Band Candy

Season 3, Episode 6, Aired

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8.9
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EPISODE RATING: Great
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Mr. Trick enlists Giles's old buddy Ethan Rayne to manufacture and distribute boxes of candy which turn the adult population into uninhibited, irresponsible teenagers. While the adults are indisposed, the mysterious Mayor Wilkins pays a tribute to a demon.
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Fan Episode Reviews (32)

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  • SWEET!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By joxerlives, Jan 19, 2012
    Band Candy

    The Good;
    The more Joyce in an episode the better it is. She and Ripper and all the adults are just hilarious. Also lovely to see Ethan Rayne (I always figured that if Giles was to die he would reform and become Buffy's new Watcher). Love to have seen Buffy's dream but that would be probably beyond the SFX department. Altogether fabulous.

    The Bad;
    Lurconis looks a bit lame but certainly better than the preying mantis. It rather spoils the suprise of Ethan Rayne being the villain when Robin Sach's name is in the opening titles

    Best line; Buffy (as Joyce produces the cuffs) "Never tell me!"

    Shot; Giles threatened with a gun and uses it on Ethan but no shots fired

    Tied up; Ethan and possibly Joyce or Giles in handcuffs

    Knocked out; for once Giles stays conscious but knocks out a policeman

    Kinky dinky; see Tied Up. Personally I always thought that Joyce and Giles had had sex on the hood of the police car but maybe that's just me?

    Calling Captain Subtext; "Wanna swap?" What a shame we never got to see an Oz/Cordy relationship (not even in any fanfic I've ever read) I mean Cordy has dated plenty of guys in bands before? Also when Xander says he wants to marry Miss Barton (always had a thing for older women) Cordy replies "Get in line!"

    Guantanamo Bay; Buffy beats up Ethan for information

    Questions and observations;
    Joyce and Giles drink that awful Khalua stuff (or however you spell it) Could Joyce be the slutty pumpkin? (a prize to whoever can recognise THAT reference!). Whoa Summers you drive like a spaz! Nice to see that Buffy isn't necessarily good at everything, always annoyed me about Xena that she was brilliant at everything even if she was a demi-god (except cooking and music but Joxer and Gabby could each do both for her). Ethan obviously has a few reservations about what he's doing to judge by his expression when Trick kills the worker. Joyce like's 70s singer Juice Newton who's big hit was interestingly "Angel of the morning". Whenever I see a green 4x4 nowadays I always think 'the Geek machine' or 'The Joyce mobile'. You do feel pity for teenage Snyder, he apparently did Tae Kwan Do which is SMG's martial art. What happens to Ethan? They tie him up but then what? You can kill vamps with a pencil? Their skin must be a lot softer than human.
    Buffy refers to the 'Real World House' another modern reference she wouldn't know if she was really a mad girl in an asylum. According to the Sunnydale High Yearbook the Band Candy raised $600,000 for the band. Lovely to see Joyce and Giles take centre stage for once
    What does Dawn do as Joyce revisits her youth? Xander and WIllow, awwww. Buffy drives without insurance or a licence. But she spends her life walking around with offensive weapons so breaking the law should come naturally to her. No Faith this week, she's not even mentioned. Love the Mayor/Trick scene at the end, once again Harry Groener is subtly threatening (not what he says, how he says it) whilst Todd Freeman gives a great performance, trying to be cool and offhand but obviously scared witless. Love the reference to Death of a Salesman.
    Need you ask? 10/10
    moreless

  • Band Candy

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By TrueTvWatcher, Oct 14, 2010
    Band Candy was a hilarious episode full of old foes, new villians, and lots of mayhem! I really enjoyed watching this as many of the characters were affected by the Band Candy, and the adults turned back into teenagers mentally. It was funny to see what some of them did, and especially since they remember. There was also some good action, and more depth to story lines of this season. The Mayor is doing Dark Deeds, with Mr. Trick as his associate. Then there is Giles and Buffy's Mom, they had a good old time listening to Great Music. The episode was an over all succuss and important to the story lines of the season.moreless

  • Season 3, Episode 6.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By Wanted23, Apr 22, 2009
    Mr. Trick enlists Ethan Rayne into manufacturing and distributing candy bars that make the adults that eat them act like impossible teenagers.

