Episodes where you don't like the main plotline but love a subplot (or sublpots)

[Icarium]

So, do you have episodes where you are not exactly thrilled with the main plot but love certain other plotlines? As I am not that big of fan of Buffy or Angel (the characters), this happens quite often to me.

- Ted. The main plot is a big cheat with Buffy using way too much force on Ted and getting very lucky he turned out to be a robot. But the rest is made of awesome - Giles and Jenny reconciliation, Giles being a badass, Willow, Cordy and Xander investigating in a hilarious fashion, with Cordy's fashion sense helping them find Ted's dark secret.

- Smashed. The rest of the episode is pure crap but the Dawn-Tara interaction is made of win. Dawn trying to get Willow and Tara back together is really touching. Overall Tara and Dawn seem to have far more natural bond than Buffy and Dawn whose "all powerful" sisterly love was so often told but so rarely shown convincingly, IMO.

- Where The Wild Things Are. Yes, the main plot is silly, though the Buffy/Riley sex doesn't bother me as much as it does for most fans. Willow and Tara flirting, hilarious Anya, plus singing Giles make me enjoy the episode quite a bit. Well, with the help of fast-forwarding but still...

- I Only Have Eyes for You - The Bangel angst fest leaves me cold but Giles's insistence that it must be Jenny's spirit that's haunting the school just breaks my heart.

- Seeing Red - Dawn's squealy reaction to seeing Willow and Tara together is her best scene ever:

DAWN: No! No no no! I'm totally not here! You guys, you do whatever you want. Um ... I'll go watch TV. Downstairs, really loud! In the basement. Where I can't hear anything. Oh my god! I love you guys.

- Checkpoint. I think I have watched the entire episode twice but I have watched the Council people interrogating Anya, Xander, Willow and Tara about a hundred times. Those scenes are so much fun.

- Who Are You?. I think by now you would have guessed that I like it for the Willow/Tara scenes. The rest is boring, boring, boring, boring. Incredibly boring.

P..S. Can a moderator correct the typo in the thread title, please? 🙂

 

[Valjavertjinn]

I'm a huge G/J fan, and I love how their relationship advances in the subplot of otherwise-uninteresting or normal episodes. The only ones that they're really the focus of are "The Dark Age" and "Passion".

 

[Gum Gnome33]

Where the Wild Things Are- Plot is lame and bizarre, but will watch for the Anya/Spike interaction, Spike at the frat party, and Giles at the open mic. What a beautiful voice!

The Killer in Me- I watch this for the Spike and Buffy interaction, Buffy's decision to remove Spike's chip, etc. I mean, it's a great episode for Spuffies. I'm not really sure who else likes it...

Him- There are a couple cute scenes in this one. One in particular--Xander: "Ok, you know the plan?" Spike: (determined look), "Yeah, I think I've got it." They rush up to whatshisface jock, rip the jacket off of him, and run away.

Afterlife- Scenes between Buffy and Spike are some of the best in this.

(Actually, there are many episodes that I watch mostly for Spuffy scenes; I won't list them all here!)

Go Fish- A couple of great scenes: Buffy bashing the guy's head into the steering wheel, "Oh it's not me I'm worried about." Cordelia's speech to Xander when she thinks he's become one of the demon fish.

A lot of the episodes in the first season, when the individual plots aren't so fantastic but the character interactions are perfect.

 

[zobothehobo]

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. I don't like the main storyline of that episode, but the scene where Buffy comes on to Xander... HOT!

 

[The Scourge]

I didn't care for the Connor or Cordelia arc in Angel's fourth season, but I absolutely loved Wesley's.

I know its not what the topic is asking for, but Angel was a much more serial show so I think it counts.

 

[Mithol]

Some Assembly Required -Couldn't care less about Darel or whoever he was, or the body parts, but I love that episode to death for the Giles/Jenny aspect. Him practicing his pick up lines is adorable and then their first date is so cute.

Ted - Same as above. Giles/Jenny reconciliation. Plus kissage!

Dead Man's Party -I just love the scene where Buffy shows up at Giles' place and he's so relieved to see her.

Can't think of any others at the moment.

 

[Gum Gnome33]

Mithol agrees: I only watch The Killer in Me for the end scene with Willow and Kennedy. I think it's the saddest scene in the Buffyverse and just shows what a great actress Alyson Hannigan is.

It was actually sort of ridiculous of me to say that I don't know who else enjoys the main plot of the episode, and I apologize for that. And I agree that it really shows Aly's incredible skills. I guess the plot just kind of makes me feel angry, like I'm being manipulated. It's hard to explain I guess.

 

[Mithol]

It was actually sort of ridiculous of me to say that I don't know who else enjoys the main plot of the episode, and I apologize for that. And I agree that it really shows Aly's incredible skills. I guess the plot just kind of makes me feel angry, like I'm being manipulated. It's hard to explain I guess.

I just find it amazing. I think I understand how you might feel manipulated by it. But if I'm being manipulated then I don't mind. I think it's an amazing concept delivered amazingly. It might have been laid on a bit thick, and then there's the whole Kennedy part...but I guess I'm a sucker for that kind of in your face emotional manipulation. I often find that's the case. What other people find corny or over-the-top or too unsubtle makes me weep. 😉