Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Season 4 Episode 20

The Yoko Factor (1)

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

EDIT
Adam enlists Spike to turn the gang against each other, leaving Buffy alone and helpless. Playing on their fears about how the others perceive them, Spike begins to sow discord among the Scoobies. Meanwhile, into the chaos walks Angel, who has come to apologize to Buffy for the fight they had in L.A., but Riley sees only that there is another vampire in town.moreless
SUBMIT REVIEW
  • What has been broken....

    6.0
    The Good;

    Love the fact that when the argument starts Tara and Anya head to the bathroom, they have a few scenes like this together through the series, the newcomers to the Scooby gang bonding. Miss Kitty is the cutest ever. Lovely to see Angel and Buffy make up.



    The Bad;

    Spike can't even hold a fake gun without getting pain, so how come he's able to get his shotgun out in season 5?



    Best line;

    Buffy; "Xander? Oh he's the deadest man in deadonia!"



    Women good/men bad;

    Buffy refer to Riley and Angel suffering from 'testosterone poisoning'.



    Jeez!;

    Poor Forrest gets skewered.



    Kinky dinky;

    Anya declares Xander a 'Viking in the sack'. As she is from medieval Sweden that's quite a compliment and once again suggests she enjoys rough/exotic sex (as we'll see later with Spike). Xander used to work at a telephone sex line.



    Calling Captain Subtext;

    Xander used to work at a telephone sex line. You know I've never seen one advertised for straight women, was this a gay sex line? Willow refers to Tara as her girlfriend for the first time. Spike twigs Will/Tara long before Xander/Giles do. Wicca is once more used as a euphanism for lesbianism. Buffy asks Forrest if the Initiative is a 'boys club'. Spike seems to have a high opinion of Buffy. Willow talks of doing 'drama' which foreshadows Restless. Willow refers to the umbilical chord between Xander and Anya, jealousy rising.



    Guantanamo Bay;

    The demons are starting to rip one another apart and the Colonel really doesn't care.



    Apocalypses; 5,



    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



    Scoobies knocked out: Buffy trips and falls like a horror heroine

    Buffy: 16

    Giles: 10

    Cordy: 6

    Xander: 8

    Will: 5

    Jenny: 2

    Angel: 6

    Oz: 5

    Faith: 1

    Joyce: 2

    Wes: 1



    Kills:

    Buffy: 79 vamps, 27 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 + 6 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:

    Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh



    Total number of scoobies: 7

    Giles, Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Riley, Tara



    Xander demon magnet: 5

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



    Scoobies shot: Riley threatens Angel with his pistol saying it's 'all he's got left'. Forrest zaps Adam but it only makes him stronger.

    Giles: 2

    Angel: 3

    Oz: 4



    Notches on Scooby bedpost:

    Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny

    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;

    Lovely to see Angel back, lovely to see his reconcilliation with Buffy. Sorry Spuffers BuffyandAngel4ever. Angel can defeat Riley in single combat, even with all Riley's hi-tech gear. Xander's famous big mouth makes another appearance. In later seasons this role will be taken over by Dawn. Adam likes 'Helter Skelter' which is the Beatles song Charles Manson cited for the motivation for his infamous massacre. Riley refers to Angel as 'Mr Billowy-Coat King of Pain' and thinks girls like that. More than Gary Cooper in camoflauge actually. Spike is 100% right of course, what makes Buffy different and more successful than all the other Slayers is that she has her friends and family around her.



    Marks out of 10; 6/10

    moreless
  • remind me why Angel is the one that has to apologise?

