Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 2, Episode 5

Reptile Boy

Synopsis

Giles is pushing Buffy in her Slayer training, her mother’s rules are becoming more and more strict, and Angel is growing more over-protective. Buffy is feeling pulled apart. When Cordelia’s college crush shows up on campus with a friend who has eyes for Buffy, Cordelia convinces Buffy to come with her to the frat party. But the party soon turns sinister, and Buffy learns the connection between the fraternity and the local girls who have recently gone missing. Xander, Giles, Angel and Willow must crash the party before all Hell breaks loose.

Review

This is not one of the stronger episodes of Buffy, especially in Season 2, when there was a string of unbelievably good storylines that dominated the latter half.

We have a Monster of the Week episode here, which barely deals with any of the ongoing issues of the Season - such as Spike and Drusilla's presence in Sunnydale, or Buffy and Angel's burgeoning relationship.

There is some clumsy commentary on the evils of drink - Buffy decides to take an alcoholic drink, which just so happens to be spiked and she ends up becoming the offering to a rather phallic-shaped demon. Kids, be warned what happens when you drink! This is not the first time that a Buffy episode handles the drink=wrong slant.

The over-riding theme of the episode is Buffy struggling to deal with the responsibilities of being a Slayer while attending high school and wanting to be a normal girl. This is handled sensitively with some excellent scenes between Giles and Buffy. Here we see Giles taking on the fatherly mantle for the first time - and there is a very lovely conclusion to their conflict at the end of the episode.

Quote of the episode:

Buffy: I told one lie, I had one drink.

Giles: Yes, and you were very nearly devoured by a giant demon snake. The words "let that be a lesson" are a tad redundant at this juncture.

Not a great Buffy episode, but still better than a many series on television even at its slowest points!