**CONFUSED & UPSET!!** Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Ep 2 Reaction Dead Man's Party: FIRST TIME

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[@marekkozub8957]

Buffy had to kill love of her life, got kicked out of school and her mom told her not to come back home. Buffy's reaction was very understandable and human like.

[@Lady-Seashell-Bikini]

And the fact that only Cordelia (and a bit with Giles) attempted to empathize with Buffy is beyond frustrating.

[@phillipray4380]

For me the main issue with this episode is that they took Joyce’s small dinner party and blew it up into a house full of strangers without consulting her. That is not OK. Don’t try that at my house.

[@simom931]

But that was a hootenanny!! 😁

[@IslandpferdeHaukagil]

"chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny"

[@phillipray4380]

@@simom931 If you allow hootenanny, before you know it you’ll have shindig and hullabaloo. ;)

[@barbarabaker1457]

@Peter from NZ I'm torn on how much it actually breaks characters with everything we know about Willow but trying to stick with in a non-spoiler territory Jesse is my best example they literally just decided to avoid the issue of Jesse altogether after and I don't think that was actually forgotten by the writers I think they tend to repress and while Willow has gotten bold at times she often seems to fear confrontation. But personally, I'd like to believe this isn't who they are and will happily accept your explanation

[@horsepuncher95]

@Peter from NZ I dunno I can totally see her avoidant/dismissive behaviour in this ep as staying in character but I can't elaborate without spoilers. The whole situation doesn't make me any less angry, but it felt pretty in character for this specific set of teenagers especially Xander. At this point he has proven to be a hot heated dick when it comes to Buffy, but yeah doesn't take the sting away for me 😒

[@blackkatt777]

Her friends were wrong for how they treated her as she was trying to reconnect to them. Then they turn around and say she just gives up and tries to leave again without trying. I'm like "Do they hear themselves?!" Especially Willow. She tells her I had all these new things happen to me and my best friend wasn't there. I had no one to talk to. Yet, Buffy stood right there and asked her if she was ok and how she wanted the gathering to be just the core group. Willow just acted like she couldn't hear her and then ignored her. Joyce said it herself, she handled it wrong. How was Buffy supposed to know her mother didn't mean it when she told her not to think about coming back. Then she had the nerve to blame Giles for Buffy running away on top of that. Buffy at least came back to face her mom and friends, but they wanted to treat her like they didn't care. Xander, I was ready to just punch him in his face. He was a contributor to what could have been avoided and he had the nerve to go off on her like he had some moral high ground. I am glad they made up, but I did not like the characters treating Buffy like that. At least Giles didn't attack her.

[@TabbyQ.9563]

@@celinelia8127 No one forced them.

[@CLCSIfreak]

Xander is honestly the worst one. He has the gaul to lie to Buffy about Willow’s message and then doesn’t even consider what Buffy had to do. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the show, but I don’t recall him ever getting called out for saying that, and it still takes them ages to realize Buffy had to kill Angel, not Angelous.

[@circabooks4549]

@@CLCSIfreak hey been a year since you posted this. but, Spoilers... he did get called out for it i think in a later season (6 or 7?), when willow and xander and buffy are arguing in her living room and is basically saying it's always down to her and her choices and sacrifices. she calls back to having to kill angel and she says how xander egged her on and willow told her to "kick his ass". Willow quickly turns to Xander, knowing he must've lied, and says "I never said that!" It's quick and tbh xander blows it off, but it does get cleared up technically

[@tracim3080]

Because Buffy didn’t come in saying sorry, or acting like she knew she hurt them at all she came in, expecting them to feel pity for her And if someone just put you through three months of worry and hell, and came in acting like that, shouldn’t of affected you at all, you’re gonna be upset and you’re not even going to know how to word it

[@brendanoconnor1550]

There are two things I look for when this episode is reacted to: 1. “Do you like my mask? Isn’t it Pretty-it Raises The Dead! Americans…” 2. “Would You Like Me To Convince You?” Giles is Unparalleled

[@lyssalovesit]

Love that lol “isn’t it pretty is raises the dead” I always laugh at that moment..gotta love Giles.

[@yaynayormeh]

Best line delivery ever

[@horsepuncher95]

You know that ugly ass confrontation scene was one of those ones that I thought to my child self "maybe when I get older I'll understand their anger better" and NOPE as I got older this scene made my blood boil more and more. Xander calling what happened in season 2 "BOY TROUBLES" fucking sends me

[@Stephie_L]

Possibly the most accurate and entertaining comment I've read so far 😂Although I'm immune to Xander's callousness at this point. I do expect more the others, so they irked me more.

[@jeezrice7352]

You keep commenting that Buffy dumped her job on them, but that is not at all what happened. She didn’t force them to take up her job, they chose to do that of their own volition nobody was forcing them to go out and kill vampires they decided to do that all themselves. You are taking away personally responsibility and agency of the characters decisions by implying with no in canon proof that she made them take up her responsibility. You can argue that with the knowledge of the supernatural they felt compelled to protect when she wasn’t there, but that is not written decree from a higher power or law and the bottom line is they actively chose to put themselves in that position.

[@silvsevie]

@@jeezrice7352 so they should have left people get killed in the interim.

[@ukonnokia]

It's even worse because Xander never told buffy about the Willow trying to cast the curse.

[@TaratheEnchantress]

@@jeezrice7352on top of all of that, demons and vampires living all over the world. So Buffy wasn’t in sunnydale, oooo big deal. Normal people fight demons and vampires too, she didn’t leave her burden on anyone.

[@samanthas8340]

Omg, the Pat and Ted ship! 🤣 Also props to Cordy for trying to stick up for Buffy in her very Cordy way.

[@rotru4977]

I've always love when we get these little glimpses into Giles "dark" nature. (S2 Halloween when Ethan shows up was such a great revelation to me). I love Snyder but Giles threatening him at the end of this episode is amazing.

[@nickreacts6394]

I know! I love seeing that other side of him

[@IslandpferdeHaukagil]

And ASH playes it sooo well. The change in his whole demeanor and in his voice is top acting!

[@CaptNondescript]

@@IslandpferdeHaukagil He was terrifying in Doctor Who as well

[@rotru4977]

@@CaptNondescript oh I've never seen Dr Who. I'll look for it!

[@rotru4977]

@@IslandpferdeHaukagil that smirk when talking to Snider. Giles is not to be played with.

[@simom931]

I think Giles is the only one who behaves decently in this ep (he's almost in tears for the relief of having Buffy back safe and sound and the way he deals with Snyder, oh my!). I can understand Joyce for all the suffering she must have been through as a mother, also feeling guilty for kicking her daughter out of the house. No excuses though for confronting her in front of everybody... But Willow and Xander really behave absolutely selfishly, they do not seem much worried about Buffy, but about themselves and 'what she did to their lives'... So I'll go with the evil possesion!

[@barbarabaker1457]

Yeah I'll admit announcing to an entire party full of your child's classmates you had schnapps, not exactly being the adult in the room. I'm glad Whedon is consistent with her character though. This really reflects who she was before they came to Sunnydale. I can at least argue her friends are teenagers, not an excuse of course. But if we're going to be understanding about Joyce we should also understand the others. I also think Oz and Cordelia didn't handle it too badly. Ironic, not those closest to her.

[@l.s.d.5863]

Evil possession. lol Boy, would that be nice. Unfortunately for Buffy, this episode is one of the earliest hard looks at who Willow and Xander really are. This is consistent with their characters throughout the show.

[@Nexusofgeek]

You all forget Willow and Xander are high school kids, not exactly known for mature behavior. Would you have acted more mature at that age?? Not evil possession, just kids being kids!

