"Enemies" REACTION - Buffy 3x17 Commentary (Early Access YouTube)
Added 2025-01-25 14:34:18 +0000 UTC
Comments
Fab! 👍
Lucy
2025-02-03 12:50:38 +0000 UTC😆
Tyler Alexander
2025-02-02 16:45:13 +0000 UTCI cut it out but there was a moment I think where Giles tells Buffy to go to the Mayor's office and I theorised that Buffy had seen something there that had put her on the scent a little bit. I took it out because I couldn't remember if the time-line lined up, but I missed the light switch! That's a cool detail 😄
Tyler Alexander
2025-02-02 16:42:14 +0000 UTCOh for sure! Having her stay around for this storyline was a great decision 😅
Tyler Alexander
2025-02-02 16:39:31 +0000 UTCNo worries! Earshot was the next one :)
Tyler Alexander
2025-02-02 16:37:58 +0000 UTCJust double-checked and on Disney Hotstar in Malaysia at least, the episodes are in the wrong order AND the episode summaries are wrong, just to be extra confusing! Not sure if that means they're also in the wrong order on Disney in other countries, or on any other streaming service. On Disney Hotstar, the episode title was right, but it's listed at the end of the season, and the episode summary is actually the summary for the finale. If Buffy's wearing a red coat at the beginning, then it's the right episode, so maybe get someone else to check Buffy's outfit first!
Lucy
2025-02-02 16:34:43 +0000 UTCGotta say it again - I’m doing a rewatch with my boyfriend who’s watching it for the first time (we just finished season 3, actually) and while he’s enjoying it, he looks at it as a teen drama and takes everything at forgettable face value. And that’s fine, but it really does make me appreciate your commentaries and real world comparisons over other reactors more than ever. I watched this as a kid (I was 9-16 when it aired) from an - understatement - unstable home, and it just.. taught me so many life lessons that are still so important to me. Faith and her journey is one of the best on tv IMO and I LOVE how you nail it every. time. (forgetting Angel is a whole vampire not withstanding 😂). If you’re still with me - there are a handful of Angel episodes that are ESSENTIAL to her story and I beg of you to include those in your first time watch. As always, thank you for this most recent hit of serotonin (being an American, this was easily the highlight of my week 😅).
Shannon
2025-01-26 20:49:33 +0000 UTCLove your view of Faith and totally agree! I always wonder how she would have turned out if Buffy had stayed dead in season 1… which of course is kind of the point: that’s the perfect example of why Buffy can thrive as a slayer, because she has a support system. Faith as originally not supposed to stick around that long, the writers had originally planned for her to commit suicide because of how alone she was but I like this version way more. Also Eliza is such a great actress it would have been an absolute shame not to have her more!
Mahaut
2025-01-26 16:53:10 +0000 UTCGreat reaction, as usual, picking up all the nuance that is Faith. I like how they don't blatantly info dump her trauma. Instead she says things you can pick up on about her past trauma around sex and her Mom enough for you to get it, but you can also tell just by her behavior as well, making it feel more real. Its good character writing that you waiver back and forth between feeling sorry for her but still not liking her choices. Faith is a great character and a great foil for Buffy. I do enjoy Faith and Angel's dynamic as well.
Dutchkel
2025-01-26 05:49:13 +0000 UTCAlways fun to see first time viewers' reactions to "Second best"! 😆 Glad to hear that you remember so little from the finale! It'll be interesting to see if things start coming back to you the closer you get to the end, but thankfully that's a long way off still! Really interesting observations on Faith and the idea of needing someone else to follow, like the Mayor or Angelus - she's had so little control and stability in her life that you can easily see why an authority figure with power who heaps praise on her and provides for her would be appealing. I think she also likes the idea of 'taking something' from Buffy more than she actually liked "Angelus" in this episode. She wants what Buffy has - a supportive family, friends, a watcher, the status of being the "real" slayer. ('fuffy' is probably the third most popular fan ship in the Buffy fandom for obvious reasons - their dynamic is so complex). By the way, just a heads up - the original airing of the next episode, 3x18 "Earshot" was delayed when it first came out, so sometimes streaming services put it in the wrong order. If the next episode you're watching is titled "Earshot", you're all good!
