"What's My Line? Pt. 1" [2x09] Review by Mikelangelo "MikeJer" Marinaro Posted by MikeJer on October 24, 2005 Writer: Howard Gordon and Marti NoxonDirector: David Solomon Quick Links Spoiler Warning! This is a retrospective review and may contain spoilers from anywhere in the series. Read at your own peril. Review This is part one of a respectable two-parter that should have been much better. This is the big Spike 'event' we've been waiting for since he was introduced back in "School Hard" (2x03). This should have been explosive and intriguing, but instead we get a slow paced and exposition heavy letdown. These episodes aren't bad, in fact they are even decent, but they should have been fantastic. No matter, there is still a lot of good beginning with part one. This episode begins with Xander, probably reflecting Whedon's own views, hating taking any kind of dumb standardized exam. This "career day" exam is used as a launching point for discussion about a possible future beyond slaying for Buffy. Also interesting is the pondering of what she could have been had she not been chosen. Buffy is still expressing to everyone that she just wants to be a normal girl. I really like the consistency in not only Buffy's character, but all the characters (main and otherwise) on this show. Spike and Drusilla are finally launching their scheme to restore Drusilla to full health. I adore the scene where Spike is impatient with Dru and it hurts her feelings. To make her feel better Spike picks her up and dances around the room with her in his arms. It's so rare to actually like the villains on a show. These two get a surprsingly little amount of screen time for an episode who's plot is supposed to be about them. I think the biggest problem with this is that Spike and Dru have no contact with the Scooby Gang and instead send the boring Order of Taraka assassins after Buffy instead. The writers should have learned by now, more Spike is better! I have to confess that I really loved all the Angel and Buffy romance material in this episode. All of it hit the right chords from their conversation in her bedroom (with Angel holding onto Mr. Gordo), to Buffy beautifully ice skating and then kissing Angel even with his vampire face exposed (they had better avoid french kissing). I like that Angel recommended going skating with Buffy, that was a smart idea. Buffy needs a breather from her Slayer duties every now and then besides going to The Bronze. I also like the Kendra fake-out during this scene. We're made to believe that Kendra is the third assassin when she's in fact, not. I also want to mention when Buffy is scared her first instinct tells her to go to Angel's place. This is a beautiful setup for the big "Surprise" (2x13) and "Innocence" (2x14) two-parter coming up. In this part, the Order of Taraka comes off as pretty pathetic. The 'brute' guy wasn't scary at all and I don't feel that he should have just been able to choke Buffy to death had Angel not been there. The worm guy is a bit of a different story though. I actually find this guy interesting because he doesn't look like an assassin at all. He looks like the average working man. Is there a metaphor here about people not always showing you their true face? This topic comes up again in "Consequences" (3x15) when Faith says, "When are you gonna learn, B? It doesn't matter what kind of vibe you get off a person. 'Cause nine times out of ten, the face they're showing you is not the real one." I have to wonder if that is actually true, do most people really hide their true identity to others and possibly even themselves? Unfortunately there are a whole slew of problems with this episode as well. The biggest being the horribly slow pace, the corny synthesized music, and the overload of exposition. This episode just meanders along forever while, every now and then, hitting a nice character scene. The music is reminiscent to S1's corny music, which is not a good thing. Also, there is so much exposition in here that it's hard not to fall asleep (especially if you're watching this at night). Like I mentioned before, there needed to be some involvement between Spike and the Scoobies to take this up a notch. The problems here extend to the fight scenes as well. The directing during Kendra's fight with Angel really felt off. Most of my criticism is meant for the director, David Solomon, who just can't seem to keep everything smooth. Overall, though, there is a lot of good stuff in here and a solid setup for part two. The ending surprise that Kendra is another Slayer really does make you sit up and go "woah, now I'm all of the sudden really interested in seeing part two!" Minor Pros/Cons (+/-)
Foreshadowing
Quotes BUFFY:Do I like shrubs?XANDER:That's between you and your god. BUFFY:What'd you put? WILLOW:I came down on the side of shrubs. BUFFY:Go shrubs! Okay! BUFFY:Yeah! They had tools, flashlights, whole nine yards. What does that mean, anyway? 'Whole nine yards'? Nine yards of what? (whines) Now it's gonna bug me all day. GILES:You're behaving remarkably im-immaturely. BUFFY:You know why? I *am* immature. I'm a teen. I have yet to mature. BUFFY:Uh, Giles, it's one thing to be a Watcher and a librarian. They go together like chicken and... another chicken, or... two chickens, or... something, you know what I'm saying! XANDER:That's untrue, Buffy, you totally contribute. You go for snacks! WILLOW:She *should* go. Y-y'know, gather her strength. XANDER:But Ho-Hos are a vital part of my cognitive process! GILES:Well, maybe Buffy unplugged the phone. XANDER:No, it's a statistical impossibility for a sixteen-year-old girl to unplug her phone. :(Willow nods approvingly) GILES:Willow? WILLOW:(waking up) Don't warn the tadpoles! GILES:Don't warn the tadpoles? WILLOW:I... I have frog fear.
