that was the best I have ever felt shelling out 200 bucks for something in my life!), I thought it was kinda cool for a Season 1 episode and it has some pretty telling stuff in it like you said MikeJer. Anyway, I checked out the review for the ep after we watched it and I noticed in the foreshadowing section there isn't a mention of the fact that one of Buffy's fears is being buried alive, the Master throws her in the coffin and it closes and she's screaming inside the closed coffin. This happens to Buffy again in "Bargaining Pt.1 and 2 after the spell Willow and the gang do brings Buffy back to life, but they don’t finish, so she's alive inside the coffin, buried in the ground. She has to claw her way out, her fear during that scene really got to me. Anyway while we were watching "Nightmares" it gave my sister and I chills to see this and know what Buffy would have to go through later. So, is this foreshadowing of some kind or am I looking for something where there is nothing? Also, why is Xander the only one who kind of faces his fear and is able to quash his nightmare? Is this trying to say something about Xander and the kind of person he is? I tried to figure out what this might mean, but I can't come up with anything that makes sense with the kind of person Xander is. Maybe I'm missing something there. Anyway kinda neat episode and I'm so glad I finally got the whole set!!! |
| 2. | mikejerMar 11, 2006 (Sat) | |
| Yeah, when my Chosen Collection arrived at my front door I was ecstatic. I only paid $139.86 for mine but I'd have been willing to pay $250 for it. This is the one complete series (besides the 14 ep Firefly and Angel) that I feel is actually worth a lot of money. I love ST:TNG, but I'm sorry, it's not good enough to warrant the $1,000 SRP they're asking for the entire thing, not even close. I even considered keeping two copies of the series around after the box arrived. But I figured that isn't necessary right now and I could use the money until I graduate. I still may pick up the slimmer DVD sets they're coming out with in the near future so I can lend ppl the DVDs and get them hooked while still having a copy of the series for myself at all times. On "Nightmares," I guess I just didn't think being buried alive was one of her biggest fears, even though they say it is in that ep. You are right, though, it is foreshadowing. I'll add that tonight to the review, and thanks for pointing it out! Also note that I think I did a pretty crappy job with most of my S1 reviews and I kind of want to rewrite all of them. I hadn't really decided just how in-depth I wanted to get at that point. After I'm done with the rest of the series I may very well go back and re-review a lot of S1 (I'm happy with my review of "Prophecy Girl" and the S1 review though). Hey 20, I just rewatched "Out of My Mind" and have a question for ya. Is this conversation where you got your alias from? SPIKE: Okay, is it bigger than a breadbox? HARMONY: (smiling) No. Four left. SPIKE: So it's smaller than a breadbox. HARMONY: (giggling) No! Only three! SPIKE: (quietly annoyed) Harmony ... is it a sodding breadbox? HARMONY: (clapping and laughing) Yes! Oh my god! Someone's blondie bear is a twenty-question genius! |
| 3. | 20questionsgeniusMar 12, 2006 (Sun) | |
| Yes MikeJer!!! I love love love that scene from "Out of My Mind", it makes me laugh every single time I watch it. I pretty much love that whole episode, especially Spike's reaction to his realization that he has feelings for Buffy. But that scene between Spike and Harmony is so adorable. I love the fact that Spike is actually sitting there with her playing a game, it's kinda sweet. So anyway yea that's where the name comes from. I always wonder if people will realize that's where it's from or if they'll just think I'm some kind of strange person who thinks she's abnormally good at 20 questions. And you know, its not really a bad idea to get the slimmer sets when they come out as well. They are going to be a lot cheaper than they are right now and it could never hurt to have a backup set, although right now we are still at the stage with our set, where we wipe fingerprints off the box and there is minimal touching of everything lol. And i agree that this is one series worth spending a big amount on. For me the other would be "Six Feet Under" but that sets not out yet. Anyway "Nightmares" is kinda like "Restless" don't ya think, although lightyears away from being as great, in that it gives a lot of insight into each character. I like episodes like that. Any idea about the Xander thing? Maybe its just cause his nightmare or fear was so silly? Just wondering. |
| 4. | mikejerMar 12, 2006 (Sun) | |