Lucy
2025-01-26 03:43:57 +0000 UTCThat "second best" line is still so great even after all those years. One of the best twist in the show. I am right with you concerning Faith. I love how deep her character is. It's one of the reasons I think season 2 & 3 are far better than the first one. We care about the vilains. They are interesting and we have empathy for them even when they are doing terrible things. Faith is probably the most complex character we've got so far in the show and I am loving this (that's probably why Breaking Bad and The Expanse are two of my favorite shows with BTVS). Of course, we can analyze Faith as a mirror image to Buffy but she is also fascinating on her own. Another great mirror image this season is to compare the two slayers' relationship with their respective father figure, especially at the end of the season when we have the full picture. One detail I always loved in this episode is that you can ask yourself the question "When did Buffy, Giles and Angel set their plan in motion? How did they know?" Of course the demon that the Mayer planned to use had informed Giles and Angel was suspicious about Faith after her failed seduction attempt. But you can see the moment Buffy was beginning to have doubts was when they went together in the demon's flat (the one who wanted to sell the books). Faith knew where the light button was without even looking at it. If you rewatch this scene you can see that Buffy did notice that. It's hard to see it when you're watching for the first time but when you already know the end of this episode, you can't miss it. Once again, great writing and great acting!
Aurelius 19
2025-01-25 23:23:39 +0000 UTCI love this episode so much - in a season full of banger after banger, this one has always stood out for me. Your analysis of Faith is one of the best I've heard, and very much lines up with my own interpretation of her character and motives. She's one of my favourite characters of the Buffyverse for good reason: there's so much under the surface to dig into. Speaking of my favourite characters, I'm glad you're appreciating Angel more as he comes into his own. I can't remember if you've said whether or not you'll be reacting to Angel, but I really hope you do. I actually prefer it to Buffy as a complete package, and it's stuffed full of complex characters and grey morality that I think you'll really enjoy. In regards to the curse, I hate the notion that Angel's perfect happiness is tied purely to sex/orgasm/whatever. Certainly, the intimacy of a sexual act may play a part, but it's far from the only factor. After sleeping with Buffy, he didn't lose his soul immediately after... finishing...ahem; it was some time later, possibly hours, when he was lying there with her. For the first time in a hundred years he felt a moment of peace, unburdened by the guilt of his life as Angelus. It was the culmination of them confessing their love for eachother. I don't necessarily blame the characters in-universe for making this mistake - we have more information than they do and it's safer to be cautious - but I also see this notion in the fandom that he just can't have sex at all. It was a very specific circumstance when he originally turned, and he wasn't even aware that there was a possibility of losing his soul. It's not like the Kalderash people sat him down and explained the curse to him: he had no idea that such a loophole existed. Simply having that understanding would make it much harder, if not impossible, to ever truly feel peace again. That's just my thoughts on it. Season 3 remains my favourite season, and the peak of the show in my opinion. Certainly there are some spectacular episodes and great seasons to come (S5 is great, and I like S4 more than most), but it never really achieves this level of consistency again. The twist in this one is always fantastic to watch reactions to, and yours didn't disappoint :)
Jordan McLaren
2025-01-25 17:29:08 +0000 UTCHaven’t watched yet, very excited - and I have to say, this is yet ANOTHER excellent episode that makes me want to say “Gingerbread?!??? The one he got for the middle ep was Gingerbread, that absolute piece of crap episode???” 😂 Edit: LOL yes Tyler your maths was perfect. You used the wrong equation to get the wrong answer but your maths on that equation was perfect. 😂 Teasing aside I’m glad it was the crappy Gingerbread rather than either of the two actual “middle” episodes. I will point them out when we get there just for the lols.
FandomReferenceHere
2025-01-25 16:09:33 +0000 UTCEek! First time we get to see you get fooled. I kept saying to myself, "Nah, Tyler is gonna figure it out." So happy you didn't. Another great reaction and sorry you got some memory spoilers about the finale. I did forget that Faith says a few lines about her abusive Mother in this episode. As for Angel turning Angelus, I suppose there is a lot of debate about this, but I think "happiness" in this series is code for "orgasm." Angel literally needs to have sex to turn. Not just "get a happy" but get a "happy ending." Or like la petite mort. It's less crude to use the metaphor for a show made for teenagers in the 90's, but it also leaves it up for interpretation. Anyways, have a good one. :)
Tanya TMS
2025-01-25 15:31:58 +0000 UTC
