Buffy The Vampire Slayer 6x13 Dead Things Reaction

[@natbatlightwood5288]

That end scene with Buffy and Tara is one of the best in the whole series. Scenes like this are why i wish they had more scenes together, cause honestly i'd argue Tara was a better friend to her than the others were. I can't comment on Warren, Jonathan, and Andrew without spoiling anything. But for me, this episode was when i lost all patience for Jonathan as a character. He was already annoying me after the invisibility gun and he knew Warren tried to vaporise Buffy. Up until Katrina called what they did this episode exactly what it was, he was all for everything they were doing.

[@caitlin329]

Buffy shouting at Spike whilst she punches him reminds me of Faith during the body swap- she's angry at herself as much as anything. 'You can't feel anything' etc.

[@julesreacts]

Yes, same! That's what I mentioned in the outro 😊

[@JuneJaneb4]

Unfortunately, when she is angry at herself, someone else suffers because of it.

[@shanepeppard3854]

⁠@@JuneJaneb4Let’s not go down this road 😂 You can say the same about every other character if that’s the case. They’ve all been angry at themselves and someone suffered because of it. Especially Spike.

[@paulhammond6978]

I think the way the three nerdy boys progress from being silly and funny to being horrible and dangerous is very much part of the point of the story of this Season. Warren is the worst - I think that moment when Katrina accuses them all of rape is such a good scene - the other two have never realised it in that way until then. And Tara's scenes with Buffy in this episode, along with her scenes with Dawn earlier, even though she had broken up with Willow. Well, Tara really is the sweetest and kindest main character in the Buffy universe. This episode is tough, but so good.

[@jamiec9507]

I love how you can remember the name of the random security guard Rusty, but not Andrew 😂

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

The other one...?

[@tomleonard830]

It is so funny anytime that people forget his name and refer to him as the other guy/one. And I love that you are doing it, even if it is not on purpose.

[@alanbeers4808]

Watching Tara and Buffy at the end there and can't help remembering you shouting "She's a demon!" about Tara when she sabotaged the "finding demons" spell right back in S4. She was never part demon but is a whole angel!

[@talesyuki]

15:09 I don't think Dawn wanted Buffy to go. I feel it's more like she is pissed because she thinks BUFFY wants to go away. Away from her. Away from life. Etc. Poor girl, she really goes through it.

[@mhorrighan]

again very pleasantly surprised at how insightful you are. when I watched this for the first time (more than 2 decades ago) I was so deeply in love with Spike that I ignored all those red flags about their extremely toxic relationship and Buffys deteriorating mental state. you also made a very good prediction I'm not going to repeat because spoilers. regarding the trio - you were meant to find them funny and ridiculous. makes watching their descent into darkness so much more uncomfortable. if three nerdy boys can become so warped and wrong what hides behind other - seemingly normal - people? love that you love Tara. she is a very gentle soul and i will always treasure her. you remind me of her to be honest

[@3cho_dimension285]

" Are you drowning or waving, I just want you to save me" 🎶🎶

[@grife3000]

I don't know if you're meming or not, but it's hilarious you remember Rusty the security guard's name and not Tucker's brother. One of my favorite Spike moments is when he declares that they'll never find the body and they immediately announce they found the body. He's a master of screwing up horribly.

[@julesreacts]

I definitely did not remember Andrew's name 🤣 I know it now though, but I find it hilarious that I couldn't remember it for SO long hahaha

[@circling-girl]

One of my favorite episodes of the show, though it's incredibly painful to watch. The vivid, unflinching way they portray Buffy's depression has only been rivaled in media or art by Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me imo. As someone who has dealt with clinical depression since I was a teenager, this season hits SO HARD for me. It really gets into the ugliness of it, so many things romanticize it, and this season just refuses to pull punches in any way. Especially in portraying the harm you can do to others when you just hate yourself and the way you feel every single day. You absolutely nailed it when you brought up the parallel to Faith beating Buffy/herself. So glad you really get it! And that scene with Tara is just perfect. Really can't gush over how much I love this season enough.

