Overall Rating: 9.15 Matt: 9.3 Eric: 9.0 Written by: Jane Espenson Directed by: Michael Lange Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, Seth Green as Oz, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles. Main guest stars : Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers, K. Todd Freedman as Mr. Trick, Robin Sachs as Ethan Rayne, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Harry Groener as Mayor Richard Wilkins III, Jason Hall as Devon. Original broadcast date : November 10, 1998 Buffy¹s greatest nightmare has come to pass: the SAT¹s. As she studies with Giles¹ help in the cemetery, she moans that only they and the undead are up working so late. Coincidentally, the Mayor is meeting at the same moment with Mr. Trick, who reports having subcontracted someone who has already worked in Sunnydale, and can help the Mayor fulfill one of his campaign promises to a demon supporter- a certain form of tributeŠ The next day, Buffy is sharing her angst about the SAT¹s with Oz and Willow, when Principal Snyder comes around and bullies them into selling candy bars to buy new uniforms for the school band. Buffy manages to unload half her candy bar box on her mother, to sell at the gallery; then, they fall into an argument about Buffy borrowing Mom¹s car (which, according to Joyce, will NOT happen). Frustrated, Buffy leaves and goes to the library to train with Giles ­ and unload the other half of the candy bar box on him. After they train for a bit, she leaves, saying that her mother needs her at home. But instead, she goes to the mansion to see Angel, to bring him blood and spend time with him. When she finally gets home ­ quite late ­ Giles and Joyce, having found out that she played them against each other about where she was, are waiting for her. Joyce sends her daughter to bed, and the adults sit on the couch and eat the candy barsŠ just as a worker, in a factory somewhere in town, also prepares to do. Ethan Rayne takes the bar away from the worker¹s mouth, telling him he really doesn¹t want to eat thatŠ The next day, Giles fails to show up for his shift in study hall. As Xander and Willow secretly play footsie under the table, Buffy gets worried and decides to go to Giles¹ place. When she gets there, she finds him looking through old records, while Joyce relaxes on the couch. He tells Buffy they were working on a activities schedule for Buffy, but that he didn¹t feel like going to work. Joyce gives her car keys to Buffy, who is too elated to get the opportunity to drive to even think of questioning the strangeness. After she hurriedly leaves, Joyce asks Giles if he thinks Buffy noticed anything. As he lights up a cigarette, he answers "No way". Joyce takes out a bottle of kahlua, then suggests they go out and "stir things up a bit". Buffy is driving her mother¹s Jeep Cherokee, in a not-quite-experienced fashion, with a terrified Willow in the passenger¹s seat. They manage to arrive safely at the Bronze, where the Dingoes are playingŠ for a mostly adult audience. All of them, bald men in ties, fortysomething women, are acting like overgrown teenagers. Even Principal Snyder is affected, and starts acting like a dork and following Buffy and Willow like a puppy dog. Appalled, Buffy, Willow and Oz leave to go find Giles, and Snyder hitches a ride (telling Buffy in the process that she drives like a spaz). But on the way, they get into a car accident (amazingly, not Buffy¹s fault). Meanwhile, Giles, who now goes by his old name "Ripper", roams around town with Joyce, who suddently notices a coat that she likes in a store window. Ripper picks up a trashcan, breaks the window and steals the jacket. When the alarm goes off, a cop shows up. Giles beats him up, then proceeds to make out with Joyce on the hood of the police car. As Buffy gets out of the Jeep to inspect the damage, she suddenly wonders where the vampires are in this now defenceless town. Suddenly, someone steals Snyder¹s candy bar, and his outraged reaction makes Buffy realize that there¹s something in the candy that makes the adults act like teens. Willow and Oz go to the library to find Xander and Cordelia and do research; meanwhile, Buffy and Snyder go to the factory, which they find under siege by a crowd of adults demanding more candy. An appalled Buffy then spots Giles and her mother making out; after unsuccessfully tying to reason with Joyce, she angrily takes her inside the factory, while Giles and Snyder tag along. Inside the factory, Buffy finds Ethan and beats him into admitting what he knows ­ namely, that Mr. Trick wanted to render the town helpless so he could assemble a tribute to Laconus, the Mayor¹s demon supporter. And at the library, Willow and Oz discover just what that tribute is: newborn babiesŠ Buffy chains up Ethan with some handcuffs ­ helpfully supplied by Joyce - then go to the hospital to try and find the babies. Giles has a moment of lucidity as he remembers that Laconus lives in the sewers. Buffy, Giles and Joyce arrive to find the underground ritual underway. As Buffy fights the vampire minions, Giles and Joyce wheel the babies away. As the Maoyr escapes, Buffy throws a vampire in a pool of water; a rumbling sound arises, and a huge serpent head comes out and eats the victim. Trick tries to feed Buffy to the Laconus, but Giles defends her and ends up in the pool himself. But just before Laconus can eat him, Buffy manages to pull down a gas pipe, light the gas on fire and burn Laconus. The next day at school, a normal-again Principal Snyder forcibly recruits Willow, Oz, Xander and Cordelia, as volunteers to clean the "Kiss Rocks" off of the lockers. As for Buffy, she¹s unhappy with how the SAT¹s went, and is saying so to Giles when they stumble upon Joyce in front of the school. Buffy dodges the blame for the damage to the car by inflicting a guilt trip on her mom about what "almost" happened between her and Giles. Summary by OttsFiveByFive.