Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Episode Discussion: 2x01 When She Was Bad - Page 4

becoolsodapop · 08-10-2006, 07:27 PM

Buffy being mean it this episode, at first, struck me as having a reason to dislike her in season 2 but after i though about it, it was different. I think it was a good way to start off the season. Xander and willow what more can i say but loverly. Cordelia really had me caught off guard with her talk with buffy outside the bronze. all in all good episode.

mmmbacon · 08-16-2006, 10:13 AM

when i saw cordy and buffy outside of the bronze at first i thought did they switch bodies or something. buffy really showed her inner *itch but the way willow and xander forgave her i knew nothing could break up the scoobies

Ragnarok · 08-17-2006, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by becoolsodapop

Cordelia really had me caught off guard with her talk with buffy outside the bronze.

I agree. S1 Cordelia was almost completely unlikeable. This was a new and improved Cordelia. Though fortunately not too much improved.

Sosa Lola · 08-17-2006, 07:08 AM

I thought Cordelia had her moments in S1 like in Out of Mind Out of Sight when she thanked Buffy for saving her, also helping the Scoobies out in Prophecy Girl.

FoolForLove · 08-22-2006, 11:49 PM

this kills me that I can't blame HIM..but to me this episode was just bleh..poorly written. I liked the idea she needed to work through her problems..but the grinding on Xander..made me want to puke.

**Jaime Bee** · 04-12-2007, 05:49 AM

Watching this episode now I love how it forshadows the later seasons which are my favorite. I enjoyed seeing Buffy be bitchy to her friends. I would have enjoyed it alot more if she had acted this way in Season 6. They really deserved it then.

I still tear up when Buffy breaks down and shatters the Masters bones.

wilywiccan · 04-12-2007, 08:41 PM

I love the bedroom scene when she asks Angel why he is there and he whispers "I missed you". The look on Buffy's face. Right then she was ready to talk and open up and even said back sweetly "I miss you". But he had already taken off.

I can't believe that Giles was the only one that realized that Buffy was not just acting up, that she was obviously going through something very emotionally painful and was just not ready to talk about it yet.

**Jaime Bee** · 04-19-2007, 11:15 AM

I love that Cordy can tell that something is wrong with Buffy.

saturn5 · 10-13-2009, 02:37 PM

When she was bad;

The Good;
Buffy's 'Miss me' to the camera (which I inexcusably missed first time around). Xander and Willow's almost kiss (awwwwww! even the most foremost Tara/Willow or Willow/Oz fan must feel their heart breaking). Snyder and Giles' brilliant talk and walk and the first hints of Giles'/Jenny's attraction. Buffy's great training session with Giles, the incredibly creepy dream sequence where the Master-as-Giles tries to kill Buffy whilst Willow and Xander watch on unconcerned (she should have known it was a dream when Xander swapped his chocolate for an apple). The whole scene smacks of Freudian rape overtones, Buffy's father figure forcing himself upon her and penetrating her body with his fangs. Willow not being able to say the word B-I-T-C-H and Xander not being able to spell it (LOVE Giles' expression in this scene). The great Hank/Joyce scene (I figure this is the summer by the beach Dawn later refers to in Blood Ties), Cordy's sympathy with Buffy and characteristic bluntness about the truth about Sunnydale. The Buffy/Angel bedroom scene and the smoking-hot Buffy dancing with Xander at the Bronze. The trap and rescue of the Scoobies, Buffy's cathartic smashing the Master's bones, especially Buffy killing 2 vamps at once. All told, fan-bloody-tastic and a whole new start for Buffy.

The Bad;
The only thing I can find wrong with it is when the Scoobies figure out that Jenny is the vamps next target and rather than try to warn her just assume for no possible reason that they've already got her. Lazy writing! Also Willow wears her HORRIBLE yellow tights again

Best line;
Snyder; there are some things I can just smell, like a sixth sense
Giles; actually that would be one of the five

Questions and observations;
So, you CAN bring a vampire back from the dead as we'll see later with Darla in Angel. One wonders why they don't try it more often but then with a few notable exceptions they don't really seem to care about one another so much. Joyce and Hank seem to have a pretty civilised divorce.
The whole look and feel of this ep is different, as though the first season was just a trial run and now it's time for the real thing to begin. Firstly, we have all the Scooby's except Buff and Angel knocked out and all but Buffy, Angel and Xander tied up. Secondly rewatching this ep you're very much struck by the sight of Buffy torturing the vamp for information to save her friends, ramming a silver cross down it's throat, the vampire equivalent of a red-hot poker. HMMMMMM?
Kinda puts 'waterboarding' and Abu Grahib in persepctive, huh? Psychologists (and yes, that's the degree I'm doing in case you're wondering) have occaisionally commentated on the way people object to torture in real life but are ok with it in fiction (Dirty Harry springs to mind). What they suggest is that we find it easier to accept when we can put a human face to those who are going to be saved, in TV and movies the correlation between the info gained and benefits are always very direct and evident

10/10, now we're talking

wilywiccan · 10-13-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaime Bee (View Post)

I love that Cordy can tell that something is wrong with Buffy.

I think that EVERYBODY could tell that something was wrong with Buffy. It was not a Buffelia moment!

I actually didn't think she was bitchy enough. She was just on edge with her friends. I could forgive her the "don't you wish I would?" since his unrequited feelings for her did almost get her raped by him when he was semi-posessed. Angel was the only one that she seemed bitchy too.

**ashleyt** · 10-13-2009, 06:20 PM

Everybody knew that something was up with Buffy but Cordy was the only one who called her on it up to that point.

So because Xander had a crush on her and ended up being possessed by a hyena that ended up attacking her, he needs be forgiven? I think I'm in the minority when I say that Xander wasn't actually at fault then. It was his body but he wasn't in control at the time.

wilywiccan · 10-13-2009, 07:11 PM

I just didn't feel the hyena presence that strongly. It was like he was Xander with predator instincts and no inhibitions. It wasn't like the time that Faith possessed Buffy or that old guy posessed Angel.

**ashleyt** · 10-13-2009, 07:29 PM

Maybe that had to do more with NB's acting abilities at the time. The other possessed kids eating Principal Flutie was what convinced me.

I really liked Principal Flutie

wilywiccan · 10-13-2009, 11:26 PM

I liked him too. Nobody deserves to be eaten to death.

It was interesting that Buffy dreamt of The Master wearing a Giles costume and attacking her. And Buffy not knowing until mid-attack. That is exactly how she felt in PG. Giles told her she was the only one that could stop The Master and that the world might end if she didn't face him. But it turned out that it was facing him that killed her and nearly ended the world. The Master knew that but Giles didn't. The look on her face when she realized that her death would bring about the apocalypse (nice switch later in the series when it is her resurrection that does that!) is so sad.

I wonder if Buffy was having those nightmares the ENTIRE summer and if she was seeing The Master out of the corner of her eye the whole time too.

I wonder what Angel did that summer. He stayed in Sunnydale, trying to not seem as stalkerish but waiting patiently for her to return. I love that he said he missed her.

**ashleyt** · 10-14-2009, 04:00 PM

He probably watched her house a lot

And probably followed Willow, Xander and Giles around at night to make sure they were safe.

I believe she did have those nightmares all summer. Heck even Hank noticed her behaviour.