Information about and from "Reptile Boy," the fifth episode of the second season.

Episode Summary:
When Angel and Buffy have a falling out and Giles gives Buffy one lecture too many, she rebels, lying to Giles to go to a frat party with Cordelia. But, of course, nothing is ever as it seems in Sunnydale. Instead of lots of drunk, horny college guys (oh, wait, there were those, too…), Buffy and Cordelia end up being prepared as the yearly sacrifice to the frat’s personal Snake-god in return for wealth and power.

Review:
Okay, this one is a little more see-through than most, but there are some nice scenes as Buffy continues to struggle with her dual life. On the one hand, she has responsibilities; on the other hand, she’d like some semblance of a normal life.

However, one of the things I really like about this show is how things are conflicted. The bad guys aren’t always bad guys, (i.e. Angel) the good guys aren’t always good guys (Buffy in ‘When She Was Bad,’ Willow in Season 6), and the bad guys aren’t always bad guys for the reasons you’d expect (Ford, from ‘Lie to Me’). This episode steps just a little bit over the ‘preaching’ line. Buffy lies to Giles and nearly gets eaten. Buffy yields to temptation and drinks an alcoholic drink (after saying, “What the hell. I'm tired of being mature.” Can we be a little more obvious?)…and it’s drugged. There is no conflict. Its just…college men are bad. Nice guys are dangerous. Underage drinking is bad. Lying to grown-ups is bad. I think this one quote says it all, and proves that even the David Greenwalt knew he was standing on that preachy line.

“I told one lie, I had one drink.” –Buffy
“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.” –Giles


Written by: David Greenwalt
Directed by: David Greenwalt
Original air date: 10/13/97

Quotes
Summary: The Long Version
I have quickly become aware that in no way, shape or form am I going to be able to complete all these summaries. So, I'm leaving it to the experts, and sending you to the Wildfeed summaries—they have done a great job!


Season Two
Back to Buffy!
Return to the Stronghold