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

[saturn5]

AS YOU WERE

The Good;
I never really liked Riley when he was a regular but in small doses I find him much more agreeable (and indeed feel the same way for Connor on Angel)

The Bad;
One thing that always shakes me about this ep is that Riley's wife Sam looks so much like Warren's ex Katrina. Also rather a spoiler when Marc Blucas' name appears in the opening credits. Have a look at the scene where the demon attacks on Main Street Sunnydale, the couple sitting at the coffee shop don't react at all. Since when does Sunnydale have this huge dam just outside it? Why do Riley and Buffy have to dump most of their weapons to go down on the line together, can't they just go down one at a time?

Best line;
Buffy (staring shocked at Riley);"Were you always this tall?" (yes which is one of the reasons he and petite Buffy were so ridiculous as a couple)

Women good/men bad;
Riley says he is in command of Sam. She says 'He wishes'. Buffy says she's not defined by who's she with, the beginning of her cookie dough philosophy.

Jeez!;

Kinky dinky;
Riley walks in on Buffy and Spike. Buffy changes in front of him but he doesn't look (seen it all before?). Buffy and Spike against the tree right in the open outside the Summer's house. Some very risque comments about 'Letting you in' and 'Come outside' that could be open to interpretation. But Buffy's 'He's not getting any gentler' remark gives a different aspect to all this, it seems almost joyless for her. According to Spike he and Buffy have sex for five hours straight but this is the last time they ever will.

Captain Subtext;
Xander is starting to dream of flower bouquets. Riley comments that he's seen enough of Spike's 'dead body' for one night. Willow comments how as a little girl she used to dream about marrying Xander but now seems glad to have ducked the bullet. After the events of 'Older and Farther Away' Buffy and Dawn seem much closer, getting on better, Dawn happy to go to school and kissing an ecstatic Buffy before she leaves.
Spike seems to revel in flashing his nakedness in front of Riley, prompting him to comment that 'I've seen enough of your dead body for one evening'. Anya comments that if Xander is such a big fan of Riley he should just marry him. Buffy says she loves Riley's wife too.
Once again Buffy says of guns "These are never useful" foreshadowing the end of the season.

Guantanamo Bay;
Riley's glad to be back in Sunnydale where he knows who to beat for information. Spike objects to Riley's search of his crypt as unconstitutional.

Scoobies to the ER;

Missing scenes;

Apocalypses; 6

Wheldon Cliches (with kind permission from Boo)

Scoobies in bondage:
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 5
Will: 3
Jenny: 1
Angel: 4
Oz: 1
Faith: 3
Joyce: 1
Wes: 1
Xander; 1
Dawn; 3

Scoobies knocked out:
Buffy: 17
Giles: 12
Cordy: 6
Xander: 11
Will: 8
Jenny: 2
Angel: 6
Oz: 3
Faith: 1
Joyce: 3
Wes: 1
Anya;3
Dawn; 2

Kills: one vamp and a dozen demons for Buffy. Weirdly the vamp wears a peace symbol on his jacket.
Buffy: 104 vamps, 55 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human, 1 god.
Cordy: 3 vamps, ½ a demon
Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn.
Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human
Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans
Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1½ a demon,
Anya: 1 vamp and 1½ a demon
Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons
Spike; 8 vamps and 4 demons
Buffybot; 2 vamps
Tara; 1 demon
Dawn; 1 vamp

Scoobies go evil:
Giles: 1
Cordy: 1
Will: 2
Jenny: 1
Angel: 1
Oz: 1
Joyce: 1
Xander: 4
Anya; 1
Dawn; 1

Alternate scoobies:
Buffy: 7
Giles: 4
Cordy: 1
Will: 3
Jenny: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 2
Joyce: 2
Xander: 4
Tara; 1
Dawn;1
Spike; 1

Recurring characters killed: 11
Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce, Katrina

