Episode Report Card Ace: C+ | 3 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Do U think I'm a dirty girl?
By Ace | Season 7 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.14.2003
That scene went on forever and was all kinds of boring. I thought of two ways the teaser could've been much more effective. In the first, we would have seen Shannon getting into the truck with Preacher Maledict. He gives her a friendly, yet slightly creepy grin. Then we cut to Faith and Willow having a conversation in the car about, well, something important like Willow understanding Faith a little more since her own turn to the dark side, or catching her up on some Sunnydale news like Spike's soul. Then they're interrupted by Shannon tumbling into the road in front of them. That way, we would be curious and in suspense about Preacher Malformed until later in the episode. Another, more effective approach would've been a truncated version of what we saw, where Preacher Malefactor identifies himself as associated with the Bringers and then instantly stabs the girl. It happens so fast that we're utterly shocked. Then the further exposition on his problems with female-kind later in the episode wouldn't have felt so goshdurned repetitive.
Xander's apartment at night. I didn't know he still lived there! Lots of Junior Misses are sleeping in the living room. Put these together with the girls at Buffy's and you have a multitude of maidens. This Slayer thing is not much of an exclusive club anymore. In Xander's bedroom, he lies under the covers as he talks with a Junior Miss who's perched on the bed. We've never seen this girl before -- but damn she's wearing too much slap. Go easy on the eyebrow plucking, sister. Eyebrows got a right to live too. This girl's sort of a knock-off J. Lo. Hee. She's J. Sweet 'n' Lo! Anyway, Xander tries to reassure the Junior Miss that "Buffy knows what she's doing." He continues that Buffy won't send this girl into battle until she's sure J. Sweet 'n' Lo is ready for "action." Ruh roh! Did someone say action? Wrong word choice! J. Sweet 'n' Lo frets a little about being scared and then lowers her eyes coyly, musing about how young she is, and inexperienced. She worries that she'll die without ever having "been with a man." Xander stutters a little. Suddenly, another girl pops up beside J. Sweet 'n' Lo and lisps, "I've never been with a man before either." Ah, this is a fantasy or dream sequence. Got it. The new girl, Colleen, gestures towards J. Sweet 'n' Lo and continues, "I've never been with her in front of a man before." J. Sweet 'n' Lo gestures back and clarifies, "I've never been with her in front of a man either." Yes, I think Colleen established that, J. Sweet 'n' Lo. As Xander gulps I snigger a little because of the silly repetition and the ridiculous scenario. Poor Xander, erotic dreaming about his young charges dopily coming onto him (with requisite girl-on-girl action). So pedestrian. So '80s teen-movie. The girls creep towards Xander, who protests unconvincingly.