Welcome to Rewatching Buffy, the part of the blog where I rewatch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each Tuesday evening, you’re invited to join me as I attempt to rediscover what made me love this show 22 years ago.

Flooded

• Buffy tries to fix a leaky pipe in the basement.
• But her Slayer strength kinda makes it worse. In a sitcom-y flood the basement kinda way.
• Later, after a real plumber has surveyed the situation, he makes everyone aware that the house needs a full plumbing makeover.
• This leads to a conversation about how Buffy really has no money.
• Joyce was prepared and had plenty of life insurance, which should have left Buffy covered.
• But hospital bills pretty much destroyed the preparation.
• Anya suggests that Buffy start charging for every vampire she slays. It’s not a bad idea.
• I mean… Angel kinda does that, right?
• Anya storms out when Dawn turns on her about the whole charging thing.
• She’s not really upset about that. She’s more upset that Xander hasn’t told everyone that they’re engaged.
• Truth is, he’s nervous. And he loves her so much, he just wants every step to be just right.
• But Anya sees through that and sees that he’s still just stalling…
• Buffy meets with a loan officer at the bank.
• Thing is… Buffy’s only potential collateral is the house. But it’s been losing equity for the last five years.
• The Sunnydale housing market kinda sucks… for unknown reasons…
• The loan officer also reminds Buffy that she has no job.
• And then a demon crashes through the bank window, reminding Buffy that she does, indeed, have a job.
• It just doesn’t pay very well.
• Turns out, the demon in the lobby is just a distraction.
• Some guys behind the teller line are grabbing cash out of all the drawers.
• And then the demon gets away.
• Needless to say, Buffy was turned down for the loan.
• While Buffy blows off steam in the training room, Willow mentions that she’s noticed Buffy’s lack of emotion lately.
• While the group researches what kind of demon broke the bank, Giles walks in.
• Giles and Buffy play catch up… seems a lot like small talk.
• He’s concerned with how Buffy really is. What’s behind what she tells people?
• Giles leaves Buffy alone, joining the others in research mode.
• He tells them that the reputation of the demon they’re looking for is one of a mercenary.
• Cut to the demon trashing a basement.
• On the other side of the room, Warren, Jonathan, and Andrew, count their cash.
• They think of themselves as super villains.
• Lame.
• The demon threatens to kill this lame trio if they don’t deliver a dead Slayer to him.
• Giles is staying at the Summers house and Buffy confesses the money troubles.
• He’s also under the impression that Buffy was in hell while she was dead.
• Makes sense, since that’s what she told everyone last week.
• Liar.
• Warren is willing to kill Buffy, but the other two don’t want to do it. This makes it clear from the start that Warren is the worst of them all.
• They decide not to kill Buffy… then Warren sneaks over to the demon and gives him Buffy’s name and address.
• During the night, Giles runs into Willow in the kitchen and grills her on the spell.
• Willow describes it like it was a super exciting thing.
• Giles is not impressed. In fact, he’s pissed.
• This encounter is amazing. It’s one of the best moments in an otherwise, overall, underwhelming season.
• And it shows us a little bit of how easy it will be for Willow to turn to the dark side later on.
• Buffy overhears the whole thing on the back porch.
• Spike approaches and offers to take them out… give him a headache, but he could probably take one or two down.
• Then she asks Spike what he knows about finances.
• Later in the night, the demon breaks into the house, throws Giles against the banister, then goes after Dawn.
• Breaking more parts of the house really won’t help Buffy with her financial woes.
• Dawn’s scream gets Buffy’s attention.
• She fights him and manages to get him into the flooded basement.
• Buffy channels her inner Joan Collins and beats the demon to death with a broken pipe.
• The next day, Buffy is wondering if she can handle all this.
• Giles gives her a pep talk, but they’re interrupted by the phone.
• It’s Angel… she’s going to meet him… somewhere between Sunnydale and LA.
• Because, remember, at this point, Buffy is on UPN and Angel is still on the WB.
• No crossovers allowed!
• Body count: Demons – 1