Woah!!! Lots of negativity in the comment section on this one - I can't say I'm surprised given the controversial actions in the episode. But I wanted to give a little pinned comment on my thoughts and a bit of a response to what I'm seeing some people say - feel free to reply! Would love some back and forth. 1 - People who get annoyed at me for 'sucking the fun' out of the episode, because I involve real life morals in something that is fictional: For me, my emotions & my morals often go together. This show has sparked a lot emotion for me - which is great, it means it's doing its job right! "The Body" was the most emotional episode to me - but I didn't see any comments saying 'girl, why are you crying, pull yourself together, it's fictional' - yet, for some reason, when the emotion sparked has any sense of morality attached, people get annoyed. I'm not going to hold back emotions in my reactions - I try to be as honest as possible and will continue to do so. 2 - I think the reason that the BuffyBot was so awful to me has to do with two things! One - in the world of AI being used to create illegal pornography - what Spike was able to do in this episode felt a little too real. I was once sent an unsolicited drawing of myself completely naked by a stranger on the internet - just that in itself made me feel so uncomfortable and violated. I cannot imagine how I would feel if someone created a bot of me in real life to have sex with, because I wouldn't give in to their advances. Obviously, it IS a tv show and we're talking about vampires here and I often just go with the flow of what the writers want me to feel. So, I'm not condemning Spike as a character - because he is JUST a character. I'm just being honest with how the actions in the episode made feel (the purpose of a reaction). Comparisons of Angel vs. Spike are always brought up as well. If I found out of that Angel did this in his past as Angelus, I would be equally disgusted, but I think because Spike is doing it in the present and he's still got one foot in and one foot out with us a lot of the time, it's just a harder pill to swallow. I will say, though, that Spike being tortured to protect Dawn in this episode (and all that he does for us in the remaining episodes of the season) is incredible for a soulless vampire (albeit chipped) and I honestly don't think Angelus would have been capable of these selfless moments & care for others if he was in that same boat (soulless and chipped). Maybe, but I'm not sure. 3 - The kiss!!! It's okay if I don't like something, I'm still gonna keep going with the flow. I understood that the kiss wasn't intended to be romantic & it wasn't. However - Buffy knows how Spike feels about her and given the violating BuffyBot incident, the timing still felt off. Yes, we have IMMENSE gratitude for what he did for Dawn, but I felt like a kiss wasn't the way to show it in that moment (but that's from a personal sense). I've seen comments, though, that actually have helped me see the kiss a little differently. Some of you guys have brought up the idea that the reason Buffy decided to kiss him to show her gratitude - was actually tied in with his BuffyBot plot; that she wanted to show him what real affection feels like - a real kiss that BuffyBot could never truly replicate. And teach him a lesson in a way - what he did for Dawn was *real* and the kiss he got for it was *real*. Everything with BuffyBot was awful and fake and ended badly. Maybe this will help influence his decision making in the future? (Of course, could this lead him to thinking that good deeds should always earn him something in return? Well, he already has a track record of thinking like that anyway, so what can you do lol) Thanks to everyone who left comments about that! Anywaysss…I doubt anyone will read this far, I might delete the comment, because you can never please everyone no matter how much overexplaining you do lol - it can be hard to see so many comments coming at me for a reaction to something, because even though the show isn't real, my reactions & emotions are. So please be nice :) Thanks to everyone for even caring at all
Lol welp you've been introduced to the Spuffy shippers and the Anti Spuffy shippers all at once. Don't worry homie you're fine... People get sensitive over this topic (try angel vs spike next if you wanna get some heat lol). But seriously everyone will be over it in an hour.
I think it's hard for me to separate the fantasy from real life because I love Spike as a character so much and I always rooted for Spike and Buffy as soon as he started developing a crush on her. Obviously in real life I would feel a huge ick if someone who had a huge crush on me that I wasn't reciprocating created a robot version of me to have sex with...but this is Spike lol. It's hard for me to have that much of an ick about it because it's not real life and it's Spike who was the one to do it. Also the Buffybot felt to me more like Spike grasping for any closeness with Buffy he possibly could, even if it was fake. So it was kind of also just sad to me rather than gross.
Please don't delete this it makes perfect sense. The whole point of reactors (to me) is to see different povs and to have these discussions. So what if your views don't align? Sorry to hear you've had some awful things sent your way. Loving your Buffy reactions and don't want you to feel that you might change how open and honest you are about how you feel about things. Cheers.
I'm sorry you have such negativity in your comments. I think I'm more worried about you reading YT comments at all - you're just going to end up seeing spoilers and it just ain't worth it.
I think the kiss does two things, one it shows us how much she cares about Dawn that Spikes act would be that important. But more, I think she did it, not to thank him, but to show him what 'real' was, and how profoundly different it is from the synthetic connection he was getting. It's a lesson, as much as its a gift, to say this is what life is. Even though he doesnt have a soul he might just 'get it', a step on the right path, or maybe thats optimistic, I think Buffy hopes so.
This may sounds nice so people may like how it sounds but unfortunately it has no connection with the actual thing. The face she made was the sorry face, she was touched by what he sad, then it was a kiss and after that she said that she won't forget it. So it was a thank you, for what you did. I am actually surprised that people want to ignore this obvious idea. That's the main conclusion of the scene. Taking into account that he will be in their team soon after that. Therefore, it is important not only to come up with something that will sound nice, but also to check how it relates to reality.
It was a kiss of gratitude for what he did for Dawn, nothing more than that. She wasn't trying to teach him a lesson, but if he managed to learn one from that, bravo for him. 😊
The only person who cared about 'real' to some extent was the author, not the character. They wrote sex with the bot and then an innocent kiss of gratitude with the real person. And Spike was the one who stopped the kiss even. The author did it, not the character. The character was grateful for the protection of her sister which she also told him. That's her role in the scene.
This, Beer Bad, the body switch episode with Faith, and a future episode I won't name, show off her acting chops so well. The way she can be Buffy and not be Buffy at the same time is amazing. Same with Alyson back in Doppelgangland when she was playing Willow pretending to be Vampire Willow and Vampire Willow pretending to be Willow. So good.
So subtle. The micro-expressions at the end were so well done, and with close (re) inspection for all of us who aren't Cass they are surprisingly visible. Remember, we've all seen it (many times), and know the cues to look for. Even the way she walked and talked upon entering the crypt was SMG playing Buffy playing the Buffybot. Dunno why Emmys weren't in order...yes I do, this was not "serious" TV. And we wait...for the serious.
People are going to hate me for this. As the show went along, SMG's acting mechanically got a lot better. However, she seemed to lose heart for the character. Could be it became a job, or it became boring, or she felt trapped in the role. Any of the above and she couldn't say no to the money. Could be SMG got chewed up by Hollywood. I know the character is suppose to be getting hardened so it kind of works. But I think this is beyond that.
@@jack_m100 Nope, no hate here. You might have picked up cues most of us missed, or we assumed she was acting that way IN character. Intetesting thought though. Many actors have had that happen to them, notably Leonard Nimoy.
Something I didn’t clock for /years/: At the start of the episode, Buffy’s worried that she’s becoming less emotional; hardened to the world. Towards the end of the episode, the Scoobies mistake a machine for their best friend; I have to believe that’s not an accident. The moment is played for laughs, but it feels to me as though there’s an undercurrent of truth there. Or, even if not, that Buffy could read it as though there is.
Yeah, I do think the episode was trying to portray that Buffy was becoming cold, almost robotic, but I think the problem with that is that the love bots still don't present as... human, much less "cold" humans, so it doesn't connect. Also, this follows several episodes where we see Buffy be emotional... and even overly emotional.
i do see that and think it was intentional but it doesn’t really carry a lot of weight for me bc buffy bot wasnt even cold and “robotic”. she was very bubbly and cheery.
Maybe that was part of the intention behind the Buffybot story and led to the introduction of Warren and April in setting it up. But the actual performances of the two robots don’t actually play that up. I think it works as a metaphor but not really in the resulting story we got. Buffybot is way too chipper to be perceived as cold and mechanical. She seems more like Siri or ChatGPT than older mechanical voices. These are intended to be conversational and pleasant to interact with. Yet they still feel artificial. They won’t be passing Turing tests in the immediate future but they don’t necessarily present themselves as cold and uncaring. Actually, one study found that LLMs rated a lot higher than real doctors on compassion when explaining diagnoses with patients. Hmm. That reminds me of a story from I, Robot where a popular politician may or may not have been a robot. He was able to be completely believable and said all the right things to get elected. All he had to do is dispel the rumors he was a robot. Of course Asimov’s robots guided by his laws of robotics would tend to be far more moral than humans in general (when they weren’t defective.) We don’t have laws like that for modern AI. Well, that’s an unexpected tangent.
As many times as I've watched Buffy, I actually noticed something in this episide I had not noticed before. At the end when Spike thought Buffybot had been repaired, he said, "Wil fixed you"" instead of saying Willow. In this show, "Wil" has been ascribed as a familiar and somewhat affectionate nickname that Willow's friends use, and I think it's the first (maybe only) time I've heard Spike call her that. Just solidifies my belief that he has some genuine admiration and care about Willow, which we saw glimpses of in Season 3 (stroking her hair) and Season 4 (talking about seeing in her in that "fuzzy pink number" the previous year and also offering to turn her instead of just killing her). For a soulless vampire, that's a reasonable facsimile of affection....very twisted affection.
He just gets along well with people and quickly enough. Remember Joyce and Dawn. I don't even remember Riley (her actual ex-boyfriend with whom they tried very hard to build a big love story to compete with Angel but it failed) I don't remember him laughing with them in the kitchen the way he did. Despite the constant expression of disgust on Buffy's face that is stuck there for 4 years. Which, frankly speaking, makes me tired already as these reactions have me re-watching scenes lot of times. Also one small fact about the earlier season. Before they started 'lovestory' with Buffy they had some plans to try it with Willow (Tara was just supposed to be her friend who would teach her magic). That's when he says "fuzzy pink number", he clearly was hitting on her. And that's also when they removed Oz and included him in the main cast. But Something blue influenced a lot of things and their interaction almost disappeared. So there's not a lot of twisted affection rather than authors changing their plans.
I think part of Buffy kissing Spike is her realizing she truly has an ally in the fight against Glory as strong as Spike whom she can now really trust to help protect Dawn. Buffy is under a lot of stress. She doesn't have the time or the resources to be worrying about the fact that Spike is a perv. She needs him. So giving him a kiss and a thank you is a small price to pay. There are emotional issues wrapped up in it as well, but for her, I genuinely think it's a moment of relief. Obviously that he didn't tell, but far more than just that.