[@saiyasha848]

To be fair, their all like 16 or 17 at this point, Teenager are sometimes just selfish bisches

[@WillsonT011]

@@Nexusofgeek that excuse my fly with Xander but not with Willow

[@calvinallen3424]

Totally on Buffy's side. Her friends suck. Especially Xander. He's basically like "You chose to date a demon everything that happened was your fault and now you need to get over it. You made us have to save people instead of putting the whole burden on you."

[@sirmoonslosthismind]

SPOILERS . . . . . . "totally on buffy's side. her friends suck." is a recurring theme too. this isn't a one-off.

[@bespectacledheroine7292]

This already infuriated me at the time but (*spoilers*) the *audacity* that he finds himself in S2/S3 Buffy's position later on with Anya going haywire and the choice comes down to taking her out vs. not and has ZERO self-awareness about any of it. He put Buffy through the wringer for Angel in this era of the show but because Anya gets his fire roaring what he was so appalled by is suddenly understandable and justified? Get the hell out of here Xander.

[@Jongen.]

He never said that.

[@daphneglasurus7886]

Xander is basically thinking the same thing Willow did for a brief moment about Cordelia: “you’d rather date a demon (someone you hate) than be with me” except at least Willow got over that reaction fairly quickly. Xander hung onto that for…well if I say how long it’ll be a spoiler

[@Lady-Seashell-Bikini]

@@bespectacledheroine7292 SPOILERS Oh, TOTALLY! Buffy literally killed her boyfriend to save the world, and he did those evil acts after his soul was taken away, making him a different person. When Xander has to make the same decision because Anya is killing people (while still being the same person), Xander acts like Buffy is being unfair. Xander is the worst.

[@daniig62]

Buffy - had to kill her first love Willow - I’m dating a werewolf! And doing spells! (Both being things she CHOSE to do) The audacity 😂

[@daniig62]

@@celinelia8127 right because Xander suddenly stopped being one of Willows best friends. I forgot. Regardless, I stand by my statement. Willow wasn’t alone. Not even remotely close to it as Buffy was in this situation. The situations aren’t comparable. What Buffy went through would mentally cripple most people, she felt 100% absolutely ALONE. Unwelcome in her own home, expelled from school, had to kill the first person she ever loved, under the impression that her two best friends (thanks to Xanders lie) didn’t give a fuck about having her to kill Angel or what it would and could do to her. She didn’t choose to isolate herself, it happened bc she felt like she had no one. It’s not shocking that she ran off, nor did she really deserve being treated the way she was about it. Was it the best thing she could have done? No. But she made the decision she did based on feeling like she had no other choice. She didn’t intend to hurt anyone by leaving. When she got back willow intentionally stood her up to be petty. Buffy WAS trying to repair things with her, but Willow didn’t show out of pure childish behavior. then had the audacity to whine about her not being there to talk.

[@daniig62]

@@celinelia8127 I didn’t say she was petty for having an issue with Buffy leaving. I said she purposely stood Buffy up out of pettiness, There’s a difference. She was trying to fix exactly that and willow stood her up, intentionally, then pretended that she wasn’t actively avoiding her, which she absolutely was. And THEN she goes on about not having anyone to talk to. All of that WAS petty behavior, the way she went about it, not the fact she was upset about Buffy being gone. Willow did those things out of spite, and THATS the problem. Again, I refer to Xanders lie. Why would you be surprised that she didn’t reach out to either Xander or Willow when she was under the impression that they were actively rooting and excited about Angel being killed? Did you ever consider Buffy just wouldn’t be able to deal with the inevitable attitude (specifically and mostly from Xander) and glee about Angel being dead? She felt like she had NOBODY left to be there for her. Her mom wouldn’t, can’t go to school…so why would she even try? You expect anything remotely empathetic from Xander about Angel, considering his previous views of him, coupled with the fact that he boiled the entire situation down to “boy problems”? Come on. They belittled her, berated her, screamed at her in front of a houseful of people. And willow never HAD to fight anything. No one would have given a second thought to it if the gang decided to lay off bc they were too ill equipped. It would have been a more than understandable decision to make. And she did apologize. Willow and Xander did talk about relationship things, just because it wasn’t as often as with Buffy doesn’t negate that.

[@daniig62]

@@celinelia8127 ok but Willow agreed to meet her the next day. She agreed to meet with her after Buffy said she wasn’t ready to talk about all the details of it. That’s petty and intentionally mean. If she wanted to refuse to talk to buffy until she did want to talk completely about it, she shouldn’t have agreed to meet her. So the whole “from the perspective of willow” means absolutely nothing and doesn’t matter when she knew Buffy wasn’t ready to talk about it specifically and agreed to meet her anyway. it ultimately doesn’t matter that WE know she didn’t say “kick his ass” when we witnessed Willow behaving the way she did towards her. Of course she didn’t want to talk about what happened in the middle of her living room with a party going on. Would you? Xander was being an ass, period. Just because she wasn’t ready to talk about what they specifically wanted to just yet, doesn’t mean it’s okay to treat her that way and humiliate her like that. There’s no justification for it. She even said she didn’t want a huge party thing, just wanted them there and they decided to throw a literal keg party without even asking? Then get mad at her because she doesn’t want an entire house full of people knowing her personal business? Willow being upset is valid, it has nothing to do with that. They’re all valid in being upset that she was gone. But when Buffy made several attempts to spend any kind of time with them and talk, what did she get? They can’t just sit there and say “fair enough” and accept that she needs more time to talk about it and then turn around and treat her like that. If they didn’t want to be around her until she answered all their questions they shouldn’t be making plans with her knowing she isn’t ready to talk and then bully her and think it’s okay to just invite a shit ton of people into her house like that.

[@daniig62]

@@celinelia8127 Agreeing to meet a friend and not showing up isn’t petty? 😬 who said anything about forcing Buffy to talk? I said that they all knew that she wasn’t ready, and said “ok she needs time that’s fine” then proceed to make plans with her KNOWING she wasn’t ready to talk about what happened yet, and then treated her like shit (kinda defeats the entire agreeing to let her take her time) or just plain stood her up. How is that okay? How is that NOT intentionally mean and petty? How do you intentionally rebuke your friend actually attempting to talk to you like you WANTED, and then stand her up, and then just act like you’re not ignoring her when she’s trying to talk to you, and then unleash on her when the attempt was made several times but intentionally ignored? She was TRYING. It’s not okay to tell someone that you understand they need time to talk about something, agree to hang out with her despite the fact she wasn’t ready, and then do what they did? Are you really saying that it’s perfectly fine that willow made a plan with her and intentionally didn’t show up? Had willow not ignored her on purpose 2 times despite the fact willow agreed to see her and come to her house, you’d have a point. She could have taken either opportunity to express her feelings, after being shut down twice, the only logical thing Buffy would have felt is that Willow did not want her around. So yeah it’s petty to make that entire argument when Willow gave Buffy every reason to legitimately believe that she didn’t even want her around at all. Buffy never said she didn’t want to talk to any of them, just not ready to explain everything that happened. They said ok, and agreed to give her time, but then agreed to all these plans knowing that she wasn’t ready to get into the details of what happened with Angel. How is that okay? If they knew she wasnt ready explain , then don’t make plans with her anyway and then bully her for not being ready to talk about it. It says a LOT about how shitty their behavior was when CORDELIA was literally the only person to remotely defend Buffy at all, however backhanded it was.

[@daniig62]

@@celinelia8127 ….it’s literally in this video

[@paulknight9998]

Buffy isn't their parent. She didn't "abandon them" and doesn't owe them anything. Willow & Xander just have to be thankful for everyday she decides to stay in their lives.

[@tracim3080]

She was their friend, so yes, she did all of them a phone call otherwise, why is she bothering to act like they owe her anything now that she’s returned?