[@bugsby4663]

In a season about the horror of real life means the trio are the perfect villains for this season. The most horrible things we face come from such mundane people and circumstances. Warren is truly vile and the other two are so unable to function in real life. I sometimes wish Jonathan had become part of the scoobies as he has always been a loner. I think Spike, who is essentially the sensitive poet he was as a human, does love Buffy but as he has no soul, it is a selfish, destructive love. The end scene is heartbreaking. I love the fact that Jules remembers Rusty, how beautiful.

[@arc7375]

Buffy atop Spike, hitting him while calling him all the things he his, which is what she believes herself to be is very reminiscent of Faith atop Buffy in season 4, where Faith was beating her face, projecting all the things she hates about herself. I’m so glad you caught it! And in-keeping with their dynamic as mirror images of each other (Buffy with love and support, family and making all the righteous decisions in life vs Faith with no-one, alone and making the bad decisions in life) both arrive at a crisis in their lives where they each fight a vampire they have a grudge against, crying their hearts out while stating everything about themselves that they hate. An ensouled Buffy beats a soulless Spike, stating that he (and she) is disgusting, soulless and cannot feel anything. And she begs Tara to not forgive her. A damaged-souled Faith beats an ensouled Angel, stating he (and she) are bad, evil, and don’t know what evil is. And she begs Angel to kill her.

[@Scripture-Man]

This episode is dark and scary. Perhaps the scariest thing of all is the absence of Giles. Things felt much more safe when he was around.

[@Axetwin]

You, like Buffy, like the rest of us fell into the trap. Not taking The Trio seriously, and this episode changes everything. It suddenly takes a turn for the serious and the power dynamic of The Trio has shifted. The double punch of having the R-word thrown in his face and then Warren taking things too far was a huge wake up call for Johnathan. All he ever wanted was to just belong and have friends. It's why he gets along with Andrew more than Warren, because Andrew feels the same. However, Andrew unlike Johnathan is intrigued and thrilled by the idea of getting away with murder instead of being horrified by it. Warren is a complete sociopath. The Trio is no longer the comedy relief but actual villains willing and capable of causing real harm. They are now dangerous.

[@zemoxian]

It’s not unrelatable. Sure her particular circumstances of being ripped from heaven isn’t something most people have experienced. But what she’s going through-the depression and self hatred-people experience that all the time. I find season six the most relatable season to my own experience. I was first diagnosed with depression in my adolescence and four decades later, I’m still struggling. Periods of my life has felt like hell on Earth. It’s a terrible existence.

[@judson9223]

Sarah Michelle Gellar found the dark themes of season 6 challenging and, in particular, disliked the direction Buffy's character took in this episode. She said the character just didn't feel like a hero anymore. She is amazing and obviously indispensable to the show's mastery; but, on this particular matter, I disagree with her. This episode is top 10 for me! Loved that they were willing to go this dark with a heroic character, THE main character. It ties perfectly into the season's larger story of Buffy finding day to day living a struggle and this season's grounded and human villains. It is also so important that, after defeating the most powerful gods and demons, Buffy is now tested with a struggle that is almost entirely internal.

[@zemoxian]

I’m glad the show went there. It’s very relatable to my own experience of decades of suffering. I remember struggling when the show was on air and waiting for another episode was one of the things lee me going.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Partly that was because Joss wasn't there (also managing Angel and Firefly) and she asked him to involve himself more in the show rather than Jane 'Suicide Girl' Espenson

[@Mrs.Watcher]

​@@MrLorenzovanmatterho In an interview James Marsters talked about Joss asking the writers to delve into some dark personal experiences to write for the show. If that's true, Joss wasn't exactly detached from the dark themes of this season. Less hands on, but still involved.

[@alooncnej4696]

I love her but she doesn't have good tastes sometimes or good point of view, it was si well done and audacious to show how is Buffy then her death. She has no feelings and they deal with it perfectly. And even she is a hero she is human so she lives hard moments and did wrong things too, and it was not the first time that's why Buffy is such a great character.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

@@Mrs.Watcher Yes and you see that many times, Happy Anniversary for instance but JE just took things so dark

[@rotru4977]

I'm a simple girl. Buffy cries, I cry. Also I just hate Warren. Probably more than any other villain in the Buffyverse.

[@julesreacts]

Yeah, he is just gross 😩 I really, really don't like him.

