7.02: Beneath You

[VAMPette]

Kind of a wierd episode but v. good. Loads of clues and hints as to what is obviously the big bad of the season, I keep mulling over 'from beneath, it devours' and it's possible meanings - could it mean from beneath the skin, and in some way talking about either Buffy or Spike, or could it be talking about Buffy's slayer descending lineage - well, Faith and Kendra were descended from Buffy so they would have been 'beneath'...well, it's all speculation at this point.

Good scene in the bronze, loved the bit where Buffy, Xander, Anya and Spike are explaining their complicated relationships to Nancy, she says 'Is there anyone here who hasn't slept together?' and Spike and Xander glance at each other briefly and then look away embarrassed. Plus fight scenes were pretty good also.

Crazy Spike - well portrayed and pretty riveting but I hope he isn't going to be like this all season, cos I can see it becoming a trifle irritating, then when you see Angel still suffering centuries later, it obviously isn't going to be a quick fix job - have to say that I was surprised that he told Buffy so quickly, I though they'd let us stew it out a few episodes. Thought the end was excellent with Spike draped over the cross, with the smoke rising and Buffy just standing not knowing what to do and say. It'll be pretty interesting to see what way she's going to react. Liked his hair better in last ep.

BTW didn't get the Alias bit, I don't watch that series, but it did remind me of 'Run Lola Run' which makes sense if Alias was kind of based on it.

Don't think much of Willow and Giles' involvement so far, it mainly seems to be filler, it's like the writers thought that they need to explain what they're doing in some way so stick in a couple of scenes with Willow whimpering and Giles being wise in the middle of a field. I would have prefered it if the first time we'd seen Willow had been a dramatic entrance back in Sunnydale or if they had to do the England bit, they'd involved the coven and their input. Just a thought...

[Tabitha]

Was the "From Beneath you it devours" bit about more than Anya's worm-man? I guess it probably is, but that means that this episode's title had a meaning on a whole bunch of different levels. Most obviously of course, it is a reference to the season five episode in which Buffy tells Spike that he is "Beneath Her" - From seeing the episode titles, and yet trying to stay spoiler-free, I really thought this ep would be mostly about Spike and Buffy's relationship - it was, of course, but I love that the title has all this different angles.

Posted by OB
(played, again, by series star Sarah Michelle Gellar)

REALLY? I didn't think that either of the two girls we have seen before were played by SMG. Is that true? Wow... I lent my tape to a friend so I can't go back and look closer myself.

[Highlander II]

I didn't really see the title being so much a reflection of the scene from "Fool For Love" as it was to the repetitive "From beneath you, it devours" and the worm-man -- (and I've watched this ep about a million times) --

I mean - if you look really close - there are some hints to "Fool For Love" - but they're so subtle - and it's not so much about that - which, when I first saw this title back in the summer, I thought that's what they were gonna focus on - I'm kinda glad they didn't after seeing the 1st two episodes --

And the end scene - it was rewritten - what we saw isn't the original ending - from what I've read - the original was 'too harsh' - or something and even SMG said that Buffy was too 'mean' to Spike -- but I read that - and when you get stuff like that you take it w/ a 'grain of salt' -- but, it's entirely possible -

And I like the end scene the way it is in the ep -- James does such a wonderful job - as did Sarah - it's a great scene

[markpud]

I enjoyed this episode a lot.. the Spike scenes particularly. The end in the chruch was very cool (but not for Spike lol)

The big worm was a bit "Dune" though wasn't it

[Highlander II]

Dune / Tremors -- total rip - geez - a worm? but - it fit the title -

maybe they tried TOO hard -

and we're still all wondering where that rope came from --

[markpud]

oh well.. at least they didn't try to ride the worm like in Dune :rolly2:

Pretty cool flying resuce though!

[Annette]

I did feel sorry for Spike in this episode but thought Ouch when he was leaning against the cross.

Opening part of the episode also reminded me of Alias(as I am a fan of it). Overall thought good episode.

annette