Reviewed by Adam Bardwell
Rating: 8/10
This is a really fun episode. Even if I bring up some negative points I am really just being nit-picky - this is a fun ride from start to finish. The main thing that the episode loses marks for is the basic and slightly silly premise of people being turned into their Halloween costumes.
I general I don't really like these festival episodes. They have become a little clichéd in recent years (how many times has it been Thanksgiving on Friends?!). However, this is Buffy's first attempt at such an episode and it manages to be fresh - as usual it is the dialogue which is a big reason that they can pull it off. The intrigue generated by hints at Giles darker past also play a part. The scenes between him and Ethan are quite chilling and very well acted. To think that Giles was ever anything other than the upstanding citizen that we know and love was a shock and demonstrates one of the shows best qualities - it's not afraid to change the goal posts or change your perception of a character.
I liked the Buffy vs. Cordelia element. I'm glad this was followed up in the season three episode "Homecoming". However, I wish we could have been shown Cordelia finding out the truth about Angel. Her lack of belief when told this was understandable and considering the important role she is now playing in Angel's life it would been nice to have seen her reaction to Angel being "Grrrrr!"!
I've got to mention Willows costume. Well what can I say! Not only does she look hot in it but it shows how much she has changed. At the time of writing season four has ended and Willow would not think twice about wear such a costume and she'd appear comfortable in it (after seeing "Restless" it appears that she may not be as comfortable as she seems). Having said all of this (and here comes the nit-picking!) I don't get why Willows' appearance as a ghost is in her underneath cloths not her ghost costume. For everyone else their costumes don't change (like Buffy) or become exaggerated (like the demons or Xander) Willow is the only one to lose her costume. It did however lead to the scene when she scares Giles which is comic genius. I also allowed Oz to see Willows sexier side.
A similar nit-pick is that Xander only bought a gun from 'Ethan's Costumes' and became a soldier. Technically he should have become a gun but taking it more laterally he could have come an Police officer, assassin, secret agent or just part of the statistics of people who hold fire arms in the States! I know he was wearing the soldier gear but it wasn't cursed.
The return of Spike was appreciated but he fails to be as entertaining as he was in his debut, "School Hard". He called Sunnydale Sunnyhill - is this ment to be funny or just a mistake. Its uncharacteristic for the show either way - its obviously not right and not funny! I actually think its ment to be a joke because he calls it Sunnyhell in "What's My Line pt.2". Spike also seems a bit of a wimp - he is 'Spike The Vampire Slayer's Slayer' - lest we forget!
What I really have to take issue with Buffy's accent as a 18th Century Noblewoman. What was it ment to be? She also pays it as a stereotype with no interesting angle at all. This is probably why Angel couldn't stand such women when he was alive (according to the flashbacks he was more interested in servants and generally women of a looser persuasion!). This did all lead to Buffy and Angel's kiss at the end of the episode. This to some degree the start of the Buffy/Angel relationship proper but it takes a few more episodes before they are 'going steady'.
There are a couple other things that I'm not happy with but they are very minor concerning the way the monsters run and the Pirate but they are not worth mentioning. This is high quality episode which balances continuity with its own premise (however thin it may be) well and is definitely a good episode to show a non-fan.
Great Buffy moment: Giles beating the crap out of Ethan (just for shock value).
In a nut shell: A very fun ride which also sets things up for us to lean about Giles' dark history.