Why Spike Wasn't The Doctor.

[elisi]

I've been internet-less all morning, but in between sorting out children etc I found time to polish off this post.

It's not very interesting, really, since all I'm saying is that Spike isn't The Doctor (in 'As You Were' if anyone's wondering). I never thought so, not even back when I first saw the show and didn’t know about the fandom discussions.

Anyway, here’s my arguments. Based quite simply on what we see on screen and what we know of the characters:


- Spike has many good qualities, but he isn’t a very good organiser. He was obviously fine with having minions, but he bashed them over the head if they disagreed - not much of a negotiator. He doesn't even have a phone. I'll never buy that suddenly he's an international arms-dealer. It’s pretty much the last thing Spike would ever consider (just above becoming a ballerina), and I also will not believe that Doug Petrie, Riley crush or not, would suddenly alter Spike’s character so much - especially since he did so much to build him up in the first place in FFL. Added to that, it’s never mentioned again, and international armsdealers don’t just quit because one deal falls through. Also - when did Spike ever have much money? He fixed up his crypt, yes, but he did that before Buffy was resurrected and we saw him scavenging for furniture as far back as ‘The Replacement’ (5.03). Also - contacts in the demon world? Apart from the occasional poker game, and killing some for fun, he’s never shown to interact with anyone except Clem, and he hasn’t exactly inspired respect in anyone for years! Not to mention that this dealer is apparently talking to foreign military powers... no, I’ll never buy that Spike’s the Doctor!

- Now, what I will buy however, is someone (not identifying himself) asking Spike to store the eggs for a neat sum of money, and him happily agreeing (without even finding out how to look after them!). Easy cash, won’t interfere with his life at all. (Another point is that Riley says that this dealer ‘is in town’. This implies a temporary stay, not a long term dweller.)

- Also, Spike is emotions-driven. He has never showed any interest in money or power before. Quick easy cash - yes. Boardroom stuff - no. See he has shown himself to be capable enough in the past (Drusilla's cure, the Gem of Amarra) when there's reason to be - if he *was* The Doctor he'd suddenly have lost all the competance he once had!

- Lastly, but most importantly, he's a terrible liar. Buffy walks into his crypt and asks him if he knows who The Doctor is. There is no reaction - all he's focussed on is Buffy. If he truly was The Doctor, he'd fib and get her out of there asap, not make love to her on top of the evidence (he's thick sometimes, but not even he is that dumb!) Trust me, I watched this bit especially and there’s nothing. Not a flicker. I even checked the shooting script and there’s nothing. And since Petrie also directed we can assume he knew what he was doing (you know what I mean - he was obviously insane or something when he wrote this, but he was still capable of putting across what he wanted).

Later when Riley later calls him ‘Doctor’, Spike just smiles without a hint of worry. He obviously has no idea who this Doctor guy is. But - the second the eggs are mentioned, he's stuttering and covering up as badly as Buffy did at the beginning of the episode re. the grass-stains. His eyes involuntarily go to the hole leading downstairs and his whole demeanor changes. (Incidentally, that bit isn’t in the original script - it must have been added to show more clearly what we’re seeing).

So, what's the deal? Basically, it's entirely plausible that Riley (and a team?) spent the good while between sending Buffy and Sam off together and finding Buffy at Spike's, finding and taking out The Doctor and making him disclose the location of the eggs. (Because - where was Riley? Why did he turn up at Spike’s knowing the eggs were there? There is a large chunk of time missing. And if Spike really was an international armsdealer, I doubt the army would let him go just because he happened to be sleeping with a Riley’s ex. I’m just sayin’!)

So, Riley goes to Spike's crypt (suitably irate) and what does he find? A nightmare come true. And Spike (being Spike) is gloating like an idiot, basically continuing their conversation from 'Into the Woods'.
Spike was effectively the one who broke up Buffy and Riley (pointing out Riley’s sins), and now Riley has the opportunity to return the favour. So he twists the truth a tiny bit (and Riley's a good liar, it's part of his job): He says that Spike is The Doctor. And of course Buffy believes him... I mean wouldn’t you if you had the choice between Spike (evil) and Riley (trustworthy soldier)? (Don’t bother answering that.)

So what we see is Riley’s revenge. (At least that's my take - I've added another possibility further down.)

