Buffy ep by ep; DIRTY GIRLS (in fact, few dirtier!)

[saturn5]

DIRTY GIRLS

The Good;
Faith back in Sunnydale, what could be wrong?

The Bad;
What a shame this is the ep they get Nic Brendon to comment upon, with all the other great Xander centric eps he's been in. Again, Caleb doesn't finish them, he just lets them run?

Best line;
Xander; "Everything has eyes" (Oh dear)

Women good/men bad;
I don't think I've ever felt such visceral hatred for any villain as I do for woman-hating Caleb. I want to crush his skull in my bare hands. At least the nerds were funny and the Mayor charming and polite (for the most part).

Jeez!;
Caleb torturing Shannon, Molly and Colleen killed, Xander maimed.

Kinky dinky; (I may just have to extend this subject now Faith's back)
Xander dreams of threesomes with nubile teenage potentials and the rest pillow-fighting in their skimpy underwear. Of course the reality of living in a house filled with teenage girls is not quite so sexy (to my shame I didn't get the leg-cramp gag first time around). Faith puts the moves on Spike. Scott Hope. Angel, Riley, flirting with Giles and now Spike, the girl just can't help it, she's always stealing Buffy's boyfriends. Faith talks of dressing up as a horny cheerleader (Bring it on?), naughty nurse and sexy schoolgirl for her past lovers. Mayor Wilkins? Wesley? She's also quite ok with the sight of Spike's chains "Each to their own". Her phrasing is quite ambiguous "I used to run with this guy who liked me to dress up as a schoolgirl then take this bullwhip...". Now does she mean she whipped him or he whipped her? Or maybe they took turns? To judge by her later comments about 'looking up the guy with the bullwhip', having had enough all female company for a while, having been the toughest girl in a woman's prison for the last 3 years it seems inevitable that she was the one being whipped. Remember we've seen her self-harming a couple of times and the naughty schoolgirl is invariably the one being punished in S&M scenarios (probably be the strict schoolmistress if she was doing the whipping?). "If you can't beat them..." Spike comments that the schoolgirl thing is old hat which may be a subtle dig at Britney Spears and the outfit Buffy wears to seduce RJ in Him. One popular fan theory is that Faith is referring to Spanky who Angel meets in the frist ep of Angel Season 5 and who likes to spank women and certainly has a bullwhip. (If you like the idea of Eliza Dushku with a whip check out this scene from Dollhouse [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCOGkxg_QA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCOGkxg_QA[/ame] now if you'll excuse me I need to sit down) Faith seems pleasantly suprised that Buffy has had a wild affair with Spike, maybe not so stuffy after all?

Captain Subtext;
Obvious tension between Dawn and Faith, one wonders if Dawn always resented this rival for Buffy's affections or liked her only to feel betrayed when she went evil? Faith notes of Dawn 'Brat's all woman sized'. Note when Xander and Kennedy are hurt it's Xander Willow goes to rather than her girlfriend. Xander's fantasy has the girls being with each other as well as him and loads of sapphic sex-play between them. Faith says she's "had her fill" of all female relationships in prison. The choir girl The First poses as for Caleb to stab is very reminiscent of Darla in 'Inside out'. Buffy seems jealous that Faith has been inside Angel's mind which she wasn't able to do in Earshot. Andrew cries at Xander's speech. Spike still very anti-Angel, getting a soul didn't change that!

Guantanamo Bay;
So, is Buffy's plan rash or sound? Hard to say, she's right that they just can't sit around waiting and now that they have Faith it might be the time to go on the offensive.

