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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 6 Episode 14

Older and Far Away

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AIRED: 2/12/02

Old and new friends gather at the Summers home for Buffy's twenty-first birthday party and it goes splendidly - at first. Feeling neglected by Buffy and the Scoobys, Dawn's wish to keep people from leaving her is answered by Anya's demon friend Halfrek, who binds the attendees of the party to the house. When Tara tries a spell to free them, she only makes the situation worse by accidentally releasing a demon trapped inside a sword.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

Submarine ep

8.0

By joxerlives, Jan 20, 2012

OLDER AND FAR AWAY

The Good;

Everything with Halfrek who I really like for some reason. Clem really comes into his own as a character here for the first time. Tara and Willow start to get back together and I also adore Sophie. Once again contrast Tara standing up to Spike and Anya here with the shy girl in 'Hush', she really has grown tremmendously.

The Bad;

Note there's a Sunnydale High Razorbacks pennant behind Halfrek in her office. But Dawn doesn't go to Sunnydale High (yet). The potion that Tara mixes up to try to break the spell looks like she's trying to make a chocolate cake.

Best line;

Spike; "I had a muscle cramp, Buffy was helping"

Tara; "A muscle cramp. In your pants? You might want to put some ice on that"

Women good/men bad;

Anya implies that Halfrek has 'daddy issues'

Jeez!;

Upsetting to watch Anya have her panic attack.

Kinky dinky;

Richard, the handsome guy Xander has set Buffy up with, even Tara thinks he's cute. Dawn not only in leather for the first time but check out her miniskirt, fishnets and knee boots at the party, Joyce's little girl all grown up! (Eliza Dushku always complained that she got a lot of fanmail from guys in prison and couldn't believe that they showed a TV series full of hot teenage girls to incarcerated criminals. You shudder to think what kind of letters MT must have recieved). Spike asks Buffy if she'd like to 'blow out his candle'? Willow's back massager present for Buffy is certain to provide 'Instant gratification for all aches' (anyone else think of Samantha and her 'back massager' from Sex and the City?)

Captain Subtext;

Clem also thinks Richard is cute. In many ways he comes to resemble Buffy/Dawn's gay/demon male friend. Tara calls Buffy 'Sweetie'. They also refer to telling everyone their big secret and deciding it's time to 'Come out'. They probably mean Buffy's affair with Spike but what really happened after Buffy collapses into Tara's arms at the end of 'Dead Things'? Might she have jumped on the sapphic bandwagon a few years before Satsu? Taffy anyone?

Scoobies to the ER;

Xander cut but Richard is the only one to go to hosptial.

Missing scenes;

Reputedly a scene was filmed where Buffy and Dawn run out of the house at the end but I prefer the subtle implication of the ending we have

Apocalypses; 6

Scoobies in bondage:

Buffy: 8

Giles: 4

Cordy: 5

Will: 3

Jenny: 1

Angel: 4

Oz: 1

Faith: 3

Joyce: 1

Wes: 1

Xander; 1

Dawn; 3

Scoobies knocked out:

Buffy: 17

Giles: 12

Cordy: 6

Xander: 11

Will: 8

Jenny: 2

Angel: 6

Oz: 3

Faith: 1

Joyce: 3

Wes: 1

Anya;3

Dawn; 2

Kills: Buffy kills one demon

Buffy: 103 vamps, 43 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot

Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human, 1 god.

Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon

Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn.

Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human

Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie

Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans

Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1 a demon,

Anya: 1 vamp and 1 a demon

Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons

Spike; 8 vamps and 4 demons

Buffybot; 2 vamps

Tara; 1 demon

Dawn; 1 vamp

Scoobies go evil:

Giles: 1

Cordy: 1

Will: 2

Jenny: 1

Angel: 1

Oz: 1

Joyce: 1

Xander: 4

Anya; 1

Dawn; 1

Alternate scoobies:

Buffy: 7

Giles: 4

Cordy: 1

Will: 3

Jenny: 2

Angel: 3

Oz: 2

Joyce: 2

Xander: 4

Tara; 1

Dawn;1

Spike; 1

Recurring characters killed: 11

Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce, Katrina

Sunnydale deaths;

95

Total number of scoobies:

Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Spike,

Xander demon magnet: 5(6?)

Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

Scoobies shot:

Giles: 2

Angel: 3

Oz: 4

Riley; 1

Notches on Scooby bedpost:

Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?

Cordy: 1?

Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 1 possible, Dracula(?)

Angel: 1;Buffy

Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)

Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca

Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley

Xander: 2; Faith, Anya

Willow: 2;Oz and Tara

Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore

Spike; 1 Buffy

Spike; good or bad?

Dawn in peril; 8

Dawn the bashful virgin; 6

Questions and observations;

Another appalling Buffy birthday, if I was her I'd just hide under the bed all day and have Dawn bring me the occasional cup of tea until midnight. The title is a quote from Empire of the Sun (the book not the band) which Dawn is discussing in class at the beginning of the ep. Xander refers to Children of the Corn, Nic Brendon having acted in one of the sequals. Halfrek refers to vengence demons as 'justice demons' FYI. What does 'Total JD' mean?

Spike and Halfrek, hmmmm? Question is did Cecilly become Halfrek as Aud became Anyanka? OR was there NEVER a Cecilly, was there only ever Halfrek?

Subtle but very interesting final scene. Everyone leaves but Buffy and Dawn. They bid their friends goodbye then look at each other and smile. Because although they didn't want to be trapped there's no reason for them to leave because this is their house, this is where they belong together. Dawn wanted Buffy to spend more time with her and now when she has the option to leave she instead chooses to stay with the sister she loves and who loves her in return. Dawn is finally getting Buffy back in soul as well as in body.

Marks out of 10; 8/10, really like this one

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Panic House

6.0

By lenzinoH20, Nov 10, 2011

Older and Far Away-Old and new friends gather at the Summers home for Buffy's twenty-first birthday party and it goes splendidly - at first. Feeling neglected by Buffy and the Scoobys, Dawn's wish to keep people from leaving her is answered by Anya's demon friend Halfrek, who binds the attendees of the party to the house. When Tara tries a spell to free them, she only makes the situation worse by accidentally releasing a demon trapped inside a sword.

Ehw! It's not that "Older and Far Away" is bad, it certainly had it's moments, but the problem is: It's a Dawn episode. Not that Dawn is a horrible character, it's just her particular arc this season is by far the weakest. Sure, Dawn got a lot of flake from the fanbase during the show's run but I never hated the character. Michelle Trachtenberg is a strong actress for her age and anything the writers gave her, she delivered it well. The fact is, Dawn got the short end of the stick this season as her loneliness/kleptomania arc just doesn't seem as strong or interesting as the rest of the characters this season. It's evident as the best parts of the episode exclude Dawn's plot. Also, I find it hard to believe that Dawn's pain is worse than EVERYONE else's pain! Buffy was just ripped from hell, Willow had a magic addictionetc. Give me a back!

Anyway, Idefinitelyliked the interaction with the other characters, especially Tara. It's a true testament to how much the character has grown immensely since Season 4. I loved her awkward welcome with Willow, it was so cute with Willow's over-politeness and Tara's nervousness, but I loved the moment where she stood up to Anya when she pushed Willow to use magic to help the situation. This wasn't just a big moment for Willow, it was for Tara as well. She now doesn't back down when situations get chaotic and will stand up for people like they once did for her. I also loved the scene toward the end where Tara really shows how proud of She does that not only for Willow but for Buffy when Spike continues to force himself on Buffy. Tara telling Spike to put some ice on his cramp in his pants was priceless. I also like the small guest characters in the episode like Sophie (who was awkward/borderline anti-social) Richard (who makes a hilarious assumption that Clem obviously doesn't have a skin condition) and Clem himself who just has so much charm despite lookingcreepyas hell. The demon attack moments were intense and I did like the effect of it popping in and off from the walls. But I have to say again, that Dawn's part of in all of this is weak. She comes off whinny and selfish, especially when the gang confronts her is she's behind all this. Sure it's a big assumption but Dawn acting like a brat didn't help matters. I don't blame Buffy for walking away when when Dawn gave her attitude about "caring". Dawn should be the one who should be one caring and supporting her sister during what she's going through. Not that Dawn should have her own problems, but she doesn't seem to be putting things into perspective, but considering she's a teenager, I'll give her a break I guess.