I also want to point out that this in no way affects the breakup at the end. Buffy might even have worked out that Spike wasn’t the big guy. It doesn’t matter. It was just Spike being Spike - doing ‘evil’ stuff (hiding demon eggs is never a good thing, neither is murdering people for more than a century...) - simply put it was a wake up call. But... she doesn’t break up with him because of the demon eggs - but because seeing him is ‘killing her’. (But that is another topic.)

It’s still an idiotic episode, the suvolte demons are an affront to any person in possession of a brain, and the last scene with Riley and Buffy make me want to slap him. It’s the only episode of Buffy that I really dislike and would change if I could. [/end rant] I wrote this quite simply to point out what I always considered obvious.

(If someone reads this who happens to dislike Spike, can I just point out that I’m not trying to make him look good? As a matter of fact I’m demoting him from ‘Big Shot Dealer’, to ‘Pathetic Loser in The Doctor’s Pay’. Call it fanwank if you must, but don’t start shouting at me.)

Later addition: There is another option re. Riley. One where he is Prince Charming for the day, saving Buffy and being the great hero and inspirer. Lets say he goes to Willy's and someone (deliberately?) lets him know that Spike has all these eggs at his crypt. Riley in true Action Hero mode storms off to confront Spike ("I shall undo his dastardly plot!") and is all in all exactly the same straightforward guy we met back in S4 - and his speech at the end can be taken at face value and we can pat him on the back and thank him for being such a swell guy who can show Buffy how amazing she still is.

But... I have a BIG problem with this interpretation. The end result is the same anyway (Buffy breaks up with Spike for pretty much the same reasons she broke up with Angel in 'Lovers Walk' - "What I want from you I can never have...") - but with Riley as Mr Nice Guy the whole thing is painfully simplistic. Yes there are simple episodes in S6 (DMP to name one), but they are usually selfcontained eps, dealing with one thing and wrapping it up (Buffy gets a job). AYW is when Buffy stops seeing Spike, the end of a fascinatingly complex and mutually damaging relationship... and why? Because of some idiotic demon eggs and Buffy remembering that Spike was eeevil (not that she holds it against him, but she finds the strength to say no to his wicked charms thanks to a pep talk from Captain Cardboard).

It's like IWMTLY with Riley as April. Execpt April was cuter. (How can Riley be Prince Charming when he isn't charming? Well except to Buffy. Usually I have no problems feeling what Buffy feels - in AYW I do. A lot. Riley just doesn't do it for me, and I think he's meant to. Stupid Petrie.)

So again - what is an episode as *important* as this one doing, being as simple as one from S1? In S6 which is all about the character's past deeds coming back to haunt them, about people's flaws making them behave very badly indeed, about choices and consequences... it doesn't fit! If it really is that simple and is meant to be, then I just have to write off Dough Petrie's good episodes as lucky flukes (and getting *a lot* help). So to make AYW sit comfortably amongst its fellow episodes and carry the same themes, I *have* find layers. More than just the whole thing being seen though Buffy's star-struck eyes.

And this is where Riley gets to be Machiavelli. And where Spike's role in breaking up Buffy and Riley comes back to bite him. Hard. No one knew about the vamp-ho's, as far as we can tell. Giles might have guessed, but I'm as certain as I can be that Buffy never told her friends. But Spike found out, and Spike used his information to humiliate Riley and Riley almost staked him because of it - he figured out (*way* before anyone else) that Spike was in love with Buffy - he could recognise a rival. He couldn't think of anything better than the plastic stake back then (which was kinda pathetic, seriously). But here in AYW he has the most shining opportunity when he walks in on the two of them... it's beautiful and simple and will accomplish many things at the same time. He'll say that Spike is The Doctor - it should hopefully shock Buffy so much that she'll stop seeing him. And then Spike would be without Buffy, just like Riley was. And then Buffy can find someone else, someone good enough for her - he makes darn sure to build her up as much as he can.

I don't think Riley is stupid - he majored in Psychology if I recall correctly. I think he knows exactly what he's doing in AYW, and he does it well. But he isn't Prince Charming. At least I sincerely hope not.

The problem being, that I don't know which option I'm supposed to be seeing - and that is all due to bad writing!



ETA: If you want an in-depth, detailed and complex theory, go read this post by theohara (whom I've borrowed a lot of points from btw).

ETA2: Also check out jonesiexxx's post about AYW looking at it from Buffy's POV!

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

First of all, I agree with everything you said. Secondly, have you read these posts about AYW, especially the one by SpikeJones aka jonesiexxx.
Sits back to wait for Slayer line post, tapping foot impatiently.

