BtVS - 3.14: Bad Girls

[wearing_tearing]

Original Air Date: February 9, 1999
Writer: Douglas Petrie
Director: Michael Lange

A taste of the wild life leaves Buffy wanting more, and while Sunnydale is being inhabited by a long-dead demon and his vampire minions, Buffy follows Faith into her irresponsible world of reckless slaying abandon. Meanwhile, Giles fights to maintain his sanity in the face of the pompous and stuffy new watcher, while Willow, Xander and Oz ponder their options for life after high school.

Of course we start with Buffy and Faith slaying and talking about boooooys. I do like when they team up since the scenes are always very dynamic.

And Mr. Trick and the Mayor! Doing evil things! With swords this time! I also really like just how scary the Mayor is, personally. We went from one big camp bad guy with the Master to Spike and Dru and now we get Wilkins. I guess because he’s in a position of power in human society and not just hiding underground? It really gets to me.

Willow being super smart and getting early admission (I don’t have the cultural background to properly understand how big of a deal this is) is great! No shying away from showing how intelligent and how much of a hard worker she is. I also like Oz recognizing that repeating the year isn’t as fun as he thought it would be.

Aaahh, Cordelia. Who only shows up now to be mean to Xander.

WESLEY!!!! I can’t help but smile at how buttoned-up he is with his slicked hair and glasses and wearing a suit. To think of what this life does to him lmao Giles’s bored expression like he can’t quite believe he’s been substituted by this child is so funny.
Ah, Faith. Not all of us enjoy the action and the violence. It is a good contrast to have her and Buffy have such different approaches to slaying and to Wesley as their new watcher. It’s a push and pull that makes things interesting—and dangerous.

Wesley saying there shouldn’t be any trouble while Giles, having years of experience, is pacing and worrying about Buffy. Of course there’s going to be trouble. There is always trouble.

“I hate it when they drown me.” BUFFYYYYY IT’S TOO SOON IT WILL ALWAYS BE TOO SOON

What kind of school is this that a teacher doesn’t stop the Buffy from going with Faith thing while IN THE MIDDLE OF A TEST?????? How does this make sense.

Aaaaaahhhhh my favorite dance scene ever :’D

I do very much like the chaotic vibes in this scene. Buffy being cute towards Angel, Angel trying to be all serious, Wesley being a disaster. We love to see it!

What I don’t really like is this Balthazar and the implications around how fat bodies can be grotesque. They could have done character design differently for him.

Be the Slayer. Do crimes. Don’t care about the consequences.

Willow with her sweet smelling protection spells for her friend <3 We love her <3

So much vampire slaying! We haven’t had that many vampires turn to dust in a while. It’s good for Buffy and Faith to come back to their roots and just stake vampires every once in a while.

But of course, nothing good can last. Faith does make a huge mistake in this scene. I don’t remember if it comes up: do they question at all why this dude was hidden in a dark corner waiting for a girl to walk by so he could grab her? Not that it justifies what happens, but it could make things a tiny little less awful.

“Moisten the front.” Good heavens why.

Wesley being so shit at standing up to interrogation. He’s not even being tortured. What in the hell.

Such a good entrance from Angel! And I love to see Giles fighting and showing he’s not just a nerdy librarian. He’s got moves! And I’m always here for Buffy thinking on her feet and assessing a situation quickly.

“When he rises…” He?? Who is he???? I have no memory of this.

Oh okay nevermind I know who Balthazar means lmao Once again, the Mayor creeping me out more than any other villain so far. I remember being so damned shocked at this split head scene!

“Become invincible.” What a dork.

Buffy checking in on Faith <3 But we all know you’re not alright, Faith. Her allergy to feelings does not make this situation any easier. Buffy, on the other hand, shows great emotional intelligence and knows that pretending nothing happened isn’t going to solve anything—it’ll only make things worse.

