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| Writer: | Douglas Petrie |
| Director: | David Grossman |
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| - | Review |
I'll just say outright that I'm not a big fan of this episode. Like all of BtVS there is always good stuff within a poor plot which is exactly what happens here. I just hate the idea of making us think that Angel lost his soul again because we've seen Angelus so recently. While I'm glad they were faking it to trick Faith and the Mayor, I'm still not pleased with most of the execution. I didn't like how Giles just happened to know the guy who the Mayor used to yank Angel's soul. Not all of it was poor though! I adored the stabilizing relationship between Faith and the Mayor along with the new information we got about the Mayor himself. So lets gets started with the specifics.
The episode begins with Buffy and Angel coming out of what appeared to be an erotic foreign film. Not the best choice of entertainment for this couple as Buffy pointedly observes. This entire little conversation between the two of them is very amusing. She thinks she's getting him "worked up" when doing stuff like this with him. I can sympathise with Angel when he says just being with Buffy is all he needs to get worked up. I also appreciated seeing him show Buffy that he is in complete control of his emotions.
The Mayor's relationship with Faith continues to grow more fascinating. It is now very clear that he sees himself as a father to Faith. She's not sure she's comfortable with this but soon warms up to the idea. She then begins to show that affection in reverse. It's so unique and odd to love the bad guys so much you almost hope they win. I'm pleased that Faith still hasn't completely lost it yet by her reaction to violently murdering a demon. She does, however, repress her feelings very easily to be able to use that experience to try to seduce Angel. It's also interesting to see Faith throwing nonstop jabs at Buffy once she thinks she has her chained to the wall later on.
It's unfortunate, but that's about where the major positives end. I've got some real fundamental problems with the way this episode was handled. First off is Buffy's reactions involving Angel and Faith. Buffy and Angel have been through so much together that there should be a level of trust between the two of them. Unless Buffy sees some indisputable evidence that Angel for some reason doesn't love her completely anymore, she shouldn't assume he doesn't! This annoying behavior arises twice here. I could understand it when she saw him with Drusilla back in "Lie to Me" (2x07) because their relationship was still largely unexplored at that point. At least Willow points out that she's acting insane over this. Not only is her reaction silly, but the fact that she walks in on Angel and Faith right when Faith briefly kisses him on the cheek is simply poor writing. The other time Buffy acts in an annoying way is at the end when she needs to "break it off" with Angel because of what she had to watch him do with Faith. She still thinks that he might rather be with Faith than with her. Come on Buffy!
The main plot is simply completely unnecessary. Why does the Mayor even want to remove Angel's soul? Is this just something to pass the time to his ascension? Why wouldn't he be even more focused on killing Buffy now that he knows that she knows he's up to something really bad? I also didn't care for the fact that we're led to believe that Angel actually lost his soul again until the end of the episode. I would have preferred it if we'd known he was playing Faith from the start. It would have made the episode fun which would help offset the uselessness of it. The scene where Buffy first thinks Angelus is back is frustrating to watch. We've seen Angelus so recently that even Angel faking it isn't interesting to see right now.
So overall it's a pretty mixed bag. The main plot isn't terrible and it does provide some admittedly fun moments including Angel punching Xander out, Angel throwing a letter opener at the Mayor, the group finding out that Faith is now working for the Mayor, and Angel's "second best" moment. But ultimately it's a waste of an episode because the important material could have easily been wrapped up in a more important plot. It's really difficult to give an episode of this series a really low score because the character interaction is always so entertaining and interesting. That holds true here as well.
