Buffy ep by ep; AS YOU WERE-we weren't expecting you Mr Riley

JudyLovesBuffy said:
My all time LEAST favorite episode of Buffy. I think I may be in the minority here, but I actually liked Riley and Buffy together. I liked how much he loved her and needed her. What I didn't like was what he became in Season 5.

I didn't like the fact, as someone else mentioned, that Riley came back (with not so blushing bride in tow) at Buffy's lowest point. I don't know if that was to balance out Riley's low points in Season 5, but either way, I didn't like the episode at all.

I always thought that Riley could have been Buffy's one true chance at happiness and a normal life. Let's face it, Angel and Spike could never have been "the ONES" in the long haul. Although I do believe that Angel was Buffy's one true love.
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I think As You Were made Buffy finally break up with Spike because when she looks at what Riley and Sam have together, a healthy, normal husband and wife relationship it makes her jealous, she wants it. And she realises she can never have that with Spike, she's sorry but it can never be him
 
meh. as you were seemed like the"we couldnt get david boreneaz for this"episode. it could of been like 800 thousand million trillion jillion....back to million cause i ran out of illons better.
For me,rileys one of those characters i dont see the point of bringing back. Well,I mean the episodes idea is 1.Keep up with that whole timewarp buffy and everyone is stuck in adolescence and growing up in general feel by bringing back the retro character 2.Make buffy see normalcy.
But the problem is,rileys arc pretty much ended with him leaving in season 5,theres no interest personally in how he ended up. Plus retro doesnt mean like half a year ago. I dunno,it just seems like for an episode thats like really tremendously important itd need a better character. Yeah I know what youre thinking"Who would you suggest?" and to that I say UH SOMETHING SUDDENLY CAME UP and then i run.
for that matter buffys relationship with spikes problem isnt that its not normal,its that its unhealthy. love isnt normal,it makes us into crazy people with tin foil hats who hail xenu or whatever,its a weird emotion but its not supposed to be a twirling backflip into suckland. loves only science is can you look into a mirror after you see the person,not normality. hell,why do you think midgets fall in love with giants? and some cats and dogs live together in perfect harmony? and somehow buffy married freddie prinze jr? Its crazy. Buffy and angel were crazy but they had something true and honest. The problem is buffy and spike are in a terrible position brought about by their psyches and their situation. They cant even like themselves much less love each other.
But with that said. my dissapointment isnt that its a terrible episode,its not,its just...it could of been much better its the weakest episode for me of the period from dead things into seeing red where you get broken buffy,directionlessly angry, narrowly avoided school shooter professional grouchy pants warren mears,spuffy abusive relationship and other goodies and the season really takes off (yes i like season six,i'll throw down over it,the gloves are off). Its one of those episodes however thats ok as a"season episode" by that i mean if you watch the season in whole it fits,but as a single episode its bad.
 
I've never hated Riley. I've always kinda liked him. I thought he was good for Buffy after what happened with Angel so I was kinda saddened by this episode. For a moment, I wished they would get back together. I just filled with dread when he caught her with Spike...I felt her embarrassment. Also, I'm not a huge fan of Sam. I thought she seemed kinda fake but maybe it's just me. I just wanted her gone but I couldn't believe Riley married her. I was like he wasn't gone THAT long.
 
For me, this was the single worst episode of Season 6 (a season I have always greatly admired). Totally, utterly, profoundly missable.
 
miromurr agrees: Curious to hear what your bottom ten are.

10. Older and Faraway
9. As You Were
8. Two to Go
7. Dead Things
6. Hell's Bells
5. All the Way
4. Doublemeat Palace
3. Seeing Red
2. Gone
1. Wrecked

So yeah, it just about sneaks into the bottom ten, but it's a close call.
 
TheVoid68 said:
miromurr agrees: Curious to hear what your bottom ten are.

10. Older and Faraway
9. As You Were
8. Two to Go
7. Dead Things
6. Hell's Bells
5. All the Way
4. Doublemeat Palace
3. Seeing Red
2. Gone
1. Wrecked

So yeah, it just about sneaks into the bottom ten, but it's a close call.
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man you really don't like season 6. :biggrin3:
 
Aww, I loiked it, lol. I think using Riley to end Season 6 Spuffy may be construed as lazy writing but to be honest it was needed and seeing Riley again was great. That that he didn't judge Buffy and is still impressed by her shows he's the small minded bigoty sexist that some claim that he is.
 
dan k said:
man you really don't like season 6. :biggrin3:
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I really, really don't. I kinda wish I hadn't seen it, I used to be nothing but positive about the show... 🙁

Kana said:
Aww, I loiked it, lol. I think using Riley to end Season 6 Spuffy may be construed as lazy writing but to be honest it was needed and seeing Riley again was great. That that he didn't judge Buffy and is still impressed by her shows he's the small minded bigoty sexist that some claim that he is.
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Oddly, that scene made me hate him even more. I'd been waiting all season for Buffy to get her act together, the "ripped out of heaven" excuse only goes so far, and by the middle of the season I just thought she was acting poorly, she was being an awful friend to the others and a terrible carer to Dawn. I really wanted someone to come in and tell her to stop being so pathetic and get over it (like Cordelia in WSWB), I really didn't want someone coming along and telling her how brilliant she was. The show told me that Buffy was brilliant way too often, and I thought in S6 she especially didn't deserve it.

See these two articles, but replace "character hated by the fanbase" to "character that TheVoid68 doesn't like".

The Wesley - Television Tropes Idioms
Shilling The Wesley - Television Tropes Idioms
 
Not a particular favorite episode of mine, even if it was good to see Riley again. But the interesting about it is that Riley is viewed from the viewpoint of the Scoobies - especially Buffy and Xander. Which would explain why he is portrayed in such an ideal manner.

And whether many of you want to believe it or not, Riley was right about Spike having those demon eggs.
 
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