I hate this episode. I love BTVS as much as anybody, but this episode makes me crazy. It's one thing for season six to make me feel bad for the characters. Or to have empathy for their problems. But "As You Were" has me feeling flat out contempt for Buffy. I blame Riley. I've never liked the guy and when he started messing around with those vampire "hookers" back in season five he pretty much used up any latent "hero" potential he might have had. He deserved to have another "Yoko Factor" style beat down. Seeing him so happy now, while Buffy mopes around the Doublemeat Palace, makes him seem like an even bigger jerk and it makes her seem weak and whiny. I guess I'm suppose to be reminded of Buffy's life before she died in "The Gift" and feel like she was better off last year. All I really get out of this episode, though, is an even deeper dislike of Riley and a BIG desire to tell Buffy to just grow-up. I can't be objective, but I recommend that you skip this episode.
Basically, this episode revolves Riley returning to Sunnydale. His life is now perfect, complete with a perfect commando wife, Sam. Buffy is jealous and embarrassed by her life. Riley need Buffy to help him track some demon. Its eggs are super dangerous and being sold on the black market. Buffy accidentally kills the demon before it can lead them back its eggs and they have to search Sunnydale for them. Buffy winds up at Spike's tomb, looking for companionship and comfort. They sleep together. Soon afterwords, Riley walks and find them. He also announces that Spike is the one who has the demon eggs. Buffy doesn't believe it at first, but then they find the egg in Spike's bedroom. As the eggs start to hatch, they have to blow them up. Riley tells Buffy that he'll always have a special place for her in his heart. He and Sam leave town. Buffy tells Spike that she can't see him anymore. That she's been using him and it's wrong. Then she walks away.
There are a few cute moments in this episode. I like Willow making fun of Anya and Xander's wedding planning misery at the Bronze. And I think it's interesting that Buffy called Spike "William" when she broke up with him. Like she was saying "good-bye" to the human part of him trapped inside the soulless vampire. The part of him that she knows really loves her. Finally, it is sort of funny when Riley walks in on Buffy and Spike naked together. Spike's smug smirk in Riley's direction just makes me grin.
I have a lot of problems with this episode, but one of my main complaints is the way everyone treats Riley. Watching him be confident and successful, while the Scoobies are falling apart is just... Annoying. Why do I want to feel embarrassed for the characters who I love? Xander and Anya are pathetically grateful for Riley and Sams' wedding advice. Willow needs Sam's validation before she can feel good about her recovery. And Buffy is just pitiful as she gazes up at Riley and apologizes to him. Why is BUFFY the one apologizing for their break up? It was Riley who cheated. It really bugs me.
Plus, there's flat out NO WAY Spike came up with a plan to sell demon eggs to foreign governments. I love Spike. He's my favorite character. And I think Buffy's underestimating him when she says that he's "incompetant," because he does come up with some pretty clever ideas. But, am I really suppose to believe that Spike-- who couldn't even weigh down a body in "Seeing Red"-- has somehow hooked up with covert officials from some foreign power, smuggled demon eggs into Sunnydale, and plans to sell them to the highest bidder? SPIKE?!?! Come on! When and how did he do this? Does he have some knowledge of international politics that's never been mentioned before? Some underworld/supernatural connections who don't hate him? Because, he's still a vampire, which has him on the outs with humans and he fights with Buffy, which has the demon world out for his blood. And, even more importantly, WHY would he do this? He's too impatient, easily bored and direct to plot out a global money-making scheme. He steals everything that he needs. He lives in a graveyard and wears the same clothes all the time. I might've accepted that he was planning to give the money to Buffy, but they don't even give me that! The whole thing is completely out of character for Spike. For the sake of argument, though, lets say he DID somehow think up this grandiose plot. Would he really use the name "The Doctor" after he was pushed off Glory's tower by "Doc" last season? Spike agonized over his failure in "The Gift." Why would he adopt the name of the man who beat him and, indirectly, caused Buffy to die? Also, if he came up with this plan, wouldn't he know something about the product? Spike is the one character on the show (Well, besides Anya) who can always identify demons and their habits. He can speak demon languages, and can rattle off all the names of the demons the Scoobies encounter, and prides himself on being up-to-date on all things evil. But he somehow didn't know that those stupid eggs needed to be frozen? Nope. I'm not buying it. I can certainly see Spike coming up with an evil plan. Even, figuring out how to deactivate the chip and attacking someone. But, I'm not accepting that he concocted that convoluted demon egg smuggling scheme.