Screencaps
Comments (33) All Comments | Link2 | BarbaraJul 9, 2007 You know I thought that there would be blood too, because I thought Buffy's blade had slit his throat, but then my cousin said that maybe she hadn't actually cut his throat, maybe she had just crushed his trachea. I have no idea if I spelled that right, but yeah. Wouldn't it kinda have to cut him, because those blades are really sharp. All Comments | Link3 | AustinAug 20, 2007 Actually those blades really aren't that sharp, they are about half a centimeter wide and hardly have a knife edge, however I think the viewer is led to believe it to be a slicing death, as indicated by the way she swipes her skate across his throat rather than just bashing it in like she would have if she was trying to smash the wind pipe. I just love the ice-skating scene, it's one of the rare, tranquil moments in the series when buffy gets to relax and be a normal, beautiful young woman, at least for a few moments. All Comments | Link4 | buffyholicOct 13, 2007 Yeah, the ice skating scene is sweet. I don´t mind the lock very much, maybe one of the plot contrivances. Once again, for me what really works is the wonderful dialogue and character interaction. All Comments | Link5 | BUFFNov 10, 2007 I'M SORRY.I'M FROM TURKEY.TAM BİR BUFFY HASTASIYIM FAKAT YAŞIM DAHA 14 OLDUĞU İÇİN DÜZGÜN İNGİLİZCE BİLMİYORUM ACAB ÇEVİREBİLECEK KİŞİ VAR MI All Comments | Link6 | NixMay 25, 2008 David Solomon certainly gets better, with a probable 3--4 P episodes (including No Place Like Home!). This was his first Buffy directing. Cut the man some slack. :) All Comments | Link7 | PaulaJun 5, 2008 Don't know if anyone actually reads these comments now, but I just wanted to add something since I've been re-watching the S2 episodes with Spike in them: I agree on this two-parter being pretty lame on the whole, but on the other hand, IMO pretty much all of the Spike material since School Hard up until this episode was just lacking on a number of levels. Here, though, it really picks up. I particularly adore the first scene with Spike and Dru in this episode - when he hurts her feelings, then so totally softens and comes over to make up for it and take care of her. That kiss of theirs is just fantastic - one can feel the strength and reassurance Spike gets from Dru in return. I'm surprised you made no mention of that bit in the review. Too bad that in the second part, Spike's jealousy over Dru spending time with Angel doesn't really come across as clearly and consistently as it was written down in the script. That would have been very cool. All Comments | Link8 | PaulaJun 5, 2008 I forgot to add that it's fun and interesting to compare all these Spike/Dru scenes with later Spike/Harmony ones (particularly in The Harsh Light of Day). I guess the latter is what you get when you strip the relationship of all tenderness, support and commitment on Spike's side; with Harmony, he's being totally selfish, only in it for the sex, and downright resentful of every other aspect of the relationship. I think JM nailed it on the DVD commentary, saying he's at that point just plain revenging himself on all womankind - kinda like, "I did my utmost and much good did that do me, so to hell with it all". I'm not saying I feel sorry for Harmony, because I'm physically incapable of even typing that :-)... but she does get a bit of a rough deal. All Comments | Link9 | JVampAug 19, 2008 I hate Kendra. Both her character, the performance and the way she's introduced - Why would she beat up the airport guy? Then she somehow makes her way to the ice rink when she didn't even know they were there. Just poor writing in my opinion. All Comments | Link10 | PaulaAug 21, 2008 JVamp, Kendra beat up the airport guy because we were supposed to think she was one of the Order-of-Taraka assassins. :-) That's about the best reason I can come up with, anyway. Or maybe she was trying to maintain secrecy - well, no, since she didn't kill him, that doesn't quite add up. Maybe she figured he'd try and get her arrested or something. I dunno. Poor writing? No kidding. :-) All Comments | Link11 | NixAug 21, 2008 Perhaps she beat him up because she was feeling guilty about hitch-hiking in the cargo bay? (But then, er, if she knew it was wrong why didn't she just get into the passenger compartment like anyone else? It's a good thing for her that cargo bay was heated and pressurized!) This is definitely a(nother) plot hole. But then, this is Buffy: fine plotting has never really been its strong point. All Comments | Link12 | LeeluFeb 12, 2009 My issue with Kendra is, if she was never allowed to be around boys and have a normal-ish life at all, then why did she wear so much damned make-up, and why were her clothes not plainer and more practical? And just