A little less ritual and a little more fun

Episode 2.3: School Hard. Original Airdate 9.29.97

Me and Dru, we're moving in.

"Buffy's mother and friends become trapped inside Sunnydale High School when a vampire named Spike launches an attack against the Slayer."

Daniel's Thoughts:

Miss Edith speaks out of turn. 

• Sheila is chewing gum in the entire opening scene...but I don't think there is any gum in there!  Acting!
• I like Willow in pigtails.
• Welcome to Sunnydale, Season two Spike!
• I love that saying "I was at the Crucifixion" is like a  common vampire boasts.
• Dru is so freaking creepy.  I love it.
• I love the whole moment between Dru & Spike when they're introduced.  The scratch, lick, creepy smile.  It really encapsulates their characters.
• I heard that they didn't originally know where Spike would be from and James Marsters played with a few accents including Southern American.  I'm glad he didn't go with southern. [It was Cajun, I believe. - Z]
• Nice transition: Spike: "Is she tough?" Cut to Buffy combing her hair and saying "ow".  Hee.
• Worst. Mom. Ever.  "We moved once because of YOU!".  Shut up, Joyce.
• "Je Stink" ~ I've used that.
• I love Spike acting like a predator, stalking his prey.  Spike is smart. He studies his prey before he attacks.
• Why is Sheila going home with two gay leather daddies?
• Did I mention that I love Dru?  And I love her creepy dolls.
• I love that Buffy cuts up the cucumbers with a machete.  I did that kind of fake out in a tenth grade film project.  Please note, this was pre-Buffy and therefore, I came up with it first. :)
• Aly Hannigan is great at physical comedy.  I love her face when she tries the lemonade.  Great timing too.
• Spike roaming through the halls of the high school.  This...was when Spike was scary.
• This episode begins the Snyder/Joyce rivalry.  Love it.
• Willow gets a bit vengeful in this episode.  I love how she offers Cordelia the lemonade and also when she tells her to pray for aspirin at the end.  Rowr!
• "You get the hell away from my daughter!" ~ OK, Joyce has somewhat redeemed herself.

Zelda's Thoughts:

"Ask for some Aspirin." <3

• "The Fire Marshall said it could have been mice." // "Mice." // "Mice that were smoking?"
• This is kind of a stupid plan, Snyder. "I know! Let's have the two biggest fuck-ups in school plan a party that is intended to make the school look good for all the parents! This can in no way backfire for my image with the School Board!"
• They're finally giving Willow some supercute quirky fashion and I likes it.
• Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay SPIKE IS HERE AND HE IS AWESOME.
• I remember when I thought combat boots were a good look. That was a strange time.
• I notice the Annoying One's voice doesn't have that weird echoey effect anymore.
• Fun trivia: Spike speaks so slowly in this episode because JM wanted to avoid the obnoxious lisp the vampire teeth give all the vampires (see: VampJesse).
• Oh Drusilla. You're such a complete nutbar. And not annoying about it yet.
• JM YOU ARE SO TALENTED I LOVE YOU. Such quiet menace, and confidence in his ability to tear everyone in the room to pieces, if he felt like it.
• Buffy is wearing her overalls. I thought those were for her depression?
• HAHAHAHA Giles tried to be authoritative by leaning on his fists on the table ... and got red paint all over his knuckles. I never noticed that before. That was awesome.
• Oh Buffy and her ineptness at French.
• Sssssssssssstalker Sssssssssssspike.
• This episode is just so well-crafted. Love the scene in the Bronze.
• Spike tells random dancing fools there's some big guy out there trying to bite someone. And .... they don't even blink. They keep dancing. For they are extras.
• Xander spazzing over the tampon - kind of adorbs.
• Spike does the slow clap. Because he's sassy like that.
• Um....why didn't Buffy just chase down Spike and kill him then? Why did she let Mr. Vague Threat just walk away?
• "Who are you?" "Who do you want me to be?" Spike is ... Julia Roberts?
• "Why do they call it a mace?" I love ya, Willow.
• Cordelia: "Even slaves get minimum wage!" ....No they don't.
• "Cordelia, have some lemonade." XD
• ...It's after nine. Why are there still any parents around at this hour?
• Yeah, Willow, beaning a vamp with a bust. You is awesome.
• And yeah on Buffy being her true hero self and taking charge right away, herding the civilians away from danger.
• Yay! We're in the action movie section of the episode.
• Snyder immediately says the vamps are a gang on PCP, which seems a pretty strong indicator that he knows what's what in Sunnydale. A fact which, unfortunately, is never really borne out.
• "Someone's in the ceiling." eeeeeeeeeeee
• I like Buffy's plan of action - she has to fight the baddies, but makes sure the person she can trust most - Giles - will get her mother out safely.
• Spike is so infuriated at the incompetence of his minions. It's kind of adorable.
• Annnnnnnnnnd Spike mispronounces Angelus and thus ruins the name for all of Season Two.
• I do really like Angel playing at Angelus in this episode. It's a great teaser for what's coming. And nice to see his dynamic with Spike.
• "Undead liar guy."
• Wait, did we not kill VampSheila? She just runs away. [She ran to Jessedom. Never to be seen again. Is that a thing? It should be. - D]
• "You think you can fool me?! You were my sire, man! You were my ... Yoda!" Spike is a nerd.
• "I just like them. They make me feel all manly."
• "The last slayer I killed, she begged for her life." - LIES LIES LIES. Neither Slayer did that.
• I don't understand why they never gel StuntSpike's hair. It makes his stuntstatus very obvious.
• "You get the hell away from my daughter." Hey Daniel, did Joyce win back some points from you? [Yes, as answered above :) - D]
• Oh Angel and your total lack of giving a shit whether Xander lives or dies.
• The police are also in on the vamp/PCP cover story. What is the up?
• I want to call a shenanigan on the fact that Buffy left for home without making sure Willow wasn't dead.
• "That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure." I just ... I love all the lines in this episode.
• Yay Spike coins the name "The Annoying One" for us ... just in time to kill him. Whee! Thanks Spike! We're all very grateful.
• "You should lay down your life!" Spike just looks at him, clearly not giving a teeny tiny crap what he has to say.
• Such an awesome way to kill the kid (and without showing a kid dying on screen).
• "Let's see what's on TV." - nice final line showing us that these are modern vamps we have on our hands.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: "Miss Edith speaks out of turn. She's a bad  example and will have no cakes today." - Dru. She's so creepy and wonderful.

Zelda: "What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?" - Willow. This is one of my favorite moments in the entire series. (close second, because I also use it a lot: "We're hindering.")

90s Factoid:

Those blue school chairs.

Actually, we're just assuming that's a 90s thing. Are those still around? We're old.

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• Spike and Drusilla's first appearance!
• Spike was at Woodstock.
• Spike killed two slayers - one during the Boxer Rebellion.
• Spike loves to brag. 
• Drusilla is batshit crazypants.
• Angel knows Spike!
• First appearance of Miss Edith.
• Dru nearly died in Prague.
• Spike used to be known as William the Bloody, who tortured victims with railroad spikes. He's barely 200, younger than Angel.
• Spike calls Angel his sire. This is later retconned that a "grandsire" can also be called a sire. By that logic, The Master is also his sire.
• The last we will ever see or hear of the Annoying One.

Stats:

Voiceover - Giles

Dead Humans - 5

Dead Undeads - 4

Giles Unconscious - 0

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0

Buffy Breaks a Door - 0

Evil Reveal - 0

Unevil Reveal - 0

Shenanigans Called - 1

Apocalypse Called - 0