Same Time, Same Place

There is a short list of episodes that really define Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  These episodes contain humour, comedy, wit, terror, true friendship, love and raw emotion.  "Becoming".  "Surprise".  "Hush".  "The Body".  Tonight, that list just became a bit longer.

"Same Time, Same Place" had everything I love about Joss' creation.  I began writing down my favorite lines, until I realized that I was transcribing the entire script: "Look!  She's poseable!"  "Sure.  Let's tie ourselves to the crazy vampire."  "I'm crazy.  What's his excuse?"  (Paraphrased) "Meditating doesn't always grow skin, right?  'Cuz, if it does, Clem should cut back."  The MOTW was truly freaky.  Watching Willow lie there, unable to move, while she was stripped of her skin was horrific.

Then, it happened.  We met the Scooby Gang.  Sure, we've met them before, but they've been gone a good, long while.  I'd venture to say, since season 4.  But, they're back, and I actually feel their love, loyalty and devotion.  The end scene alone reminded me of what they once were.  Buffy lending her strength to an exhausted (physically and mentally) Willow, and Willow's raw look of relief and thankfulness.

Bottom line, this episode was classic BtVS.

And now, for the customary character by character reactions.

Dawn - She's smart.  She's cute.  She has a good sense of humour.  She definitely not a child any more.  I love her view of things.  While Xander and Buffy tend to run on emotion, Dawn uses her head.  Last week she let Spike know that she had his number.  This week, she reminds us that Willow's problems are Willow's fault - not Giles', not Xander's, and not Buffy's.  Insightful girl.  But, I still don't want to see her 'shipped.  A world of ewww.

Xander - "Her boy?!"  Yes, Xander.  You are still Buffy's boy.  Learn it.  Accept it.  Deal with it.  All I can say is I yelled at him at least three times to shut-up.  He still irritates me.  (The souled-vampire bigot!)

Anya - She lost her teleportation privileges.  How adorable is that?  I know, I'm supposed to feel sorry for her.  I'm trying.  Really.

Buffy - Well, well.  Some genuine emotion from Buffy.  She offers Willow support, yet is very honest with the fact that she thought that it was Willow who did the filleting.  Good on her.  She sees a need for a 'blood hound', and doesn't hesitate to ask Spike for help...even though he's an attempted rapist who is loony as a...loon.  Good on her - double time.

Yay!  Buffy is in the house.

Willow - She's back, guys.  <Sigh of relief>  I haven't liked her for a while now...all 'addicted' and whatever.  Our gentle, shy girl is back.  She's taking responsibility for what she's done and who she is, while being able to admit that she doesn't have it all under control.

I truly had that sick, heavy sensation in my gut when she arrived at the airport with no one to greet her.  How terribly lonely that must have felt.  Here, she was afraid that her friends wouldn't forgive her, and they apparently didn't even care enough to show up.  Argh.  The pain.  The pain.

So, now we have meditating Willow instead of water guzzling Willow.  It's about time they fixed that.

Spike - This was definitely not a Spike-centric episode.  However, we learned an awful lot about him, and him, and it.

The worst part of Spike's predicament is that he's off his bird...and knows it.  He's made it clear at least twice.  Once to Buffy: "Are you insane?"  "Where have you been all night?"  And tonight to Xander: "I'm crazy.  What's his excuse?"  At least Spike never prided himself on his emotional/mental control.  Otherwise, this would be that much more of a nightmare for him.

We really didn't see the BB tonight, in my opinion.  What I saw clearly was Spike, William and maybe some combination of the two.  Spike is very angry that things are not going as he had wished, or hoped.  (And who can blame him?)

Now, it's hard for me to determine who is displaying the guilt over having attacked Buffy.  He wants to hide his face.  It could really be either, or both.  But one thing's clear:  William loves Buffy.  He's in awe of her beauty and is already writing mental poetry.  That was the one thing I worried about -  that the soul wouldn't love her.

Just a few random thoughts:

- Did the MOTW remind anyone else of Gollum?

- That scene with Spike talking to both Willow and Xander/Buffy...very cool.  Here, I thought he was just nuts.  He actually made sense most of the time.

- The paralysis thing was Lame-O.  First off, the victim would stop breathing if all his muscles were paralyzed.  Secondly, it's paralysis, not rigor mortis.  Additionally, paralyzed people are not poseable.  (No matter how cute and funny it is.)  So, Xander gets the funny Syphilis and Dawn gets the slap stick paralysis.  Cute.

- Did they just launch a new 'ship?  Willow/Anya?

 - Is this the first reference to "Charley and the Chocolate Factory"?  "Button, button.  Who's got the button?"  I seem to recall another.

- Those latex skin strips sure peel off easily.

- Could there be more commercial breaks?

Screen Caps courtesy of Spirit Crow