Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Episode Discussion: 3x02 Dead Man's Party

Ragnarok · 04-26-2005, 06:52 PM

Since we aren't going to have new episodes to discuss, we're going to have weekly episode discussion threads for old episodes. New threads will, of course, appear each Tuesday. Except when they don't.

Dead Man's Party

When Buffy comes home from L.A., she finds that things aren't exactly as she left them. In Buffy's eyes, it seems that her friends have moved on, and Buffy doesn't seem to fit in their lives anymore. To show Buffy they care, her friends throw her a party, which manages to alienate her even more. After hearing her mom comment on the difficulty of having Buffy back home, she decides to run away again. When Willow catches her packing, a loud argument erupts between the gang. The argument is interrupted when a Nigerian mask in Joyce's room calls forth an army of zombies who crash the party. Buffy saves the day, and the gang begins to make amends.

(Episode summary on loan from buffyguide.com)

RtS: #132; lost to Anne in the play-in round.
RtS Part Deux: #141.

To be honest, there aren't many episodes I dislike more than this one. Of all the Scoobies, only Giles manages to avoid appearing stupid, spiteful and/or selfish to the nth degree. I cheered when Joyce's friend Pat got killed, and that's just wrong. So I'll leave it to my co-mod to come up with the positive commentary.

Next: 3x03 Faith, Hope and Trick

***Scythe*** · 04-27-2005, 02:08 AM

Possitive commentary coming up!

Sure the scoobies annoyed me and i thought that they should've been alot more sympathetic to Buffy, but I that happens in alot of the episodes.

When this aired, I really wanted to get a dress like that

I really didn't like how Willow treated her, it gave an uncomfortable feeling to the episode, but I also think that it was a good effect - We should feel uncomfortable because they (the scoobies) felt uncomfortable.

I hated how Willow whined and felt all hard done by because - oh no! She's dating a guitarist *shock horror gasp* that totally gives her the right to get mad at Buffy who had just had to kill the man she loved in a fight to the death.

You have got to love some of the lines in this episode:

Cordelia: Nice pet, Giles. Don't you like anything regular? Golf, USA Today, or anything?
Giles: I'm trying to find out how and why it rose from the grave. It's not as if I'm going to take it home and offer it a saucer of warm milk.
Oz: Well, I like it. I think you should call it Patches.

How vehemently Giles keeps insisting that it's not his cat amuses me every time i watch it.

Oz: Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings; shindig, dip, less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage; and hootenanny, well, it's chock full of
hoot, just a little bit of nanny.

Buffy: You know, maybe it's too late. Maybe we should just come back tomorrow... What if he's mad?
Xander: Mad? Just because you ran away and abandoned your post and your friends and your mom and made him lay awake every night worrying about you? Maybe we should wait out here.

I think that they should've at least found out what happened and why she ran away before they all started to attack her.

I liked the whole idea behind the Nigerian mask and the fact that it had probably gravitated itself to the hellmouth and into the clutches of an unsuspecing Joyce.

Oh! Another fabulous line that I say alot:

Giles: Unbelievable. (mocks Joyce) 'Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the *dead*!' Americans.

It reminds me of a fight between an old married couple... Ok so the situation is a bit more extreme than that, but it's what i think.

Huh...

That didn't turn out as possitive as I had thought it would.

Suga*Babe · 04-27-2005, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scythe

Giles: Unbelievable. (mocks Joyce) 'Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the *dead*!' Americans.

I loved that line.

I'm not really sure about this ep, when I watch season three I usually start with Faith, Hope and Trick and skip the first two. I didn't like the way the others treated Buffy either.

True Daisy lover · 04-28-2005, 07:19 AM

I didnt like this episode at all. Because it seems all the gang wanted to do was gang up on buffy on how could she run away or whatever, not trying to understand AT ALL, why she had to do what she did. She just killed the guy that she loved, she got kicked out of school, im sorry but i wouldnt actually want to stick around seeing all of my friends go to school starting their senior year, knowing that i got kicked out and couldnt do anything about it. Yeah, im sure they would understand that. I just hated how they got all self righteous when not ONE person asked her how she was feeling. They were so consummed with being coupley with each other who cares how buffy felt right? Who cares that that killing angel was the hardest thing that she had to do, regardless it needed to be done or not.