[@northernheel2829]

GOD Im so happy someones using the Jonathan Frakes clips. That will never get old.

[@erin8005]

I was so angry at her friends for this. Xander usually makes me mad on scenes like this.

[@miaamer7718]

@ Celine Lia No one really dumped this on them. They were the ones who chose to do this.

[@larryvos4377]

I’ve always disliked how they all ganged up on her too. Like this is a teenager who has just experienced some significant trauma who is clearly mentally fragile and trying to repair things. All a loved one should do in this situation is show them support. And just attacking her over and over again really annoyed me about the gang this episode

[@tracim3080]

And like most teenager, she chose not to share her pain and her problems. She chose to run away, hide and leave everybody to worry about her for months and not have a clue what’s going on with her so you can’t expect them to suddenly know what she went through and have all these petty when it’s far as they’re concerned, she abandoned them. People can’t know your pain if you refuse to share it

[@RubyDianArts]

"Felt like they were carrying around the One Ring" YES, hahah what a great summary. Honestly, I hate this episode. I hate how everyone is a little too frustrating to watch. Like sure I might be able to rationalize their behavior, but they all put too much on Buffy.

[@nickreacts6394]

Bottom line, Buffy deserves better...

[@joeypotter6051]

@@nickreacts6394 ALWAYS AND FOREVER

[@Nicamon]

@@nickreacts6394 Yes,but they ALSO have a point! She left them COMPLETELY ALONE fighting monsters without even warning them!She just *disappeared!* On some level they have all the rights to be pissed at her!There are at least a couple of occasions(this being the 1st one)in which I feel like the fandom is *too much* on Buffy's side because she's the main character and we're supposed to always empathize with her..like..YES,but the other characters CAN be right too in some occasions,you know?Buffy's not perfect,she CAN be wrong sometimes,even just partially!!

[@Stephie_L]

@@Nicamon yes the scoobies had a point to some extent. I would’ve been frustrated picking up the slack too, but I would’ve also had way more compassion for Buffy. She had good reason for leaving. I think Thor comparing it to a friend grieving is how I see it too. I just cannot excuse the full on attack on Buffy from her “friends” and the immature behaviour from Willow pretending she didn’t hear Buffy during their conversation. It was so out of character. It honestly felt like they had a personality transplant this ep. It has never sat right with me.

[@sirmoonslosthismind]

@@Nicamon buffy *does not owe* the people of sunnydale her services. what about all the people killed by supernatural evils outside sunnydale, as we saw a taste of in 2x01?

[@ms_scribbles]

There are a couple times in this show where the "Scoobies" are just awful people. This is one of them. Especially since they KNOW what Buffy's been through, and they still make it all about them and show absolutely no compassion.

[@ShieldVids]

How do they know buffy does not tell them what she had to do. She just left. Only you the audience know. The lack of communication is on buffy.

[@Lady-Seashell-Bikini]

@@ShieldVids They know that Buffy was expelled, that she was wanted for murder, that she was faced with having to kill her ex-boyfriend, AND that she has been fighting for her life every day since she was 15. What else is there to know?

[@ShieldVids]

@@Lady-Seashell-Bikini she didn't tell them the most important thing. That she had to kill a reensouled angel. That is what made her leave. Not everything else you mentioned. She would have stayed if not for that. They don't understand because she didn't say shit just left.

[@JagoBC]

Even though you watched it out of sequence, I have never understood the friends' reactions in this episode. It's definitely ranked at or near the bottom of my favorite list of Buffy episodes.

[@coldservings]

Yes, Xander comes through in a fight but when it's not a fight, Xander is highly reliable. Whenever there's a disagreement among the Scoobies, you can count on Xander to take the side that's not Buffy's.

[@coldservings]

Then there's Joyce. She told Buffy there's consequences for her actions. Well that applies to Joyce to, and one of the consequences of telling Buffy that, if she walks out the door to save the world (literally) to "not even think about coming back" Is for Buffy to take her at her word and do exactly what she said. Joyce was supposed to be the adult in that relationship.

[@JeccaJ]

When I first watched this episode, I felt the same way about the relationship tension as it felt unnatural and out of character for most people. However, having been through a few life changing events and then reaching back out to friends, I can confirm that the awkwardness and distance is definitely accurate. People just exclude you from the conversation or resent you for stepping back to deal with your own stuff. Or overcompensate and overload you again, so you're the resentful one. It takes time to figure out where you sit again. I absolutely love that Giles was the constant and he understood the trauma Buffy had been through at such a young age and is just glad she's safe. The scene were he steps into his kitchen and just pauses, for me, shows that while he's "stiff upper lip" that he's overcome with emotion and is taking a moment. It really shows the Slayer-Watcher dynamic they have. But yes, hopefully this episode will make more sense since you figured out the watch order 😄

[@QLH7156]

Their reaction to her very real trauma made me look at them sideways for the remainder of the series. This girl has been fighting for her life and losing people for YEARS and your miffed because you had to do her LIFELONG job for 3 months?! Because, essentially that's their issue. I think Buffy needs people and it's definitely a strength for her, but the friends she has are SO quick to turn on her and made HER apologize, smh I push it to the corner of my mind for the sake of my love for the show, but yeah, not cool with me

[@jeezrice7352]

They weren’t forced to do anything, they actively chose to kill vampires with full knowledge they didn’t have the appropriate abilities to do the job effectively. They had no problem imposing themselves in Buffy’s dangerous occupation, because they always relied on the super-powered slayer to protect them, basically using her as a personal shield when they put themselves in harms way. Their anger which was effectively from no one else’s but their own decree, was from putting themselves in as a temporary replacement. That is nothing compared to the trauma Buffy was dealing with and if they were better friends they would have realized that. Now, they are fully justified in being upset that Buffy didn’t at least communicate that she was safe and that she just needs time, however their ridiculous behavior at the party was way out of line. Also she shouldn’t need to apologize, she was expelled, kicked out, and had killed the one she loved after he was returned to her in order to save the world from apocalypse. They didn’t have any of that happen to them, they dealt with loss and pain but they were not on the front lines with Buffy. They help and they endure, but they don’t truly have to deal with the whole weight of world on their shoulders. If she needed some time to be alone, to reflect, to understand the importance of her job and to come back determined to continue her duty they should understand that and they shouldn’t need her to personally apologize just so they can feel better. They can be upset but they can also put some things in perspective and put their pride away enough to realize that they shouldn’t need an apology from Buffy because her dealing with her trauma the best she could was an inconvenience for them. She’s back, and she has healed enough to remember who she is and what she has to do, it would be incredible petty of them after everything she’s been through for them to sit there with their nose in the air, waiting for an apology because for 3 months they chose to deal with a fraction of what Buffy herself has to deal with, albeit terribly and inefficiently.

[@reneeg9406]

Partner for Ted☠☠☠🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 OMG I never thought about that....but it's so true 🤣🤣

[@JordiVanderwaal]

"Her friends are not her friends". Probably the best way to describe this episode. It's enjoyable, sure, but I hate how Buffy's friends act in this episode. I'm getting anxiety just putting myself in Buffy's place. xD

[@unrelatedcoma]

the really frustrating thing about this episode is during the party planning. Willow is obviously being disingenuous and Xanders being an ass, but Oz is going along with it when hes usually SOOOOO much more insightful and wise beyond his years. i dont understand why the show had Oz play along when he should have seen how wrong they were. yes im 100% on Buffys side and 0% on anyone elses side in this episode. everyone else is totally in the wrong here.

[@LisaRummel83]

Agreed. I think Buffy would have been justified in leaving again.