| - | Minor Pros/Cons (+/-) |
| Pros: | |
| + | A demon wanting money for the Books of Ascension. |
| + | The Mayor offering the hooded guy a mint. |
| + | Cordelia's nonstop flirting with Wesley. |
| + | The additionaly information on the Mayor. He's been the Mayor for a hundred years. |
| + | The Mayor comforting Faith with fatherly love and the prospect of minature golf. My reaction is exactly what Faith's reaction is. |
| - | Quotes |
| MAYOR: | I like good, positive, up thoughts. If you fail me in that way. Well, you know, replacing Mr. Trick was chore enough. (chuckles) Oh, come on, don't worry. Drink up. There's nothing uncool about healty teeth and bones. |
| GILES: | Demons after money. Whatever happened to the still beating heart of a virgin? No one has any standards anymore. |
| WESLEY: | Wait for Faith. |
| BUFFY: | That could be hours. The girl makes Godot look punctual. |
| MAYOR: | There's more than one way to skin a cat. And I happen to know that's factually true. |
| WESLEY: | This demon could be anywhere. If these books are important as he says, he has good reason to hide. (Xander enters) Finding him is going to be extremely difficult. |
| XANDER: | Found your demon. |
| BUFFY: | Fashion tip, Wes. Mouth looks better closed. |
| GILES: | See, no standards. I mean, any self-respecting demon should be living in a pit of filth or a nice crypt. |
| MAYOR: | Well, what are you worried about? Chin up! You don't see me looking disappointed. Heck, no. You know why? Because I know you'll always have me, Faith. I'm the best, the most important friend you'll ever have. Besides, you know, once the Ascenscion starts, the 'in' crowd you're so concerned about? Whoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough left of them to fill a pothole. Promise. Still unhappy? Okie dokie. I've got two words that are going to make all the pain go away. Miniature. Golf. (grins) |
| - | Score | Learn about the Grading Scale |
| 70/100 |
C+ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ |
The main plot is likely problematic and/or hokey, but sharp humor and/or character development and relevance keep it afloat. A couple moments may be over-the-top in a bad way.
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| - | Screencaps |
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Comments (39)
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| 1. | CinnamonCarterApr 18, 2007 (Wed)Link | |
| I re-watched this episode last night and agree totally with your assessment of it - seeing Angel pretend to be Angelus is unnecessary and uninteresting in the light of the major threads of this season. We've been there, done that, gone to hell and back and now there's more important things to focus on! At first I thought it was just poor plot execution by Douglas Petrie, but no - Angelus has no place here, real or fake. I just felt bored seeing Buffy's reaction to thinking he was back! The only good thing to come of it was seeing Faith drop all charade when she thought she had Angelus on her side. The side of her character that really ISN'T as self-reliant as she would like to believe (as Buffy says, she needed to chain Buffy up to beat on her) really comes out in force here, which I love. She comes across as weakest when she's acting her toughest. THAT is good writing! |
| 2. | LatoyaMay 1, 2007 (Tue)Link | |
| I don't think Buffy doubted Angel loved her. She knew she couldn't make love with him but maybe a apart of her knew that since it was a "perfect happiness" clause and not a "really good orgasm" clause, he could still have sex if he wanted to. She saw how sexually frustrated he was and was just afraid that maybe in a moment of weakness he would end up sleeping with Faith, who it had been established was a get some/get gone, overtly sexual, person who had no problem having one nighters with friends/allies. |
| 3. | JackieJun 15, 2007 (Fri)Link | |
| Wow, Latoya - I have *never* heard that explanation in relation to Faith/Angel/Buffy, and suddenly eveything makes sense. Buffy wasn't afraid that Angel *loved* Faith - she was afraid that he was a GUY. That completely changes my perspective on the relevence of this episode for me. I gotta say, for once, the subtlety went way over my head. The Angel/Buffy thing, despite the crazybadendingstarcrossedlovers aspect really IS still a metaphor for a "relationship with an older guy." Thank you for that explanation! |
| 4. | LibMaxAug 23, 2007 (Thu)Link | |
