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4.4 Fear, Itself

Oz: "Maybe it's because of all the horrific things we've seen, but hippos wearing tutus just don't unnerve me the way they used to."

This is, in my opinion, the best BtVS Halloween episode: a joy to watch, from beginning to end. We have mood (Buffy suffering from post-Parker depression and the general freshman blues), setting (Halloween in Sunnydale), a unifying theme (fear), an extremely funny denouement ("actual size"), plus great character bits throughout.

What are their fears? Buffy has been depressed and overwhelmed since college started, and being dumped by the first guy who asks her out hasn't helped. Her Red Riding Hood costume hinted that she wanted subconsciously to return to her childhood; the Haunted House kept playing on her fear of being abandoned by her friends and family. Xander literally felt invisible; he has been left out of college life, and Anya, with her usual lack of tact, pointed out that he has nothing in common with his friends any more.

Willow and Oz both feared being out of control. Willow, determined to cast a spell to get them out of the frat house, accidentally gave her tinker bell lights conflicting instructions, and Oz began to wolf out when there was no full moon.

Anya is tremendous fun in this episode. She knows about the supernatural stuff already and has a thousand years of experience to draw upon; nothing fazes her. She is sort of floating around the edge of the Scooby gang -- not yet a member, but starting to act like one; she certainly knew enough to fetch Giles when the house started to act up.

After three years tied to the library and the Watcher's Council, the writers are having a lot of fun with the character of Giles. Two of my favorite bits in this episode were Giles' silly Halloween costume with sombrero, and the horror movie staple of the chainsaw when Giles had to create a door.

Bits and pieces:

-- This episode's candidate for a vampire dinner is Professor Walsh; what's with her? Is every prof at UC Sunnydale a jerk? At least Riley, the T.A., was nice to Buffy.

-- The commandoes showed up again, and the Scoobies just thought they were in costume.

-- The opening music was from the movie "Halloween."

-- Buffy decking the guy in the demon costume was just fun.

-- The costumes were terrific. Willow and Oz's complementary costumes were especially clever. I also liked the lobster and the gift box arguing in the hallway.

-- Hair report: Anya's is lighter, the same color as in season three, and shorter.

-- Anya arrived at the haunted frat house in her scary costume: a bunny ("bunnies frighten me.") [P.S. from 2005: This was the first Anya/bunny joke, a staple comic bit that recurred for the rest of the series.]

-- We heard about Xander's Uncle Rory again, although we still didn't see him.

Quotes:

Guy: "Thanks for the loan, man. Our sound system sucks."
Oz: "Mi casio es su casio."

Guy: "Eyeballs, man. Blindfold chicks and have them stick their hands in the bowl and tell them it's eyeballs. They love that."
Xander: "And here I was wasting time buying them flowers and complimenting them on their shoes."

Xander: "Hey, Red. What you got in the basket, little girl?"
Buffy: "Weapons."

Buffy: "Will. Medieval Will."
Xander: "Hail, ye olde vareletty thou."
Willow: "I'm Joan of Arc. I figured we had a lot in common, seeing as how I was almost burned at the stake, and plus she had that close relationship with God."
Xander to Oz: "And you are?"
(Oz pulls his jacket open to reveal a nametag with 'God' on it.)

(Two commando guys wearing ski masks and carrying guns step out of the bushes.)
Buffy: "Nice costumes. Very stealthy."
Willow: "What are they supposed to be?"
Oz: "NATO?"

Xander: "Who's a little fear demon? Come on. Who's a little fear demon?"
Giles: "Don't taunt the fear demon."
Xander: "Why, can he hurt me?"
Giles: "No, it's just tacky."

Giles: "Oh, bloody hell. The inscription."
Buffy: "What's the matter?"
Giles: "I should have translated the Gaelic inscription under the illustration of Gachnar."
Buffy: "What's it say?"
Giles: "Actual size."

This is the best one this season so far, so it's getting four out of four stakes,

Billie





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