Restless

Season 4, Episode 22, Aired
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Episode Summary

Unable to sleep after their victory, Buffy, Xander, Giles, and Willow decide to stay up late watching movies. And immediately fall asleep.''''One by one, their dreams take a dark and twisted turn as a sinister force stalks each of them through the dream world and their own psyches.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (35)

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  • Shockingly brilliant

    10
    "Perfect"
    By joxerlives, Jan 20, 2012 Report Abuse
    The Good;
    All of it, pretty damn wonderful. I especially like ASH's impersonation of a panicking theatre director, based on personal experience?

    The Bad;
    ?

    Best line;
    Cheeseman; "I wear the cheese, it does not wear me"

    Women good/men bad;
    Dark haired Buffy's rant against Cowboy guy Riley

    Jeez!;
    The First Slayer scalping Giles

    Kinky dinky;
    Willow and Tara hooker up! How gorgeous is Joyce in her nightie? What a MILF! I never appreciated it until just this moment. About the weirdest fanfic I ever read concerned Willow having S&M sex with the cheese guy, him melting cheese over her nude body. Joss says that when Buffy rubs the mud over her face the idea was that she was being overwhelmed by her primal Slayer instincts but actually looks like she was having a facial. I'd say it looks more like she's a stripper/porn star (which she plays in Southland Tales) doing her 'tigress in heat' leer? Harmony in her milkmaid outfit is also very cute. The sign at the funfair vamp actually says 'I crack for a buck' but that's not what I thought it said first time I saw it.

    Calling Captain Subtext;
    ALL OF IT! Especially Willow and Tara in the sexiest scene you never saw but fervently imagined. What's the poem in Greek letters Willow is writing on Tara's back? By Sappho perhaps? (very Xena). And how lovely is Amber, such an unothordox beauty. Xander refers to Willow and Tara 'doing spells'. Hmmmm? Tara also tells Willow she doesn't know everything about her, her supposed demon side.
    Check out dark-haired Buffy berating gun toting Riley over the death of Xander and the evil of men. Substitute Warren for Riley, DarkWillow for Buffy and Tara for Xander and you have the end of season 6. Riley has often been compared to Gary Cooper and here he's a cowboy. Of course the irony is that Gary Cooper despite his wholesome image was a notorious womaniser and Riley will go to his vampwhores in season 5. The scene with Adam and Riley and the gun between them also refers to Warren and Tara. Adam challenges Buffy that she has demon essence in her which we'll find in out in 'Get it done'. Riley leaves, Joss already thinking about him going.
    Spike's sideshow freak appearance is indicative of his role in later seasons, vampire in love with the Slayer and then vamp with soul, sacrificial lamb in the end. The scenes with Spike and Giles on the swings seem to suggest that Spike will fufill the role of Giles to Buffy once Giles leaves again for the UK, her 'daddy' figure. You wonder what might have happened if Giles had hung around in season 6? Guffy? Their conversation also portends to the Loan Shark from Tabula Rusa (and Angel Season 6) The clock reads 730 which is the same as in Graduation Day pt2, counting down to Dawn and Dawn is the kitten (as she was the cat in Faith and Buffy's dream in GDpt2).
    Buffy refers to Xander as big brother, wonderful and loving but not sexual. In fact Buffy is the one girl Xander never thinks about sexually in his dream. He says 'it get's better' and indeed it does for him, he's not left behind by his friends as he fears. Although Xuffers still hold out for something to happen in season 8 (and given Buffy's fantasy in issue 2 maybe they still have a point?). Anya talks about getting back into vengence which she will in seasons 6/7. Xander's dad is not the same actor we meet in season 6, he rather reminds me of an angry version of Willy the snitch.
    Buffy refers to being a fireman which portends to 'Once more with feeling'. We see Willow having a fit on a sofa and Buffy saying 'I can fight this thing' portending to Joyce dying on the couch and Buffy's inability to fight a disease despite all her Slayer powers. We later see Joyce entombed in the wall with Buffy leaving her behind to go on with her friends. And her little sis.
    Giles tells Buffy 'it's been like this between men and women since the beginning' but she rejects that, she won't play the Shadowmen's/Councils game as we see from her rejection of the First Slayer's values, that the First Slayer is not 'the source of me'. Note the vamp at the funfair is 'Drac'. In Spike's tomb Buffy is gone with Olivia weeping over an empty pram, portending Giles' leaving a Buffy who no longer needs his guidance.

