Yummy Sushi Pajamas

Episode 4.14: Goodbye Iowa. Original Airdate 2.15.00

"Tension erupts between Buffy and an ailing Riley as they pursue Professor Maggie Walsh's killer."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• "It's raining monsters." // "Hallelujah."
• mmmmm this episode, tone-wise, is already more satisfying than last episode. The sense of doom and fear of all the Scoobies, not knowing why they're suddenly in danger, but feeling it very keenly. Things are very wrong, and we've finally met our official Big Bad. Fucking Adam.
• "What, it was good enough for me, but you're above it all?" // "Precisely."
• Ooops. Riley finally recognized Spike.
• "But he's not bad anymore." // "Hey!"
• Yay Spike giving the thumbs up! One of my favorite gifs.

• Ugh this episode is gooooood. Such good fighting they have. Such well-made arguments.
• Except then there's Fucking Adam and it's less good.
• "What am I?" // "You're a monster." Though I do like his small moment of disappointment. "I thought so."
• It's the oboe of Sad Riley.
• It's actually really cute, Buffy and Anya and Willow all snuggled up in bed.
• "Scenes from my parents' marriage." Way to pull the divorce card, Summers.
• Aw Xander brought the girls breakfast in bed. Also news of a dead boy. Typically Sunnydale breakfast talk.
• This fight between Riley and Forrest, though, is far less compelling than the group fight earlier. Mostly because weaker acting.
• Come now, Forrest. Buffy doesn't stake humans. He really doesn't know what a Slayer is, either.
• Angelman keeps talking about orders from Washington. Do we think DC knew about the Fucking Adam Project, or that they were turning a blind eye, or maybe Walsh and Angelman were just plotting alone?
• Parking lot graveyard! Do a shot!
• Also, swarming on the graveyards with military hummers? Super not covert.
• I'm actually very impressed Spike found a crypt with working electricity.
• Aw man, first Spike loses his groceries, then the rest of his cash, then Forrest breaks his TV. What's an evil demon to do?
• "Maggie's dead. Happy now?" Fuck you, Riley.
• "And then you can stop asking me how happy all this death makes me." Yeah! Fuck you, Riley.
• SPELLS EQUAL LESBIAN LOVE. WE SEE THROUGH YOU, SHOW.
• Aw Willy! We've missed you.
• Hi Riley. You're looking all feverish and confused.
• God, Riley, you're such a racist.
• Hey now. Do not be manhandling our Slayer!
• "Hey, we got new rules here. No killing."
•  I've always wondered if that random woman Riley pulled a gun on was human or demon. If human, why was she in the place in the middle of the afternoon, anyway?

• heh Riley is too tall to lie stretched out on the bed. He must go fetal because he is 8 feet tall.
• I really love that they planted this early on - Tara's fear that she's secretly a demon - and don't even pay off on it til next season. Respect.
• Buffy's wearing disguise glasses. Maybe she'll clean them!
• "I totally get it now. Can I have sex with Riley too?" an appropriate callback to all the double entendre happening last episode.
• Why are they talking so loudly if they want Riley to sleep? Blankets are not actually soundproof walling material.
• MB, not with the great acting.
• ALSO DON'T PUSH OUR WILLOW WHAT THE FUCK RILEY.
• In case we didn't hate Maggie enough before, she's also been drugging all our soldier boys. Fucking Maggie Walsh.
• Wait, getting their meds through their food? Shenanigans! Those boys ate in the dining hall, and they weren't drugging the entire campus. This just seems like a stupid mistake in writing, since we already saw Riley taking his vitametavegamin pills.
• Stockade? Really?
• "I feel an attack of dumb blonde coming on." I loves ya, Buffy.
• Riley *said* "brilliant woman," but I *heard* "burmy woman." I made Daniel rewind the dvd. 
• It occurs to me rewind is now an obsolete term. There's nothing being wound, one way or another. What should we say instead? Reverse thrusters!
• omg the floppy disc drive in Fucking Adam's chest. ... which can apparently hold multiple discs in the same drive, as he never removes his before putting in Riley's disc. Shall we shenanigan that?
• "Oh, Mother created you too." Ugh they're both bad. "Maggie is not my mother. I have a mother." It's bad dialogue, but it's also bad delivery.
• "I cannot be programmed. I'm a man." it's so baaaaaaaaaaaad [A salesman - CowboyRiley]
• Aw the demons all hate Spike now. Poor Spike. He has no friends, no family, no hope. Take that away and what's left?

