Discussion of 3.08 "Lover's Walk" - Aired 11/24/1998 (WB-US)

Another great episode!

For me, this is one of the best episodes of the season! The chemistry between all of the characters was immense and the scene between Joyce and Spike was nothing short of hilarious! This was all about Spike regaining his identity as he becomes a pitiful wreck ever since Dru left him! Sad times! By the end of the episode though, Spike is back and the variations of the song "My way" captured this perfectly! His advice to Buffy and Angel was also great and made them realise that they will always love each other!

So, Buffy breaks their meetings offand leaves Angel looking like a wounded puppy! How sad!

And finally, the mess of a relationship that was Xander and Willow is finally out in the open and will have consequences over the next few episodes!

On a last note, this episode really got me thinking that Cordelia had died!!
 
I love all the Bangel scenes, especially the one at the end, its heartbreaking, especially when Angel cant tell her that he doesnt love her! I think Oz and Cordy finding out that Xander and Willow were cheating was also heartbreaking. But I didnt find the episode depressing because Spike brought a lot of humor back, he's such a great character. I love the speech he gives to Buffy and Angel about being friends and then the end scene were he's singing in the car!
 
I mentioned this in my rewatch thread but did anyone notice that Angel gives Spike a once over when they get into the magic shop all together?

It makes me giggle. I'm sure that he's looking him over to assess him as an opponent. But it doesn't quite come across that way as well as it should. 😛

I read a post somewhere that stated they thought Spike's speach about "you're not friends..." was really directed at Angel, in reference to him and Spike...
 
Spike owns this episode. I think this the episode where I fell in love with him. I love his drunken return to Sunnydale..." Home...sweet, home" and falls out of his car. Then later he goes to Angel's mansion:

" Yeah, you...I'll show you who's a cool guy. You're going down," then he promptly falls flat on his face.

And I also love how he turns up at Buffy's and ends up having a cuppa with Joyce. Its obvious that she trusts him a little and that Spike likes her.

But didn't he know Willow was sending her to the slayer's house? He's been there before.
 
I think he knew he was going to Buffy's - Willow was supposedly sending him for supplies, so it's not that strange that they would be there.

Love the Spike-Angel humor! I wish they hadn't changed Spike in the later seasons.

Edit:

Watching this again...Spike's feelings about Dru seem more real than his for Buffy.
 
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I think this one's okay, a solid ep that continues the the great run from 'Homecoming' to 'The Wish'.
Drunk Spike is so funny and pathetic, but can also be drunk and scary (see how he terrorizes poor Willow). And I do love the scene between him and Joyce. 🙂

It's the other stuff that leaves me cold, the Willow/Xander stuff is annoying, unnessessary and goes on too long. And all we really get is Cordelia regressing to bitchy antagonist again, and Xander sniping at her right back.🙄

The Buffy/Angel stuff doesn't really matter since they kind of get back together in a few episodes anyway.

Spike's speech is still the highlight though.

Plus Buffy's line: You're not even a loser anymore, you're just the shell of a loser.'
I do miss that kind of interaction between them.
 
I like this episode because of Spike, especially the Spike/Joyce and Spike/Buffy/Angel scenes.

I always hated the cheating storyline. Season 3 is one of my favourites but I always dread that part. I never liked how Willow would always blow it off with some goofy line about their supposed 'chemistry' when any other character would be considered terrible for cheating. I know that they needed to break Xander and Cordy up but it was a shame when she'd so recently been telling Buffy that she loved him.
 
I think this one's okay, a solid ep that continues the the great run from 'Homecoming' to 'The Wish'.
Drunk Spike is so funny and pathetic, but can also be drunk and scary (see how he terrorizes poor Willow). And I do love the scene between him and Joyce. 🙂

It's the other stuff that leaves me cold, the Willow/Xander stuff is annoying, unnessessary and goes on too long. And all we really get is Cordelia regressing to bitchy antagonist again, and Xander sniping at her right back.🙄


The Buffy/Angel stuff doesn't really matter since they kind of get back together in a few episodes anyway.

Spike's speech is still the highlight though.

Plus Buffy's line: You're not even a loser anymore, you're just the shell of a loser.'
I do miss that kind of interaction between them.

Good point about Spike being really scary when threating Willow that is does come across and the fact that Marsters and the writers menage to get both that and comic, and sadder elements of the character across speaks volumes.

See I found the Willow/Xander stuff really effective. The timing of it seems a bit off, and personally I was enjoying the Xander/Cordy thing. But I did enjoy the scenes of them trying to fight off their affections for one another and the sadness from Willow was compelling. The way it plays out in the episode isn't maybe the best and fallout maybe could have been better, but I still found it interesting to watch anyway. The ending to this episode was powerful and truly sad.

Not sure I would say this is quite up there with the best from S3 but it is a really good episode anyway, and Spike does indeed rock in it!🙂
 
When I'm watching this with a friend who's watching BTVS for the first time, I'll always put my poker face on when it looks like Cordy has died. Heh.