    Guantanamo Bay;
    Riley and Adam plotting world domination because "We're the goverment baby, it's what we do".

    Apocalypses; 5,

    Scoobies in bondage: Xander tied in his confrontation with Snyder (amazingly unless someone can correct me his first time?).
    Buffy: 8
    Giles: 4
    Cordy: 5
    Will: 3
    Jenny: 1
    Angel: 4
    Oz: 1
    Faith: 3
    Joyce: 1
    Wes: 1
    Xander; 1

    Scoobies knocked out:
    Buffy: 15
    Giles: 10
    Cordy: 6
    Xander: 8
    Will: 5
    Jenny: 2
    Angel: 6
    Oz: 3
    Faith: 1
    Joyce: 2
    Wes: 1

    Kills:
    Buffy: 79 vamps, 28 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
    Giles: 5 vamps, 1 demon
    Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon
    Will: 4 vamps
    Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human
    Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
    Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans
    Xander: 5 vamps, 2 zombies, a demon, a demon
    Anya: a demon
    Riley; 12 vamps + 7 demons

    Scoobies go evil:
    Giles: 1
    Cordy: 1
    Will: 2
    Jenny: 1
    Angel: 1
    Oz: 1
    Joyce: 1
    Xander: 2

    Alternate scoobies:
    Buffy: 6
    Giles: 3
    Cordy: 1
    Will: 2
    Jenny: 2
    Angel: 3
    Oz: 2
    Joyce: 2
    Xander: 3

    Recurring characters killed: 10, no but wonderful to see Snyder back again, Armin Shimmerman giving a terrific performance as a much thinner Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now
    Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara

    Total number of scoobies: 7
    Giles, Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Tara, Riley

    Xander demon magnet: 5
    Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?)

    Scoobies shot:
    Giles: 2
    Angel: 3
    Oz: 4

    Notches on Scooby bedpost:
    Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny
    Cordy: 1?
    Buffy: 3; Angel, Parker, Riley
    Angel: 1;Buffy
    Joyce: 1;Giles, possibly Ted
    Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
    Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley
    Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
    Willow: 2;Oz and Tara

    Questions and observations;
    How lovely to see season 1 Willow again, she's just so cute. In case you didn't know the Bay of Pigs was the ill-fated CIA backed invasion of Castro's Cuba by anti-communist exiles. Will also refers to her experience of stagefright in 'Nightmares'. Once again great to see Oz back, the last appearance of him in the show and for Olivia too. Once again Buffy triumphs because she is the unconventional Slayer, she's more than just the Slayer, she lives in the world too. No matter how many times I watch this I can never tell, is it Tara or Anya in bed telling Buffy she has to wake up?
    Asian Joe sitting behind Oz in class, great to see him again. The clip they watch of Apocalypse Now isn't much like the film, sounds more like Hamburger Hill. After hearing Joss commentary I duly looked up Twin Peaks on IMDB and Wiki and it was a supernatural detective show Kyle Machaclan made before Desperate Housewives but I'm still none the wiser as to what the significance of the red curtains is?
    Marks out of 10; 10/10, no trouble.

    Rumours about season 5;

    I heard a load of rumours about plotlines in season 5, more than any other year of the show. In no particular order;
    1) Xander would turn out to be Glory or one of the other Hellgods from her dimension, Willow would turn evil and be the one to bleed Dawn
    2) Dawn would touch Joyce's corpse at the end of The Body and bring her back to life with her Key powers
    3) Faith would be released from jail and end up sacrificing herself to save Buffy in the final battle with Glory
    4) Drusilla/Dracula would seduce Buffy who'd then allow herself to be sired. VampBuffy would then be the big bad for the season with Faith leading the Scoobies against her and her undead anti-Scoobies. In the season finale VampBuffy would taste Dawn's blood and be restored to normal by The Key's power.
    5) Spike falling in love with Buffy and then siring her because he thinks that's the only way to make her love him. In the end he realises he doesn't love unsouled Buffy so uses magic to turn her back to normal.
    6) Buffy and Xander get zapped by some demon and he gets her powers. She has to adapt to being ordinary whilst he revels in being a superhero but starts to lose control which is why the Slayer is always a girl.
    7) Xander and Buffy would end up in Caritas singing karoke to get some guidance ('Wind beneath my wings'?)
    Angel Investigations would show up for the final battle with Glory in Sunnydale along with Riley and Oz.

