Normal Again Mini-Review

[Jason Rune <winter_herald@xxxxxxxxx>]

I think I'm going to copycat Dan's idea of reviewing the show bit by bit as
it progresses, so here goes. Sorry if it's a bit more brief and disjointed
than my usual fare :)

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There, that should be enough, eh?

Well, well! They're doing the whole see-a-friendly-kiss-and-walk-away
thing with Will and Tara, are they? Not that I mind in this particular
case. Though it's possible that this could be interpreted as a challenge
to W/T that needs to be overcome... eep.

Buffy: Once you fall for Willow, you don't ever stop.

Possibly not the exact line, but wow! And with hand-holding, and the
eye-locking even. Then Xander burst in and they were all with the group
hug, aww. I think this bodes well. I mean, was that subtext or what?

Buffy and Spike are on friendly speaking terms? At least they weren't
boffing, but major weird. Good to see some Xander/Spike tension like in
the good old days.

The main plot is fairly clever. In the imaginary psychiatrist, there's an
opportunity to unravel some of Buffy's real problems. Neat. Let's see if
they use the opportunity.

Ooh, Will's coming in with a printout of a demon website. I want the
address of that one, heh. Hmm, a B/W moment, Buffy confessing at least
some of her emotional problems, and... whuh?

Buffy told her parents about vampires back in LA? And they sent her to a
clinic? Was this ever mentioned before? Oh... they '"forgot." Retcon.

Willow: You've gotta trust me.

Xander and Spike are out on patrol together? This is going to be
fun. Bickering. Xander jokes.

Dawn and Buffy are also on speaking terms now, which is of the good. But
Buffy has a fever, which isn't...

Joyce and Hank summers are doing nicely. This is probably the most we've
seen of Hank in any episode. I like the imaginary Hank better than the
real one.

I thought Spike broke the demon's neck? But it's still thrashing... Ooh,
Will is science girl! But the episode is only half over, so the antidote
can't possibly *work*, can it? That would be too easy.

Spike is laying it on thick, isn't he? It's not nice to tell someone
they're addicted to misery while they're sick and out of it. And he's
still on the whole "you belong in the dark with me, not with your friends"
shtick. And "if you don't tell them, I will"? Why does Spike care what
Buffy's friends think? Simple. It's just a tactic to get her away from
them. And when she's feverish and delusional, too. Oh, very nice,
William, very nice.

Oh, now look what you made her do. She'd rather be in an asylum than with
Spike. Wheefun.


[Commercials are fun, too. We are Borg. You will be loaned money at 18%
interest to pay for crap you don't need.]

[Half-time report: There's been more Buffy/Willow interaction in this ep
than for a while. And did they really use one of Amber's guest appearances
just for a few minute spot? Interesting. The main plot, though hardly
original, is fairly well done. Nice nod to the construction of Dawn and
ret-conning of history. Overall, there has been lots of good Scooby
interaction, and I'm actually finding Spike somewhat interesting, in the
way he used to be, rather than just yelling at the screen. Willow's hair
looks pretty good in a ponytail. Where is Anya? Is she a demon? That
would be cool.]

[Psyche says that the next episodes, after Entropy, are "Seeing Red" and
"Dearly Beloved." If I was writing fics by those titles, I know who I
would be 'shipping.]


Back to the Buffster. The people in the asylum are laying it on pretty
thick too. Looks like Willow is going to have to pull her out, eventually. :)

Xander: Friends? Romans? Anyone?

Buffy's lying, Buffy's lying... and beating up Xander. And tying up Willow
in the basement. This is bad :( No, not Dawn... oh wait, I forgot that
they're making M.T. be a whiney little drop this season. Still, Buffy is
going whacko. What ever could be next?

Is it just me, or is Buffy not up to full Slayer strength? Sure, she beat
up Xander, but like that's hard. Oh well, one more for the basement.

Breaking chains with bare hands and hardly straining. Yep, strength is
still there. Hm. You know, I could swear there was a spoiler about Buffy
doing something to hurt Willow's neck in this episode, but I haven't seen
anything of the sort yet.

[Commercial break. Commercial break. Spuffy n' Tillow were just fakes.]

Buffy is in a seriously bad emotional place... and... Tara is going to save
the day? Oh, this is just too rich. Hey, at least it wasn't Spike.

You know, this really isn't real. If it was, Xander's back (among others)
would have been broken many times by now. As it is, he just has the
potential for a bad back later in life, as seen in the evil-o-vision.

Tara is becoming more and more powerful. Nifty telekinesis going on
there. But of course, Tara knows how to use it wisely, while Willow is
just an addicted weakling. Of course. *Tara* can use magic to knock
things around, but if Willow so much as goes near it she'll become a psycho
dark sorceress and kill everybody. Right.

Asylum-Joyce is giving a nice comforting speech. Let's hope Buffy takes it
the right way... yeah!

The Buffster is back. Oh, yeah.

Tara-hand on Willow-shoulder. Hmph. But Willow is eyes-forward on Buffy,
so I suppose it's okay.

Closing shot of Buffy back in the asylum.

Doctor: We've lost her.

Zoom out through the window of her cell, leaving us all to wonder if
anything we've seen really is real.

Wouldn't that have made a nifty series finale?


Jason Rune (Zephyr)

"No one's going to go see the story of Othello going to get a peaceful
divorce."
-Joss Whedon


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