[@rotru4977]

@@julesreacts he's the original incel...

[@JhadeSagrav]

I, too, am a simple girl. 😭😭😭

[@23catzilla]

@@julesreacts The demons and vampires were created evil. Warren, the Mayor, Ethen Rayne and Snyder chose to be evil. That is the true face of evil.

[@dallassukerkin6878]

Aye, I think it's because it's an evil that is potentially more close to our experiences in non-fantasy mortal life. It cuts to the bone because it's something that we can visualise more easily than a world-consuming demon god.

[@evatesche]

Top 10 episode for me. SMG knocks it out of the park as usually.

[@MB.543]

I do love season 6, but it is very tough to watch at times. This is definitely one of those times.

[@thepudgyninja]

One might even say most of the time. I do think it's a good season, but it's a tough time for our heroes.

[@julesreacts]

Yeah, it is SO much harder on the emotions than the other seasons 😔

[@texn7526]

Man she is such a great actress!🤩Amazing episode thanks so much Juliette🥰

[@julesreacts]

My pleasure, Texman!! Have an awesome weekend 😊💜

[@MatthewSnell-zh3cd]

Warren is the worst kind of villain because he's a human villain. He is vile. Anyway, have a great weekend!

[@julesreacts]

He is DISGUSTING. Thank you, Matthew! You too 😊

[@MatthewSnell-zh3cd]

@julesreacts ❤️🙂👍

[@jasonmeade955]

Definitely the most vile of all the villains. With all the other villains, they at least had the excuse of not having a soul. Warren has no such excuse.

[@Neil_Hanson]

​@@jasonmeade955We've had human, soul having villains before now.

[@Emburbujada]

Like you said, the scene when Buffy is puching Spike is similar to the one with Faith, but if you'll notice, also Spike's behaviour mirrors Faith's: he thinks he can just dispose of the body and that solves the problem, and he can't understand why Buffy won't accept that. He also uses Faith's arguments, if Buffy has saved so many people, one dead girl doesn't matter. I think a lot of that makes Buffy feel so bad about being with him. She's never believed things are that way, and she can't just let go of her values, otherwise, she really would be "wrong" I feel so bad for Kathrina. She's not even getting justice. And I do have to question the coroner. How does he rule it a suicide when she was hit in the back of the head?

[@thestoicsoliloquies4041]

To be fair, the Sunnydale coroner is very overworked and probably if he was any good to begin with there would be a lot of unexplainable murders in that town. We also know the police know a little bit, as Snyder was discussing with the police in "School Hard" about we can't tell the truth, go with drugs. It is conceivable the coroner is told to pass a lot of these mystery murders through as suicides or accidents.

[@SutraRein-xy4qr]

She beat the living crap outta him and yet he still called out to her....

[@julesreacts]

And he never hit her back when she was beating him, even though he could... 😢

[@NicholasCorvin]

@@julesreacts *As a REAL man you don't hit a woman. NEVER.* ⬅🔥😈🔥

[@garymcallister4128]

The most evil villain is one with a soul. Ultimate irony, a staple of the Buffyverse.

[@alanmackie6180]

Definitely the episode where The Trio Crossed the line from comedy villains to something evil. They manipulated Buffy's sense of decency so she obviously didn't come back as wrong as she thought.

[@xenosaga8436]

I think Spike does really love her. He brings flowers after she lost her mom without signing the card. He was wiling to let Glory torture and/or kill him to protect Dawn. He gains nothing from that if he's dead. Regardless of whether or not they have a healthy relationship, I think he does care.

[@arc7375]

“It’s wrong. _I’m_ wrong. Tell me that I’m wrong, _please!_ […] _please_ don’t forgive me!” - Buffy. “I’m evil! I’m _bad!_ I’m _evil!_ Do you hear me? I’m _bad!_ […] Angel _please_ just do it. Just kill me…” - Faith

[@SutraRein-xy4qr]

Gotta say it’s one of my favourite episodes. So inventive in how it was shot if nothing else.

