Writer:

Douglas Petrie

Director:

James A. Contner

Regulars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers

Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris

Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg

Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase

David Boreanaz as Angel

Seth Green as Oz

Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles

Guest Star:

Eliza Dushku as Faith

Cast:

Serena Scott Thomas as Gwendolyn Post

Jason Hall as Devon

Kate Rodger as Paramedic

Another vaguely-defined demon (Lagos) and another mystical artifact (the Glove of Myhnegon). The Glove gives whoever wears it enormous destructive power, and once donned can never be removed.

Anonymous vampire

Staked by Buffy in a graveyard.

Anonymous vampire

Staked by Faith in a graveyard.

Lagos

Beheaded with an axe in a graveyard by Buffy.

Gwendolyn Post

Electrocuted by the gone-awry power of the Glove of Mynhegon

Total: Four

Giles, following his first meeting with Mrs. Post: "That was... bracing."
Buffy: "Interesting lady. Can I kill her?"
Giles: "The Council might frown upon that."

Xander: "Hey, Giles, here's a nifty idea. Why don't I alleviate my guilt by going out and getting really, really killed?"

Giles: "I won't remind you that the fate of the world often lies with the Slayer. What would be the point? Nor shall I remind you that you've jeopardized the lives of all that you hold dear by harboring a known murderer. But, sadly, I must remind you that Angel tortured me... for hours, for pleasure. You should have told me he was alive. You didn't. You have no respect for me or the job I perform."

Giles explains Gwendolyn Post: "She was kicked out by the Council a couple of years ago for 'misuses of dark power.' They swear there was a memo."

More quotes from this episode...

While it's a good plot development and often fun to watch, the guilty attraction between Xander and Willow has spawned some wretchedly obvious dialogue, especially on Willow's part: "I think it's great when two people like two people and wanna be close to them instead of anyone else."

Willow: "It's late. I'm tired. What does he want from us, anyway?"  Is this the same Willow who lit up like a pinball machine at the mere mention of a "research party" just last season?

• "Excuse me, Mary Poppins, you don't seem to be listening."  Mary Poppins was the impeccably British, charming, magical and no-nonsense nanny of the Banks children, introduced in Pamela L. Travers' 1934 children's novel Mary Poppins, and whose adventures continued in Mary Poppins Comes Back, Mary Poppins Opens the Door, and Mary Poppins in the Park. It is perhaps best known, though, as a 1964 Walt Disney movie starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

• "The emotional Marathon Man?"  Marathon Man was a 1976 John Schlesinger movie starring Dustin Hoffman as a young student who becomes unwittingly involved in the hunt for a former Nazi, played by Academy Award^® nominee Laurence Olivier.

• Guest star Serena Scott Thomas is the sister of Academy Award®-nominated actress Kristin Scott Thomas.

• Xander alludes to the zombies Buffy killed in "Dead Man's Party" and Larconis, the sewer-dwelling demon Buffy incinerated in "Band Candy."

• Giles does have a copy of Twilight Compendium by Sir Robert Kane, but doesn't have either Howe's Paranormal Encyclopedia or The Labyrinth Maps of Malta (although he insists the latter is on order).

• There are twelve cemeteries within Sunnydale's city limits, two of which are the Restfield Cemetery and the Shady Hill Cemetery.

• Faith's past boyfriends have included guys named Ronnie, Steve and Kenny, who was a drummer.

• Four Star Mary - "Run" (Unreleased)
  The music of Oz's band, Dingoes Ate My Baby, is provided by the band Four Star Mary. Dingoes/FSM are playing the end of this song on stage at the Bronze in the first scene of the episode.
  
  
• Lotion - "West of Here" (From The Telephone Album, Revolution Records, 1998)
  This song plays after Oz leaves the stage in the first scene of the episode, as he joins Willow, Xander and Cordelia.

Brian:

First of all, I'll admit it: They had me swerved with Mrs. Post. Does that make me a moron? Never mind. Most episodes of Buffy have their ups and downs, but never have the ups and downs been so sharply distinguishable from one another. The downs were noticeable. "The Glove of Myhnegon" sounds more like something out of a game of Dungeons & Dragons than a genuine mystical artifact. Willow complaining about being tired and wanting to go home? It was so contrary to all her prior research-related behavior that it was like a slap in the face to me. Sure, it served to set up the smooching-behind-the-bookshelf scenario, but it's that sort of pushing-the-plot-through-hoops that I find most irksome in a story. And I hope that things haven't really been cleared up as neatly as they seemed to be between Buffy and her friends at the end of the episode. The group dynamic is far too twisted and disrupted for a resolution that quick to be acceptable or satisfying. However, the ups were also quite distinct. Mrs. Post's deception was nicely executed, and the way it caused Faith to misinterpret Angel's attack on her was fun to watch. Faith's emotional problems once again coming to the fore was also a welcome development. Giles' hurt speech after he "saved" Buffy from her friends was a terrific moment, as was Angel's recovery from Mrs. Post's initial attack — is there more than a bit of Angelus in the new, possibly-improved Angel? And I've always thought that Xander is definitely more interesting when he's angry than he is in his usual goofy-guy comic-relief mode. Despite its unevenness, this was ultimately a decent episode, but it left me feeling a bit let down because, frankly, it didn't hurt quite as much as I expected it to. (7/10)

Will:

I have yet to figure out exactly what it is that makes me like the television shows that I watch on a regular basis. I know that interesting characters and compelling stories usually have something to do with it. I think I know what it is that I love about BtVS. Of course, the characters are great and the episodes are always interesting and fun. The one thing that I noticed this evening, though, is that the writers and actors are able to successfully give us severe comedy and severe drama, and even to mix the two extremely well. Tonight's episode was not a tearjerker nor was it rolling-on-the-floor funny, but it contained both qualities in a very good balance. I know that it is not uncommon to feel for the characters we care about, but I found myself sharing the feelings that Giles had in being lied to by Buffy. I found myself being mad at Buffy because she was hiding Angel. I found myself feeling sorry for Faith. I love this show because it is truly compelling. I used to think that action and controversy were the things that drew me to this show. It turns out that it is the balance of drama and humor. This is the way that life really is, and this show mirrors life... without the vampires, of course. Let me say at this point that I had a feeling about Mrs. Post being a bit... evil. I was right. Just because I was able to predict what was going to happen doesn't take away from the episode at all. I could find no major flaw in this episode and found myself not believing that it was already over. The anger that Xander expressed seemed real, and Giles' disappointment in Buffy's actions rang true. The cat-fight between Buffy and Faith seemed a bit excessive, but necessary for the story. I can truly say that I am never disappointed on a Tuesday night because of Buffy, Joss and his team of writers. You all rock!!! (9/10)