Buffy the Vampire Slayer (3x08) - Lover's Walk

[fajrdrako]

Buffy 3x08 - Lover's Walk

~ ~ ~

At last: we get Spike again. And I'm very, very glad to see him.

1. 740 verbal? Is that bad? Is it out of a possible score of 1,000? No, Buffy got 1430, so I guess that's not it.
   
   
2. Love this exchange:

   Oz: That was my sarcastic voice.
   Xander: You know, it sounds a lot like your regular voice.
   Oz: I've been told that.

   Exchanges like this are the reason I love Oz.
   
   
3. So Spike returns in the style in which he first came, driving over the Sunnydale sign, only falling flat on his face. Spike is back. I am happy.
   
   
4. Drusilla left Spike. The fool! And he's unhappy about it. The horrible bitch! At least he can take it out on the dolls.
   
   
5. Bowling? I like Willow's confidence.
   
   
6. Of course Oz doing something sweet like giving her a witch Pez dispenser makes Willow feel guilty. She earned this.
   
   
7. Giles seems to have forgiven Buffy for seeing Angel and not telling them. He is reconciled. Cute "rash" conversation.
   
   
8. Wonderful conversation between Xander and Willow:

   Willow: It's a very intimate situation. It's all sexy with the smoke and the sweating and the shoe rental...
   Xander: You're turned on by rented shoes?
   Willow: That's not the issue.

9. Good conversation between Buffy and her mother, too:

   Joyce: That's not it. It's just you belong at a good old-fashioned college with, with keg parties and boys, not here with Hellmouths and vampires.
   Buffy: Not really seeing the distinction.

   Seems to me Joyce should beware what she wishes for.
   
   
10. Angel reads Sartre? Cool.
    
    
11. Spike, keg party of one. Drunk. Tough. Who knew vampires could get drunk? How does that work? ...Probably I shouldn't ask.
    
    
12. The magic shop: Spike ranting about boils and leprosy. The proprietor: "I'm hearing a lot of negative energy." Hmm, yes, vampires do that. It gets better:

    Spike: Leprosy! Alright, a spell that makes his parts fall off. That sounds proper.
    Shopkeeper: We don't carry... leprosy.

13. Willow's spell is a 'de-lusting'. Cute.
    
    
14. The Mayor: "So, we have a Spike problem, do we?" I assume his 'problem' is Spike's presence. I couldn't disagree more. The problem is when Spike isn't around.
    
    
15. Allen says, "Police had a hell of a time covering it up." - meaning Spike's killing in the magic shop. First time we've had direct confirmation that the Police, on the orders of the Mayor, are hushing things up. It comes as no surprise, of course.
    
    
16. Buffy and Angel are having problems dealing with their rather odd relationship.
    
    
17. Spike wants a love spell. Well, it's better than a leprosy-and-parts-fall-off spell.
    
    
18. Poor Spike. A drunken, melancholy vampire is a sad thing to see. "She just left. She didn't even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire. I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared?" Next he'll be lying on his bed listening to country music, like Xander.
    
    
19. And Spike goes to Joyce. Ooh: chills. And then Spike tells her his troubles. Awww.
    
    
20. "She's out of her mind. That's what I miss most about her."
    
    
21. Spike drinks not only alcohol, but hot chocolate with marshmallows? My goodness. Not very... vampiric.
    
    
22. And then Angel comes along. No love lost between Spike and Angel, and Joyce thinks Angel is a monster.

    Angel: Spike.
    Joyce: Oh, my God. Get out of here!
    Spike: Yeah. You're not invited.

    I love the plotting here, how things that were set up long ago are still coming into play.
    
    
23. Followed by - even better -

    Angel: You touch her, and I'll cut your head off!
    Spike: Yeah? You and what army?
    Buffy: That would be me.