[@deggsymarley]

Someone vulnerable experiencing coercive control , is usually isolated from friends, glad Buffy has reach out at last

[@spamfilter32]

This episode is when the Trio show that they truly are something evil. It is hammered home when Katrina calls them r- - - sts, which is exactly what they planned. That it wasn't ok to do that. Jonathan's lack of understanding of what it was that they planned to do actually, reminded me of Superstar, at the end, when Jonathan said that the twins wouldn't talk to him anymore. He had actually r- - - ed them, because his magic had taken away their free will. The group dynamic has started to crumble since the invisibility gun and Warren tried to kill Buffy. And now Jonathan has realized he is way over his head. But it is too late now, he is a kidnaper, a r- - - ist, and murderer. Notice that Warren is the driving force in the group. He has been lying to them. He lied to them about how he got the bank robbing demon to leave (he wasn't supposed to give up the Slayer, but he told the demon her address), he lied to them about using the invisibility gun to kill Buffy. And he lied to them about what he really wanted to use the cerebral dampener for. He chose that restaurant BECAUSE he knew Katrina was going to be there. He also lied about sharing her with them when he was done with her. He doesn't come across as the kind of guy who shares things with anyone.

[@chanceneck8072]

12:17 Dang it, every time. 😅 I HATE when she says that....

[@Gaydunaway]

This episode made Tara my favourite character. The warmth and non-judgment she shows Buffy is so beautiful. I first saw this episode while I was going through a depression and related to Buffy begging for a simple explanation for why she was feeling and acting the way she was, and seeing Tara just hold her and accept her was so comforting to me. Even today I always feel just a little bit better when Tara is on screen, like I can feel my shoulders drop and my blood pressure lower.

[@ernesthakey3396]

"Do you love him? It's okay if you do. And it's okay if you don't." ❤️

[@becca1189]

I agree. This is a rough episode. In a completely different way than most of the others, like "The Body". This is very much Buffy's internal battle. That & having how dangerous The Trio is being hammered home. Particularly chilling in that, magic aside, what they're doing are things that people have actual done. Of course, the show uses magic as a metaphor for drugs & in that sense it's spot on. Lovely reaction, as always!! See you for Angel! ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@DanielOrme]

Buffy's ferocious self-judgement is a well-established part of her character. Way back in Season 2's I Only Have Eyes For You she identifies herself with Ghost James and so refuses to offer him any forgiveness because she can't forgive herself. Even after experiencing forgiveness via ghost proxy and hearing Giles' wise words ("To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It's not done because people deserve it, it's done because they need it.") she still says she still can't understand why James was forgiven. When she has to send Angel to hell, her guilt is so great she has to run away. When she finds her mother's body, she tortures herself with the idea that she could have done something to save her. When Dawn is taken by Glory, just the memory of having a momentary thought of giving up and letting Dawn die is enough to hurl her into catatonia. So it's no surprise that she ends this episode by begging to NOT be forgiven. Thank goodness for Tara, whose soulful warmth and understanding (the things Spike, who does love Buffy, can't give her) are the only things that can balance Buffy's despair.

[@ezmarelazela5008]

@@DanielOrme beautifully put ❤️‍🔥

[@JuneJaneb4]

She doesn't let him show affection and care. He was able to understand her even back in s5. And understand Willow even 1 year before that. But she runs from it, like she is scared that she may feel smth if it's not only about s/x. At the same time she complains that she is using him only for that when she herself doesn't let it be anything more. She blames him that he is a thing and a monster telling him that every day, if you tell this to a person every day he will be it for sure, at the same time she doesn't let him be anything more. Because again, she wants to see only it. It's easier than explaining to yourself why a vampire without a soul is the way he is. He thanked her in the s5 finale that she treated him like a man. And it was important to him. But now there is another narrative. She has lot of unresolved anger and she translates everything into s/x. They make her act like an animal while she claims that he is such. Most of the aggression we see now comes from her side, she initiates most of it just like she initiates s/x. Creating a strong connection between these 2 things. The author started their relationship this way and every episode they make sure to add more to that idea. Including not only this scene in the alley but also when she bites Spike. What's interesting is that seems like Spike an actual vampire doesn't bite her. He has control over himself.

[@johnway2699]

SMG is such a good actress!