| I don't have a problem with The Return of Angelus in this episode. The end of the episode makes it sort-of clear that Buffy, Giles, and Angel were all in cahoots from the beginning, which raises complicated questions of who told who what when. But it means that Buffy wasn't being victimized, that she was in on the plan from the beginning. That does make it a bit unreasonable that she would blame Angel for playing up to Faith when that's exactly what he was supposed to be doing, but since when has love been reasonable? The Mayor's motive in taking Angel's soul is fairly clear. His path to Ascension is far from a done deal - he needs the Box of Gavrok, for one thing. Buffy and Angel could stop him. Subtract Angel and add Angelus, and we have Buffy dead (with Faith's help), maybe all the Scoobies dead, Angelus on the Mayor's side, and clear sailing ahead. At worst, Angelus would have kept Buffy and the Scoobies busy and out of the Mayor's hair for months, especially with Faith's assistance. As for Giles's motive (the general Scooby motive), they needed to know where they stood with Faith and they needed to know as much as they could about the Mayor's plans. Buffy may also have wanted to know how things would play out between Angel and Faith (if so, it blew up in her face through no fault of Angel's). As for Angel, they pretty much just used him, the way they did in The Dark Age and many other episodes. I don't think the episode would have had much impact or entertainment value if they'd told us from the beginning that Angel was just pretending. This was an episode about deceit and betrayal, and I don't think they could have played it for laughs. Faith, even evil Faith, meant more to us than that. And I liked the fact that, even though the Scoobies got what they wanted, nobody walked away whistling a happy tune. Season Three was all about choices and consequences (kind of hilarious that it includes episodes titled "Choices" and "Consequences"). |
| 5. | LibMaxAug 23, 2007 (Thu)Link | |
| I will admit that it's a pretty far-fetched coincidence that the Shrouded Sorcerer knew both Giles and the Mayor, if it really was a coincidence. It's also possible that Giles and the sorcerer planned the whole thing and figured out a way to scatter enough hints across the Mayor's path that he took the bait. |
| 6. | buffyholicOct 25, 2007 (Thu)Link | |
| I like this episode a lot, although I´m not too crazy about the plot. I couldn´t care less about Angelus here or even fake Angelus, he doesn´t bring anything to the arc. But my main reason for liking this so much is the wonderful character interaction and Faith and the Mayor. They are so great together and their relationship is really fascinating to watch. We have so many great moments, like when Angel punches Xander, Angel meeting the Mayor and my favourite when Faith is so confident in dissing Buffy down and saying stuff to her. Awesome. Really, all of these positive moments more than make up the poor plot, imo. |
| 7. | AndrewJan 29, 2008 (Tue)Link | |
| I agree with LibMax- weak as the episode was, it would have been much worse if we'd been in on the deception from the beginning. Regarding "Second Best", I actually thought that was a low point for the episode- cool line though it is, and neat a way of revealing the true state of affairs though it is, it is *completely* out of character for Angel who is neither smug nor wise-cracking. The episode does open up a lot of who-told-what-when questions. When talking to Willow, Buffy clearly was genuinely worried about Angel/Faith. One assumes, therefore, that between that conversation with Willow and the next scene where Faith+Shrouded Sorceror "de-soul" Angel, Buffy went to Angel and they cooked up the whole plot. So where did Giles come in, and where did the Shrouded Sorceror come from? |
| 8. | wilpy1Mar 8, 2008 (Sat)Link | |
| I like the idea of this episode, but I don't think it was pulled off well. If there had been more clues along the way, then the 'gotcha' moment at the end would've been more justified. I agree with Andrew that the 'second best' line is out-of-character. Not so much because Angel isn't smug, but because a few episodes before, Angel empathised with Faith and was the only one who managed to reach through to her (or almost managed to). He established in this episode that they were very similar - so why on earth would he gloat about exposing her as evil? When he reached out again to her in 'Five By Five'/'Sanctuary' in ATS, that was much more consistent with 'Consequences' and everything before that in s3. 'Enemies' ruins that for some cheap fun. :( Also, the ending of this episode: Buffy, give me a break, not Angel. Stop bouncing him back and forth like a rubber ball, he's got pri -- no, wait, he doesn't. Boy, am I glad he left for ATS and became a better character. |