Sunnydale deaths;
93

Total number of scoobies:
Xander, Willow, Buffy, Anya, Spike,

Xander demon magnet: 5(6?)
Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

Scoobies shot: Buffy uses Riley's shotgun and tranquiliser gun but can't hit anything with either. She makes better use of his belt of grenades.
Giles: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 4
Riley; 1

Notches on Scooby bedpost:
Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
Cordy: 1?
Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 1 possible, Dracula(?)
Angel: 1;Buffy
Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)
Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley
Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
Willow: 2;Oz and Tara
Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore
Spike; 1 Buffy

Spike; good or bad?
Spike is dealing in demon eggs, evil as they come. This seems to open Buffy's eyes to his true nature although she still won't let Riley kill him.

Dawn in peril; 8

Dawn the bashful virgin; 6

Questions and observations;
Obvious allusions to Aliens and all the better for them, Angel;TS will do something very similar in season 5 (also a series with strong female heroine until pt3 ruined the series). Poor Buffy, you feel so sorry for her that she get's rejected for UCSD (but surely she wouldn't have the money to go anyway?). Nice to give Riley some closure after the strained nature of his departure in 'Into the Woods'. Riley comments that Dawn has grown one and a half feet, well probably just eight inches. Note Riley asks if Dawn wants to leave due to the gory details but Buffy now lets her stay for the grown up stuff. Check out Willow's expression at Sam's 'disposable cameras' idea (similar scene in Firefly when Reynolds asks his engineer to the ball).
What book is Spike reading when Buffy comes into his crypt? It's a very Angel like touch. Riley says that Buffy is the first woman he ever loved and the strongest he knows (better not tell the missus that!). Buffy's final goodbye to Spike is very emotional, especially when she calls him William, that means more than ALL the sex in the world between them.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

Aww, this episode reminded me how I miss Riley. Sometimes he was drama queen about how Buffy doesn't love him, but I think that Buffy was happier then.

This episode wasn't so important for me, but it had less Spuffy sex then usual so 8/10 🙂

 

[BuffyElevated]

I really liked this ep. I was always a fan of Riley, so I was ecstatic that he was back, but pissed when I found out he was married. LOL However, I couldn't stay pissed for long 'cause I really like Sam.
I couldn't believe Buffy could still be with Spike when she found out he was The Doctor. But I guess she wasn't "feeling" enough to care much at that point...

 

[xaphania]

I've never really liked this episode. I don't like Riley, but I can admit he was more bearable in this ep than in his season four/five arc.

I still don't believe that Spike is the Doctor. I think he was holding them for a friend, like he said. There's some meta somewhere, though I don't have the link or remember who wrote it, that's a very interesting read. Something like, 'How I learned to stop hating 'As You Were'.

Anyway... the Spike/Buffy break-up scene was emotional, but I think it was needed at this point in their relationship. I just wish it hadn't come off the back of Riley being back in town. There are some dailies somewhere, which shows the camera focused on JM's face and wow... so sad 🙁 He's a great actor.

I have the dailies saved, if anyone wants me to upload them.

For me, this episode gets... 4/10. Redeeming points for me are the Spike/Buffy scenes. (Tell me you love me, I'm sorry, William.)

 

[saturn5]

I think the whole Dr thing was to remind Buffy and the audience that Spike was evil, pure and simple. When Buffy looks at Riley and Sam she realises what she's missing, a loving, healthy relationship that she can never have with Spike, kinky sex yes, a love affair no.

Until he took up with the vampwhores Riley was probably the best boyfriend Buffy ever had, they could fight evil together then have picnics in the park in the sunshine

 

[Anya2012]

I was no fan of Riley I hated him. But I liked this episode because I knew he wasn't coming back. And it was closure for him and Buffy. 8/10.

 

[white avenger]

Okay, here we go again, the "As You Were Conspiracy," as seen by the White Avenger.

I like to refer to this as the "Oh, you have GOT to be kidding!" episode.

