Eliza’s stunts

Eliza Dushku said about stunts in a chat session with The Globe in March 1999:

“Day one I did about 2 punches and I’ve learned as I go on, from the “Enemies” episode with Angel, we did most of our own stunts, me and David have a sick love for fighting. We don’t mind coming home with bruises. I love me personally watching the show and my friends knowing it is me. I always want to do my own stunts.”

Jeff Pruitt, the show’s stunt coordinator, says lots of the fighting we see on Buffy has to be done by pros.

“But we let Eliza do some blocking and hitting, because she’s so enthusiastic. Before she started the show, I had her watch Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and some old samurai movies to see their expressions when they slam some guy against the wall. Then we practiced in front of a mirror, with some ducking and yelling. Now she gets a big kick out of it.”

Eliza also says:

“After days of taping, I have black-and-blue marks all over me. Now they can film me more, because I can add together a kick and a duck and a spin and a punch more realistically.”

Faith origins

Eliza Dushku spoke in an interview about starting out as Faith:

“I had done a bunch of films, and then wanted to get good grades to get into college, so I took time off to finish high school my junior and senior years,” the young actress says on one of her first days off since the show went on its seasonal hiatus. “When I got the role on Buffy, I was only supposed to come on for five to ten episodes. This project came up a month after I graduated, and we were thinking it would be a great stepping-stone back in.
“…I think they mainly just wanted to bring in this complete contrast opposite of Buffy, just to shake things up a little bit for the beginning of the season, and as we started doing it, the crew just started seeing some potential to make her a more involved character and keep her on. About halfway through, they told me we’re going to plan on making her into the villain… so I happily agreed, because it’s pretty fun playing the bad guy!
“…[Faith was] this bad seed and no one really knew what was going to happen with her. We all kind of worked together in creating her weaknesses, how far she goes, and the consequences. It was really gradual, it happened day by day. Mainly we made her turn into this girl in denial; she has more depth than just being the bad guy because she sheds light onto her background and why she is how she is. It’s not just one-sided, one single facet.”

New girl Eliza

Eliza Dushku spoke in an interview with Michelle Erica Green about her first few days filming Buffy:

“I showed up at the set for a wardrobe fitting, they were like, ‘This is Nick, he plays Xander,’ and I’m going, ‘What’s a Xander? Is he a demon?’ They had to give me like 30 tapes to fill up on! I got sucked in in those first 30 shows, and it’s for the better because I knew what was going on.
“…I remember day one, the first vampire I came into contact with, that Kakistos guy, he’s like this seven-foot tall monster, and I’m walking in one of my first mornings on the show, I’m all groggy, just having woken up, and I come face to face with this terrifying-looking guy walking out of the makeup trailer! It’s not something you see every day! I freaked! I totally jumped back.”

This dance is mine

Buffy and Mr. Trick had the following exchange in Faith, Hope and Trick, which was cut for length:

Eliza Dushku

Eliza Dushku played the vampire Slayer Faith. Eliza was born on December 30, 1980 in Boston. Her middle name is Patricia. She was raised in a staunch Mormon household, though is not particularly religious. She is half Albanian and half Danish and has 3 older brothers named Aaron, Ben, and Nate, who is also an actor. Her parents are both college professors. Eliza was legally emancipated from her parents during the filming of Buffy because of strict laws on the hours that a minor is allowed to work.
Eliza was discovered aged ten at the end of a five-month search for the perfect girl to play the lead role of Alice opposite Juliette Lewis in the film That Night. Since then she has been in several films, and has worked with actors such as Robert DeNiro, Ellen Barkin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul Reiser, and Jim Belushi. Eliza played Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daughter in True Lies. She appeared in Bring it On (with Clare Kramer, who played Glory), Wrong Turn, The Kiss, Soul Survivors, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and That 70’s Show. Eliza also starred in her own TV show Tru Calling.

Fab Filippo

Fab played Scott Hope in season three. He played Ethan in the U.S. version of Queer as Folk, and has been in Tilt, Hollywood North, Hollyweird, Lives of the Saints and Undressed. Fab wrote, directed and starred in The Human Kazoo.

Jeremy Roberts

Jeremy Roberts, who played Kakistos in Faith, Hope and Trick, played ‘Russell Washington’ in Days of Our Lives and ‘Future Malcolm’ in an episode of Malcolm in the Middle. He’s also been in The Mexican, Touched by an Angel, Charmed, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, The X Files, Xena: Warrior Princess, Millennium, Diagnosis Murder, Star Trek: Voyager, Seinfeld and Six Feet Under. Jeremy reprised his role of Kakistos when he voiced the character in the Buffy video game Chaos Bleeds.

K. Todd Freeman

K. Todd Freeman played the vampire Mr. Trick during season three. He also played McCullers in Grosse Point Blank and Muddy in The Cider House Rules.