| 9. | TonyJun 19, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| This is what pisses me off about this show a lot. I realized the show tends to use the easy way out all the time. Like this episode for example, where the sorcerer happened to know Giles, because Giles hooked him up with his wife... It's just pure laziness on the writers for not wanting to have to think up something good. It's happened many times, I just can't think of anything else right now. |
| 10. | ShularJul 31, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| Herein lies the downside of watching the shows on DVD. You say that it's only recently that Angelus was around, but really, he hasn't been seen since the last episode of season 2, and now we are at the 17th of season 3. That's a good, what, 10 months? When watching the episodes as they aired, it would have seemed like ages since Angelus appeared, and I don't doubt that a lot of viewers would not be surprised by a one-shot appearance. Funny, I never really thought of Angel's "second best" as boasting. Just as a clever way of saying "jig's up...we're on to you now." I also had a problem with the sorcerer knowing Giles. It definitely seemed a little contrived. |
| 11. | Mr TrickOct 14, 2008 (Tue)Link | |
| I agree with a lot of what you write here, but while at this point I'm completely burnt out on Angel/Buffy melodrama, there's another way to interpret the whole break thing at the end. Seeing Angel act like Angelus might just have heightened her fears of bringing the demon out again. Rewatching this, I kept hoping she would say it straight out, but I don't think it's implausible to draw that conclusion. Also, the fact that Giles just happened be an acquaintance of the demon is a joke. It's actually pretty funny. I mean, this is a show about a high school girl fighting vampires. I think they're allowed to take certain liberties. |
| 12. | bigmoneygripOct 23, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| If I were a casual fan of the show, I would have liked it a whole lot more. I wanted to like it more. I love shows that have hidden twists that aren't revealed until the end. However, as Mike and the other great comments point out, it doesn't flow well with the whole Buffy storyline. Parts of it do, but as pointed out, there are too many holes and "huh?" moments. Nevertheless, I found it enjoyable, maybe a bit frustrating, but mostly enjoyable. Have I mentioned how cute Willow is? |
| 13. | bigmoneygripOct 23, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| Oh, one more thing. The demon that was going to trade the ascension books for 5K that Faith killed - I was CERTAIN that it was Clint Howard (Ron Howard's brother). But, nope, I was wrong. |
| 14. | HarFangOct 23, 2008 (Thu)Link | |
| It's funny because I really liked that episode when I first saw it -partly because I was proud of myself for guessing it was a setup. And I still love how, after chaining Buffy up, Angel glances at her in a way that positively screams that he hasn't turned bad at all. Now that I've watched the episode a few times, however, I'm starting to get your points. I really hadn't thought about "second best", although Angel can be pretty harsh on occasion, and Faith really had it coming. What bothers me a lot is Angel's meekness, he's so much cooler when he's being bad (even though honestly I can't blame Buffy for being creeped out, because he looked like he was having a really good time there). Actually, someone once pointed out that, as AtS was about to be launched, Angel became more a prop than a real character in season 3, being acted upon more than he acted himself during the whole season. Finally, frankly the twist with Giles's demon friend doesn't bother me at all. First because I prefer humorous mystification to a long-winded but rational explanation, and secondly because this type of absurd non-explanation is almost a fixture of the Whedonverse (just like Oz asking "how did Jordy become a werewolf? ...hmm") |
| 15. | JavDec 12, 2008 (Fri)Link | |
| I just rewatched this episode, and the reaction I had from a friend I was showing it to was (at the end) "Why's Buffy mad at Angel?", and my initial reaction was that it was sort of a lame "create nonexistent Buffy angst" thing. My second thought was that Buffy was probably shaken up from seeing 'fake' Angelus in any form, and needed a 'break' from being around Angel. I'm a fan of Latoya's explanation above, something I hadn't considered at all, except that the scene really hinted toward a big lack of trust on Buffy's side concerning Angel/Faith. Overall, I realized I was wicked excited to see this ep again mostly for certain scenes, and that the only way to watch this episode is to see the plot contrivances as the silly, funny fluff and the character development (Faith & the Mayor, Willow's confidence, the beginning B/A, etc., are all great) as the gold. The entertainment factor's still pretty high, and it doesn't really bring down the momentum from Doppelgangland (pure awesome) and Earshot (also awesome). :) |