This final bit of dialogue packs such a punch. It says so much about Faith’s character and the journey she’s been on and how, ultimately, this distances herself from Buffy and what Buffy stands for. They are the Chosen Two, but at their cores they are very different people.

Hot damn.

Vampires Slayed: 8.
Series Total: 72.

Giles Taking Off/Putting On Glasses: 4
Series Total: 71.

Episode Quote:
Buffy: Getting rid of the evidence doesn’t make the problem go away.

Comments

[apachefirecat]

This is the perfect time for me to be jumping back in, and I'm sorry to see that the activity here seems to have dwindled. I admit: I was having issues rewatching the first season, and was eager to let it go whenever RL reared its ugly head as it so often does. Having become abused by my own mother, the whole Angel/Buffy romance, which I loved back in the day (LONG before I went Spuffy or Corgel, although those are both hills I'll die on today), DEEPLY bothers me.

I'm kinda glad to see him pulling away from her at the Bronze. I know it's more to do with the fact that he doesn't want to become Angelus again and lose his soul, but honestly, I'm beginning to see signs that he might actually regret having opened himself to her and their relationship regardless. She is still very much a child here, and he seems almost to be aware of it and trying to guide her more than romance her, as he should have kept doing in the beginning. I KNOW he was in a dark place when he first purportedly fell in love with Buffy, and stalking and otherwise abusive relationships often do start with one or both of the pairings being a dark, desperate place. It doesn't excuse her in RL, and unfortunately, for me, it no longer excuses it for me in their relationship either.

That being said, there was MANY other reasons to LOVE this episode! I at last understand why so many people like Trick. He and Ash's expressions are truly priceless at times, and I love the reference to Marmaduke and the hint that Trick so desperately wants to be his own "big dog".

I look forward to seeing Giles' and Wesley's next encounter after the way he so skillfully saved Wes' butt. As I mentioned earlier on, it's a pleasure to see Giles growing into his own, and it really speaks volumes of how much they built into the character from his slim beginning. This episodes also, sadly, speaks volumes about how eager Wesley is to sacrifice anyone or anything to save his own hide; I'm curious to see how much this plays into Wesley's future on Angel. And we used to have that very (landline) phone Giles has in the library! :)

Love Joyce's comments about waffles and how much she seems to be taking Buffy's Slayerage into stride here. The classroom brought back memories, and I have to admit, as much as I have despised her at times in the past, Willow was quite cute with her gift for Buffy. I can't really BLAME Buffy for forgetting about the protection pouch and leaving it behind, and certainly not in making sure her friends stay safe. I'm sure the pouch was just an oversight. The girl's got A LOT on her plate, as we all know, especially for that tender age! But I did feel for Wills.

I may be alone in this, or at least in the vast minority, but I LOVE Cordy's hair here! Her rip on Xander's dad also again hints at him having a sour homelife. Oz is nice and it's sweet to see him being supportive of his friends, even Xander.

I remember this Demon of the Week VERY well. I always found him quite disgusting, and even now, I literally went from thinking about getting into my lunch early at the start of the episode, to being COMPLETELY NOT hungry after just a couple of scenes with him.

Saving the best for last!! Faith has ALWAYS been my girl, and I do believe this was the episode where I decided I wanted to be like Faith. <3 I was more like shy, geeky Willow at the time, probably still am to be honest, but Faith was SUCH a strong, bad ass character! I didn't mind her breaking and entering at all, or even the way she kicked the cops -- I mean, they DID have a world to save!

