Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Summer DVD Review – As You Were

photo: the wb

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
As You Were

#10 (Top 10 Worst Episodes)
Season 6, Episode 15

Jenny D – TwoCents Staff Writer
jennyd@thetwocentscorp.com

OK, so since I did my top ten faves last summer, I think that this summer I will go for the top ten worst Buffy episodes! I know, why would I want to encourage you to watch the worst, because it is fun! Let the summer vacation and the not so great Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes begin! First off, I chose “As You Were” for my number 10 worst Buffy episodes.

There were a lot of things that make help this episode get on the list. The depressing “Buffy working at a fast food restaurant” storyline, the depressing “Buffy doing Spike in secret” storyline, the depressing “Tara and Willow fighting” storyline. Then to top it off, Riley comes back….. married! Just when you think that there may be a light at the end of Buffy’s depressing life tunnel, he is married, UGH!

So we start of the depressing episode with Buffy cleaning at her depressing job. Then she arrives home to have sex with Spike in the yard. The pert to working at the Double Meat Palace, is taking home food, which Buffy managed to squish for Dawn while doing the nasty deed in the yard. Dawn turns it down as this has been dinner every night that Buffy works. Willow shows up to take her to the Bronze, and Buffy declines to go, again depressed.

At the Bronze, the tension is high and the …… Doritos are flowing as Anya and Xander bicker about seating arrangements for the wedding. Willow and Dawn discuss the barely improving relationship between her and Tara.

Buffy’s life continues on the downward spiral as the next day, Buffy misses the garbage guy and gets denied re-entry to college. So she is off to her miserable job. Lucky for her, it is her lucky day as her first customer is……. Riley! Finally, this episode is looking up (for now). He is in town on a job and needs her help. For the first time in awhile, you see a spark of Buffy back. She has REAL passion in her eyes as she works with Riley. They fight side by side for the first time in awhile. There is hope yet……and then Sam shows up, Riley’s wife! Well, there goes Buffy’s life, right back down the toilet.

Back at home, everyone is happy to see Riley, and excited to hear that he is married, except Dawn who is not happy about Sam. Willow offers to hate her for Buffy, but Sam is hard not to like. Which makes us hate her even more and this episode even more depressing. Sam wins brownie points with Dawn though when she sticks up for her to be able to be part of the “grown-up” talk. There is someone in town called the “Doctor” who is dealing demon eggs. When someone suggest Willow do magic to figure it out, there is that awkward feeling in the room as they know it would help, but that she has issues.

They decide to split up to search for info on the “Doctor”. Riley insists that Buffy and Sam work together (probably hoping they bond). And they kind of do. Sam is very complimentary of Buffy and of the role she played in Riley’s life. They split up and Buffy heads to Spike. She starts off asking about the “Doctor” but it isn’t long before they are getting into more personal matters.

Riley walks in on them together and calls Spike the “Doctor”. Yep, Buffy is sleeping with the bad guy and Riley caught her. Buffy defends Spike, but when she goes to prove his innocence, she sees that was Riley was right, insert foot into mouth. Of course Buffy is pissed and Spike takes off. Buffy and Riley fight off the baby demons (which are no cuter than the large size ones) and they end up blowing up the area to take care of business.

Riley and Buffy talk later and Riley offers to take out the “Doctor”. Buffy thanks him but admits that things pretty much suck for her right now and that she is involved with him. She apologizes for what happened between them, but Riley does his best to hide his feelings. I loved them together, so this was kind of a stab in the heart for me. There is a fond farewell as Riley and Sam leave. The next day, Buffy tells Spike it is over. She cares about him, but could never love him. I guess seeing Riley opened her eyes, one of the few good things about this episode! Next week is number 9 on my list, “Teacher’s Pet” Season 1, episode 4.

Well, that was number 10 on my list. Do you agree with this being on the top ten worst, or should it have been spared. Defend or support your thoughts? Please leave your two cents in the comment section or e-mail me at JennyD@thetwocentscorp.com.