because she supposedly lives a spartan life, she should have more than one damn shirt (she says at some point "that was my favorite shirt; that was my ONLY shirt"). Also, her Watcher could have easily obtained a fake passport or whatever they needed to get her to Sunnydale. There was absolutely no need for her to hide in the wheel area, which is impossible, anyway. They don't make room in there for anything other than the damned wheel. I understand they wrote her hiding in there to make her look like a sinister bad guy, but please, there are other, better, ways of doing that. All Comments | Link13 | EmilyFeb 16, 2009 I love the Buffy-Angel interaction in this episode!!!! (I'm sure you could tell that I'm a Bangel person lol). Especially given the complete and total lack of communication in the last episode (see my comment there). I think a definite pro is when Buffy asks Angel how he knew about career week, and he says, very matter of factly, "I lurk." It should at least be in the quotes section, Mike. I like how Buffy knows Angel won't care if she breaks the knob of his apartment door. Stupid lines like, "Giles, you're in pace mode. What gives?" have to go. Seriously. It's the middle of the second season- let's all move on from the corniness. (Or maybe it could be that the delivery of the line was bad.) When Buffy and Giles were talking in the library, they talked about how she's the only Slayer and if he doesn't like how she does her job, that's too bad. It's really not the greatest way of re-introducing the idea that there's only one Slayer. I understand that they have to do it for all people who haven't seen the show from the beginning, but honestly, they could've made it less obvious. Xander tells Buffy, "You totally contribute. You go for snacks!" And I think it's in Season 3, after he and Cordelia break up, that she makes fun of him for never really doing anything worthwhile in the group- and you see him going to buy donuts. Just thought it's worth mentioning. The worm guy has FREAKED ME OUT since the first time I saw this episode. Ew. *Shudders* Props to Joss, Gordon, and Noxon (I think they wrote this one). But question: how would he go about killing someone? Dissolve them to death? It's funny how Willy says, "Hey, Angel. I didn't recognize you in the dark there." When would anyone ever have the chance to see him in the light? lol I've seen the whole series of Buffy a few times, and after I watch these 2 episodes and Season 2 finale, I like Kendra. I do- she's ok. But every time I see this episode, when she locks Angel in, I actually wish Spike would find her and kill her. Slowly. When Buffy tells Kendra, "You must be #2," she actually isn't wrong. Kendra isn't the second assassin, but she is the second Slayer. All Comments | Link14 | SeleneJul 6, 2009 I may be the only one, but I ADORED the whole "Don't warn the tadpoles!" scene.(and Alyson Hannigan's delivery of that line and the shamefaced admission that she has frog fear is priceless!) Not only did Willow actually look like she had just woke up (hair messy, eyes bleary) but the interaction between her and Giles is wonderful. He is surprisingly gentle with her considering he'd just snapped at Xander on the phone, yet doesn't talk down to her while explaining the ritual. He talks to her as an equal in intelligence. All Comments | Link15 | SunburnSep 18, 2009 Emily: "Stupid lines like, "Giles, you're in pace mode. What gives?" have to go. Seriously. It's the middle of the second season- let's all move on from the corniness." Nooo! I love Buffy's snappy, silly little cracks. Not only are they endlessly imaginative, but they're totally in character with her teenage self. "But question: how would he go about killing someone? Dissolve them to death?" Best not to think about this one, surely!? SHUDDER. All Comments | Link16 | EmilyDec 7, 2009 @ 10:15am Sunburn, I agree with you that Buffy's snappy lines are awesome, but sometimes they're really badly written. They may look good on paper, but when you actually say them out loud, it makes you shudder. The worst one is "Let her go, Wormy!" in "Reptile Boy" [2x07]. Sorry, but sometimes these lines are ridiculous. All Comments | Link17 | ShannonDec 17, 2009 @ 1:00pm Been re-watching Season 2, and the music in this and the next episode was noticeably bad, thanks Mike for pointing that out. I mostly agree with Emily on the cheesiness of some of Buffy's lines, although the pace mode comment wasn't nearly as cringe-inducing as "Let her go, Wormy!" I believe it's in the next episode when Angel is kidnapped, but Buffy's "You can attack me, you can send assassins after me, that's fine. But nobody messes with my boyfriend!" is also terrible. All Comments | Link18 | LizzieJun 28, 2010 @ 6:28am I agree with the score. Spike