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Season 7, Episode 6
Written by Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by Michael Gershman
Original Airdate: 5 November 2002
"Is sitting there and drinking soda some kind
of a Zen non-answer?"
Dawn
REGULAR CAST
GUEST STARRING
-
Thad Luckinbill
as
RJ Brooks
-
Brandon Keener
as
Lance Brooks
-
D.B. Woodside as
Robin Wood
CO-STARRING
SYNOPSIS
-
Xander introduces Spike to his new living
environment: Xander's apartment. Buffy tries to convince a reluctant
Xander that Spike needs their help and a place better than the basement
to live. Spike's just about as reluctant as Xander, but Buffy thinks
this plan is the right thing for him. Buffy and Dawn talk privately
about Buffy's feelings for Spike and why she's helping him in light of
the pain he's caused her. Dawn starts to rant about love and
relationships and Buffy leaves so she can return to work. An attractive
jock on the football field then catches her attention and she falls off
the bleachers while distracted by him.
Buffy fights with and kills a demon at Anya's apartment that was sent by
D'Hoffryn. Anya thanks her for the help, but doesn't want it to seem
like she needs help. Buffy explains that the gang need Anya's help and
she wants to protect her friends, Anya included. At the high school,
Dawn prepares to confront her dream guy and once she finds him, she
tries to start up a conversation with him. He's with another player,
O'Donnell, and two cheerleaders talking about cheer tryouts and most of
Dawn's awkward comments don't quite fit with the crowd. Later, Dawn
tries out for the cheerleading team wearing Buffy's old cheerleading
uniform, but she falls and pretty much makes a fool out of herself. At
home that night, Dawn locks herself in the bathroom and cuts up the
cheerleading uniform while Buffy tries to get her to come out.
Buffy tries to offer help and support, but considering Buffy's track
record with guys, Dawn isn't interested. The next day at school, Dawn
overhears O'Donnell inform R.J. that he won't be starting quarterback
for the game and she confronts O'Donnell. She yells at him at first, but
then in a moment of anger, she shoves him and he falls down a flight of
stairs. Dawn has a meeting with Principal Wood and Buffy about the
incident and informs them that the jock just tripped and fell down the
stairs. Buffy realizes though that Dawn may have been motivated by her
love for R.J. and actually pushed O'Donnell down the stairs.
R.J. catches up with Dawn after her meeting and they talk then R.J.
invites her out on a date. At the Bronze, the gang sit around and talk
about Spike's progress at Xander's place as they spot R.J. dancing with
a slutty-looking girl. They're all beyond shocked when they see that the
girl is Dawn. Buffy confronts her sister and lays down the law about
Dawn's clothes and behaviour, but Dawn puts up quite a fight for her
right to do whatever she wants. Unable to get past Buffy to return to
the dance floor, Dawn leaves and encounters one of the cheerleader girls
in the alley. They begin to fight over R.J. and have to be broken up by
Buffy.
Buffy watches as Principal Wood lectures R.J. about not doing his own
homework and then Buffy catches him for another lecture. She gets on his
case about the way he's treating girls, but quickly, something comes
over Buffy and she starts to swoon over him like a love-sick school
girl. Buffy catches Dawn as she returns home that night and tells her
about her meeting with R.J. Buffy offers encouragement to her sister by
explaining that she has a chance with R.J. and that he really likes her.
At school the next day, Buffy pulls R.J. out of class and takes him to
an empty room. While Dawn walks the halls peeking into rooms in search
of R.J., Buffy adoringly listens to R.J. talk about football and his
troubles at school and then starts kissing him just as Dawn peeks into
the room. Dawn runs outside in tears and into Xander. He tries to
comfort her, but realizes that Buffy would possibly be more help and
goes to find her. He's surprised to find her on top of R.J. and promptly
takes her home for a much needed intervention with the others. At the
Summers house that night, Buffy and Dawn fight about their love with
R.J., while Xander, Willow and Anya try to keep the peace until they can
reverse the love spell obviously affecting the sisters.
Willow searches for information on R.J. and instead finds information on
R.J.'s older brother, Lance, who Xander remembers from high school.
Xander and Spike go to find R.J.'s brother and despite his popular
status at high school, he isn't quite his attractive, popular self
anymore. After some chatting, the guys realize that R.J.'s jacket has
been handed down through the family. As R.J. walks away, Willow and Anya
start to look at him lovingly and then argue about which of them he
loves more. Buffy and Dawn jump into the fight and soon Dawn is hurt and
depressed that her friends and sister are taking her guy away while the
other three plot to win R.J. Buffy goes to kill the Principal, Willow
works on a spell to make R.J. a woman, Anya takes off to rob a bank, and
Dawn lays herself across railroad tracks.
Xander stops Willow from completing her spell and then brings her along
to stop Buffy from killing Principal Wood. Spike tackles Buffy before
she can kill the principal, and although she puts up a fight, he gets
the weapon away from her. Using Willow's locator spell, they find Dawn
on the railroad tracks just as a train is headed for her. Buffy jumps in
a rescues her sister just before the train hits. Scared at the thought
of losing her sister, Buffy shows that the spell wasn't that strong and
admits her willingness to give up R.J. if it means that much to Dawn.
Finally, Xander and Spike jump R.J. on the street and steal his coat,
then burn it in the fireplace at the Summer's home. All the girls feel
terrible about the way they acted and the things they almost did. Willow
questions what Anya did to prove her love to R.J., Anya dodges the
subject with a quick lie and turns off the radio as a news report about
a wanted bank robber on the loose.
TRIVIA
-
Thad Luckinbill, who plays schoolboy RJ
Brooks, was born in 1975, making him about 28 years old at the time of
this episode - a whole 10 years older than Michelle Trachtenberg.
-
The music that plays when the girls fall
in love with RJ is called "Theme from 'A Summer Place'", by Percy Faith.
In the season two episode Inca Mummy
Girl, Oz said that the one thing that girls could do to impress him
involves a feather boa and the 'Theme to A Summer Place'.
CONTINUITY
-
Buffy mentions that the last Principal of
Sunnydale High, Principal Snyder, was always giving her a hard time.
-
Anya is attacked by one of D'Hoffryn's
demons. It seems that D'Hoffryn wants Anya dead anyway, after the events
of Selfless.
-
Xander has a brief flashback involving
Jenny, Harmony, Cordelia and Joyce (as well as all the women in
Sunnydale) lusting after him in
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.
-
Spike is back living with Xander again.
During season four, the vampire also stayed with Xander.
-
Buffy decides to use a rocket launcher to
kill Wood. It seems to be the one used to kill the Judge in
Innocence.
GOOFS
-
The cheerleading outfit Dawn wears is
different to Buffy's original. The sleeves are shorter and the skirt is
a different design.
-
Spike's reflection can be clearly seen in
the store window towards the end of the episode. It can also be seen in
Lance's house, in a picture frame.
-
After Dawn's talk with the Principal in
his office, she walks out of the door without her bag - yet she carries
her bag in the next scene.
-
The collar of R.J.'s jacket changes
throughout the scene where Buffy first talks to him.
Lessons |
Beneath You |
Same Time, Same Place |
Help |
Selfless
Him |
Conversations With Dead People |
Sleeper |
Never Leave Me |
Bring on the Night |
Showtime
Potential |
The Killer in Me |
First Date |
Get It Done |
Storyteller |
Lies My Parents Told Me
Dirty Girls |
Empty Places |
Touched |
End of Days |
Chosen
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