[@NanaAphesis]

You're such a sweet and sensitive girl...I'm loving your reactions to my favorite TV series of my teen years👏💯🖤

[@julesreacts]

Nana, thank you!! That's so nice of you to say 😊

[@kurtvc555]

Hello Juliette. Are you also planning to watch the series Dollhouse? (which is from the same writers and directors as Buffy, Angel and Firefly) It also has several actors from those shows as stars / guest stars.

[@julesreacts]

I've heard good things about that! I'd very much like to!

[@TheUltrahypnotoad]

Nobody reacts to Dollhouse. I think it deserves more love.

[@killianlpc]

@@TheUltrahypnotoad Whedon's most underrated show. Eliza Dushku is brilliant in it.

[@killianlpc]

@@julesreacts Jules you should def do it. Eliza Dushku ( Faith ) is brilliant in it. So many familiar Buffyverse actors in it. It was way ahead of its time.

[@tonydeluna8095]

Buffy Friday! Hello Juliette! Hope you have an amazing weekend!

[@JoeThornhill]

I guess I've seen enough Doctor Who to instantly recognize the whole scene at 9:30 was some localized time jumping/fluctuation. And with the white hole scene in Red Dwarf.

[@rogertemple7193]

It's time for more of Buffy today and ready to see what those three guys Warren, Jonathan and Andrew are going to do next to Buffy as well as whats going on with Buffy and Spike. Have a great weekend and take care my friend Juliette.🧋🎄🇦🇺

[@Pottsylird]

the ending of this episode destroys me. to see buffy on her knees pleading to not be forgiven by tara tears my heart apart.

[@nachofilament294]

This episode really buried classic stories that romanticize "love potions" and "love spells." I don't think I've seen anything made after this show that made use of those devices.

[@ruth2141]

If you have ever lost anyone to violence, you know that part of the grief is that it wasn't part of some grand evil plan. It usually happens because someone was stupid, careless and thoughtless.

[@menachemsalomon]

The similarities between Buffy and Faith are more than just the beating up on Spike scene. Faith also killed someone (or rather, Faith actually accidentally killed someone, where Buffy only thought she had), then tried -- and failed -- to drown the body, in much the same way Spike did. And Faith has used a a line very similar to the one Spike used to try to convince Buffy to ignore the accident: "How many are alive because of you?" Faith (in _Consequences,_ S3x15) said, "How many people do you think we've saved by now, thousands?" The beats are slightly different, but I think the similarities are intentional. In case you don't get that Buffy was feeling rather Faith-like, the story elements are there to remind you of Faith, to have her in mind so the fight scene lands the way it is meant to. And now maybe we have a little more empathy for Faith: Severely depressed as she was, she latched on to the first person to show her true kindness and drag her out of her black mood, embracing his evil cause quickly allowing her to assuage her guilt. Not unlike Anakin Skywalker, actually, both seeming to fall to the Dark Side much quicker than one might think.

[@spamfilter32]

That ending, really hits hard. It really puts us right there with her. SMG is an amazing actress.

[@interstellardave]

Catching up to your reactions… just wanted to say that Tara is the moral center of this show. The one incorruptible person in the series. She’s there for anyone who needs her even when she’s not part of their daily lives anymore. I just love her!

[@julesreacts]

I love her, too!!

[@themediater]

So I enjoy Spike the character most of the time up to around this point and the actor is obviously very charming and likeable but to me Season 6 does start to feel like the Buffy and Spike show. It coincides with starting to feel like there are less cool demons and such as well with the villains being the three nerds. I really like how Tara reacts to the stuff at the end of this episode, she'd be a great friend to have in a crisis. Buffy breaking down is so heartbreaking.

[@CarlFischer-j4l]

I've been binging your series for weeks now. Finally all caught up. Which is a huge problem. If you could just watch and edit every angel and buffy series tomorrow that would be great.... thanks for the content!

[@julesreacts]

Ooh no worries, Carl! I'll get right on that 😅

[@alooncnej4696]

I love the tracks it matchs perfectly with the scenes.

[@chanceneck8072]

I love this show....

[@julesreacts]

🥰🥰

[@christianschoff2490]

Jonathan was being sarcastic. From this moment onwards he's never fully onboard with the others and he feels horrible. He was never really evil, just lonely.