and Dru should have had more screen time. I love their little scene dancing. Notice how Spike is already blaming everything on Buffy. "I'll dance with you on the slayer's grave." He's already getting obsessed with her, not romantically, but in general, he's thinking about her even when she's got nothing to do with what's going on... All Comments | Link19 | CoyoteBuffyFanFeb 18, 2011 @ 9:38pm Great misdirect by the writers to try to make the audience think that Kendra was part of the Order of Taraka at the beginning of this episode. In retrospect, her actions make no sense, but if you think of 1st time viewers, the end reveal that she is a slayer is quite shocking. The guy who turns into bugs is one of my favorite villains of the series. Not the most fearsome demon (I mean, they literally squish him to death like bugs) but he is pretty creepy and the bugs have a cool ick factor. The rest of the order is pretty lame but the thought that they would keep on coming until Buffy was dead is a good concept. Plus the ice skate kill is pretty sweet, lack of blood notwithstanding. The scene at the ice skating rink between Angel and Buffy is touching but there is something creepy about her making out with him in vamp face. It does, however, make it very clear just how much Buffy is in love with him -- all of him. She doesn't even flinch at him as a vamp. It's sweet in the way only BtVS could be. Buffy and Oz' first encounter is a classic. It is amazing how much character Oz has after only a few lines in the whole series. You already care about him through the brilliant way they introduced him to the show which makes the episode Phases really have meaning. I agree that these two episodes are good but could have been much better. All Comments | Link20 | MattMar 6, 2011 @ 8:40pm I disagree with your assertion that "Innocence" is where Buffy turns the corner. The "What's my Line" 2 parter steam rolls the shows previous MotW format and sets the framework for the rest of the season and, by default, the rest of the mythos. "Suprise" and "Innocence" are the cappers to this 2 parter; "What's my Line" sets up our expectations while those two eps obliterate our expectations. Finely done reviews! All Comments | Link21 | AndreaApr 18, 2011 @ 2:27pm Anyone notice the implication that Kendra is represented by the leopard tarot card? Part of a long Western literary legacy of representing African/black women as 'animalistic' (or animals). (Hello, Edward Said!) All Comments | Link22 | JanJun 2, 2011 @ 12:14pm Weirdest plothole is how Kendra get to be a Slayer in the first place. According to her, her family 'gave her away' to the Watcher, which sounds like it happened long ago. She's obviously been training and studying for a long time, so this must mean that she has actually been a Slayer as long, if not even longer than Buffy. But Buffy 'died' what, half a year ago? Does this mean there a lot of Slayers-in-training around the world, waiting for the pat on the back to jump on the field as soon as another dies? Weird posting comments about a show that's so old, but just got a little Buffy kick again and watching them over when a bit bored... All Comments | Link23 | deadlegoJun 4, 2011 @ 5:34pm @Jan: there obviously are lots of slayers in training-see Season 7! All Comments | Link24 | DanaJun 5, 2011 @ 10:35pm Hey Jan, There are hundreds of "potential slayers". Think of them as athletically gifted with some pretty good reflexes and so forth. Nothing too super power freaky, just physically talented. These potentials can be called upon to begin training early on in life to be prepared just in case they are ever called to duty. I imagine that in some cultures (e.g kendras) it is a honour to be a potential and the job of a slayer is of the utmost importance. All Comments | Link25 | deadlegoJun 6, 2011 @ 5:46am @Dana-you put that so much better than me. @Jan-re-reading what i wrote i didn't intend to come off as rude, just meant if you haven't watched it watch season 7, if you have then you'll see there are LOTS of potentials. I think that in some cultures they know about slayers and how to recognise a potential slayer, therefore they will get trained up. Also the watchers council sometimes is able to recognise a potential slayer and make sure they are trained up. But in some cases they potential isn't noticed and found and so isn't trained. This was the case with Buffy until she actually became The Slayer, presumably the watcher's council found her using magic. All Comments | Link26 | DanaJun 6, 2011 @ 10:11pm @Deadlego- thanks! I knew where you were going with it, I just embellished. All Comments | Link27 | OctolarsAug 2, 2011 @ 7:40pm I can't believe no one has mentioned kendra's accent. Is she supposed to be Jamaican? I have been to Jamaica