Oh, y’all. I dearly love this episode. I DO. And I really want to put up a post for us to discuss “Band Candy” without spoilers. FREEDOM.
First of all, let’s get to the video:
I love the humorous episodes on Buffy, and this one is no exception. In a way, I do think this episode pokes fun at the notion that adulthood is nothing but boredom and responsibility while also feeding directly into the fear of watching the grownups around you descend into awkward chaos. For Buffy, this is awkward. She has never viewed her mother as a sexual being, and now Giles, the father figure in her life, is making this a reality. In the worst way imaginable. Also in the FUNNIEST WAY IMAGINABLE.
Oh god, but I do love what we see from the three main adult characters’ past here. Ripper, of course, is ridiculous. But I never really thought about how Joyce being an outsider was similar to Willow. THERE’S A THOUGHT. Does that mean Giles is her Oz? WOW THAT JUST GOT META. And Principal Snyder TRULY BELIEVED HE WAS COOL. Now look at him: a stickler for rules who is an unwitting participant in an apocalypse.
I don’t have more time to write a lot about this episode, as I’ve just watched “Destiny” for Angel and my life is in shambles. But I wanted to provide a space for us to discuss this episode! Tomorrow, we’ll do the double whammy of “Surprise” / “Innocence.” This will go up BEFORE the regular Mark Watches review. PARTY ON!