But I have read SO MANY posts about people thinking that Faith didn't care at all about the human she killed. Eliza's acting speaks volumes of how completely UNTRUE that is when she goes back to the body. Even when Buffy visits at the end and we see her washing her victim's blood out of her shirt, if you watch the emotions she conveys -- it is CRYSTAL CLEAR that she DOES care about the guy she accidently killed. As I've heard others say, though they've always seemed to be the minority, Faith DOES care. She IS a troubled, scared-to-death kid who's trying to keep up her bad ass, cool imagery, likely because she thinks that's the only thing she really has going for her. She's never let anyone in before, and if she starts admitting she did care about the guy, then they're going to get in to her -- and thereby have the power to hurt her. I GET that on a lot of levels, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

But I really hope it's a long time before I come across such a post again, of fans hating on Faith because she supposedly doesn't care. Rewatching the episode, I don't see how anyone can honestly think that -- IF they remember they ep as clearly as I now do. I just don't see it. The pain, regret, and fear are all so clear in her eyes and mouth, even in the way she starts to touch his body and then pulls back. Yes, she dumped his body. OF COURSE she dumped his body! She's not exactly without experience here, and she definitely doesn't need to be arrested (although we all know she is later) for an accident that happened while she was trying to save the lives and the whole world! She didn't ASK to stake a human, but she did. She regrets it, but she was trying to do what was right. Besides, what kid in their right mind, what person regardless, WANTS to go to jail? Of course, she's covering up her tracks and trying her best to distance herself from it, and her denial to B at the end is just more of her hard cover, making sure no one gets close to her!

And let's not forget how no one reaches out to Faith. At this point, of course, the others don't know, but she's a kid living all alone in a ratty hotel. Giles should have already endeavored to help her, or maybe Joyce. SOMEBODY should have! Some ADULT should have reached out to her by now! But they're all too busy in their own worlds to see how greatly a person in their very midst is HURTING.

Yet again, hitting SO CLOSE to home and Real Life!

And in closing, and to lighten the mood, Angel may not be any Spike, but he is still very easy on the eyes! And so I find too, and surprisingly, is Oz! Kinda love his hair in this episode for some reason! ;)

[wearing_tearing]

She is still very much a child here, and he seems almost to be aware of it and trying to guide her more than romance her, as he should have kept doing in the beginning.
Agree! And it's a nice thing to see.

it's a pleasure to see Giles growing into his own, and it really speaks volumes of how much they built into the character from his slim beginning.
I also rally enjoy this! I do wish they were more consistent re his background at this point, though. They sort of seem to forget about his Ripper persona and only bring it up when it's convenient.

She IS a troubled, scared-to-death kid who's trying to keep up her bad ass, cool imagery, likely because she thinks that's the only thing she really has going for her
I think Faith goes very strongly into a "denial denial denial" mode because, if she lets herself stop for one second to admit to what she's really feeling, it's all going to come crashing down around her. The show isn't all that great at sticking with the trauma being the Slayer does to people and that's particularly true in Faith case.

[apachefirecat]

Absolutely agreed, on all!

I wonder if there's a pattern as to which writers bring out Giles' Ripper past? I'm also curious as to just how much was determined of it at this point -- especially with it being so clear back in season 1 that they did NOT have any such back story in mind for him back then. He wasn't much better than Wesley at that point, but I DO LOVE what they ended up doing with him! <3

Faith is very much a product of survival, and having to do so at far too early an age. It's not like she set out to kill an innocent, or even a human. But knowing what we know now of her history -- and I'm pretty sure even at this point in the series, unlike Giles' early days, they DID at least have in a mind an abusive home life for her -- it's very easy to see that she's had to survive by keeping up a brave front. And I do know that most of us who come from an environment like that and ARE successful in fighting it and fighting to carve a future for ourselves in whatever field we may be, kinda become experts at lying to ourselves. We have to trick ourselves first into believing we can be everything we're trying so hard to convince the world we are. Admitting she'd gone so wrong here would have been the first step on a path that would have, and as we saw ultimately did for a while, quickly destroyed everything she viewed at that time as a strength.

[wearing_tearing]

He wasn't much better than Wesley at that point, but I DO LOVE what they ended up doing with him! <3
Yes! It's a bit of an odd thing to notice upon rewatch, but I do agree that they did so well with creating his backstory--if only they stuck with it all the time lol

Agree very much with your Faith takes! The writers do seem like they had a background in mind for her that wasn't sunshine and rainbows and the reason why she was so insistent on handling things by herself and not admitting to what she saw as "weaknesses" :(

[apachefirecat]

Yes, and the comics do flesh that out rather nicely later on. I know the comics aren't considered cannon, but still -- That arc at least fits in rather perfectly.

