Buffy seeks Tara's help in finding out what is wrong with her that leaves Spike able to hurt her. Meanwhile, Willow confronts her problem head on and The Trio's plan to put a woman under their spell goes south when she discovers their plan and is inadvertently killed.

This starts off pretty fun, with The Trio up to their usual geeky tricks and silliness, wanting to get a woman to obey their every whim. The scene where they pick their target is priceless and packed with infighting and stupidity. However, things take a darker turn once the woman, Warren's ex-girlfriend, is killed. While Jonathan and Andrew want to confess, Warren decides to make Buffy believe she has caused the death and solve two problems at once.

After a series of comedy episodes, it was time that The Trio became a real threat, and this episode demonstrates that things are changing. Warren's swift decision to cover up the death shows a nastier side of him than we've been aware of before, and it looks as though the group is transforming, Andrew seemingly happy to follow Warren but Jonathan looking dubious about what they've done. The fact that, in the end, they all realize they've literally got away with murder is particularly creepy.

There was a danger that the framing of Buffy could have turned this into a retread of the Faith storyline from season three, but instead it shows us just how responsible Buffy feels, leaving her sister to do the right thing and confess to what is apparently her crime. Spike's efforts to protect her are quite sweet in a warped sort of way, and the beating she hands him for trying to stop her going to the police because of all the good she's done is incredibly strong drama and difficult to watch.

Meanwhile, the Willow storyline continues without much really happening and Tara is brought back into the frame as Buffy's confidante, a neat plan to keep her involved. However, once again what we expect is turned on its head as Tara finds Buffy's condition is a slight DNA altering that has confused Spike's chip, but nothing nasty. Now, while I feel this is a little bit of a shame as it's copped out of a demon-Buffy plotline, it's certainly no bad thing as it brings the Slayer to a whole new problem: if she can't blame it on her return from the afterlife, why does she feel the need to do what she does? The final scene is powerfully moving, as Buffy breaks down and cries. A strong episode, and one that will no doubt have an impact for the rest of this season at least.

****

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