Ripper

Episode 2.8: The Dark Age. Original Airdate 11.10.97

"Giles's past comes back to haunt him as a demon he and Ethan Rayne summoned in their wild youth seeks them out in Sunnydale."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• This is another episode I tend to downgrade in its absence. I recognize its importance arc-wise, in terms of Giles's back story, and his relationship with both Jenny and Buffy, but it's not one I'm ever tempted to rewatch just for kicks.
• Giles's whole tirade against Buffy's cardio mix is delightful. "I know music. Music has notes. This is noise!"
• You see, it's irony because they think Giles is the tweediest tweed to ever tweed, but he was a way darker scamp than they will ever be (well, except maybe Willow).
• "Do you want me to answer that, or shall I just glare?"
• Yeah, see, the episode is delightfully funny. I need to stop being miss judgy judge.
• "What? Why does everyone always yell my name? I'm not deaf. And I can take a hint ... what's the hint?"
• Shenanigans! Why would the regular vamps need to raid the hospital for bags of blood? There are walking bags of blood called people everywhere. Only fangless vamps like Angel would need to take advantage of Delivery Day.

• 

  Basically the same person.

• Giles has stubble! AND A TATTOO. And he talks to himself in the mirror. He's basically the Green Goblin.
• "Yeah, you know, you don't see enough abaci!"
• Punching Ethan Rayne is always hilarious and satisfying.
• Cordy took down Ethan Rayne! That was awesome!
• Dude, seriously, Giles looks hot with a bit of stubble.
• "I feel pretty good about it. Does that make me a sociopath?" I haven't used this, but maybe I should. Does that make me a sociopath? 
• "What about me? I care about Giles." It's so cute! Cordy actively wants to join the Scoobies!
• "Be seeing you." Just like Ethan Rayne.
• "Three down, two to go." JUST LIKE DARK WILLOW.
• This is a major humbling episode for Giles/Buffy. He's forced to confront his dark past, and ask Buffy's - a child's - help in dealing with it, and Buffy has to realize that her father figure, who should always know best, has made mistakes - some big ones - and needs her help to fix them. But she steps up and reminds him that it's okay and he can forgive himself.
• "I actually kind of like you, it's just that I like myself a lot more."
• Cordy and Xander are arguing more and more. THAT'S BECAUSE NEXT EPISODE THEY START MAKING OUT.
• Oh look, I'm happy to see Angel! That's so weird. But his little hero moment is awesome. Also, his face is hilarious:

Hey Angel, Why the long face? 

• Shenanigans! If Buffy's so concerned about hiding her tattoo, maybe SHE SHOULDN'T WEAR CAMIS ALL THE TIME.
• Aw. sad Giles. I mean, sad Jenny too, but I'm mostly concerned about sad Giles.
• "The hills are not alive." // "I'm sorry to hear that ... I think."
• "It's not music, it's just meaningless sounds." // "There! Feel better?" // "Yes, thanks." These two, you guys.

Daniel's Thoughts:

• I feel the show should have made use of creepy janitor guy. 
• As badass as Giles’ old gang used to be, I feel they could have dealt with this situation.  
• Plus, it would have been nice to have more people around who knew Giles in his youth. 
• How exactly did Deirdre cross the pond while all possessed and stuff?  Was the whole gang living in the U.S.? [No, I called one in England - Giles]
• Shenanigans! Deirdre’s face was all green and icky but her legs were just fine.
• Based on this episode alone, I so want that Ripper spin-off.
• Who the heck is Amy Yip?  *uses Google* oh.  

• I love when Jenny plays with Giles.  It's so sweet. 
• There are police in Sunnydale?
• I don’t know why morgues in Sunnydale don’t have more security with the amount of vampires and other undeads that come back to life…
• So Xander and Cordelia are the only two students who need help with computers? Really?
• I think Ethan secretly likes being hit by Buffy.
• Aww. Cordelia wants to help!
• It seems like it would have been a lot less risky to use Xander and Cordelia’s idea of getting a dead body, rather than using Angel.  They could have at least cut the dead body’s head off.
• I wonder if this was supposedly the turning point for Jenny in regards to Angel.  He risked his life to save hers.  Because she was undercover All Along.
• It’s nice to see someone (Jenny) actually have long term effects caused by the monster of the week.
• So I have a few comments here that I didn't list as shenanigans but they're things that make for a clunky episode...so many things that make me say "yeah, but why..." I like the idea of this episode, I just think it was poorly executed.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "He probably sat in math class thinking, 'There should be more math. This could be mathier.'" - Buffy

Daniel: "Can you help me with a ticket? It's totally bogus.  It was a one-way street.  I was going one way." - Cordelia

90s Factoid:

Get a cell phone, Buff!

Arc/Continuity Stuff:

• Deidre and Phillip are Giles's old wild youth friends. They dead now. Ethan Rayne lives to taunt us another day.
• Angel comes to the hospital to get blood on Delivery Day.
• Our first time in Giles's apartment. It is lovely.
• GILES HAS A TATTOO.
• Xander's uncle Rory the taxidermist! First mention.
• Our second time using the library cage to imprison someone. Second time that someone broke out. Remind me why they think it's a great place to keep Oz?
• This is when Giles reveals that he did get into the dark magicks when he was in his early 20s, which belies his claim in Witch of never having done magic.

Stats:

Voiceover -GIles

Dead Humans - 1

Dead Undeads - 3

Giles Unconscious - 0, surprisingly

Giles Cleans His Glasses - 0, disappointingly

Buffy Breaks a Door - 0

Evil Reveal - 1 (Jenny is possessed)

Unevil Reveal - 0

Shenanigans Called - 3

Apocalypse Called - 0