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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 6x15 Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2025-03-24 14:00:07
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

"As You Were"

Files

Previews only

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 6x15 Full Reaction

Comments

Lime Pie

You might not remember this, but I'm pretty sure back when Riley left, you predicted that he would return to see that Buffy and Spike had gotten together and Spike would throw it in Riley's face that Buffy needed some "monster in her man" (and this was before Buffy was even thinking of Spike like that), so I can finally congratulate you on that. Douglas Petrie knocked it out of the park with this episode imo. From a writing perspective, bringing back Riley, who was also down in the dumps but is now doing a lot better, was a great way to show Buffy that she is still who she always has been despite how worthless she feels. The directing is on point as well. There is a lot of brilliant directing decisions in this, but there are two that stand out to me. The first is when Buffy is talking to Dawn in the kitchen after just reading that she was rejected from college. We get a shot of Dawn with what she is holding out of frame, then a reverse shot of Buffy asking where she is going, then back to a longer shot of Dawn who we can now see is holding her school supplies. It's such a simple yet clever way to put the audience in Buffy's perspective. The second is when Buffy is breaking up with Spike. We start with medium shots, but when Buffy says "It's killing me", it switched to a close up to show that Spike knows she is being serious. There's also so many great subtle glances that give us a lot of insight into what the characters are thinking.

ThePowerDrome

One of the two worst episodes in the opinion of Mark Field, author of the book "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Myth, Metaphor & Morality". Everything in it simply does not work as it should. There are so many complaints - and the way Riley talks to Buffy, and how it is possible for Spike to become an international dealer if he is an outcast among demons and does not have a phone, and the fact that the "updated" Riley does not really look like a real person, but like a poster for the ideal life of an American family, that is, we have to accept that Riley has actually degraded. The last time we saw him, he understood (or we thought he understood) that blindly following orders does not lead to anything good. Here we see a military Riley, who does not even question the fact that Spike is "the Doctor", that is, a dealer. The only working option for me with "the Doctor" in the person of Spike is the headcanon that "the Doctor" is actually Sam. A few episodes ago, Spike said he would get money for Buffy. Apparently, he tried different options, and since he is an outcast among demons, there were no serious offers. And then Sam comes to him through an intermediary and asks to hold the demon eggs for a decent salary. That's why Spike doesn't react to the "Doctor" - he simply isn't one. He was really asked to hold the eggs, as he says, "for a friend." Of course, there is no question of any trade - the eggs must be stored under certain conditions, which Spike obviously doesn't know about. If Riley hadn't come, Spike would have been killed by the demons. Therefore, he wouldn't have been able to tell anyone where he got the eggs from and everyone would have been thinking about him. And if you know that of Spike's real contacts, the only ones who don't trust him are Buffy and Scooby, all questions would have disappeared. Why is Sam? Apparently, they accidentally stumbled upon her trail, and she decided to get rid of the goods. So you could say Riley saved Spike's life and reputation.

grapevinecinema
>>168764842

omg thank you for telling me about a prediction i got right!! i throw so many theories out there that a lot of the time, i don’t even rememeber i predicted it when it happens lol

Lime Pie
>>168769950

A much less convoluted way it could have went down is the Doctor, whoever that might be, needed a place to store the eggs, so they had Spike hold onto them but neglected to tell Spike to keep them cold (or maybe Spike just forgot). Spike may be an outcast, but we know he is still apart of some demon circles (e.g. he plays kitten poker). Riley may be doing a lot better, but one thing I really like about this episode is they show that Riley has not fully finished healing. He still has a lot of trouble communicating with Buffy because he holds her on a pedestal and doesn't want to look bad in front of her (it also might be because he was up for 48 hours straight). Also, one thing I really liked about Riley's arc in season 5 was it showed the nuance of his military life. I don't think he blindly follows orders anymore (I can see how Riley thought Spike was the Doctor if everyone he interrogated told him Spike had the eggs), but he did realize that he needed a place to feel needed and joining the army again was the best way to satisfy that need for him.

Morgan Williams

I totally felt the akward tension between Buffy and Riley. Their feelings for each other are still there you can clearly see that, just cuz he got married doesn't mean that he and Buff don't still have feelings unresovled. They both needed this time for closure.

Morgan Williams

Riley was gone before Joyce died, and everthing went highstakes crazy.

Morgan Williams

I mean I have a cousin who married this guy in the marines after knowing him three months. 13 years later, with 4 kids later (one adopted) they still together and seemingly doing well.

Morgan Williams

Spike never completely was an outcast to demons, he was renouned for so many years before the chip.

Morgan Williams

Funniest part of this episode was Willow saying "What a bitch" and stepping away. The attitude Will was giving was 🤣. So funny.

Morgan Williams

Not a spoiler, next episode is finally the wedding!!!