My main objections to this episode are the very excessive use of coincidence as a way to advance the story and the way that so many dthe main plot elements are left unresolved and never mentioned again.


Just when Buffy is at her lowest, depressed stage, up pops good ol' Riley, the closest thing to a normal, sane, secure boyfriend she has ever known.

Just when things are relatively quiet in Sunnydale, at least as quiet as they ever are on the hellmouth (how do we know that it's quiet? It's so quiet that Buffy feels okay with coming straight home from work, then staying there for the rest of the night) up pops the mean ol' Suvolte demon, death and destruction personified.

And back to Captain Corn Fed, with the dashing new scar. He hasn't spoken to any of the gang, so he has no way to know where Buffy might be, so he pops into the Double Meat Palace for coffee and a cherry pie, and, LO And Behold! The Slayer, the answer to his prayers and the object of his quest, just happens to be working at the cash register and leaps at the chance to for a little demonic combat action.

Just when our Slayer is about to hit the demon train in her DMP double knits, Riley miraculously has a set of the latest in Kevlar combat battlefield utilities, complete with boots and gloves, just in Buffy's size. (Not Sam's spare super suit, because she's a foot taller than Buffy. This outfit HAS to be there by plan)

Just when Buffy and Riley nail the Suvolte, Sam pulls a Spiderman, dropping in before Buffy can make (if she ever intended to) any kind of real move on her ex'

Oh, and let's talk about Sam for a moment. Remember when Riley left Sunnydale with a bunch of his G I buddies to rescue a bunch of missionaries in South America? Well, Sam was apparently one of them, and she was so impressed with Army life that she Joined Riley's team on the spot. A civilian, moving directly into a highly trained military unit from a Peace Corps team. Within less than a year, Sam is a fully trained operative, expert in weapons and martial arts, who is of equal or higher rank than her husband, a veteran of at least several years' military service ("You take orders from him?" "He wishes.") And now, where were we?h, yeah

Riley is so excited to be back in Sunnydale and at the Slayer's side (or maybe just so distracted from sneaking secret peeks at Buffy while she changes clothes) that he forgets to inform her of one of the most vital parts of the mission: They're supposed to capture, not kill, the Suvolte.

Skipping ahead, Buffy pays Spike a visit to gather information and grab a quickie, and just at that moment in bursts Riley, assault weapon at the ready, and shows no more surprise at finding Buffy naked under a blanket with Spike that he did when he found her slinging burgers. It makes one think that just maybe the Initiative, or at least the military, isn't as absent from Sunnydale as we have been led to believe, and Buffy and her friends have been under covert observation (when Andel does the same thing, we call it stalking). Also, Riley's timing works out perfectly in order to coincide with the Suvolte eggs hatching.

And just a bit about the Suvolte demon and its eggs. Mama Suvolte had, according to Riley, just arrived in Sunnydale, and it'd already had time enough to lay a couple of dozen eggs, each the size of a watermelon, and have them at the point of hatching. And what are those little spider looking hatchlings, anyhow, and how are they in any way related to a bipedal Suvolte demon?

Riley accuses Spike of being "The Doctor," an international weapons dealer, and yet, once the hatchlings are destroyed, along with Spike's home, Riley and Sam walk, or fly, away whistling, leaving the Doctor free to deal weapons internationally another day. Even Buffy just walks away with barely a "Goodbye, William" to someone who supposedly supplies weapond and demonic assets to criminals, terrorists, and third world dictators.

And if Spike actually is the Doctor, where are the mysterious buyers of his wares? People like that just don't take, "Oh, I'm sorry, but the Slayer incinerated your cargo. Better luck next time," as an excuse. They would have come looking for Spike at least, and Buffy most likely, expecting a little satisfaction. The Doctor, however, is never even mentioned after the end of this episode.

