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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wrecked

Spike: "I'm just saying vampires get you hot."
Buffy: "A vampire got me hot. One. But's he's gone. You're just... you're just... convenient."

Well, that was depressing. Or some of it was. Much of it was very interesting, too. Of course, an episode featuring James Marsters in the nude can't be all bad.

It's the morning after. Covered with cuts and bruises, Buffy and Spike moved on to hurting each other with words – and my goodness, Buffy was vicious. Spike kept his composure, but you could see how hurt he was.

Buffy needs to wake up and smell the hottie. She seems to have a picture in her mind of the type of man she wants, and because Spike doesn't fit the picture, she just can't accept that she has all these lusty feelings for him. He could actually give her almost everything she needs; even more than love, affection, sex, he is also the logical one to help her with her calling, and with the problems associated with raising Dawn alone. Sure, they're not going to read the newspaper together or go to the mall, but most of Buffy's life isn't like that anyway. So he's evil, and that's a problem. Or is it? Is he, really?

So things are different now. Spike knows what he knows ("You can act as high and mighty as you like, but I know where you live now, Slayer. I've tasted it") and he's not going to just let her treat him like dirt any more. Go, Spike.

Moving on to plot B, Willow finally crossed the line as far as I'm concerned. I have great sympathy for people struggling with addiction, but leaving the kid in the car while you get high – or worse, driving high with the kid in the car – is unforgivable. I think the only reason Buffy didn't throw her out of the house was her own guilt over the fact that she also didn't come home and was out boinking Spike. I wish Buffy wouldn't compare her transgression with Willow's. There is a world of difference between out of control addiction and a little healthy lust. Okay, it included the destruction of an innocent building, but still.

Alyson Hannigan was excellent in this episode. I still feel for her; it's hard being a Scooby. Xander has come to grips with not having powers, but Willow just can't, and you can see where she's coming from. "If you could be plain old Willow or super Willow, who would you be?" Indeed.

Bits and pieces:

— Go, Dawn. Someone needed to slap Willow.

— I was touched by Willow making Tara's clothes puff out into a Tara shape that she could hold.


— Gee, Amy disintegrated awfully quickly, considering she was magic-free for the past three years. Or was the fact that she was transformed during that time negate the getting-clean thing?

— What's Rack (or is it Wreck?) getting out of it? What is he sucking out of Willow? And was he same actor who played the vamp Buffy had to kill on her 18th birthday? (Note from later: Yes, it was. It was Jeff Kober.)

— The supervillain trio weren't in this episode. I guess we don't find out what the diamond is for quite yet.

— Anya seems to be trying for a different hairstyle and/or color in every episode.

Quotes:

Buffy: "When... When did the building fall down?"

Buffy: "Nothing's changed. It was a mistake."
Spike: "Bollocks! It was a bloody revelation. You can act as high and mighty as you like, but I know where you live now, Slayer. I've tasted it."


Xander: "Anya has a theory. She thinks that Martha Stewart froze that guy."
Anya: "Don't be ridiculous. Martha Stewart isn't a demon. She's a witch."
Xander: "Please, she... (pauses) Really?"
Anya: "Of course. Nobody could do that much decoupage without calling on the powers of darkness."

Dawn: "I'll leave a note for Buffy on the refrigerator. That's the first place she goes after patrolling. She's such a pig after she kills things."

Spike: "Someone should teach you how to use candles in foreplay, love."
Buffy: "Get dressed. Dawn's missing."
Spike: "Again? Ever think about a Lojack for the girl?"

Buffy: "Last night was the most perverse, degrading experience of my life."
Spike: "Yeah. Me too."

Willow: "The magic wasn't all great. I won't miss the nosebleeds and the headaches and stuff."
Buffy: "There you go."
Willow: "Or keeping stinky yak cheese in my bra. Don't ask."

This episode was good and bad, titillating and upsetting. I'm not going to try to rate it,

Billie
---
Billie Doux reviewed all of Buffy and Angel, so she knows the plural of apocalypse.

3 comments:

  1. The Spike/Buffy development is really compelling, mostly because I see them work as a couple, even more than with Angel. And after "Fool for love", you can't doubt Spike.

    However, the Willow storyline is terribly delivered. The comparison with drugs is way too heavy handed, despite HAnnigan's great performance.

    Season 6 has its ups and downs, and this is definitely a down.

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  2. Loved the final scene with garlic strands on the window of...Buffy, and the shot of her holding the cross. Ostensibly to keep Spike out.

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  3. Oh, Wrecked, how hated thou art.

    You know, this could've been a terrific episode if it weren't for the heavy handedness of the drug metaphor. But it's not a bad episode at all. In fact, if you look at it as an allegory instead of a metaphor, it works.

    I can see people using magic to get high. People pay vampires to feed on them, a concept that is more explored on Angel (I won't say more because spoilers). I'd say Rack's "crack house" is the equivalent of that business with vampires, and a natural expansion of the Buffyverse magical world.

    "Wrecked" fails to rise higher on the second half when Willow becomes addicted too quickly. When she is on her way to the movies with Dawn, she is already acting like a stereotypical irresponsible girl. It would've been nicer to see more conflict, a more nuanced transition.

    But, you know, as a whole it's a good episode. Buffy and Spike's interactions are a must. Buffy really needs to step down from her pedestal of purity. "It was the most disgusting...", oh, Buffy, stop, you had sex, you wanted it, he wanted it, you both had a great time, move the hell on.

    "Bollocks. It was a bloody revelation." I love this line from Spike.

    Okay, it included the destruction of an innocent building, but still.

    Hee. And I agree that Buffy shouldn't compare her transgression with Willow's.

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