[@julesreacts]

Poor Jonathan... I like him.

[@willw6504]

Once again, Buffy acts like killing a human is the worst thing she could possibly do... when she's done so before. She killed ten human Knights while fleeing Glory. Why "accidental killing in self defense" is worse than "actual killing in self defense" I will never know.

[@McCrispyTaco]

This is probably the darkest episode in the entire series in my opinion. Some really gruesome topics, definitely not one i would rewatch.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Who else totally ships the burgeoning Buffy/Tara friendship? Taffy anyone?

[@tomswift3482]

Hello, Jules. 💜 A very grim, dark episode here today. Some excellent scenes, especially between Buffy and Tara - emotionally wrought, with some fine acting by both. 🥰 Just as you finish your wish for Buffy to have some alone time, the show goes against your wishes. I realize, as a couple of commentators keep posting, over, and over again, that Spike is a vampire, and therefore "evil", but his bit, at 7:57, is like a betrayal to what he seems to have been trying to achieve for a number of episodes now. Going away from the idea that there is more to him than vampire, he instead just dumps it and tries to convince Buffy that she is almost worse than him because she is denying her inherent evilness. Your later point, that Spike loves Buffy, is true, from Spike's point of view, is well taken, and I agree. It may not match a casual observer's standards, but from his own point of view, it's true and sincere. 🙌 Some of the dialogue and actions in this one also seems very familiar - Spike and Buffy, outside the police station - he "took care of it", the math problem - so many saved versus one mistake - seems like lines taken from back when Faith killed the - who was it - the Mayor's assistant? accidentally, and tried to cover it up by taking care of it - dumping the body in some water someplace. Then, subsequently telling Giles, Buffy did it, as Warren, Jonathan, and the other dude, try to foist the blame on Buffy here. 🤔 And, too, as you mention - at 23:36 - where you recall and compare, the fight with Spike, to the fight between body swapped Faith and Buffy. Which takes it out of the foreshadowing category, straight into cut and paste. 🤭 Yes, Buffy made the right choice by talking to Tara - who is the closest to an adult, and the only non shallow entity amongst Buffy's circle., offering help and an ear, as opposed to empty platitudes. Warren, "the other guy", and Jonathon, aren't big bads, just evil - Warren by being a serial, Jonathan by remaining weak and easily forced, and the other guy simply by becoming a Warren toady. Something very appropriate needs to happen to each of them. One thing which struck me as I watched this today, which, I imagine, many Whedon Fanaticals will disagree, something reviled becomes beloved in a future Whedon offering. Have a very fine Saturday, Jules 💜🤗💜- It's going out or takeaway Saturday for you, It was Laundro and takeaway for me tonight, So I hope you enjoy your day, the same, or more, than I did. Be Well. 😊

[@KeatonWarner1]

👍

[@MetalMike38]

Just my opinion, as we all know Buffy was torn out of a place where she was happy and forced back into a life where things are much harder now that her mom and Giles are gone. And I can’t help but feel like she no longer trusts her friends as much as she did because they are the ones responsible. They did it with good intentions obviously without really understanding what the consequences would be for her. They took her out of a place where she was happy and even though she gets why they did it, it still hurts her. She never thought they would do this to her. The ones she loves did this to her and put her in this state of mind and that may have changed the way she sees them a little. Then there’s Spike, someone she knows is generally evil. He may be helping out fighting demons, but as we saw when he thought his chip was no longer working, he didn’t hesitate to try and kill an innocent woman. And yet he loves her. And because she knows deep down what he is, she may feel a little safer and more trusting around him. That’s just my amateur opinion though.

[@trufamilybromontqc]

I hate Warren

[@Neil_Hanson]

Who doesn't?

[@ernesthakey3396]

He's way worse than Parker.

[@trufamilybromontqc]

@@ernesthakey3396 definitely

[@biffstrong1079]

Turning dark again. Now poor Buffy thinks she came back wrong. She doesn't have her mother. She has to care for Dawn, make a living and save the world. I'm surprised Joyce made enough at the gallery to handle all the day to day expenses. Dad should still be paying child support and yes they should have sold the house and downsized. The boys are bad. Warren is a creep. Spike is evil but he is also unfortunately an idiot. He took care of the body indeed. Now Im no fan of Spike but he does love people though not generally in a healthy way. He loved Drusilla and I believe he loves Buffy. Poor buffy looking for people not to make allowances for her because she is the slayer. Looking for a moral compass.