[@Ebbagull]

Giles is in the right, too. He's the only one who understands that Buffy is in a vulnerable place, and prioritizes *her* needs throughout the episode. I love him so much ♥️🤧

[@unrelatedcoma]

@@celinelia8127 they dont have to do Buffys job. they chose to do that. they cant choose to do something and then hold it against her. thats really lame.

[@unrelatedcoma]

@@celinelia8127 nah thats copium. shes the Slayer and was chosen by destiny to kill the vampires. they decided to do it. you can say they made the moral choice to take up her mantle in her absence instead of turning a blind eye but they absolutely did not HAVE to fight vampires. theyre not Slayers.

[@Lady-Seashell-Bikini]

@@Ebbagull He really is like her father, isn't he?

[@stephaniecasey9100]

This episode made me hate the scoobies, particularly Xander and Willow. Not going to lie I never forgot their reactions in this episode for the rest of the series.

[@nickreacts6394]

I mean, I can see it being tough to forget. For me, the easiest path towards forgiveness is to fault the writers for demanding drama at the expense of the scoobies established virtues... As far as in world explanations, it's not quite so easy, although I do like how so far Season 3 is showing the real flaws and mistakes in our "good" characters

[@rotru4977]

I think a lot of things changed with how those characters are seeing themselves. They would never have acted this way in season 1. But both are coming into their own & gaining more confidence through experience w/Buffy. I get why they were upset, I'd also be upset if a person I fought side by side with (they have no special skills yet fight with Buffy) and was close to went away and didn't contact me. But the difference for me is I would say something and not act all passive aggressive..that's what I didn't like.

[@stephaniecasey9100]

@@nickreacts6394 There are definitely times in this show where I will fault the writers for the characters not acting like themselves. But in this case I don't think the writers had them act out of character. No spoilers, just based on how they gradually were changing in seasons 1 and 2. I thought they often disregarded Buffy's feelings and intuition. Not that Buffy is perfect, or handled the situation correctly, but they didn't even try to see things from her perspective. Xander, was jealous of Angel from the beginning and just couldn't wait until he could tell her "I told you so."

[@warwickwagner4797]

I do have a strange love for the show for doing episodes like this where Buffy's loved ones completely fail to empathise with her and treat her super unfairly. Buffy is a tragic character, and I think the heart of that is the fact that she is so fundamentally alone, and these episodes make you really feel that. I understand people who say that it makes them hate the characters, but for me it happens sporadically enough and in specific enough situations that I can completely loathe them for one episode and then forgive them a little later on.

[@stephaniecasey9100]

@@warwickwagner4797 I can understand that. I do appreciate that the show had episodes like this and was willing to show character flaws. As for forgiveness of characters, I only have so many chances in me and I hold grudges, lol. Once you show me who you are, I believe you. I personally feel like that if Buffy wasn't the slayer and in need of friends she wouldn't have given them as many chances as she did.

[@kurtsnyder4752]

27:14 Thomas Wolfe. You Can't Come Home Again.

[@BrianR246]

I thought the confrontation was to soon for someone who just returned and has been through what Buffy had to endure last season. You are right that she didn't even send Angelus, but Angel, to hell for something he didn't even do. They wanted her back but just immediately acted dismissive and Xander was very confrontational. He mean's well but can be savage.

[@Nicamon]

Xander always handles things *extremely poorly* whenever it comes to Angel,but,apart from this,they _didn't know_ what happened with Angelus/Angel exactly!They *didn't know* Buffy had to kill Angel! If they did they would *for sure* be a lot less harsh on her(at least Willow and Giles)!

[@BrianR246]

@@Nicamon Yeah I mean thats what they should have done was wait for her to open up first. She had to have left for a reason so they needed to know everything before attacking her. Yes they all needed to address their own issues, but not like that the second or third day she was home. But that's just how I think on the matter lol.

[@Nicamon]

@@BrianR246 On a rational level you're right,but there are several things to consider.1)She went away for *a long time!* It weren't just a couple of days. It was a long,stressful period during which they had no news of her,had to go on with their lives *and* fighting demons much more directly than usual,therefore risking their lives much more...it's a high level of stress to handle.2)This is a TV show ;-P issues _can't_ be dragged for _too long_ because the plot needs to move forward,so it was *obvious* they had to get rid of _this_ problem as soon as they could so then they could proceed with the regular plot of the season.3)Ironically,considered my previous point,it's actually pretty _realistic_ for people to handle things poorly. I believe having portraited the characters and the situation this way makes the show much more believable and less like a scripted thing.These things DO happen in real life. In real life people are not perfect and they can even make BIG mistakes. This episode portraits that reality if not perfectly very,very well and I think it's an _added value_ to the show!👍

[@BrianR246]

@@Nicamon I agree with everything you are saying lol. I personally try to hold more restraint if I have issues with my friends or family until I have all the facts but you are right. Normally it doesn't always play out that way in other people's disputes. Yeah TV shows do sometimes push on through something fast for plot convenience. This show does have a way of getting very realistic with the real life problems it has addressed aside from the supernatural monsters. Buffy was a traumatized young girl who left home and her friends were validated in being stressed and worried and angry for her absence and dealing with the monsters on their own. But Xander really does have a way of being extremely rude whenever Angel/Angelus is concerned. To me they are not one person, but two identities sharing a body and memories. Xander does not always care about that part and blames Angel for what Angelus did. I can understand that he wants someone to blame but part of it is he has residual feelings for how Angel and Buffy got together and not him and Buffy. That's something that also happens a lot, especially during high school teenaged years. This show is very funny and has a fun supernatural element but the hide the real issues in really well so far.

[@Nicamon]

@@BrianR246 "But Xander really does have a way of being extremely rude whenever Angel/Angelus is concerned. To me they are not one person, but two identities sharing a body and memories." *This fucking this!* 👈 "Xander does not always care about that part and blames Angel for what Angelus did."The worst part is that Xander doesn't hate ANGELUS:he hates ANGEL!The reason he acts like such an asshole whenever he's concerned is *not* because Angelus is a killer,but because Angel is *Buffy's boyfriend!* So for him to bring up Miss Calendar's murder for example was *completely out of line* because Xander DOESN'T GIVE A FUCK about Angelus...his problem has *always* been *ANGEL!* 🤬💢"but part of it is he has residual feelings for how Angel and Buffy got together and not him and Buffy." *EXACTLY!*

[@Henrik_Holst]

29:30 true but Buffy is not the dedicated Slayer for Sunnydale, she is the single slayer in the whole of the world and she wasn't in Sunnydale before S1 so people have had to fight off evil for themselves both here and elsewhere anyway.

[@kurtsnyder4752]

19:31 In a proposed reboot, that phone thing wouldn't have happened cuz Buffy would have herown cell phone and gotten the call.

[@mj6866]

At 10:32, Giles is clearly feeling some combination of joy and relief.