• "There's gotta be a flaw." // "I think the part where he's pure evil and kills randomly was an oversight."
• Buffy: "He's alone. He has nothing to hold on to." //Daniel: (whispers) "Goodbye Iowa" (30 sec later, delighted) "Yay, Riley with his shirt off."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• And we start right where we left off from last week.
• Spike has a cousin?  That’s still alive?  A vamp cousin?  I mean isn’t that something that should be more than a throw-away line?
• Oh, is that why they call it the secret service, Xander? Also, shut up, Xander.
• Please note that Anya’s only line in that scene was helpful and not at all snarky.  That is all.  Actually…it seems like they just wanted her to say something pre-credits.  I’ll take it.
• Giles’ digs at Spike are amazing.”Oh, it’s good enough for me, but you’re above it?”//”Precisely”
• “He’s not bad anymore.”  Really?  I mean, just because he can’t physically attack someone, doesn’t mean he’s not still evil. [My point exactly. - Spike]
• Yes, Spike – go out into the sunlight with only your jacket to cover you.  The contrivance fairy will figure out a way to get you home safe.
• I mean it really sucks for Riley.  Learning that the organization you’ve been working for/with for years – an organization that you think has been doing good – is really evil.  RILEY IS SYDNEY BRISTOW.

Basically the same person

• And now the Frankenstein comparisons start – beginning with dead kid.  Except, Adam is seemingly intelligent.
• Why didn’t they go to Anya’s apartment/house/wherever-the-hell-she-lives?
• “You really should get yourself a boring boyfriend, like Xander.  But you cant have Xander.” Heh.
• The cartoon channel turned into a the channel that interrupts your broadcast because a little kid was skewered?  Awkward!
• I’m glad the gang is at least all together…even if it is in Xander’s basement.
• I love Riley’s balls poster.  It makes me laugh every time. [Me too. We're 12. - Z]
• Shut up, Forrest.  "Maybe Buffy needed killing?"  What a dick.
• Really Forrest? Only one person can stake someone?  Buffy is the only one in the world who can use a piece of wood as a weapon? Seriously, shut up Forrest.
• So is Riley in charge now?  Does Maggie have a second? What’s the chain of command here?
• Quick! Soldier boys! Attack the parking lot!
• You interrupted Spike watching Passions!
• Oh hey! A location shot!  An actual non-set side-of-the-road shot!
• “Maggie’s dead.  Happy now?”  Really Riley? This is the first time we’ve seen him be a total dick. I don’t like it.  I mean I know he’s all confused and shattered and sad and all that stuff – but come on.
• So why is Willow allowed to leave the basement? Is it suddenly safe now?
• Does that whistle that happens when Willy pronounces an S an actor thing or does he do that on purpose? Inquiring minds.
• Ah, I see. He’s acting like a dick because he’s not taking his meds…
• That old lady demon(?) looks like Frances McDormand

Right??

• Aww, Riley!
• Again with Xander’s soldier knowledge helping…it was one night.
• There are so many demons in Sunnydale, what makes Willow think this will narrow it down?  Does she know which color belongs to which breed?
• So Tara blows this spell on purpose.  It appears here that she does it so that she can spend more time with Willow…but I love how this seemingly harmless act comes full circle a year from now in the season 5 episode, “Family”.
• Did Buffy think that putting her hair in a ponytail and wearing glasses would be enough a disguise?
• Oh Xander – finding any excuse to try to make out with Buffy. YOU HAVE A HOT ANYA AT HOME, XANDER.
• Way to completely explain exactly what Buffy was looking for right in front of Buffy, Dr. Angle.
• Really?  Professor Walsh made him with a floppy disc drive?  When’s he up for an upgrade?  Apple needs to get on this right away.
• Wait! He didn’t eject the other disc before putting this one in!  System reboot! System reboot! 
• Does Adam remind anyone else of that demon in the internet from season 1?
• Forrest has such smooth skin.  Yeah, that’s all I’m writing about this bit.
• That demon looks like a gremlin! It’s a gremlin man!  And he’s wearing leather pants.  Were leather pants really that much of a thing in California in the late 90s/early 2000s? Everyone seems to be wearing them.
• It’s also long skirt season.  This was such a style at the time.

Crossfire!

D: (Starting the episode) "Goodbye Iowa. Aw, Riley."

Z: "Whatever."

Willow: I really like just talking and hanging out with you and stuff.

D & Z look at each other, roll eyes.

Z: And STUFF.

D: Have they...stuffed yet?

• We can't transcribe it, but we just had a big fight about whether Riley is good in this episode or not.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "Maggie tried to kill me." // "It didn't work, but they're all upset anyway." - Buffy/Anya

Daniel: "You really should get yourself a boring boyfriend like Xander.  You can't have Xander." -Anya

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• Recurring: Anya, Adam, Forrest, Graham, Angelman, Tara, Willy the Snitch
• We call yet again on Xander's dubious military memories. Even though it's not like he was in the 'Nam.
• Tara sabotages the demon-finding spell. FOR REASONS WE WON'T FIND OUT TIL NEXT SEASON.

Stats:

Anya's Hair - short, honey-colored

Dead Humans - 3

Dead Undeads - 0

Giles Unconscious - 0

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0

Buffy Breaks a Door - 0

Forrest Breaks a TV - 1

Evil Reveal - 0

Unevil Reveal - 0

Shenanigans Called - 2

Apocalypse Called - 0