I loved Halfrek'sappearance toward the end, especially that little moment where her and Spike recognize each other. Nice touch there writers! Of course the moment she realizes she's stuck too is priceless. But in the end, I still feel the episode was uneven, sure there is plot movement with Dawn as the gang discovers her stealing ways and the moments with Anya and Xander were touching, but I still feel "meh" after this episode. Fair but almost forgettable.moreless
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Older and Far Away

9.0

By TrueTvWatcher, Nov 11, 2010

Older and Far Away was a superb episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and this episode continued the tradition of Buffy's Birthday Bash going wrong. This episode touched on a few characters story lines bringing some plots full circle. Dawn's theiving ways are discovered, Willow admits to keeping a few magic supplies, and Buffy is fighting Spikes advances. It was really nice to see Tara again this episode is the begining of her and Willow making up. This episode showed Dawn in her most annoying form, whining about every thing and every one. I see this episode as a spring board to the rest of the season. I can't wait to watch what happens next!!!!!moreless
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Dawn accidently makes a wish to a vengeance demon, Halfrek and makes everyone at Buffy's 21st birthday party can't leave the house.

10

By Jon_MW_14, Jun 12, 2008

Older And Far Away was a great episode. There was no action this episode because nobody could leave the house but not that's not point. The characters are stuck inside the house and you get to see more of Dawn whining which is usally bad but not in this episode. In this episode Buffy and her friends find out that Dawn has Kleptomania and has been stealing stuff. The great thing about the season was she didn't get caught in the first episode she stole something. This was a long story arc which was cool. You get to see more of Halfrek in this episode which was cool and at the end of the episode she appeared into the room out of no where and couldn't leave was funny. It was a great ending to this episode.moreless
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"I'm glad you're trapped – how else can I get anyone to spend any time with me?" - Dawn

8.0

By rachel_london, Mar 14, 2008

After last week's dark episode, this is supposed to be a light, jolly installment; another of Buffy's terrible birthdays. But there's a pretty ominous under-current: perhaps the title of this ep should have been Where The Hatred Is. So, Dawn, after being the centre of attention in Season 5, unable to be left alone, fussed over and spoilt, is now expected to be an adult whilst being treated as a child. Willow is on a 12-step plan, Anya and Xander have their grown-up lives, Buffy has her secret lives and Dawn doesn't seem to have any friends of her own age. She has to go shoplifting at the mall on her own. She steals a birthday present for Buffy - the ultimate attention seeking cry for help. Leaving the tag on the leather jacket was only an accident in the realm of the unconscious. Anyway, Buffy gives scant attention to her sister's girl bonding gift (or Willow's one of "instant gratification") and is more interested in Xander's hand carved weapons chest – she prefers her slayer present to her familial gift.

Dawn may have no age-appropriate friends, but Buffy's circle of chums isn't growing either. The attempt to have a normal birthday with normal people goes wrong once again as Spike and Clem gatecrash, Halfrek's spell is cast and the red demon is released from his sword. But what were Xander and Buffy thinking of anyway – even without the spell/monster of the week, what are outsiders going to make of Xander's choice of present? The guest stars are a pointless addition: Sophie is unfunny comic relief and Richard is merely a Spike foil. His black eye reminds us of the last time Spike encountered the Slayer, but he, fool for love, doesn't seem hold that against her, preferring to hold himself against her. Back-in-black Buffy, despite her insistence that "I was insane to think you could ever just hang out with my friends", still prefers him to cute but gormless Richard, and Spike shows that he is more her kind of man when he helps her slay the red demon, even saving Xander from it.