[@mimiswanepoel7441]

I think some, if not most, of Xander's anger at Buffy is due to jealousy. Firstly, he has always been jealous of Angel and wanted Buffy to kill him. That is why he did not tell her that Willow was working on restoring his soul. He was afraid that Buffy would change her mind about killing Angel and spare his life. I would not be surprised if Xander assumed Buffy had run off with Angel at the end of S2 and believes that they have been living it up together, further adding to his feeling of rejection. Secondly, the gang has been trying really hard to "step up" in Buffy's absence. From the opening sequence of them first slaying together I did not get the impression that they are doing this for some moral or higher purpose. They feel like slaying makes them cool, special, interesting. And when Buffy comes back this "thing that made them cool" was taken away from them. Buffy comes in and saves the day while the rest are literally knocked back on their bums, inadequate. When Cordy calls Xander "Nighthawk" you can see the delight on his face, this is further amplified by his apparent disgust of Buffy during that conversation. I think the gang LOVED stepping in and "Being Buffy", I think they resent her in some way for coming back (which adds to the emotional layering of this as well). Xander's feelings of inadequacy, when compared to Angel or Buffy physically in strength and his inability to form a romantic relationship with Buffy, have brought out the worst in him here. The Willow we see in season 3 is a different girl to the one Buffy originally befriends. Originally Willow was shy, insecure and her life only consisted of studying. Befriending Buffy widend her world in so many ways, however I don't think Buffy or Willow realised this change until Buffy left. Previously Buffy was Willow's whole world, they would normally have chats about Buffy and Angel's relationships and Willow would help Buffy study or Willow would help Buffy with this, that, or the other thing... Their relationship is unbalanced in the beginning, with their conversations revolving around the needs and relationships of Buffy, as Willow does not have much going on otherwise (she also finds it interesting, enjoying having a friend to talk to). It does not bother us until both characters have grown enough to realise that their own lives are also hectic and important, its not just about vampire slaying anymore. There is maturity in the realisation, on the end of both Buffy and Willow, that they both have things going on and they both need each other. They realise their relationshipdynamic has to change. Willow becomes less dependent on Buffy, which in turn releases Buffy from her feelings of emotional responsibility. I think this helps Buffy so much, as she realises that Willow's world is more than just her, in many ways it must be a relief to Buffy. While Willow acts weird in this episode, I think it is because she is avoidant of the confrontation that is sure to come. She and Buffy have relied heavily on each other in the past and her feelings towards Buffy are probably overwhelming her. We can see that she feels anger and resentment but it is different to what we see from Xander. Xander is being extremely egoscentric in his comments, focusing only on how he feels and was affected and using the hardship experienced by others as permission to be hurtful. Willow makes space to speak to Buffy alone to try and reach a mutual understanding, we also hear her take ownership for her actions at the end of the episode while admitting that she needs to make allowances in their friendship (go Willow). By the end of the episode we see them acknowledge their mistakes and pain and then push past it, while also recognising that these topics could come up in the future. This does not happen with Xander and it will be interesting to see their dynamic moving forward. This episode did really make me like Xander less as his close mindedness, narcissistic tendencies and cruelty towards his friend (always taking that cheap shot and minimising her experiences) made me question his character. His past "heroism" seems quite 2D now, as he almost definitely acted that way to impress Buffy, not to do the right thing. What a show, man.

[@ShieldVids]

Yea Xander is the bad guy for wanting the guy who murdered and attacked people he cared to be killed. So jealous.

[@rekkanablackwood8790]

I actually agree with you on cutting Buffy some slack. I was really surprised at the gang reacting this way on the first watch. But I also think it conveys a good message - no matter how serious your reasons are, you can hurt ppl who love you by leaving without explanation, and it can't be fixed in ten minutes. Yes, some can understand and forgive, but it shouldn't be taken for granted. P.S. Once in my teen years, my Mom told me to never come back if I leave the house, and I took it so seriously, my music school teacher had to take me home and make sure it was okay. I know parents are not perfect, but they often underestimate how much value their words hold in the eyes of a child.

[@Emburbujada]

Your confusion was fun to watch XD I love that you thought everyone was possessed or something for the way they were acting. If it'd been that, I wouldn't hate them as much as I do XD The thing is, Xander is being an idiot, but you could expect that from him, and Joyce you can understand, but Willow is a huge disappointment in my opinion. How self-centered are you that you think your trying new things (voluntarily) in any way compares to what Buffy went through, and not just in the events of the season 2 finale, but before. Willow complaining about not having someone to talk to is just a lie, she has Oz, she has Xander (who's been her best friends since they were little), and she's also safe at home with her family. I still get mad watching this episode XD The only one I love is Giles, he understands what Buffy needs from minute one, and that scene with Snyder shows that he'll do anything for her. He's the best =) Anyway, can't wait for your reaction to the next one!

[@nickreacts6394]

Yeah, they were all pretty frustrating but like you said, Willow was the most surprising and out of character. And everyone should just be more like Giles... "What would Giles do?" should be posted all over Sunnydale

[@Henrik_Holst]

Yeah it's hard to not be disappointing in everyone except Giles. Joyce I cannot understand, or rather yes I can understand her acting since she showed us already that she didn't want to take any responsibility for her actions.

[@Emburbujada]

@@nickreacts6394 Now I want a "What would Giles do?" t shirt

[@Lucy-uv4hv]

I can see where Willow and the others are coming from, but I will always and forever be Team Buffy in this episode... and at all other times. This is definitely a weaker episode for me, especially since Anne is such a strong season opening. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to watch this without having seen Anne first!

[@LisaRummel83]

This is the episode I will never forgive Joyce for, and why I think her friends are the worst. It's not the only time they all gang up on her, blame everything on her (even if they were pushing her that direction for ages - or as Joyce did, straight up told her what to do and then got mad when she did it), and force her to apologize while never saying sorry themselves or asking if she was okay. They didn't even ask if she was okay, what happened to her, nothing like that. They claimed they were worried about her, but didn't show it a bit, and made it all about them and how inconvenient it was for them.

[@spud8284]

I was sooooo mad when I first saw this episode and it still annoys on rewatches. The way Willow turned on Buffy upset me more than Xander because he's got a history of loving to bring Buffy down over her relationship with Angel, but Willow!!! I kind of understood Joyce's viewpoint. I'm very glad you were on the side of Buffy like the rest of us were.

[@ernesthakey3396]

I think Willow was hurt by Buffy not acknowledging that Willow tried to restore Angel's soul. But Willow et al think the spell failed. Willow also doesn't know that Xander not only didn't pass on her message, he actually claimed she said "kick his ass" - something Willow would never have said. None of them know that Buffy had to kill Angel after he got his soul back. Nobody communicated enough, but Xander's lie made it worse.

[@Reganbowbegan]

Yes! This is a nicely nuanced take that I have only recently come to agree with. Everyone's feelings are valid, but they have a terrible history of communicating as a group. I will forever have issues with Xander, though I appreciate the realism of his character, that leave a bad taste in my mouth.

[@lynesime]

Thor: Is this a dream?! Me: No, this is ep 2! LOL

[@llawliet7070]

I don't think they had to pick up the slack, Kendra was the actual slayer and she left Sunnydale. Buffy may help keep the numbers down but vampires still exist all over the world, aside from saving the world from an apocalypse she is really just managing as best she can. So unless there was a world ending event then her friends really didn't have to do anything since things just went on as normal before Buffy arrived in Sunnydale.

[@Itmustbe_bunnies]

Also, Buffy was gone last summer to stay with her dad - they didn't have to "pick up the slack" - so why was this summer any different?

[@theanyktos]

25:13 oooohhh, Ripper came out to play!

[@ethancharles2189]

*Thor having a meltdown with conspiracy theories for 42 minutes.

[@nickreacts6394]

I'm adding this to the video description...

[@WinterOnTheWeb]

Great reactions. Glad you're loving the Buffyverse. Don't worry about the mix up - no biggie. One comment though: you say "we know the toll it's taking on Buffy"... We don't, this is the first time we the audience (and her friends) get a hint of it. You will see as the series progresses, the toll on her is a central theme (good job picking it up so early). FYI: I think you see some of it but each character has reasons for being strange (and it's mainly guilt). Giles feels he failed her Willow thinks she could have stopped it if she did the spell quicker Xander knows he never told Buffy Joyce knew it was her reaction that was to blame... They all transfer that guilt into anger about Buffy *letting them down* and then, when they see her having to fight, they start to realise: SHE is the slayer and has all the burden, they should support her...

