Dirty Girls
This part of the season is much like being halfway through a boring movie. I’m checking my watch to see how much more I have to put up with. Here we are intorduced to a new villan but it feels much like the ubervamp all over again. It would seem that the First has about 3 minions: Caleb, an ubervamp and bringers. Any unexplained evil acts this season were apparently committed by Caleb so I’m left to assume that there’s no one else working for the First. It’s plan to kill all the potentials is going very slowly. I can only assume that it is planning something big for the end of season but that might be hoping too much. A bit of dynamite or a machine gun might help speed things up. If I was Xander, I’d have a gun. It’s all very well to have faith in your leader, but there’s nothing wrong with a gun. There’s more guns in the US than people but no one in the Buffy household owns one. Tell me they wouldn’t be useful in killing Bringers. Wesley killed Skip with one. It frustrates me that Xander is daft enough to be fighting beside Buffy but has not in seven seasons made an effort to become a better fighter. He keeps throwing himself into the fight risking serious injury. And now he’s lost an eye.
I’m not an expert on the Buffyverse magic system, but some sort of healing spell would come in handy. Healing broken bones is a useful skill. Regenerating eyes would be good. It’s a shame there’s nothing of that sort. The potential shoulda worn a seat belt. Willow has a nice car.
I’m impressed that there’s a bit of a council for once to discuss the problems, even if it does end in Buffy giving more orders. She needs to find a better way to run things. Those potentials don’t look too happy being cooped up like that. With that many people, you should have some sort of system to run the place or you’ll have someone’s eye out. It’d be nicer if Buffy listened to other people for once. Just because she has to make the hard decisions doesn’t mean she has to make all the decisions. She’s a fighter not a thinker. She’s not been given an extra big brain to match her speed. She’s way too confident in her crap fighting skills and she falls for the trap every time.
Anya mysteriously doesn’t appear in this episode. Must be off on a holiday.
Much to my surprise, Buffy holds no grudge against Wood. I’d like to know who’s buying all the food now that Buffy has no job. I don’t think the rest of them are rich enough to support fifty people.
I’m hoping the last couple of episodes are something more exciting than: ‘After being beaten up a couple of times, I imagine Buffy will beat Caleb just in time for the end of the season and sacrifice herself to preserve the slayer line.’
- Buffy’s making long speeches: tick — Her and Xander both.
- Buffy has trouble fighting: tick — Thoroughly beaten by Caleb.
- Someone questions Buffy’s ability to make difficult decisions: no but Wood tells her to focus on the mission.
- Flashbacks: tick — Andrew tells of Faith’s history.
- Modern Weaponry: no.
- Poke test to check for corporeality: no.
- Anya’s sole line: N/A
- Andrew provides comic relief: tick — Some confusion about Faith and Vulcans.
- The First does something: tick — Brought Caleb to Sunnydale.
- Strange behaviour by the gang: Willow’s driving an expensive car.
- Getting it on: nearly — Xander dreams of nubile potentials and Faith flirts with a shirtless Spike.
- Best quote: “No one was immune to her trail of destruction. Not friends, not family, not even the most logical of races…”
- Biggest gripe: Buffy falls for another trap.