[@trexinvert]

Where is Giles? We need him.

[@julesreacts]

WE TOTALLY DO!

[@DanielDeis-qb7ko]

I know you love Buffy the vampire slayer. I love it too. There is another vampire show I use to watch. I don't know if you have seen it. It's called Forever Knight. It's older than Buffy. You might enjoy that one. It's about an 800 year old vampire.

[@matthewquinn6172]

This episode is just…ick. Bad vibes. Sad vibes. And it really just brings you down. I absolutely love season 6, but the themes of depression and addiction get so dark. It can be hard to watch at times. If it helps, season 7 has some lighter moments so it’s something to look forward to.

[@NerdySwede]

SInce I am a sucker for misery this is one of my favorite episodes lol. I LOVE Tara with all my heart, and another reason she wouldn't tell anyone about Spike and Buffy is because of a cut exchange in the end, where she says "Sweeetie I'm a fag, I've been there". I wished that lined could've been kept honestly.

[@1matrix9]

31 pages left in the book of Buffy and I'll say what many of us feel. When we watched this series when it first aired we all wish Juliette was with us. I'm not trying to make her a senior like myself, but she is the perfect partner.

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

The reason the trio are such an uncomfortable reveal as bad guys is because its been a central theme of the show that people are basically good and monsters are basically bad. The central theme of this arc is that no monster is required for people to be monsters to other people - vampires and demons are almost cartoonish in the face of humans deciding to do really bad things to other humans. And Spike's arc is the inverse - sometimes the 'monsters' are capable of being better than what they are made to be .

[@ashleytuchin7693]

Man, this is such an uncomfortable episode to watch, but that's the point, isn't it? This is the episode where the Trio go from comedy relief villains, to properly vile. As for Buffy and Spike, you could fill a text book with their toxic relationship. That scene in the Bronze is probably the most disturbing scene in the entire show. Spot on analysis as always, Jules.

[@alooncnej4696]

Really great episode and audacious for Buffy's character

[@BigIndianBindi-jy1cz]

I think Warren is the worst villain in buffyverse.

[@julesreacts]

He's truly hideous!!

[@Tantalus010]

I think he's definitely the most realistic, and I think that's what really bothers people most about him. He's a human driven by human desires, not by supernatural blood thirst or a lack of a soul.

[@crawdaddy1234]

Warren is Delores Umbridge to the Season 7 villain is to Voldemort. * We hate them so much more, because we know people like this. It hits closer to home.

[@Buffy8Fan]

In some ways the darkest episode of the series.

[@beatyz2]

How PAINFUL this episode is is part of why I love it so much. Season 6 of definitively my favorite episode. People have said that it is externally the most depressing season, and the most boring season (because it doesn't contain the level of overarching Big Bad that other seasons do). This season's focus is more on Evil That Lives Inside Of People; which I think is infinitely more interesting. ❤ I always appreciate a strong r*ape call-out; ESPECIALLY getting it in early. I feel like this is Joss whedon's way of perquisite that he doesn't approve of g*rape 🙃

[@estoy1001]

Nope, just US Government electronics workmanship (workmanchip?)

[@Dunybrook]

Brilliant reaction. This show was definitely ahead of its time in showing the dangers of incels like the Trio.

[@julesreacts]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed 💜

[@ImBigDave79]

Season 6 has its fair share of good and...less good episodes, but its definitely a tough watch at some points. And this is for sure one of the tough ones. Good performances from the main cast but its still icky

[@pixy-onewing]

❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍

[@TenebrousFilms]

Welcome to the Faith side, Buffy. Shame you never acknowledged it.

[@paulinerobertson6836]

Why the Faith side? because she hates herself?

[@julesreacts]

I'm so glad that you know what I mean when I mentioned that Faith/Buffy scene back in season 4! Like I said, it reminded me of that SO much....!