[@stephanierakowski2729]

I’m all for the Snider interest. Armin Shimerman is such a great actor especially in DS9

[@Nexusofgeek]

here and in DS9, but he is hilaroius as Snyder

[@shaynaformity1384]

I think you might be thinking of a line the writer Ella Winter said to Thomas Wolfe, which he got permission to use as the title of his book You Can't Go Home Again. From Wikipedia about the book: The title is reinforced in the denouement of the novel in which Webber realizes: "You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood ... back home to a young man's dreams of glory and of fame ... back home to places in the country, back home to the old forms and systems of things which once seemed everlasting, but which are changing all the time - back home to the escapes of Time and Memory."

[@serinas4465]

Just to put it out there. Someone made a "do you like my mask? It raises the dead!" cloth mask you can buy.

[@Henrik_Holst]

21:34 that is not Joyce admitting anything, this is deflection (a defense mechanism that involves redirecting focus, blame, or criticism from oneself onto another person, in an attempt to preserve one's self-image.). One common case of deflection is "I only did X because you did Y. So really it's your fault." which is what we see here. She is still not acting like the adult in the room, thankfully she does grow into the adult later, but as we can see here she have still some growing to do (and her allowing the Scoobies to turn this into a frat party as well as drinking shots among teenagers is not a good sign either).

[@RB-vo4gi]

This episode would be really confusing to watch out of order, haha. If you watch this episode first you don’t get an explanation for what happened after Buffy left town or why/when she came back.

[@nickreacts6394]

Yeah... I was certainly surprised and trying to piece it all together haha

[@lyssalovesit]

Yay another Buffy reaction…Can’t wait to continue this journey with ya. The seasons keep getting better from here. 💜

[@nickreacts6394]

Can't wait!

[@wantstowatch]

Yeah, Xander and Willow really show up at their worst in this episode. Xander, I think, is just never going to fully let go of his resentment that Buffy chose Angel-- a vampire!-- and not him (even when he's happy with someone else), and Joyce's angst has handed him a convenient excuse to be pressed that Buffy is grieving and traumatized from what she had to do. And meanwhile, Willow... is angry that her best friend, who was just forced to kill her first love, was not available as a sounding board about Willow's new relationship with a great guy that's going really well? I mean, I get that it's awkward to try to discuss it with basically anyone else either, but to rely on Buffy for that is pretty callous. And everything else she described going on in her life is something she could have discussed with Oz (or Giles or Xander, for that matter). To be honest, the events of this episode make it a little bit difficult for me to fully enjoy their characters. I still like a lot of other things about them, but it's kind of impossible to forget this.

[@crystal25288]

When you said the house gonna need repairs you have no idea just how much 🤣

[@IslandpferdeHaukagil]

Maybe Xanders and Willows reaction was a bit much but I think sometimes people forget that they are teenagers as well. They also have problems, hormones and emotions. Buffy went away without a word. They only knew she wasn't dead because she emptied her closet at home. Otherwise they wouldn't even have known if she survived the fight at all. That is pretty harsh considering how close the scoobies have become over the past 2 years. Then they worry for Buffy for 3 whole months and suddenly she is back, giving no explanation, no real apology and still feels emotionally detached from her friend. I really get why they are frustrated. Organising a party and discussing everything in front of all people was a bit over the top though.

[@agpie9]

Well she does try to talk to them one on one throughout the episode. She tries to meet up with Willow and have a conversation with Joyce and gets rebuffed. It's not for a lack of trying on her part.

[@kurtsnyder4752]

9:17 That's one intense inception level dream sequence.

[@Stephie_L]

I've bookmarked this reaction for whenever I need a good laugh. Anastasia, 1x05 (Owen) and this one is part of my "Confused Thor" playlist. LOVE it 😂As for this ep, I think I raked the scoobies of over the coals on Patreon already. However, it was really fun watching you think they were all acting mean because of something supernatural. But no, they were just being jerks haha. For me I noticed a tonal shift in general with S3 but I'll hold off until you get to the finale so I won't influence you in any way :)

[@nickreacts6394]

Haha, I love that there's a "confused" playlist (don't forget to add many of my hill house episodes! lol) As far as the Scoobies... I still think my personal head cannon has Willow and Xander replaced by body snatchers for this episode

[@Stephie_L]

@@nickreacts6394 Oh, you were confused watching Hill House?...Dang, I'm tempted to watch it just for that hahaha. You forget I scare easy Thor! I heard Hill House is scarier than Bly Manor. Anyway, it's been fun watching your descent. I think Nolan set you on the path but Buffy has really made you spiral. Confusion and paranoia haha. I find it hilarious though :)

[@nickreacts6394]

@@Stephie_L I think you would really appreciate Hill House. It is scarier than Bly, but nothing too extreme or gruesome, and it's the better show for sure imo... and yes, I find myself so much more suspicious after having watched Buffy... is the show good enough it's worth real-life paranoia?? YES :)

[@Stephie_L]

@@nickreacts6394 haha real life paranoia…your initiation is complete :) And I’ll definitely consider Hill House in the future 👍

[@philippschmidt80]

What's rarely brought up is Joyce blaming Giles and that's weird because I think she's completely right. He's an adult, he should know better than to keep crucial information from Buffy's mother, he had no right to do that and Joyce probably would have reacted better if the fact that her daughter is a demon fighting child soldier hadn't been dumped on her accidentally an hour before Buffy marches to what could be her death.

[@milliegarrett8459]

Her friends' and mother's actions always angered me in this episode.

[@calvinallen3424]

I feel like Joyce is more understandable. She tried to move on and understand but only got mad when she thought Buffy was doing it again

[@tcshack701]

It’s like Firefly everyone watched the second episode before the pilot. At least you weren’t intentionally messing everything up. 😆

[@nickreacts6394]

Haha, yeah I heard that the pilot of Firefly was switched around or something... I think a similar thing happened with Sherlock

[@XavierMacX]

This episode does not exist in my head canon. *staying blissfully ignorant over here* HAH. :(

[@nickreacts6394]

I understand this... that was not Willow...

[@XavierMacX]

@@nickreacts6394 100%

[@dklabratful]

I really hate this episode. Everyone blames Buffy. No one even tries to understand her. Or what she’s gone through. Zander doesn’t face any consequences for not telling Buffy Willow was retrying the spell. And Buffy doesn’t call them out on any of it.

[@tananario]

The phrase is: You can’t go home again. It’s a novel by Thomas Wolfe.

[@timolee]

it's a little toxic for her friends to expect buffy to be everything for them. when willow is talking about how she has no one to talk to about the things in her life then what are oz and xander there for? maybe try making more friends? sheesh saving the world is not enough she has to be their therapist too.

[@Arbo82]

This ep joins one other particular ep in the bin of Always Skipped on a Rewatch. It just causes me too much rage. I hate when the scoobies treat Buffy like shit.

[@cerrobueno]

OK, I really hope one of you gifted editors is already working on a Thor and Snyder appreciation/bromance montage video......

[@jameshitt3263]

After who knows how many viewings, I always come out on Buffy's side here. I give her mom a little bit of leeway, but all her friends? I always yell at the screen telling them all to shove it! Of course with the very notable exception of Giles. Only Giles seems to have enough awareness to know better, and faith in Buffy to cut her some much deserved slack. Giles always has her back.

[@kane128]

you should check out Anthony Stewart Head in Repo! The Genetic Opera... very creepy

[@stevenszmutko3501]

I feel like this episode would be a lot better if they were played by actors of their actual age. Its very much "I am too young to cope and communicate about these difficult things" that is much more teenager than the actual cast.

[@shawtydtoolit7706]

This is my favorite show this has been my favorite show since I was like 13 bro I love Buffy the vampire Slayer and Angel

[@magic713m]

Season 3 is definitely a favorite of mine. This episode, imo, is the low point of the season, so it's mostly up hill from here

[@nickreacts6394]

That's great to hear!