This episode was nothing more than a rather lame way for Buffy to come to the realization that what she and Spike had was destroying them both. I think that, considering the combined talent of Joss and his team of writers, they could have come up with something that would have been more integral to the season's overall story line that would nhave accomplished the same thing, and they could still have worked in the fact that Riley was so much over Buffy that he had met, and married Sam in the few months since he left town.

 

[saturn5]

I agree that the goverment probably don't ignore events in Sunnydale and Riley has people keeping discreet tabs on Buffy and co. As for the convenient body armour I'd suggest it's probably Sam's spare kit?

 

[InsaneMystic]

Not that it would be much proof in and of itself (by itself, it could mean nothing at all), but last time I watched this ep - having read WA's analysis of it before - I couldn't help but notice that Riley doesn't answer no when Buffy quips about him sending the Suvolte to Sunnydale to give him a chance to show off his shiny new life. In fact, he doesn't answer at all to that.

Anyone else getting a "The government will neither confirm nor deny..." vibe from that scene, on the background of what WA said (and to me, his conspiracy theory makes a lot more sense than the episode taken as literal truth)?

---------- Post added at 07:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 PM ----------

Since when does Sunnydale have this huge dam just outside it?

They must have built it along with the university, the international airport, and Dracula's castle - around the time when the got rid of the seaport and moved the town into the middle of the desert. 😉

 

[white avenger]

a lot[/I] more sense than the episode taken as literal truth)?

[

And I didn't even get into my theory that Riley wasn't really Sam's husband, but that he was actually her handler, and she was, in fact, the prototype for a new super soldier (an alternate to the Adam Program). Assume for a moment that Maggie Walsh or some of her people took a blood sample from Buffy and isolated something in it that they believed might possibly be used to build their own Slayer army, known as Project SAM (Slayer Augmented Metabolism) which would explain why Sam is as good a soldier as she is after such a short time AND would explain...

SPOILER FOR SEASON 8***YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED***

...why Riley is helping Buffy and her crew, but Sam is nowhere to be seen. Without the Slayer's supernatural powers, her increased strength and accelerated healing abilities tend to "burn out" a normal human, killing them within a very short time.
Sam is dead by Season 8.

 

[saturn5]

Aww, that's a shame! As for the body armour perhaps it's modular and can be adjusted for the wearer?

 

[Professor Walsh]

Sorry, WA, but much as I enjoy reading your theories, in this case I believe you think too much. I still think AYW is an episode that should have stopped in the "kill your darlings"-filter. The idea was charming, the execution was lousy.

 

[saturn5]

Sorry, WA, but much as I enjoy reading your theories

Absolutely, I thought I put effort into my reviews!

 

[Wishing Oceans]

WA, I love your theories, but IMO this is just one of those EXTREMELY badly written episodes, and the writers wouldn't have been smart enough to purposely put in all those hidden conspiracies you found. 😀

Okay, here we go again, the "As You Were Conspiracy," as seen by the White Avenger.

I like to refer to this as the "Oh, you have GOT to be kidding!" episode.

My main objections to this episode are the very excessive use of coincidence as a way to advance the story and the way that so many of the main plot elements are left unresolved and never mentioned again.

Exactly. 🙂 The writers only chose situations that were easy and convenient, without putting in any real effort.

Just when Buffy is at her lowest, depressed stage, up pops good ol' Riley, the closest thing to a normal, sane, secure boyfriend she has ever known.

I dunno, in a world of vampires, demons, ghosts, witches, gods, and Slayers, I'd say that a vampire boyfriend is more normal for a slayer, since both are supernaturally powerful.

And back to Captain Corn Fed, with the dashing new scar. He hasn't spoken to any of the gang, so he has no way to know where Buffy might be, so he pops into the Double Meat Palace for coffee and a cherry pie, and, LO And Behold! The Slayer, the answer to his prayers and the object of his quest, just happens to be working at the cash register and leaps at the chance to for a little demonic combat action.