    I thought this episode was OK. It wasn't my favorite storyline, but it was still kinda good. I liked when Xander said, "Am I the only one that wants to marry Miss Barton?" and Cordelia is just like, "Get in line." Haha, then Miss Barton shows up at The Bronze! Haha. Plus, I like Buffy's dangerous driving. Plus, David Boreanaz was shirtless, which was awesome! I liked when Joyce said she knew how to order Pay-per-view. LOL and then Snyder thought he was cool... Decent episode. :)moreless

  • Snyder: Hey! Gang! This place is fun city, huh?!

    8.6
    "Great"
    By addict666, Aug 01, 2008
    So Ethan's back and he is changing things up as he does best. My favorite part of this episode is the interactions between Giles and Joyce, they are really funny together as their teenage selves and it's nice to see them playing outside of their normal roles. Buffy having to play watch dog over them is great as well. Snyder is also really funny in this episode and I really like how he insists on tagging along the whole time which shows off that he was an annoying teenager who turned into a bitter and mean old man. The candy that drives everyone young is a really clever idea and this was a really funny episode.moreless

  • Parents become kids in an episode all about responsibility.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By ticktock24, Jul 25, 2008
    Throughout the series there have been episodes where identities were distorted in a way to develop the characters and/or advance the plot. Last season's sixth episode, "Halloween", did that, exploring some subconscious desires of the wearer. Unlike many of those instances, this episode decides to alter the identities of the supporting cast (excepting Giles) to help mend some of the residual problems from season two between Buffy and her guardians. The producers have said this episode turns on the common teenage wish that their parents were "cool" (ie just like them). With no one to be responsible, it turns scary. That may have been the intent, but ultimately the episode is far more comic.

    Buffy, like any teenager, desires freedom and greater independence from her parents or parental figures in the case of Giles. However, she has to face the consequences of running away, which means being kept on a tight leash by both Giles and Joyce. The close watch is intensified by the increased difficulty in keeping Angel's return a secret. Deceiving her loved ones could be interpreted as her heading down another slippery slope toward bad things. Although Buffy would win their favor by stopping Lurconis, she still has to deal with Angel, who can't stay hidden forever.

    Of course Buffy's return wouldn't ease tensions between her and her mom. Buffy running away negated any signs of responsibility she showed in front of her mother before. They tried to explore this tension in "Dead Man's Party", but it failed in its forced delivery. This episode, along with its supernatural allegory, works far better to illustrate that generation gap. Joyce's teenage persona explains why she is so concerned about her daughter: she was just like pre-Chosen Buffy, and it's common for parents to want their children to be better and not repeat their mistakes. However, seeing Buffy take charge of the situation while her grown up counterparts do little besides tag along makes it clear that Buffy is far more mature than Joyce gave her credit for.

    Through their teenage selves, we see some interesting and humorous character development. Snyder was the kid who never read between the lines in social situations and when he eventually did, solidified for his sour demeanor now. As mentioned, Joyce was similar to pre-Chosen Buffy. However, it is Giles, who reverts to his Ripper persona under the candy that is the most interesting. This is probably the closest insight into who that was the series will get, which is a little disappointing, especially with the Ripper spin-off in perpetual limbo.

    It's worth noting that, since those intoxicated were either school staff or parents who bought all (or half for Joyce and Giles) the bars, the teenage personas represented reflect only the culture from the late 60s and early 70s. It may be an excessive criticism, but it would've been cool to have adults of various ages behaving as they would if they came of age before or after the Vietnam era. As a side note, thankfully Giles' played a song that isn't in every clich depiction of the 60s.

