Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 Episode 7: Lie to Me -Review

I've always liked this episode. While it isn't as poignant and emotionally meaningful as I think it was intended to be, it still strikes a cord in most of us. Both a story of what might have been, and one of morality and mortality. It is easy enough to say what we would and wouldn't do in order to survive, when we are in good health and no danger. Put in the antagonist of this episode Ford's shoes of being on death's door,and helpless to change it, we might surprise ourselves with what we were willing to do to cling to some semblance of life. Not to say i agree with what he did, or even that most of us would do the same, but I think we would all be surprised by how many of us would end up making the same choice.

The acting and writing isn't bad, but also isn't the best within the series. i think it was a grand original idea, that for whatever reason only came across on the screen at half the depth that was intended. This was supposed to make us doubt our own sense of right and wrong, at least for a while. It does make one ponder what we'd do in similar circumstances, but it leaves no lasting doubt of morals. It also pokes fun at vampire groupies/fans, something it does quite well. Obviously, not all vampophiles act like the ones in this episode, nor is it true that the ones who do are somehow wrong for doing so. But there is still humor in the situation. Overall, it's a good, somber episode. The end with Giles consoling to Buffy by "lying" to her, still makes one misty eyed after years. We are also first introduced to a beautiful girl who becomes a minor supporting character in two Buffy episodes, and a major one in several Angel ones, Chantrelle/Lily/Anne). Spike and Dru are actually supporting characters in this episode, rather than it's true villains, but they pull it off with humor and macabre charm. I was actually a bit surprised that Spike actually kept his word to Ford, and turned him. But then he may have only done that because he knew the Slayer would then have to kill him.

Acting: 6 Plot: 8 Dialog: 6 Drama: 8 Humor: 6 Horror: 7 Action: 4 Importance: 6 Overall: 7