Thoughts on the Girl in Question

[Robb Stark]

"Don't you guys have like, an Italian Wesley?"

Best line of the episode.

 

[Mischlings]

Not exactly a huge fan of this episode. The Italian accents got irritating way too quickly, the fact that Buffy wasn't going to actually show up kind of killed my interest in that storyline right away, and it seems really pointless coming way towards the end of the season like this.

However, there is a really good part that I really like, and I'm disappointed that it got less attention from the writers (and the fans, reading this): Illyria impersonating Fred. That was a genuinely emotional and engaging storyline, and I kept sitting through the Rome parts wanting to get back to LA to see that play out.

 

[VaderSpike24]

I liked it as well (Except, of course, that Buffy didn't actually turn up).

It had some really great exchanges between Angel and Spike:
"I helped save the world, you know."
"Like I haven't."
"Yeah, but I've done it a lot more."
"Oh, please."
"I've closed the Hellmouth-"
"I've done that."
"Yeah, but you wore a necklace. I mean, I helped beat The Mayor and . . . and Jasmine."
"Do those really count as saving the world?"
"I stopped Acathla. That saved the world."
"Buffy ran you through with a sword."
"Yeah, but I made her do it. I signaled her with . . . my eyes."
"She. Killed. You. I helped her, that one counts as mine!"

Plus, it also showed some growth in Andrew (Even though he's not an Angel character, it was still a character we dealt with before). It also made me like him again (In his appearance in "Destiny", I started to dislike him).

And it has Angel and Spike realize that they can't spend their whole (un)lives obsessing and fighting over Buffy, and they move on as well (Sort of).

 

[SlayerPrincess]

Something that I've never been able to understand about this episode, though, is
what was the purpose in having Angel not know what color Buffy's eyes were? It's not as though he hadn't spent 3 years in Sunnydale staring lovingly into those eyes, surely at some point he MUST have taken notice of what color they were. Even a near miss, like brown or green would be understandable, (I know from personal experience, since my own hazel eyes have been described as bohh on occasion) but hazel could NEVER be mistaken as blue.

Omg that part annoyed me so much. And even if it could have been a mistake of the writers from Angel who might not have known her eyes werent blue, Im sure David knew what color her eyes were (did they avoid eye contact for 3 years while doing love scenes...really) he coulda been like "um her eyes are not blue" ugh lol

 

[white avenger]

Omg that part annoyed me so much. And even if it could have been a mistake of the writers from Angel who might not have known her eyes werent blue, Im sure David knew what color her eyes were (did they avoid eye contact for 3 years while doing love scenes...really) he coulda been like "um her eyes are not blue" ugh lol

It's bad enough that Angel couldn't remember Buffy's correct eye color, but to be corrected by SPIKE, of all people, must have been really embarrassing. Then he has to go back home in that "latest fashion" outfit while Spike not only got a new trench coat identical to his old one, plus ten more just like it as spares. And to add icing onto the cake, Iliona was clearly flirting with Spike.

Clearly, this episode was written by a Spuffy supporter.

 

[Hale Caesar]

People are focusing too much on Buffy, the episode is about the crazy adventure Angel has, and it's a perfect example of how people on this forum overlook what Ats does and focus on anything to do with Buffy. Many elements like Spike vs. Angel, Italy Wolfram and Hart, and the genius pairing of Darla and Drusilla are what make this episode so great

If all you focus on is the 1 minutes and 30 seconds where they mention Buffy then you really missed the whole point of the episode

 

[salustra]

I love the episode. First off, very funny and silly. Second, Andrew. Third, Spangel goodness. I'm terribly happy there was no SMG to muck up the works or put her paws on either of the boys.

 

[Silverspike]

It's bad enough that Angel couldn't remember Buffy's correct eye color, but to be corrected by SPIKE, of all people, must have been really embarrassing. Then he has to go back home in that "latest fashion" outfit while Spike not only got a new trench coat identical to his old one, plus ten more just like it as spares. And to add icing onto the cake, Iliona was clearly flirting with Spike.

Oh I know. Hilariously brilliant imo. 😀

I adored this story. A wonderful silly romp that seems to get a lot of flack from some fans which I feel is rather unjustified really.

I loved that the Italian Wolfram and Hart was exactly the same as the LA version, only everyone smoked. I also loved the cute little 'Woody Allen' style cameo dropped in amongst the office staff.

 

[white avenger]

I just thought that I would mention, in case anyone might be interested, that there were two very good fictions written building on "The Girl In Question," by a writer named Cass, called "Moving On," and a sequel, "Keep on Moving," long before Season 8 was even a rumor. They beefed up iliona's character, presented a believable character for the Immortal, told an excellent story and an even better sequel. They are, of course, Spuffy oriented, as all of the very best Buffy fan fiction is, rated PG-13 at the most, and are located at the Spuffy Realm for anyone who might like to read them..

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I think it's funny. I enjoy Angel and Spike sparring.

 

[shoshanna33]

I liked the episode a lot. I thought it was hilarious! Sure it didn't really do much to move along the main story but sometimes I like a bit of comic relief in the shows. Seeing Spike and Angel on that Vespa together cracks me up. As does watching Angel walk out wearing that hideous Italian leather coat. It was all just a bit of fun and had some of my favorite Angel/Spike sparring moments in it. I love it when they bicker. I'm actually glad SMG wasn't really in the show because it would have changed the dynamic of the episode. I liked them chasing after a ghost basically and both needing to realize it's time to move on because right now Buffy doesn't chose either one of them in her life. It's a fun episode and not meant to be taken too seriously.

