First and Hopefully Last Date.

by Mary

OK, I am way too sick to be too clever with this review. It is also possible I am totally wrong or missed something while coughing or something. Still, events in Buffyverse today have compelled me to write this little guide to let likeminded folks out there know what they are getting into with this latest installment of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

1. Xander seems to be trying out everyone else's arcs this week. He is kind of tortured aka Spike, he is the damsel in distress aka Dawn, and even is ready to try out gay living aka Willow. It is funny enough, yet kind of depressing. You know, get your own arc Zeppo boy.

2. If Buffy and Wood go out again, I will be in full on rant mode. I am going to let it slide this time with this little one little complaint. When they go out, they don't do anything to counter the appearance of an inappropriate principal-employee relationship like they even manage to do on the Simpsons. Instead, he is feeding her. Feeding her!!!!! Yep, even cartoons make more sense than this. This "ship" must end and now.

3. Giles is Mr. No One Date Anyone Ever this week. He seems horrified that Buffy and Xander would even consider going out on a date with this big **snicker** FE threat out there. Still, when you look at how the dates turned out, he does have a point. I hope he starts checking more folks at Casa Summers now because they all really need it. Oh yeah, and I loved him and the Cantonese SIT. Yep, this was the first time in history I liked a scene involving a SIT that was not Faith or Kendra.

4. [sarcasm] I am so happy to be learning more about Wood. He is a fascinating character and I am so glad he is on the show! I would much rather learn all about him and his dearly departed mother instead of say focusing on the main Buffy characters. I surely hope that some Woods-in-Training show up to make this super arc even better! [/sarcasm]

5. The sting operation on the First Evil is really funny, even though I am still not at all sure what they were trying to do with that. However, it is best not to focus on the simple sad fact that Andrew can resist the FE. Andrew, who would do anything Warren asked him to do, can stand up to the FE. So, does this mean Warren was more powerful than the First? If so, it really needs to change that name.

6. Everyone's scenes with Andrew are great, he makes everyone around him seem funnier and nicer. Dawn even comes across as sweet and caring when he is around. My favorite line of the episode came from Andew, when he was going over all the other murderers who were in the house with First Evil Jonathan. Heee. However, this does not mean I am an Andrew redemptionist. If my Faith goes to jail, they all go to jail, and no one gets redeemed until Spike does. Darn it. **Waves fist in the air.**

7. Spuffy, Spuffy, Spuffy. We get a heaping dose of Spuffy this week, but I am not sure I like it. The whole "still in love with Spike" line was big and all, I admit it. I was that squealing pessimsta in Dori's spikefeed. However, the ending scene was not shippy to me. It read more like, "Please stay and be my willing slave, but I am going to see other people, my boss even, so please don't complain about that." If my best pal called me and said her boyfriend was trying this stuff on her, I would tell her, "Get out, get out, get out!"

8. The chip is dealt with offscreen. This is disappointing to say the least. I really wanted to know more but NO, we get the Buffy and Wood date.

9. Poor Anya. Xander seems so totally over her this week, yet she seems all about loving him. Anya is bitterly jealous and upset over his date and is left at Buffy's house cleaning stuff with no one who seems to care about her around, and these are her highlights. It is a shame that the vengeance demon thing didn't work out for her. It seems so much more interesting than anything she has had to do since. Since she is my second favorite character, this is making me very upset.

10. All in all, this episode had some really funny moments, most of which did not involve Buffy in any way shape or form. If you feel the need to get some snacks, which I am sure you will feed yourself unlike SOME people, in this episode, do it during any scene from Xander or Buffy's dates. The good stuff is happening at Casa Summers.

OK, that is it. I have given you all due warnings so you should make it through ok. I am going back to my regularly scheduled coughing. Please remember, if you go out on any dates, please feed yourself. Thank you.

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Mary