The episode begins to drag, yes it is supposed to reflect the boredom of being trapped in the house, trapped with each other, but it feels more flat and lifeless somehow than it needs to be. "We all have places we'd rather be", says Tara, and it starts to feel that way to the viewer also. Tara's snark to Spike is more annoying than spunky and Willow may have spent ages getting ready to see her ex, but she still chooses something dreadful to wear. The contrivance of Halfrek inveigling her way into a guidance counsellor's role is fairly ridiculous as is Buffy's deduction that Dawn made a wish to a "justice demon". The only good thing about this episode is Hallie herself with her agony aunt self righteousness ("the children need me") and PC speak, the nod to the fans as William recognises the woman who once made his heart effulgent, and being cursed by her own curse as her dramatic exit fails. We see the "very embodiment of be careful what you wish for" as the gang turn on Dawn, and now she has got them to herself, she doesn't want them. I'm not sure anyone would want them at this point, their anger at Dawn inadvertently making a wish to Halfrek, their self-righteous disapproval when Willow is woman enough to admit that she still had some magic ingredients left and then their bullying of her when she doesn't want to cast a spell. It's Tara's magic that goes wrong this time, not Willow's. Anya has an attack of claustrophobia and behaves badly whilst the rest of the Scoobs hate being trapped together against their will, like families everywhere. Anya and Xander are stuck together in their engagement, Spike and Buffy in their S&M relationship and Buffy with Dawn. The twin revelations of her sister's kleptomania and that Dawn feels exactly like Buffy - alone whilst surrounded by people - means that when the gang leave, feeling the dewy grass and the stars in the sky, Buffy has to face up to her parenting responsibilities; she can't go out, she has to stay inside with Dawn. All they have is "time, and each other."moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Emma Caulfield	Anya
James Marsters	Spike
Sarah Michelle Gellar	Buffy Anne Summers
Nicholas Brendon	Alexander 'Xander' Harris
Alyson Hannigan	Willow Rosenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg	Dawn Summers