Scoobies to the ER;
Xander and Rhona very badly hurt

Missing scenes;

Apocalypses; 7,

Wheldon Cliches (with kind permission from Boo)

Scoobies in bondage:
Buffy: 9
Giles: 4
Cordy: 5
Will: 4
Jenny: 1
Angel: 4
Oz: 1
Faith: 3
Joyce: 1
Wes: 1
Xander; 3
Dawn; 4
Spike; 4

Scoobies knocked out: Buffy and Spike
Buffy: 22
Giles: 12
Cordy: 6
Xander: 16
Will: 10
Jenny: 2
Angel: 6
Oz: 3
Faith: 1
Joyce: 3
Wes: 1
Anya;7
Dawn; 6
Tara; 1
Spike; 3
Kennedy; 1

Kills: 1 vamp for Faith plus her kills from her appearances on Angel.
Buffy: 125 vamps, 62 demons, 6 monsters, 10 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot
Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demons, 2 humans/1 god.
Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn+1 human.
Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie
Faith: 19 vamps, 6 demons, 3 humans.
Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1½ a demon, 2 humans
Anya: 1 vamp and 1½ a demon
Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons
Spike; 11 vamps and 7 demons+1 human
Buffybot; 2 vamps
Tara; 1 demon
Dawn; 1 vamp + 1 demon
Kennedy; 1 human+1 vampire
Amanda; 1 vampire
Woods; 5 vamps and 2 demons

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

Alternate scoobies:
Buffy: 8
Giles: 4
Cordy: 1
Will: 6
Jenny: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 2
Joyce: 2
Xander: 4
Tara; 1
Dawn;1
Spike; 1
Anya; 2

Recurring characters killed: 16, goodbye Molly. Also Colleen who was one of the girls from Xander's threesome fantasy.
Jesse, Flutie, Jenny, Kendra, Larry, Snyder, Professor Walsh, Forrest, McNamara, Joyce, Katrina, Tara, Quentin Travers, Chloe, Molly, Jonathon.

Sunnydale deaths; Molly and Colleen
107

Total number of scoobies: 35 or so, there now seem to be about 20 Potentials plus Faith. However no Anya whatsoever and no one even comments upon it. No Vi either.
Xander, Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Anya, Spike, Giles, Kennedy, Vi, Rhona, Amanda, Chao-Anh, Wood, Andrew, Faith plus an indeterminate number of potentials.

Xander demon magnet: 6(7?)
Preying Mantis Lady, Inca Mummy Girl, Drusilla, VampWillow, Anya, Lissa (arguably Buffy & Faith with their demon essences?), Dracula?

Scoobies shot:
Giles: 2
Angel: 3
Oz: 4
Riley; 1
Buffy; 1
Tara; 1

Notches on Scooby bedpost: I think we can safely add Bullwhip guy to Faith's total?
Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes?
Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 3 possible, Dracula+RJ+Shadowmen's demon(?)
Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?)
Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca
Faith:3 ;Xander, Riley, Bullwhip guy
Xander: 2; Faith, Anya
Willow: 2;Oz and Tara
Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore
Spike; 2 Buffy and Anya
Anya; 2 Spike and Xander

Dawn in peril; 14

Dawn the bashful virgin; 9

What the fanficcers thought;
Plenty of fic elaborating on Faith's stories of dressing up as a naughty nurse, horny cheerleader and sexy schoolgirl who gets whipped. Spaith also a pretty popular pairing. Willow and Faith's drive to Sunnydale also common, normally featuring them both apologising to each other for their evil deeds then stopping off at a motel for a night of lesbian sex. Fillow?

Questions and observations;
Spike says he reformed long before Faith did, no he didn't! He didn't truly reform until season 6 whilst she turned herself in by season 4 (Spike lies an awful lot). Caleb says that the Bringers DON'T serve Satan meaning the First isn't the Devil. But is he kidding himself? Amazed they let them use the Star Trek refs although I'd always thought Faith's dagger looked very Klingon. You feel sorry for Buffy losing her job, she obviously loved having something normal in her life. People are fleeing Sunnydale, a clear sign that this is the end for the town. Why not just shoot Caleb? I would suspect that the Potentials would be far too young to remember Falcon Crest.
Nic Bredon lists his favourite eps as OMWF, Hushed, The Body and Restless, all firm fan favourites

Marks out of 10; 8/10

 

[MinwaraYana]

Yep, Faith's back in Sunnydale. Love how Buffy strokes her cheek since the first moment they met again. 😀

Aww, I never thought about that Xander's line. It's so sad. 🙁

Maybe Faith always wants Buffy's boyfriends because she actually wants Buffy herself? And don't forget she slept with Robin(B's ex-date) in later episode.

