Quite an underrated episode; this one is strong as an allegory for how and why fascist movements gain traction. Joyce starts a book barbecue and a disturbing invasion of students' privacy through the machinery of police, and she is driven to do so in the name of "protecting the children" of Sunnydale. Since this is Buffy, a supernatural element is added that allows Joyce to be redeemed, but the metaphor works seamlessly. Hansel and Gretal, who haunt Joyce and rob her of her ability to think rationally by dominating her emotions, are a fantastical reflection of far right propaganda operations that do the same. Perhaps that's not everyone's cup of tea. I admit that I, perhaps more so than the average Buffy viewer, am deeply fond of the episodes where supernatural demons work so well as allegories for evil in the real world.
Review of Gingerbread