Yeah, that's kind of... creepy, but again, it's probably because it wouldn't have been convenient for Riley to not know where Buffy was.

Just when our Slayer is about to hit the demon train in her DMP double knits, Riley miraculously has a set of the latest in Kevlar combat battlefield utilities, complete with boots and gloves, just in Buffy's size. (Not Sam's spare super suit, because she's a foot taller than Buffy. This outfit HAS to be there by plan)

Again, I agree that that's very weird, but also plot- convenient.

Just when Buffy and Riley nail the Suvolte, Sam pulls a Spiderman, dropping in before Buffy can make (if she ever intended to) any kind of real move on her ex'

Gr, the writers were really lazy that day. ("Oh, I know! Let's have Buffy kiss him after being pissed at him for a year, but before she does, let's have a mary- sue wife drop in!") 😀

Oh, and let's talk about Sam for a moment. Remember when Riley left Sunnydale with a bunch of his G I buddies to rescue a bunch of missionaries in South America? Well, Sam was apparently one of them, and she was so impressed with Army life that she Joined Riley's team on the spot. A civilian, moving directly into a highly trained military unit from a Peace Corps team. Within less than a year, Sam is a fully trained operative, expert in weapons and martial arts, who is of equal or higher rank than her husband, a veteran of at least several years' military service ("You take orders from him?" "He wishes.") And now, where were we?h, yeah

Well, since Sam is one of those perfect 'lil Mary Sues, I'll bet that she's naturally amazing at everything, including military specializing.

Riley is so excited to be back in Sunnydale and at the Slayer's side (or maybe just so distracted from sneaking secret peeks at Buffy while she changes clothes) that he forgets to inform her of one of the most vital parts of the mission: They're supposed to capture, not kill, the Suvolte.

Or maybe he just forgot? 😀

Skipping ahead, Buffy pays Spike a visit to gather information and grab a quickie, and just at that moment in bursts Riley, assault weapon at the ready, and shows no more surprise at finding Buffy naked under a blanket with Spike that he did when he found her slinging burgers. It makes one think that just maybe the Initiative, or at least the military, isn't as absent from Sunnydale as we have been led to believe, and Buffy and her friends have been under covert observation (when Andel does the same thing, we call it stalking). Also, Riley's timing works out perfectly in order to coincide with the Suvolte eggs hatching.

Yeah, I do have a problem with that. I don't see any reason for Riley to NOT be shocked, and that timing was too perfect. Also, this quote "you think I like seeing you in bed with that idiot?" He doesn't say liked, he says "like". As in present tense, still going on. Weird. But again, if it was a conspiracy, I'm sure the writers would've told us by now. 🙂

Riley accuses Spike of being "The Doctor," an international weapons dealer, and yet, once the hatchlings are destroyed, along with Spike's home, Riley and Sam walk, or fly, away whistling, leaving the Doctor free to deal weapons internationally another day. Even Buffy just walks away with barely a "Goodbye, William" to someone who supposedly supplies weapond and demonic assets to criminals, terrorists, and third world dictators.

And if Spike actually is the Doctor, where are the mysterious buyers of his wares? People like that just don't take, "Oh, I'm sorry, but the Slayer incinerated your cargo. Better luck next time," as an excuse. They would have come looking for Spike at least, and Buffy most likely, expecting a little satisfaction. The Doctor, however, is never even mentioned after the end of this episode.

Yeah, that was just an idiotic way to break up Spike/ Buffy. 😀

This episode was nothing more than a rather lame way for Buffy to come to the realization that what she and Spike had was destroying them both. I think that, considering the combined talent of Joss and his team of writers, they could have come up with something that would have been more integral to the season's overall story line that would nhave accomplished the same thing, and they could still have worked in the fact that Riley was so much over Buffy that he had met, and married Sam in the few months since he left town.