Caleb is awfully evil. I love Nathen Fillion. He acts so well. I'm so sad that Molly died.

8/10 too. Nothing interesting besides the fight scene at the Vinyard. And I just love to see The Chosen Two together again.

 

[JudyLovesBuffy]

I have to say this episode always makes me cringe. Can't watch the part where Caleb takes out Xander's eye. Acting is wonderful as always, but I do FF that scene.

 

[Kanazaka]

Faith and Spike might have made an interesting couple, if Buffy hadn't gotten to him first. They have nice chemistry together, and have much more in common than do Faith and Robin Wood (or so it seems, anyway). Anyone know of any good Faith/Spike fanfics :giggle:?

I also liked Nathan Fillion's performance as Caleb, as he comes across as a compelling villain (due to a sense of mystery and foreboding, IMHO). But does he just find women dirty (and is thus a misogynist), or does he find everyone to be dirty? It seems like Slayers are his main targets, but is that just because of the First's wishes?

 

[joansummers]

While I really enjoyed this episode, and while it gave a sense that the hit-or-missness of Season 7 was starting its alliance with the hit side (thank you, Nathan Fillion) I definitely have issues with it. Mostly, Buffy's careless decision making- yes, I think it was a terrible idea to bring the potentials to the vineyard, and it didn't really make sense that she chose to do this. Granted, it was Wood who suggested to her that she should start testing the potentials, but starting with Caleb?? An evil she knew absolutely nothing about? Very carelessly un-Buffy, IMO.

Even so, it hardly warranted the treatment she received by all (including Dawn??!!) in the next episode. I didn't quite buy the whole "we're all turning against you" gimmick, though it was an important plot point. Mostly for Spike and Buffy. Also very confusing that Xander suddenly turned on Buffy with the others after giving the passionate speech prior about her strength and leadership to pep up the doubting potentials. Perhaps he was seriously hurt when she left him at the hospital? Though the acting didn't quite give that impression.

(Btw, I just recently consumed this show- and I honestly mean "consumed" as I watched episode 1 to the last in a matter of 2 months- and am a total convert. This show is simply incredible; so silly of me to shun it all these years. And this is my first post!)

 

[GrimsWatcher]

Joansummers, good to see a new fan. I think it's hard for people to get past the name of the show and take it seriously, and season 1 can be a struggle to get through as well.

Xander turned on Buffy because he lost his eye, and he's not getting it back. I think he's feeling pretty blah at this point in the story. Of course it's not Buffy's fault, he knows the consequences of battle, but he was looking for someone to blame, and she did distance herself and leave the hospital quickly. She was feeling some guilt.

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

Perhaps he was seriously hurt when she left him at the hospital?

He was seriously hurt and traumatized after being maimed. I don't remember him blaming her, I just remember a realistic and human reaction of not wanting to jump immediately back into the fight after being maimed.

 

[BuffyElevated]

This is my favorite episode of Season 7. Not only does it introduce my second favorite villain (Nathan Fillion plays Caleb brilliantly!), but I literally felt pain at seeing Xander lose his eye; I remember crying almost as hard as I did when Denny died on "Grey's Anatomy". I was also beyond excited to have Faith back on BtVS! 😀
This episode is fantastic, IMO. But I still think it was insanely stupid to "test" the Potentials by making them go up against Caleb. Although, in Buffy's defense, she didn't know how dangerous he really was til the showdown at the winery.

 

[white avenger]

I definitely have issues with it. Mostly, Buffy's careless decision making- yes, I think it was a terrible idea to bring the potentials to the vineyard, and it didn't really make sense that she chose to do this. Granted, it was Wood who suggested to her that she should start testing the potentials, but starting with Caleb?? An evil she knew absolutely nothing about? Very carelessly un-Buffy, IMO.

