Mmm, we value your patronage
-Anya
Dramatically, a return to form. Spike actually served a purpose this time, and the whole "softening the bad guy" thing is finally starting to feel right, since Harmony is actually starting to edge him out on the evil-o-meter. I have to say, the set design and photography is a noticeable step up from last season, along with the wardrobe department showing us the best of the neo-Bohemian and classy semi-dress fashions of the late nineties-'00s. But it bugs me how much Buffy is barely eking out her place as likeable, which is a far cry from "darling girl" of the first 3-ish seasons. I really wish they would stop having Buffy kiss Riley so much. I feel like Dawn watching them. I felt a comforting hug would have been more called for when he showed up at the Bronze.
I'm realizing why-- other than the fact that I never saw the first few seasons originally --I wasn't more drawn to Buffy, and the show, Buffy, originally, starting at season 4 as I did. The episodes that don't drive the main plot forward feel a lot more like foot dragging as opposed to the first three seasons when there was always a place for character development and A/B interactions (Xandelia, X-Willow, WOz, Jenny/Giles), but here it just feels like the show should have already had a drastic, world-shattering showdown, but it's been over a season of disappointing opposition.
Still, nice "rural conservative patriarch treats lesbianism like a literal demon" allegory. Go back to your corn fields, ya' bigots!
7.5 Spike punches out of 10
So weird to see Amy Adams in roles like this back then.
Aaw, Baby Frank from How To Get Away With Murder!
Whoever didn't get emotional during the final 15 minutes has no heart.
Shout by J.BlockedParent2016-08-22T21:23:42Z
I love Tara's room.