[apachefirecat]

I DO get why Balthazar can be seen as being a negative look at fat bodies, but he is, in all fairness, SUPER OBESE. I've spent most of my life battling with diabetes and weight gain and tend to be anywhere from 250-300 lbs. So I'm a big lady. But even I, as I mentioned in my own review, am COMPLETELY GROSSED OUT by his appearance! Of course, granted, the water, moisturizer, whatever, all that... does NOT help!!

I agree -- Angel's entrance here is superb! And it is ALWAYS GREAT! to see Giles taking action!

I don't remember ever being scared by the Mayor, but I DO remember that head splitting scene. Wasn't it even in the oncoming scenes at one point? I do kind of love how calm and cool he is about everything though, and how he has "Become invincible" right in there along with normal, everyday tasks like the PTA meeting. He is kind of a taste of fresh air compared to a lot of villains out there!

And yes, Buffy is definitely impressively emotionally intelligent with the way she tries to help Faith -- but then she takes what Faith says and smiles at eye level and, IF my memory serves correctly (it'll be interesting to see and I genuinely would NOT mind AT ALL being wrong) doesn't try to help her any further. Yeah, she may have been being impressed by Faith's hard act up until now, but surely, if she's that emotionally intelligent, she can see that her friend IS actually being bothered by all of this and is trying to protect herself.

But then, we still have a kid here who thinks it's cool to run across the club and literally jump onto the man who she knows she can't have sex with again without him losing his curse once more, becoming Angelus, having to kill him again, etc. So I guess maybe just emotionally intelligent in certain areas.

And the funny thing is, I remember LOVING that particular Bangel scene when I was younger... How waking up to our own Demons can change us...

[wearing_tearing]

but then she takes what Faith says and smiles at eye level
She really does! I think this is something Buffy really struggles with? To her, this situations i very much black and white. But then, she doesn't stop to questions what that guy was doing in a dark alley at night and why he grabbed her. It's entirely ignored that Faith acted the way she did because she saw Buffy, her friend, in danger. They could have investigated this and supported Faith through that instead of hammering on the fact she staked a dude.

[apachefirecat]

Very true! And I love the fact that now people ARE actually questioning why the human guy was out there in the middle of the night. The worst monsters are not actual monsters in species at all, even in fantasy/sci-fi worlds. They're humans.

[wearing_tearing]

The worst monsters are not actual monsters in species at all, even in fantasy/sci-fi worlds. They're humans.
Exactly!

[apachefirecat]

<3

[lokifan]

Ah, Buffy and Faith dancing together <3 it's so good.

What I don’t really like is this Balthazar and the implications around how fat bodies can be grotesque.

For real. And him being unable to move.

Poor Faith. And even Buffy, who does reach out and does try, blames her more than is warranted imo - or at least it probably comes off that way to Faith. "You killed a man". Like, yes, and she's responsible for that to some extent, but it's manslaughter not murder. But I think because Buffy buys that Faith doesn't care or feel at all responsible, she responds in a way that over-emphasises the responsibility, when Faith needed someone to be like 'you did a bad thing but it was an accident.' Grown-ups, please help Faith more!!!

[wearing_tearing]

Agreed! I do think it's very odd that no one questions what that guy was doing in a dark alley at night and why he grabbed the first girl to cross his path. What was he going to do with Buffy if he caught her? Is this normal behavior for him? What was his plan? They could have investigated and so supported Faith through that instead of hammering on the fact she staked a dude.

[lokifan]

For real! The only way I can fanwank it to make sense is that both of them were too shocked/upset/in denial to think about the details of what happened and why Faith saw him as an enemy.