Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: When She Was Bad

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Buffy returns from summer vacation with a "major attitude" and recurring nightmares involving the Master, even as the Anointed One and his followers plot their revenge.
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Writers:: Joss Whedon

Director:: Joss Whedon

Stars:: Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles); Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase); Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg); Nicholas Brendon (Alexander 'Xander' Harris); David Boreanaz (Angel); Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Anne Summers)

Recurring Role:: Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder); Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar); Andrew J. Ferchland (The Anointed One); Dean Butler (Hank Summers)

Guest Star:: Brent Jennings (Absalom); Tamara Braun (Tara)

Willow says there are no miniature golf courses in Sunnydale, but in the episode Ted (2x11) we can see the whole gang playing miniature golf. edit »
When Giles is hanging in the warehouse, his hand brushes the skeleton below him. If you look carefully, you can see the bones bend. edit »
After reading the vampire's note, Buffy grabs a beige purse and stomps out of the library. But in the next scene, where Buffy is being followed by Angel, the beige bag has disappeared. edit »
When Buffy is smashing The Master's skeleton, she destroys the left half the rib cage along with the sternum (breast bone). But later, when she destroys the right sight, the sternum and some of the left sided ribs are still attached. edit »
At the very beginning of this episode, right after the bus goes by, there is a shot of students walking in the courtyard. This is re-used footage from Never Kill a Boy on the First Date (1x05). All the extras are the same as the courtyard scene in which Buffy breaks up with Owen. In this episode, during the recycled shot, the student walking away in the mauve shirt is Owen.

Incidentally, the technical term for recycling footage is called "cheating". edit »

Featured Music: The song that plays when Buffy and Xander are dancing at the Bronze is called "Sugar Water" by Cibo Matto.

The first song played by Cibo Matto is called "Spoon."

The song that plays as Angel leaves Buffy's bedroom and while she is on the car is a song called "It Doesn't Matter" by Alison Krauss. edit »
Starting with this season, almost all of the graveyard scenes are filmed in fake cemeteries. This was a concession to Sarah Michelle Gellar, who admitted to FHM magazine that she is phobically afraid of the real thing, and had a very hard time doing many of the scenes in the first season. edit »
Overnight Rating: (each half hour) - 4.4/6 & 4.7/7. Rank: 6/11 WB shows. edit »
The band playing at The Bronze is Cibo Matto. Sean Lennon (John Lennon's son) plays guitar in the band. edit »
Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia) sounded like she was sick while shooting this episode. Her voice was weak, low, and somewhat hoarse. edit »

Buffy: (Reading a ransom note from vampires that kidnapped Cordelia Come to the Bronze before it opens, or we make her a meal.
Xander: They're gonna cook her dinner? ... I'll pretend I didn't say that. edit »
Xander: I'm just so restless! I'm actually looking forward to school
starting up again.
Willow: Yeah, and that wouldn't have anything to do with a certain girl
we both know who is a Vampire Slayer?
Xander: Please, I'm so over her. Did she, uh, mention when she might be
getting back? About which I do not care.
Willow: I haven't heard from her. I got a couple postcards when she
went to L.A., but then, like, nothing.
Xander: Well, she's probably with her dad having a good time.
Willow: And you don't care?
Xander: Well, okay, there might be some interest. I'm a man. I have certain desires, certain needs...
Willow: Uhhh! I don't want to know. edit »
Willow: When did you get back?
Buffy: Just now. Dad drove me down. And I figured you two losers would be getting into some kind of trouble. edit »
Cordelia: I mean, they promised me they'd take me to St. Croix, and then they just decide to go to Tuscany. Art and buildings? I was totally beachless for a month and a half. No one has suffered like I have. Of course I think that that kind of adversity builds character. Well, then I thought, I already have a lot of character. Is it possible to have too much character? edit »
Absalom: We have been put down, kinsmen. We have lost our way. We have lost the night. But despair is for the living. Where they are weak, we will be strong. Where they weep, we rejoice. Where they bleed, we drink! Within three days a new hope will arise. We will put our faith in him. (looks over at Collin) He will show us the way. edit »

Xander: You're Amish! You can't fight back... 'cause you're Amish! I mock you with my ice cream cone, Amish guy!

Xander is not actually quoting a line from the film, but he is referring to the 1985 Harrison Ford film Witness which centers around a policeman who must live with a group of Amish people to protect one of their children who is the sole witness to a murder. edit »
Willow: Use the Force, Luke.

Willow quotes one of the most famous lines from the 1977 film Star Wars (later referred to by its full title Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope). Xander does not even bother to guess because this is a well-known line from one of the most popular films of all time, and thus too easy. edit »
Xander: Um, oh, okay, I got one. 'It's a madhouse! A mad...'
Willow: (interrupts) Planet of the Apes.

As Willow correctly guesses, Xander is quoting from the 1968 film Planet of the Apes in which a group of astronauts return from a space mission to find that they have somehow landed on a planet ruled by intelligent apes. edit »
Willow: In the few hours that we had together, we loved a lifetime's worth.

Willow is quoting a line from the film The Terminator, a 1984 film which featured Arnold Schwarzenegger as a killer robot sent from the future to kill the woman destined to give birth to a great hero. edit »
Xander: (about Mr. Cox) I think he won a belt or something. (for being boring)

The concept of winning a belt refers to the common practice in sports and other contests (such as boxing and wrestling) to honor the champion of an event with a trophy in the form of an ornate belt. In this instance, Xander is joking that Mr. Cox is not only boring, but is a champion in a boringness competition. edit »

9.5
10
sequel90210
member since: Apr 21, 2008
When She Was Bad
The Bottom Line: "Out of character"
that's not Buffy we know... ...Continue »
10/19/08 08:45am | report abuse
9.5
00
GotalSaiyajin
member since: Jan 27, 2007
When She Was Bad
The Bottom Line: "Character development"
Great season opener ...Continue »
10/18/08 08:41am | report abuse
9.1
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addict666
member since: Feb 3, 2008
When She Was Bad
The Bottom Line: "Revealing"
Buffy's not quite as she was. ...Continue »
07/31/08 03:12pm | report abuse
8.9
00
astralguy87
member since: Feb 21, 2008
When She Was Bad
The Bottom Line: "Above average"
There's no catharsis like stepping on a dead roach twice... ...Continue »
06/09/08 05:24pm | report abuse
9.7
00
tvloverduh
member since: Sep 11, 2005
When She Was Bad
The Bottom Line: "Alternate reality"
I Hate That Girl ...Continue »
03/13/08 11:15am | report abuse