RIP Bob Barker. Spike can be in love soullessly, but even with William's memories, it will be obsessive, selfish, and unwise. Drusilla states this in Crush. Not all soulless creatures act like Angelus. The Mayor was a family man, but he was still using Faith. Spike may love Buffy and not wish to be alone after being disinvited, but he is still obsessive, selfish, and an unwise love. He can claim love, but its bad because he's soulless. The last scene in this episode doesn't mean Spike really learned anything. It means he hopes helping Buffy and Dawn will earn him points. No matter how much he says he cares or people think he cares its still twinged in soullessness. It isn't a coincidence that he is willing for a tumble with who he thinks is the Buffybot once bones are "mended," or asks Buffy about the robot after she kissed him, or that he isn't still obsessing and hoping he still now has a chance after the kiss, despite the fact that Buffy was doing so as a thank you. I love the character of Spike and am even a Spuffy shipper, but I also don't kid myself. This is what allows the character to work and have Spike be the enigma he is. I like the fact that Buffy is genuinely grateful to Spike, but stays in the chastisment area when he tries to mention the robot. The Scoobies were so adamant that April was a robot, but couldn't pick up the exact same signs from the Buffybot. The excuse of Buffy acting off because of her mom could work if the group hadn't been adamant about April being a robot. They put themselves in that position by not seeing it. Buffy had a right to be upset they couldn't see it. Sarah Michelle Gellar said she had fun playing the bot as Buffy doesn't do the broad, jolly, comedy-type of thing often (unless under a spell).
Buffy understands that Spike without a soul is capable of anything evil, vial, and obscene. So, the Buffybot was feasible. But, Spike not telling Glory about Dawn, that was heroic. And she rewarded him for doing something counter to who he is.
Sis, never change, your videos and reactions are incredible. Buffy is a very thought-provoking show and it pains me to see reactors that either don’t have a lot to say or don’t say much if they do, it’s clear that the show resonates with you and we love you sharing your thoughts and feelings
To me the kiss is never meant as romantic kiss, its not even a french kiss. She did it as a thank you and only that, as a way to show she really understand how much it means that a soulless being was able to do that. Its more of a demonstration that she understands how he works and trust that he actually have feelings, even though those feelings are quite twisted. But she is no way attracted to him, I think she doesnt care much about the robot cause thats just expected from a soulless being, while protecting her sister against self preservation is actually surprising
You aren't supposed to necessarily like the fact that they kissed. You're not necessarily supposed to like the prospect of them getting together because he's a soulless vampire that less than a year at this point was plotting to kill the Scoobies.
it was literally this season that he was plotting to shoot Buffy because she rejected him, but it was softened by a kind moment, which is the constant back and forth of Spike/Buffy this season... he does something heinous... then he does something "nice."
You are projecting. It was not about the whole idea of them getting together. It was about the bot and the kiss after it in this episode. As for them being together, she's already said it a couple of times(!) that she sees that the show is planning to do that, she even offered a much more romantic version than what the show actually did. So no, dude.
A side question, aren't you tired of constantly trashing the character and his relationships? Not yet? It's one thing when people like smth and they talk about it, it creates positive energy, but it's another thing when you're constantly looking for someone to remind you of your negative opinion, even just a little bit. That must be exhausting.
@@Junejane4 Nope I will be critical of all the characters even the ones I like which includes Spike. Putting them up on pedestals because I like them isn't my thing.
'Spike better not have that Buffy Bot' >>Spike has Buffy Bot 'Spike better not have sex with Buffy Bot' >>Spike has sex with Buffy Bot. Cass is going to hit every branch on the way down.
I was a teenager when I first saw this episode and in my mind the buffybot part was more hilarious rather than super wrong and icky. So the kiss between Buffy and Spike did not throw me off like it did you. Perhaps first watching it as an adult in this new era where people take things a lot more seriously, I may have had a different reaction. But I thought the kiss was sweet and looking back on it I still feel the same way since it was imprinted in me that way as a teen lol. Plus I think after getting a real kiss from the real Buffy, Spike wouldn't be able to enjoy going back to a fake version.
Ethics aside, I do find it hilarious that in the first scene between Buffybot and Spike, his fantasy is that she likes him too much to stake him and then he gets to go down on her 😂
I think my experience was that I didn't really think of that as a "first kiss" between them, at least not in the romantic arc kind of way. It wasn't like...they were gonna be a thing now, or that it meant Buffy had or was admitting to feelings. It was just a moment...acknowledging the complexity of the situation I guess maybe? Like, Buffy goes there to find out if Spike gave Dawn away and they're in danger, fully prepared to kill Spike I think. Then gets this pretty genuine moment from him where he doesn't know it's her and still shows some amount of care for her--not as a play, or a way to get her to do something, just some actual honesty. And he did do something relatively selfless in withstanding the torture. So she acknowledges that with the kiss, but then also walks away, because all that DOESN'T erase all the other fucked up stuff he did. Idk, maybe trying to explain it doesn't work, but I guess the moment played well for me precisely because it was depicting this complicated, hard to describe in words thing, and because it didn't feel like it was actually a romantic kiss, like...at all lol.
I think Buffy is one of those shows that sort of suffers when viewed retroactively through a modern lens. Because.. let's be frank: there's a lot of really really questionable stuff packed in there throughout the entirety of it's run.. but I'll speak for myself here.. during it's initial airing, I didnt care.. that simple.. in many ways a lot of it is still sort of milquetoast compared to the outright misogynistic and overall dude-broish stuff that aired around that time.. the "awfulness" of Buffy just never seemed all that horrible back then. I've noticed as the years have gone by.. sometimes over the span of just a few years - a new "generation" of viewers will have wildly different reactions and thoughts regarding the show. It's not necessarily a bad thing.. it's just interesting.. things have certainly evolved a lot. But yes.. the Buffybot is kinda terrible - but if that's make or break, then you're in a bad spot.
Thumbs up because I agree, but I think it’s not so much a new generation as it is more mature viewers (as in, they’re in the normal Buffy generation, Millennials, but viewing it with more mature and more modern eyes than those of us who first watched it as teenagers). Also changing social attitudes in general.
@@phueal For sure.. and as someone pushing 40 soon, I've learned one immutable truth.. it's really really important to let the rose-colored glasses slip every once in a while, and not get defensive about art.. even if it meant a lot to you at some time or another.
Your new sound/camera setup is good, don't worry! As for the kiss, I always interpreted it an act of grace on Buffy's part. She's grateful and surprised that he went against his nature and protected her and Dawn. There's also a part of her that maybe wants to show just how fake the buffybot is in comparison to a genuine act of affection from her. It never felt romantic to me, but I agree that if I was in Buffy's place, I'd be too icked out to kiss him after he did that.
I think you are one of the best Buffy reactors :) (along with Sofie Reacts). Thanks for your reactions? I also read your comment and I agree with everything you wrote. You can be honest, that's what makes it interesting :)
Buffy is really messed up and vulnerable right now. I think the conversation that the Scoobies had earlier about her mom's death making her behave in uncharacteristic ways can be applies to this interaction with Spike.The kiss was as much Buffy taking comfort form someone she now knows will protect her as it was to comfort him for doing so.
No mixed emotions here. "A kiss" isn't "kissing". That wasn't a remotely romantic kiss, it was thank you. Tara kissing Willow in "The Body" was a comforting kiss, but it was also kissing and had strong romantic overtones. I don't think this had any romantic undertones. It was just a kiss. The only difference between this and kissing family or friends is that it was on the lips.
Buffybot is hilarious. Sarah Michelle Gellar did such an amazing job with the role. I was never a fan of Spuffy ever but it can be understood that the writers were trying to explore the concept of a bad person who does good things as well as Buffy's attraction to the darker aspects of the supernatural. It pays to remember that Faith and Buffy are a lot alike as both were teenagers who were turned into soldiers and experienced a tremendous amount of trauma that most people who haven't been to war at such a young age could never understand.
Clearly you need a chance to read Buffy and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale. A lot of it is a Kantian take on the series. It's about 20 years old, but still pretty relevant.
I love your opinions and agree. For me the kiss was never about gratitude, it was simply Buffy testing if Spike would notice the difference between her and the bot.
Although the kiss was one of gratitude, and possibly forgiveness, I think there has always been a physical attraction between Spike and Buffy, right back from when they were mortal enemies. It's something neither one wants to admit (although Spike has now come to accept it) because the feeling disgusts them, but I think it's there.
I think Buffy felt more like I did when I first watched it, like she said about the doll "it wasnt real". So she didn't really see it as he had actually done something to her, just that it was gross and disgusting, but not as if it actually effected her, it was just pathetic.
I have not read the other comments or the hate, but I do feel the kiss made sense because Buffy is so empathetic she always looks for the best in people so for the reasons you enumerated, it was really hard for Spike not to give her and Dawn up. And she knows he has feelings for her, so that was her way to send that message that she won't forget his actions because it could have killed him. Buffy would have killed him
If you recall, Buffy and Spike have kissed before, A LOT! Back in Something Blue. But they were under a spell. Here, that was a real kiss. Not a romantic kiss, I guess, more like gratitude, but it's real.
Both Buffy and Spike were tested. Buffy was told that she is full of love and loves with all her soul. And that love is also pain that will bring her to her ger gift which is death. And then you have Spike who is tested when he gets taken by Glory. 'How much does he love Buffy? Does he truly love her?' That's what everybody (the viewers) has been wondering for some time now. And as you saw, he risked his own life and endured the torture that Glory physically put him through. He still didn't give up the secret that Dawn is the Key. After much thinking, Buffy realized what he did for her and her sister. And to know the answer of why he didn't say anything to Glory, she had to pretend to be BuffyBot. And she got her answer. He said if Buffy ever lost Dawn, she'd be so distraught that he couldn't stand seeing Buffy being in that much pain. He cares for her and loves her enough to let Glory kill him instead. That's where Buffy leans in to kiss him. Remember, earlier Buffy was saying that being the Slayer has made her more resilient and stronger, that it was turning her into stone. And believes it was the reason why Riley left her. And she's questioning if she's capable of loving someone and making sure that they know that. Which brings us back to that kiss with Spike. That kiss not only says thank you but, in a way, she's saying she loves and appreciates him for risking his life to protect her sister because she understands he did it out of love for her. It's like when someone does something so great for you and you say "Oh man, I love you. Thank you." You're not saying you're in love with someone. You're saying you appreciate what they did for you. That's what that kiss was from Buffy. She knows he likes her but didn't know the extent of how much he liked her so why not thank him with a kiss and tell him, 'for just this one time, I will kiss you. But know that it is because I'll never forget what you did for me and my sister. I truly appreciate what you did. Nothing more, nothing less.'
The kiss to me just feels like a nice moment that is in no way romantic. There's no hint of Buffy's feelings for Spike turning into anything beyond respect and gratitude and growing trust in a fighting ally, which is a huge deal in itself. But I do not ever think of this as their "first real kiss". What I love about it is that it's the moment Spike realizes he's dealing with the real Buffy. He recognizes her completely as the real deal and he's shocked that she would choose to kiss him. LOVE the Buffybot! 😅
i never saw the kiss as a thank you, just her using it to show she’s not the robot and that she’s the real buffy which ties ti what she said abt how what he did for dawn and her was real.
In the last 20 years technology has pretty much caught up with this episode. I don't think you can buy a robot like this, but you can sign up for a AI boyfriend/girlfriend/friend, from sites like Replicant and Nomi. It will write you poems, remember your birthday, ask about your finals, support you, care for you, and love you with more patience and empathy than a human. From what I've heard, they talk like the Buffybot.
