So As You Were
When I first watched it back in the day I saw it as Riley fanfiction. Now 26 years later and.... I still see it as Riley fan fiction. You only have to listen to his DVD Commentaries to know Doug Petrie loved Riley "hes just so cool" but this is goes to another level.
Straight away the dialogue is contradictory. The Sulboti Demon is nearly extinct yet its also a breeder that can spawn Thousands...
And Riley never told Buffy he's tracking the Demon to the eggs and not to kill it... why not, reasons I guess !
Sam is Rileys Superior but he rescued her as she was a part of a Missionary group ????
Spike is an International Arms Dealer called The Doctor 😐
Look I get the writers intention. They want to show that Spike is evil and wrong. But at least do it in character.
Its why fans try to head cannon that Spike was simply holding them to get money for Buffy. Thats still evil but also in character for Spike. The idea of him being an International Arms Dealer is just nuts ...
Now there is still some good stuff in the Episode
Riley "Iv got a lot of stuff to tell you that you wouldn't believe"
Buffy "Did you die ?"
Riley "No"
Buffy "Im gonna win" 😂
Darn, I replied in the other thread and didn't realise it had been locked so I'll put my reply here:
AS YOU WERE:
"Head cannon" - I know we've discussed this in the past, but there's actually a connection where Spike tells Buffy in the episode DMP "I can get money" - again, how do you think Spike is getting cash? Working in an office?
Intentional connection by the writers or accidental? Either way, it still makes sense.
Now the whole 'Arms Dealer' is stupid I agree, but Spike does explain he was just holding the eggs for someone - so a middle-man, not the head of the operation. Come to think of it - when Buffy has sex with Spike they usually seem to be on the lower level in the crypt. Suddenly Spike is at home and reading a book on the upper level....perhaps watching over some eggs? Maybe blocking Buffy and/or the Scoobies from seeing them?
😉
As for the idea that the writers are trying to show the audience that Spike is 'evil and wrong' - they'd been doing so for a number of episodes and the Spuffies weren't swayed (heck, even when he raped her in DT and the other attempted SA in SR is sometimes hand-waved away).
Riley haters will rag on this episode, but it's actually a pivotal moment for Buffy. Riley makes her realise she's amazing ("You're a hell of a woman"), and she can make it through this dark patch in her life. And here she ends things with Spike (in the darkness) and begins to move back into the light.
GONE:
I refuse to believe Xander is THAT stupid when he went to Spike's crypt. He's in bed, clearly moving in a suggestive manner, can hear a woman moaning. How many other women does he know who are invisible? The wiggling ear, the moans, Spike swatting at a person - truly awful writing.
How embarrassing for James to have to act that out.
Also ridiculous trying to make out that Doris is the bad guy. She shows up to a home where the person being interviewed has forgotten. There's weird people hanging about in the house, what looks to be drugs right out on the table (though Buffy's desperate explanation of, "It's magic weed!" does make me chuckle). She's unemployed and her sister is doing poorly in school.
If Doris ignored all this, she wouldn't be doing her job.