24. This whole scene is just full of great dialogue based on who knows what about which:

    Spike: Willow!
    Buffy: You took Willow.
    Spike: You do me now, you'll never find the little witch.
    Joyce: Willow's a witch?
    Buffy: And Xander?
    Spike: Him, too.
    Joyce: What, Xander's a witch?

25. Love it that Spike calls Angel "your great poof".
    
    
26. Then Oz smells Willow's fear.

    Cordelia: Oh, my God. Is this some sort of residual werewolf thing? This is very disturbing.
    Oz: I really agree.

27. And Spike gets all sentimental about killing an old man on a bench with Drusilla, even though he's sobering up. Such an emo vampire. And next scene: "I used to bring her rats. With the morning paper." Do vampires need to keep up with the news?
    
    
28. But Spike, drunken loser though he may be, seems to have a better grasp of the reality of relationships than everyone else: "You're *not* friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood... blood screaming inside you to work its will."
    
    
29. Bit of dialogue between Willow and Xander in the factory:

    Willow: Drusilla broke up with him.
    Xander: Gee, and we had all hoped those crazy kids would make it work.

    Now, why does that just scream Firefly at me? Where does someone say something like that? And Willow has a wonderful turn of phrase:

    Xander: So what are our options?
    Willow: Well, I figure either... I refuse to do the spell and he kills us, or I do the spell and he kills us.
    Xander: Give me a third option.
    Willow: He's so drunk he forgets about us, and we starve to death. That's sort of the best one.

30. So they kiss and inevitable, inevitably, Cordelia and Oz walk in to save their lives. It was bound to happen sooner or later, right? "Sooner", the way they were acting. They're lucky it didn't happen earlier.
    
    
31. So Buffy, Spike and Angel fight Spike's old minions. This is an episode of changed alliances. Good fight dialogue:

    Lenny: Yeah. I heard you'd gone soft. Sad to see it, man.
    Spike: Soft?
    Lenny: Yeah, like baby food.
    Spike: Well, then, let's give baby a taste.

32. Then Spike realizes he doesn't need the love potion after all, and wanders off happy. This is funny, and Spikelike, and I like it - but it's a bit anticlimactic.
    
    
33. And Cordelia tells Xander to get lost. She's really hurt. If she cares... wouldn't forgiving him be wiser?
    
    
34. Buffy realizes Spike was right, and wants out of Angel's life. He can't say he doesn't love her.
    
    
35. Spike speeds off, singing about doing things "My Way" - as if he could ever do anything else. I'm sorry to see him leave. Spike! Come back, the show shines more brightly when you're in it.
    

Comments

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

740 verbal? Is that bad? Is it out of a possible score of 1,000? No, Buffy got 1430, so I guess that's not it.

Possible 800. 800 Verbal, 800 Math.

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

This episode has a lot of the cute, clever dialogue I love about Buffy. And Spike moping over Dru, which is gold, and being a loser but an insightful loser, which I love too. The moment he gets his mojo back is, as you said, very Spike.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

We love Spike.

Giles seems to have forgiven Buffy

He is a very forgiving person. With Buffy.

Joyce should beware what she wishes for

*states quietly:* lol.

Who knew vampires could get drunk? How does that work?

Lots and lots, and lots, and lots and lots of booze. Possibly with a little bit of blood in their alcohol stream.

We don't carry... leprosy.

I love this. I love lines like this.

Poor Spike.

Some of this speeches in this ep are memorable and absolutely magnificent. Spike and relationships. It just gets worse.

Spike drinks not only alcohol, but hot chocolate with marshmallows? My goodness. Not very... vampiric.

That's what makes him Spike, and not... dark-brooding-angsty, dramaqueen, cliche.... uh. Some other guy. Cough.

Okay, this ep was really full of good text.

Do vampires need to keep up with the news?

Define "need". Some are stuck in the 17th century, but that's not reason for the rest of us to... Uh, I mean...

