Klytaimnestra's Review - Hell's Bells

by Klytaimnestra

I loved it. Observations, then a little analysis, as much as I can manage 2 minutes after watching ...

Observations:

First, NOT clunkily acted or edited or filmed or all those other things that I don't actually know anything about, except I can kind of tell when things are off. Nothing seemed "off" in this episode.

Great comic touches. Bridesmaid's dresses - urk! The pictures didn't tell us the true extent of the horror. The cousin who thinks the demon is kind of, well, cute ... the genuinely cute demon-boy chatting up our Dawnie ... Xander's uncle ... demon fixing the coffee-maker ... D'Hoffryn with the squirmy gift ...

Great horror touches. Specifically, Xander's father. His parent's marriage, but especially, his father. Who finally made up Xander's mind for him, one noticed.

Buffy's back in business at last thank heavens, saving the world - charades? juggling? not to mention the great "I'd love a strong cup of coffee. Why don't I get one for you too? ... Finish that sentence and I guarantee you, you'll have nothing to show."

Spike's ho-biscuit - man, what an outfit! Costume design must have shopped at Trash'R'Us. It was perfect. Dawn mentions that Spike had his tongue down her throat in the middle of the room, but I notice that we didn't actually SEE this, i.e. it didn't happen on-screen. Whether because it was filmed and cut, or never filmed, obviously it matters that we never see Lips of Spike touch another woman. And we're reassured that no other parts of Spike are going to touch her later, either. (Has he got the crypt cleaned up, one wonders?)

But the best for last - oh my, the Spike and Buffy scene - they all but fell into each other's arms weeping and confessing their love. I fell even more in love with Spike, wouldn't have thought it was possible. When Buffy says it hurts a bit, Spike immediately saying "I"m sorry" - and then having to stop himself. Buffy insisting it doesn't change anything. She confesses that it hurts THREE TIMES. I think we now know for sure what "I can't love you" means. It means "I shouldn't love you."

But I respected and even liked Buffy, too. Not only having a civil conversation with Spike, but an honest one, and bracing herself to go up and speak to him in the first place, as well she should, instead of ignoring him. Treating him with all the respect she has denied him for months. Insisting that he has a right to be there. She's never said anything like that before. They even make each other laugh. "You're glowing." "That's because the dress is radioactive." They are more friends now than they ever were during the boinkage-fest. All my thumbs up for this scene!

Analysis, such as it is:

Willow and Tara - all sweet and cuddly, almost, and affectionate - foreshadowing, anyone? Is Tara going to die real soon now? I'd say that if she did I wouldn't be surprised. But then I'd also say I can't predict the Joss.

Am I hopeful for a future Buffy-Spike relationship? Again, who can predict the Joss. But the groundwork is certainly laid for them to progress rapidly into a decent friendship. Especially if Buffy is going to show him a little respect, as it seems she is, or at least is right now.

Is Spike redeemable? Is the Pope Polish? Is the Hubble Telescope the eighth wonder of the world? Did the U.S. Supreme Court hijack the last presidential election on partisan grounds? (Okay, sorry ... not my country ...) But the amount of pain he feels in seeing Buffy in pain; and his repenting almost immediately; and all ... maybe he's love's bitch; maybe love is what will redeem him; but I say, is that so bad? Sure, he should learn to stand on his own. But if he doesn't, as long as love still inspires him, I don't really care.

But on the Spike redemption-o-meter:

Rejection 1) Cecily - he turns into a vampire. Didn't know what he was getting into, of course. Still, that's what he did. 100 years of carnage and destruction ensue.

Rejection 2) Drusilla - tries to use magic, promises to use torture, eventually takes solace in the arms of a vampbo.

Rejection 3) Buffy - shows up with a bimbo, regrets it immediately, speaks lovingly to Buffy, leaves so as not to cause her further pain, first promising that boinkage with bimbo will not ensue.

I think he's coming along just fine.

So the curtain closes on 2 Scoobies apologizing to the demons they love but to whom they can't commit themselves. Sometimes people love each other but bring each other nothing but pain. It's true.

But sometimes they can work it out after all, too.

And last but not least, the cliff-hanger. Does Anya say yes? Does Anya say no?

If Anya says no, any bets that she's going to be the BSD? …

… Or, of course (Tara's review prompts me to add) the Big Bad. Which would lead to her also being the BSD, of course.

Where was she in that last scene, anyway? Back in some demon dimension with d'Hoffryn? It was all dark...

---

Klytaimnestra