| Cool! I'm glad I finally figured out where your name comes from (I was actually originally thinking what you just said ppl think, hehe). I also really like "Out of My Mind" as well as "The Replacement." S5 is really good! I can't wait to start reviewing it. Unfortunately much of the rest of S4 is pretty mediocre. I remember when I reviewed "Nightmares" I was really trying to think of a connection to a later part of the series involving Xander's fear of that Clown and Nazis crawling over his face. I really couldn't think of anything though. The one thing that was a bit of foreshadowing was how gullible Xander was. He stupidly followed the trail of candy bars (which was nonetheless hilarious). A couple examples that come to mind are Xander telling Anya in S4 that he accepts what she says at face value ("that's stupid!") and him, once again, being stuck in a demon date in S7's "First Date." Also, there's no references to Clowns or Nazis in "Restless" (that I can tell anyway), so I think the writers just dropped those fears. Maybe Xander punching the Clown shows he faced and got over that fear. I do think "Nightmares" is an early and simple version of "Restless" in many ways. Hence why it's my third favorite S1 episode. Willow's "stage fright" metaphor is much further developed throughout the series, starting in S2 ("Halloween"), Buffy's fears (as you pointed it), and Giles' fear of doing his job (seeing his Slayer killed in the line of duty). Giles' explains his fear to Buffy bluntly in "Fool For Love" and experiences it in "The Gift" and "Bargaining Pt. 1" when talking to the Buffybot. The only thing I really didn't care for in the episode is the sappy plotline of the boy and his coach, and the demon he conjured up in his brain who basically just went around and bashed things. That's why it got a 85 instead of higher. But everything else was great, especially for a S1 episode. It just shows how much Joss had at least 'thought' about where he wanted to take these characters in the future. Really cool. |
| 5. | 20questionsgeniusMar 12, 2006 (Sun) | |
| Lol, well MikeJer I'm glad we cleared up the name thing, I feel better now. I know what you mean about being ready for Season 5. When you mentioned "Out of My Mind" it made me want to watch that episode so bad, I haven't seen it in a while. But that made me think about how cool Season 5 is and I was thinking I couldn't wait until you finally got to it and S6 and S7. I agree, most of the Season 4 episodes left are only so-so. There are a few though that I think are pretty good, "A New Man", "Who Are You" and of course "Restless" those are all good episodes, I think. But yeah, I'm ready for Season 5 and beyond. Xander following the candybars was funny, and it does show just how gulliable or unaware Xander is sometimes (although as I say this, it does seem to contradict his part in Season 7 as the one who sees everything). And I'm with you completely on the boy and the demon he made being kinda annoying. The first time I saw this episode that part confused me, I wasn't sure where the demon had come from and if he was the reason the nightmares were coming true. Anyway thanks for humoring my post on this episode. It'll be cool to go back and read your reviews of the episodes again after I've watched them. Before, I was borrowing the DVDs one season at a time from a friend so I was reading the reviews without being able to watch the episode also. |
| 6. | bookwormMar 22, 2006 (Wed) | |
| and the even more annoying thing is that the billy-demon has a brother who crawls around in sunnydale in "superstar" (4.17). |
| 7. | LatoyaMay 1, 2007 (Tue) | |
| For some reason The Ugly Man scared me more than most of the villains/Big Bads on the series. I could feel being in the room with him while he attacked and I was never able to do that with the other monsters. When he beat that girl I could imagine being her. It made my skin crawl. I felt so sorry for Buffy. She was having her nightmares come true left and right. Having time fast forward an hour when she was taking a test, her father saying all of those henious things to her, the Master rising, being buried alive, and becoming a vampire. Buffy as a vampire: We better hurry. Because I'm getting hungry. |
| 8. | 21May 22, 2007 (Tue) | |
| I'd actually assumed that Buffy as a vampire had been Angel's nightmare, even if he was absent from the rest of the episode. At this point, buffy is possibly the only thing he truly cares about in the world (just look at where he is at the beging of AtS after losing her and before joining up with Doyle and Cordillia), and he knows from experience how bad it is to be damned to life as a demon. Given her line of work and the amount of time he spends brooding, the thought's certiantly occured to him. |
| 9. | LatoyaMay 22, 2007 (Tue) | |
| I never even thought about that. Maybe it was a nightmare for both of them. |
| 10. | buffyholicOct 5, 2007 (Fri) | |
