R E V I E W S
"Consequences"
(Season 3, Episode 15)
Written by: Eric Teall
"Consequences" is a much more satisfying episode than its predecessor is because its goals are easier to accomplish. Where "Bad Girls" set up the main conflicts in this episode, namely Faith being too reckless and Wesley being too anal, "Consequences" resolves those conflicts, finally delivering the "punch." If "Bad Girls" is the first incline of a roller coaster, then "Consequences" is the fantastic drop.
First, let me deliver my usual compliments to Alyson Hannigan and Nick Brendon. Both demonstrate their excellent talent in this episode. Hannigan's best moment is when Xander reveals that he slept with Faith; even though her character betrays none of the feelings she must be having, you can see them anyway (especially when she cries in the bathroom later). Brendon is funny (as always), but his moments with Faith in her motel room are very solid.
All right. Buffy and Faith. I spent a great deal of the last review discussing how, symbolically, these two are two halves of the same whole. The last episode served to show that we need to reject the temptations of our evil halves. This episode's wisdom is a bit more subtle. It reminds me of a verse from the Tao Te Ching, which says, "The Sage is always good at saving people,/ And therefore nobody is abandoned" (27). For all the violence in the show, for all of the killing and the fighting and the simple moral ideas, Buffy has always stressed redemption. Not just simple "You need saving" type redemption (which is little more than scolding and lecturing), but the more difficult "I would like to help" type. Buffy proves her heroism here by wanting to help Faith despite Faith's treachery.
SMG does a fine job here, but Eliza Dushku does some of her best work in the season here. She reveals the conflict in Faith with a master's touch. Her confrontation with Buffy on the waterfront is truly excellent. It's too bad we don't get to see this level of conflict within Faith again in Season Three, but after this, her choice is made (at least for awhile). I also must confess I'm not terribly impressed with David Boreanaz in this episode, especially after he proved what spectacular work he could do in "Surprise" (2-13) and "Becoming, Part II" (2-22).
Echoing more Taoist wisdom (although, honestly, this is a tenet held by several religions/philosophies), by contrasting Faith's failure (lack of discipline) with Wesley's failure (too much discipline), this episode suggests that we must stick to the middle road in all things. Alexis Denisof turns in a passable performance, but we'll have to wait until his work on Angel to see truly great things from him.
I also noticed one little thing while watching this episode; check it out the next time you're watching FX or your old tapes/discs. When the Scoobies are in the library talking with Angel about Faith's abduction, notice how apart from the group Angel stands. Lesser shows might not take the time to keep old wounds and past continuity in the mix, but Buffy doesn't miss a beat.
I don't mean to spend so much time discussing the symbolism and theme of Buffy, but it strikes me sometimes what a spectacularly deep show this is. As I write this (July 2001), Buffy has been completely snubbed by Emmy voters, while The Sopranos garnered 20 nominations. Now, The Sopranos is a good show, no doubt, but to give 20 noms to one and ignore the other? Come on! Did these people not see "The Body"? Anyway, "Consequences" serves to show how wrong the Emmy voters are; it's a fine, satisfying episode.
5/6 Stakes
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