This episode is better than i expected it to be because i don't particularly care for the Buffybot premise, but they do it well, and the interaction is enjoyable. The B-plot with the desert scenes are the highlight for me though. I love the exchange between her and the first slayer. As for the ethics of the bot. I feel like I'm supposed to find it more disgusting than I actually do. I might compare it to the use of provocative "deep fakes" of celebrities or the like. I run this through the filter of "so unto others as I'd have done unto me", and would i care if someone created a substitute robot or a deep fake of me? I dunno. I kinda don't think I'd really care. It's not actually me, and you can get the face right, maybe even the majority of the body, but its not truly me. Most of us don't get what we really want, and so I am pro fantasy on most accounts. The more pressing issue here this season, for me, is Spike's obsession with Buffy. He didn't just want a physical replica, like an avatar he's attracted to, he wanted it to actually act like and embody her. I was actually touched by the final scene, and I'm not particularly a fan of the Spike character after the second season. I've been a fan of the show for 25 years now, and i still don't really understand the selflessness he exhibits in this episode. It can be difficult to assess what a soul really means in the show's universe.
As others have said, when this originally aired it truly was a different time. I grew up watching movies like “Revenge of the Nerds”, “Sixteen Candles” and a ton of other inappropriate films that violate women and their agency in choosing their sexual partner- and it was always played for laughs. These are the films the Buffy writers grew up on too. So yeah, when this episode aired I thought it was funny and a clever way to pair up Spike and Buffy without actually pairing them up. I found the kiss at the end a bit confusing but also sweet. And I liked that that was the moment when Spike realized it was not the bot. That said, Cass, you are fully entitled to feel the way you feel. But try to understand it was a different time. The Body was meant to make you sad. The BuffyBot was definitely meant to make you giggle.
I actually like this episode, yes the whole Buffybot and Spike s*x thing is gross, but the Buffybot is otherwise kind of fun. Sarah apparently also enjoyed playing a kind of different role to what she usually played.
I think that Spike realized that real Buffy's kiss was just what you said , a thank you. And Buffy had felt he needed some kind of reward (I couldn't think of a better word) for not outing Dawn. Also, I could tell immediately that she wasn't the Buffy bot by the way she enter the crypt. The boy's movements seemed more stiff, in a way. Plus the bot was constantly smiling after completing a sentence.
When Spike goaded Glory he didn't have an escape plan. He was trying to get Glory to KO him, because he didn't trust himself to keep his mouth shut under so much a certain amount of torture. Of course once he saw the escape route his instincts kicked in.
The thing with Spike is that he'll do horrible things like the buffybot and then something heroic like being willing to die to protect Dawn for Buffy. Being soulless makes him too unpredictable and dangerous even if he has his good moments that show potential. Spike is not taken seriously by the gang especially Xander because of it. Buffy seems to cut him some slack when he misbehaves because he doesn't have a soul and he can't kill or hurt people. She's someone who's strategic and now she sees an ally against Glory.
About the kiss… I can see the ick. Just don’t think of it as romantic. She was probably thinking more about Dawn than Spike. It may also connect to an earlier line to friends: “you couldn’t tell me apart from a robot??” .. which is very similar to what Dawn told her in the last ep.
Girl don’t apologize for how you react to things. People always want to be butt hurt about something. I’m just glad you are so fun to watch! I don’t agree with how you see things sometimes but that’s part of the fun!! 👍🏾👍🏾🤷🏾♂️✌🏾
Just a public service announcement: whatever you think of the kiss in this episode, if you ever find yourself in a situation that's anything like Buffy is in with Spike, *do not give your stalker an inch.* Any show of affection will only makes the situation worse.
I didn't find the kiss romantic. As others have said, more a sign of gratitude, showing him that his willingness to sacrifice his existence for her was admirable and worthy of respect. I also think she wanted to see his immediate reaction to realizing it was really her kissing him, not the bot - to see if he understood just how much that meant. She then told him how she felt about the buffybot, so that subject was covered.
I saw this decades ago, when it was a different time. I had no problem with it, especially since it wasn't a romantic kiss; it was a kiss of gratitude.
Not exactly a defense, but the Buffybot allowed Spike to focus his obsession on Buffy at something else and relieve some of the tension created by disgust and disinterest, which doesn't work as well on his own. It isn't going to end his obsession, though.
When I watch Buffy I like to remember it's a show that came out in the late 90's, so the BuffyBot thing it's not supposed to be that serious, it's just a funny bit, I dont't know i guess when they wrote it compared to the killing Spike did it's not that bad it's just dumb I guess. But I do understand your point and that would not be ok to be in a TV show nowadays, just like a lot of things that happens in Buffy wouldn't be. Anyways, sorry if I wrote anything wrong, i'm from Brasil, love your videos.
Okay, so first of all: The camera, sound and light are great. I can understand people having very different opinions and feelings about this episode. If someone makes a sex bot version of you, you obviously have every right to feel violated (as Buffy does). Or you could feel flattered. Or indifferent because at the end of a day, it's someone having sex with a sex toy. All valid emotional responses. I don't see that kiss as a "first kiss" between Buffy and Spike. She thanked him for getting beat up and almost killed rather than sell out her sister. It's not a romantic moment, nor a sexual one. It's an emotional one though. People have strong feelings about Buffy and Spke (as they do about Buffy and Angel). I for one love this show because (amongst 100 other reasons) it has realistic characters. No one in BTVS is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Buffy and Spike are a sum of their circumstances, their emotions, their experiences ... and they just act human. Enjoy the journey and see what happens. There's quite a ride ahead. No point in having discussions about souls and chips and good and evil and sex and love and all that stuff before you've seen the whole thing. For me personally, it works. To answer your second question: When I first watched that scene at the end, it completely worked for me. Because it's damn well acted and makes me feel stuff. That's what I'm here for.
For what its worth, I liked your honest reaction because you are a different, younger generation to me with a different take on the plot as a result. When this aired, the buffybot plotline was just a fun, goofy sci-fi way to seemingly put two characters together (note that each scene is scored with cheesy, light-hearted music). But fast forward 25 years later and we live in a world where people have to deal with AI, revenge porn, more stalking and all sorts of things. The plot hitting you different as a result was interesting commentary on social changes in the past 25 years.
You're so funny at the start of episodes. A character says something, you think you know why they're saying it "I can completely understand why Buffy feels this because A, B, and C"... but then there's never any acknowledgement from you when the episode actually shows that it was nothing to do with A, B and C at all, it was showing something totally different. Usually you're too busy talking over it to notice! Haha. It's funny to watch. I noticed you did this in the last episode too with Dawn at the start. "Oh Dawn is feeling this and that because of Joyce" talking all through the scene, wheras if you actually listened you'd have got she wasn't feeling that at all, it was something totally different. Having watched many Buffy reactors, it's refreshing. It's a very unique way to enjoy a Buffy reactor - reacting to episodes that don't actually exist!
One thing, I have said multiple times is that since Spike doesn't have a soul he can only act for selfish reasons; if he believes it's in his best interest he will do that otherwise he won't. this is the one episode where I can't find a way to say his actions were what he thought was in his best interest. Taking the beat down from Glory and risking his life was clearly not in his elf interest vs talking.
I think the kiss was not because Buffy feels anything necessarily (other than empathy for him in this situation)... it shows she's not as cold as she thinks she is and shows Spike what real is, to kill that fantasy of Buffy bot in his mind. It felt like a pity kiss to me.
I read the comments before I watched the video and I expected the reaction in the video to be much harsher. Nothing said didn't make sense to me though. It wasn't even that bad of a harsh reaction. I think any person who has experienced some kind of unwanted attention like Buffy has from Spike would react very similarly and be uncomfortable with the actions he took with the bot. A lot of the viewers are probably remembering how they felt from a different point in their life where they didn't have as much of a world weary view, but for people who are seeing it when they have experienced something or understand how true to the real world something like this obsession Spike has is it just feels wrong. If you can separate the real world from fiction, that's great, but the point of any fiction is to make you feel some kind of way and Cass's feelings are just as valid as any others the viewers might have.
The kiss is definitely complicated, and I find it vaguely ridiculous that so many people are apparently incapable of accepting that this can lead to diverse opinions about it. I found your line of thinking very reasonable. Even the stuff I didn't entirely agree with, I _partially_ agreed with. My own take -- and I'm not sure to what extent this is just copium to allow me to go with the emotional flow of the story, as you described -- is that Buffy is just exceptional at compartmentalizing. She sort of has to be, given how many different hats she has to wear at different times. So, what Spike did for Dawn doesn't make the BuffyBot any less obscene, but likewise, the obscenity of the sexbot doesn't change her response to Spike putting her emotions above his own physical safety. I wouldn't blame you (or anyone) for having kissing as the last thing they'd want to do in the aftermath of the bot revelation, but I can get how it might be different for Buffy. People also sometimes underestimate the difference between having a chip and having a soul. The chip prevents certain actions, but doesn't (directly) change Spike's personality. So, I don't think Angel comparisons are going to work very well in most contexts.
the difference between 2024 reactions and late 90s reactions are interesting. I don't think anyone in the 90s really gave a 2nd thought to the Buffy bot sex. It was just a silly thing that showed the level to which Spike was hung up on Buffy and he was finally acknowledging it. People do stupid things sometimes where they're obsessed with someone and it doesn't help to dwell on it and stigmatize them if it's actually harmless in the end. I think the kiss was Buffy saying, "look, you're a dummy but thank you for protecting me and my family from a god that was fingering the insides of your chest"
You know how people have polls on how many times Giles gets knocked out? They should know how many times Buffy's mom said, i love you? What do you think, four or more?
Yes, the Buffy-Bot is gross, almost evil, and Spike is such a nice person, totally incongruous action on his part - oh, wait... sorry, completely forgot who Spike is...
Spike tried taking Buffy on a date, tried pouring his feeling out to her (after chaining her up) but she rejected him. He accepted that after she barred him from entering her house. He saw a robot as the next best thing. I'm not defending him just pointing out his logic. He was badly beaten for Buffy & Dawn, so much that even Xander felt bad for him. He was willing to die for Buffy and she was impressed by that so she kissed him as a small gift. The sight and sound of the video is great and you have nothing to fear from HD. I'm glad you're enjoying season 5 I think it's the best of the series.
SMG must have had a blast with this episode, getting to act in such a fun and different way. I bet death being Buffy's gift turns out to be pretty surface level; she's a killing machine and bringing death to vampires, Glory, is her gift to the world.