[@Nicamon]

I agree about the season,I disagree about the episode. I think the low point was ep 3x01. It was so boring I completely forgot it existed for YEARS(and it was extremely ironic for me to discover the iconic Buffy shot from the opening came from _that_ episode!😵).

[@kurtsnyder4752]

25:15 Letting Ripper out to play🎉😂❤

[@gabrielmauller8137]

It’s always fun to see Ripper Giles comes out.

[@spikesecho724]

The Scoobies and Joyce were all valid in their feelings and harshness. That's what's to be expected when a loved one, the center of their world, disappears/abandons them for months with no explanation. Left to worry themselves sick and drive themselves mad trying to fill in the blanks. Then it's an even bigger slap in the face having the person return, seemingly fine, and STILL offer zero explanation. You can't offer compassion and understanding when the person gave you no consideration themselves, plus kept you completely in the dark about what possibly happened. Everyone is justified in their feelings and actions, Buffy too of course. The lesson is to treat your loved ones with consideration and never keep them in the dark.

[@Silver-kj3if]

They don't need her to dissect her own trauma for their benefit, not when they already know what happened. I think Joyce is the only one who's a little out of the loop, though I'm sure she talked to Giles and the Scoobies a bit during the summer. I doubt they told her everything, thougj. Giles and the Scoobies do know, however, as evidenced in this episode. Xander even brings it up (in front of a huge crowd) and blames her for it. But they know everything that happened during season 2, they know Buffy was in love with Angel and after becoming the most intimate she'd ever been with anyone he lost his soul and became a monster who spent months doing his best to psychologically torture her. They know she was dealing with the guilt of being unable to kill Angelus before he killed other people, and that in the end she had to do it anyway to keep the world from descending into hell. They know Willow did the re-ensouling spell and that the world was saved. They know (I imagine) that Joyce told Buffy not to come back home if she left to fight Angelus. They know the fight took a lot out of her, even if they don't know the details. I can understand them wanting those details, but that's not what happens in this episode, is it? They are angry they had to pick up the slack (even though they didn't actually *have* to, they *decided* to and that's on them) and go patrolling, and they're angry that her being so beat down by what happened affected *them*. You say Buffy is "the centre of their world" but I don't think that's true, they are each thinking of themselves here, their own lives and how they were affected, and not about Buffy at all. And while she might not have given them an explanation, they knew the reasons already; or at least most of them. I agree with Thor here that while it would hurt to have your friend disappear for 3 months, if you know that they'd just gone through an incredibly traumatic and painful experience and them leaving was a direct response to it because they felt they needed the space to process it, it only makes sense to cut them some slack instead of being confrontational and accusatory as soon as they're back.

[@RamblingRose08]

Team Buffy all the way in this episode. I am not surprised at Xander and Willow's reaction, but I do not agree with it at all. I am surprised at Oz (as someone else pointed out), he is usually more insightful... however he is always Team Willow so maybe it isn't as surprising. Great reaction (even with the confusion lol)

[@denmaroca2584]

I wasn't keen on this episode when I first saw it (for many of the reasons people give) but have come to appreciate it after seeing the rest of the show. What the writers are doing here is using the various traumas, and existing grievances, to clearly lay out the flaws in all of our protagonists' characters. Flaws which will come to bite each of them in the butt in due course (there's quite a bit of foreshadowing in what is said during the heated arguments). Of course, if you do that no-one is going to come out smelling of roses. Which one gets most of the odour depends on your personal favourites and unloved and personal experiences.

[@insulaarachnid]

Giles' youthful nickname was Ripper, not Reaper.

[@Nicamon]

06:11 - 06:25 Well..you *do* get that..in the _actual_ episode 3x01!😅 09:39 - 09:46 OK,probably because I started"Buffy"from S3,to me *THIS* is *THE* iconic Buffy shot from the credits!🤩It's also much more cool looking with that badass stare 😎 compared to the S1 shot. The funny thing is that I *never* realized what episode was from until very,very recently because I forgot ALL the pilot since A)I started S3 _not_ from the beginning the 1st time and B)as I said,I find that episode pretty boring so I had forgotten everything about that.😅To think that THE most iconic Buffy shot of all comes from _that_ episode still stuns me!😵 15:38 - 15:45 You&Willow Xandering Xander in sync though...😂15:49 - 15:59 You're 100% right. She even *said* that! 16:06 - 16:30 Oh,you're _also_ right about that!😅 19:42 - 19:45 Then *TALK TO HER!!!!* Explain what happened!!!She can't just read your mind,she would understand if you just started to open up a little!!!That's what friends are for!!They *will* understand and forgive you,but you can't expect them to just do that from fucking nowhere!!You have to give them _something_ to work with!!! 21:49 - 22:03 I hate how Xander handled the situation in more than 1 occasion,but in this specific moment he's saying the exact same thing *I* just said in my previous piece of comment.☝I'm sorry,Buffy _has_ the right to"deal with things on her own",but then she can't expect everybody to just adjust to that without saying a word! THEY have the right to complain as well for how _she_ handled the situation with them!X-( 22:12 - 22:17 And *here* is where I want to *PUNCH* Xander once again and tell him to SHUT THE FUCK UP!🤬💢(I'm not commenting Cordy because..she's just Cordy being Cordy.😅) 25:43 - 26:00 I-LOVE-THIS-SCENE!😂💕 Anyway,can I say one thing?Everybody complains about how Buffy's friends treated her in this ep but I believe that _even_ if they were right,this doesn't mean the episode is bad written.People *do* handle things poorly in real life a lot of the times...to have Buffy's friends to have that kind of reaction just adds to the realism of the show(you know..monsters aside.😝). 28:28 - 28:44 , 29:02 - 29:09 But they DIDN'T KNOW THAT ANGEL DIED!!!You guys keep forgetting about that! *We* know what happened with Angelus/Angel because we saw it...THEY DIDN'T!!!They have *NO IDEA* Buffy had to kill Angel,Willow even hypotized they may have gone away together into the sunset! If they *knew* what Buffy had to do I would completely be on the they-should-be-understanding-and-supportive side,BUT THEY DIDN'T!They had no idea!The last thing they knew is that Buffy was going to fight Angelus,that Angel was probably back and that the world didn't end!That's it!!!They didn't know _how_ the world didn't end and _at what cost_ for Buffy!!

[@Pathfinder197]

Excellent points. I love and respect Buffy, but her lack of communication thing is totally a thing. People also tend to gloss over the fact that even fighting as a group the no super-powers Scoobs were likely in more danger than Buffy as they attempted to hold down the hell mouth fort all summer. That’s not actually a minor thing. I was always a little surprised Giles didn’t do more that ask them to be careful.

[@Nicamon]

@@Pathfinder197 Exactly!We know that,as main characters,they have a pretty thick plot armor,but THEY don't know that!!;-S It's *extremely risky* for them to just take the Slayer's role like that,expecially seeing how _clumsy_ they are in doing it(see Oz throwing the stake,for example)!What makes me laugh is that when they ask Buffy to follow her she often refuses because she doesn't want to put them in danger,even if she can be their bodyguard,but when they're on their own _without_ Buffy's protection it's suddely ok for them to risk their neck,both figuratively and literally!;-P

[@paulkomoroski]

You aren't alone.

[@dipperjc]

"You can't go home again."

[@yarayara5694]

Pat and Ted as a couple, hahaha what a thought! 😂

[@ADDButterfly]

The fight is so hard to watch. Because for me personally. Being scolded in PUBLIC, is the worst thing. It's worse than speaking in public. XD

[@BlackDouglas1000]

My take is that they are treating it as a breakup trauma when it is really post combat stress they are all experiancing.

