0:01 : Four Star Mary, fast becoming the house band for the series, are playing their song’ “‘Run’”, to open the episode.

0:09 : And, as usual, where the Dingoes are, Oz and Jason Hall‘s Devon appear.

1:18 : Xander’s response to what Buffy has been up to recently mentions zombies (from Dead Man’s Party) and sewer demons (Band Candy).

1:38 : Cordelia paints it as it is: why would Buffy want to talk about a new love interest when her last one turned out to be a serial killer?
    Tact: Zero. Cordy… Well, she’s in the lead.

2:12 : The different battle styles of both Slayers are on full display as they fight together. While Buffy’s style is based on gymnastics and martial arts, she’s also fluid in trained and untrained combat. Faith tends to use her environment more, and fights more unrestrained.

2:57 : Serena Scott Thomas is the woman behind Gwendolyn Post. Part of a family of actors, Scott Thomas has had quite the career, going from Buffy straight into 1999’s James Bond offering The World is Not Enough. She’s gone on to appear in some of television’s most acclaimed drama, such as Nip/Tuck, Haven, Days of Our Lives and NCIS.

4:32 : Watch Giles throughout this episode… Anthony Stewart Head steals every scene he’s in, very rarely having to even speak! His looks, gestures and slightly stronger body language are a delight to watch. An example of his comic genius that would serve him in Little Britain later.

5:25 : Where is Gwen getting her info from? It’s not coming from the Watcher’s Council files – unless they really think that about Giles? Bare in mind, the Watcher’s Council we end up meeting five episodes later – it doesn’t seem very likely does it?

6:28 : Giles points out to Post that there are twelve cemeteries within the Sunnydale City Limits. We previously learnt there were 43 churches in Sunnydale. Presumably, the vibe from the Hellmouth assures frequent attendance.

7:00 : It’s not just Giles on top form, but Buffy gets in there as well. Her first line to Giles when Post leaves: “Interesting lady. Can we kill her?”
    While itself a brilliant line, Giles’ mostly serious answer tops it: “I think the Council might frown upon that.”

7:09 : Buffy postpones training with Giles to do T’ai Chi with Angel at the mansion. They mostly manage this, which Angel was first seen to do in the previous episode. Their time together is obviously reopening old feelings…

9:09 : Angel knows Lagos and about the Glove. Which means Angelus knew also. Why didn’t he use this all-powerful Glove before? He also doesn’t need telling about the living flame.
    Perhaps Angel hid the Glove there when he first arrived in Sunnydale, under Whistler’s suggestion?

9:18 : Buffy claims that with Lagos running around causing ‘unholy havoc, it’s another Tuesday night in Sunnydale’. It’s the night the show aired on the WB at the time.

9:39 : Giles attitude is getting worse again here. He’s barely holding his disdain for the ‘Post woman’ inside – and is now snapping at other members of the Scooby Gang.

10:53 : Xander and Willow are giving in completely at this point. Following their kiss in Homecoming, this is the first time they’re nearly caught out and it’s only luck that Giles is so busy trying to please Post that he doesn’t notice!

12:35 : Faith pushes her luck with Buffy, wanting the info on Angel. Buffy warned her on this briefly in Faith, Hope and Trick and now has to warn her again. In Faith’s defence, she seems genuinely trying to form a connection here. This moment between the two is the catalyst for all that follows: Faith feels left out, Buffy doesn’t trust her. And it’s taken to extremes.

13:22 : Lagos is played by the uncredited Gary Kasper, who’s worked on stunts in television and movies ever since.

14:03 : Restfield Cemetery is the one that Xander has offered to patrol. Perhaps his home is nearby, as he goes past it again in The Zeppo.

14:39 : Then, to his horror, he spies Angel, or most likely Angelus from his perspective, and takes a huge risk, by following the vampire. At the same time, he’s doubting his trust in Buffy’s story about the summer and the battle in Becoming.

15:25 : And whoa, wrong moment! Buffy and Angel share their first kiss of passion since Surprise, which takes them both, well, by surprise!

16:25 : To somewhat cool off, Angel confirms our suspicions from earlier when he produces the Glove of Myhnegon. It’s not the nicest hand accessory. Once put on by the user, it can never be removed.

17:33 : Giles finally loses his temper here when he says he has complete control of his Slayer, and rises up to full height, finally feeling ahead of Post’s catty comments – just as Xander storms through the closed door and says they have a problem with Buffy. His face as he excuses himself!

18:09 : This scene is absolutely heart-breaking to watch. Everyone has a valid point, all slightly twisted by their own unique perspectives.
    Xander has no empathy towards Angel after Jenny; Cordelia worries about her safety, but also the others; Willow tries to remain neutral, but her own secrets push her too far; Oz is logical and Giles is broken.
    It’s the first time they’re so brutally honest. We won’t have another scene like this for a while, but every single one of the regulars is on fire during this scene.
    Those goosebumps you’re feeling? Embrace them…

19:00 : I mean, Cordelia is, as noted before, blunt, but every single thing she says here is factually true and extremely accurate: “I feel worried – about me! Last time, Angel barely laid a hand on Buffy! He was more interested in killing her friends.”
    It’s followed later by this gem: “What gives you the right to suck face |with your demon lover again?”

20:15 : Xander goes straight for the heart. “You would stop him? Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar.”

