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Season 5, Episode 4
Written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Directed by David Grossman
Original Airdate: 9 October 2000
"I so don't want to deal with Spike right now.
The guy is really starting to bug me in that special "I want to shove
something wooden through his heart" kind of way."
Buffy
REGULAR CAST
GUEST CAST
CO-STARRING
SYNOPSIS
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At the cemetery, Buffy stalks for her vampire
prey, killing several new vampires with a little unwanted help from both
Riley and Spike. Riley demonstrates quite a bit of enthusiasm and new
strength while fighting. As Buffy and Riley leave, Spike swears to taste
Buffy's blood, but as he walks off, he falls into an open grave. Buffy
and Willow argue over a topic from class and discuss Buffy's busy
schedule.
Buffy arrives at the magic shop to train and is pleasantly surprised to
see that the backroom has been transformed into an amazing training
room. Harmony seeks Spike and his help because she is frightened that
Buffy is out to destroy her. The two conspire to kill the Slayer. While
Joyce makes breakfast for Dawn, she briefly wonders who Dawn is before
collapsing onto the floor.
At the hospital, an intern informs Buffy and Riley that Joyce will be
fine but that doctors aren't sure what caused her to collapse. Dawn is
playing with a stethoscope and when she listens to Riley's heart, she
finds that it is racing much faster than normal. After listening to
Riley's heart, a doctor recommends that he stay in the hospital at the
high risk of a heart attack. Buffy tries to think of a way to help Riley
and finally resolves to go to Riley's place and contact the Initiative
via the bugs in his room.
Still part of the government, Graham tries to force Riley to see a
doctor, but Riley is stronger than Graham and the other agents and gets
away. After speaking with Graham later that day, Buffy takes it upon
herself to get Riley to a doctor before he dies. Buffy gives Spike
information about the doctor that can help Riley hoping that the vampire
could help find Riley and bring him there. Instead, Spike and Harmony go
to the doctor and try to force him to remove the chip.
Buffy finds Riley in the Initiative caves, punching into rock because he
can't feel any pain. He tells her that he's afraid he won't be enough
for her once he lets the doctors operate on him. After convincing Riley
to get medical attention, Buffy brings him to the hospital and finds the
doctor gone. Just after the doctor finishes sewing up Spike's skull,
Buffy arrives with Riley and a fight ensues. As he tries to bite the
Slayer, Spike finds that the doctor only pretended to remove the chip
from his head.
The doctor is able to operate successfully on Riley. Later, Graham talks
with Riley and tells him he no longer has a purpose in Sunnydale.
Without the Initiative, he's nothing. Buffy shows up at Spike's crypt,
ready to stake him for good. He's willing to let it happen, and just as
she's about to stake him, the two embrace and start making out. Spike
then awakens, desperate to deny that the dream was real.
TRIVIA
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Charlie Weber, who plays hospital intern Ben,
makes his first appearance in this episode. His character becomes a
pivotal one in this season. We later discover that he is sharing a body
with this season's Big Bad, an insane God named Glory.
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The jars behind the counter on the Magic Box
contain ingredients named after the cast and crew. There's Tony's Heads,
Charisma Charms and Boreanaz Beads.
CONTINUITY
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Riley refers to Buffy's romantic life and
mentions that her partners have (mostly) always had superpowers. Riley's
worried that when he loses his, she'll leave him. He refers to both
Angel and Dracula during the conversation.
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Harmony yells at Spike that he's staked
her before. This happened in The Harsh
Light of Day.
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Joyce collapses as a result of her brain
tumour, although she doesn't know it yet. She also recognises Dawn as
something that isn't real, similar to the way that the crazy man
referred to her in Real Me.
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Willow mentions that Riley hung out in
the burned out high school once, which he did in
The Yoko Factor.
GOOFS
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After Riley's basketball game, the front of
his shirt is drenched in sweat, but the back is completely dry. After he
hits Graham, the back is sweaty, too.
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How did the Initiative doctor perform brain
surgery on Spike without shaving his hair off?
Buffy Vs.
Dracula | Real Me |
The Replacement |
Out of My Mind |
No Place Like
Home
Family |
Fool for Love |
Shadow | Listening to Fear |
Into the Woods | Triangle
Checkpoint
| Blood Ties |
Crush | I Was Made to Love You |
The Body |
Forever
Intervention
| Tough Love |
Spiral | The Weight of the World |
The Gift
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