Episode Report Card Sep: A | 26 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Once More, With Feeling
By Sep | Season 6 | Episode 7 | Aired on 11.05.2001
Spike, sitting in an alley somewhere, picks up the next verse. He's all verklempt that Buffy doesn't love him back. Initially he growls, "I hope she fries. I'm free if that bitch dies." And then realizing that the bitch already died and that didn't go so well for him, his tone totally changes and he sings, "I better help her out."
At der Zauber Kasten, Giles worries that he's made the wrong decision: "Will this do a thing to change her? / Am I leaving Dawn in danger? / Is my Slayer too far gone to care?" Oh! And when he hits the lower register on those last notes, it really hits my lower register, if you know what I mean, and I can't think how you wouldn't. I really wish they had pushed him into the lower range more. Xander's all, "We have to go!" only he rhymes and is in song. Anya agrees, "Beady eyes is right, we're needed!" They leave to go find some fire to walk through, Xander grabbing his big leather coat but letting his girlfriend traipse out in a filmy little dress.
Buffy's on her way to walk through some fire or something, and she's all bitter that her friends don't know why she's all cold and unfeeling, but then doesn't think to tell them either.
Montage of shots of everyone finding them some fire to walk on through. Spike debates whether he should use a Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy approach or if a Cognitive Behavioral approach would work better with Buffy. "I'll kill her then I'll save her / No, I'll save her then I'll kill her."
Are we there yet? I don't know how long I can find different ways to say that everyone is going to the Bronze and singing about the damn fire. So. Gang. Walking through the park. Questin' for some fire. Goin' to the Bronze. Fire trucks roll behind them. Possibly on their way to walk through some fire.
Spike climbs a chain link fence and ends up outside the Bronze. He paces restlessly, waiting for his cue.
Buffy finally gets there and kicks the door in. Buffy! When you're dealing with fire, you're supposed to feel the door to see if it's warm! There's no need to be careless. "I love a good entrance," muses Sweet. "How are you at death scenes?" quips Buffy. She asks if he has a name. He replies, "I got a hundred." Sep: "I. Just. Need. ONE!" I was complaining to Ace that I hate it when they give us villains without names, because I didn't want to go on calling this guy "Tandoori Chicken Head Demon" for the whole recap, and then she told me that Entertainment Weekly said that his name was Sweet, and I didn't think that they would come up with a name lamer than "Tandoori Chicken Head Demon" but apparently they did. Buffy proposes a trade -- TCHD takes her to the underworld instead of Dawn, since she "can't kill [him]." Whuh? When did this come about? Buffy really isn't giving her all here. I'm not asking for much, but maybe it'd be nice for the Slayer to at least try to destroy the demons before declaring them invincible. Because from where I'm sitting, TCHD has done nothing to give her that impression. He didn't even get out of his chair! Who knew that the best defense against the Slayer was to just sit very quietly? TCHD counteroffers: He'll just kill Buffy and they'll call it even. She tells him that it "won't help." He's all, "Your worldview violates my sense of Zen." Buffy shrugs a "That's life" in response. In punishment, he makes her sing a song about life. Ooh! It looks like Buffy stopped off to change into something more presentable. Normally I'd complain, but I'm so in love with Buffy's red top with the drape-y neck and simple jeans that I just don't care.