Blood Ties / Crush

In "Blood Ties", Buffy and Giles share Dawn's mystical origin with the other Scoobies. Burdened with this information, the gang's awkward behavior drives Dawn to snoop around the Magic Shop, where she reads about "The Key" in Giles' journal. On a mission to find out more about what she is and where she comes from, Dawn runs away from home and ends up at Sunnydale Memorial with Ben/Glory. Kristen and Mike discuss the Ben/Glory revelation, and Buffy's mishandling of Dawn's "secret identity".

In "Crush", when a train arrives at Sunnydale Station packed with vampire victims, Spike's sure he knows which vamps are at fault. But soon his stakeout resembles a poorly planned date. After the Slayer shoots him down, a forlorn Spike finds comfort in an old flame - Drusilla. Will Spike actually follow through with their plan to kill the Slayer? (Hint: We have 2 more seasons after this) Kristen and Mike discuss Spike's misguided judgment when it comes to love, and why you should always opt for Bachelor Shackles over rope.

PLUS: We explore Raven's question: Do you suspect that there is some kind of connection between Ben and Glory?

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Triangle / Checkpoint

In "Triangle", Giles leaves for England to get information about Glory from the Council. Anya's excited to be in charge of the Magic Shop, but Willow is less confident in her abilities. When Willow takes advantage of Giles' absence to try out a new spell, she accidentally releases a Troll! Willow and Anya have to work together and talk our their differences to defeat Anya's giant ex-boyfriend. Kristen and Mike discuss Spike's unhealthy mingling of love and violence, and how Buffy's handling the Riley breakup.

In "Checkpoint", The Watcher's Council comes to Sunnydale. They refuse to share any information about Glory until Buffy passes a review. After Quentin, her professor, Glory, and a mystery medieval knight all tell Buffy just how unimportant she is, Buffy comes to an important realization. Kristen and Mike discuss the Council's plan if Buffy fails, Spike's pathological lying, and the punchability of Quentin's face.

PLUS! We celebrate Valentine's Day with Stacker-submitted love poems. 

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Field Trip #3: The Cabin in the Woods

We decided to take a break from Riley drama, and check out this Joss Whedon co-written romp on our third field trip. 

Dana, Jules, Curt, Marty and Holden head out for a relaxing weekend in a rustic cabin. But they're completely unaware that their lives are being manipulated by an international conglomerate seeking to offer these five friends as a sacrifice to the ancient ones. 

Due to the corporate handlers' interference, the gang gradually falls into horror genre stereotypes. Their shenanigans eventually raise a family of zombie pain-worshipping rednecks. As their friends fall one-by-one fall victim to the Buckners' terror, it seems the technicians' plan will successfully annihilate all the friends. But then again, Marty's not quite as "foolish" as they thought. 

Chris from Hey, Do You Remember? joins us as we discuss the production difficulties, the meta message the story attempts, and whether or not the temple ending works for each of us.

PLUS! Which Marvel character should the Scoobies recruit?

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Listening to Fear / Into the Woods

In "Listening to Fear", as Joyce awaits her surgery, her tumor causes her to behave strangely. But that seems to be going around - Riley's volunteering as a vampire snack, and the mental ward at the hospital is overflowing. Cue the Queller - an alien summoned in a meteor to "quell" the increase in crazy people. Kristen and Mike try to break down Riley's motivations this season, and discuss why demons seem reasonable, but aliens seem ridiculous.

With Joyce out of the woods, Buffy and Riley are free to enjoy a night of drama-free romance... until Spike tattles on Riley's vamp-parasite activities. After a righteously pissed-off slayer destroys the vamp den, Riley leaves her with an ultimatum - forgive me or I rejoin the military. Kristen and Mike disagree over Xander's big speech, and attempt to fix Riley's story-line this season.

Plus! We write the Scoobies' New Years Resolutions for them.

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Fool for Love / Shadow

In "Fool for Love", after Buffy is almost fatally skewered by a vampire, she wants to learn more about past slayers' final battles. Lucky for her, Spike has firsthand accounts of two such fights... for the right price. While the Slayer takes a lesson from William the Bloody, Riley tracks down the vamp that almost killed his girlfriend. Kristen and Mike discuss all the ways Riley could have been useful this season, and Spike's bravery/recklessness in declaring his love to women.

In "Shadow", while Joyce is hospitalized and diagnosed with a brain tumor, Glory shops at the Magic Box for spell supplies.... Whoops. She casts a spell summoning a cobra-demon to locate the Key. Meanwhile, Riley's pouting because the Slayer's life doesn't revolve around him, and decides allowing Sandy to feed off him is the answer. Kristen and Mike revisit all of Sunnydale's giant demon snakes, and we have a good cry for Joyce.

PLUS! We answer Erika's question: If Buffy Summers didn't come back in season 6, would you rather watch a spin off where Dawn and Spike move to Indiana and Spike becomes her guardian or Dawn and Giles move to England?

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