    8.0
    This episode was well writen, and it had a great story line. I loved seeing Angel meet Riley, but I don\'t undertand why Angel had to apologies for Buffy\'s b!tchy behaviour. He had a reason to tell her to leave- she acted like she owned the world because she\'s the slayer, and she could do no wrong. Other than the fact that Angel shouldn\'t have come to apologise, it was a good episode. I really enjoyed seeing Willow come out of the closet. I also liked how it was different, with the characters all going against each other. It was really well thought out.moreless
  • The Yoko Factor (1)

    10
    The Yoko Factor (1) was a perfectly great episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This episode was exciting because Spike was working with Adam yet pretending to work with Buffy and the Gang. Spike did a great job of exploiting every one's insecurities. It was interesting to watch that all unfold. This episode also saw an Angel crossover which was cool. Angel and Riley didn't exactly see eye to eye, and got into a fight. When everyone was turning on each other Buffy called them out and left, and I the ending of this episode was shocking. I can't wait to see what happens in the next part of this two episode story!!!!!moreless
  • Season 4, Episode 20.

    10
    Spike teams up with Adam and uses his manipulative ways to turn all the Scoobies against each other, leaving Buffy alone and helpless. Meanwhile, Angel returns to Sunnydale and clashes with Riley.



    I enjoyed watching this episode. I liked when Buffy and Forrest went in the cave and found Adam. I knew he was going to die. The Angel and Riley fighting thing was good. Buffy looked really good in this episode too, even with that big gash on her forehead. I liked the scenes in Buffy's dorm. I love whenever they all have a gigantic fight. Haha, Giles was drunk. Haha, Tara and Anya liked the tile in the bathroom. Haha. I loved this episode. Great job on the writers' parts.moreless
  • An excellent episode; the Scoobies have a big arguement all due to Spike's manipulations.

    9.0
    The Yoko Factor is a fantastic episode; it's not the best or most interesting but has some really memorable scenes and some great acting- especially in the final scene!



    The whole Adam thing really doesn't hold my interest. He's such a shockingly uncharismatic villain, has no presence and is basically just sits around talking in a monotone voice until an enemy visits where he spouts off computerised nonsense and then punches the enemy about lots. He's just so badly written and George Hertzberg is just stripped of all acting when playing him (a shame as I thought he had really good charisma in Restless for those 4 lines he had).



    I'm glad Spike joined Team Adam to inject some life into the arc. Spike is simply a fantastic villain and can get the job done even when he cannot actually do any physical harm. This is the last we really see of Spike the villain as in the next three seasons he's in love with Buffy and so joins the good side.



    Angel coming back was surprisingly good- him and Buffy only had a short scene together where the whole Bangel whinging was practically non-existent (from the only time in the entire verse probably). Also, he smacks Riley around lots! I was so, so, so happy and it was just such fun to watch Angel put the annoying soldier boy in his place. Angel is so much better when he's on his own show. He was actually Angel here rather than just Buffy's boyfriend. By the way, if you haven't seen the show "Angel" watch it! It's almost as good as the original show.



    The arguement scene at the end was really brilliant. We've seen all season how the Scoobies have drifted apart and it all comes to a head in this episode. I thought each one of them had valid points and I wasn't on anyone's side (unlike the dreaded arguement scene in Empty Places where I felt they were all nasty, annoying, evil idiots to Buffy). Giles being drunk was hilarious and I love that he burst out laughing at "Fort Dick's"! I always laugh at silly things like that and it was so funny to see Giles do it.



    The "cliffhanger" at the end was an all round meh. Maybe because I already know it's useless and doesn't result in much but maybe because Riley + Adam = an extreme not caring. Sorry, they're just boring.



    The Yoko Factor is a brilliant episode, the beginning of the end of The Initiative arc. It's very strong in all aspects and one that I really like.moreless
Bob Fimiani

Bob Fimiani

Mr Ward

Guest Star

Jade Carter

Jade Carter

Lieutenant

Guest Star

Conor O'Farrell

Conor O'Farrell

Colonel McNamara

Guest Star

Amber Benson

Amber Benson

Tara

Recurring Role

Leonard Roberts

Leonard Roberts

Forrest Gates

Recurring Role

George Hertzberg

George Hertzberg

Adam

Recurring Role

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

  • TRIVIA (5)

    • At 20:31 Just as Spike enters Giles's apartment, his reflection is visible in a mirror, just behind Tara's left shoulder.