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Laura Roth	Sophie	Guest Star
Ryan Browning	Richard	Guest Star
Elizabeth Cazenave	Teacher	Guest Star
James C. Leary	Clem	Recurring Role
Kali Rocha	Halfrek	Recurring Role
Amber Benson	Tara	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (9)
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- In Buffy's final fight against the demon, when Spike pulls the demon back, a hole can be seen in the wall from the sword, but when the demon goes into the wall, the hole is gone. The hole reappears when Buffy puts the sword in.
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- During the scene in which Xander and Anya present their gift to Buffy, the song "Pictures of Success" by Rilo Kiley plays. One of the more explicit lyrics of the song has not been censored, and though the song is playing softly, the explicit lyric is still audible.
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- When preparing for her evening patrol, Buffy packs a whole bag of supplies (stakes, crosses, holy water). When she goes on her patrol, all she has is a huge axe which she couldn't have packed and the bag of supplies is never seen.
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- When Spike opens the front door at the end of the episode his reflection can be seen in the frosted glass next to the door.
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- At the end of the first confrontation with the demon in the living room Buffy is on the floor with Spike standing to one side, arms and legs apart and shifting back and forth. In the middle of this scene the shot cuts to a quick closeup of Spike and he is standing still and relaxed.
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- When the demon is first released from the sword and the fight breaks out, Buffy is pushed into Spike knocking him down in direct sunlight which is pouring in from the windows. He stays there for a fair amount of time without any smoke or flames...
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- When Richard was stabbed, obviously it went deep enough to rupture a major organ. Yet he lives for several hours while trapped in the house without so much as a band-aids worth of medical care.
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- When Tara casts the "Release" spell, why is Spike getting ready to rush for the door, in broad daylight, without a blanket or any protection?
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- When Buffy pulls Spike away from the group after he joked about eating Richard you can see his reflection in the hall mirror by the door as he passes it.
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QUOTES (12)
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- Halfrek: (about Dawn) It doesn't change the fact that this girl was in pain, and none of you could hear it. I could hear her crying out everywhere I went in this town. It was unbearable. And none of you knew. You people deserve to be cursed. Enjoy your time together. From now on, all you have is time.
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- Dawn: I'm glad you're trapped. How else can I get anybody to spend any time with me?
  Buffy: Dawn... If you want us to spend time with you-
  Dawn: I don't. Get out.
  (Buffy stares at her.)
  Dawn: (shrieking) Get out, get out, get out!
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- Anya: (about Dawn) I think she's possessed.
  Xander: She's a teenager.
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- (Buffy and Spike both decide he should leave the house)
  Buffy: I'm actually trying to move right now!
  Spike (somewhat alarmed): So am I...
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- Spike: Me either. Besides, Richie, you can't skip breakfast, growing boy like you. Me, I used to love breakfast. In the old days, I probably would have eaten by now.
  Buffy: Of course, with that new diet of yours, you want to be careful what you try putting in your mouth now, Spikey.
  Spike: Yeah? I don't know. Tummy's making all kinds of gurglies. Maybe I ought to just feed on whatever's around... even if it doesn't go down well. You, uh, work out?
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- (While playing Monopoly)
  Anya: Yeah! Come on Buffy, stay. I wanna bankrupt somebody!!
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- Spike: (to Buffy) So, you ever think about, maybe, not celebrating your birthday? Just try it, I mean.
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- Buffy:I should have thrown you out the minute you got here. I was insane to ever think you could just hang out with my friends.
  Spike: And I was insane to think.... No wait, you were right. You're insane
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- Tara: (innocently) How's that cramp, Spike? Still bothering you?
  Spike: What? Oh, yeah.
  Tara: Maybe you...uh...want to put some ice on it.
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- Spike: I had... a... muscle cramp. Buffy was, uh, helping.
  Tara: A muscle cramp? In your... pants?
  Spike: What? It's a thing.
  Tara: Right.
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- Tara: I thought vengeance demons only punished men who wronged women.
  Halfrek: Oh, that was Anya's little raison-d'être. Most of us try to be a little more well-rounded. And actually, we prefer "justice demons", okay. FYI.
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- Tara: So is Spike coming?
  Buffy: No. He may be a chiphead, but he still doesn't play too well with others. Anyway I'm not ready to...
  Tara: come out.
  Buffy: Yeah, I'm all stay inny.
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NOTES (4)
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- Featured Music:
  Pictures Of Success by Rilo Kiley - Played softly while Buffy is opening her presents.
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- The plot for this episode cleverly blends motifs from Luis Bunuel's film The Exterminating Angel (where party guests are mysteriously unable to depart) and Jean-Paul Sartre's play Huis Clos/No Exit in which, famously, "Hell is other people" trapped together forever.
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- In a tidbit of possible coming events, Spike and Halfrek seem to know each other and she calls him "William". Kali Rocha played human William's love interest Cecily in last season's 'Fool For Love'.
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- While Anya claimed that cursing unfaithful men was all that vengeance ("justice") demons did, Halfrek tells us that they actually try to be more well-rounded. Despite this claim, Halfrek specializes in protecting children and punishing parents. Dawn's pain was palpable to her throughout Sunnydale, giving her reason to act on Dawn's behalf once she got Dawn to make a wish.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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- Xander: And now we can't leave. The only thing missing is a cornfield. There isn't a cornfield, is there?
  A reference to the classic The Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life", where an eight-year-old boy with god-like powers isolates an entire town from the rest of the world on a whim. If someone irritated him, he would banish them to "the cornfield".
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- Title: Older and Far Away
  The title is a quote from the novel Empire of the Sun.
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- Dawn: Foxy Brown T-Shirt
  Foxy Brown is a 1974 blaxploitation film starring Pam Grier.
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