Cordelia and Oz walk in

That's what I meant in a previous comment when I said that in *theory*, the Buffy/Angel relationship is more dangerous because Willow/Xander won't get anyone killed. I mean, it didn't, but there was an *almost*. But seriously, unplanned.

Then Spike realizes he doesn't need the love potion

There are bits in that ep that remind me of Methos/Kronos. "I'm gonna do what I shoulda done in the first place: I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her, until she likes me again."

wouldn't forgiving him be wiser?

Really not.

In my opinion.

But I'm not a romantic, and I hate betrayal.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

This episode has a lot of the cute, clever dialogue I love about Buffy

Yes. In some ways, it comes across as 'the best of Buffy' in style. Witty, and with plot twists.

Spike moping over Dru, which is gold

Yes.

being a loser but an insightful loser, which I love too

Yes. It takes talent.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

We love Spike.

We do.

[Giles] is a very forgiving person. With Buffy.

Yes; one of the many things I love about Giles.

Possibly with a little bit of blood in their alcohol stream.

I suppose they don't specifically need blood as blood, just as sustenance; if I twist my brain a little this makes perfect sense. This should probably scare me.

Spike and relationships.

I smile. He is Just So Good.


That's what makes him Spike, and not... dark-brooding-angsty, dramaqueen, cliche.... uh. Some other guy. Cough.

Yup. Breaks all the cliches, Spike does.

this ep was really full of good text.

It was terrific. A classic.

There are bits in that ep that remind me of Methos/Kronos.

Oh, yes! Good catch.

I'm not a romantic, and I hate betrayal.

I am</> a romantic, and I hate betrayal, but sometimes it makes for good stories. I don't think I interpret Angel's reactions as betrayal any more than I interpret Buffy's action (in killing him) as betrayal.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Okay, good score then.

[judymoe.livejournal.com]

35. Spike speeds off, singing about doing things "My Way" - as if he could ever do anything else. I'm sorry to see him leave. Spike! Come back, the show shines more brightly when you're in it.

It makes me extra happy that it's Gary Oldman's version of Sid Vicious' cover of "My Way" (from "Sid and Nancy"). Hee!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It's perfect!

[gillo]

I rather thought you'd like this one. It's one of my all-time top ten. Guess why?

740 verbal? Is that bad? Is it out of a possible score of 1,000? No, Buffy got 1430, so I guess that's not it.

I gather it's a possible score of 800 for verbal, 800 for maths - so Buffy manages 1430 out of 1600. Not bad.

So Spike returns in the style in which he first came, driving over the Sunnydale sign, only falling flat on his face. Spike is back. I am happy.

I love the shot-by-shot recap of his first appearance in

School Hard

. And why I found Captain Jack in KKBB so funny.

Drusilla left Spike. The fool! And he's unhappy about it. The horrible bitch! At least he can take it out on the dolls.

Miss Edith only encourages her.

Spike, keg party of one. Drunk. Tough. Who knew vampires could get drunk? How does that work? ...Probably I shouldn't ask.

He's a very unhappy drunk. Poor boy.

The proprietor: "I'm hearing a lot of negative energy."

I have to say this character is irritating enough that she deserves to be eaten.

The Mayor: "So, we have a Spike problem, do we?" I assume his 'problem' is Spike's presence. I couldn't disagree more. The problem is when Spike isn't around.

You and me both, baby!

Spike drinks not only alcohol, but hot chocolate with marshmallows? My goodness. Not very... vampiric.

I love this scene. I love all Joyce/Spike interaction - there will be more later. And I love the fact that while Angel is ascetic and restricts himself to vampire food, Spike is always after interesting taste sensations and variety.

Love it that Spike calls Angel "your great poof".

Yup. That one stays with you, I find.

But Spike, drunken loser though he may be, seems to have a better grasp of the reality of relationships than everyone else: "You're *not* friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood... blood screaming inside you to work its will."

You noticed that speech, then? Iconic moment, really. Spike always seems to grasp more about Buffy than she does about herself. And a lovely way of expressing it.

