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| Writer: | Marti Noxon |
| Director: | David Greenwalt |
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| - | Review |
I find this entire episode an amiable waste of time. There's a few good scenes in a horribly uninteresting, but surprisingly well-paced, main plot. This isn't a bad episode, it's just meaningless. The Gorch brothers don't add anything but some light Texan fun to the mix. An interesting digression, though, is that the little creatures that attach themselves to a host body remind me of the creatures from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode called "Conspiracy" where this alien lifeform is taking over Starfleet Command by using similar creatures as here to control Starfleet Officers. Anyway...
The only things really worth mentioning, besides the frequent shots of Buffy's cleavage, are the developing relationships. The Xander and Cordelia relationship is ridiculous. They can't keep making out in broom closets for very much longer before getting boring to watch. For now, though, there's still some amusement to be had. The Buffy and Angel relationship, though, is seriously heating up. Buffy says, "Angel, when I look into the future, a-a... all I see is you! All I want is you." They're all over each other here and you can tell that sex isn't far behind. It's also nice seeing Joyce slam her foot down on Buffy's seemingly bad behavior, even though it really doesn't do any good.
Angel asks Buffy, "So you don't think about the future?" She replies, "No." In the series finale, "Chosen" (7x22), Buffy shows that she's learned something over the years by saying, "I'm not really thinking that far ahead. That's kinda the point ... (calling after him) Angel. (he pauses) I do sometimes think that far ahead." She finally realizes she is still young and does not need a serious relationship any time soon. Buffy really doesn't understand this concept right now.
That's where all the fun ends though. The rest of the episode is filled with, well, simply nothing worth even mentioning except for the fact that now Cordelia of all people can knock Buffy out with one hit to the head. What in the heck is wrong with the writers!? This has become an annoying trend throughout this season and will be discussed further in the S2 review. So, that's about all there is to say about this one. This is definitely the calm before the storm.
| - | Minor Pros/Cons (+/-) |
| Pros: | |
| + | Willow instinctively wanting to partner with Xander on the egg project. |
| + | Good conversation between Joyce and Giles. |
| + | Cute bedroom window kissing at the end. |
| Cons: | |
| - | Slow, ridiculous, and meaningless ending. It is kind of amusing seeing Buffy covered in goo though. |
| - | Foreshadowing |
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| - | Quotes |
| JOYCE: | A little responsibility is all I ask. Honestly, don't you ever think about anything besides boys and clothes? |
| BUFFY: | Saving the world from vampires? |
| JOYCE: | I swear, sometimes I don't know what goes on in your head. |
| XANDER: | Well, you know, it's the whole 'sex leads to responsibility' thing, which I personally don't get. You gotta take care of the egg. It's a baby. You gotta keep it safe and teach it Christian values. |
| WILLOW: | My egg is Jewish. |
| XANDER: | Then teach it that Dreidel song. |
| BUFFY: | Oh, I told you, that faux parenting gig we're doing at school. Like I'm really planning to have kids anytime soon. |
| ANGEL: | I wouldn't know. I don't... Well, you know, I, I can't. |
| BUFFY: | Oh. That's okay, um... I-I figured there were all sorts of things vampires couldn't do. You know, like work for the Telephone Company, or volunteer for the Red Cross, or... have little vampires. |
| - | Score | Learn about the Grading Scale |
| 50/100 |
D ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ |
Silly, useless plot. Poor execution of intended (if any) themes. No new important character development or insight. Offers no reason to bother rewatching it.