    • When Angel leaps onto the loading dock to confront Riley an optical effect is added to give his coat an additional flair.

    • When Riley comes after Angel in Buffy's dorm room the door closes behind him as he points his gun at Angel. The camera angle changes and the door can be seen closing a second time.

    • During the fight between Angel and Riley, Angel tosses Riley several yards into a trash pile in front of the warehouse dock. Riley then jumps up on the dock and picks up his baton. However, as the fight began Angel grabbed Riley's arm, causing him to drop his baton(it can be heard hitting the ground) before being thrown.

    • When Buffy, Riley and Angel are arguing in Buffy and Willow's dorm room, Willows laptop is on her desk but Willow is supposed to have been decrypting the Initiative Disks from Spike all day, on her laptop, at Giles' house so unless she's got two laptops (which are identical) it shouldn't be in the dorm room.

  • QUOTES (16)

    • Angel: Oh, and... Riley.
      Buffy: Yeah?
      Angel: I don't like him.
      Buffy: (smiling) Thank you.

    • Xander: It happens that I'm good at a lot of things. I help out with all kinds of... stuff. I have skills and stratagems... I'm very... (to Anya) help me out.
      Anya: He's a viking in the sack.

    • Buffy:(about Angel) He's... not bad.
      Riley: Seriously? That's... a good day? Well, there you go. Even when he's good he's all Mister... Billowy Coat King of Pain and girls really-
      Buffy: Riley, stop.

    • Buffy: Enough! All I know is you want to help, right? Be part of the team?
      Willow: I don't know anymore.
      Xander: Really not wanted.
      Buffy: No! No, you said you wanted to go. So let's go! All of us. We'll walk into that cave with you two attacking me and the funny drunk drooling on my shoe! Hey! Hey, maybe that's the secret way of killing Adam?!
      Xander: Buffy...
      Buffy: Is that it? Is that how you can help? You're not answering me! How can you possibly help? So I guess I'm starting to understand why there's no ancient prophecy about a Chosen One and her friends. If I need help, I'll go to someone I can count on.

    • Giles: You never train with me anymore. (about Adam) He's gonna kick your ass.
      Buffy: Giles!
      Giles: Sorry. Was it a bit honest? Terribly sorry.

    • Giles: What ever happened to Latin? At least when that made no sense, the church approved.
      Buffy: I can't just wait around, Will. The disk is no good to me unless you crack it soon.
      Anya: Hey! We worked really hard getting that. Xander delivered clothing.
      Giles: Church approved.

    • Spike: Call it the Yoko factor. Don't tell me you've never heard of the Beatles?
      Adam: I have. I like "Helter Skelter".
      Spike: What a surprise. The point is, they were once a real powerful group. It's not a stretch to say they ruled the world. And when they broke up everyone blamed Yoko, but the fact is the group split itself apart, she just happened to be there. And you know how it is with kids. They go off to college, they grow apart. Way of the world.

    • Forrest: Family's tearing apart.
      Buffy: Family? What kind of family are you, Corleones?

    • Anya: (to Spike) Wow. That chip in your head means you can't even point a gun. How humiliating.
      Xander: Doesn't work anyway. It's a fake.
      Anya: Can't even point a decorative gun?
      Xander: Give it up for a American chipmanship.
      Spike: It doesn't work? What about self-defense? I'm taking a risk here, you know?
      Xander: Can I tell you how much I really don't care?

    • Riley: I got a little tired of sitting around waiting, so...
      Buffy: You joined the circus?
      Riley: Xander took my clothes to clean them, left me these. Does he, uh, hate me in some way I don't know about yet?

    • Willow: (about Miss Kitty Fantastico) I keep thinking, "okay, that's the cutest thing ever." And then she does something cuter, and completely resets the whole scale.
      Tara: Did you see her yawn earlier?
      Willow: Yes! I thought I was gonna die!

