BtVS - 3.02: Dead Man’s Party

[wearing_tearing]

Original Air Date: October 6, 1998
Writer: Marti Noxon
Director: James Whitmore Jr.

After months of being away, Buffy finds life back in Sunnydale less than welcoming with Xander and Willow involved in their own romantic twosomes and Principal Snyder sticking to his guns about expelling her from school. Despite the awkward reunion, the gang must try to come together to face a new undead threat.

Buffy is back and… things are awkward at home, obviously. There seems to be so many unsaid things between Buffy and her mom yet again? And Joyce doesn’t help much when she says she wants things to go back to normal.

Joyce, your daughter is the Slayer. That’s going to be a bit not normal and that’s fine.

Buffy finds the gang! Who are now way more organized about patrolling and slaying and everything. They have codenames and walkies and everything :D Their reunion is a tiny bit underwhelming? But makes sense within the show.

Giles, however! That scene of him in the kitchen where NO WORDS ARE SAID but his expression SAYS EVERYTHING goes straight to my heart.

I do have a question about Buffy’s school situation: isn’t she able to get her GED??? I don’t understand why that’s not an option being considered.

I HATE THAT NO ONE MENTIONS THE FACT THAT JOYCE!!!! KICKED BUFFY OUT!!!!!! Buffy wasn’t “off and way” doing whatever the heck. HER MOM KICKED HER OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!!!!

Dead pet warning! Is it normal to bury dead pets you find in your home in the backyard???? Here we call our version of Animal Control to remove it…

Aaahh, the mask. Sure, let’s go with the Nigerian-mask-is-evil angle. Not racist at all.

Angel! DB grew up between seasons. There’s so much shoulder.

Joyce: “Buffy, you made some bad choices. You just might have to live with the consequences.” UHM EXCUSE ME!!!!!

I really don’t enjoy how everyone blames Buffy for leaving and yet no one takes the time to stop and think that she had to murder her boyfriend :) Trauma exists!

Pat, be quiet.

Well. Well. Communication is not these people’s strong suit. I do appreciate Buffy and Willow having that conversation even though it’s in fits and starts.

“She was running away again.” SHE DIDN’T RUN AWAY THE FIRST TIME HER MOTHER KICKED HER OUT SHE KILLED HER BOYFRIEND SHE NEEDED SOME DAMN TIME WHAT IN THE HELL PEOPLE

…. They’re really making it all Buffy’s fault like what matter is her mom’s feelings and fuck what she went through like… is this why I deleted this episode from my mind? The RAGE I FEEL.

I do think Buffy made a mistake in not trying to talk to her support group, though. She was so convinced no one would understand her that she decided to deal with it all alone. She shouldn’t have had to do that, but sometimes it is hard to see that the people around us and who love us will be there for us—no matter what, even if they don’t really understand.

Cordelia trying to be understanding in the most Cordelia way <3

Xander is being a total and complete asshole about all of this. Shut up, Xander.

I do love that people from Sunnydale at that party were just like: popcorn time! Also so many things make sense now! Except the zombies.

Of course they fight one (1) hoard of zombies together and suddenly everything is fine and no one has to talk about anything that happened previously.

Aw, Ripper Giles, I do love you <3

I am a little :( that we weren’t with Willow when she started exploring her witchy side. Here, she’s already begun her journey. I do like the conversation she has with Buffy about it. Not the “insults”. I could have done without that.

Vampires Slayed: 1.
Series Total: 51.

Giles Taking Off/Putting On Glasses: 2.
Series Total: 40.

Episode Quote:
Giles: Welcome home, Buffy.

Comments

[dolorosa_12]

I find this episode appallingly upsetting to watch, and to my mind it's the first hint of one of the major conflicts in the series that never really properly gets resolved or addressed: the other characters lean on Buffy, and to some extent expect her to suffer and sacrifice without limit — then blame her when she reaches an emotional limit and almost treat her as selfish for doing so. For a show that purports to be all about how friendship is its own kind of superpower, and a way to share the superhero load, it's a huge blind spot.

[wearing_tearing]

Your comment matches my thoughts exactly. It's a pattern we see over and over again throughout the show and that causes more harm to Buffy than some of the other things she faces as the seasons go by.