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| - | Screencaps |
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Comments (23)
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| 1. | Jack ChimneyFeb 4, 2007 (Sun)Link | |
| Nice to see that someone else noticed the rather stiking parallels between this episode and TNG's "Conspiracy." When I first watched this one that really jumped out and bit me in the face, so to speak. |
| 2. | robgnowApr 9, 2007 (Mon)Link | |
| I did like the short scene where Giles matter of factly throws a parasite on Joyce's neck. It was nicely creepy and his face looks so blank while he's doing it. |
| 3. | LatoyaMay 13, 2007 (Sun)Link | |
| I really really shouldn't laught at this quote but I always do. "I'm going to beat you like a redheaded stepchild." Does it help that it is a evil vampire saying it? !! |
| 4. | BarbaraJul 9, 2007 (Mon)Link | |
| In the middle of this episode when Buffy and Angel are kissing in the cemetary and then Angel says he'll hunt and she could go home, they start kissing again, and the shot goes over to a gravestone that says in loving memory. It didn't mean anything to me when I first watched it, but going back and knowing that Angel is going to lose his soul, I'd say that was foreshadowing that there love was going to come to an end. |
| 5. | buffyholicJul 25, 2007 (Wed)Link | |
| I am sorry, you may call me cheesy but I like this one. I know this is a very lame plot but it just feels like everyone is having fun(including me, having silly fun) and also is a good break from all the drama we`re going to have. |
| 6. | AndrewJan 9, 2008 (Wed)Link | |
| I'm another who liked this more than you. The ending was admittedly pretty weak. Yes, OK, the Wild West vampires added precisely nothing to the plot, leaving one somewhat confused about their purpose there. And yes, the whole thing was perhaps a little silly. But it's a fun episode to watch, and I couldn't really point to any bits I didn't like. Oh, and the bit where Willow comes off the phone and a camera pans out to show the broken egg is pretty creepy. |
| 7. | wilpy1Mar 24, 2008 (Mon)Link | |
| One of the worst episodes ever. The plot is left so open ended. What was the science teacher's motive for selling the eggs? Why was he evil? Why wasn't he dealt with? Is Joyce seriously that stupid to believe the gas leak contrivance? Why were Hector and his brother even there - what the hell did they add to anything?! Why were so many Buffy/Angel kissing scenes when these things could've been resolved or done better? I mean, the plot premise itself was ridiculous and there was only so much you could do with it. The first act of the episode actually set it up quite well considering. But it's like Marti realised it was a load of crap a quarter of the way through, and just gave up. She could've made up for the lame plot by doing more with Buffy's responsibility, but no. It just plain sucked in the end. Second worst episode, only beaten by the hideous Wrecked, in my opinion. |
| 8. | sivJun 5, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| I love buffy/angel makeout kisses. |
| 9. | JadenJun 19, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| wilpy1: so where the wild things are is a masterpiece is it? |
| 10. | ElianneOct 8, 2008 (Wed)Link | |
| Well, the Gorch Bros. are in this episode probably because of Whedon's great love for The Wild Bunch, a film in which they appear (not as vampires, thought :). They do feel like they're shoehorned in a bit, and don't really serve any useful purpose other than being a nod to the film. Actually Angel is also named after a character from TWB, as was Buffy's boyfriend in the original Buffy film (his name was Pike). As for the B/A kissage, I'll take all I get get. |
| 11. | bigmoneygripOct 10, 2008 (Fri)Link | |
| The one kinda cute thing was Buffy and the vampires fighting side by side against the zombie/possessed horde. |
| 12. | EmilyFeb 20, 2009 (Fri)Link | |
| I think this whole episode is a foreshadowing of "Innocence"- like Xander says when they're in the library, "Sex leads to the responsibility thing." And I think Buffy's confused face is very telling- I don't think she fully realizes what the consequences could be. And, after all, I think the consequences she and Angel suffered from mid-season 2 are worse than any other consequences I could think of.