| 16. | AAADec 24, 2008 (Wed)Link | |
| I am really amazed at how many episodes the guy who writes the reviews of this site , of season 3 , misunderstood. Please watch season 3 again because your ideas about most episodes of it ,are just wrong. If Buffy did not react in the way she did (which is nothing out of the ordinary) at Angel and Faith fake relationship then that would be unrealistic. If the episode was any different it would have been worse. |
| 17. | Buffy Puissance 7Jan 27, 2009 (Tue)Link | |
| i love the idea of this epi. the suspense is great the so the end!! my favorite moment is when Angel says that Faith's the second best actor. i love Faith's move on this quote. if her look could kills... |
| 18. | MaddyFeb 28, 2009 (Sat)Link | |
| I enjoyed this episode, dispite some little flaws. I love Cordelia and Wesley's relationship in this ep, it really starts and the way Cordelia is in a complete daze with Wesely during their meeting in the library is rather amusing. I thought it was a brilliant idea to bring Angelus back, I prefer him a lot more to Angel he seems to talk A LOT more which is comforting as I think Angel is scary the way he hardly says a full sentance it makes you wonder what he is thinking, I think Angel is a lot more harder to read and undertstand than Angelus. I also think that Buffy's reaction about the whole faith and Angel Kiss on the cheek thing was about perfect keeping in mind that she had just found out that Xander and Faith had unexpectedly slept with eachother it would be hardly surprising if Angel did the same thing, especially since she can sense his sexual tension and that Faith doesn't show any remorse or guilt about 1-night stands. Overall I think this deserves around the 85 mark, it's nice to see Giles loosen up a little,Oz and Willow look cuddly again and to see that Buffy does care about Angel. All in all a very enjoyable yet mysterious episode. |
| 19. | BillMar 7, 2009 (Sat)Link | |
| As was said previously, Buffy's need for a break didn't have anything to do with Faith, but rather seeing Angel act like Angelus. This episode just goes to show that she'll really never get over the months of hell that guy put her through. |
| 20. | EmilyMar 22, 2009 (Sun)Link | |
| I like Latoya's explanation of why Buffy needed a break from Angel. I also think that some people, when they see the love of their life and their greatest enemy making out, need a break from the love of their life, even if it's fake. It's something that's difficult to watch, and I, for one, would need some time to work thorugh that. Some people are the type to work it through with their boyfriend, but we know Buffy isn't exactly known for her communication skills with the people she loves. Andrew, it was totally not out of character for Angel. I think that if someone tries to hurt Buffy, he would be cruel to them. And that's what Faith did- she put Angel in a situation where he had to hurt Buffy, and he lashed out at Faith because of that. That's totally and completely IN CHARACTER. Furthermore, I agree with AAA. Mike, I think that you really misunderstand a lot of what's going on in Season 3. I don't know if it's because you like Spike seasons more than Angel ones, or because you just don't like the Mayor/Faith plot, but I think that you don't fully appreciate what's going on in this season. I also agree with AAA that there's no other way for the episode to have been written. I think that a plot line with the audience knowing what's going on throughout the whole episode would've been boring. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I saw it, especially at "second best," and continue to love it every time I see it. |
| 21. | mikejerMar 22, 2009 (Sun)Link | |
| Emily, what exactly is it that I misunderstood about Season 3? That's your claim, yet I don't see you offering up any examples to back up that claim. Do you think that maybe I just don't like the season as much as yourself? That's probably what's at work here, and that's completely fine. But I feel it's incorrect to label it as "misunderstanding." Also, I'm baffled by the notion that you think I didn't like the Mayor/Faith plot. My reviews very clearly state the opposite -- I love the Mayor/Faith plot, and even more so their relationship. Even in this review, I said the following: I will admit that I find the later seasons more thematically rich and intellectually compelling than the earlier ones, but I still very much like the earlier seasons as well -- especially the last half of S2. I've always felt, though, that S3 was a bit overrated. |