DanielOrme

I can't argue against those saying that Spike being 'the doctor' doesn't work very well. It's as if they had written themselves into a corner plotwise and this was the only escape they could come up with (much as the Xander-called-the-demon explanation in Once More With Feeling feels patched on). Referring to Riley and Sam as "Nick and Nora Fury" is my favorite pop culture cross-reference of all time!

slypeartree

I loved the look on your face when you saw Riley on the "Previously on".

Isaiah Bryant

The OBVIOUS solution is Spike is trying to sell the eggs to get money for Buffy who’s miserable working. Like the out for the writers is right there!! Spike, being soulless, doesn’t see the problems with it and Buffy does. So disappointed with how they chose to play out their break up

Isaiah Bryant
>>168803748

In a prior episode Spike even says “I can get money” when Buffy protests over quitting. They played themselves

spikeysnack
>>168790956

This ep has so many call-outs to other things -- Burger World -- where Beavis and Butthead work Machiavelli -- the author who warns about the total lack of morals of the powerful Zeitgeist -- the idea of "unseen forces" determining destiny and sweeping up everyone into a mindset that brings that destiny about The Tribbles of Star Trek "The trouble with Tribbles" and "troublemeat palace" callback to it. "Nick and Nora" -- the husband/wife detectives from the early 40s Thin man movies -- and "Fury" -- Nick Fury from the Marvel Avengers. James Bond -- just a line but it tells a lot about Buffy and how she sees things. Invasion of Normandy -- clever shows Anya has hidden depths, and a long life of experience. Riley used the phrase "bug hunts" -- likely a line from "Aliens", and of course the bugs eggs ...

JBK405

Cass, your LOOK! Your expression and eyes made me feel like I was watching the episode for the first time all over again! I dislike this episode more than most other people, because I HEAVILY dislike Riley and the way this episode treats him gets all my hackles up. He wasn't a "good guy" who was driven away because of Buffy's lack of appreciation, or even somebody who just drifted apart due to the normal vagaries of human relationships. He was a creep who walked away when she was at an extremely low point because she didn't devote herself enough to him. So to see him come back and serve as a highlight of everything good that she USED to have rubs me the extreme wrong way. I do like the ending, and Buffy's clear break-up with Spike. I think it makes sense for the character, and the way it's handled is clearly different from Buffy's usual plaintive pleading. Here she's in control.

spikeysnack

After Joyce died, and Glory came and threatened the Summers, Spike became like a big brother to Dawn, and he is in on most of the stuff going down. They accept his presence, because it is Buffy's decision, and they don't fear him anymore, and he proved himself fighting Glory with them, and protecting Dawn. But he is kind of over it now, I think. He was a good husband to Dru, though she was insane, and diabolical, and he was a lousy boyfriend to Harmony, because she was not his equal. What he is to Buffy is like a war buddy, bonded by battle, and it turned physical because of their ages ( Buffy's real age, Spikes undying age) and it was more like shelter in the storm for both of them. Buffy gives in to the urge, but feels terrible afterwards, Spike enjoys the kink and the connection, and always to be a chaos agent. He is there to teach everyone a lesson about how high an mighty they think they are and low and weak they think he is. While Spike was messing with Buffy, he wasn't doing much damage to everyone else. He took a bite out of Tara, but just to see if she was human, just to be provocative. But he apparently has not been biting Buffy, even though they are doing everything else, and its supposed to be a sexual rush for the one getting bit. (probably too far for the show to go, but there is still time). Maybe its Spike's turn to be the big bad -- A lover scorned is dangerous, and all that.

Michael Labs

I think that this episode was useful in providing a story hook that permits Buffy to break out of her funk and find herself again after being resurrected. I see this from my own perspective in which I've been through a couple of such "funks" including a stretch in which I couldn't find my own value for about 15 years after high school graduation. I can relate to Buffy's situation in that I dulled the feelings through a couple of relationships that were not good for me... to the point at which I had a very unfortunate ideation that thankfully was neither fulfilled nor ever again presented itself. I mean that one can reach for anything that distracts from feelings of "worthlessness" or "helplessness" in shaping one's own destiny. This is how I characterize the entire "Spuffy" thing. Riley and Sam presented a model for Buffy that healing from a low was doable (after all Riley was in a pretty low place allowing vamps to drink from him, especially strange ones). As to the breakup, this scene was an entirely different vibe in which William's name was stated, driving home the full meaning of the conversation. This one is going to stick I think. Looking forward to the ramp up for the season 6 home stretch. Cheers and blessings to all who need it.

Masha Gunic

You're so spot on with Spike no longer showing care for Buffy's relationship with Dawn. And one of the things I really missed from this season after the first three episodes was Spike's own relationship with Dawn. I think the writers really did a disservice to Spike's character by basically making him regress and lose some of the growth he had from the 5th season. But I think at this point they are really trying to drive home the soulless vampire role.

Ahmad
>>168911069

I see it this way, Spike "has" Buffy now so he doesn't need to do all these forced acts of kindness he did in Season 5 to win her over.