My favorite part of the episode: Willow cheerily exchanging e-mail addresses with Riley's wife. Then muttering, "What a b*tch" when Sam leaves.
Basically, this episode revolves Riley returning to Sunnydale. His life is now perfect, complete with a perfect commando wife, Sam. Buffy is jealous and embarrassed by her life. Riley need Buffy to help him track some demon. Its eggs are super dangerous and being sold on the black market. Buffy accidentally kills the demon before it can lead them back its eggs and they have to search Sunnydale for them. Buffy winds up at Spike's tomb, looking for companionship and comfort. They sleep together. Soon afterwords, Riley walks and find them. He also announces that Spike is the one who has the demon eggs. Buffy doesn't believe it at first, but then they find the egg in Spike's bedroom. As the eggs start to hatch, they have to blow them up. Riley tells Buffy that he'll always have a special place for her in his heart. He and Sam leave town. Buffy tells Spike that she can't see him anymore. That she's been using him and it's wrong. Then she walks away.
There are a few cute moments in this episode. I like Willow making fun of Anya and Xander's wedding planning misery at the Bronze. And I think it's interesting that Buffy called Spike "William" when she broke up with him. Like she was saying "good-bye" to the human part of him trapped inside the soulless vampire. The part of him that she knows really loves her. Finally, it is sort of funny when Riley walks in on Buffy and Spike naked together. Spike's smug smirk in Riley's direction just makes me grin.
I have a lot of problems with this episode, but one of my main complaints is the way everyone treats Riley. Watching him be confident and successful, while the Scoobies are falling apart is just... Annoying. Why do I want to feel embarrassed for the characters who I love? Xander and Anya are pathetically grateful for Riley and Sams' wedding advice. Willow needs Sam's validation before she can feel good about her recovery. And Buffy is just pitiful as she gazes up at Riley and apologizes to him. Why is BUFFY the one apologizing for their break up? It was Riley who cheated. It really bugs me.
Plus, there's flat out NO WAY Spike came up with a plan to sell demon eggs to foreign governments. I love Spike. He's my favorite character. And I think Buffy's underestimating him when she says that he's "incompetant," because he does come up with some pretty clever ideas. But, am I really suppose to believe that Spike-- who couldn't even weigh down a body in "Seeing Red"-- has somehow hooked up with covert officials from some foreign power, smuggled demon eggs into Sunnydale, and plans to sell them to the highest bidder? SPIKE?!?! Come on! When and how did he do this? Does he have some knowledge of international politics that's never been mentioned before? Some underworld/supernatural connections who don't hate him? Because, he's still a vampire, which has him on the outs with humans and he fights with Buffy, which has the demon world out for his blood. And, even more importantly, WHY would he do this? He's too impatient, easily bored and direct to plot out a global money-making scheme. He steals everything that he needs. He lives in a graveyard and wears the same clothes all the time. I might've accepted that he was planning to give the money to Buffy, but they don't even give me that! The whole thing is completely out of character for Spike. For the sake of argument, though, lets say he DID somehow think up this grandiose plot. Would he really use the name "The Doctor" after he was pushed off Glory's tower by "Doc" last season? Spike agonized over his failure in "The Gift." Why would he adopt the name of the man who beat him and, indirectly, caused Buffy to die? Also, if he came up with this plan, wouldn't he know something about the product? Spike is the one character on the show (Well, besides Anya) who can always identify demons and their habits. He can speak demon languages, and can rattle off all the names of the demons the Scoobies encounter, and prides himself on being up-to-date on all things evil. But he somehow didn't know that those stupid eggs needed to be frozen? Nope. I'm not buying it. I can certainly see Spike coming up with an evil plan. Even, figuring out how to deactivate the chip and attacking someone. But, I'm not accepting that he concocted that convoluted demon egg smuggling scheme.
My favorite part of the episode: Willow cheerily exchanging e-mail addresses with Riley's wife. Then muttering, "What a b*tch" when Sam leaves.