Bronson · 04-28-2005, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by True Daisy lover4ever

I didnt like this episode at all. Because it seems all the gang wanted to do was gang up on buffy on how could she run away or whatever, not trying to understand AT ALL, why she had to do what she did. She just killed the guy that she loved, she got kicked out of school, im sorry but i wouldnt actually want to stick around seeing all of my friends go to school starting their senior year, knowing that i got kicked out and couldnt do anything about it. Yeah, im sure they would understand that. I just hated how they got all self righteous when not ONE person asked her how she was feeling. They were so consummed with being coupley with each other who cares how buffy felt right? Who cares that that killing angel was the hardest thing that she had to do, regardless it needed to be done or not.

I hated that Xander jumped into what was conversation between Buffy and her mom and had nothing to do with him. I would have hated that they did not understand her pain if she had not jumped all over Cordelia who was trying to sympathies with her.

Moonlight~Pixie · 04-29-2005, 06:30 PM

One of my favorite episodes.

I think its the zombie thing, lol. The only thing I didn't like about the episode was how everyone started ganging up on Buffy but I know the writers had to throw that in there. I think they should have been more sympathetic than angry. I don't blame them for being angry but they really needed to look at things through Buffy's perspective. They were being a bit selfish. I did think it was funny how when Willow started talking about violence the zombies crash through the window.

Quote:

I cheered when Joyce's friend Pat got killed

I didn't cheer but Pat did get on my nerves.

Quote:

Giles: Unbelievable. (mocks Joyce) 'Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the *dead*!' Americans.

That line is the BEST! haha! Gotta :heart: Giles.

Night Nymph · 05-04-2005, 12:12 PM

I gotta agree with Ragnarok on this one. I can only think of one episode of Buffy that I dislike more than DMP. That funny line by Giles was the highlight of the episode. This episode even made me annoyed with Oz, and well, that too (like thinking "yay" when Pat got killed, which I also did then felt guilty/cheap about it) is wrong, because in general Oz isn't annoying to anyone.

And the only reason I can think of the Scoobies planning the kind of party they did was for passive-aggressive revenge, because there could not have been a worse idea for trying to make amends with Buffy than that. "Let's invite a bunch of people Buffy doesn't know over to invade Joyce's house and witness us airing our grievances. That should make things better." Even worse someone else had to say "What a great idea." The Scoobie reaction made about as much sense to me as Buffy's behavior in When She Was Bad - which is to say: not very much, though at least that episode was somewhat intriguing. This one was not even close enough in interest to distract me from wanting to smack most of the characters.

I think Hate in relation to this episode is not too strong a word on my part.

Bill the bloodless · 05-04-2005, 12:40 PM

i loved the beginning when the gang are trying to kill a vampire and Buffy saves them

Although i get why the gang were angry at buffy,it really annoyed me when they all started having a go at her especially Xander,couldn't he mind his own buisness.Buffy was kind of harsh to Cordelia when she was trying to help her by putting herself in Buffy's position

I liked the whole mask storyline when all the zombies came alive and Buffy and co trying to kill them all.

spikefan777 · 05-06-2005, 07:59 PM

I liked this episode, it was fun to watch. I didn't like how Willow and Joyce acted around Buffy though.

It's like they couldn't forgive her.

***Scythe*** · 05-07-2005, 01:34 AM

Pat annoyed me too!

She was just far too nice for her own good!

Moonlight~Pixie · 05-07-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spikefan777

I liked this episode, it was fun to watch. I didn't like how Willow and Joyce acted around Buffy though.

It's like they couldn't forgive her.

yeah. They really should have put theirselves in Buffy's position.

**ROCKSTAR** · 05-18-2005, 04:31 PM

This is one of my favorite BTSV episodes! I don't remember much from it right now but I love Giles' line and I just love the whole thing.

Star Dreamer · 05-20-2005, 02:15 AM

Now I liked this episode. I agreed and disagreed with Buffy and the Scoobies. The Scoobies especially Xander were far too harsh on Buffy and they didn't understand what she had gone through but on the other hand, I felt Buffy expected them to be all okay with her running away.
I really loved the scene between Buffy and Giles when he opens the door to her. The look on his face expressed everything. I also liked when Giles went into the kitchen and got emotional. That was a lovely touch. He was the only one of the Scoobies not to be selfish.

Moonlight~Pixie · 05-20-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

He was the only one of the Scoobies not to be selfish.

It is the truth! When Joyce blamed Giles for Buffy's leaving, what in the world was that? Giles did nothing wrong. I hate that part, lol.

Star Dreamer · 05-22-2005, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonlight~Pixie

It is the truth! When Joyce blamed Giles for Buffy's leaving, what in the world was that? Giles did nothing wrong. I hate that part, lol.

That was actually in Anne but yeah I hated that. How could she blame Giles. I mean I could see where she was coming from but she was still out of line.