BtVS: Killed by Death & I Only Have Eyes For You

Killed by Death isn't a particularly important episode, nor is it one of my favorites. neither Oz or Jonathan make an appearance and Giles' doesn't get knocked out. there's no continuity connecting it to other episodes, so it's the definitive "filler-sode".
still, it's not a bad episode by any means. the basic plot is Buffy has the flu, goes to the hospital and has to fight "Der Kindestod" (literally Child Death). the catch is she can only see it while she's sick with the flu.


in contrast to Killed by Death, I Only Have Eyes For You is perhaps one of the better "fillersodes" of the second season. this is the episode that convinced Joss Whedon that David Boreanaz could carry his own show.

guest starring Meredith Salinger, one of my favorite acttresses since her debut in Disney's The Journey of Natty Gann, the plot revolves around a student teacher love affair from Sunnydale High's past.

James (Christopher Gorham) who's the student in the student teacher affair is haunting the halls of SHS. reliving the fateful night that he shot and killed Grace Newman.

after an incident in the cafeteria where hundreds of snakes appear out of nowhere, Snyder once again has to have a confrontation with Police Chief Bob (Brian Reddy) and cook up a story to explain where the snakes come from. "sewer backed up, same thing happened in San Diego last week" Chief Bob tells him if he can't handle running SHS, he may have to talk to... the Mayor. though he doesn't make an appearance this season, Mayor Wilkens is a major player in season three. he's also one of my favorite characters from the series.

heavy on the subtext their story is written as a metaphor for the current situation between Buffy and Angel. it's played out in the final act with Buffy playing the role of James and Angel playing Grace (this gender bender acting is what got David his own show).



meanwhile...
with Giles having burned down their old lair at the factory, the bad guys get new digs. a marvelous art deco mansion somewhere on the outskirts of Sunnydale. next to the Hyperion Hotel on Angel's series this has to be one of my favorite sets.

Spike, not too impressed by Angelus' choice of homes, with its garden and big windows, grows more and more annoyed with his old mate. nor is he too pleased with Angelus taking certain liberties with his lady love Drucilla.
after Angelus and Dru take off to find some innocent toddler to nibble on for a pre-dawn snack to take the Buffy taste out of his mouth from kissing her while possessed by Grace Newman, we learn that Spike isn't as crippled as he wants Angelus to think.