[@crawdaddy1234]

It should be clear that the subtext of Spike being able to hurt Buffy is because she WANTS to be hurt.

[@SutraRein-xy4qr]

Exactly

[@fiddiehacked]

Also- Spike is evil. If he could have toyed with Buffy's emotions (& body) back in seasons 2-4, he wouldn't have hesitated - just for the laugh.

[@fiddiehacked]

This ending brings to mind how it was Jonathan that presented Buffy with that Class Protector Award. Her true graduation diploma.

[@julesreacts]

Yep, exactly.

[@circling-girl]

So many people miss that and I don't know how lol.

[@67Daidalos]

I get why people are uneased about this episode... I mean, you are supposed to be... That's the point. But I saw down there a comment of someone being infuriated that this episode could have been aired on TV. I didn't answer it cause I thought what I have to say might interest other people than just the author of that comment. Personnally, I think it's a very good thing that fictions portraying people doing things like the Trio here were widely diffused was a good thing, and possibly that they should have been more of those. It's not like they portrayed it as something good. It was, from the beginning, shown as something bad. What people doesn't seem to realize/remember, is that mentalities have changed A LOT in the past 20 years. I grew as teenager in the 90's, and it wasn't uncommon to hear other guys telling very sexist jokes, and laugh along. And it was kinda ingrained in my young male brain that "as long as a girl say 'yes', then it's not a r4pe". I was exactly like Jonathan when Catrina yells their truth at them. Though I perceived that what the Trio was doing was bad, I couldn't have pinpointed it without Catrina throwing the 'r' word. And though I hadn't touched a woman beforehand, I admit that if the situation would had presented it to me, I would totally have taken advantage of a drunk/drugged girl (though I dare to think I wouldn't have made her in that state myself). Since that episode (and a few other fictions I could have read/watched around that time period), I like to think that I wouldn't anymore. This episode was an eye-opener for me. And I hope it was also for other men. At least, I like to think that it made me a better person.

[@frugalseverin2282]

This is the happy season of "Buffy". 😞

[@julesreacts]

Erm..... Somehow I don't think so 🤣

[@shaynaformity1384]

There's something else significant about Buffy beating up Spike in this episode that I never noticed before today. It's easy to miss because there's so much going on, but here it is: They've fought before, and Spike was always allowed to just run away. It was different this time, though. He was absolutely committed to not letting her turn herself in, and she not only whooped him horrifically, but badly enough that he couldn't even stand up to go after her again. In other words, she won. Even though she's just had emotional whiplash and got beaten up by the time-altering demons, she won. She's more powerful than Spike, and now they both know it. I'm not going to give any spoilers, but I'll just say there's one particular scene coming up in a while that will be a smidgen easier to watch if you remember this.

[@alex.9398]

Buffy was so ahead of its time making a bunch of toxic pathetic nerds into the misogynist villains of the season. Starting of comedic and ending as disgusting.

[@artman2oo3]

Welcome to the darkest episode of Buffy yet. It’s good, though, with the themes it brings up. But it’s not very enjoyable. This whole season is quite dark. Some people really don’t like it. I do, though.

[@Twiceborn_by_grace]

I don’t know what I’m more furious over. All the dark things that happened in the episode or that this was able to be aired on cable TV.

[@NomenLuni1975]

This is the bleakest episode of the series by far for me. I've always found it really hard to watch. SMG's performance was amazing of course, especially at the very end.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

You know what's coming, right?

[@NomenLuni1975]

@@MrLorenzovanmatterho I do, but I will not talk about it here. Spoilers.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

@@NomenLuni1975 Agreed.

[@Raptor213]

You really shouldn't like this. Buffy is damaged and Spike is a manipulator. He is taking advantage of Buffy while she's in this messed up state

[@frances7945]

And she's taking advantage of his feelings.He's a willing participant,because he doesn't understand the wrongness of the whole thing, but that doesn't make her using him right. They are both at fault for the disastrous toxicity of their season 6 affair... both have extenuating circumstances (deep depression for Buffy, lack of soul for Spike). Putting all the blame just on him is unfair.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

SPIKE told RILEY that BUFFY likes a little evil in her man RILEY could never be ANGEL or SPIKE because he's human