[elisi]

Oooh lovely reading! And I have read the post by jonesiexxx - I even have it in my memories. :) (I considered linking to it, but I really don't want people to start arguing over all the different aspects of AYW. Life's too short!).

And thank you for commenting. :)

[shapinglight]

I quite agree that Spike would make a rubbish international arms dealer. Everyone knows this, it seems, except the ME writers. I am pretty sure they meant us to believe he was the Doctor - thought they'd sown all these big, honking clues (Buffy saying his crypt was looking nice with all the carpets in DT, his saying he had money to take her away from the Doublemeat Palace etc). However, they did a very lousy job for all the reasons you stated.

In actual fact, there's an 'official' AtS book called Cursed which takes the premise that Spike wasn't actually the Doctor but some sort of middle man (much more convincing, as you say) and runs with it, and since these books are endorsed by Fox (they even dictate how you can write the characters) I'm assuming that even they know the plot of this entire episode stinks something rotten.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

, his saying he had money to take her away from the Doublemeat Palace etc)

Actually he said he can get money, which adds to the argument that he was hired to keep those eggs, and knowing Spike, what they were was of no interest to him. All he wanted was cash to give to Buffy.

[elisi]

Everyone knows this, it seems, except the ME writers.
You know I quite simply can't believe that. Spike did up his crypt in the summer when Buffy was dead (and he mentions it to Buffy in 'Afterlife'), so unless he started being an arms dealer back then, that argument is void. And (as sp23 pointed out) he says that he 'can get money'. Not that he has it.
So I think everything is very delibarately set up to show that Riley is lying. (As theohara says in the post I linked to, he's telling a small lie for the benefit of Buffy (as he sees it).)

there's an 'official' AtS book called Cursed which takes the premise that Spike wasn't actually the Doctor but some sort of middle man
See that just proves to me that it was intentional. It's a convoluted plot, and managed to piss people off instead of making them think.

[lilachigh.livejournal.com]

Agree entirely with what you say. I’d forgotten I once wrote a fic called FAR TOO LATE about same problem. i’ve put it on my LJ if you’ve got time to cast it a glance.

[elisi]

Agree entirely with what you say.
Yay! :)

I read your fic and I can definitely see the attraction! (I wrote a tiny little fic accomplishing something similar: A Round of Kick The Riley). But my love of canon and non-bashing tendencies sadly do not permit me to embrace it fully. *sigh*

[sp23.livejournal.com]

Excellent post, and I agree completely. The idea that Spike was some kind of mastermind arms dealer was ridiculous. Spike isn't stupid, but I do think he's lazy and only puts forth the effort needed to accomplish whatever his current goal is. In this case, it was getting money for Buffy so she didn't have to work at a job Spike considered beneath her. If he put out the word that he'd do anything for money but kill humans, then he would be the perfect foil for 'The Doctor'.

And Riley Finn is a big wanker. *g*

[elisi]

Spike isn't stupid, but I do think he's lazy and only puts forth the effort needed to accomplish whatever his current goal is.
Agreed! :) Although of course Buffy would never have taken his money - she would know better than that!

If he put out the word that he'd do anything for money but kill humans, then he would be the perfect foil for 'The Doctor'.
Exactly!

As for your last point - see icon! *g*

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

I'm quite happy to believe Spike was the Doctor, as he showed in The Yoko Factor, he can lie quite effectively when he thinks it doesn't really matter. What I don't believe is that the Doctor is meant to be some top ranking international arms dealer. All Riley says is that he's a dealer but to me that word implies more 'guy who peddles dope at the local pub' than 'head honcho of the Medellin cartel. ' Which is to say I agree with you but I think ME would as well.

the suvolte demons are an affront to any person in possession of a brain

I actually have a half written essay somewhere which demonstrates that everything we get told or shown about Suvolte demons is in fact completely consistent with current life history theory. Real animals do some pretty weird things. But I still have no idea why anyone would think they'd make usable biological weapons.

[elisi]

All Riley says is that he's a dealer
True. But then Sam adds that there are foreign governments interested in the eggs... I can't see Spike being that well connected.

Yes Spike *can* lie, but he's better at the slight spin of truth than flat out denials. And if he really was the Doctor he should have gotten Buffy right of of his crypt the second she mentioned the name. Not that he'd take the name 'Doctor' anyway (what with Doc besting him in The Gift...). Anyway, it's bad writing. I'm just trying to make sense of at least a tiny part of it!

