Reviewed by: Adam Bardwell
Rating: 9/10
This show is amazing fun with great comedy values. That said this how is not so throw away that it doesn't last repeated viewing - its just as funny how ever often you watch it! This is certainly the most fun episode of the season yet at its core its premise is based one very similar to the season three episode, "The Wish", which must be one of the darkest Buffy episodes there is. This premise is of things that may sound good in theory actual end up a deserter.
In this episode as a result of Cordelia breaking up with Xander on Valentines Day, Xander blackmails Amy (who is following in her mothers tradition and is dabbling in the black arts) into casting a love spell on Cordy so he can take revenge. The spell backfires and Xander gets what probably every man has dreamt of at some point in their lives which is the love and admiration of the entire female population with the exception of Cordelia. To quote Willow from the episode, "The I In Team"; "Irony is kind of ironic in that way!". The result is a large number of laughs but it's more of a nightmare for Xander than a dream with the women who he won't love i.e. all of the attacking him and Cordelia for letting him go!
This episode has too many funny moments for me to mention here. Buffy, Willow and Jenny all get sexy which, along with not being a bad idea, leads to three of the funniest scenes of the show. Willow biting Xander's ear is almost as shocking as Giles beating up Ethane in "The Dark Age". Buffy begging to be undressed deserves special mention (come on how many of you blokes would say no?!). Not only is funny - not to mention sexy - it really shows Xander integrity because he does say no to her. Another, classic scene which I need to mention is Xander walking down corridors lined with adoring women. Very funny and the music here is spot on.
This episode sees the start of Angel competing with Spike for Dru. The three of them have a very good scene where they give Dru. valentines gifts. Dru seems to prefer Angels gift of a child's hear over Spikes which was a necklace which, to add insult to injury for Spike, Angel puts it on Dru. Spikes annoyance is compounded by the fact that Angel seems in no hurry to kill Buffy. Spike suggests that he should rip out her lungs but Angel thinks this lacks poetry. Spikes come back is great; "It doesn't have to. Let's see, what rhymes with lungs?". Angel instead starts his campaign to throw Buffy off her game by sending her flowers with a note saying, "Soon!". This sets things up for the next episode, "Passion".
This episode may not be particularly serious it does signify just how much the character of Cordelia has grown since the start of the series. She may have given in to peer pressure when she dumped Xander but by the end of the episode she has realised that she has to live her own life which means dating whoever she likes. Even more importantly she realises how phoney her friends are. She accuses them of being sheep - following the fashions. This is a big step for her. She may keep some of her shallowness in subsequent episodes but she has gained more and more depth as the show went on. Of course we can expect more depth in her character on Angel next season after the events of "To Shanshu in L.A."
There are very few bad points to this episode beyond the fact that it could be considered a 'piece of fluff'. I don't really go along with this and even if I did this doesn't make the episode bad. My only actual qualm is the way that the females act towards Xander. I know that Giles says that love spells are dangerous but chasing someone with an axe because they won't love you seems a little extreme. This is a nit- pick I know and it did result in some fun scenes I especially like the Dru./Xander scene.
Great Buffy Moment: The whole Willow in Xander's bed scene.
In a nut shell: A really fun episode which also signifies character development for Cordelia