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2.16 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Buffy: "Sorry to say, Xand, slaying is a tad more perilous than dating."
Xander: "Well, you're obviously not dating Cordelia."

This episode is a delight from beginning to end. None of that wussy lovey dovey Valentine's Day stuff for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Cordelia, predictably, realizes that she's losing her popularity, and dumps poor Xander on Valentine's Day. Xander decides to retaliate with magic, and Amy's spell for Xander manages to affect every female in Sunnydale except Cordelia. From laugh-out-loud funny, the episode moves directly into creepy: Angel giving Drusilla an actual heart, Willow in tears with an axe in her hands, Buffy in nothing but a short, black raincoat and heels (now wait a minute, that was pretty cool). And there's a completely satisfying ending: Cordelia decides that she is no longer going to be a sheep and will date anyone she wants. Go, Cordelia.

In a way, this episode is typical of the best of this show. It's topical, funny, silly, romantic, clever, horrifying, and has a great moral for all of us: being yourself is more important than pleasing the masses. Plus, that it's probably a bad idea to dump your honey on Valentine's Day.

Bits and pieces:

-- Giles has researched Angel and knows Angelus tends to act out on Valentine's Day.

-- Spike's and Angelus's gifts for Drusilla illustrate the differences in their characters: Spike gives Drusilla a beautiful necklace, while Angelus gives her an actual, dripping human heart that he finds "in a quaint little shopgirl." Angelus talks about Drusilla giving Spike "pity access," but it's impossible to tell which of them Drusilla prefers.

-- Xander looks gorgeous when he lets Buffy dress him. And he shows integrity in turning down Buffy's advances.

-- Willow and Oz are officially a couple now.

-- We learn that intent must be pure with love spells.

-- Angel says it with flowers, with the word "soon".

-- If I'm remembering correctly, Diana is not the Goddess of Love; isn't she a virgin huntress?

-- In this week's hair report, Oz's is light again, after being nearly black in "Phases."

-- Obligatory dog reference: Giles: (reading) "Um. 'Valentine's Day." Angel nails a puppy to the..." And Harmony tells Cordelia, "Only a sick pup would let Xander get away."

Foreshadowing:

-- Amy turns Buffy into a rat.

Quotable quotes:

Buffy: "Valentine's Day is just a cheap gimmick to sell cards and chocolate."
Amy: "Bad breakup, huh?"
Buffy: "Believe me when I say, uh-huh."

Angelus: "Dear Buffy. I'm still trying to decide the best way to send my regards."
Spike: "Why don't you rip her lungs out? It might make an impression."
Angelus: "Lacks poetry."
Spike: "It doesn't have to. What rhymes with lungs?"
(I just love this; it's one of my favorites.)

Xander: "Do you know what's a good day to break up with somebody? Any day besides Valentine's Day! I mean, what, were you running low on dramatic irony?"

Willow: "Don't be so jumpy. I've been in your bed before."
Xander: "Yeah, but Will, we were both in footy pajamas."

Four out of four stakes,

Billie





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