Faith

Faith was chosen as a vampire slayer when Kendra died. She was tough, sexy and flirtatious and she and Buffy immediately found conflict with each other (Faith, Hope and Trick). Faith spent some time helping Buffy in her slaying work but felt overshadowed by the older slayer and became jealous of her. Faith accidentally killed a man, and realised that she had a dark streak. She teamed up with the Mayor, who was plotting an evil ascension and became the direct enemy of Buffy (Consequences). Faith poisoned Angel, and Buffy discovered the only cure was for him to drink the blood of a slayer. She and Faith fought and Buffy stabbed her nemesis, putting Faith in a coma (Graduation Day (Part 1)). When Faith awoke she found the world a changed place (This Year’s Girl). She left Sunnydale and went to L.A. where she eventually redeemed herself and went to prison to serve time for her murders. Faith was broken out of prison to aid Wesley against Angelus, before heading to Sunnydale to help Buffy fight the First.
Faith’s surname was never mentioned onscreen but the Watcher Sourcebook claims it is Lehane.

Mr. Trick

Mr. Trick was a modern African-American vampire who first came to Sunnydale as a minion of Kakistos in Faith, Hope and Trick (though he was more of a PA), but left the ancient vampire as soon as he realised he was in danger. Recruited by The Mayor after creating Slayerfest ‘98 in Homecoming. Mr. Trick was staked by Faith when he tried to kill Buffy in Consequences, and Faith went on to take his job.

Scott Hope

Scott dated Buffy at the beginning of season three. He was friends with Pete Clarner and his girlfriend Debbie, seen in Beauty and the Beasts. Scott dumped Buffy because of her strange behaviour (a result of Angel returning suddenly from hell), not before coming on too strong and giving her a Claddagh ring. Buffy discovered in Conversations with Dead People that Scott had told people he thought Buffy was a lesbian, ironic as he had come out himself.

Downtowner Apts. Motel

When Faith first arrived in Sunnydale, she stayed at the Downtowner Apts. Motel.

Female Watchers

There have been several female Watchers seen on screen and mentioned on the show. Faith’s Watcher was a woman and Giles’ grandmother (mentioned in Never Kill a Boy on the First Date) was one. In Revelations we met a rogue female Watcher - Gwendolyn Post, and in Checkpoint we meet another female Watcher called Lydia. All this shows that though they’re stuffy in every way possible, the Watcher’s Council aren’t sexist at all.

Hungry and horny

Faith told the Scoobies in Faith, Hope and Trick that slaying vampires makes Slayers “hungry and horny”. Prudish old Buffy simply replies after Faith’s comment, “Well… sometimes I crave a non-fat yogurt afterwards” though the evidence points otherwise: In The Zeppo, Faith has sex with Xander after escaping a demon; in The I in Team, Buffy and Riley have sex after slaying some demons; in Wrecked, Dawn says, “I’ll leave a note for Buffy on the refrigerator. That’s the first place she goes after patrolling. She’s such a pig after she kills things.”

Long story

In Faith, Hope and Trick, the following dialogue takes place:

Willow: “Oz is a werewolf.”
Buffy: “Long story.”
Oz: “I got bit.”
Buffy: “Apparently not that long.”

This is similar to a conversation which takes place, two episodes later, in Homecoming:

Buffy: “Long story.”
Cordelia: “Got hunted.”
Buffy: “Apparently not that long.”

May I?

When Faith returns to Sunnydale in Dirty Girls, she meets Buffy and Spike in the graveyard. While fighting a vampire that Spike was going kill, Faith says “May I?” and takes a stake that Buffy had in her pocket. This is a callback to Faith, Hope and Trick (Faith’s first episode) when she does the same thing after meeting Buffy and the gang for the first time outside of the Bronze.

Nude scene

David Boreanaz was the first Buffy cast member to do a scene completely nude - in Faith, Hope and Trick when he returned from hell. Whenever Oz changed into a werewolf before, he remained partially covered, as did Buffy when she was turned back human after being a rat in Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.

Psychologist

Principal Snyder tells Buffy in Faith, Hope and Trick that she must see the school psychologist if she wants to return to school. She does this in Beauty and the Beasts.

School tales

In their tour of the school for Faith in Faith, Hope and Trick, Willow and Xander mention the snakes in the cafeteria (from I Only Have Eyes For You), Angel’s attack on Willow (from Innocence), Spike’s siege of the school (from School Hard) and Willow nearly getting sucked into the floor (again from I Only Have Eyes For You).

Stake stealer

Faith takes a stake from Buffy’s pocket to kill a vampire in Dirty Girls. She did the same thing when the two Slayers first met in Faith, Hope and Trick.

Watcher’s Retreat

There is a Watcher’s Retreat held annually in The Cotswolds, mentioned in Faith, Hope and Trick. There are lectures and other activities including riding, hiking, punting, and kayaking. It is a great honour to be invited to the Retreat, though for some reason, Giles has never been. Joss Whedon has said about this, “Giles was not invited BEFORE because he was a rebel. He’s not invited NOW coz he’s too busy.”

Darling Violetta

The band Darling Violetta appeared at the Bronze in the episode Faith, Hope and Trick playing their tracks ‘Cure’ and ‘Blue Sun’. They also composed and performed the theme tune to Angel.

The Brian Jonestowne Massacre

In Faith, Hope and Trick, we hear The Brian Jonestowne Massacre’s “Going To Hell” as Willow waits for the others outside the high school. This is from the album Strung Out In Heaven.