So they kiss and inevitable, inevitably, Cordelia and Oz walk in to save their lives. It was bound to happen sooner or later, right? "Sooner", the way they were acting. They're lucky it didn't happen earlier.

They ran silly risks and had to pay in the end.

Then Spike realizes he doesn't need the love potion after all, and wanders off happy. This is funny, and Spikelike, and I like it - but it's a bit anticlimactic.

An excuse to get rid of him before he dominates the season. He's just too vibrant, that guy.

Spike speeds off, singing about doing things "My Way" - as if he could ever do anything else. I'm sorry to see him leave. Spike! Come back, the show shines more brightly when you're in it.

Oh yes. In every way. There's a reason he's my favourite vampire. Not just because he's so pretty either.

Have you moved on to S4 in real time yet? We see a lot more of him in that season.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It's one of my all-time top ten. Guess why?

Hmm, let me think. Because of Spike? Because it's beautifully written? Because it's both funny and moving? Do I need a fourth guess?

so Buffy manages 1430 out of 1600. Not bad.

I am a little surprised that this is enough to get her into good schools, without good marks. I'd have though the marks from High School would be the really significant thing: otherwise a lot is riding on just one test.

I love the shot-by-shot recap of his first appearance in
School Hard. And why I found Captain Jack in KKBB so funny.

Of course.

I have to say this character is irritating enough that she deserves to be eaten.

Spike thought so. I give her bonus points for making me laugh.

I love this scene. I love all Joyce/Spike interaction - there will be more later.

Oooh, good. I rub my hands (metaphorically) in anticipation. I love the Joyce-Spike interaction I've seen so far. Her cluelessness and his canniness; her mundanity and his wildness. It's perfect.

I love the fact that while Angel is ascetic and restricts himself to vampire food, Spike is always after interesting taste sensations and variety.

In many ways Angel and Spike are opposites of each other -a delightful contrast. Angel is brooding and self-contained and ascetic, Spike is emotional and loud and unrestrained. Angel is introverted, Spike extroverted. Spike celebrates undeath; Angel hides from it. Angel leaves Buffy, while it's Dru who left Spike.

Iconic moment, really.

So it should be. Magnificent.

An excuse to get rid of him before he dominates the season.

Spoilsports. Let him dominate the season. I've no problem with that. (Even if the Mayor does!)

He's just too vibrant, that guy.

Oxymoron. I love his vibrancy.

Have you moved on to S4 in real time yet?

Yes, but I haven't got to Spike yet. I was putting off watching season 4 of Buffy because the first few episodes of season 3 weren't so good, and I thought season 4 would be as bad. This morning I saw episodes 1 and 2 and enjoyed them mightily. I was starting episode 3, but two minutes into it I was interrupted and didn't get back to it.

The DVD set features spoiler pictures with the titles before you even see the episode, e.g., Kathy as a demon. The title of episode 3 shows Spike; this gets my hopes up.

But, wait a minute, I'm supposed to be watching Angel season 1, episode 2 next, aren't I?

[teenygozer.livejournal.com]

740 verbal? Is that bad? Is it out of a possible score of 1,000? No, Buffy got 1430, so I guess that's not it.

It's actually probably a super-rockin' S.A.T. score. The way they figure out where you stand in the SATs is wonky, or at least it used to be (they've been making changes recently) -- I believe they used to mark it on a curve. It wasn't "I got 85 correct answers out of 100, I got a B+!" type scoring. I remember that I got a 700 in Verbal and I was considered to be in the 98th percentile the year I took the test: that meant I got a better score than 98% of the people who took the test that year. I got a 600 in Math and that put me in the 93rd percentile. Not to brag (much) -- but with my scores, a combined total of 1300 out of 1600, I was able to get myself a *way* lot of scholarship money -- I owed not a penny in loans when I graduated. So they are all boggling at Buffy's scores because they're pretty fabulous and they did not expect her to do well at all -- they thought she was just brawn with no brains, but now they think she should go to college, which they did not think before. It's kinda funny, but if she were stupid, her life would be so much easier because they'd expect so much less from her. :)

That said, we'd have to know what percentile the scores put her in that year to be sure just how fabu the scores are. If it was a year when everyone got a great score (perhaps because the test was easier than in previous years), it would pull down her percentile ranking.