    Joyce and Giles's adventures touch upon their attraction towards each other, which has been alluded to in a few episodes, but kept brief. With their teenage inhibitions, they can't keep their hands off each other. It's implied (later confirmed) that they had sex as well. Once they sobered up, they can't look each other in the eye the morning after. Their feelings toward each other were never as obvious as in this episode, probably so it wouldn't cheapen what Giles had with Jenny, but perhaps they never tried a real relationship out of fear of what it would do to Buffy, as well as Giles' role as her watcher. It's certainly adds a lot of subtext, especially down the road.

    This is the first episode to offer some insight into the Mayor's motivations. He made "campaign promises" to several powerful demons to get in office (and to have somehow a vampire cease fire the night of the mass intoxication). While Mr. Trick noted he should be relieved not to pay Lurconis tribute, The Mayor's request that Trick be cautious about which "favors" he does for him hints that there is something in progress that requires these powerful entities to be alive. Regardless, this tribute is really a MacGuffin to the episode's story. It doesn't matter what the adults weren't paying attention to, it could've been anything.

    Although Slayerfest failed miserably, Trick tries again outsourcing mayhem by having Ethan supply it. It makes sense to have Ethan return as the origin of this threat. Back when we last saw him, he served as a counter to Giles for maturity: not moving past the dark magic he got into as a teenager. In a way, he's bringing everyone to his level.

    While she took responsibility as the adults became immature, Buffy's still can't see clearly with her relationship with Angel. Buffy lying to Angel about her break up with Scott continues the theme that Buffy and Angel aren't going to get back together. Letting him know that there is one less hurtle would just make things more uncomfortable. They're trying to get into the "friend zone", but that is impossible since they clearly want to be more than that and too many lines have been crossed.

    Similarly, Willow and Xander are trying to go back to the friend zone, but after that kiss, they're no facing the "more than friends" feelings that have always been there. Their gestures toward each other are far more pronounced. While not enough to get the attention of the rest of the gang, the guy plucking the acoustic guitar could almost be a character.

    Probably the most noteworthy element of this episode is it is the first from Jane Espenson, who would be one of the series' most prolific writers (second only to Whedon) and who currently works on the Battlestar Galactica update. It's one of the last elements that solidified the Buffy brand into the thing people love and it's been interesting to see how that happened.

    "Band Candy" succeeds far better than "The Dark Age" at showing tight leashed adults that they were once young and irresponsible too and that their children are more grown up than they give them credit. Perhaps this is because it's done it in a light hearted manner, with the adults' new found immaturity played for laughs. This episode is another piece addressing unresolved threads about the aftermath of the second season, and is one of the better examples than the ones that started this season.moreless
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  • TRIVIA (10)

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    • At approximately 25:00, when Giles is confronting the police officer, you can see the tattooed mark of Eyhgon on his left arm from the episode "The Dark Age".

    • When Giles beats up the cop, he wraps his arm around the cop's gun hand to disarm him. The direction his arm is wrapped changes in different shots.

    • One of Cordelia's homecoming queen flyers (left over from last episode) is hanging in Xander's locker.

    • When Buffy, Giles, and Ethan are running through the box labyrinth, you can tell that it's the same aisle of boxes used over and over again (with the exception of the last time they are running and Buffy smashes the box containing Ethan open). There is a yellow half-a-box on the top right (our right) and a yellow line half way through the aisle every time they are running.

    • The scene when both Joyce and Giles are lecturing Buffy if you notice Joyce's sweater around her neck it moves continuously throughout the scene without her moving it.

    • When Buffy, Willow and Oz are at the bottom of the stairs you can see two cheerleaders walking towards the school building, but when Xander and Cordelia join them in the next shot, the same cheerleaders are walking in the opposite direction.

    • When Buffy, Xander, Cordeila, and Willow are in study hall right before the scene ends, there is a shot of Willow and Xander talking about how Giles isn't coming to study hall and Xander is looking forward with nothing in his hands. But when the shot changes to Buffy with Xander in the background, he is holding a chocolate bar.

