Nothing very interesting in an arc-y way, and they should know better than to give Dawn anymore whiny dialog at this point, but there was still lots of very funny stuff. Once all four ladies were on board, it was terrific...

I couldnt dissagree with that more. You are essentially saying it's ok to keep cranking out crap, just as long as its coming out.
This is the excuse I hear for Enterprise all the time. At least we have some Trek even though it's not very good.
Come on. Buffy is about quality and this episode wasnt anywhere near that.

This was a bizarro Buffy episode. I thought it was crossed with "The Twilight Zone" show also on UPN. It was painful to watch, and only Xander's lines had any laughter-inducing qualities. Otherwise, a wasted episode, even if the gags fell short of the mark.

I normally don't like episodes that don't build on the season's arc, but I thought this was really funny. And it taps into several issues - the mysterious allure of the jock, the self absorbed crush, the whole 'how can I prove I love him/her' thing.

I guess SMG got a new do, because she hasn't been this good looking all season.

"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!"
rotfl

I turned Patton on during the first half, but things did get better. The split screen with the girls planning their respective ways of demonstrating their love was clever.

Liked the scene outside the principal's office.

That was hilaroius.

I have no idea what last night's episode was "for". Was there a point to it at all? It was simply just there, running in place, an episode of trainwreck proportions. You just keep watching and wincing, thinking it has to get better, but it didn't. Sure, there are clever self-referential bits sprinked in, but it was like walking barefoot on broken glass of territory already gone over. Was this just so that Dawn could get a dose of "love spell 101? I'm surprised Spike didn't get to wear one of Xander's Hawaiian shirts while living in his apartment. You'd think after spotlighting Anya last episode, there'd be some repurcussions in how Anya and Xander interacted, but if you never saw the Anya episode, you'd never think anything was wrong with them. The writer just had Anya awkwardly silent for a lot of the scenes.

arc schmarck - it was a funny and entertaining episode!

Right on, only funny part of this episode was Spike tackling Buffy

I thought it was funny and amusing, but not much in terms of the story arc. Guess we won't see much of that until close to spring time. :(

At first I was irritated at the return of "whiney Dawn", but it was forgiveable since
Spike and Buffy fighting in the BG with Spike running away with the bazooka had me rotfl. Also, did anyone else take the radio broadcast at the end as saying

Put me down on the 'thought it was funny' list. People who didnt enjoy that episode need to relax a bit. Watching Buffy talk to Dawn post-love spell was hilarious! Why does every episode have to be in the story arc? Thats gets boring after a while, a nice change of tempo is needed to keep things fresh once in a while.

Was that a Buffy episode, or an episode of Saved By The Bell?

I couldn't tell.

Exactly!

One minute folks on the Buffy-talks want to lighten up all the heavy soul-searching, early 20's malaise that was (the brilliant) last season. And the next those same folks will bitch and moan when the Buffy-crew pop out a pure slapstick comedy episode. Sometimes you wonder whether these folks are ever happy with anything.

Personally I thought last night's episode was note-perfect in the comedy bits.

Best lines of the night:

Dawn: "That makes me the big queen of slut-town"

Willow: [After Xander's taken aback by discovering it was Dawn he was lusting after at the Bronze] "Right there with you."

I thought that the first half was "meh" but the second half (as soon as Anya and Willow were affected) was funny. Nice Willow/Anya, Spike/Buffy, and Spike/Xander stuff.

X

I definitely think that this episode was a waste, it had massive "been there, done that" for me. I get that it was suppose to expound up the high school awkwardness, and the power of the letter jacket in a satirical/spell-like manner, but the pieces did not add up to the whole of the story.

The resolution: burn the jacket, the spell of love-sickness goes away. Lame. Where's the real crux of the resolution? Is that how teenagers should deal with crushes? Remove the symbols that kick-start them into perpetual spring fever?

Is the story just a springboard to show how inadequate Dawn feels in comparison to Buffy? Again, BTDT. That the haze of "love" makes people do irrational things? Again, BTDT. Is Buffy destined to recycle more high school awkward moments? I hope not. BTDT. This season is doing the "2 steps forward, 3 steps back" shuffle

It was a funny show. The "Theme from a Summer Place" when the football player was shown, the lines, and especially Buffy with a bazooka. Come on guys, funny episode.

I thought the resolution was supposed to be campy - I totally got it!

Xander to Spike- "You know the plan right?"

Then they just run down the street and rip the jacket off the guy!!! Now that was funny!

The fans have only themselves to blame for this - the 'character growth' of last season was reviled and people said "We like Buffy from Season 2 and 3" - so we have recycled themes from the same.

The jock became less attractive when he lost his jersey - works for me.

Pics?

OK Coop.
I did not say it was ok to crank out crappy episodes. I happend to enjoy this episode a lot and it is still better than most of the stuff that gets put on TV anyway. I was in no way making an excuse for poor quiality to be aired. Your idea of bad and mine just do not jell at the moment.

I happen to agree with Doug Heffernan and Lateralus42 on this one.

Don't like when Dawn whines. They shoud stop it. On the other hand I can't wait till she chooses to do playboy to change her image.

Relax? It doesnt have to be a story arc and it doesnt have to be heavy and I like a "Change of Tempo" but all I ask for is a well written episode. This wasnt even close. This was no where near the quality the show used to be in Seasons 1-5. It was sloppy writing and I chalk it up as one of the most ill conceived in the shows history.
The show is clearly showing it's age.

I too was a little underwhelmed, but it did provide a few giggles, even if some of them were obvious from a mile away.

Dawn stinks... even if under a "love spell", that shouldnt be an excuse for her being grating. An actress, a character, can be whiney and irrational without being annoying, and she was just annoying... I say let the train squash her.

I dont buy the whole "Basement makes Spike crazy business." I guess I should say "really crazy". While they alluded to his not being totally sane away from the basement, I would think he has proven himslef unbalanced enough, basement or not, that Xander wouldnt let him live in his apartment. But, you know... its fantasy, and expect more Odd Couple hilarity from the two, even though we've seen it before.

Best line of the night...

Anya: "Yeah right, what are you gonna do? Use magic to turn him into a girl? ..."

"...DAMN!!!"

Pretty big yawner. It picked up towards the end, and there were some good comedic moments. I particularly liked the <I>Charlie's Angels</I> montage, and the scene where they tackled Buffy. Liked how Buffy pointed out that she'd go whacko again when it's "for real."

But overall, it was too much rehash. We've already seen the plot. We've been down the Spike/Xander Odd Couple route. Yet another moment between Dawn and Buffy where Dawn yet again whines about being inadequate, and Buffy gets all serious to show that she cares so much for her ... this was tired LAST season. Get over it already.

I laughed many times, but it was too inconsitent with lots of dead time and a few attempts to inject unnecessary and ineffective "serious" moments into an episode that was clearly intended to be comedic throwaway. I don't mind comedic throwaways. Every season has had them, and their good to lighten things up a bit. This one just felt tired.

das