I actually have a half written essay
I would *love* to read that! It's mostly the 'nearly extinct breeders' that gets me. But if you could explain it, I'd be thrilled! :)

[spikereader.livejournal.com]

Great post - got me thinking on a Monday afternoon, not the usual state of affairs. Read the other post you recc'd too - very interesting. When I start my Buffy rewatch from S1 I'll have to remember this when I get to S6.

[elisi]

Thinking is a dangerous thing! *g* And re-watching is so much fun - enjoy.

[rahirah]

Uh huh. All of that. Plus the weird circumstance that even after the eggs are discovered and Spike has nothing to lose he never admits to being the Doctor.

[elisi]

Another excellent point. Although after this post I will purge the episode from my mind. :)

[ladycat713.livejournal.com]

I always wanted them to fix it in canon and show that there's no Riley was lying to her and she swallowed it whole.

Plus I hated the way they had the commercial saying that Riley was the man she loved and the way Buffy pratically sinmpered around him. It was not a good day for girl power. Heck , she was even wearing the clothes he gave her!

[elisi]

It was not a good day for girl power.
Nope. Not at all. I'm so glad that the last Riley ever heard from Buffy, she was removing Spike's chip! Ha!

[molly_may]

So what we see is Riley’s revenge.

I want to believe it, but I can't. If that is what Petrie wanted to put across - and as you say, he's normally a good writer who has no trouble getting his points across - then he should have been clearer about it. I love that BTVS is a show that required thought, but in this case? I apparently need everything spelled out clearly for me. Basically, I agree with what shapinglight said above, that this episode is simply an example of poor writing. And honestly, even if Petrie did mean to drop clues indicating that Riley was getting revenge on Spike, I think it's an example of even poorer writing, because he did such a terrible job of making that clear!

[elisi]

even if Petrie did mean to drop clues indicating that Riley was getting revenge on Spike, I think it's an example of even poorer writing, because he did such a terrible job of making that clear!
Agreed! I really don't like this episode, and was trying to salvage at least a tiny bit of it. People who have crushes shouldn't be allowed to write about the object of their affection. *sigh* (Well unless they're able to see beyond it, obviously.)

[owenthurman.livejournal.com]

First, Doug Petrie? Not a good Buffy writer. Not here, not before and not after.

Fool For Love? Strong rumors indicate that the Spike history scenes were written by Joss and the Angel team (remember, they were done on crossover sets). The rest of Fool For Love was a giant festival of breaking continuity with conflicts with Anne, Dead Man's Party, and Becoming at the very least (especially in portrating the scoobies as hopelessly incompetent buffons).

Beneath You? Ever notice how many character interactions don't quite make sense? The great bit in the church was entriely rewritten by Joss.

The Initiative? Spike's chip is on and then off and then on and off? Do you really think the Spike/Willow bit was anyone but Joss or Marti?

Get It Done. Noticing a pattern?

So Petrie is teh suck. He doesn't care about the buffyverse, its plotting, its characters, or its continuity. And this is the worst of the worst.

Next. elisi's theory is bunk.

Spike can't be the Doctor for reasons above and also because Spike could never take the name of the enemy who caused the central tragedy of his existence just a few months earlier. Agree that it's impossible.

But Spike also could not be the tool of an arms dealer who wanted those eggs for distribution. International black market traders don't let their expensive goods rot. Spike had the eggs in his crypt at room temperature and they actually hatched in the episode.

Therefore anyone who hired him to watch the eggs was never intending to distribute them. It's possible, I suppose, that Riley and friends went undercover to hire Spike and let the eggs hatch right under him. Maybe it was part of a plot to embarass Buffy. That would be consistent with Riley's other behavior in the episode.

But I almost think honesty should force us to admit that the writing is simply inexcusably bad and write off the whole episode as non-canon. The Riley's-systematically-embarassing-her explanation and write-it-off-as-non-canon forces fight in my heart for dominance.

Riley as evil manipulator is consistent with his behavior otherwise. Taken literally, Riley is persistently the nastiest and evilest character in the buffyverse — Angelus not excepted. And I'm usually wiling to accept the text even when I know it's not what the writers intended. But this episode is just so wrong.