| 22. | EmilyMar 23, 2009 (Mon)Link | |
| I'm working on it, Mike. Never thought you'd just take an unexplained comment like that and accept it lol. Also, I didn't mean to sound insulting, if that's how it sounded. In terms of the Mayor/Faith plot, I didn't mean that you didn't like the relationship between them (which I, too, love, and enjoy seeing it develop), but rather the whole Mayor's ascension plan and how it affects the group. I'll get back to you with my reasons. |
| 23. | SeleneJul 8, 2009 (Wed)Link | |
| Am I the only one who sees the tragic irony in Willow, secure in her relationship with Oz, reassuring Buffy that Angel would never cheat on her when in the next season is the one who ends up getting cheated on? |
| 24. | LucyAug 12, 2009 (Wed)Link | |
| The first time I watched this episode, I completely loved it. I was totally sucked into thinking that Angelus was back, and that 'second best' moment sent shivers down my spine. I know there's a lot of holes in the plot, but they don't really bother me in this episode. I haven't liked it as much on watching it the second, third, fourth.....20th times, it's a bit like if you watched the sixth sense again. Once you know the ending, it's never going to be as good as that first time.
Thanks for these reviews, by the way, Mikejer. I don't mind if you don't like the third season! (but I ruddy love it!) |
| 25. | mikejerAug 12, 2009 (Wed)Link | |
| Lucy, thanks for the comment. I just want to clarify that I don't like the third season... as much as a lot of the fan base does. This in no way means I don't like it. I wouldn't give a season I disliked an A-! Season 3 is an excellent season of television. I just feel it's inferior to Season 2 and Season 5 (and in some ways Season 6 too). My problems with the season are outlined in my comprehensive Season 3 Review. |
| 26. | AnonDkAug 23, 2009 (Sun)Link | |
| I don't have a problem with Angelus' return-it added a lot of drama to the situation and made the fake out really satisfying. I was fine with that. What I have a problem is in the logistics. Buffy, Angel and Gile's plan is just soooo underexplained. Who started distrusting Faith first? Who thought of faking Angel's soul loss could lead to info on the Mayor? How did they manage to get the Mayor to hire the guy who had history with Giles? It just really doesn't add up. Also I agree on Buffy/Angel-after everything they've been through, she should have more faith in their relationship and his genuine love for her, but no. That being said, I do like this episode. It's probably my favourite Faith episode of season 3, has great performances from Gellar, Boreanaz and Dushku and that scene with Angelus and the Mayor is just great (Harry Groener never felt more credible as a villain when he was undermiming faux!Angelus, even though a lot of that was down to his power). It just loses serious points for pointless angst (pleeeease don't go on a break, Buffy! You know ye'll be together again by the next episode :() and slightly confusing plot (only confusing to service a, admittedly awesome, twist) that brings it down so. |
| 27. | KatieJSep 30, 2009 (Wed) @ 6:58pmLink | |
| I really enjoyed and still enjoy this episode. And I see it as the turning point in season 3, when sides were chosen, and the battle (and Buffy-Angel breakup) began. I readily admit to being a suspension of disbelief sucker, but when Angel said "second best", I let out a long-held breath. Now, on DVD, I can sit back and enjoy not-evil, evil Angel's icky, sexy violence, without being all scared. I can also enjoy all dialog candy to its fullest. Xander's "You how some people don't like to say 'I told you so'? not me. I told you so!" for example. Love your reviews MikeJer, but this episode always cemented my Buffy love affair. |
| 28. | ChristianOct 1, 2009 (Thu) @ 10:51amLink | |
| I thought this episode was really good, and like Latoya, I always understood Buffy’s reaction to Angel and Faith. Faith can give Angel something Buffy can’t… which is sex. Angel loves Buffy so much that if he made love with her he’d lose his soul… but with Faith it would just be sex, not actually a “moment of true happiness”. The opening scene explained Buffy’s frustration over the fact that they can’t make love, the rest of the episode just carried it out.