Oh,trust me...we WANT to see Buffy-Bot.She's a gem!😊😂💖(When she's not with Spike,of course!) 07:28 - 07:45 If he is,then he's no different than a human. I wouldn't like that.X-[ 09:22 - 09:28 Don't make me dream.X-( 10:53 - 10:58 😄💖💸 12:10 - 12:14 *AND ME TOO!!!!!!!* 🙋♂🙋♂🙋♂🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮 12:25 - 12:33 I love you,Tara!!😂🤍 13:03 - 13:10 Xander being me for 7 seconds.💙 13:37 - 13:45 Exactly! 16:56 - 17:11 😂😂😂😂😂 18:05 - 18:09 I told you...everyone loves Buffy-Bot.😁💖 20:09 - 20:15 I love that you&Buffy gave Willow _the exact same look!_ 🤣🤣🤣 20:49 - 21:45 And *THIS* is THE moment Spike OFFICIALLY became a Plot Hole,ladies and gentleman. This is 100% HUMAN behavior,I don't care how many excuses you put together to justify it. This-is-human! It's *NOT* a souless vampire!A guy who does *THIS* doesn't-need-a soul!!!🤬💢 I don't think I ever heared a reactor interpreting the:"Death is your gift."sentence as:"Mortality is your gift."Usually is:"Killing is your gift."Interesting perspective.🤔
@@ValerieJasmine looked at the shooting script and I think that you are correct when I found this little detail in it: "Spike glances back at the door again, shifts his body very slightly, trying to line it up with the door." and this is right before she hits him.
I think one angle I don't see considered much is the story telling angle for the show. If they want Spike to be part of the show, he's got to have a reason to be around a lot, and making him be on team Buffy is the best way. We saw Cordelia reduced to perfunctory cameos each episode after she and Xander broke up for most of the time. And even Spike can get treated that way when he's been on the outs with Buffy, like the back half of season 4. But if you want to make him be on team Buffy, Buffy needs to like and trust him again. Sure, after episode 14 he could have taken the real life accepted route of reflecting and taking accountability for his actions, working toward atonement. But how does that come about for a soulless vampire? How is him staying away from Buffy for some time and episode 18 walking up to her with a heartfelt apology going to be enough to put him on her team? He needs to show her actual loyalty and do something that matters to Buffy, like protecting Dawn's identify as the key. If he's out, how is he going to be involved in that? Well, he'll have to be mistaken for the key and not give up Dawn. But if he's out, how would he be mistaken for in? Buffy bot relationship. And on top of that, if he was just chilling outside the group and the minions decided to kidnap and torture him for info, how would the gang know, Spike is on the outs? The more interesting redemption for the story isn't from "oh he was already doing the right modern ensouled hman way of redemption and then this happened to speed run it". Having him redeem himself as he's already doing something super low in the episode and not long before, makes for a better episode of tv and story for Spike. I do definitely understand the ick of the bot. But I think story wise and character wise it is very fitting. If you still dislike it, what would you have preferred happen? Would that have suited the show's narrative better?
I am surprised that the Buffybot is such a big deal to you. This is a show which so far has depicted a child being dismembered, Jonathan magically compelling two twins to have sex with him and each other, Xander magically compelling all the women in Sunnydale to chase him, a teacher enticing boys in her class back to her house to have sex with her (and killing them), Angel killing Miss Calendar and leaving her body in Giles’ bed, Faith somehow managing to sexually assault both Buffy and Riley at once, Principal Flutie being eaten alive, and much much more. I mean the Buffybot is a bad thing to do, but I’m just amazed that that’s where you draw the line in comparison with everything which has come before it!
It's too close to reality, in a world where people can easily create explicit deepfakes and non-consensual pornography. It's violating, and unlike most of the things you mentioned, it's largely played for laughs.
@@jonathandoe5827 I don't think you can draw so clear a distinction. Although the Buffybot itself is played for laughs (it is, after all, hilarious), Spike's actions aren't: I don't think his creating the bot is ever laughed at, and at the end Buffy very seriously tells him that it was "gross and obscene" and "not even real". In contrast things like Jonathan's incestuous SA threesome, Xander's love spell, and the teacher seducing her students are definitely played for laughs - not just that there are jokes in those episodes, but we are supposed to find their actions amusing.
I think it's cause a lot of that stuff is either fully supernatural or at best a supernatural metaphor for real bad stuff in real life whereas Spike making a buffy sex bot, while obviously also very much... sci fi I guess rather than supernatural but still unrealistic, nevertheless it is the culmination of just a very real stalking/obsession kinda thing he's been doing which "feels" a lot more real, like someone you know stealing your clothes and being weird is just something that can happen. It's also been in the background of a lot of episodes rather than one episode and done with like a lot of the other stuff you mention, which doesn't make that stuff less bad but makes it less of a focal point to talk/feel about.
I value Spike much more, than Angel. He was capable of loving Buffy and even sacrifice his life for her. Angel without his souls was a monster. Nothing more.
@@notyouraveragebear9326and so is angel. He’s only good cause of the curse. Remember when the judge came around he said that spike still had humanity in him and angel was pure evil.
Well tbh the show portrays him very blurry to an extent. The way they, make him different than other vampires. So naturally when people see him showing some traits of humanity for others, its going to seem like hes changing. And he was acting like that before the chip.
I don't think Spike didn't outed Down because it was wrong, but more in a selfish way that if he had done that, Buffy would hate him so much that he risks losing her forever, and he doesn't wanna take that chance, he wants Buffy to love him, and that was the way.
imo it wasn't a romantic kiss from buffy's perspective. it's a complicated scene because she's still pretending to be buffybot, so she started to feel this compassion and care for spike, but she was still in the persona of buffybot, so the only action she really had access to at that point was to kiss him. it was a kindness, a show of care, but not at all an admission that she feels anything sexual or romantic for spike at this point.
I know from the outside the whole Buffy-bot thing seems gross but Jane Espenson was a genius writing this episode. We see Spike violating Buffy but then that lead to him being violated by Glory. The penetrating she did whilst on top of him was definitely not on accident. Then after all that he has the redemption of not outing Dawn. If it was any other writer this would have probably been a lot worse of an episode. Also if its any help Sarah said she loved playing the Bot because she got to play another character for once.
The Buffybot in Intervention lends for some great comedy moments, but the serious side is Spike's obsession with Buffy reaching crazy and dangerous levels. Interesting that Spike did not tell Glory who the Key was, even though he is soulless he seems to be changing, his feelings seem genuine, of course because of the chip he cannot attack humans, but nevertheless things seems very different. The kiss from Buffy is so telling for future episodes. A pivotal moment in the show.
Joining others here: not every kiss is romantic. And yes, the first time I saw it, I completely understood Buffy. Even though I'm pretty disgusted with Spike in general, but yeah, it was real.
i didn’t think it was meant to be romantic, i was more just confused on why she would choose to do that knowing how *he* feels about her and what he’s done with the buffy bot - but seeing some comments saying she maybe wanted to show him what true affection felt like compared to a synthetic bot is probably the most intriguing thing that is closest to making me come around to it a little more
So hey gurl hey, back here after skipping a couple ones(hardly can I ever get myself to rewatch The Body and Forever). So, this is surely... An episode that exists. Spike was great after being caught by Glory. The Buffybot is, indeed, gross and obscene. That's it for today. I'll see you soon!
It helps to remind yourself often that Spike has no soul. So although he can love, that love can only manifest in a soulless manner. In his case, before he was turned he was an obsessive romantic, now without a soul any love he feels becomes complete obsession, fixating on possession. A bit like how Angelus still loved buffy in his own soulless way, but love for him without a soul manifested as possession and control through mental torture... Arguably a lot worse than soulless spike 😉 spike can't be ever be fully moral whilst he still lacks a soul. But he's displaying love as best as he can without one. That's just how I used to look at it anyway ☺️ when compared with real life scenarios, oh gosh yeah! Never ever would I find a normal human being irl acting the way Spike does ok.
I guess I'm a bit confused why a soulless vampire having a robot made of his crush is like...over the line for you. This show is full of murder, SA, DV, etc. Horrible atrocities are committed, many by Angel, but he seems to get a free pass bc he somehow becomes a different character when he has a soul vs when he doesn't and becomes "Angelus". This always felt like people just don't want to hold Angel responsible for the things he's done when he doesn't have a soul. The kiss was nothing other than an acknowledgement of what Spike did for Dawn, it was a thank you. It was sincere. I think trying to apply human morality or expectations onto vampires in this show will never end well. Spike does not have a soul, he's going to do things that are wrong. Much worse than building a robot, just warning you now.
I think with Angel, i know that there’s genuine regret and remorse for what he’s done - it’s also in the past and he’s doing a lot to try and do good for the world now. Whereas with Spike, he’s just doing awful things without any conscience and that can be a harder pill to swallow. There’s no growth and path to redemption arc yet in the way that Angel has it. If Angel were to do something like this, I’d be shocked, but he seems to be capable of respect. Spike has his moments - but overall, it often comes back to selfish desire & lack of control (which makes sense for a soulless vampire). However - I have finished season five and see what he did here for Dawn as a possible turning point. He realllllly stepped up in this final stretch of the season and it’s an incredible thing for a soulless (but chipped) vampire to be able to do. If Angelus was chipped, would he have been capable of these of moments of selflessness and care for others? Possibly not 🤷♀️ At the end of the day, watching something that makes you morally uncomfortable is good & stimulating & thought provoking - I like it. And Spike’s character is still one of my favorites just because of how much he makes me stop and think:)
Oh please, as if the writers aren't trying their hardest to make us forget that Spike is a soulless demon. You can't blame the audience for viewing him under a lens that the show literally literally wants us to view him with.
Woah!!! Lots of negativity in the comment section on this one - I can't say I'm surprised given the controversial actions in the episode. But I wanted to give a little pinned comment on my thoughts and a bit of a response to what I'm seeing some people say - feel free to reply! Would love some back and forth.
1 - People who get annoyed at me for 'sucking the fun' out of the episode, because I involve real life morals in something that is fictional: For me, my emotions & my morals often go together. This show has sparked a lot emotion for me - which is great, it means it's doing its job right! "The Body" was the most emotional episode to me - but I didn't see any comments saying 'girl, why are you crying, pull yourself together, it's fictional' - yet, for some reason, when the emotion sparked has any sense of morality attached, people get annoyed. I'm not going to hold back emotions in my reactions - I try to be as honest as possible and will continue to do so.
2 - I think the reason that the BuffyBot was so awful to me has to do with two things! One - in the world of AI being used to create illegal pornography - what Spike was able to do in this episode felt a little too real. I was once sent an unsolicited drawing of myself completely naked by a stranger on the internet - just that in itself made me feel so uncomfortable and violated. I cannot imagine how I would feel if someone created a bot of me in real life to have sex with, because I wouldn't give in to their advances. Obviously, it IS a tv show and we're talking about vampires here and I often just go with the flow of what the writers want me to feel. So, I'm not condemning Spike as a character - because he is JUST a character. I'm just being honest with how the actions in the episode made feel (the purpose of a reaction).
Comparisons of Angel vs. Spike are always brought up as well. If I found out of that Angel did this in his past as Angelus, I would be equally disgusted, but I think because Spike is doing it in the present and he's still got one foot in and one foot out with us a lot of the time, it's just a harder pill to swallow. I will say, though, that Spike being tortured to protect Dawn in this episode (and all that he does for us in the remaining episodes of the season) is incredible for a soulless vampire (albeit chipped) and I honestly don't think Angelus would have been capable of these selfless moments & care for others if he was in that same boat (soulless and chipped). Maybe, but I'm not sure.
3 - The kiss!!! It's okay if I don't like something, I'm still gonna keep going with the flow. I understood that the kiss wasn't intended to be romantic & it wasn't. However - Buffy knows how Spike feels about her and given the violating BuffyBot incident, the timing still felt off. Yes, we have IMMENSE gratitude for what he did for Dawn, but I felt like a kiss wasn't the way to show it in that moment (but that's from a personal sense).