    Now you can see how some of these ideas worked out. Ben rather than Xander is Glory whilst Willow will go evil and threaten Dawn in season 6. Rather than bring Joyce back to life Dawn gives Buffy the will to live in season 6. Faith will be released from jail to hunt Angelus on Angel season 4, Buffy will be the one who sacrifices herself. The Dru-sires-Buffy scenario sounds like a dark- slasher's fantasy but has elements of Buffy-vs-Dracula and Riley and his vampwhores. Dru actually sires Darla instead, Dawn's blood will play a major role in the season 5 finale and Buffy will turn temporarily against her friends in Normal Again. Faith will defeat Angelus by getting him to taste her blood in season 4 of Angel. Spike will fall in love with Buffy but get's his own soul back rather than take her's away. The Xander gets Buffy's powers idea becomes The Replacement, we find out in season 7 why the Slayer is female whilst Riley will return in season 6.
    moreless

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  • Season 4, Episode 22.

    4.5
    "Poor"
    By Wanted23, Sep 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Willow are still wired up from the events that took place at the Initiative, and decide to stay up all night and watch movies. However, they all fall asleep immediately and begin to have similar, Twilight-Zone-like dreams.

    What the hell was this? I don't understand why this episode is so critically acclaimed. I didn't really like it. It had some humorous parts, but it was pointless and not a good finale at all. This was a filler episode. Buffy looked good of course, as always. I liked how they mentioned Dawn in Buffy's dream. Their dreams were all weird for the most part, though. Too bad this is the last of sexy Riley. Oh well. Anyway, terrible episode, for the most part. Terrible season finale.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    8 14

  • An outstanding episode; beautiful, deep and just fantastically written. A perfect ending to the season.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By TwistedConverse, Jan 29, 2011 Report Abuse
    Restless is a fantastic episode; clever, original and brilliantly written. It really highlights what our characters have went through this season and is the perfect ending to the season.

    Restless is like a marmite episode- you will love it or hate it. If you don't connect with it, you will ultimately gain little from watching it. I admit it took me about 5 viewings to fully appreciate it and understand it's depth but with every viewing I like it more.

    I think this episode was really the perfect ending to S4- some might argue that Primeval would have fit better but I disagree. All the other season finales are epic battles and huge emotional moments and it's nice to have this quiet, relaxed episode as the ending. The Initiative arc simply wasn't good enough for a season finale and I think this complex insight into our characters fit far better than a big battle for this season as S4 was all about character development rather than arc based (the complete opposite to S3!).

    The Willow dream was really great- the sensual scene with Tara and the letter painting had a little hint as what was to come for them over the next season with the line "You don't know everything about me". It is minor but it's always nice to have foreshadowing. The play scenes gave us insight into what Willow perceives herself to be- a nerd trying to be cool. Apart from having great insight, the bit where Harmony is trying to bite Giles but can't as she isn't tall enough is hilarious. Also, so nice to see Oz again- his last appearance ever!

    The Xander dream ultimately did very little for me- I am not a Xander fan so I don't find him very interesting. It showed us his lack of confidence and skill and did have some great scenes. The scene at the park is one of all time favourites because of Giles and Spike playing on swings and foreshadowing "Tabula Rasa" was hilarious and also I loved the sandbox bit where Buffy calls him brother and the desert appears behind her. I love the desert bits a lot and the continued familial references were great as they hinted at the main theme of S5- family.

    The Giles dream is mainly about his feelings about Buffy and how his life has become a shadow of it's former self. I don't have a lot to say on it except a) Spike posing for black and white photographs was so awesome and b) Tony Head was singing! Yay! Anya rocked telling jokes. I love Anya.