    • Right after Buffy hits Ethan after finding him in the box, you can see her put her left arm down, but when the camera angle changes her arm is still up and she puts it down then.

    • When Buffy starts to take the cigarette from Giles he is bent over to her height, but in the very next shot, he is standing up to his full height, making Buffy reach over her head to finish taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

    • It seems unlikely that Ethan could have gotten inside of the crate in less than a minute.

  • QUOTES (22)

    ADD QUOTES

    • Angel: It's late. How'd you get away? Buffy: Aw, it was easy. Started a fire in the prison laundry room, rode out in the garbage truck. Angel: Oh.

    • Willow: This is not normal. Well, maybe that goes without saying. Snyder: Hey! Gang! This place is fun city, huh?! Buffy: Principal Snyder?! Snyder: Call me Snyder. Just the last name, like Barbarino. Oh, I am so stoked! Hey! Did you see Miss Barton? I think she's wasted. I'm gonna have to put that in her next performance review 'cause... 'cause I'm the principal! (leaves) Willow: I don't like this. They could have heart attacks! Buffy: Well, maybe there's a doctor here. Willow: (referring to the half-dressed man on-stage) I think that is my doctor. He's usually less topless. Snyder: (reappears) I got a commendation for being the principal, from the mayor. Shook my hand, twice! Buffy: That's nice! Snyder: Whoa! There are some foxy ladies here tonight! Willow: What's happening? Buffy: I don't know, but it's happened to a whole lot of grown-ups. Willow: They're acting like a bunch of-- Buffy: They're acting like a bunch of us! Willow: (indignant) I don't act like this.

    • Snyder: The big pee-head librarian didn't show up and I don't wanna do it. You do it. Substitute: All right, fine, I'll do it! (leaves Snyder) Snyder: Everyone expects me to do everything around here because I'm the principal. (whiny) It's not fair!

    • Giles: I say, your car seems to have had an adventure, doesn't it? Joyce: Buffy assures me that it happened battling evil, so I'm letting her pay for it on the installment plan. Buffy: Hey, the way things were going, be glad that's the worst that happened. At least I got to the two of you before you actually did something. Joyce: Right. Giles: Indeed Joyce: Yes.

    • Snyder: You look like four young people with too much time on your hands Oz: Not really. Cordelia: Busy like a bee actually. Bee-like.

    • Cordelia: You wanna swap? Willow: What? Swap? Cordelia: You wanna swap. This book is really thick and I'm not sure it's in English.

    • Buffy: Mom, look at your car. Look at that dent the size of New Brunswick. I did that. Joyce: Oh my God! What was I thinking when I bought the geek machine?

    • Joyce: Hey, look, they're giving away candy. You want some candy? Buffy: No, I don't, and you don't need any more either. Joyce: I'm fine. I can have more if I want. Buffy: You are not fine. You need to go home. Joyce: Screw you. I want candy. Buffy: Mom! Joyce: You wanna slay stuff and I'm not allowed to do anything about it. Well this is what I wanna do so get off my back.

    • Joyce: Take the car, and Mr. Giles can drive me home. Buffy: What? Excuse me, I meant WHAT?! Joyce: Keys. Take them. Buffy: You don't have to tell me twice. Well, actually, you did but... Bye!

    • Willow: Oz is the highest scoring person never to graduate! Buffy: Isn't she cute when she's proud? Oz: She's always cute.

    • Giles: (to Buffy) Listen you're my Slayer, that means you do what I tell you, now sod off!

    • Miss Barton: Hey, we're all stuck here, okay? So now let's just sit quietly and, and pretend we're reading something, until we're really sure that old Commandant Snyder is gone. Then we're all out of here. Xander: Does anyone else want to marry Miss Barton? Cordelia: Get in line.

    • Buffy: It was just too much to deal with. It was like nothing made sense anymore. The things that I thought I understood were gone. I just felt... so alone. Giles: Was that the math or the verbal? Buffy: Mostly the math.