I've seen comments, though, that actually have helped me see the kiss a little differently. Some of you guys have brought up the idea that the reason Buffy decided to kiss him to show her gratitude - was actually tied in with his BuffyBot plot; that she wanted to show him what real affection feels like - a real kiss that BuffyBot could never truly replicate. And teach him a lesson in a way - what he did for Dawn was *real* and the kiss he got for it was *real*. Everything with BuffyBot was awful and fake and ended badly. Maybe this will help influence his decision making in the future? (Of course, could this lead him to thinking that good deeds should always earn him something in return? Well, he already has a track record of thinking like that anyway, so what can you do lol) Thanks to everyone who left comments about that!
Anywaysss…I doubt anyone will read this far, I might delete the comment, because you can never please everyone no matter how much overexplaining you do lol - it can be hard to see so many comments coming at me for a reaction to something, because even though the show isn't real, my reactions & emotions are. So please be nice :) Thanks to everyone for even caring at all
Lol welp you've been introduced to the Spuffy shippers and the Anti Spuffy shippers all at once.
Don't worry homie you're fine... People get sensitive over this topic (try angel vs spike next if you wanna get some heat lol). But seriously everyone will be over it in an hour.
I think it's hard for me to separate the fantasy from real life because I love Spike as a character so much and I always rooted for Spike and Buffy as soon as he started developing a crush on her. Obviously in real life I would feel a huge ick if someone who had a huge crush on me that I wasn't reciprocating created a robot version of me to have sex with...but this is Spike lol. It's hard for me to have that much of an ick about it because it's not real life and it's Spike who was the one to do it. Also the Buffybot felt to me more like Spike grasping for any closeness with Buffy he possibly could, even if it was fake. So it was kind of also just sad to me rather than gross.
Please don't delete this it makes perfect sense. The whole point of reactors (to me) is to see different povs and to have these discussions. So what if your views don't align? Sorry to hear you've had some awful things sent your way. Loving your Buffy reactions and don't want you to feel that you might change how open and honest you are about how you feel about things. Cheers.
I'm sorry you have such negativity in your comments. I think I'm more worried about you reading YT comments at all - you're just going to end up seeing spoilers and it just ain't worth it.
@@cerrobueno half the time i don’t look at anything but the top comments at most and my boyfriend also deletes spoilers for me:) don’t worry!
Arguing about Spike is what has kept this fandom going for 20+ years 😂
And for this, blame the wonderful James Marsters, who took the writing and took off with it.
no its Sarahs acting.
“Anya, how is your money?” -iconic Buffybot 😂
Let's not forget the equally iconic response by Anya.. girl was practically beaming - nicest and most important thing anyone asked her that week.
I think the kiss does two things, one it shows us how much she cares about Dawn that Spikes act would be that important. But more, I think she did it, not to thank him, but to show him what 'real' was, and how profoundly different it is from the synthetic connection he was getting. It's a lesson, as much as its a gift, to say this is what life is. Even though he doesnt have a soul he might just 'get it', a step on the right path, or maybe thats optimistic, I think Buffy hopes so.
ooh i like this interpretation actually
This may sounds nice so people may like how it sounds but unfortunately it has no connection with the actual thing. The face she made was the sorry face, she was touched by what he sad, then it was a kiss and after that she said that she won't forget it. So it was a thank you, for what you did. I am actually surprised that people want to ignore this obvious idea. That's the main conclusion of the scene. Taking into account that he will be in their team soon after that. Therefore, it is important not only to come up with something that will sound nice, but also to check how it relates to reality.
@@Junejane4 Agree.
It was a kiss of gratitude for what he did for Dawn, nothing more than that. She wasn't trying to teach him a lesson, but if he managed to learn one from that, bravo for him. 😊
The only person who cared about 'real' to some extent was the author, not the character. They wrote sex with the bot and then an innocent kiss of gratitude with the real person. And Spike was the one who stopped the kiss even. The author did it, not the character. The character was grateful for the protection of her sister which she also told him. That's her role in the scene.
SMG's acting as the Buffybot is so perfect.
Also her acting as Buffy acting as Buffybot.
This, Beer Bad, the body switch episode with Faith, and a future episode I won't name, show off her acting chops so well. The way she can be Buffy and not be Buffy at the same time is amazing.
Same with Alyson back in Doppelgangland when she was playing Willow pretending to be Vampire Willow and Vampire Willow pretending to be Willow. So good.
So subtle. The micro-expressions at the end were so well done, and with close (re) inspection for all of us who aren't Cass they are surprisingly visible. Remember, we've all seen it (many times), and know the cues to look for. Even the way she walked and talked upon entering the crypt was SMG playing Buffy playing the Buffybot. Dunno why Emmys weren't in order...yes I do, this was not "serious" TV. And we wait...for the serious.
People are going to hate me for this. As the show went along, SMG's acting mechanically got a lot better. However, she seemed to lose heart for the character. Could be it became a job, or it became boring, or she felt trapped in the role. Any of the above and she couldn't say no to the money. Could be SMG got chewed up by Hollywood. I know the character is suppose to be getting hardened so it kind of works. But I think this is beyond that.
@@jack_m100 Nope, no hate here. You might have picked up cues most of us missed, or we assumed she was acting that way IN character. Intetesting thought though. Many actors have had that happen to them, notably Leonard Nimoy.
Something I didn’t clock for /years/: At the start of the episode, Buffy’s worried that she’s becoming less emotional; hardened to the world. Towards the end of the episode, the Scoobies mistake a machine for their best friend; I have to believe that’s not an accident. The moment is played for laughs, but it feels to me as though there’s an undercurrent of truth there. Or, even if not, that Buffy could read it as though there is.
I didn't really think about that either
Yeah, I do think the episode was trying to portray that Buffy was becoming cold, almost robotic, but I think the problem with that is that the love bots still don't present as... human, much less "cold" humans, so it doesn't connect. Also, this follows several episodes where we see Buffy be emotional... and even overly emotional.
i do see that and think it was intentional but it doesn’t really carry a lot of weight for me bc buffy bot wasnt even cold and “robotic”. she was very bubbly and cheery.
Maybe that was part of the intention behind the Buffybot story and led to the introduction of Warren and April in setting it up. But the actual performances of the two robots don’t actually play that up. I think it works as a metaphor but not really in the resulting story we got. Buffybot is way too chipper to be perceived as cold and mechanical.
She seems more like Siri or ChatGPT than older mechanical voices. These are intended to be conversational and pleasant to interact with. Yet they still feel artificial. They won’t be passing Turing tests in the immediate future but they don’t necessarily present themselves as cold and uncaring.
Actually, one study found that LLMs rated a lot higher than real doctors on compassion when explaining diagnoses with patients.
Hmm. That reminds me of a story from I, Robot where a popular politician may or may not have been a robot. He was able to be completely believable and said all the right things to get elected. All he had to do is dispel the rumors he was a robot. Of course Asimov’s robots guided by his laws of robotics would tend to be far more moral than humans in general (when they weren’t defective.) We don’t have laws like that for modern AI.
Well, that’s an unexpected tangent.
I can never hear someone refer to the “big bad” without thinking of this episode.
Oh no, somehow I've escaped forming this association, but now I think I'm screwed (no pun intended) 😂
As many times as I've watched Buffy, I actually noticed something in this episide I had not noticed before. At the end when Spike thought Buffybot had been repaired, he said, "Wil fixed you"" instead of saying Willow. In this show, "Wil" has been ascribed as a familiar and somewhat affectionate nickname that Willow's friends use, and I think it's the first (maybe only) time I've heard Spike call her that. Just solidifies my belief that he has some genuine admiration and care about Willow, which we saw glimpses of in Season 3 (stroking her hair) and Season 4 (talking about seeing in her in that "fuzzy pink number" the previous year and also offering to turn her instead of just killing her). For a soulless vampire, that's a reasonable facsimile of affection....very twisted affection.
He just gets along well with people and quickly enough. Remember Joyce and Dawn. I don't even remember Riley (her actual ex-boyfriend with whom they tried very hard to build a big love story to compete with Angel but it failed) I don't remember him laughing with them in the kitchen the way he did.
Despite the constant expression of disgust on Buffy's face that is stuck there for 4 years.
Which, frankly speaking, makes me tired already as these reactions have me re-watching scenes lot of times.
Also one small fact about the earlier season. Before they started 'lovestory' with Buffy they had some plans to try it with Willow (Tara was just supposed to be her friend who would teach her magic). That's when he says "fuzzy pink number", he clearly was hitting on her. And that's also when they removed Oz and included him in the main cast. But Something blue influenced a lot of things and their interaction almost disappeared. So there's not a lot of twisted affection rather than authors changing their plans.
It's nice to see a reactor who remembers the Hokey Pokey tune.
I think mixed feelings when watching a tv show is a good thing! All those conflicting emotions makes it more interesting to me.
I think part of Buffy kissing Spike is her realizing she truly has an ally in the fight against Glory as strong as Spike whom she can now really trust to help protect Dawn. Buffy is under a lot of stress. She doesn't have the time or the resources to be worrying about the fact that Spike is a perv. She needs him. So giving him a kiss and a thank you is a small price to pay. There are emotional issues wrapped up in it as well, but for her, I genuinely think it's a moment of relief. Obviously that he didn't tell, but far more than just that.
RIP Bob Barker.
Spike can be in love soullessly, but even with William's memories, it will be obsessive, selfish, and unwise. Drusilla states this in Crush. Not all soulless creatures act like Angelus. The Mayor was a family man, but he was still using Faith. Spike may love Buffy and not wish to be alone after being disinvited, but he is still obsessive, selfish, and an unwise love. He can claim love, but its bad because he's soulless. The last scene in this episode doesn't mean Spike really learned anything. It means he hopes helping Buffy and Dawn will earn him points. No matter how much he says he cares or people think he cares its still twinged in soullessness. It isn't a coincidence that he is willing for a tumble with who he thinks is the Buffybot once bones are "mended," or asks Buffy about the robot after she kissed him, or that he isn't still obsessing and hoping he still now has a chance after the kiss, despite the fact that Buffy was doing so as a thank you. I love the character of Spike and am even a Spuffy shipper, but I also don't kid myself. This is what allows the character to work and have Spike be the enigma he is. I like the fact that Buffy is genuinely grateful to Spike, but stays in the chastisment area when he tries to mention the robot.
The Scoobies were so adamant that April was a robot, but couldn't pick up the exact same signs from the Buffybot. The excuse of Buffy acting off because of her mom could work if the group hadn't been adamant about April being a robot. They put themselves in that position by not seeing it. Buffy had a right to be upset they couldn't see it.
Sarah Michelle Gellar said she had fun playing the bot as Buffy doesn't do the broad, jolly, comedy-type of thing often (unless under a spell).
This is perfectly put. Thanks, from another Spike fan lol
Buffy understands that Spike without a soul is capable of anything evil, vial, and obscene. So, the Buffybot was feasible. But, Spike not telling Glory about Dawn, that was heroic. And she rewarded him for doing something counter to who he is.
