Buffy 3x16: Doppelgängland

[fajrdrako]

Buffy 3x16 - Doppelgängland

I like the title here - it would be a feeble pun, except that it's the umlaut that makes it brilliant. Another episode I totally loved, written, not surprisingly, by Joss Whedon, written with his usual charm and occasional superficiality. I was thrilled to see Dark Willow back - I like her strength of character.

So why does her immorality delight me, when Faith's tends to disgust me? Because Dark Willow is true to her own nature - she's a vampire and it's a vampire's job to exploit and destroy people. (Unless you are Angel, who's playing another game..) As a human, Faith is frighteningly self-involved, losing or destroying her connections with everyone, even Buffy, whom she values. And as a Slayer she's... using her role to indulge in mayhem. Of course she likes the Mayor, and the Mayor likes her. Two self-directed souls with their own agenda.

Besides, the sad truth is I find Dark Willow sexy, but Faith isn't. Since she has her fans, I know - like Joss himself - I hope this will change in later episodes. Meanwhile...

1. Poor Anya: trapped in a world, or at least a form, she didn't choose. I remember grade 12. Yes, it was dull. I was (probably) flunking math, too. Though I think that was one of the years I had a better than usual math teacher, and rose above myself.
   
   
2. I've heard a lot of fans say they like D'Hoffryn. His dialogue is fine but I don't like his cartoony look.
   
   
3. Who are the lower beings? Is that a generic term for being in the underworld, or a specific subclass?
   
   
4. What "carelessness" made Anya mortal?
   
   
5. "You can fold the fabric of time." Good phrase. So is, "by the pestilent gods". Nicely... ambiguous in tone.
   
   
6. Willow is into pencil-floating. Well, it's a start.
   
   
7. People are crazy if they want to be florists? Is there a joke I'm missing here? Do psychiatrists say that, or did Joss make it up?
   
   
8. I like Willow's unconvincing tone when she says, "I never wanted to do that." This sets the tone of the entire episode: Willow can't be anything other than what she is, whether she likes it or not. When she tries to play the dark vampire, she fails utterly. I'd like to see her more able to deceive and pretend; but there's also a charm in the way she can't.
   
   
9. Good bit of character revelation:

   Buffy: I want to do...
   Willow: Better than Faith?
   Buffy: So very shallow.

   But a good sign, I think. Buffy is still thinking of Faith as a friend, but instead of being half-fascinated and half-horrified, she's reacting by becoming competitive. She wants to show Faith she's better than Faith, not just morally, but physically. Since Faith prides herself on her physicality, this is quite a challenge.
   
   
10. Sanity Fair. Heh. Good one.
    
    
11. And back to the Buffy/Faith parallels - compare and contrast:

    Buffy: She had it rough. Different circumstances, that could be me.
    Willow: No way. Some people just don't have that in them.

    Now, I fully believe that given the right circumstances, anyone can do anything. But despite Buffy's own qualms, I agree with Willow here. The fact that Buffy is fully aware that she could do bad things and doesn't like the idea, proves that.
    
    
12. Speaking of which, how did Faith 'have it rough'? She's implied this, but I don't know what her problems were.
    
    
13. Obviously, practising magic is dangerous; it betrays your inner feelings. "Emotional control?" "I'm working on it."
    
    
14. So Snyder corners Willow for her talents. Another contrast here: Willow and Percy.

    Percy: Hey, I'm challenged.
    Snyder: You're lazy, self-involved and spoiled. That's quite the challenge.

    While Willow works hard, cares about others, and isn't spoiled at all. And she can't get out of this. Snyder is ruthless.
    
    
15. Lovely Buffy-Willow discussion of this.

    Buffy: So he threatened you? With what?
    Willow: Well, it wasn't exactly anything he said. It was all in his eyes. I mean, there was some nostril work there as well, but mostly eyes.

    Someone with power, like a principal, doesn't need to threaten his victims with something.
    
    
16. Interesting juxtaposition:

    Willow: I hate the way he bullies people. He just assumeseveryone's time is his.
    Giles: Willow, get on the computer. I want you to take another pas at accessing the Mayor's files.
    Willow: Okay.

