Reviewed by Adam Bardwell
Rating: 8/10
We finally get to find out about Giles' dark side and its quite a shock. We knew there was going to be something to find out from his scenes with Ethan in "Halloween" but nothing could have prepared us for the full extent of how different Giles was in his youth to the stuffy librarian we know today. Giles was a dropout rebel who enjoyed demon possession orgies which lead to the death of one of his group (an others during this episode). Just watch "Band Candy" to see the full extent of the difference. However, what we get out of this particular episode is Giles guilt of his past which is compounded by the events of the episode.
The episode opens with a man, looking for Giles, being killed just outside the library by what we later find out was a possessed corpse which turns to blue goo and touches the man. Giles and Buffy do not hear for Buffy has loud dance music (Giles doesn't approve!) on to do her step-ups. This is a good opening scene but in hindsight the logic behind the demons actions is thin for by killing the man it only gains a temporary host if it had knocked him unconscious then it could have had a permanent host.
This is what happens to Jenny. She is in school on Saturday because she is giving extra tuition to Xander and Cordelia (Willow is helping out for extra credit). Prior to the attack by the demon Buffy finds Ethan snooping around in the Stack, he tells her that she needs to ask Giles about the Mark of Eyghon. It is while she is on the phone that the demon possessed corpse attacks. The gang arrive and the fight results in Jenny being knocked out. The corpse turns to goo and touches Jenny. She wakes up and unnoticed by anyone her eyes glow. Giles not revealing what is going on takes Jenny back to his. The gang research and work out that Jenny must be possessed. Buffy goes over to Giles but Jenny escapes. Giles reveals to Buffy that he created the demon and that it will kill him and Ethan. Buffy goes to protect Ethan but he knocks her out ties her up and gives her the Mark of Eyghon meaning that possessed Jenny will try to kill her. She arrives Buffy breaks loose and they fight the gang arrive with Angel who strangles Jenny forcing the demon out into him giving his own demon a fight which is triumphant saving the day. Jenny is shaken up and wants space away from Giles.
As information as to Giles past and what exacting is going on is spread out through the episode the intrigue is there throughout. It leads to some solid drama with Tony Head putting in a fine performance as Giles. It is a dark episode but it has room for humour. Cordelia's enquire to the police woman is a particular favourite of mine; "Can you help me with a ticket? It was a one street - I was going one-way!". Xander talking about his Uncle Roary was also fun - I hope we get to see him in season 5 - he was referred to by Anya in season 4 so he's not been forgotten.
This episode provides the first signs of sparkage between Xander and Cordy. The tension between then as they argue strongly hints at a strange attraction and the way they get so close to each other one wonders if they'd kiss. Of course this is easier to pick up once you have seen "What's My Line Pt. 2" but I think that the tension is clearly their even if you did not know what was to come.
The idea of demon possession has been reused in the Angel episode "I've Got You Under My Skin". The double tracked voices are similar (and equally annoying), even the demon names are similar (in Angel it is a Ethrose demon). The solutions however. To me possession plots scream exorcisms. The fact that this was not the choice the writers took here shows originality. Giles said that they tried exorcism when the demon took control of its first host. The gangs research said that this would never work. I guess that this shows how different Giles was in his youth - he hadn't done the reading. However, although less original I would have preferred an exorcism because I didn't think much of the demon battle in Angel. However, exorcisms can't be shown in Buffy's time slot - this may be the real reason for the solution chosen.
The use of demon possession here seems to me to be a thinly veiled metaphor for drugs. College is a traditional time to experiment with drugs and I think this what we are ment to compare Giles actions to. If you think about the metaphor is not really a metaphor for Eyghon was a drug for them - it gave them a high but ended up being lethal. This is a good anti-drug message without being too forced.
This episode does what it sets out to do well and particular credit should go to the director Bruce Seth Green. The dream sequences are particularly striking and the show was well paced. The body-jumping-demon plot may have been a little awkward in places but that was not really the directors fault.
Great Buffy Moment: Giles saying that the Bay City Rollers were music (I do hope he was being ironic!).
In a nut shell: This episode serves as platform to give Giles more depth while also rocking his relationship with Jenny.