The Good;
Spike's back and the series is better off with him in it. Our first sign that Harmony survived graduation and is now a vamp. Great fight and some excellent comedy, especially love Spike's workers groaning when Harmony starts bleating on about France again. Also like Parker's complaining about guys who are so 'Dark and brooding, give me love'. Nice reveal of Spike
The Bad;
None, good ep, best of season 4 so far
Best line;
Buffy; 'Spike, with Harmony. What you lose a bet?'
but I also like Willow (on Harmony being a vamp) 'She must be dying without a reflection'
Character death;
nope, the guy Spike and Harmony bite at the party survives and we see Asian Joe again in 'Pangs' so the Scoobs obviously rescue him.
Tied up;
Asian Joe chained to the wall.
Knocked out;
Xander in the fight with Spike
Women good/men bad;
The final scene with a broken hearted Buffy, Anya and Harmony all miserable having been dumped. Xander remarks that he's 'Actually turning into a woman as he's saying this' when hesitating before the offer of casual sex with a beautiful girl. But as he says 'Still more romantic than Faith'. Spike and Harmony have an abusive relationship but in fairness to Spike she seems just as bad as he is and even more manipulative.
Jeez!;
Spike's 'trash-talk' with Buffy whilst fighting her (he should know better!)
Kinky dinky;
Harmony may be dumb but she knows how to get what she wants. She hints that she and Spike have bondage, S&M and exhibitionist sex. Anya does a striptease for Xander (cue juice gag!) and brings black condoms for their coitus. Parker and Buffy have sex but he dumps her afterwards. Harmony seems to have a thing for Antonio Banderas. Spike comments that he loves syphilis more than he does Harmony. Xander dreams of being naked at the Walmart. Willow seems to want to know the details of Buffy and Parker's night of passion, not graphically but as a 'blurry watercolour'.
Calling Captain Subtext;
Harmony wants to bite Willow. Maybe there was an underlying attraction between the 2 all these years? Parker suggests Buffy and Spike used to go out and she laughs.
Guantanamo Bay;
The gang threaten Harmony to try and find Spike.
Scoobies to the ER;
Xander is hurt in the final fight but not too badly. Willow needs a band-aid.
Questions and observations;
Where season 4 kicks into gear really, quite marvellous. Willow becomes the 3rd Scooby to be bitten by a vampire (Buffy twice by Angel and the Master, Angel and Joyce by Darla although the latter is not a Scooby). Buffy still has the scar from where she was bitten but is that from The Master or Angel? Personally I never know what to make of Parker, Buffy seems to think their sex is the beginning of a relationship whilst it's casual to him. I don't think he's a bad guy really. Giles never locks his door and owns a TV which disappoints Oz who nevertheless seems to appreciate his vinyl albums just as Joyce did in Band Candy. Good music, especially like 'Lucky' (for the Buffy/Parker sex scene) and the interestingly titled 'Faith in love'. Asian Joe, the guy who is chained to Spike's wall is a recurring extra as a Sunnydale High School student (Harmony comments she used to have a class with him), you can see him in many eps but most prominently in Earshot where Buffy hears him thinking about being a 'software gillionaire'. Unfortunately the last appearance of Devon in the series although he's mentioned in Something Blue
Marks out of 10; 8/10, very good
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EDIT
Episode Summary
Spike returns to Sunnydale with his new girlfriend, the now vampire Harmony. Spike is searching for the Gem of Amara - a stone which makes vampires immune to crosses, stakes, and sunlight - and he believes that it is buried somewhere under Sunnydale. Buffy is preoccupied with her budding relationship with Parker and eventually sleeps with him, but she is devastated when he grows distant the next day. Meanwhile Anya returns and throws herself at a flabbergasted Xander.moreless
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Sarah Michelle Gellar
Buffy Anne Summers
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Nicholas Brendon
Alexander 'Xander' Harris
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Alyson Hannigan
Willow Rosenberg
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
See All-
Trivia
ADD TRIVIA- The Greek word "amara" means "eternal" so the "Gem of Amara" means "The Gem of Eternity". Edit
- We see in Buffy's yearbook that Harmony's last name is Kendall. Interestingly, the character Sarah Michelle Gellar played on All My Children was named Kendall — perhaps this is an inside joke. Edit
- Buffy and Willow's dorm room is number 214. We have seen glimpses of the number in previous episodes, but this is the first time that we have seen it clearly. Edit
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Notes
ADD NOTES- The song "It's Over, It's Under" by Dollshead plays while Buffy searches for Harmony, Spike breaks through to the crypt, and Buffy waits for Parker to call. Edit
- The album that Giles and Oz bond over is "Loaded" by The Velvet Underground. Edit
- Intentional or not, this episode begins a tradition of Jane Espenson writing the third episode of each season (The Harsh Light of Day (4x03), The Replacement (5x03), After Life (6x03), and Same Time, Same Place (7x03).) Edit
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES- Parker: I mean, everybody says they get it. "Oh man, me too. Live for today." But what they really want is an excuse to goof off and not study for finals. Buffy: Also a valid life choice. Edit
- Spike: Listen to me, you stupid bint. This gem is everything. I came back to Sunnydale for it, a place which has witnessed some truly spectacular kickings of my ass. Edit
- Xander: I'm not enjoying this. Giles: Well, shelve them correctly and we can finish. Xander: I just don't get your crazy system. Giles: My system? It's called the alphabet. Edit
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Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS-
Spike: I love Syphilis more than you.
Syphilis is a cronic infectious disease that is transmitted primarily by sexual intercourse. The disease is generally characterized by skin lesions and ulcerous skin eruptions. If untreated it can cause widespread damage to the heart, brain, eyes, nervous system, bones, and joints. Late stages of syphilis can result in mental illness, blindness, severe damage to the heart and aorta, and death. Edit -
Xander: Really? You know, if I'm in the checkout lane at the Wal-Mart I've had the same one.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is a worldwide chain of retail stores founded by Sam Walton in 1962. Based on revenue, Wal-Mart is the largest retailer and largest company in the world. It is also the largest private employer in the United States, Mexico and Canada. $8.90 out of every $100 spent in U.S. retail stores is spent at Wal-Mart. Edit -
Harmony: Is Antonio Banderas a vampire?
Antonio Banderas is a Spanish born actor who is considered to be quite the hunk. He also played the vampire Armand in the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire. Presumably this is why Harmony is asking the question. Edit
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Spike: I love Syphilis more than you.
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