Helpless
Written and Directed by
Original Airdate: January 19, 1999
Plot: It's Buffy's eighteenth birthday, but she doesn't feel much
like partying when her dad cancels their annual plans to attend Ice Capades. Meanwhile, Buffy faces
a test--one in which she is stripped of her powers as Slayer....
Review
Warning: This is not a test. There are really major SPOILERS just ahead
for the latest episode of Buffy, "Helpless." If you haven't seen it yet
and don't want any plot details revealed, please turn back now.
In short: Absolutely everything it should have been...
As Buffy noted, there's just something about her birthday that
seems to bring out the best. Of course, what she noted with irony, I note
with gusto since Buffy is two for two on episodes dealing with the passage
of her birthday. Last year we got the one-two punch of Surprise and
Innocnce and this year we got Helpless, an episode that knocked away all
my expectations and provided one of the best hours Buffy has seen all year
long.
Whereas last week I walked away with a feeling of missed
potential, I walked away from this week's episode wanting more--and
wanting it now. Just as last year at the end of Innocence when I screamed
for more of seeing Angel as evil, so am I ready for the fallout of the
last night's episode and the revelation that Giles is not longer Buffy's
slayer (easily the most jaw dropping Buffy moments this year and one I had
heard about as a rumor but didn't believe!). I think that in many ways,
this episode will serve as Surprise and Innocence did last year in terms
of setting up the arc that will end the season. Personally, if it's half
as much fun as last year's ride was, I'm ready....
But, I'm getting a bit too far ahead of myself here, I think.
So, what made this episode so great. I have to say that David
Fury really nailed the characters for the story. Whereas last week in
Gingerbread I felt like we had plae reflections of the characters we've
come to know and love, I felt like here we were seeing them again. Yes,
Giles was acting a bit weird, but since we were clued in to why early
enough in the episode, it made it interesting to watch him squirm as he's
forced to lie to Buffy. (I found myself seeing parallels in his speech to
her about having to lie to her and his speech in Lie to Me about good
always winning....and for me, any time an episode reminds me of Lie to Me,
it's doing something right.) Also, seeing Giles balk under it and
eventually defy the rules of the Watchers was nicely done and definitely
in keeping with the character development we've seen not only this year
but for all three years of the show. We know that as a young man, Giles
wasn't too serious about following the rules (having WB repeat Band Candy
on Monday night helped reinforce this) but seeing him pick his battle was
nicely done. Also, seeing the stunned look on his face at the end when he
is "fired" was a good ending touch.
And bringing our favorite Watcher/Librarian to life yet again was
the incomperable Anthony Stewart Head. This had to easily be his best
performance at Giles this year and easily ranks up there with his best
work on Buffy in Passions and Nightmares. (Again, two eps I hold in high
regards!)
But it's easy to see why he did so well, based on what he was
given.
To see Giles torn betwen his duty and his wanting to help Buffy
was a nice touch. It's the same sort of issue we've seen Buffy deal with
in several episodes over the series run--her duty vs her emotions--and it
was interesting to see that Giles is just as willing to break the rules if
he believes it's the right thing to do.
And I can't wait for the fall-out to continue....I am gonna love
seeing how the new Watcher is. I am really, really hoping they don't drop
the ball on this one. Of course, they did such a great job with Angel
being evil last year that I've got a lot of faith.
But Giles wasn't the only element to write home about here. Once
again, Sarah Michelle Gellar put in her usual wonderful performance.
Seeing Buffy torn between the prospect of facing another monumental
birthday and getting older versus clinging to the comforts of her past
with her dad and the ice show as nicely realized. And even though it was
hard to watch, seeing her rejected by both the father figures in her life
was an expertly done sequence. It seemed as though Buffy had a harder
time with Giles' rejection than her father's. I think that's interesting
and I wonder if we'll see more fall out of the violation of her trust
issue that was brought up here. In many ways, it's similar to what she
has done to Giles this past year--lying to him to cover up thing she knows
to be wrong. Of course, when the chips were down Giles was the one who
believed in Buffy--will it work both wayss?
Time will tell.
The other plot angle here was Buffy wondering who she is without
her powers. Boy, did I enjoy that. Part of it was that my all time
favorite episode of Lois and Clark re-aried on TNT the other day and it
deals with the same theme. It's where Kryptonite makes its first
apareance and Clark loses his powers for a time. A debate is set up that
for Clark, normal is being super and how he may have to adjust to not
having powers. I found a a lot of parallels in the discussions between
Angel and Buffy and the scenes from Lois and Clark. For Buffy, being the
Slayer is normal. Anything else is odd. They demonstrated this extremely
well with the scene with Cordy and the bully when Buffy was knocked aside
like a rag doll. For Buffy to lose her powers is a major transitions and
would take a lot of getting used to.
Seeing her question her identity and how much she's come to depend
on her powers was nice. Espcially in light of the times we've seen her
wish she wasn't the chosen one. I like that the one time she gets her
wish, she wishes to take it back. Brings up the old axiom--be careful what
you wish for.
Especially seeing as it impacted on her life in such a direct way.
Seeing Buffy desparately fighting to save her mom was nicely done. And
the monster was in there enough to be interesting but not to get dull.
He's easily one of the better one off villains we've seen. He added a
layer of supsense to the plotline in the final fifteen minutes that
literally had me on the edge of my seat.
And the holy water on the pills was a nice touch....I loved it.
About the only thing that bugged me a bit was that when Buffy
went to face the demon she didn't run for the Scooby gang. I think part
of what has set Buffy apart from the other slayers we've seen is that she
has the support group to help her. I feel that this is her greatest
strength-not just her powers. So, a part of me expected to see Willow and
Xander at least show up and try and help out a bit.
But, that's just a minor, nit-picky type of detail and one I can
easily overlook since I enjoyed this episode so darn much.
Well, that's about it for now, I guess, except a few small things.
--Angel was used effectively last night--he did exactly what he
needed to do to help the plot and serve as sounding board for Buffy. You
keep him in there like that and I'm happy...
--The scene with the peanut butter jar was a riot....
--I loved how serious Buffy was without her powers. Seeing her
stern and concentrating instead of free and open as she was battling Angel
was nicely done.
--Anyone wonder if the new Watcher will be a female? And what
will the new Watcher make of Faith?
Well, that's about it for now. All in all a return to greatness
for Buffy. Let's just hope it continues...
My rating: 10.0 (out of 10.0)
Next up: Xander goes James Dean....
"If I were up to full strength, I'd be punning now..."
--Buffy
Review Copyright 1998 by Michael T. Hickerson. All Rights Reserved.
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