| I love this one. We find alot about the Scoobies and the more I watch this episode, the more I love it. I love the scene where her nightmare dad tells her that him and her mom split up because of her because it´s so heartfelt. I love Willow´s nightmare and Cordelia`s nightmare too. She dreams of having bad hair and joining the chess club, really hilarious. btw, mike, I too think Buffy is really cute with the lollipop. |
| 11. | Scoobasteve83Aug 22, 2009 (Sat) | |
| Just as I have read through those comments one thing came to my mind that i actually don't like! Cordelia's worst nightmare is having bad hair... are u serious? Of course that's hilarious but also totally contradicts what the writers try to make us believe in the following ep OOMOOS! It's the first ep where we get to see at least some of Cordy's insights. She isn't really all that shallow! What do you guys think? Am I right or what? ;-) I love that episode nevertheless. It's the best stand alone episode of S1 in my opinion. |
| 12. | SunburnSep 12, 2009 (Sat) | |
| Scoobasteve83: I think you're right, and Cordelia's hair moment was mainly inserted for comedy value and as a counterpoint to the more serious nightmares the others face. Having said that, later she's shown being dragged into the Chess Club in a truly vile outfit, and I think the idea that it's social oblivion that she fears is a lot more convincing. Given that, the hair thing makes more sense, because it does appear that a lot of Cordy's popularity is tied to her appearance. It WAS very funny, and for me, quite a relief, because I found this episode one of the scariest. Most of the Buffy demons and Big Bads aren't truly scary because it's easy to remember they're fantasies, but this one... it got me imagining some really frightening things both times I've watched it. Even the Ugly Man was terrifying for me, because what he represented was the situation in nightmares where you can't get away, where he [or your own object of fear] just keeps appearing, however illogical it is. Ugh! |
| 13. | DFAS GilesOct 22, 2009 (Thu) @ 5:48pm | |
| Mike, I really enjoy your reviews. Thanks for putting so much thought and work into them. I started watching BTVS somewhere in Season 4, and have been piecing it together ever since, but catching earlier episodes in a piecemeal fashion. Most of my black holes are from Seasons 1 and 2, so I am rewatching them in order now. It's so much richer watching everything sequentially, even those episodes considered more stand-alone. Watching the characters evolve bit by bit is fascinating, and I have even more of an appreciation for the quality of the writing. I can't believe this is the first time I have ever seen Nightmares - what a great episode. I don't know if I will ever think of Cordelia again without imagining her being dragged to chess club while wearing that matronly sensation. What lingers, however, are the funny (probably not intentionally) sound effects when Buffy and Billy walk into the cemetery. Whoever dubbed in the late night bird noises is obviously not a birder. There's a loon calling in the background. I haven't seen a lot of lakes around Sunnydale, so I imagine this loon is meant to be waddling around in the cemetery. Or maybe the sound guys thought it would be calling from the trees? If you see a picture of a loon, especially its feet, you will understand why the thought of a loon in a tree is so funny - definitely a waterbird. I guess if the episode takes place in the winter you might hear one calling from the ocean - how far is the cemetery to the coast? In Firefly, they like to use the "eagle" call in that scene with Patience, and elsewhere. Eagles make a sad little squeak, not very impressive, so movies always play the call of a Red-tailed Hawk and show footage of an eagle. I can't believe this is the content of my first post. I will stop geeking in a minute. I have noticed that Mike can be a little scathing on episodes where the computer science is sub-par ("I'm jacked in!"), so I suppose we all have our little biases... :) It's fun watching early episodes after you've watched the whole series - you notice recurrent dialogue, foreshadowing, themes that are not available to the first time viewer. In Mike's favourite computer episode (!) there is a Scooby conference in the library when the gang tries to puzzle out Malcolm's identity. There's something in the script about working out a theory, about a demon, etc. It made me think immediately of OMWF, "I've got a theory, that it's a demon, a dancing demon--no, something isn't right here." Thanks again for the great site! |
| 14. | KatieJNov 20, 2009 (Fri) @ 11:20am | |
| The actor playing Buffy's dad played Almanzo on Little House on the Prairie. That bothered me for a while. I don't really understand the plot- how a kid in a coma can cause people to live their nightmares, but hey, anything that causes Nick Brendon to be without a shirt, is A-ok with me. |
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