This could very well turn out to be my favorite season.  Never, ever have I actually gotten up during the commercial and paced the floor.  Hubby told me to stop because I was shaking the house, then something in the other room crashed to the floor.  I was a bit upset...but in a good way.

Where to start?

Spike

I usually leave him for last, but this was a Spike-centric episode, so why not get down to the nitty and the gritty?  

I knew it!  I just knew it!  Spike was totally being manipulated by the FE.  And, due to yet another fantastic job by our lovely James Marsters, I really felt sorry for the poor guy.  He was so very sure that he hadn't harmed a single person.  Upon return of his memory...wow!  Now I remember why I never liked Angel.  David is no where near the actor that James is.  With Angel, we got: "Oh, woe is me.  I am so sad.  I will go brood."  With Spike, we get actual emotion and turmoil...the stuff that good drama is made of.

I really enjoyed the Anya/Spike scene.  I don't think we've ever seen Spike turn down a woman before.  Will wonders ever cease?

I loved the conversation between Spike and Buffy where Spike points out that Buffy is jealous.  That speech about it still being All.About.Buffy for him was heart wrenching.  Sigh.  Every girl wants a guy to see her that way.

Spike's already come a long way in this episode.  Before, he told "Buffy" that he could never ask for her help.  Today, he does.  And he really needs it.  Not just because it's All.About.Buffy, but because he's afraid of hurting more people.  All together now.  Can you say "Ree Demp Shun"?

Which then makes me wonder...what was with the leather pants?  Hmmmm?  Was it a red herring?

Man, that FE isn't very bright.  Already, his plans to separate the SG from each other is failing miserably.  I love that together, they are all counteracting the effects of the FE's destructive plan.  Well, except for...

Dawn

Okay.  Girl needs to buy a clue.  Her sister had emotionally locked her out for years.  Buffy never told her secrets, and it always caused problems.  I sure hope Dawn can realize that "Mom's" great advice was bogus.  If not, that's one person down in the Scooby Gang arsenal.

Anya

Was she actually going to go through with Spike!Sex if he agreed?  Did she even think about that?

Xander

Still pissing me off.  He's like the Archie Bunker of the Buffyverse.

And another thing.  How come, if you're not a core Scooby, you're the errand boy/girl?  Need a demon babysat?  Could it be dangerous and/or life threatening?  Call Anya.  Need a bloodhound?  Call the crazy Spike.  They're insensitive turds, the lot of them.

Buffy

You just know that she wanted to prove that Spike wasn't killing.  This whole thing has to be bringing back bad memories of Angel for her.  Yet another lover that she has to kill.  Even though we knew she would, Miss Gordo and I still applauded when she threw the makeshift stake away.  <Sigh.  Unrepentant 'shippers at heart.>

Willow

Not much to say.  She was filler this ep.

And, finally...

Giles

THEY DID NOT JUST KILL GILES!!

(Miss Gordo and I were floored.  I think she cried.  I distinctly heard a little snort, which I assume was not laughter, but tears.)

Hubby insists he's not dead...that he will duck at the last second.  I don't know about that.  Is this how the rest of the season will be?  The FE kills one person that we love at the end of each episode?  First Jonathan, now Giles.  Who's next?  Can it be Amy?  Oh, characters we loved!  Never mind.

Of course, hubby actually thought Buffy would kill Spike tonight.  Now, I know enough about show business to know that that would be truly stupid.  Unless you want your ratings to be negative the rest of the season, you don't get rid of your best actor.

For some reason, I noticed a lot of incongruities this time around.

The vampires: We never saw Spike exchange blood with his victims.  And he didn't kill all those people on the same day.  Why did they all rise at the same time?

The song: Where the hell did that come from and why did it make him nuts?

Buffy following Spike: She was right behind him.  How could she possibly lose him?  And how did he pick up that chick so darn fast?  I mean, he didn't even have time to lay down a good pick up line.  (Okay, yeah, he wouldn't need one with me, but that's neither here, nor there.)

Xander's job: Why did he leave in the morning for an important meeting, and then not get home before nightfall?

Sidebars:

- Anyone else see the guy who played Adam in the car advertisement?  That amused me greatly.

- Two Spikes.  No waiting.  Or, is it, Double the Spike, double the fun?  (Whichever, I know it's my *coughwetcough* dream come true.)

Favorite line: "I'm gonna have to get close to Spike."

(Oh, and I bet that's going to be just awful for you.  Here, I'll lend you my hanky.)

Screen Caps courtesy of Spirit Crow