Was it a reference to John McClane when Lyle Gorge said, "Yippee Kay-yay"? I don't understand how Buffy's egg unhatched itself. I love the Buffy/Angel scenes. They're so sweet. |
| 13. | SvenMar 21, 2009 (Sat)Link | |
| I agree with Emily. The whole "bad consequences of sex" theme that starts in the classroom is foreshadowing for Innocence. Might be worth mentioning in the foreshadowing section. :) |
| 14. | SamMay 7, 2009 (Thu)Link | |
| This is a really dumb episode, to be sure. Mike is right in pointing out how idiotic it is that Cordelia could knock Buffy out with one hit (I think that, at this early in the game, Buffy being easily knocked out may be in sync with her still being young and often acting like a teenager, but those innocent days are just about over). However, there is one priceless line when Buffy is incredibly anxious over how to best take care of the egg, and Joyce simply responds, "Wait until it starts dating." Beautiful. Just beautiful. Other than that, a lame-ass episode. |
| 15. | LukasJul 29, 2009 (Wed)Link | |
| You forgot to mention the fact that Angel DOES get a child in the offspring (as opposed to his statement here). |
| 16. | TashJul 30, 2009 (Thu)Link | |
| One thing I really really liked about this episode was how at the end Buffy just jumps down into the hole with that thing - without thinking twice. She's pretty cool that girl. |
| 17. | EmilyDec 2, 2009 (Wed) @ 8:56pmLink | |
| Did anyone notice the egg that was on the shelf when Giles was putting the books away? I didn't notice it until now. (17:57) |
| 18. | KateJan 14, 2010 (Thu) @ 4:21pmLink | |
| Why would Jonathon be at the school BEFORE the egg got to him at 5:30? Who honestly walks around the corridors for that long? |
| 19. | maxApr 15, 2010 (Thu) @ 10:26amLink | |
| jonathon was a pretty nerdy. He was probably at some after school club. |
| 20. | LaurenApr 29, 2010 (Thu) @ 4:48pmLink | |
| @wilpy1: I love smashed, wrecked, and gone. Maybe it's the hidden tortured emo in me but those episodes get to me everytime. They represent the darkness of season six and "no hope" mentality that seems to be a theme. I understand if that's not your cup of tea but find it seriously hard to believe you cannot think of any worse (I Robot, You Jane anyone?). |
| 21. | JasonMay 19, 2010 (Wed) @ 4:15pmLink | |
| Not as bad as many people say. The final battle, actually, was pretty complicated: you had Buffy, the Gorch brothers, the monster, and the zombie-people. Four (or at least three) independent elements, making for a complicated fight. Not the best scene in the world, but certainly interesting, I thought. |
| 22. | NiaMay 19, 2010 (Wed) @ 10:53pmLink | |
| I felt so sorry for Buffy. She gets grounded and lectured and has to see The Face of Disappointment on her mother. And it was for fighting vampires, patrolling, stopping a bezoar from possessing her, and saving everyone in town from an Invasion of the Body Snatchers situation.
I completely believed that Buffy could bring up casually "Save the world from vampires?" with her mom even after she had once been placed in the psych ward for thinking demons were real and that she was a superhero. I bring up the fact that I am bi and a Pagan even though my parents think both of those are signs to see a psychiatrist and one-way tickets to Hell. It's so sad that Buffy probably would have given up the idea of ever giving birth if it meant she got to still be with Angel and he ends up having a child with Darla. When she said "have little vampires" you could tell she thought it was cute. She wanted to someday have his children. At this point in Angel's evolution he didn't even patrol unless it was to give Buffy backup. She was surprised and touched when he said he would take that night's patrol so she could get some sleep. Years later he patrols because it is the right thing to do (he did like helping damnsels in that mysterious Batman way). Buffy and a Gorch brother fighting side by side against the Bezoar-infected is kind of a foreshadowing to Spike & Buffy fighting together against Angelus in Becoming #2. Still enemies but putting aside that fact to fight a mutual enemy. Buffy looked HOT covered in that black ink. She looked really sexy chic in that purple tank-top and form-fitting skirt and heels. Cordelia's car got A LOT of action in a short amount of time. She didn't pass Driver's Ed until after The Witch and yet she has been kicking the gear shift with how many guys? It's funny that Buffy says "Oh, grow up". The writers made that the theme of S6. Xander boiling his egg in a "you gotta be cruel to be kind" mentality is another sign that there were problems in his home life. Drunken Christmas fights. Trying to sell him to Armenians. Not wanting to visit his parents even after Buffy's mom dies (it made Willow visit her mom Sheila a lot) Willow asking if his family owned a stove. Xander calling his mom on the phone and her not recognizing his voice. Poor Xander. |
| 23. | nathan.taurusJul 28, 2010 (Wed) @ 8:48pmLink | |
| Now that is a huge parasite to fit in such a small egg.
I loved the "red headed step child" line so much, so incorrect, yet so funny. Funny/Shocking scene: Possessed Cordelia punches Xander on his head wound and he punches her in retaliation "THAT"S MY BUMP!", then is shocked by his action. I always think of the line "As punishments go, this is fairly abstract". I find it so funny and remember it often, even when not thinking about the show. A lot better than a 50 score. Unfortunatley another missed episode in a hit and miss season. |
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