Third Eye Blind

We hear Third Eye Blind’s song “The Background” when Buffy and Angel dance in Buffy’s dream in Faith, Hope and Trick.

Binding spell

Along with the handy ‘Locator spell’ the ‘Binding spell’ is one of the most commonly used plot devices spells in the Buffyverse. It is used in I Robot - You Jane (on Moloch the Corrupter), Faith, Hope and Trick (Giles pretends he needs to do one on Acathla), The Zeppo (on the hellmouth demon) and Grave (used on Evil Willow by Giles). The spell is seen in Buffy’s spin-off show Angel too. In ‘Over the Rainbow‘ Wesley has the idea of using a binding spell on himself, Angel and Gunn to get them into another dimension, Pylea, and in ‘Lineage‘, Wesley suggests that the pattern on a cyborg could be some kind of binding spell.

Kakistos

Kakistos was a vampire so old his hands and feet had become cloven. Kakistos is Greek for “the worst of the worst.” He killed Faith’s Watcher then went after Faith when she scarred him. Buffy helped her to defeat Kakistos by driving a massive stake through his heart in Faith, Hope and Trick.
Joss Whedon posted a message at the Bronze in October 1998, saying, “Kakistos was OLD, that causes the clovenness. Remember the Master? He looked like a bat - a LOT like a bat (with fruitpunch mouth). The idea is that the older they get, the more animalistic - but not necessarily the same animal. They devolve. That’s my theory.”

Leprechauns

Both Giles and Buffy agree in Faith, Hope and Trick that leprechauns don’t exist.

The Slayer line

Faith was called after Kendra died in Becoming (Part 1). Kendra was chosen after Buffy briefly died in Prophecy Girl.

Andy Griffiths Show

In Faith, Hope and Trick, Mr. Trick says that Sunnydale “makes DC look like Mayberry”. Mayberry was the quiet, sleepy town in The Andy Griffith Show. It was also referenced in the episode Villains when Andrew believes the prison he and Jonathan are in is “like Mayberry”.

Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton (1895-1966), referenced by Scott Hope in the episode Faith, Hope and Trick, was one of the biggest names in comedy during the silent film era. He wrote, directed, and starred in many films in the 1920’s including The General, Steamboat Bill Jr. and The Cameraman. Keaton’s work didn’t transfer well when the new “talkies” came out and he took to writing instead.

DefCon and NORAD

Faith says in Faith, Hope and Trick, “The vamps, they better get their asses to DefCon One.” This term derives from ‘Defense Condition’ which has a rating level of 5 - DefCon Five is peace time and DefCon One is all out war. In Bargaining (Part 2), Xander says, “this place is NORAD, and we’re at DefCon One.”
NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) protects the airspace of the US and Canada.

KC and the Sunshine Band

In Faith, Hope and Trick, Cordelia says, “What was the last thing that guy danced to, KC and the Sunshine Band?” They were a disco band in the 1970s whose most famous hit was (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty.

Martha Stewart

The Scoobies discuss American style queen Martha Stewart in Wrecked. Anya insists she “isn’t a demon. She’s a witch… Nobody could do that much decoupage without calling on the powers of darkness.”
The Scoobies had the following conversation about Martha Stewart in Faith, Hope and Trick:

Single White Female

In Faith, Hope and Trick, Buffy complains of Faith: “I’m the one getting Single White Femaled here”. This is a reference to the 1992 movie Single White Female, which starred Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bridget Fonda as flatmates. In the film Leigh’s character begins to psychotically copy every aspect of Fonda’s life.

The Bible

The Bible is referenced a few times in the Buffyverse. In the episode Angel, the Master says, “out of the mouths of babes”, which is from Psalms 8:2. Absalom, the religious vampire in When She Was Bad, was named after a character in the Bible. Absalom was the third son of King David. He turned against his father and challenged him for the kingdom of Israel. The story is told in the second book of Samuel (2 Samuel 13:20 - 19:10).
The title of the episode Faith, Hope and Trick is from the Bible verse 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Love has been replaced by Trick.
In Hush, as Buffy and Willow are first walking through town after their voices have been stolen, they walk past a group of Christians reading from the bible. The verse they’re reading is Revelations 15:1: “Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and wonderful: seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for in them the wrath of God is ended.”
In Never Leave Me, Quentin Travers quotes Proverbs 24:6: “Proverbs 24:6. O, by wise council, you shall make your war”.
In Dirty Girls, Caleb says to Faith, “Well you’re the other one. The Cain to her Abel. No offence to Cain, of course.” In the Bible, Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve. Cain murdered Abel out of jealousy.

Seen at 04.07 minutes:

When Mr. Trick orders a soda, he is told it is 89 cents. He hands over a note (lowest denomination: $1), but receives no change.

Seen at 16.45 minutes:

When Faith asks Buffy about her hardest kill, Buffy is about to tell her about the Three (who attacked her at the beginning of the episode Angel) but in fact Buffy didn’t kill the Three. She just ran away from them and they were killed by Darla.