In defense of Buffy, she had no idea whatsoever that Caleb would be the kind of super being that he actually was. The Bringers hadn't presented her with any real difficulties, and she had managed to defeat the Turok Han single handedly. She had Spike at her side, and Faith at her back going in. With that kind of backup, she could be excused a little overconfidence.


As a Monday morning quarterback, I think that a better plan would have been for Buffy, Spike, and Faith to have gone in together. That way, they could have triple ganged Caleb, coming at him from three different directions in a coordinated attack. But then, that would have once more required that she actually knew just what they were going up against, which she obviously didn't.


And as for Xander's eye, the Scoobies had been fighting alongside Buffy for seven years, and this was the first major injury that any of them had ever suffered. Small solace for Xander at the moment, to be sure, but still an incredible record, considering the things that they had been fighting all that time.

 

[saturn5]

While I really enjoyed this episode, and while it gave a sense that the hit-or-missness of Season 7 was starting its alliance with the hit side (thank you, Nathan Fillion) I definitely have issues with it. Mostly, Buffy's careless decision making- yes, I think it was a terrible idea to bring the potentials to the vineyard, and it didn't really make sense that she chose to do this. Granted, it was Wood who suggested to her that she should start testing the potentials, but starting with Caleb?? An evil she knew absolutely nothing about? Very carelessly un-Buffy, IMO.

Even so, it hardly warranted the treatment she received by all (including Dawn??!!) in the next episode. I didn't quite buy the whole "we're all turning against you" gimmick, though it was an important plot point. Mostly for Spike and Buffy. Also very confusing that Xander suddenly turned on Buffy with the others after giving the passionate speech prior about her strength and leadership to pep up the doubting potentials. Perhaps he was seriously hurt when she left him at the hospital? Though the acting didn't quite give that impression.

(Btw, I just recently consumed this show- and I honestly mean "consumed" as I watched episode 1 to the last in a matter of 2 months- and am a total convert. This show is simply incredible; so silly of me to shun it all these years. And this is my first post!)

You lucky thing! Be sure to post your comments on each ep if you're rewatching. Be sure to watch Angel too!

 

[laydydee]

Wow...Faith sure brought out the green-eyed monster in Buffy once again. Buffy's comments says it all after she enters the basement and sees Faith all up on Spike. "Well, it's nice to see you two getting along so well." *with arms crossed* then to Spike's question about why she was not at work..."Figured I'd be better off focusing on what's going on around here." Is it me or did Spike and Faith look guilty...especially Spike. I guess all that sex talk...uh huh. And didn't Spike seem disappointed that he and Buffy didn't resume the horizonal mambo. I guess he didn't have to wait long...I am pretty sure the night Buffy gave him the amulet and said coyly that Faith was in her room...they started up again. The way she looked at him and gently caressed his cheek. Also the First Evil as Caleb talked about "why aren't you asleep in your dead lovers' arms"...not ex dead lovers' arms or former dead lovers' arms. I am also sure the night before the big confrontation when Buffy enters the basement and they are both staring at each other from across the room was another occasion.

 

[sylvanscribe]

I disagree with those who say Caleb is a great villain. I thought he was the most one dimensional villain - possibly the most one dimensional character - in the entire series. It seemed like nothing more than a schtick to give Captain Firefly a job.

---------- Post added at 04:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:19 PM ----------

However, the one redeeming quality of this episode is the interaction between Faith and Spike. The hot chemistry there told me there should have been a Faith/Spike spinoff - it could easily have worked.

 

[faeriegrrl27]

I screamed when Xander lost his eye. It was one of the few things that hadn't been spoiled for me. It was awful/wonderful. Wonderful because I got to experience it totally unexpected, which was rare. I had a lot spoiled. 🙁

*Love* having Faith back. She and Buffy are rife with sexual tension. I don't like her with Spike, though. They just don't mesh.