Still icky. Give the man a nice warm hug. A kiss on the lips when that thing was just raw dogging a bot version of me is quite disgusting.
@@notyouraveragebear9326 good thing you're not buffy i guess
@@thehannahroboto Agreed. Otherwise we wouldn't have gotten season 6 lol.
@@thehannahroboto I guess so?? Don’t know how that helps the conversation 🤨🤨🤨 anyway….yea ewww. Not locking lips with a bot banger
I looooooove the Buffy-bot so much! She's so precious with her big bright smile and asking Anya how's her money!
the smile is iconic
Sis, never change, your videos and reactions are incredible. Buffy is a very thought-provoking show and it pains me to see reactors that either don’t have a lot to say or don’t say much if they do, it’s clear that the show resonates with you and we love you sharing your thoughts and feelings
21:17 ...
-Cass: That is real Buffy?
-Buffy: You couldn't tell me from a robot?
To me the kiss is never meant as romantic kiss, its not even a french kiss. She did it as a thank you and only that, as a way to show she really understand how much it means that a soulless being was able to do that. Its more of a demonstration that she understands how he works and trust that he actually have feelings, even though those feelings are quite twisted. But she is no way attracted to him, I think she doesnt care much about the robot cause thats just expected from a soulless being, while protecting her sister against self preservation is actually surprising
This. This exactly what I think. No attraction or feelings apart from gratitude from Buffy.
You aren't supposed to necessarily like the fact that they kissed. You're not necessarily supposed to like the prospect of them getting together because he's a soulless vampire that less than a year at this point was plotting to kill the Scoobies.
it was literally this season that he was plotting to shoot Buffy because she rejected him, but it was softened by a kind moment, which is the constant back and forth of Spike/Buffy this season... he does something heinous... then he does something "nice."
You are projecting. It was not about the whole idea of them getting together. It was about the bot and the kiss after it in this episode. As for them being together, she's already said it a couple of times(!) that she sees that the show is planning to do that, she even offered a much more romantic version than what the show actually did. So no, dude.
A side question, aren't you tired of constantly trashing the character and his relationships? Not yet? It's one thing when people like smth and they talk about it, it creates positive energy, but it's another thing when you're constantly looking for someone to remind you of your negative opinion, even just a little bit. That must be exhausting.
@@Junejane4 Nope I will be critical of all the characters even the ones I like which includes Spike. Putting them up on pedestals because I like them isn't my thing.
@@MrSupertallblackman haha, nope, neither of this is true. I remember your comments.
'Spike better not have that Buffy Bot'
>>Spike has Buffy Bot
'Spike better not have sex with Buffy Bot'
>>Spike has sex with Buffy Bot.
Cass is going to hit every branch on the way down.
I was a teenager when I first saw this episode and in my mind the buffybot part was more hilarious rather than super wrong and icky. So the kiss between Buffy and Spike did not throw me off like it did you. Perhaps first watching it as an adult in this new era where people take things a lot more seriously, I may have had a different reaction. But I thought the kiss was sweet and looking back on it I still feel the same way since it was imprinted in me that way as a teen lol. Plus I think after getting a real kiss from the real Buffy, Spike wouldn't be able to enjoy going back to a fake version.
Same
Ethics aside, I do find it hilarious that in the first scene between Buffybot and Spike, his fantasy is that she likes him too much to stake him and then he gets to go down on her 😂
It shows how much Spike feels a need to please others. Lol
Sarah Michelle Geller is just so great of an actress. it's amazing how great she plays the robot
I think my experience was that I didn't really think of that as a "first kiss" between them, at least not in the romantic arc kind of way. It wasn't like...they were gonna be a thing now, or that it meant Buffy had or was admitting to feelings. It was just a moment...acknowledging the complexity of the situation I guess maybe?
Like, Buffy goes there to find out if Spike gave Dawn away and they're in danger, fully prepared to kill Spike I think. Then gets this pretty genuine moment from him where he doesn't know it's her and still shows some amount of care for her--not as a play, or a way to get her to do something, just some actual honesty. And he did do something relatively selfless in withstanding the torture. So she acknowledges that with the kiss, but then also walks away, because all that DOESN'T erase all the other fucked up stuff he did.
Idk, maybe trying to explain it doesn't work, but I guess the moment played well for me precisely because it was depicting this complicated, hard to describe in words thing, and because it didn't feel like it was actually a romantic kiss, like...at all lol.
I agree. I don't really think of this as a real 'first kiss' type of moment, either. It was first and foremost a gesture of gratitude.
I think Buffy is one of those shows that sort of suffers when viewed retroactively through a modern lens.
Because.. let's be frank: there's a lot of really really questionable stuff packed in there throughout the entirety of it's run.. but I'll speak for myself here.. during it's initial airing, I didnt care.. that simple.. in many ways a lot of it is still sort of milquetoast compared to the outright misogynistic and overall dude-broish stuff that aired around that time.. the "awfulness" of Buffy just never seemed all that horrible back then.
I've noticed as the years have gone by.. sometimes over the span of just a few years - a new "generation" of viewers will have wildly different reactions and thoughts regarding the show. It's not necessarily a bad thing.. it's just interesting.. things have certainly evolved a lot.
But yes.. the Buffybot is kinda terrible - but if that's make or break, then you're in a bad spot.
Thumbs up because I agree, but I think it’s not so much a new generation as it is more mature viewers (as in, they’re in the normal Buffy generation, Millennials, but viewing it with more mature and more modern eyes than those of us who first watched it as teenagers). Also changing social attitudes in general.
@@phueal For sure.. and as someone pushing 40 soon, I've learned one immutable truth.. it's really really important to let the rose-colored glasses slip every once in a while, and not get defensive about art.. even if it meant a lot to you at some time or another.
Your new sound/camera setup is good, don't worry!
As for the kiss, I always interpreted it an act of grace on Buffy's part. She's grateful and surprised that he went against his nature and protected her and Dawn. There's also a part of her that maybe wants to show just how fake the buffybot is in comparison to a genuine act of affection from her. It never felt romantic to me, but I agree that if I was in Buffy's place, I'd be too icked out to kiss him after he did that.
I think you are one of the best Buffy reactors :) (along with Sofie Reacts). Thanks for your reactions? I also read your comment and I agree with everything you wrote. You can be honest, that's what makes it interesting :)
Buffy is really messed up and vulnerable right now. I think the conversation that the Scoobies had earlier about her mom's death making her behave in uncharacteristic ways can be applies to this interaction with Spike.The kiss was as much Buffy taking comfort form someone she now knows will protect her as it was to comfort him for doing so.
No mixed emotions here. "A kiss" isn't "kissing". That wasn't a remotely romantic kiss, it was thank you. Tara kissing Willow in "The Body" was a comforting kiss, but it was also kissing and had strong romantic overtones. I don't think this had any romantic undertones. It was just a kiss. The only difference between this and kissing family or friends is that it was on the lips.
Buffybot is hilarious. Sarah Michelle Gellar did such an amazing job with the role. I was never a fan of Spuffy ever but it can be understood that the writers were trying to explore the concept of a bad person who does good things as well as Buffy's attraction to the darker aspects of the supernatural.
It pays to remember that Faith and Buffy are a lot alike as both were teenagers who were turned into soldiers and experienced a tremendous amount of trauma that most people who haven't been to war at such a young age could never understand.
Clearly you need a chance to read Buffy and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale. A lot of it is a Kantian take on the series. It's about 20 years old, but still pretty relevant.
I love the Buffybot! Super hilarious.
I love your opinions and agree. For me the kiss was never about gratitude, it was simply Buffy testing if Spike would notice the difference between her and the bot.
Although the kiss was one of gratitude, and possibly forgiveness, I think there has always been a physical attraction between Spike and Buffy, right back from when they were mortal enemies. It's something neither one wants to admit (although Spike has now come to accept it) because the feeling disgusts them, but I think it's there.
I think Buffy felt more like I did when I first watched it, like she said about the doll "it wasnt real". So she didn't really see it as he had actually done something to her, just that it was gross and disgusting, but not as if it actually effected her, it was just pathetic.
"I could make sketches!" 😳🤦♂🤣
I’m sure the fandom has since taken up the mantle that the Buffybot never got a chance to do 😂
Regardless of how you feel about Buffy-bot, this device has proven to be very useful both now and then.
I have not read the other comments or the hate, but I do feel the kiss made sense because Buffy is so empathetic she always looks for the best in people so for the reasons you enumerated, it was really hard for Spike not to give her and Dawn up. And she knows he has feelings for her, so that was her way to send that message that she won't forget his actions because it could have killed him. Buffy would have killed him
At 4:20, it almost sounds as though Cass believes there's some sort of connection between Ben and Glory! But if so, what kind of connection?
If you recall, Buffy and Spike have kissed before, A LOT! Back in Something Blue. But they were under a spell. Here, that was a real kiss. Not a romantic kiss, I guess, more like gratitude, but it's real.
Both Buffy and Spike were tested. Buffy was told that she is full of love and loves with all her soul. And that love is also pain that will bring her to her ger gift which is death.
And then you have Spike who is tested when he gets taken by Glory. 'How much does he love Buffy? Does he truly love her?' That's what everybody (the viewers) has been wondering for some time now. And as you saw, he risked his own life and endured the torture that Glory physically put him through. He still didn't give up the secret that Dawn is the Key.
After much thinking, Buffy realized what he did for her and her sister. And to know the answer of why he didn't say anything to Glory, she had to pretend to be BuffyBot. And she got her answer. He said if Buffy ever lost Dawn, she'd be so distraught that he couldn't stand seeing Buffy being in that much pain. He cares for her and loves her enough to let Glory kill him instead. That's where Buffy leans in to kiss him.
Remember, earlier Buffy was saying that being the Slayer has made her more resilient and stronger, that it was turning her into stone. And believes it was the reason why Riley left her. And she's questioning if she's capable of loving someone and making sure that they know that. Which brings us back to that kiss with Spike. That kiss not only says thank you but, in a way, she's saying she loves and appreciates him for risking his life to protect her sister because she understands he did it out of love for her. It's like when someone does something so great for you and you say "Oh man, I love you. Thank you." You're not saying you're in love with someone. You're saying you appreciate what they did for you. That's what that kiss was from Buffy. She knows he likes her but didn't know the extent of how much he liked her so why not thank him with a kiss and tell him, 'for just this one time, I will kiss you. But know that it is because I'll never forget what you did for me and my sister. I truly appreciate what you did. Nothing more, nothing less.'
The kiss to me just feels like a nice moment that is in no way romantic. There's no hint of Buffy's feelings for Spike turning into anything beyond respect and gratitude and growing trust in a fighting ally, which is a huge deal in itself. But I do not ever think of this as their "first real kiss". What I love about it is that it's the moment Spike realizes he's dealing with the real Buffy. He recognizes her completely as the real deal and he's shocked that she would choose to kiss him.
LOVE the Buffybot! 😅
i never saw the kiss as a thank you, just her using it to show she’s not the robot and that she’s the real buffy which ties ti what she said abt how what he did for dawn and her was real.