    The Buffy dream was the real highlight for me though, I simply loved every minute. The references to what a Slayer really is, to Dawn, to the imminent death of Buffy, every second was a joy. It basically told us several of the main themes and ideas that S5 would bring and felt really mystical. I love the bit in The Initiative where she covers her face in dirt and looks at Riley with that really primal face- Sarah was brilliant (as always!). The desert scenes were so, so very good. The imagery alone was so beautiful and it made the episode feel extra special. The whole "What is a Slayer?" questioned posed was done wonderfully, and the fight scene was awesome.

    To sum up, Restless is an original, underrated, beautiful masterpiece of an episode. Definitely an episode to rewatch multiple times and one that will stick with you. A perfect episode.

    SEASON OVERVIEW

    Season 4. A season commonly blasted by fans, mostly due to it's terrible arc. But I loved the overwhelming majority of this season and found it to be every bit as amazing as the others. The arc may have been bad but the character development was brilliant and the whole theme of self identity was really what the show needed.

    The Initiative arc didn't do a lot for me- it had some cool fights but nothing more. It wasn't a great idea and just didn't click for me. The main villain was a bit lame and definitely could have been better.

    The characters grew so much this season and really evolved and changed into more mature and responsible people. Topped with the introduction of Dawn at the start of S5, this is where we leave the high school setting and really start the adult seasons. S4 is the transmission from the light hearted teen years to the dark and dramatic adult years. It was highly necessary and did everything the show needed.

    Three main relationships were established here- Buffy/Riley, Willow/Tara and Xander/Anya. I don't like Buffy/Riley- they were very bland and just didn't appeal to me. The other 2 are 2 of my favourites though! Willow and Tara are so perfect together and Xander and Anya are hilarious.

    The whole self identity theme really worked- each character became what they will eventually be- Buffy really grew up as did Xander, Giles became a bit directionless which sets up next season and Willow became a lesbian. Some didn't like that storyline but I think the majority of us did- Willow and Tara are generally the most popular Buffy couple (they're my second fave behind Buffy/Spike!).

    All in all, definitely an outstanding season of TV. It wasn't all good- Superstar and Goodbye Iowa were particularly lousy but the good far outweighs the bad in my opinion. My first place this season goes to the phenomenal masterpiece that is "Hush", with the exciting and emotional "Who Are You?" in second and the surreal "Restless" in third. Definitely a season not to be missed.moreless

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    6 0

  • Be careful what you wear to bed at night, you never know who you'll meet in your dreams. - Anon.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By fatfreeoreos, Jan 23, 2011 Report Abuse
    In short, a gorgeous piece of television. In serves as not exactly filer, but more as a whole platter of foreshadowing and symbols.

    It begins with Willow, showing her safely with Tara, on the stage in a twisted version of a play featuring Riley and Harmony, and her insecurities concerning her witchcraft, lesbianism, and her former geekitude. She is accosted by a mysterious woman and her spirit sucked away.

    Next comes Xander, who is shown in the typical male fantasies at first, with Joyce and also a scene with Willow and Tara, and then in a good adaption of a scene from Apocalypse Now featuring the early eaten Principal Snyder. He then visits the park, his ice cream truck, and Sunnydale High. Interspersed with these scenes, he keeps ending back up his parent's basement. There's also a very cool scene in which he moves through the various sets seamlessly. In the end, his heart is ripped out by the warrior woman.

    Giles' dreams follow, showing a merge with the life he could have had with his former flame Olivia and his fatherly affection for Buffy. There's a brilliant scene with Spike acting as a sideshow attraction in black and white. He ends up in the Bronze and sings an expositional song before he is scalped.

    Buffy ends the four, confronting Riley and the actor who played Adam, visiting her mother trapped in the wall, and venturing to the desert to converse with via Tara the woman who has been following her friends. She is and was the first slayer. They fight and the dreams end.