    • Xander: Try those on, you'll feel like a new man.
      Riley: (looking at the baggy pants that Xander is giving him) Would this man have a bright red nose and big floppy feet?

    • Spike: I get why all the demons all fall in line with you. You're like Tony Robbins. If he was a big, scary, Frankenstein-looking... You're exactly like Tony Robbins.

    • Willow: We have to face it, you can't handle Tara being my girlfriend.
      Xander: No! It was bad before that! Since you two went off to college and forgot about me! Just left me in the basement to - Tara's your girlfriend?
      Giles: (in the background) Bloody hell.

    • Spike: (startling Giles) You know, for someone who's got "Watcher" on his résumé, you might want to cast an eye to the front door every now and again.

    • Buffy: If I was any more open-minded about the choices you two make my whole brain would fall out.

  • NOTES (4)

    • This is the first episode where Willow mentions that Tara is her girlfriend (with the exception of New Moon Rising when she told Buffy).

    • Giles plays a Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Free Bird", a huge hit from the 70's.

    • Willow seems to have gotten over her stage fright (first shown in Season 1's "The Puppet Show" and "Nightmares") a little bit in this period, since in this episode she is heavily considering taking drama classes at UC Sunnydale. Perhaps her relationship with Tara is helping to build her confidence?

    • The previous week's episode of Angel, 'Sanctuary', showed Buffy going to LA after hearing that Faith was there. Angel is actually protecting Faith after she breaks down, and Buffy and Angel's fight ends with Angel harshly telling her to "Go home", which is why he came to apologise.

  • ALLUSIONS (9)

    • Xander: L.A. Woman? Haven't heard from her. "L.A. Woman" is the name of the 1971 album by The Doors. Jim Morrison reportedly recorded the lyrics for the title track in the bathroom of the recording studio to get a fuller sound. In the lyrics L.A. gets referred to as the "city of night", which makes perfect sense in the context of the Joss-verse.

    • Xander: But maybe that all changes when I'm doing sit-ups over at Fort Dix.
      Fort Dix is an Army base/city in New Jersey.

    • Spike: You're not exactly the whiz these days...
      Willow: I am a whiz.
      Tara: She is a whiz.
      Willow: If ever a whiz there was.
      This is a line from "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" / "We're Off To See the Wizard" in the 1939 classic movie The Wizard of Oz.


      We hear he is a whiz of a wiz, if ever a wiz there was. If ever oh ever a wiz there was, The Wizard of Oz is one because, because, because, because, because, because... Because of the wonderful things he does!

    • Buffy: (to Forrest, regarding the Initiative): What kind of family are you, the Corleones?
      The Corleones, an Italian Mafia family, are the main characters in the infamous The Godfather and its two sequels.

    • Xander: Xander got fired from Starbucks
      Starbucks is a famous coffeehouse chain, commonly (and probably deservingly) credited with creating the influx of coffeehouses in the U.S. The chain started with a single location in Seattle, and now consists of over 2,200 stores around the world.

      Xander called Sunnydale a "One Starbucks Town" in 'Welcome to the Hellmouth'.

    • Xander: I'll putter around the batcave with crusty old Alfred here.
      Xander makes a reference to Batman's hideout in response to Buffy's suggestion that he stay behind while she goes after Adam. He refers to Giles as Batman's butler Alfred.

    • Adam: I like "Helter Skelter."
      Adam claims to like the Beatles's song "Helter Skelter" which was also favorite of serial killer Charles Manson.

    • Spike: Call it the Yoko Factor.
      As Spike explains the reference is to Yoko Ono who is often blamed for causing the breakup of the Beatles. Yoko Ono was John Lennon's wife and many believe influenced him against his bandmates.

    • Spike: You're like Tony Robbins if he was a big scary Frankenstein looking... You're exactly like Tony Robbins.
      Spike responds to Adam's rousing speech by comparing him to the motivational speaker Tony Robbins. Frankenstein is of course a reference to the Mary Shelley novel about the monster that was pieced together from various human corpses.

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