20:46 : Buffy thinks that Xander is doing this out of jealousy for Angel, which was established in season one.

20:57 : Cordelia yells at Buffy to get over herself once she realises what her insult meant, almost a replay of their scrap from Homecoming.

21:56 : Giles is horrified by Buffy’s omission and tells her that she has no respect for him or the job that he performs. It’s a look of disappointment that thoroughly moves her and from that moment, you know she plans to make amends.

22:55 : Faith seems to have moved rooms, which makes sense since the damages caused in Faith, Hope and Trick.

23:40 : Faith clearly has zero respect for any authority figure who she thinks is talking down to her. It’s a trait she shows here with Post, until she sees a different, more ruthless side of her, and also later with Giles and Wesley.
    Got to give her points for the quick snip though: as Post tells Faith she probably will hate her most of the time, Faith shrugs. “You think?”

24:10 : And this is the first time, although we don’t know it yet, that Gwendolyn Post manipulates the situation. She has cleverly deduced, without anyone telling her, that Faith is on the outside and lacks a trusting authority figure. She sets Faith and Buffy on a collision course by her suggestion here that Buffy left Faith out deliberately – and Faith makes a choice in that moment.

25:00 : Willow may be trying too hard to justify her secret, but Alyson Hannigan is stealing every comedic moment!

26:03 : Xander and Faith have a connection for a moment. She knows how much he hates Angel and finds a use for Xander here. It’s a precursor to all that will come in The Zeppo.

26:58 : This is the first scene, genuinely, in which Gwendolyn lets her guard down and lets her feelings slip. She seems quite nice, but maybe she just really wants the tea?

28:10 : The statue Giles is hit with has a long history with the show. It survives the destruction of Sunnydale High, where it’s been since I Robot, You Jane. Seemingly gifted from Joyce Summers’ collection, as seen in Witch, it will end up back in Summers hands by season six, with it last being seen in Gone. Kokopelli is his name. Fertility is his game…

28:20 : Gwendolyn hits Giles at least twice with Kokopelli and renders Giles out for the count. This time, the wound is pretty bad.
        Number of Times Giles is Knocked Unconscious in the Series: 13.

29:48 : Buffy can instantly tell that Willow has something on her mind about secrets, and gently pushes her friend in the right direction… which leads to a rant…

30:23 : Only they’re interrupted by Lagos, with a comedic “There’s a demon behind you,” from Willow! It’s the straight look on Hannigan‘s face.

30:46 : Buffy, whether it be training or by being more prepared, seems to have no problem taking down Lagos and decapitating him with his own weapon. Faith rushed in earlier and was left winded.

31:33 : The weapons Xander and Faith choose reflects their personalities: Xander would rather keep his distance (and quietly blame others afterwards) with the crossbow, which he can’t be proficient in, and Faith picks the bluntest and scariest thing she can find…

32:18 : Faith must have been told about the mansion at some point, because she leaves Xander in the library and finds her own way there.

32:24: Angel’s chant over the Living Flame is in Latin. Roughly translated, it’s “Arise, Flame of Life. Come forth from your place of the elements, into this world of the living.”

35:15 : This is the first meeting between Angel and Faith. She immediately announces her intention to kill him, whereas no one has even mentioned her to the vampire at all!

36:20 : Faith and Buffy: Slayer Vs. Slayer – Round One!
        For the record, it’s Faith, pushed by a very clever Post to start it, that throws the first punch. And she’s so riled, she wants to.

36:58 : Another habit of the fighting Slayers, and Faith in general: she and Buffy careen straight through a pair of ornate glass doors, leading into the courtyard. This will happen more often than you might think…

37:41 : Faith feels no hesitation as she hits Xander and uses him as a shield against Buffy’s next blow. This is foreshadowing for their scenes later this season, following The Zeppo.

38:14 : Gwen Post cries out in Gaelic to call forth the power of the Glove: “Come to me, power of Myhnegon!”

38:28 : And it hits Faith in the face that the one person she thought she could trust is against her. She will vow to never trust again after this point. The look on her face when Post calls her an idiot… Eliza Dushku, take a bow…

38:38 : The command when the Glove fires it’s lightning, translates to “Come through me!”

39:01 : Angel saves Willow’s life. The last time they had any interaction, he was trying to kill her in Innocence. Willow immediately accepts him after this.

39:30 : In a rather hideous moment, Buffy slices through Post’s arm, removing her connection. Without the Glove as a conduit for the lightning, she’s flash fried to ash!

41:06 : Cordelia, as the gang mention that they trust Buffy once more, states with definitive glee: “I don’t.” Cordy is the only one who refuses to pretend everything is fine.

41:15 : Giles is told by the council that someone sent a memo to inform him that Post had gone rogue. It’s one of several memos and invitations he never seems to receive…

41:42 : This is one of those interesting bits of background information: this scene could have been the end of Faith’s story.
        At one point, unable to keep Eliza Dushku around due to age limitations, it was planned to have her commit suicide here and be found by Buffy. Thankfully, everything changed and the character survived!

42:57 : Buffy’s apology is outright rejected here, just like Faith’s attempts to bond were earlier. She then almost reaches out, but thinks otherwise.

44:00 : From this moment on, by her lonesome and deeply troubled, Faith Lehane’s fate and her slide into darkness is sealed. She’s not seen until Amends, and that’s off-duty. She doesn’t seem to work with the Scoobies again until The Zeppo.