    The whole episode is rife with subtlety but rewatching it with knowledge of the coming seasons makes it infinitely interesting. And of course, who can't forget the cheese man.moreless

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    4 0

  • Restless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By TrueTvWatcher, Oct 25, 2010 Report Abuse
    Restless was a perfect and classic episode which ends season four of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This episode was very interesting to watch, and gave viewers a glimpse into the pysches of the characters. I thought the subtle things were brilliant and this was a very artistic expression. There were clues in the episode alluding to the future for each of the characters and for the group as a whole. I really enjoyed watching this and learning more about each person and trying to figure out what things meant. This episode is very original and one of my favorites. I like the cheese man too!!!!!moreless

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    0 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • This line - Xander: (to Snyder) You know, I never got to tell you how glad I was that you got eaten by a snake. May link back to this exchange in the episode What's My Line Part One (2x09) - Snyder: Whatever comes out of your mouth is a meaningless waste of breath. An airborne toxic event. Xander: Well, I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to be so honest with me. And I can only hope that one day I'm in the position to be that honest with you. Edit
    • Many of the events in the characters' dreams seem to predict events in later episodes. Mild spoilers may follow: Willow's dream - Tara: You don't know everything about me. This may refer to things that will be revealed in the episode Family (5x06). When Buffy rips off Willow's clothes, the outfit she is wearing is exactly the same as the one she wore in the first episode, Welcome to the Hellmouth (1x01). Xander's Dream - Spike is wearing a brown suit, and Giles says that Spike is like a son to him. This could presage the episode Tabula Rasa (6x08), in which Spike wears a brown suit and believes that he's Giles's son, Randy. Anya: I've been thinking about getting back into vengeance. This may predict a season six and seven storyline in which we explore more of Anya's history as a vengeance demon. Buffy's dream - Buffy sees her mother in the wall. On the DVD Commentary, Joss mentions that this is a metaphorical hint about Joyce's storyline in season five. The staging of this scene may also refer back to the episode School Hard (2x03) in which Buffy talked to Joyce through a hole in a door. Buffy: (she looks at the clock, which reads 7:30) It's so late. Tara: Oh ... that clock's completely wrong. These numbers were mentioned in the episode Graduation Day (2) (3x22). At that time they foretold that there were 730 days until a major event. That would mean that there is about a year left, so the "time" is, in fact, wrong. Buffy: Faith and I just made that bed. A reference to Buffy's vision/dream in the episode This Year's Girl (4x15). Tara: Be back before dawn. This very clearly refers to a major plotline in season five. Edit
    • Anya is the only character other than the dreamers, the Cheese Man and the First Slayer to appear in all four dreams; Tara appears in three dreams -- Willow's, Xander's, and Buffy's; several other characters only appear in two dreams: Joyce appears in Buffy and Xander's; Riley appears only in the women's dreams and Spike in the men's. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Joss Whedon has said that the Cheese Man, who appears in all four dreams, has no deeper meaning and is only used as an element of dream-like randomness. Yet coincidentally, earlier in the season (The Initiative, 4x07) Willow helps Riley start a conversation with Buffy by telling him that she likes cheese. Edit
    • Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) did the "Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer" narration. Edit
    • Joss Whedon: (about Restless) Most people sort of shake their heads at it. It was different, but not pointless. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Buffy: Are you quite finished? It's over, okay? I'm going to ignore you and you're going to go away. You're really gonna have to get over the whole primal power thing. You're not the source of me. Also, in terms of hair care, you really want to say, "What kind of impression am I making in the workplace" because... Edit
    • First Slayer: No friends. Just kill. We are alone. Buffy: That's it. I'm waking up. Edit
    • Tara: You think you know. What's to come. What you are. You haven't even begun. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The Cheese Man: I wear the cheese, it does not wear me. This is a reference to 1998 film The Man In the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The actual line is " I wear the mask, it does not wear me." said by Phillippe. Edit
    • Visual: The writing on Tara's back. This visual is an allusion to the 1996 film The Pillow Book. It starred Ewan McGregor and was about a young Japanese girl obsessed with writing on books, papers and then bodies. In the film a love poem is written onto her back. Edit
    • Visual: Writing on Tara's back The Greek writing on Tara's back is the beginning of a poem by the lesbian poet Sappho (630-570 BCE) called Hymn to Aphrodite. Edit

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