 

[Wesley Pryce]

I loved this ep,i still do,one of the best and FUNNIEST eps in the whole verse. The Wesley and Illyria/Fred and Fred's parents story arc was emotional and so damned heartbreaking and it moved the story along and mixed in with that you got the total hilarity of Spike and Angel chasing after Buffy. I'll never understand how anyone couldn't at least like this ep,its one of the top five funniest eps on Buffy or Angel. It's Spike and Angel at their very best,and we got to see Darla and Drusilla one final time before the series was finished. 🙂 I'd like to point something out though,i keep reading that they couldn't get SMG to be on this ep,but this is not accurate. SMG was never asked to be on this ep according to David Fury,she was asked to be on the 100th ep,"You're Welcome" but she couldn't do it (thank god 🙂 😛) and she offered to be on the series finale "Not Fade Away",but Joss and company declined it. Fury says the entire point of the story was ALWAYS going to be Spike and Angel trying to get Buffy but never quite making it over to her,that was the intention from the start. Also Dawn was originally suppose to be in the ep but Michelle was occupied so they got Andrew. Finally, i just want to say that the only criticism that i find even slightly justified for "The Girl in Question" is its placement in the order of eps. However one must understand there was hardly any other practical way to do this given their sudden cancellation. I understand it breaks up the drama they'd been building but they couldn't put it before "origins" or "Time Bomb" because of the linear story of Wesley and Illyria and they only had five (six at the very most) eps to wrap up the Angel series. 🙂 Therefore, if they would've had more time its placement would have seemed more appropriate but given their sudden cancellation in episode 17 of season 5 they had little time to wrap up the series so it wasn't an ideal situation. So,with all this in mind i think they did GREAT things with quite little time to do them in.

 

[Himiko]

I enjoyed the episode, I thought it was quite funny, and I thought that the Illyria-as-Fred subplot to the episode was very well done. I was glad that Darla and Dru showed up for one final flashback before the end of the series. I thought it was actually kind of an amusing subversion of the "love-triangle", or "girl as reward for good deeds" tropes- Angel and Spike spend a good deal of time bickering and fighting over who is the better hero, and their respective relationships with Buffy, and then they turn up to find Buffy, and in fact her life has continued without them, and she has moved on.

In truth, I would have been quite happy if this was the canon ending to Buffy/Angel and Buffy/ Spike (added to their respective final scenes together)- yes, they both meant a great deal to her, and maybe one day one of them will be together with her. But for now, she has moved on, and they need to do the same.

I do, however, agree that coming as late in the season as it does, it feels a bit like it detracts from the tension of the final few episodes- Angel starts to grow darker, the team starts to question his actions/ motivations, then suddenly LIGHTHEARTED COMEDY, then back to the darker story again. I get that they had to keep the Illyria-as-Fred story around that point in the season, but they could have placed those scenes in a different episode and moved TGIQ to earlier in the season, IMO. I don't know, maybe they wanted to detract a little from the darkness of the later part of the season.

 

[VisionGirl]

I do, however, agree that coming as late in the season as it does, it feels a bit like it detracts from the tension of the final few episodes- Angel starts to grow darker, the team starts to question his actions/ motivations, then suddenly LIGHTHEARTED COMEDY, then back to the darker story again. I get that they had to keep the Illyria-as-Fred story around that point in the season, but they could have placed those scenes in a different episode and moved TGIQ to earlier in the season, IMO. I don't know, maybe they wanted to detract a little from the darkness of the later part of the season.

Given the issue with the cancellation, the 2nd half of the season ended up evolving much faster than had originally planned. So yeah, I can see how this kind of seems out of place.

I love this episode. It's not the best episode in either series, and the Buffy/Immortal part is kind of lame, but I adore the Spangel stuff.

[MENTION=6758]white avenger[/MENTION], I don't think that Spike corrects Angel re: Buffy's eye color. It seemed like a stupid writer's mistake, and yeah, they all should've known better!

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I enjoy the episode for what it is. It's amusing to see Spike and Angel argue over Buffy, and I like how they agree collectively that they can't control who she dates, and agree that both should move on.

 

[Wesley Pryce]

I think it is one of the best episodes in either series(comedy wise). Not to mention the dramatic aspect of Wesley and Illyria. I never found the Immortal "lame",its not hard to believe that Buffy likes "dark" men lol😀

 

[fresley93]

The scene where Wesley was about to tell Fred's parents what happened, was a tearjerker
And then "Fred" shows up. And it's the knife that was stabbed in Wes' heart when Fred died was twisted ever so slowly. I love and hate the episode for that storyline alone. I almost wish Wes would have accepted Illyria's offer. Poor guy.

 

[Xin Rong]

I personally can not stand this episode, and I thought it was just a cheap way to give a bit of closure to those who are wondering about Buffy and her thoughts about Angel vs. Spike. I think that if Sarah Michelle Gellar was available like she was originally planned to be, she wouldn't have been with the Immortal, and it would have been a much better episode.

So my question is, does anyone here like "The Girl In Question" and if so, why do you like it?

I agree with you, I thought the episode was lesser than it's counterparts, plus it was mean to the fans, in the same way that the potential appearance of Willow was in the same season.

Yes, there was comedic value, but that was limited, in general, it was sub-par

 

[fresley93]

It almost should be looked at as two separate episodes, The Spike and Angel part (Why did we have to endure that) and that Fred's parent showing up part (Why did Wesley have to go through that.)

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Even in those early days when the shows were first aired there was feedback on who was best Spike or Angel for Buffy or at saving the world with her.
So seeing Spike and Angel argue about who was the better was fun to watch.
And the music, the base line of the dance music in the nightclub being Hawkwind (Orgone Accumulator), that was good to hear.
There was a downside to the fight scene in the nightclub, if there hadn't been a fight we may have seen Angel try to get closer to Buffy and the immortal using his amazing
dance moves.
I wonder would Spike have stared open mouthed at Angel or collapsed in fits of laughter?