[@xenbuff]

I think it's ok for me to say that we all hate this episode, I know I do. Poor Buffy. 😢

[@JimmyPageTV]

I think this episode is sorely underrated. I really love the "truth" of how this is EXACTLY how highschool teenagers would act towards eachother. Was Buffy a little rash in deciding to leave town and essentially "ghost" everyone she loves, perhaps. There's definitely an argument to be made about that. Were Buffy's friends rash "blaming" her for leaving town without even considering what she may have been going through? Absolutely. But that, in essence, is the reason the writers wrote this episode this way. Was to kind of highlight the fact that there IS no right side. Both sides were operating on pure stress and instinct and, well... this is what you get. If anything, my only gripe with this episode is that they didn't go further with the "confrontation." I could listen to everyone stating their POV and speaking form their hearts all day.

[@misterkite]

This is the episode where Xander ended up on my permanent shitlist.

[@tracim3080]

People cannot understand what you go through if you refuse to tell them Buffy was incredibly selfish and took off without considering how that affected those around her so her coming back to them being upset with her is realistic and human She has no understanding of what she put them through for the last three months because she was so obsessed with her pain she didn’t consider it

[@peterswift5703]

16:23 Empanadas are delicious 😍

[@snarkysquirrel]

i was laughing so much as you made predictions for episode one and then were so confused and disappointed by this episode. everything you predicted and wanted for the first episode is there, the only thing missing was you watching it first. but yeah her friends suck in this episode. i think joyce did kinda ok, she really tried. its unfortunate buffy heard what she did from joyces convo with her friend. her reaction at the party in front of everyone was ill timed. i think she just was so scared that her child was going to disappear again. i think thats totally understandable. i doubt she even registered the kids all around at that point. giles was great. the friends sucked. i think cordy reacted the best of all of them really. but they are also teenagers. teens who had taken on a huge job that they werent trained or superpowered for. that doesnt make their reaction ok. but they were dealing with a lot and like her they are kids.

[@lalunadesangre1808]

I assume Willow was hurt, she never even heard from her, imagine not knowing if your friend was dead or ever coming back. Xander I've never liked and he's always been a jerk about Angel so this seemed very in character to me. Joyce I can definitely understand seeing as she doesn't really understand what happened and her only child disappeared shortly after she discovered how in danger she really was. If she'd called them or just let them know somehow she was ok FOR 3 MONTHS!!! Was this the right time for it, hell no. Butvif they'd sat down and had a proper conversation about it, it wouldn't be tv would it?!

[@shercahn]

This episode won't be the last to give a little nod to Stephen King. This one is the cat and Pet Semetary.

[@kurtsnyder4752]

26:20 Captioner been viewing Learn English With Lucy channel?

[@josephlamicela1996]

But you can’t reduce the supernatural horror aspect. Buffy ran away, left her friends for two months without telling them that she’s alive and ok, ON A HELLMOUTH. The most likely outcome of that would be that one or more of them are dead when she returns. If no one’s fighting demons, demons are killing people. So they fought the demons, and they have no great skills to do so, and then Buffy comes back and they were angry. Rightfully. They handled it like crap. But I think their anger makes sense. Just like Buffy didn’t handle it well. To feel like people are being awkward, and to decide to pack a bag and run again. That is far shittier than Willow and Xander snapping again. This show excels at presenting moral situations that aren’t black and white. It makes perfect sense for Buffy to want to disappear in a hole, but that choice still had consequences. Her friends were affected and they reacted in a very human way. They didn’t choose to communicate. They tried to avoid until they could all decompress. I don’t know. I disagree. I think I completely understand both sides. Buffy needed her space, but a phone call once a month to make sure everyone was ok and to tel them she’s ok, would have been better. It also makes sense that she didn’t do that because she’s 16 and isn’t perfect, but that doesn’t absolve her. Her friends had a right to be upset, but they handed it badly. They’re all very human and that’s why I love this show.

[@dashabrunclikova6975]

No but honestly... How hard was it to edit this reaction? I don't think I'd be able to do it. I'd probably record an updated commentary or something. It must have taken so much patience... Cudos to you.

[@ace-of-teacups]

I hate Xander deeply at this point. Willow was awful this episode too, but I chalk that up to being an immature teenager - when it comes to Xander it's much more constant though

[@sjbenson5618]

Lol Man Thor you got confused when you thought you were watching episode 1 of buffy. But you didn't ruin the reaction for me because since the confusion I felt that you felt that buffy was lost and was asking so many questions of where has she been?

[@Chimaerafox]

Have you considered reacting to: "Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker (2000)"?

[@nickreacts6394]

Yes, but not until I've seen the Animated Series

[@dmwalker24]

This episode really made no sense. Everyone trying to come off all wise and superior, when if they had been through what she had, they would be in therapy for the rest of their lives. And she chose, on her own, to go through it to save every last one of their lives. It's truly absurd.

[@solargomez2490]

Just warning you there's going to be a lot of emotional moments in season 3 and later Seasons to come

[@nickreacts6394]

I'm excited! (and nervous...)

[@solargomez2490]

@@nickreacts6394 I was too. I've watched the entire series on DVD.

[@lintyskittle1047]

You said you thought that this episode was the "pilot." I think you might be confused about what a pilot is. A pilot is the first episode they film to try to sell a show to the network; it's not the first episode of any given season.

[@gaz0428]

yeah. the people in her life are not always the best. And there are times it gets worse. This is part of the reason I'm not a fan of Zanders. It's very hard for him to understand where people are coming from at times.

[@karollysiak1]

Really, at any moment have you not figured out that this is not the first episode? Although actually I made the same mistake in season 5 but I figured out after 20 minutes that something was wrong.

[@lyssalovesit]

He said he messed them up in the last reaction and the beginning of this reaction though…

[@Matthew-ij3zm]

@@lyssalovesit I think the person's just surprised he didn't realize the mistake while he was watching the episode, wondering if he didn't notice something wrong as he went

[@lyssalovesit]

@@Matthew-ij3zm I’m pretty sure he said he noticed about half way through but yeah I gotcha

[@FrancesW-]

The first episode was pretty separate this season, and there were no references in this episode to what happened in the first. It's really hard to imagine how I'd think about it in the same situation (unknowingly having skipped an episode), but I feel like it would just seem like a narrative choice not to explain up front where Buffy was and why this is when she came back. It's subject matter that could have been handled later in flashback.

[@ChrisCollins068]

I don’t even see what he’s confused about. At the end of the first episode of this season, Buffy finally goes back home and her and Joyce embrace when she arrives. In this episode, it’s clear they are trying to get back to normal and are kind of ignoring any negative feelings that they still have revolving around why buffy left which eventually comes out in front of everybody at the party because they can’t hold back or pretend anymore. So I really don’t see why this is confusing.

[@ferrisulf]

haha! Poor Thor was so confused. It's okay. This is a bad episode anyway. They made Willow and Xander out of character--Willow in particular--just for the sake of having dramatics. It just feels off and resolves way too easily for how big a deal they were making of things. Now imagine when I was introduced with this show at a slumber party, my friend just hopped around all 7 seasons to show me her favorites. I was SO CONFUSED. lol It wasn't until years later I decided to try it on my own. Giles is gold in this episode, as is Joyce getting firsthand experience with slaying.

[@shanehenry7699]

Wait until you get to the episode called The Wish. It's one of my favs and very mind bending.

[@TheCallToArms1]

Please, no hints at future episodes. No need to raise expectations.

[@nanonapobangpo4013]

Im the only one who doesnt feel bad for Buffy and am on the friends side. Always have been.

[@drakethedragon3164]

I feel bad for all of them.