My review for the episode:
And again there's an episode that I had managed to suppress out of my mind. I did pretty good job at that, didn't I? Heh. Okay, once again I had very little to none memories of this episode, but it was really a pleasant surprise that this episode appeared to be a good one, okay compared to season 1-3 episodes it was weak, but a very good one in season 6 standards. Only the problem is that while I enjoyed this on my (now) first viewing and thought it flowed well and didn't have boring spots, it doesn't last. This episode doesn't hold many viewings since on the second viewing (about three months later) I did find slow moving spots, so maybe I just need to have six years in between watching this episode to really enjoy it...
The start of the episode is pretty slow, Dawn's poor-me doesn't bring out any feelings in me, at least not sympathy that I think was the goal here. But I absolutely loved Buffy and Tara together and the easiness between them, of how at ease Buffy was around her, how she could talk to Tara and how understanding Tara was. She really is becoming my favorite character after Buffy. It's just too bad that Willow came to interrupt the great moment between the two. There just wasn't enough Buffy/Tara scenes in the show which is a shame.
Since James Marsters is part of the regular cast, Spike has to be on the episode so he invites himself to Buffy's birthday party along with Clem that was seen in Life Serial, but is now introduced. Buffy's co-worker at the party was unnecessary, but the not-a-set-up guy had a purpose as he launched the “I think he's cute” from Tara to which Clem joins that he was cute, annoying Spike. It was just so nice of Tara to be on Buffy's side and in a way knock Spike down a peck. Later when Spike is harassing Buffy she helps her out and gets some good snark as she asks if Spike still has that cramp and maybe he should put some ice on it. Have I mentioned how much I love Tara? If 'Dead Things' hadn't made me love Tara this would have sealed the deal.
Anya had plenty of good stuff in this, she was both funny and later more serious, but most of all this once again showed off Emma's comedic skills. Anya's speech 'this is not a set up' was funny as well as her treating Dawn like a child that thinks she's a grown up. Especially loved her ruffling Dawn's hair and her patronizing 'yes you are' to Dawn's 'you do know I'm in high school' when she's trying to convince Anya that she does know about “these things”. While in 'Real me' Anya didn't really understand Monopoly, now she's embracing her inner capitalist and wants to bankrupt someone.
While Tara pretty much makes me love her with every action she takes, Dawn manages to annoy me to no end. I admit I did feel a little sorry for her when Buffy's attention moved from the stolen leather jacket to Xander's present, but that was pretty much it. The it's all about me attitude that Dawn has is really getting on my nerves. She us responsible for what's happening (that they are all stuck in the house) and then she complains when she's accused of doing/knowing something which considering her actions is very logical. Then she says she's tired of being treated like a kid, maybe if she acted more maturely or even her age she wouldn't be treated like the brat she is. And the screamed Get out!Get out!Get out! really made me cringe.
Does Anya have a fear of closed spaces or is it just the fear of death that makes her feel like the walls are falling on her? Xander gets attacked by the demon in the house, he's bleeding, but Anya doesn't really seem to notice anything around her and he is the one comforting her. But when Buffy asks if Dawn is okay all she gets is a petulant do you care in the usual it's-all-about-me-I'm-a-angsty-teenager way. Dawn complains that she's all alone, that she has no one, but at least in season five she had that Lisa girl (The Body) and Melinda (Family) and also the idiot in All the way and now suddenly she has no one. Also she's constantly complaining that no one, especially Buffy doesn't spend time with her, but someone her age should understand that Buffy has a job and slaying duty (that hasn't been just humping Spike) and it wasn't like Joyce was home all that much either.
Not only does Tara defend Buffy, but she does it for Willow as well. When Anya was pressuring Willow to use magic despite the danger of her turning back into a druggie, Tara was there defending her and telling Anya to leave her alone and if she wanted to get to Willow she would have to go through her. Tara's loyalty and heart is really showing during this season, she's become more than just Willow's girlfriend. While Anya's reaction is very human, it doesn't mean that I have to like it. But at least something good comes out of it as Dawn's kleptomania is revealed. Even though Buffy's friends often insult/make fun of her intelligence, she is still the one that figures out that they are stuck in the house because Dawn made a wish to a vengeance demon. So is Halfrek a different kind of vengeance demon than Anya, a vengeance demon for petulant teenagers? She puts some guilt on the gang for not constantly fawning over Dawn's every mood swing and she calls Dawn's “pain” unbearable, and that's what it is (just not in the poor Dawn kind of way). But despite the crap about Dawn's great pain, I did find Halfrek getting stuck to the house because of her own curse funny.
When the curse is lifted and everyone splits, it is a nice gesture of Buffy to stay home with Dawn, but it's been two evenings without the slayer patrolling so aren't the demons and vamps having a field day? All in all this was a okay episode, second non-boring in a row. Dawn was annoying, but that's something I've gotten used to. Even the Spike harassing Buffy scenes didn't bother me because they gave Tara great moments to defend Buffy. I was actually pleasantly surprised that this was written by Drew Z. Greenberg who tends to be mediocre writer at best, though this wasn't a master piece either. On general Buffy rating a 7-, but as season 6 episode it goes up to 8-.
8 -
|