This to me justifies Buffy’s decision to have a break. I think it finally hit her that being with Angel forever is going to be harder than it seems. This is a short lived reality check that goes away in the next couple of episodes but eventually makes its way back at the prom. Angel realizes that the “reality check” will never last if he stays, so he leaves. As cheesy as It may sound, I loved the last quote: “You still my girl?” “Always”… awwww =) |
| 29. | SamOct 31, 2009 (Sat) @ 12:16pmLink | |
| I'm going to be daring here and just come right out with it: in a lot of ways, this is one of my favorite episodes of season 3.
When Faith went to the mayor's side I wasn't really surprised, but I was upset. In Doppelgangland, I entertained the idea that she was playing double agent, what with her getting upset at the thought of killing Willow and all. This episode squashes any doubts about what side Faith is really on. I LOVE the Faith/Mayor relationship. At the beginning of the episode, it's clear that he's not totally embracing the father role, but wants her to buy into it (what kind of father tries to get his daughter to sleep with someone? No father I know, that's for darn sure). By the end of the episode, though, he IS embracing the role, he IS Faith's father figure, and it's adorable. I never really saw Buffy stumbling upon Faith and Angel right when Faith kisses his cheek as poor writing; if she had stumbled along anytime else during their conversation, it would have looked a LOT worse. I also did not find bringing Angelus back in bad or demeaning in any way. I actually like Angelus way more than Angel in this series; at least when he's Angelus, he has some sort of personality. I think the Mayor wants to bring him back because he doesn't just want Buffy killed; he wants to put her through the worst pain imaginable beforehand. I loved the scene between Buffy and Faith at the mansion. My only issue with it is that Buffy keeps insulting Faith. I realize that Faith is trying to kill her here, but c'mon! This is the girl Buffy said she wasn't going to give up on just two episodes ago. Faith's pain and rage are so obvious here. I think it's pretty out of character for Buffy to not even try to reach out to her, no matter how pissed at Faith she might be. I agree with Latoya, Bill, and Emily on Buffy's reasons for needing a break. I also think that she must have been totally wigged out by seeing Angel channel his evil so well. She had to have realized that that evil doesn't go away when Angel has his soul; it's just surpressed. Just a few other things I love about this episode: the Mayor and Angel meeting ("attitude may get you attention, Angelus, but courtesy wins respect"). Faith telling Angel that she doesn't want to end up like everyone said she would, "dead or alone or a loser", and then Buffy calling her a loser later was GREAT writing. Xander "beating" the demon's address out of Willy. "Angelus" and Faith fighting: "No, really, don't get up." I just all around love this episode. A lot. So sue me. =) |
| 30. | Sam LOct 31, 2009 (Sat) @ 6:16pmLink | |
| There is apparently more than one Sam on this board. I am not the Sam who wrote the above post, as Enemies is not one of my favorite episodes. I am the Sam who debated Shannon about Spike on the "As You Were" page, who despises "Normal Again", and who made an unnecessary comment about Mike on the "After Life" page for which I apologized on the "End of Days" page. So I am changing my name to Sam L until I can figure out a name I like better. I hope this clears up some confusion. |
| 31. | SamNov 1, 2009 (Sun) @ 4:50pmLink | |
| Sorry 'bout that...i'd go last initial, but it's "L" so that would add some more confusion. Thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that I'm not the only Sam here. |
| 32. | GanixDec 2, 2009 (Wed) @ 2:08pmLink | |
| Sorry but I have to disagree with you here. I happen to love this episode. When I first watched it it had my attention from the start until the end - and I still remember the first time I saw the moment when it is revealed that Angelus has not, in fact, returned. I guess it comes down to personal preference but I personally regard this episode as very clever (as always!) and incredibly watchable. It's not my favourite season 3 episode, but it's close. |
| 33. | GanixDec 2, 2009 (Wed) @ 2:08pmLink | |
| Sorry but I have to disagree with you here. I happen to love this episode. When I first watched it it had my attention from the start until the end - and I still remember the first time I saw the moment when it is revealed that Angelus has not, in fact, returned. I guess it comes down to personal preference but I personally regard this episode as very clever (as always!) and incredibly watchable. It's not my favourite season 3 episode, but it's close. |
| 34. | Nathan.TaurusJan 1, 2010 (Fri) @ 7:45pmLink | |
| I think this episode deserves a little bit higher score as Faith finally shows her true colours towards Buffy to which Buffy realises what she might have to do.
