As You Were

Buffy Episode Review

In which Riley returns.

What Happened

Riley returns to Sunnydale, with his new wife in tow, forcing Buffy to examine her relationship with Spike.

What Most Shows Would Do

Buffy and Spike would argue, then snog, then argue some more. Just as they admitted that they cared for one another, Riley would show up. Buffy would be torn between old love and new for about half an hour, then Riley would do something wrong and Spike would come to the rescue. Riley would slink off into the night, while Buffy and Spike skipped off to bed.

What Buffy Did

Buffy and Spike argued, then slept together. Buffy's "love" did not change Spike into a good person. Buffy and Spike's fundamental problems did not change or go away because they were together. Riley shows up with his new love and Buffy sees what a normal relationship might look like, realizes the difference between that and what she has with Spike and ends it with the vampire.

I'll skip the "it's about time" because the truth is that the worst and the best thing about this story-line was that it was so painful to watch Buffy getting screwed by Spike.It's a sign of how much the character means to the audience that there is that kind of impact. And - finally - we get the start of the upswing, where Buffy really begins to pull it together.

In theory, anyways, we still have some of the season left, and knowing Buffy, it won't be over until the last seconds of the season finale.