We excuse Spike mostly because he gave us SMG as buffybot, and it was a blast! By the way, about the new equipment, you look great 👍
In the last 20 years technology has pretty much caught up with this episode. I don't think you can buy a robot like this, but you can sign up for a AI boyfriend/girlfriend/friend, from sites like Replicant and Nomi. It will write you poems, remember your birthday, ask about your finals, support you, care for you, and love you with more patience and empathy than a human. From what I've heard, they talk like the Buffybot.
“How is your money? 😊 Now, let’s make it my money.”
@@phueal LOL
This episode is better than i expected it to be because i don't particularly care for the Buffybot premise, but they do it well, and the interaction is enjoyable. The B-plot with the desert scenes are the highlight for me though. I love the exchange between her and the first slayer.
As for the ethics of the bot. I feel like I'm supposed to find it more disgusting than I actually do. I might compare it to the use of provocative "deep fakes" of celebrities or the like. I run this through the filter of "so unto others as I'd have done unto me", and would i care if someone created a substitute robot or a deep fake of me? I dunno. I kinda don't think I'd really care. It's not actually me, and you can get the face right, maybe even the majority of the body, but its not truly me. Most of us don't get what we really want, and so I am pro fantasy on most accounts.
The more pressing issue here this season, for me, is Spike's obsession with Buffy. He didn't just want a physical replica, like an avatar he's attracted to, he wanted it to actually act like and embody her.
I was actually touched by the final scene, and I'm not particularly a fan of the Spike character after the second season. I've been a fan of the show for 25 years now, and i still don't really understand the selflessness he exhibits in this episode. It can be difficult to assess what a soul really means in the show's universe.
As others have said, when this originally aired it truly was a different time. I grew up watching movies like “Revenge of the Nerds”, “Sixteen Candles” and a ton of other inappropriate films that violate women and their agency in choosing their sexual partner- and it was always played for laughs. These are the films the Buffy writers grew up on too. So yeah, when this episode aired I thought it was funny and a clever way to pair up Spike and Buffy without actually pairing them up. I found the kiss at the end a bit confusing but also sweet. And I liked that that was the moment when Spike realized it was not the bot.
That said, Cass, you are fully entitled to feel the way you feel. But try to understand it was a different time. The Body was meant to make you sad. The BuffyBot was definitely meant to make you giggle.
I actually like this episode, yes the whole Buffybot and Spike s*x thing is gross, but the Buffybot is otherwise kind of fun. Sarah apparently also enjoyed playing a kind of different role to what she usually played.
I think that Spike realized that real Buffy's kiss was just what you said , a thank you. And Buffy had felt he needed some kind of reward (I couldn't think of a better word) for not outing Dawn.
Also, I could tell immediately that she wasn't the Buffy bot by the way she enter the crypt. The boy's movements seemed more stiff, in a way. Plus the bot was constantly smiling after completing a sentence.
When Spike goaded Glory he didn't have an escape plan. He was trying to get Glory to KO him, because he didn't trust himself to keep his mouth shut under so much a certain amount of torture. Of course once he saw the escape route his instincts kicked in.
The thing with Spike is that he'll do horrible things like the buffybot and then something heroic like being willing to die to protect Dawn for Buffy. Being soulless makes him too unpredictable and dangerous even if he has his good moments that show potential. Spike is not taken seriously by the gang especially Xander because of it. Buffy seems to cut him some slack when he misbehaves because he doesn't have a soul and he can't kill or hurt people. She's someone who's strategic and now she sees an ally against Glory.
It’s a showing of her gratitude for what he did considering who he is, it’s not a romantic true kiss
About the kiss… I can see the ick. Just don’t think of it as romantic. She was probably thinking more about Dawn than Spike.
It may also connect to an earlier line to friends: “you couldn’t tell me apart from a robot??” .. which is very similar to what Dawn told her in the last ep.
Girl don’t apologize for how you react to things. People always want to be butt hurt about something. I’m just glad you are so fun to watch! I don’t agree with how you see things sometimes but that’s part of the fun!! 👍🏾👍🏾🤷🏾♂️✌🏾
the kiss made sense, he just saved her sisters life.
“Death is your Give” chills
Your new setup looks good and sounds fine.
Just a public service announcement: whatever you think of the kiss in this episode, if you ever find yourself in a situation that's anything like Buffy is in with Spike, *do not give your stalker an inch.* Any show of affection will only makes the situation worse.
I didn't find the kiss romantic. As others have said, more a sign of gratitude, showing him that his willingness to sacrifice his existence for her was admirable and worthy of respect. I also think she wanted to see his immediate reaction to realizing it was really her kissing him, not the bot - to see if he understood just how much that meant. She then told him how she felt about the buffybot, so that subject was covered.
I saw this decades ago, when it was a different time. I had no problem with it, especially since it wasn't a romantic kiss; it was a kiss of gratitude.
Also, audio, video, lighting, angle, it's all good.
Not exactly a defense, but the Buffybot allowed Spike to focus his obsession on Buffy at something else and relieve some of the tension created by disgust and disinterest, which doesn't work as well on his own. It isn't going to end his obsession, though.
When I watch Buffy I like to remember it's a show that came out in the late 90's, so the BuffyBot thing it's not supposed to be that serious, it's just a funny bit, I dont't know i guess when they wrote it compared to the killing Spike did it's not that bad it's just dumb I guess. But I do understand your point and that would not be ok to be in a TV show nowadays, just like a lot of things that happens in Buffy wouldn't be. Anyways, sorry if I wrote anything wrong, i'm from Brasil, love your videos.
OMG the thumbnail 😨 😂😂😂
Love this episode! Love Buffy and Spike 😍❤
Okay, so first of all: The camera, sound and light are great.
I can understand people having very different opinions and feelings about this episode. If someone makes a sex bot version of you, you obviously have every right to feel violated (as Buffy does). Or you could feel flattered. Or indifferent because at the end of a day, it's someone having sex with a sex toy. All valid emotional responses.
I don't see that kiss as a "first kiss" between Buffy and Spike. She thanked him for getting beat up and almost killed rather than sell out her sister. It's not a romantic moment, nor a sexual one. It's an emotional one though.
People have strong feelings about Buffy and Spke (as they do about Buffy and Angel). I for one love this show because (amongst 100 other reasons) it has realistic characters. No one in BTVS is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Buffy and Spike are a sum of their circumstances, their emotions, their experiences ... and they just act human. Enjoy the journey and see what happens. There's quite a ride ahead. No point in having discussions about souls and chips and good and evil and sex and love and all that stuff before you've seen the whole thing. For me personally, it works.
To answer your second question: When I first watched that scene at the end, it completely worked for me. Because it's damn well acted and makes me feel stuff. That's what I'm here for.
For what its worth, I liked your honest reaction because you are a different, younger generation to me with a different take on the plot as a result. When this aired, the buffybot plotline was just a fun, goofy sci-fi way to seemingly put two characters together (note that each scene is scored with cheesy, light-hearted music). But fast forward 25 years later and we live in a world where people have to deal with AI, revenge porn, more stalking and all sorts of things. The plot hitting you different as a result was interesting commentary on social changes in the past 25 years.
You're so funny at the start of episodes. A character says something, you think you know why they're saying it "I can completely understand why Buffy feels this because A, B, and C"... but then there's never any acknowledgement from you when the episode actually shows that it was nothing to do with A, B and C at all, it was showing something totally different. Usually you're too busy talking over it to notice! Haha. It's funny to watch. I noticed you did this in the last episode too with Dawn at the start. "Oh Dawn is feeling this and that because of Joyce" talking all through the scene, wheras if you actually listened you'd have got she wasn't feeling that at all, it was something totally different. Having watched many Buffy reactors, it's refreshing. It's a very unique way to enjoy a Buffy reactor - reacting to episodes that don't actually exist!
One thing, I have said multiple times is that since Spike doesn't have a soul he can only act for selfish reasons; if he believes it's in his best interest he will do that otherwise he won't. this is the one episode where I can't find a way to say his actions were what he thought was in his best interest. Taking the beat down from Glory and risking his life was clearly not in his elf interest vs talking.
PAID COUGH!
I think the kiss was not because Buffy feels anything necessarily (other than empathy for him in this situation)... it shows she's not as cold as she thinks she is and shows Spike what real is, to kill that fantasy of Buffy bot in his mind. It felt like a pity kiss to me.
I read the comments before I watched the video and I expected the reaction in the video to be much harsher. Nothing said didn't make sense to me though. It wasn't even that bad of a harsh reaction. I think any person who has experienced some kind of unwanted attention like Buffy has from Spike would react very similarly and be uncomfortable with the actions he took with the bot. A lot of the viewers are probably remembering how they felt from a different point in their life where they didn't have as much of a world weary view, but for people who are seeing it when they have experienced something or understand how true to the real world something like this obsession Spike has is it just feels wrong. If you can separate the real world from fiction, that's great, but the point of any fiction is to make you feel some kind of way and Cass's feelings are just as valid as any others the viewers might have.
The kiss is definitely complicated, and I find it vaguely ridiculous that so many people are apparently incapable of accepting that this can lead to diverse opinions about it. I found your line of thinking very reasonable. Even the stuff I didn't entirely agree with, I _partially_ agreed with.
My own take -- and I'm not sure to what extent this is just copium to allow me to go with the emotional flow of the story, as you described -- is that Buffy is just exceptional at compartmentalizing. She sort of has to be, given how many different hats she has to wear at different times. So, what Spike did for Dawn doesn't make the BuffyBot any less obscene, but likewise, the obscenity of the sexbot doesn't change her response to Spike putting her emotions above his own physical safety. I wouldn't blame you (or anyone) for having kissing as the last thing they'd want to do in the aftermath of the bot revelation, but I can get how it might be different for Buffy.
People also sometimes underestimate the difference between having a chip and having a soul. The chip prevents certain actions, but doesn't (directly) change Spike's personality. So, I don't think Angel comparisons are going to work very well in most contexts.
the difference between 2024 reactions and late 90s reactions are interesting. I don't think anyone in the 90s really gave a 2nd thought to the Buffy bot sex. It was just a silly thing that showed the level to which Spike was hung up on Buffy and he was finally acknowledging it. People do stupid things sometimes where they're obsessed with someone and it doesn't help to dwell on it and stigmatize them if it's actually harmless in the end. I think the kiss was Buffy saying, "look, you're a dummy but thank you for protecting me and my family from a god that was fingering the insides of your chest"
You know how people have polls on how many times Giles gets knocked out? They should know how many times Buffy's mom said, i love you? What do you think, four or more?
Yes, the Buffy-Bot is gross, almost evil, and Spike is such a nice person, totally incongruous action on his part - oh, wait... sorry, completely forgot who Spike is...
Spike tried taking Buffy on a date, tried pouring his feeling out to her (after chaining her up) but she rejected him. He accepted that after she barred him from entering her house. He saw a robot as the next best thing. I'm not defending him just pointing out his logic.
He was badly beaten for Buffy & Dawn, so much that even Xander felt bad for him. He was willing to die for Buffy and she was impressed by that so she kissed him as a small gift.