    From which I take (a) Willow likes Giles and doesn't mind doing things for him - besides, computer hacking is fun - and (b) aplotline is being further set up. Willow will access those files and then... the anvil falls. Or something.
    
    
17. Faith calls Wesley Princess Margaret? Heh. Why her? I don't actually understand why Wesley himself was running, though. Surely Watcher's don't have to compete with Slayers. (They'd lose.) Was Faith manipulating him again?
    
    
18. Great Faith line: "You're going to love it, B. It's just like fun, only boring."
    
    
19. Faith sounds apologetic to Giles. If I were him, I'd worry.
    
    
20. So Faith reports to Wilkins about what Giles (and Willow) are trying to do. Faith likes her place - of course; who wouldn't? And PlayStation sounds like just her thing. I like the way the Mayor is smarmy and avuncular at the same time: "Shoes! Shoes!"
    
    
21. And he says, "I'm a family man." Has there been previous mention of his family?
    
    
22. Wilkins talks about killing Buffy and assures Faith, "I wouldn't ask you to do it." Why? Does he think Faith likes Buffy too much?
    
    
23. Oz. Why has his relationship with Willow suddenly become uneasy? Or is it that she's out of sorts? I like the way Willow, feeling bad, twists the conversation:

    Oz: Didn't figure you for missing school.
    Willow: You think I'm boring.
    Oz: I'd call that a radical interpretation of the text.

    
    
    
24. Percy is very annoying. He doesn't even have an excuse (or want one) for not working. I like his snarky, "What, you got something better to do?"
    
    
25. So her rebellious gesture is to eat a banana when it isn't lunchtime yet. Yeah... radical. This nicely sets up Dark Willow later on, but is silly on the face of it.
    
    
26. I like the progression: Old Reliable, Old Faithful, Old Yeller. Willow's angry and Buffy and Xander are making it worse because they haven't a clue what's going on. And I like the way she later calls herself "Reliable Dog Geyser Person". I am reminded of KateSomerville, who hated being thought 'sensible'.
    
    
27. Willow says, "Maybe I'll change my look." Which is nicely prophetic, especially since in this episode she never even changes her sweater.
    
    
28. I also like her line, "Buff, I'm storming off. It doesn't really work if you come with me."
    
    
29. Interesting that Willow sees "a spell" and "Black Arts" as synonymous. Even though it doesn't seem that her Arts are particularly Black. Or is she just trying to be bad-ass because of the mood she's in? That may be part of it, but I really do get the impression she isn't drawing a distinction. And then when it's over Willow says, "That's a little blacker than I like my arts." Because she had a vision? I know she's a novice, but as far as she knows at that point, nothing material has happened.
    
    
30. I liked the worse of the spell: The child to the mother. The river to the sea.
    
    
31. Good magical visions. (A.k.a. recap of alternate world adventures.)
    
    
32. Love Willow's line: "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have someone else's homework to do."
    
    
33. Then we learn that Dark Willow is in town. Uh-oh. Here's where I really started to feel good about this episode. I love Dark Willow.
    
    
34. I liked the music in the scene in the Bronze. I'm never sure whether or to what extent the lyrics are supposed to reflect the show, but I liked the song and the singer.
    
    
35. Good use of "Bored now."
    
    
36. Xander comes to Willow's rescue. How... sweet. How unexpected.
    
    
37. I like the confusion while Xander thinks this is the real Willow with a change of clothes, and she thinks it's her Xander returned alive. I like the switch from alive=good to alive=bad.
    
    
38. Love it that Buffy doesn't even recognize her as Willow. And then doesn't know what to make of it. "I said 'extreme' already, right?"
    
    
39. Then Dark Willow recruits a vampire by breaking his fingers. Good "who do you work for" dialogue.
    
    
40. So Buffy, Xander and Giles are depressed to lost Willow. Why does Xander think it's his fault?
    
    
41. Good dialogue when Willow walks in:

    Buffy: Willow! You're alive!
    Willow: Aren't I usually?

    
    
    
42. So Willow gets hugs from everyone and has to deny being a vampire. And Giles calls it "strange".
    
    
43. Then Anya gets ID'd. Methos and Captain Jack Harkness don't have that problem.
    
    
44. I like Oz's self-parody:

    Devon: Other bands have roadies.
    Oz: Other bands know more than three chords. Your professional bands can play up to six, sometimes seven completely different chords.

