Wild At Heart

* Aly does a great job at crying. And Seth Green is one heck of an actor. Both of them are amazing.

* Oz is attracted to Veruca. There was passion there, raw, animal kind of passion. That passion was not in Willow/Oz. Oz is in love with Willow, she's the love of his life, he never fell for anyone the way he fell for Willow. But there was no passion and desire. It's was very sweet and pure between him and Willow.

*Oz ' mistake was not telling anyone about Veruca being a werewolf, but the reason Oz lied was because he WAS attracted to Veruca. The second mistake was him leaving Willow like that without talking to her about it. I think Oz sees Willow as this helpless, breakable little girl, whom he should shield and protect. It's obvious from his worry in Fear, Itself about Willow handling magic.

*I don't think Oz brought up the Xander/Willow stuff to hurt Willow, he just wanted her to understand that he knows how she felt. And it did break my heart when Willow called Oz a jerk. I don't think I can ever call Oz that.

*Willow is very cute in this episode.

*Who didn't get lusty feelings at Oz' angry yell at Veruca? SEXY!!

*Buffy is a wonderful friend. Really loved how she hugged a crying Willow to her chest. After all the times Willow had hugged her for her Angel angsty moments, it's time Buffy returns the favor. I remember someone who said that Buffy wasn't there for Willow when she and Oz broke up, I don't think they watched this episode when saying that.

*Finally, Willow decided that she had a friend called Xander. Lol. Poor guy all forgotten in that dank, dark basement. Xander looked very cute in this episode, I feel sad for him though, it doesn't seem like everyone is taking him seriously these days. Ever since the writers decided he's nothing but a comic relief, the other characters also started treating him like that. Notice how Buffy ignored his "I'd like to dream that some college girls find townie guys attractive" coz she was more interested in what Willow and Oz had to say. I guess it was put there for laughs.

*Poor Giles. All alone and bored. I thought Xander's comment about him escaping his lovely house was rude. But these are the Scoobies, especially Xander and Buffy, always sarcastic. Makes them more fun to watch.

*"I just hope she doesn't take me as her model." Buffy talking about how she handled losing Angel, admitting that what she did wasn't wise by running away, not calling her mom and friends to tell them she's alive and alright but needed time to cope. Loved that. But even though Willow wasn't gonna run away, she was going to do stupid stuff, see Something Blue.

Oz lied was because he WAS attracted to Veruca. - okay Oz and Veruca together are hot!  Willow and Oz together are lame.  Their relationship has the same qualities that Willow's and Xander's friendship has.  No sex appeal and really I think that's coming from Willow.

Buffy helping Willow through the breakup - Really Buffy gives Willow good advice and does look out for her, but her duties get in the way.  Also, Buffy is looking through the other end of the telescope.  She's been through the bad part of breaking up and can see what has to happen before you can accept and move on. 

In some respects, both Willow and Buffy are susceptible to the "escape and run" mode:  Willow in Something Blue and Buffy in her Riley Mr. Normal attachment.  The pain and heartache that is a part of love and life can't be escaped and I think that both young women are in this mode during this arc.  While Oz and his Veruca arc came about due to his leaving the series, it works great as a plot device for bringing in the "primal instincts" theme and how these will show up with  Willow and Buffy and Spike as well.  How these three primary characters will try and get on with their lives.  Buffy, with her horrendous experience with Angel/Angelus, Willow with her first deep love, and Spike we how he can survive at all - love, needs, desires and fundamental physical survival.

Oz also tried to ignore his primal demon - the metaphor works perfectly with the inner demons that all the characters have to struggle with, now and Big Time in the coming episodes.  Oz going to Tibet fits so well with his character and his demon struggle - The Eastern philosophies do offer a pathway to learning how to transform and control much of the negative aspects of human consciousness and world views. 

Interesting how in the comic seasons - Buffy takes her Slayer army back to Oz and the theme of using Eastern World Views to control what is happening to her Slayer army.