Buffy Season Two Episode Two

Body snatcher episode, the worst ever; I felt like I was being dragged by the nose to its insights - "Oh, look, Angel's acting jealous" - while nonetheless no one is quite in character, because the script is busy overemphasizing the nature of those characters. Xander rebuffing Cordelia's thanks and appreciation at the end sticks out like a sore thumb, since, though he can be quick and cutting with his jabs, he's never previously been crude or gratuitously mean.

( Brief cut so that people who say 'Frank, This Isn't Fair When You Tell Us Not To Give Any Spoilers And Then You Pull Shit Like This' don't have to look )

Buffy Season Two Episode Three

"If every vampire who said he was at the Crucifixion was actually there, it would have been like Woodstock!"

So, Spike appears. And I've read enough bits on ilX and in the Village Voice to know that he's not just a momentary addition to the punch, so to speak.

A good episode, though I don't get why Spike gave up the battle so soon.

Interesting question as to whether Buffy's mom can grasp what's essential about Buffy despite not knowing anything of the task that Buffy is facing. Well, she assumes that adolescence is Buffy's task. In this episode she sees and understands Buffy's true character, but presumably the issue will return. Meanwhile, it's Xander who really gets to be the show's adolescent, its representative of growing pains. And Giles gets to be everyone's parent - a comically self-effacing one, but still, when necessary, the adult in the room.

Other items:

--Officials know more than they're letting on. (Or, anyway, think they know something, and presumably we'll find out what they think, sooner or later.)
--Buffy still hasn't learned to ask for help.
--Xander still hasn't learned to trust Angel.