I liked the misdirection that Angelus had returned and Faith saying that she is the "worlds best actor" and Angel responding with "second best" along with the slow motion realisation from Faith. Although the show missed one of the biggest storyline threads with Faith proclaiming that "the Mayor built this town for demons to feed on-" and all that Buffy got from it was the last bit of "and come graduation day, he's gettin' paid." In the last four seasons there could of been an episode about Sunnydale. What it was like before Wilkins arrived and re-named it. The town is a character in it's own right and throughout the series we never got many answers to how it works, just more questions. This response would explain a bit of why people still live there, and we know from 'Flooded' that the property prices are cheaper than other towns. So this episode shows that everything that happens in Sunnydale throughout the seven seasons is in different ways because of Richard Wilkins. |
| 35. | G1000May 19, 2010 (Wed) @ 1:55pmLink | |
| I actually think the main "con" plot worked rather well. But I don't buy what has happened to Faith. We're supposed to believe that she's gone from conflicted and troubled to truly evil in one episode? |
| 36. | NiaMay 19, 2010 (Wed) @ 11:19pmLink | |
| I agree that there should have been an episode about the town of Sunnydale. In many ways it was a main character on the series!
I would have paid money to see a scene of Angel/Buffy inside that movie theater. And watched it many times. You just know Angel wanted an excuse to punch Xander. And he didn't even know about the infamous "kick his ass" lie. I bet part of Buffy remembered having to endure watching Faith making out with Angel while Buffy was chained up and awaiting torture when she goes to LA in Sanctuary and then sees Angel and Faith sitting on Angel's bed hugging with his shirt open. And in between those events was Faith switching bodies against Buffy's will and having sex with Riley! |
| 37. | JasonJun 4, 2010 (Fri) @ 11:48amLink | |
| Guess I'm in a minority here. I completely believed Angelus was back, felt saddened and sickened by it, and was completely stunned and elated when the trick was revealed. That stun and elation punctuated one of my favorite Buffy experiences so far. Awesome episode. |
| 38. | NixJun 14, 2010 (Mon) @ 9:51amLink | |
| Biggest abiding mystery of this episode: Buffy's t-shirt. A sparkly Union Jack?! |
| 39. | JoeJun 14, 2010 (Mon) @ 2:25pmLink | |
| I guess I just "saw" the twist coming--there was no way the writers would rehash Angelus at the end of season three. By the time of this episode's original airing, it was pretty clear that the writers of this show weren't into recycling, which was very refreshing considering that's what most every other tv show at the time did. And what a cheap way to suck out Angel's soul THAT would have been--really would have undermined the seriousness of how Angel lost his soul the first time, in my opinion.
I agree with Mike here. This plotting is a bit sloppy, which is unfortunate, because the show is usually pretty careful about giving very subtle clues as to how and when a subversive plan comes together (though sometimes it's TOO overt, as in "Showtime"), but here, there are just too many questions of basic plotting and structure. How/when did the gang start to suspect Faith had turned sides? How did Giles manage to know the exact person that was going to be used by the Mayor? Was the Mayor REALLY better off having Angelus? I mean, couldn't a nice big cadre of vampires (like, I don't know, the one that attacked the graduation ceremony) have gotten together and dusted Angel and killed Buffy? It seems a bit round-about. While the explanations for the reasons are there, they just seem inconsistent and, well, kind of stupid. Which is sad, considering how well the writers usually have command over their characters and actions. But if this is as sloppy as things ever get, one can understand why this is the best show ever. |
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