I think the reason I'd rather just write it off is because no matter how bad it is taken literally for Spike and Riley, it's worse for Buffy. Look at that simpering and adoration for the boyfriend who cheated and left. Watch her degrade herself for his sake as he tricks and betrays her again and again in this episode. And she likes it. If I take AYW literally, can I sustain the buffy love that Dead Things didn't even shake? Maybe not.

[elisi]

Flippin 'eck! And here I was, just trying to redeem that awful, dreadful mess the tiniest little bit...

OK, I'm not quite as cynical as you when it comes to Dough Petrie. Yes I know the church scene was re-written (and thank goodness for that!), but I know for a fact that Spike/Willow was pure Petrie. So I'm willing to cut him some slack - except of course that he has a ginat crush on Riley. *sigh*

Now to try to save my theory. The thing about keeping the eggs frozen I can easily wank away - The Doctor might have said they needed to be kept *cold* and Spike figured that the room under his crypt was *cool* enough. Or maybe the hatchlings needed sustenance straight away and Spike would make a good meal - and The Doctor would save his money. Compared to the rest of the plot holes, that one really is on the smaller side.

But yeah, the whole thing is an awful mess, and I will now go back to ignoring it. The only consolation is that the last Riley ever hears from Buffy is that she chooses to have Spike's chip removed! Oh yeah!

(I suppose you've read jonesiexxx's post on AYW? She does a really good job of explaining where Buffy's head is at.)

[pluckyantihero.livejournal.com]

(vigorous nodding)

I basically feel like, towards the end of season six, the writers were scrambling to make Spike The Bad Guy again and Buffy The Good Guy since their roles got so murky (and interesting) for a second there. And so what we get is sloppy writing and swiss cheese plots.

[elisi]

Well yes (and no) to your points. I think the main problem with AYW is Petrie's big crush on Riley, which kinda tramples everything before it. ('Never make the guest star the star of the show' should be tatooed on every writer's head!)

That said, I like S6 and I like how everyone and everything implodes. Or to borrow theohara's words:

Season Six was supposedly the "grow up" year, right? Part of growing up is learning to accept shades of grey, and this is what Buffy's going through. Spike's the first step, and we see Buffy stumble and falter (ultimately symbolized with a big fat backslide in "Normal Again") as she tries to grasp the grayscale reality of him, paving the way for her ongoing efforts (continuing through Season Seven) to embrace herself and the other Scoobies as their halos fall off.

In the next episode, Xander will fall victim to his ultimate weakness. In the episode after that, Buffy will. Episode after that, Anya. Episode after that, Willow. By the end of the season, Anya's a demon, Willow's a killer, and Xander's... well... a jerk who saves the world anyway.

Buffy will have to learn to relate to all of them on a new level.

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

Nice essay. I tend to mostly agree, and I'd seen & liked the one from theohara before also. The one on Tea at the Ford was new new to me though, and very interesting!

I probably break from the Spuffy Flock though in that I think Buffy at this point needed an excuse to really break with Spike. I don't know that Spike's being the "Doctor" or just holding the eggs for a friend (which I agree is much more likely) is really material to Buffy. After Dead Things she recognized how fundamentally unhealthy their relationship had become, and she needed to make a change. Painful for all concerned, but IMO necessary. Both Buffy and Spike needed to change and mature for them to have a healthy, adult relationship. Look their combined romantic history-- not a healthy, adult relationship to be found. AYW moved them in that direction (however clumsy the writing) and thus while not my favorite episode works for me.

::sigh:: I do love the messy, destructive and so human chaos of season 6!

[elisi]

Painful for all concerned, but IMO necessary.
Oh absolutely. Their relationship was hopelessly destructive and I'm glad that Buffy broke it off. I just wish it'd been done with more... finesse? Anyway, while Spike might not have been the Doctor, all the reasons to break up with him still held true.

::sigh:: I do love the messy, destructive and so human chaos of season 6!
Amen! :)

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Yep, yep. You said it all. The whole Doctor thing just made NO sense.

And if Spike really was an international armsdealer, I doubt the army would let him go just because he happened to be sleeping with a Riley’s ex.

Durn good point!

[elisi]

Glad you agree. The most annoying thing is, that I think it was *supposed* to make sense - because I can see it, just below the surface, but it was just not done well enough. *sigh*

Durn good point!
Thanks! :) It was one that had never occurred to me before, but trying to imagine Riley giving his report showed jsut how ludicrus it was!