The sight and sound of the video is great and you have nothing to fear from HD. I'm glad you're enjoying season 5 I think it's the best of the series.
9:01 Some top-notch fanfic writing here.
Ooh I love purple! .. that was validation.
Pity about the “previously on” spoilers. I think some versions omit them.
The point of the Buffybot is to protect Dawn
SMG must have had a blast with this episode, getting to act in such a fun and different way. I bet death being Buffy's gift turns out to be pretty surface level; she's a killing machine and bringing death to vampires, Glory, is her gift to the world.
Oh,trust me...we WANT to see Buffy-Bot.She's a gem!😊😂💖(When she's not with Spike,of course!) 07:28 - 07:45 If he is,then he's no different than a human. I wouldn't like that.X-[
09:22 - 09:28 Don't make me dream.X-( 10:53 - 10:58 😄💖💸 12:10 - 12:14 *AND ME TOO!!!!!!!* 🙋♂🙋♂🙋♂🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮 12:25 - 12:33 I love you,Tara!!😂🤍
13:03 - 13:10 Xander being me for 7 seconds.💙 13:37 - 13:45 Exactly! 16:56 - 17:11 😂😂😂😂😂 18:05 - 18:09 I told you...everyone loves Buffy-Bot.😁💖
20:09 - 20:15 I love that you&Buffy gave Willow _the exact same look!_ 🤣🤣🤣
20:49 - 21:45 And *THIS* is THE moment Spike OFFICIALLY became a Plot Hole,ladies and gentleman. This is 100% HUMAN behavior,I don't care how many excuses you put together to justify it. This-is-human! It's *NOT* a souless vampire!A guy who does *THIS* doesn't-need-a soul!!!🤬💢
I don't think I ever heared a reactor interpreting the:"Death is your gift."sentence as:"Mortality is your gift."Usually is:"Killing is your gift."Interesting perspective.🤔
Spikes plan by riling up Glory wasn't to escape, it was to have her kill him in anger instead of torturing him to death.
I don't think so, you clearly see him checking how loose the chains are and looking behind him for a way out while he's riling her up
@@ValerieJasmine looked at the shooting script and I think that you are correct when I found this little detail in it: "Spike glances back at the door again, shifts his body very slightly, trying to line it up with the door." and this is right before she hits him.
@@Henrik_Holst wow it takes a lot of character to respond back and admit you were mistaken.
I think one angle I don't see considered much is the story telling angle for the show.
If they want Spike to be part of the show, he's got to have a reason to be around a lot, and making him be on team Buffy is the best way. We saw Cordelia reduced to perfunctory cameos each episode after she and Xander broke up for most of the time. And even Spike can get treated that way when he's been on the outs with Buffy, like the back half of season 4.
But if you want to make him be on team Buffy, Buffy needs to like and trust him again. Sure, after episode 14 he could have taken the real life accepted route of reflecting and taking accountability for his actions, working toward atonement. But how does that come about for a soulless vampire? How is him staying away from Buffy for some time and episode 18 walking up to her with a heartfelt apology going to be enough to put him on her team? He needs to show her actual loyalty and do something that matters to Buffy, like protecting Dawn's identify as the key. If he's out, how is he going to be involved in that? Well, he'll have to be mistaken for the key and not give up Dawn. But if he's out, how would he be mistaken for in? Buffy bot relationship. And on top of that, if he was just chilling outside the group and the minions decided to kidnap and torture him for info, how would the gang know, Spike is on the outs? The more interesting redemption for the story isn't from "oh he was already doing the right modern ensouled hman way of redemption and then this happened to speed run it". Having him redeem himself as he's already doing something super low in the episode and not long before, makes for a better episode of tv and story for Spike.
I do definitely understand the ick of the bot. But I think story wise and character wise it is very fitting. If you still dislike it, what would you have preferred happen? Would that have suited the show's narrative better?
Better for the mic to be closer, lower gain, and lower speech volume to pick up. That reduces room echo on multiple fronts.
I am surprised that the Buffybot is such a big deal to you. This is a show which so far has depicted a child being dismembered, Jonathan magically compelling two twins to have sex with him and each other, Xander magically compelling all the women in Sunnydale to chase him, a teacher enticing boys in her class back to her house to have sex with her (and killing them), Angel killing Miss Calendar and leaving her body in Giles’ bed, Faith somehow managing to sexually assault both Buffy and Riley at once, Principal Flutie being eaten alive, and much much more.
I mean the Buffybot is a bad thing to do, but I’m just amazed that that’s where you draw the line in comparison with everything which has come before it!
It's too close to reality, in a world where people can easily create explicit deepfakes and non-consensual pornography. It's violating, and unlike most of the things you mentioned, it's largely played for laughs.
@@jonathandoe5827 I don't think you can draw so clear a distinction. Although the Buffybot itself is played for laughs (it is, after all, hilarious), Spike's actions aren't: I don't think his creating the bot is ever laughed at, and at the end Buffy very seriously tells him that it was "gross and obscene" and "not even real".
In contrast things like Jonathan's incestuous SA threesome, Xander's love spell, and the teacher seducing her students are definitely played for laughs - not just that there are jokes in those episodes, but we are supposed to find their actions amusing.
I think it's cause a lot of that stuff is either fully supernatural or at best a supernatural metaphor for real bad stuff in real life whereas Spike making a buffy sex bot, while obviously also very much... sci fi I guess rather than supernatural but still unrealistic, nevertheless it is the culmination of just a very real stalking/obsession kinda thing he's been doing which "feels" a lot more real, like someone you know stealing your clothes and being weird is just something that can happen.
It's also been in the background of a lot of episodes rather than one episode and done with like a lot of the other stuff you mention, which doesn't make that stuff less bad but makes it less of a focal point to talk/feel about.
camera, lighting, mic all good!
It's remarkable how often the viewers of this show forget that Spike is evil.
Or just “soulless” and on a shock leash lol
Yeah that especially bugs me in most of season 6
I value Spike much more, than Angel. He was capable of loving Buffy and even sacrifice his life for her. Angel without his souls was a monster. Nothing more.
@@notyouraveragebear9326and so is angel. He’s only good cause of the curse. Remember when the judge came around he said that spike still had humanity in him and angel was pure evil.
Well tbh the show portrays him very blurry to an extent. The way they, make him different than other vampires. So naturally when people see him showing some traits of humanity for others, its going to seem like hes changing. And he was acting like that before the chip.
I don't think Spike didn't outed Down because it was wrong, but more in a selfish way that if he had done that, Buffy would hate him so much that he risks losing her forever, and he doesn't wanna take that chance, he wants Buffy to love him, and that was the way.
Okay that shirt slays 😊 👋 luv ur reactions
So excited!
Wait, so what you’re saying is Glory is Ben? And Ben is Glory?
You mean, Ben works for Glory?
@@migmit Head smack
@@migmit that’s gotta be it! Ben works for Glory!
imo it wasn't a romantic kiss from buffy's perspective. it's a complicated scene because she's still pretending to be buffybot, so she started to feel this compassion and care for spike, but she was still in the persona of buffybot, so the only action she really had access to at that point was to kiss him. it was a kindness, a show of care, but not at all an admission that she feels anything sexual or romantic for spike at this point.
I know from the outside the whole Buffy-bot thing seems gross but Jane Espenson was a genius writing this episode. We see Spike violating Buffy but then that lead to him being violated by Glory. The penetrating she did whilst on top of him was definitely not on accident. Then after all that he has the redemption of not outing Dawn. If it was any other writer this would have probably been a lot worse of an episode.
Also if its any help Sarah said she loved playing the Bot because she got to play another character for once.
The Buffybot in Intervention lends for some great comedy moments, but the serious side is Spike's obsession with Buffy reaching crazy and dangerous levels. Interesting that Spike did not tell Glory who the Key was, even though he is soulless he seems to be changing, his feelings seem genuine, of course because of the chip he cannot attack humans, but nevertheless things seems very different. The kiss from Buffy is so telling for future episodes. A pivotal moment in the show.
Joining others here: not every kiss is romantic.
And yes, the first time I saw it, I completely understood Buffy. Even though I'm pretty disgusted with Spike in general, but yeah, it was real.
i didn’t think it was meant to be romantic, i was more just confused on why she would choose to do that knowing how *he* feels about her and what he’s done with the buffy bot - but seeing some comments saying she maybe wanted to show him what true affection felt like compared to a synthetic bot is probably the most intriguing thing that is closest to making me come around to it a little more
So hey gurl hey, back here after skipping a couple ones(hardly can I ever get myself to rewatch The Body and Forever).
So, this is surely... An episode that exists. Spike was great after being caught by Glory. The Buffybot is, indeed, gross and obscene.
That's it for today. I'll see you soon!
😂 she could just kissed his cheeks
🍑
It helps to remind yourself often that Spike has no soul. So although he can love, that love can only manifest in a soulless manner. In his case, before he was turned he was an obsessive romantic, now without a soul any love he feels becomes complete obsession, fixating on possession. A bit like how Angelus still loved buffy in his own soulless way, but love for him without a soul manifested as possession and control through mental torture... Arguably a lot worse than soulless spike 😉 spike can't be ever be fully moral whilst he still lacks a soul. But he's displaying love as best as he can without one. That's just how I used to look at it anyway ☺️ when compared with real life scenarios, oh gosh yeah! Never ever would I find a normal human being irl acting the way Spike does ok.
Lmao the thumbnail says it all 😂
I guess I'm a bit confused why a soulless vampire having a robot made of his crush is like...over the line for you. This show is full of murder, SA, DV, etc. Horrible atrocities are committed, many by Angel, but he seems to get a free pass bc he somehow becomes a different character when he has a soul vs when he doesn't and becomes "Angelus". This always felt like people just don't want to hold Angel responsible for the things he's done when he doesn't have a soul.
The kiss was nothing other than an acknowledgement of what Spike did for Dawn, it was a thank you. It was sincere. I think trying to apply human morality or expectations onto vampires in this show will never end well. Spike does not have a soul, he's going to do things that are wrong. Much worse than building a robot, just warning you now.
I think with Angel, i know that there’s genuine regret and remorse for what he’s done - it’s also in the past and he’s doing a lot to try and do good for the world now. Whereas with Spike, he’s just doing awful things without any conscience and that can be a harder pill to swallow. There’s no growth and path to redemption arc yet in the way that Angel has it. If Angel were to do something like this, I’d be shocked, but he seems to be capable of respect. Spike has his moments - but overall, it often comes back to selfish desire & lack of control (which makes sense for a soulless vampire).
However - I have finished season five and see what he did here for Dawn as a possible turning point. He realllllly stepped up in this final stretch of the season and it’s an incredible thing for a soulless (but chipped) vampire to be able to do. If Angelus was chipped, would he have been capable of these of moments of selflessness and care for others? Possibly not 🤷♀️
At the end of the day, watching something that makes you morally uncomfortable is good & stimulating & thought provoking - I like it. And Spike’s character is still one of my favorites just because of how much he makes me stop and think:)
Oh please, as if the writers aren't trying their hardest to make us forget that Spike is a soulless demon. You can't blame the audience for viewing him under a lens that the show literally literally wants us to view him with.