BtVS 5.08 Shadow - a very late review
P@rick
Joyce has her brain-splitting headaches (I think we already ruled out
visions from TPTB). One out of three patients with Joyce's condition get
to tell the story. Buffy isn't thrilled with those odds, but there's
nothing she can do about it.
Simply because this time the threat isn't supernatural in origin.
There's no demon she can kill to make the tumor disappear. No spell to
lift, there's not even a spell to cure her mom.
Frustrated, emotionally shaken and looking for something she can land
her fistst on, Buffy takes on Glory (finally a name!) for round
two and.... gets her ass kicked again. Buffy is lucky that Glory is very
self-involved and sloppy for not killing her right away. That which
cannot be named (now it can!) and predates written history should have
no problem ending the Slayer's carreer. Oh, and also a bit sloppy of the
Scoobies not giving Buffy the Dagon sphere to repel Glory. Well, there's
probably a next time.
I'm very reluctant to do this, but it was such a big theme that I'm
going to have to mention.... Riley. The guy who charges in on crypts
armed with handgrenades and no back-up. Also the guy likes to give vamps
a taste just before he stakes them. Pointer for Riley: "You want a piece
of me?" is just an expression, and you're not supposed to wait for the
answer. And finally the guy who feels (and for a great deal is) shut out
by and useless to Buffy. To make things worse Dawn unintentionally
confirms Riley's fears that he hasn't got what Buffy wants to take. And
Spike has no problem at all pointing out the same fact to Riley.
Something Spike doesn't even have to pay for with his life. Riley really
doesn't have what it stak.. err takes. Then again, neither does Buffy in
that respect.
I can't blame Riley for thinking Buffy doesn't need him. Half of the
scenes in this ep were devoted to making Riley feel obsolete and
unwanted. More than enough for Riley and us viewers to get the point.
Riley's days are numbered. Relationship problems... great, that's just
what Buffy needs right now.
Spike sneaking into Buffy's bedroom and sniffing her clothes... what the
hell is up with that? As if it wasn't bad enough that the chip in his
head defanged him, it also turned him into a pathetic stalker
apparently. I can't imagine that chipless Spike would do such a thing. I
don't like it. I don't like it at all. This is so not something I want
to see Spike do. Especially not whilst bathing in (indirect) sunlight.
Keep this up and Spike will develop a tan.
A lot of arcish developments this episode, and a giant snake which
only didn't look like it was made out of rubber half the time. Not a
real thriller this episode, but it didn't suck either. The emotional
scenes between Joyce and her daughters did bring tears to my eyes. That
was some good drama. The thought of losing someone very dear to you is
much scarier than any demon or vampire will ever be.
Bye, Patrick
--
Keeper of the Willowism, "And I'm eating this banana. Lunchtime be
damned!"
Keeper of the Wily Willow Charms
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