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5.5 No Place Like Home

Joyce: "So neither of you is pregnant, failing, or under indictment?"

Good episode. I think I like the Beast in the Red Dress, or the Abomination, or whatever she is. Did you notice the reference the Beast made to someone sitting on their tuffet again? What is this Miss Muffet stuff? Is the Beast somehow related to the First Slayer? Is she maybe another incarnation of The First Evil, the one that sent Angel back from Hell? Have I been watching this show too long? Naahhh.

I was really surprised that Dawn doesn't know what she is. It was neat that she was shown in scenes that could all be taken two ways; i.e., (1) Dawn is evil, or (2) Dawn really is Buffy's sister and is just acting like a brat. Dan and I both thought that there was poison in the tea Dawn made for Joyce.

However... I'm ambivalent about The Buffy Powers That Be leaving the whole Dawn situation up in the air. It looks like Dawn is going to be part of the entire season plot arc; but are they maybe leaving the possibility open that Buffy could have a little sister forever? As a whole, I really can't think of any series that has actually been improved by the addition of a bratty kid to the cast, and I'm not sure I like the Dawn thread taking precedence over what's happening with the other characters, all of whom I like better. (Not that I don't like Dawn. I'm just not crazy about her.)

I loved the whole Magic Box part of the plot. "Sunnydale... monsters... supply and demand..." "It's just a long cultural tradition of raging insincerity." Whatever money Anya has magically acquired is now gone -- very convenient timing, but at least it works, since Anya has demonstrated several times a strong and abiding interest in money.

I'm such a Spike fan that one of the highlights of this episode was Spike staking out Buffy's house. The two of them are turning out to be such a hoot together; are they getting off on her hitting him every time they meet? Is this one-sided or not? That five words or less thing was so cute, too.

So Joyce's headaches don't have anything to do with Dawn? Uh-oh. Do we have a second character with possible serious health issues here (other than Riley)?

Bits:

-- What language were the monks speaking? Does anyone know?

-- Sarah looked even more beautiful than usual in this episode. Speaking of which, okay, Buffy looks hot in them, but would a Slayer really wear big hoop earrings? Can't an opponent do serious damage to your ears pretty easily? I guess unbound long hair is also a liability in a fight. Okay, never mind, this is a fantasy show, gotta stop that logic stuff.

-- I liked the intern's reference to the radioactive spider bite.

-- Pumpkin belly? Gaackkk.

Quotes:

Night Watchman: "Miss, if you're looking for one of those rave parties, I'm afraid you're late. Chased a bunch of kids out of here last night."
Buffy: "Oh, right. Yeah. Darn. My fellow ravers will be so disappointed. It was my turn to bring the bundt cake."

Buffy: "Dawn, touch nothing."
Dawn: "Who died and made you the Iron Chef?"

Giles: "I've got feelings about this place. Magic is a small niche market but, well, think about it. Sunnydale, monsters, supply and demand... they'll be lining up around the block in no time."

Buffy: "I put this before the group. What the hell is it?"
Giles: "It appears to be paranormal in origin."
Willow: "How can you tell?"
Giles: "Well, it's so shiny."

Ben: "You know, not to be rampantly sexist in the workplace, but you've got some serious muscles for a girl."
Buffy: "I... um..."
Ben: "Radioactive spider bite?"
Buffy: "How'd you guess?"

Anya: (to customer) "Please go."
Xander: "Anya, the Shopkeeper's Union of America called. They wanted me to tell you that 'please go' just got replaced with 'have a nice day'."
Anya: "But I have their money. Who cares what kind of day they have?"
Xander: "No one. It's just a long, cultural tradition of raging insincerity. Embrace it."

Anya: "You know, Buffy, there used to be this French sorcerer back in the sixteenth, I-don't-know-what, named..."
Giles: "Cloutier?"
Anya: "So cute in his little knickers. But he had this one spell demons just hated called 'tirer la couture'."
Buffy: "'Rotate many foodstuffs'?"
Willow: "Pull the curtain back'."

Buffy: "What are you doing here? Five words or less."
Spike: "Out... for... a... walk. Bitch."

Spike: "You know, I'm just passing through. Satisfied? You know, I really hope so because God knows you need some satisfaction in life besides shagging Captain Cardboard and I never really liked you anyway and... and you have stupid hair."

Two out of four stakes this week,

Billie





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