 

[TheVoid68]

I don't like Faith/Spike either. It was like they were trying to force chemistry on us with that scene in the basement, and it just annoyed me because I wanted Faith to interact more with Buffy, Xander, Willow - someone she actually has a history with. How does Xander feel about seeing the woman he lost his virginity to? How does Anya feel about it? Has Willow forgiven Faith after her own walk on the wild side? What about Giles? Is he still mad at Faith for hurting Buffy, or is he ready to take a new slayer under his wing after Buffy's rejection of him in LMPTM? We don't get to find out, because god forbid that might mean less screentime for Spike.

 

[saturn5]

I don't like Faith/Spike either. It was like they were trying to force chemistry on us with that scene in the basement, and it just annoyed me because I wanted Faith to interact more with Buffy, Xander, Willow - someone she actually has a history with. How does Xander feel about seeing the woman he lost his virginity to? How does Anya feel about it? Has Willow forgiven Faith after her own walk on the wild side? What about Giles? Is he still mad at Faith for hurting Buffy, or is he ready to take a new slayer under his wing after Buffy's rejection of him in LMPTM? We don't get to find out, because god forbid that might mean less screentime for Spike.

Yeah it is a bit crowded to have all the character interaction we'd like. I figure Faith and Willow sort out their differences on the way back to Sunnydale, they've both sinned and both have lots to atone for. To judge by her remarks she and Willow are ok. Dawn has initial resentment but it's gone by the time Faith takes the girls to the Bronze. Giles approves of Faith's leadership, a lovely scene, Faith finally has her daddy, Slayer and watcher together as was always intended (just like her and Wes in LA hunting Angelus). Faith remarks that Anya is uncomfortable when she reminds her that she had Xander first

Caleb is a good villain, the ultimate misogynist for a show about the ultimate triumph of women. Nathan Fillon is very good in the role, taking the same hints of nastiness he demonstrates towards Inarra as Mal and exaggerating them

 

[TheVoid68]

"The Ultimate misogynist"? What was Warren then? Bit of a cheat to have two villains so similar in a row.

 

[Taake]

I don't like Faith/Spike either. It was like they were trying to force chemistry on us with that scene in the basement, and it just annoyed me because I wanted Faith to interact more with Buffy, Xander, Willow - someone she actually has a history with.

I neither like nor dislike the idea of Faith/Spike but I really agree here. When I watch this it annoys me to see this scene because I think it would have been far more interesting - as mentioned - to see Faith interact with someone she actually knew.

Because she has a lot of different kinds of chemistry with all the Scoobies that's real intense and far more interesting than squeezing in yet another - oooh will she go for Buffy's boy again?

 

[Spiciu]

Yay Faith is back!
(but they shouldnt film her from below, thats definitly not her chocolate side.)

Again a nice Xander speech, he truly is The Heart of the Scoobies and the one that sees everything - well the maiming was a horrible scene but i'm glad they didn't kill him as it was considered. Hopefully he will keep his 'superpower' even without depth of focus.

Normally i would hate Caleb for mutilating my favourite character but he's really cool actually.
loved to see more background infos about him, feels kinda lame to throw him in the battle without explaining anything, he seems to be the replacement of the former Turokhan: invulnerable and deadly, something that has to be dealt with for the scoobies.

 

[Justme]

I read that the Spike/Faith scene was written for the studio to show how a Ftvs spin off would work. The idea being that Spike would be one of Faiths "Scoobies".

I love and hate season 7, Buffy irritates me so much in the last few episodes and I don't think she redeems herself.

 

[saturn5]

I read that the Spike/Faith scene was written for the studio to show how a Ftvs spin off would work. The idea being that Spike would be one of Faiths "Scoobies".

I love and hate season 7, Buffy irritates me so much in the last few episodes and I don't think she redeems herself.

She saves the Scoobs AND the world, our girl redeems herself, everyone does!