Fav part of this episode: Angel desperately trying to warn Joyce about Spike, unable to get into the house unless she invites him in (which ain't gonna happen because she remembers the terrible things he said to her about Buffy when he was Angelus only a few months ago), and Spike behind Joyce, making childish and hilarious faces!

[teenygozer.livejournal.com]

In many ways Angel and Spike are opposites of each other -a delightful contrast. Angel is brooding and self-contained and ascetic, Spike is emotional and loud and unrestrained.

Also note: a common trope throughout both series is how much Spike LOVES food and drink; Angel at some point actually says food tastes like dust in his mouth. I always think Spike's much more human, really *tied* to humanity, than Angel in so many ways.

[judymoe.livejournal.com]

LOL, I *love* Spike's faces behind Joyce. Particularly the "grr!" face. I love the "grr!" face. :)

And I just remembered that I forgot to say: one of my favorite (and really so very self-aware) lines of Spike's during this episode is "I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it!"

Sigh.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

...Weren't we talking about Cordelia/Xander, with the betrayal-forgiveness thing?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I *love* Spike's faces behind Joyce. Particularly the "grr!" face. I love the "grr!" face.

It's a great Spike moment.

one of my favorite (and really so very self-aware) lines of Spike's during this episode is "I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it!"

I loved that too. And I loved the way he said it with pride.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love all of that. Spike is simply remarkable. It seems that not all vampires are created equally, and Spike is extraordinary by any measure.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

We were talking about both, weren't we? Parallels? I see this as an ongoing theme in season 3 Buffy: lies, infidelity, betrayal. Angel/Buffy/Faith, Willow/Xander/Cordelia, Oz/Willow/Xander, and in a less sexual sense, Giles-Buffy-Wesley, Giles-Faith-Wesley, Giles-Faith-Wilkins.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Funnily, the ones you put in the "less sexual" group I find more interesting by far.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, because the characters are more interesting.

Once could add a parallel with the Spike/Angel/Drusilla threesome, but that was in season 2.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

I can be interested in the fanged three/four, really. I think it's just high school romance that I lack any kind of sympathy to.

Maybe I'm just old and grumpy and bitter.

Well, I always was bored with high school romance, really, but with Joss I have problems since this recent December, so... that's added.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think it's just high school romance that I lack any kind of sympathy to.

I like the romance part, but not the high school part. The problem with romance between the very immature is that they are... very immature. And I find the characters here particularly so, with the exception of Oz and sometimes Buffy.

I'm just old and grumpy and bitter.

Now, who does that remind me of?

with Joss I have problems since this recent December, so... that's added.

What problems?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I remember that I got a 700 in Verbal and I was considered to be in the 98th percentile the year I took the test: that meant I got a better score than 98% of the people who took the test that year.

I took a test something like that; I don't remember getting numbers on it at all, it was all percentiles.

I did well, but just got a very mundane scholarship. Still. I was proud.

Sounds like a complicated system.

Angel desperately trying to warn Joyce about Spike,

Loved that whole scene.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

Now, who does that remind me of?

Who?

What problems?

Can't tell you just now :*(

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Can't tell you just now :*(

Can you tell me when I get to the end of Buffy?

Curious.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

First, I think it would be hard to explain, because it involves pretty much the past eight years.

Second, if you don't mind comics spoilers, and by that, spoilers to things that didn't happen throughout both TV series, I suppose I could tell you by the end of S4 even. Depends. Do you count the comics at all?

But, third, it's really a minor thing in the grand scheme of things.