and she sounds pretty off to me. It's so distracting! I've been reading these for a while but never post. You do a great job! All Comments | Link29 | Gemma Dec 13, 2011 @ 2:04pm This episode has some great moments. Oz and Willow finally meet, his introduction into Buffy-verse has been spread over the previous episodes and this is the perfect way to introduce a new key cast member, nothing about Oz feels contrived or deficient. Its good to see continuity in the season, the book that was stolen in Lie to Me crops up again containing Dru's cure. The implication's of a healthy Dru and Spike being a strong cohesive force against the slayer is exciting to thing about, and this episode and its conclusion are great in escalating the plot. Spike, demonstrates he isn't stupid by sending the assassins after Buffy, a clever misdirection to enable his prominent plan to help his beloved go ahead without an influx of problems and meddling from Buffy. - Writing this retrospectively i know it doesn't all go to plan but he does deserve some kudos for this. The introduction of Kendra was handled well. Her initial appearance gave the impression that she was one of the assassins but this is seriously subverted with the proclamation she makes at the end. Huge shock, it still packs a punch no matter how many times you see it. A great cliffhanger to end this first part. Que. The To Be Continued...phase out! Buffy's desire to be a regular girl is once again focused on in this episode through the subplot of career day. Its good to see that the characters are still living their own desires, wants and needs. Although they are taking baby steps to over come these life lessons, in real time this takes a person a while. Its good to see Joss and the writers act this out in the same way. It would be flawed to have them overcome everything instantly within two episodes. Buffy's and Giles discussion in the library with Buffy pointing out there can only be one slayer, and the speech about her dying is a nice touch to help introduce Kendra and set up the exploration and explanation needed in the following episode. Oh and some interesting foreshadowing in this episode for the end scene is when Dru mentions '...it brings the slayer closer to them' Now it is possible that she means Buffy closure to the order of assassins but it could also be an insight into Kendra being brought closure to Buffy and the gang! This episode escalates Angel's character a little, allowing him to take more of a role in Buffy-Verse. He is in peril when this episode concludes, something we as an audience have not witnessed before. He usually as a character swoops in and either helps save the day or gives cryptic messages not this time. His being locked up in a cage feels a little contrived though, as a vampire he surely has enough strength to break down the cage door, especially given the events of the episode prior to this one whereby we witnessed the demon within fight Eyghon with no trouble. Not so quintessential of his character. The bottom line is that this is a very good episode, there is a volley of plot events going on or being set up for what should be a great climax. Its palpable that Spike's plan is almost complete and that Buffy is in a bit of a dilemma to say the least. Roll on part two. All Comments | Link30 | DavidFeb 16, 2012 @ 3:42pm Sorry if this has been mentioned but one thing in terms of continuity ( or lack of) that I noticed after rewatching this epissode. Is how Giles talks about how the order of taraka even if Buffy kills the first 3 will keep on coming until she is dead but no more even turn up funny that All Comments | Link31 | JustJennaMar 15, 2012 @ 5:17am @David It's mentioned in the episode following WML Part Two that the contract with Taraka has been called off. All Comments | Link32 | SeeleJan 17, 2013 @ 10:19am "Uh, Giles, it's one thing to be a Watcher and a librarian. They go together like chicken and... another chicken, or... two chickens, or... something, you know what I'm saying!" Like a chicken and a cow? :) And Buffy said it during career week! All Comments | Link33 | AlexJan 17, 2013 @ 11:30am *in reply to Seele (#32) Ha, that's almost certainly unintentional, yet hilarious and awesome.Post a Comment
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Actually, the lock on Angel's cage is an interesting one.
Angel can easily pull a padlock to pieces, but the situation here is quite different. The mesh on the cage prevents him from touching the lock, so to break it he'd have to shear right through the metal, which is a LOT harder.
Practically speaking, it's probably easier for Angel to completely demolish the cage doors than it would be to break that padlock.
(Sorry, my engineering degree is once again taking control of my brain...)