[lillianmorgan.livejournal.com]

Great thoughts, E! :) I don't really have much more to add (well, nothing that will deflate you anyway *g*) but I do think that while Spike is a very intelligent guy and does have a fair amount of street smarts, sometimes he can be quite unknowing in the ways of the world. This is one of those moments when a bit of forethought might have saved him.
Looking forward to your next thoughts on the Slayer line :)

[elisi]

This is one of those moments when a bit of forethought might have saved him.
No kidding! And Buffy would *never* have taken his money, no matter what. Poor Spike.

My Slayer thoughts are pretty much stalled, I'm afraid. I think I might just offer them up for discussion.

[lmbossy.livejournal.com]

*worships your brain* ... because Buffy has taken it over *g*

This definitely makes sense, and fits Riley's personality in my mind - he always did like sneaking around behind people's backs

[elisi]

This definitely makes sense, and fits Riley's personality in my mind
I'm so glad you think so. :) As theohara puts it in her most excellent post (I linked to it above):

So Buffy's with Spike, and there are eggs in his crypt. Simply holding eggs for a friend wouldn't be enough of a transgression to convince Buffy to leave him... being the Doctor would.

So Riley makes an executive, Machiavellian decision, for what he perceives to be Buffy's greater good.

He tells a little lie. And really, to Riley, it's not that big of a lie. Spike's evil, after all. Maybe he's not the Doctor, but he's certainly up to something shady... and Buffy needs to be woken up and shown how bad her judgement is... for her own good.

Go read her post, it's fabulous. :)


*worships your brain* ... because Buffy has taken it over *g*
And you totally made my day with that comment! Squee! Because Buffy really, truly has taken my brain over at the moment - tomorrow I'll post my theory on how Buffy's resurrection screwed up the Slayer line, and I'm also busy at work on this huge long thing about redemption and souls and stuff. I am much too obsessed...

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

The Doctor thing never, ever, ever made a damn bit of logistical sense. I could deal with it if Spike was The Doctor, but just looking at it from a pragmatic practicalities side, there is NO WAY he could have pulled it off (for all the reasons you've laid out.) It was stupid, stupid, stupid. Then again, it was Petrie and his Riley obsession. (And over the years, after discovering how much Whedon doctord FFL's script, I'm no longer entirely sure that Petrie deserves all the credit he's been given for the episode). Petrie let his fan-boy love of Riley overwhelm his brain at some point and he simply didn't bother trying to make the logistics of this thing make a damn bit of sense.

[elisi]

Petrie let his fan-boy love of Riley overwhelm his brain at some point and he simply didn't bother trying to make the logistics of this thing make a damn bit of sense.
Sad and true. It's definitely my least favourite episode ever (and I don't even mind Sam at all!), so mostly I just try to forget about it.

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

One of the "official" novels even states that Spike was NOT the Doctor, merely doing a favor for a friend.

ITA with all your points and want to add a couple....If Spike was an international demon weapons dealer....how did he conduct business with no phone or computer? Seems such a position would keep him quite busy if he was, indeed, such a kingpin INTERNATIONALLY *G*.

Why would Spike store eggs he knew to be of a dangerous demon in his crypt when Buffy was dropping by for some rough and tumble on a regular (and unannounced) basis? Wouldn't he be afraid Buffy would stumble on the wicked contraband? He had to believe the eggs were no threat and that would remove him from being this international weapons dealer material.

My guess was always that he was set up by Riley. Perhaps a demon approached Spike to hold some offspring in the making or whatever but Riley supplying the eggs. Those babies looked NOTHING like the Suvolte adult BTW....who knows what they really were.

I can't remember where I read it but there was a wonderful essay that takes the whole episode apart and points out the view from the camera starting at the beginning of the episode when Buffy and Spike were together by the tree. The assertion is that Riley spied on they, saw them as a couple and set Spike up. THe arguments made were quite good BTW, wish I could remember where I read it!

Anyway.....ITA with your post!
Kathleen
PS would you put me on the Spawn filter???

[elisi]

Oh there are conspiracy theories galore re. Riley setting Spike up and similar. In one 'The Doctor' turned out to be The Trio (The Doctor=Doctor Who). In one The Doctor was Clem and the eggs were sewer cleaning thingies.

A stupid episode, but great for fanfic! :) Oh and the essay you mention is the one by theohara that I've linked to above. (I am all knowing you see... *g*)

And you're already on the Spawn filter, although you might have missed a few updates (I've been missing you btw!). All chapters here.

(Sorry about being so brief, but I have a baby on my shoulder...)