[8.8/10] Outstanding episode. This is a great example of the show balancing the “high school as horror” conceit with Buffy wishing she could know what her boyfriend was thinking and then getting the ability to read minds. It goes for both comedy, with the thoughts of Xander, Cordy, Oz, and even Wesley, for action, when Angel and Buffy fight the demons, for drama, when the Scoobies have to race to find the killer, for pathos, when Jonathan admits his pain, and for character growth and understanding, when Buffy realizes how much everyone is in pain.
There’s also a brilliant escalation with Buffy’s powers, going from a neat thing to a curse very quickly. And the way she goes from wanting to understand others’ thoughts to being desperate to block them out is the perfect “be careful what you wish for.” All along the way, there’s brilliant fakeouts and red herrings, from the sardonic newspaper editor just avoiding hassle for his bad review of Oz’s band, to the lunch lady being the ultimate culprit. And the dialogue, as always, is winning and hilarious, with Cordelia’s concern for the cheerleaders being the peak. This show was pitching its fastball right now, mastering shifts in story and tone and conversation so expertly it’s amazing.
Overall, this is one of those episodes that I would show to somebody to explain what this series is capable of.
Music is the plot.
Ugh.
Sigh.
The story was okay, but you hardly see the beatles, and of what little you see isn't that good until the end bit. And that's it. That's pretty much the only good or important bit about going to the past. That and some rubbish dialogue about music in various eras.
The Doctor and Ruby are saved because the companion is SUPER SPECIAL WITH SUPER SPECIAL POWERS BECAUSE OF HER BIRTH.
Ugh.
Jinkx Monsoon was good as the main villain. Maybe a little overacted, but they were a good villain, entertaining while also believable in their dark moments and moments of madness. It was a pretty good character too, and we got a bit more interesting lore.
Why is the episode so damn awkward? The music battle was awkward, both in concept and execution, and with the actors not really playing the instruments. The deeper moments and dialogue between The Doctor and Ruby felt awkward. But Millie has better acting this episode, and Ncuti is still good. Plus, there's a better balance of the serious and campy this episode, though there's still room for improvement. I liked how stylish everyone was this episode.
Why did the doctor win a music battle against the literal personification of music? Stupid.
And then afterward, the doctor only came one note away from banishing them? But then failed on the last note even after doing the other ones?
Ugh.
And of course, The Doctor and Ruby are saved, again, this time by the beatles. And in this timeline the beatles went their whole life not producing music, just sounds. Then they're able to make such powerful music randomly that they beat the Maetro.
Ugh.
Sigh.
Don't even think about trying to make this make sense in the timeline. It doesn't make any sense at all that now "music" has been reintroduced to the world at this moment in history.
Stupid.
It was a decent episode, better than the first one for sure.
Then, even though every episode is short of time, they do something at the end here which is an amazing use of time.
Sorry, i mean a huge waste of time.
THEY LITERALLY DO A MUSICAL AT THE END INSTEAD OF ANYTHING STORY OR CHARACTER ORIENTED.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, childish.