    • Oz: There's this whole trick to antonyms, but...this isn't the place.

    • Cordelia: Mom started borrowing my clothes. There should be an age limit on Lycra pants. And Dad, he just locked himself in the bathroom with old copies of Esquire.

    • Mayor Wilkins: See, that's what separates me from other politicians, Mr. Trick. I keep my campaign promises.

    • Giles: He's lying. Hit him! You're my Slayer, go knock his teeth down his throat.

    • Willow: (after seeing "Kiss Rocks" spray painted on the locker) Kiss rocks? Why would anybody want to kiss...oh, wait. I get it.

    • Miss Barton: Willow, thats a tree. Hello little tree.

    • Buffy: Something's weird. Oz: Something's not?

    • Buffy: Giles at sixteen? Less Together Guy, more Bad-Magic-Hates-The-World-Ticking-Time-Bomb Guy. Oz: Then I guess your mom's in a lot of trouble.

    • Snyder: Whoa, Summers! You drive like a spaz!

  • NOTES (5)

    ADD NOTES

    • Music: The Scooby Gang is walking in the school -- "Blaze" by Mad Cow Giles and Joyce are listening to a record -- "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" by Cream At the Bronze, 'Dingoes Ate My Baby' perform this song -- "Violent" by Four Star Mary At the Bronze, while Oz, Buffy and Willow are talking -- "Slip Jimmy" by Every Bit Of Nothing The adults sing on stage -- "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen

    • The accent which Anthony Stewart Head uses when Giles reverts to his teenage self, is much closer to his "street" accent than his stalwart, proper onscreen accent as regular Giles.

    • The tattoo of Eyghon's symbol mentioned in 'Dark Age' is visible on Giles's arm, further reminding us of what Ripper was like at that age.

    • Giles's apartment has changed in this episode. There is now a courtyard outside of Giles's apartment where there once were stairs.

    • During study hall, when Willow and Xander are playing footsies under the table, both are wearing the same Adidas shoes except that Willow's are orange and Xander's are black. Willow is also wearing an orange sweater and Xander is in all black.

  • ALLUSIONS (10)

    ADD ALLUSIONS

    • Snyder: I took Tae Kwon Do at the Y.

      The Y is the YMCA, an organization that offers various fitness activities for the development of a healthy spirit, mind, and body.

    • Visual: Kiss Rocks The vandalism on the lockers. Kiss is a rock band that is best known for the elaborate makeup and costumes they used to wear in their stage show. The height of their popularity was in the mid to late 1970s.

    • Snyder: I took Tae Kwon Do at the Y.
      Tae Kwon Do is a Korean form of martial arts. Sarah Michelle Gellar is actually skilled in Tae Kwon Do in real life.

    • Joyce: Very Juice Newton.
      Juice Newton is a country-western singer.

    • Snyder: Call me Snyder ... just a last name ... like Barbarino.
      Vinnie Barbarino was John Travolta's character in the 70's sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.

    • Buffy: Let's do the time warp again.
      Buffy uses a line from The Rocky Horror Picture Show song to indicate her confusion at all the adults acting like drunken, rowdy teens.

      This may be an inside joke on Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) who played the lead character in a London stage version of Rocky Horror.

    • Buffy: I'm sure we love the idea of going all Willy Loman, but we're not in the band.
      Buffy argues against becoming a salesman by evoking the name of the title character from Arthur Miller's 1949 play Death of a Salesman.

    • Xander: You weren't visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, by any chance?
      In the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is turned into a generous man after the terrifying visit with three ghosts.

    • Buffy: It's like being in the Real World house only real.
      The MTV show The Real World places a group of unrelated people in a house and films their every move.

    • Giles: This is the S.A.T.s, Buffy, not connect the dots.
      The Scholastic Aptitude Test is a standard test given to high school students and used by colleges as part of the admissions process.

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