45. Good to see Angel. Nice bit ofOzness:

    Alphonse the Vampire: Nobody cause any trouble or try to leave, and nobody gets hurt.
    Angel: Why don't I believe him?
    Oz: Well, he lacks credibility.

46. I liked Dark Willows entry line: "Everyone's all afraid. It's just like old times." Then Dark Willow goes for Sandi. I liked that. Predatory Wilow.
    
    
47. Another good dialogue:

    Oz: Willow. You don't want to do this.
    Dark Willow: I don't? But I'm so good at it.

48. And a perfect set-up dialogue for Dark Willow:

    Willow: This is a dumb world. In my world there are people in chains, and we can ride them like ponies.
    Anya: You want to get back there.
    Dark Willow: Yeah.
    Anya: So do I.

49. Willow says sarcastically. "Oh, right. Me and Oz play 'mistress of pain' every night." She has trouble making irony work.
    
    
50. Not Angel's smartest moment, failing even to notice Willow, whose death he has announced, even after he speaks to her.
    
    
51. Giles doesn't want Faith in combat around civilians. Because she's likely to kill them?
    
    
52. Dark Willow grabs Willow. Great cliffhanger. What was Willow looking for? OH, I see - the rifle.
    
    
53. Nice contrast between the two Willows. Willow goes from "This just can't get more disturbing" to "You're really starting to freak me out" in a few seconds. Shouldn't that be the other way round?
    
    
54. Interesting bit of Angel dialogue:

    Buffy: Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was.
    Angel: Well, actually... That's a good point.

    I'd say most evidence proves them wrong there.
    
    
55. Another nice character contrast with Willow when Angel says, "Vampires are not notoriously reliable", when being reliable was the trait most annoying Willow.
    
    
56. I like the way Willow, dressed up as Dark Willow, walks as if the tight leather clothes are uncomfortable.
    
    
57. Good Willow line: "Don't worry, I won't do anything that could be interpreted as brave." And yet, she often does.
    
    
58. Willow is just so unconvincing, masquerading as Dark Willow. Lucky thing vampires are stupid. And when she waves at Oz - isn't she in the middle of the room, with everyone looking at her?
    
    
59. Meanwhile poor Dark Willow has to wear pink knits. Sad. And she's not so good at pretending to be good Willow either, but luckily she's only talking to Cordelia, who is habitually clueless. I like her: "Don't want to talk. Hungry."
    
    
60. Then I like the way she plays to Cordelia's game when chasing her: "I'm so over him. I need fresh blood."
    
    
61. Wesley comes to Cordelia's rescue. I like that. "Creature of the night!" A little to Rocky Horrorish, maybe, but cute. Nice exchange:

    Wesley: Leave this place.
    Dark Willow: Don't want to.

    
    
    
62. Cordelia's lack of concern for Willow was annoying.
    
    
63. Buffy and co. come to Willow's rescue at the Bronze. I liked Willow's fear of Dark Willow: "No more snuggles?" I liked the running shoes on Dark Willow.
    
    
64. And Willow stops Buffy from killing her dark self. In character: another contrast to Faith. Good dialogue:

    Dark Willow: This world's no fun.
    Willow: You noticed that, too?

65. And Xander loves the idea that he's evil in another world. Xander is so...dorkish.
    
    
66. I like it that Willow tries hugging Dark Willow good-bye and Dark Willow takes the opportunity for a grope.
    
    
67. So Dark Willow goes home and is instantly dusted by Oz. That's maybe the only thing in the episode (except for Cordelia) that Ididn' t like. It's a little cheap.
    
    
68. Then Willow learns that Percy has turned over a new leaf and actually did his homework. And wants her approval. Perhaps she's reconsidering the 'mistress of pain' business. The apple was a nice touch.

Comments

[toraks.livejournal.com]

I never liked Faith or Wesley. Blech. ;-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like Wesley very much, at least so far - enough that I am disappointed that he seems to be played as a clown most of the time. I don't like Faith but she has an interesting part in the plot.