• During this ep, Buffy, who'd been previously gung ho Riley, rejects him in the beginning bedroom scene and in the Fry Cook discussion and at the cemetery.  Riley tells her she "wants" to stay down in the Dark Place, the same theme that Spike will hit on in the future.  You belong in the dark with me.  Bottom line - their relationship is Doomed.
• There's an earthquake and Buffy is doomed eventually.
• Spike figures he's Doomed as a vampire and tries to kill himself.
• Spike finds out that he can kill demons, which cheers him up but as a result, he is Doomed.
• Willow spends a great deal of time lying to Buffy about where she's been lately.  Her love affair -- well, it's Doomed.
• I don't think Xander is Doomed yet, but maybe since his pipes start leaking.  (Why is that such a popular Buffy metaphor?)   He does save Spike's hide at the High School, but maybe he's just saving his Hawaiian shirt.
• This ep also features the shortest apocaplyse in the Buffyverse.

• Initial scene, Buffy and Riley are making out.  I asked myself, what's taking this guy so long?  Does he need a Viagra or something?
• Buffy's birthday party isn't so bad.  The writers must have been drinking too much tequila.
• Giles spends the entire ep getting embarrased.  He can't find Buffy when he wants her.  He finds out that Spike knew about the Initiative and Buffy didn't bother to tell him.  He gets insulted by Maggie Walsh, gets tricked by his old buddy Ethan R, is forced to ask Spike for help and is nearly killed by his own Slayer.
• Spike is in fine form - stealing Xander's radio right in front of him, hitting up Xander for money for a room with an honor bar, measuring crypts with a tape measure, threatening to tell Buffy what Giles has gotten himself into, chatting up barmaids while insulting Giles for being old and wrecking Giles' ridiculous car.  Good times.
• Xander is revealed to be a slug abed and Anya tries to give Spike his lamp (Metaphor alert). 
• Buffy has her first clash with the Initiative when Riley informs her that she can't come with him to catch Ethan.  She reveals her murderous little heart when she threatens to kill Ethan. 
• Once again Walsh, encourages Riley's relationship with Buffy.  Why?  Does Walsh know that Buffy is the Slayer before Riley tells her?  There's no indication, but considering how jealous Walsh is and how she's keeping such close tabs on her other experiment, Riley, it might be possible.
• Notice how long it takes Riley to check about Giles apartment?  Giles rampages out at 10:00 a.m. or before and Riley doesn't show up until after dark.  Then he acts like he doesn't know who lives there.  Huh? 
• Death of Giles' car - Doom must have carried over from the previous week.
• Was anyone else squicked by Buffy straddling Giles while she's trying to kill him?  Ew.

Thanks for starting the new episode discussion - was hoping we would start up again.

I will watch episode tomorrow - is it just me, or do the sex scenes between Buffy and Riley come across as "trying to hard" - for all the upper nudity, passionate kisses, and wrapped together bodies - Spike and his pick-up girl in "Sleeper" with just their talk and kissing foreplay are way more sexy - James Marsters, when he throws his head back and we see him reacting to her breathe and kisses with his eyes closed - it is a wonderful sexual display.  You have to watch that scene in the screencaps to really get what is being done in their performance.

 

INT. XANDER'S BASEMENT - NIGHT (PREVIOUSLY SCENE B)

Xander enters from the door at the top of the stairs, wearing his uniform and cap, and finishing a slice of pizza. There's a jaunt in his step, a tune in his heart, the picture of unsuspecting innocence.

He reaches the bottom of the stairs and freezes.

XANDER'S P.O.V. - the room is in huge disarray -- all the damage from earlier, and then some. A mangled ironing board stands in the middle of the room. Clothing lies scattered around, some of it wet. Suds cling to the side of the washer. Detergent is spilled an the floor. The dripping pipe is still evident and the bucket is now full and overflowing.

ON XANDER, stunned.

Then, from behind, he hears an urgent and ominous voice:

Xander turns and sees Spike (we don't yet). He blanches and his expression turns to one of extreme revulsion. It's bad.

SPIKE

Now we see him. He's barefoot, wearing cutoffs and one of Xander's Hawaiian shirts.

Spike holds up his regular shirt, now teeny-weeny. Xander can barely contain himself. He bursts out laughing.

Spike sits on the sofa, dejected. The cutoffs ride up. He stands back up, tugs them into place.

Xander looks at realizes he's wearing his dopey uniform.

Spike slams his hand down on the ironing board, breaking it further.

Spike calls after him.

We hear the door SLAM, and with that, the drippy pipe above and behind Spike COMES APART and drenches him in rusty water. He disbelievingly takes in his soaking form for a moment, then lets out a ROAR filled with despair and outrage.

NICE JOB with the Xander-Spike -

Anyone have some comments about Giles and his persona as a demon?  I positively loved the interaction between Giles/Fyarl especially their scene in the Citroen.  That scene tells so much about what Spike's transformation journey - not only about Spike, but how Giles sees Spike and how "the soul theme" is vital to how Giles and his teachings, along with Angel/Angelus' imprint on Buffy, will effect Spike's relationship  to such detriment after his declaration of love.

I love how the titles are used in these two chapters - "Doomed" for all the efforts that Buffy and Riley go through to "make it work" is really, IMO, the beginning of the end for them.  And "The New Man" serves as a great description for Adam, Riley's temporary exit from the Initiative and Spike's journey. 

If I recall correctly, Spike finally kills Giles poor car, his means of getting around, by being cocky and distracted.  Destroying that car works for the wreck that Giles becomes throughout the season with his disconnect and distance from being Buffy's Watcher - Giles literally has No Place To Be or Get To.  Spike's life is also a total wreck that he has to learn how to survive.  And is that like the ugliest car ever?  I love this line:  GILES: If you can't find third gear, don't try for third gear!

I am so curious about what Joss Whedon and this new writer are going to take Buffy - This character is in serious need to "Growing Up and Moving On Time."   Anyone know of any discussion from the writers or JW about the nature of the Riley-Buffy relationship?  Buffy without any doubt declares her love for Riley so many times and yet for so many viewers, like myself, it always came across as not quite honest, that the character does not understand her own motivations.  She clearly thinks of Riley as the appropriate role model for the life she wants and as the answer to Angel/Angelud - Riley feels more like he was her project.