Big episode. We open with Nietzche, Shakespeare, comics and Star Wars . . . Here is Andrew the storyteller, currently removed from the world by his camera 'I document. I don't participate' he declares. But he has participated, in the attempted takeover of Sunnydale, in the attempted rape and actual murder of Katrina, and the murder of Jonathan.
Andrew has always been a fantasist, but now he's taken it a step further and picked up a camera to hide behind. Early on we have a strange high shot, with the camera looking down on Andrew and Buffy. They are made small and distant by the camera, which is how Andrew sees those around him.
He begins to make a record of those around him, not really understanding all that he's seeing. He talks about Buffy's speeches, but as someone who is watching this season closely, Buffy really doesn't give that many speeches and the ones she does give are important. (Is it sad that I actually quite enjoy Buffy's speeches?) While Andrew is monologuing to his camera he's missing Buffy telling them about her visions of the Turok-Han, something vital that they all need to know.
Eventually he is forced by Buffy to face head on what he did and he can no longer lie to himself. I thought the ending, with him considering his own death and that he may deserve to die, was actually quite powerful. It ties in with Anya and her quest to discover who she really is, which is why these two characters work well together.
There are lots of great things in this episode. While Andrew is living his fantasy, the high school is imploding. Every metaphor from season 1-3 come back. Robin gets hit by a rock and I can't help thinking how lucky he is, the previous principals got eaten
I keep reading on this board that JM stopped working out so they wouldn't make him take his shirt off, but we are in ep 16 and he's shirtless again, though I'm not complaining
Liked that Xander and Anya got some sort of closure, and that Xander says leaving Anya was the right thing to do, even though he still loves her. It's complicated, but I'm with Xander, I think he did do the right thing.
I enjoyed Andrew directing Spike to act like Spike. The 'we are Gods' scenes are funny, as was Andrew being more interested in the new windows than Willow and Kennedy kissing. Laughed at Andrew noting 'sexual tension you could cut with a knife' between Spike and Robin.
I also really liked
SPIKE
(looking around) These kids went nuts, didn't they?
ROBIN WOOD
(sarcastically) No kidding.
BUFFY
Shh, they'll hear you.
Buffy shushes Robin, not Spike

She later shouts Spike to warn him of an attack, but she doesn't warn Robin. We see Robin with a stake and are in no doubt what his plan for Spike is.