Agreed. 🙂

And I didn't even get into my theory that Riley wasn't really Sam's husband, but that he was actually her handler, and she was, in fact, the prototype for a new super soldier (an alternate to the Adam Program). Assume for a moment that Maggie Walsh or some of her people took a blood sample from Buffy and isolated something in it that they believed might possibly be used to build their own Slayer army, known as Project SAM (Slayer Augmented Metabolism) which would explain why Sam is as good a soldier as she is after such a short time AND would explain...

SPOILER FOR SEASON 8***YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED***

...why Riley is helping Buffy and her crew, but Sam is nowhere to be seen. Without the Slayer's supernatural powers, her increased strength and accelerated healing abilities tend to "burn out" a normal human, killing them within a very short time.
Sam is dead by Season 8.

... I think that may be a little far- fetched. 😀

 

[Eleftheria]

Buffy is actually embarrassed that Riley sees her with Spike. At least after this episode she decides to end the whole thing.(thank God at least for me!). Poor Buffy about the smell of food in Doublemeat Palace! Sometimes I wanna get into the screen and give her a hug.She has been through a lot.

Riley still admires Buffy but now seeing her with Spike, the guy she hated...and Spike of course said that Buffy was thinking of Spike even when she was with Riley to make him feel bad.

 

[Kana]

Buffy is actually embarrassed that Riley sees her with Spike. At least after this episode she decides to end the whole thing.(thank God at least for me!). Poor Buffy about the smell of food in Doublemeat Palace! Sometimes I wanna get into the screen and give her a hug.She has been through a lot.

Riley still admires Buffy but now seeing her with Spike, the guy she hated...and Spike of course said that Buffy was thinking of Spike even when she was with Riley to make him feel bad.

Yeah, I think it goes beyond embarressment. When she sees Riley again, it reminds her of how she used to be when she had the 'fire' as the Slayer. It's not surprising that she jumps straight in when he gives her to opportunity to shine. A lot of people focus on the plot holes but I agree whatever Buffy needed to do to get herself out of that funk was necessary. Don't misunderstand me, it's not sex with Spike that was the problem, it was more about using someone who loves you to escape the harsh realities of life.

As for Riley, he could of easily been judgemental about her lifestyle but as I've always said, Riley was never as small minded as people had him. He, like many of the characters (think Gunn, Wes etc) went through experiences which shaped him and helped him to mature. I honestly believed he was terrified seeing her again, I can definitely relate to that.

I liked the episode for what it represented.

 

[Eleftheria]

I agree with what you said about Riley, Kana. He had been through several situations himself. He knows how feeling lost is like.

And certainly Buffy starts feeling like she used to do once she meets him. I understand growing up involves mistakes, but the reason I don't like Buffy's behaviour in s6 and the spuffy, dark talk is mostly because Buffy would never do those things lost or no lost.

 

[Wishing Oceans]

Something I really hate about this episode is Buffy's "Goodbye, William." That was just biatchy, IMO. 😀 Plus, I felt that it really gave off the impression that she was rejecting the man in him, not the demon in him, and I don't feel that that's the case.

 

[Kana]

Something I really hate about this episode is Buffy's "Goodbye, William." That was just biatchy, IMO. 😀 Plus, I felt that it really gave off the impression that she was rejecting the man in him, not the demon in him, and I don't feel that that's the case.

As Eleftheria said for that first time she was really treating him as a man. Even confiding in him was an ambigous act because as Spike said, a whisper in a dead man's ear doesn't make it real.

To me the dissonance comes from regarding their apparent friendship at the beginning of the season and dealing with her using him mid season etc, but for me all I see is the fluidity of consistency. She was always using Spike in this season. At first she used as a confidant with whom she could offload without it meaning anything. If she doesn't consider him a real person then she can go through that catharthis without having to deal with her issues in the truest sense. I don't see her sexual trist with him as all that different.

By refraining from using him anymore, she was really treating him as a man, truly. Hence the William. Ah, fluidity.

 

[JudyLovesBuffy]

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.