That is a great scene. And am pretty sure that when I first saw the episode I didn't know if she was really dead or not, its cool when things work out that way! Must have been a killer watching it at the time.
 
While I do like Bangel, I agree with everything Spike said about them never being friends (it's true).

And I didn't like how Spike said "Home Sweet Home", he was obviously heartbroken 🙁
 
Fight, shag, and hate each other til it makes you quiver.😕

Buffy and Angel seldom fight, can't shag, and I don't think they ever hate each other till it makes them quiver. Hmmm. But Spike does mention to Angel later on in AtS that he and Angel will never be friends.....just saying.😀

I love this episode. I love the interactions between Spike, Buffy and Angel. I also like the set-up - Spike is unknowingly the catalyst who ruins everyone's rationalizations. He came back to show Angel who Mr. Cool Guy is - he's whiny, drunk, irritating and unnervingly perceptive. 🙂
 
Oz is such a good guy, it makes me really hate Willow & Xander for cheating.
 
Also, I love the Spike from this episode so much. I miss that Spike.
 
Willow's freaking out over SAT grades, not surprised.

Oz's sarcastic voice=Oz's regular voice 😛

Buffy, that's a good score.

Cordy, you are tactless.

Spike's back in Sunnydale 😀

Dru seems to have left, and Spike is not happy about that...

Oz got Willow a witch pez thingy 🙂

Buffy says to Giles "Be kind, rewind", I doubt anyone under 16 will get this.

Joyce will never truly understand what's it like to be a slayer.

Spikes insults Angel, then he trips and starts to burst into flames, karma?

The lady at the magic shop was a bit too cheery for my liking...

I agree with Angel, Buffy should leave for a while and take a break from slaying, but I don't think that it's a likely possibility.

Willow, don't mess with magic, the outcome is not good.

Spike wants Willow to do a love spell, he seems to be unable to wrap his brain around the idea that Dru doesn't want him anymore.

It seems that Dru cheated on him and used the "we can still be friends" card, can I kick her ass?

Spike knows how to change the subject from dating to marshmallows 🙂

Joyce, Sunnydale is a confusing place...

Spike has a broken heart, he remembers memories of Sprusilla and starts to cry 🙁

Spike's giving the "you will never be friends" speech to Buffy and Angel, he's right 😛

Willow and Xander kiss, at the wrong place and the wrong time...

What's the difference between "violently dislike" and "hate" ?

Spike is really desperate to get Dru to love him again, tying her up won't help 😛

At least Cordy's gonna be OK 😀

Buffy seems to have thought about Spike's speech from earlier...

Everyone seems to be in mourning over breakups, except for Spike, who is singing along to "My Way".

Next time:Be careful what you wish for...
 
Mr Trick
Mr Trick
Classic! And a classic review too.
Spikes insults Angel, then he trips and starts to burst into flames, karma?

Nope, not karma, drunkenness. How did Spike manage not to crash the car when he drove as far as he did and as drunk as he was? The sign doesn't count. He could barely stand yet he drove reasonably well.

The lady at the magic shop was a bit too cheery for my liking...

She's not cheery anymore, she's dead.

Spike wants Willow to do a love spell, he seems to be unable to wrap his brain around the idea that Dru doesn't want him anymore.

To be fair, Drusilla dumped Spike for something he hadn't even done yet and wouldn't do for another two years. I don't blame him for being a little put out by this.

Spike has a broken heart, he remembers memories of Sprusilla and starts to cry 🙁

It's a shame we didn't get more scenes of Sprusilla.

What's the difference between "violently dislike" and "hate" ?

"Violently dislike" means "I'm not going to make any attempt to save you from that oncoming truck". "Hate" means "I am going to push you in front of that oncoming truck whilst trying to make it look like an accident".

Spike is really desperate to get Dru to love him again, tying her up won't help 😛

Well you never know. Dru seems like a kinky sort so he had to try. Sprusilla used chains in their sexual activities so she might consider Spike tying her up as the height of romance lol.

Everyone seems to be in mourning over breakups, except for Spike, who is singing along to "My Way".

That was quite a cheery way to end the episode.
 
I am a Xander defender, but I hate him in this episode. I never got the "they suddenly can't resist each other " storyline. I can understand on Willows part, she has been in love with Xander her whole life and I can see this as being a good way to get closure on those feelings. Xander is just a tool. He actually has a girlfriend who honestly, is way above his pay grade and loves him, and he's not happy. As much as I dislike her at times, Cordelia literally gave up all her friends and despite what people thought, committed herself 100% to him. And she gets cheated on. Willow doesn't come out looking like a rose either, this whole storyline made me just dislike them both. ALOT. And then to make things worse, after all that build up and trouble those "feelings" and "attraction " just disappears. What gets me is that Xander after all this doesn't even seem to feel bad and it's all about him..he goes right back to insulting Cordelia. Oh Xander I'm so happy you improved after high school.

Everything else rocked in this episode. 🙂
 
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