I felt my heart breaking for Buffy in this episode. Maybe it's something about the way Sarah Michelle Gellar collapsed, crying, into her bed, that reminded me of my first real heartbreak.
We're at what feels like the greatest obstacle yet for the Slayer, so of course it's going to be a gripping episode. We know Buffy had real feelings for Angel, hell the first half of the season was practically shouting it at us about 5 minutes per episode. We know she's gone a step further and placed greater trust in him. So his betrayal stings.
But before soulless Angel there was with-a-soul Angel, and we need to address the elephant in the room: statutory rape. Buffy is a minor! It is disappointing that this aspect is not handled with care; it is entirely ignored and the focus is instead cast on the *general* risk of being heartbroken by sex or abused after the fact. And while the latter lands and hurts, there's a missing context there that I think keeps this at a 9/10 and not a 10/10. The fact is that even before the curse was lifted, Buffy and Angel did not have what we can call a healthy or even acceptable relationship.
Further, there's a lack of examination on the abuse itself, as we mostly focus on heartbreak. Angel didn't part ways like a normal adult, he was deliberately cruel to her. The experience of which leaves her shaken and in need of support that her friends, for the most part, fail to deliver. Only Giles is there to offer it, and only quite briefly. It would be a better series if we got a stronger sense of camaraderie between the Scooby Gang.
Speaking of which, Willow's reaction to Xander and Cordelia is unlikeable. And I say that as someone who maintained she is criminally mistreated by Xander earlier in the show. Yes there is obvious baggage there, but Willow ought to mature up and support her friend. It's what we expect from heroes, even teenage heroes.
And yet... I can't resist liking this episode so much in spite of my above complaints. There's a fantastically vulnerable performance from Sarah Michelle Gellar that elevates this to something greater than what was simply scribbled on paper by whedon. There's yet another outing of delightful chemistry between Charisma Carpenter and Nicolas Brendan. And a new fun dynamic between our three villains, who somehow are able to all take up oodles of space without the room ever seeming overcrowded.
And there's of course the moment where Buffy *nearly* kills Angel, but opts to give him the good ol' groin kick instead. A sense of her holding back. It's an intriguing moment, but will there be consequences for her lack of conviction? Later episodes will show if this was simply a cheap way to set up angel recovering, or if it really is part of a well-crafted fantasy hero's arc.
Extra points: -"Do you wanna make out with me?" is delivered so likably by Alyson Hanigan that I felt personally wronged when it didn't succeed for her.
-buffy really launched a hecking RPG in a mall. I think it's just the right level of goofy for the show, I love it.
-"curse him again". Even after everything I just said about Angel... that's cruel, Buffy.
-i hope this is the end of miss calendar's kind-of-racist-caricatures of relatives -r.i.p. Judge. You had a lot of hype going but let's face it, you were the least interesting person in the room.
We're at what feels like the greatest obstacle yet for the Slayer, so of course it's going to be a gripping episode. We know Buffy had real feelings for Angel, hell the first half of the season was practically shouting it at us about 5 minutes per episode. We know she's gone a step further and placed greater trust in him. So his betrayal stings.
But before soulless Angel there was with-a-soul Angel, and we need to address the elephant in the room: statutory rape. Buffy is a minor! It is disappointing that this aspect is not handled with care; it is entirely ignored and the focus is instead cast on the *general* risk of being heartbroken by sex or abused after the fact. And while the latter lands and hurts, there's a missing context there that I think keeps this at a 9/10 and not a 10/10. The fact is that even before the curse was lifted, Buffy and Angel did not have what we can call a healthy or even acceptable relationship.
Further, there's a lack of examination on the abuse itself, as we mostly focus on heartbreak. Angel didn't part ways like a normal adult, he was deliberately cruel to her. The experience of which leaves her shaken and in need of support that her friends, for the most part, fail to deliver. Only Giles is there to offer it, and only quite briefly. It would be a better series if we got a stronger sense of camaraderie between the Scooby Gang.
Speaking of which, Willow's reaction to Xander and Cordelia is unlikeable. And I say that as someone who maintained she is criminally mistreated by Xander earlier in the show. Yes there is obvious baggage there, but Willow ought to mature up and support her friend. It's what we expect from heroes, even teenage heroes.
And yet... I can't resist liking this episode so much in spite of my above complaints. There's a fantastically vulnerable performance from Sarah Michelle Gellar that elevates this to something greater than what was simply scribbled on paper by whedon. There's yet another outing of delightful chemistry between Charisma Carpenter and Nicolas Brendan. And a new fun dynamic between our three villains, who somehow are able to all take up oodles of space without the room ever seeming overcrowded.
And there's of course the moment where Buffy *nearly* kills Angel, but opts to give him the good ol' groin kick instead. A sense of her holding back. It's an intriguing moment, but will there be consequences for her lack of conviction? Later episodes will show if this was simply a cheap way to set up angel recovering, or if it really is part of a well-crafted fantasy hero's arc.
Extra points: -"Do you wanna make out with me?" is delivered so likably by Alyson Hanigan that I felt personally wronged when it didn't succeed for her.
-buffy really launched a hecking RPG in a mall. I think it's just the right level of goofy for the show, I love it.
-"curse him again". Even after everything I just said about Angel... that's cruel, Buffy.
-i hope this is the end of miss calendar's kind-of-racist-caricatures of relatives -r.i.p. Judge. You had a lot of hype going but let's face it, you were the least interesting person in the room.