Original Air Date: January 25, 2000

Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Micahel Gershman

Summary

Buffy and Riley are making-out in Buffy's room but before things get too physical Willow barges in saying there's a demon breathing fire in the rec room. The three of them head to the rec room to find a surprise birthday party for Buffy's 19th birthday. At the party, Buffy introduces Giles to Riley, her boyfriend. Buffy goes on and on about her love for Professor Walsh's class and how she's so smart. Later on at Xander's, Spike is packing up his things and heading out to live in a crypt. Meanwhile, Buffy is talking with Professor Walsh about her being the Slayer, after Riley had told the professor the whole story. Professor Walsh is rather condescending towards Buffy but Buffy shows her up by the number of vampires and demons she's slain. Giles is cleaning up his place when he discovers a book that tells of a demon that's going to rise tonight. He calls Willow to alert and then heads to the college in search of Buffy. He eventually finds Professor Walsh but she has no idea where Buffy is either, she comments that Buffy seems far too independant and she doesn't appear to have a strong father figure, to which Giles is rather insulted. That night, Giles, Willow and Xander head to the cemetery and enter the crypt. Giles starts setting up some candles when the topic turns to the Initiative and Giles freaks out when he learns for the first time that Riley's a commando and that Professor Walsh is heading the entire operation. Giles eventually gives up on the demon and evacuates the crypt. Suddenly Ethan Rayne appears out of the shadows and starts talking to himself. Giles, hearing something, goes back into the crypt much to Ethan's chagrin. Giles is none too happy to see Ethan and is about to beat him senseless when Ethan tells him that he's got info. They head to a bar and Ethan tells him that something is happening in the dark world, something about 314 that's got all the demons scared. Meanwhile, Buffy and Riley are lightly sparring when they both decide not to hold back. Buffy ends up kicking Riley across the room. He's okay but it seems that his ego is somewhat bruised. Back at the bar, Ethan and Giles have downed several beer and they're both rather drunk. Ethan gives his address, number and name to the waitress and says that if she calls he'll show her a good time. In a dorm, Willow and Tara have gotten together to try combining their power. They hold hands and levitate a rose. Suddenly the rose goes beserk and starts zinging around the room much to the shock of the two.

Giles wakes up the next morning to find himself transformed into a demon. He can't believe it and blames Ethan immediately. By accident he ends up destroying quite a bit of his apartment with his new found strength. He heads out in search of Ethan. Willow and Buffy are having breakfast and Willow tells Buffy about the psychotic rose though she doesn't mention Tara was with her. Willow says that she could feel evil in the air and that something big is coming. Buffy says she'll let Giles know about it. Meanwhile Giles goes to Xander's basement and scares Xander out of his sleep. Giles tries talking but his voice comes out in a different dialect.. Xander throws things at the demon Giles until he runs away. The gang heads to Giles' house after hearing about Xander's experience. They find Giles' apartment trashed. Meanwhile, demon Giles goes to the cemetery at night and finds Spike. Spike's about to fight him until he realizes that it's Giles. Spike can understand the dialect, which is Fiorel, that Giles is speaking. Giles offers to pay Spike if he will help him find Ethan. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang is at Giles' looking for a picture of the demon that Xander saw. Riley shows up and offers his help as well as the entire Initiative. Xander finds the demon in a book; it's a Fiorel demon that spits poisonous mucus. They only way to kill it with something made of silver. Buffy's convinced that something magickal is controlling the demon so she and Riley head to the Magic Shop while Xander, Anya and Willow remain at Giles'. Meanwhile Spike gets Ethan's motel address from talking to the waitress that Ethan hit on at the restaurant. Buffy and Riley discover Ethan's name on a receipt at the Magic Shop, Riley calls the Iniatiative and asks for them to do a search under residences for Ethan Rayne. They get the address and then Riley tries to stop Buffy from coming with him, saying that his orders from Professor Walsh were clear; not to bring Buffy with him. Buffy refuses to listen and they head off together.

Giles gets to Ethan's house and barges in on Ethan while he's packing, he beats him until Buffy and Riley show up. Buffy starts pounding demon Giles and Ethan tries to get away but Riley bashes him into a wall. Buffy finally stabs him with a supposedly silver letter-opener. Suddenly Buffy recognizes Giles' eyes in the demon. It turns out that he's okay because the letter-opener wasn't real silver. Ethan undoes the curse he put on Giles and when he has returned to normal Buffy tells him that she recognized his eyes. Riley then has the military arrest Ethan. He'll be put in a detention center where he will rehabilitated. Buffy thanks Riley for his help and Riley says that he likes that Buffy's always in charge but says to give him a week and he'll take her down.

The next day, Buffy apologizes for not alerting Giles that Riley's a commando. Giles warns her about what Ethan told him and that she should keep her eyes open. Meanwhile, Riley is relating to Professor Walsh about the incident and says that he's certain that Buffy will work out with the Initiative. Riley leaves and Professor Walsh goes into a high level security lab with the digits 314 emblazoned on the door.

Summary written by Nika

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My Rating

4/5

Nika Summers' Review

Awesome filler episode! Great fun! I have to see I'm always a little bit leery about filler episodes and Giles centered episodes (I was never really a fan of The Dark Age, I thought that that episode was kind of built up way too much and ended up kind of fizzling) but this one had me in stitches the entire way through. I was laughing so hard I just about fell off my sofa! Well the bith of the Buff was celebrated a week later then it was originally planned for (anyone know why exactly?) Well there was absolutely great comedy in the episode. It was ncie to see Spike and giles getting the comedic thing going :) I especially liked seeing Spike trying to downshift while going around a corner. Ahh :) There are so many jokes to be made about Giles' poor old Citroen. It was also great when Giles jumped out of the car to scare Professor Walsh. That lady had it coming. She was certainly being bitchy to everyone, and she's got a HUGE chip of her shoulder! I also liked seeing Buffy and Riley sparring together even though she kind of bruised his ego by back kicking him across the room. Well at least he can handle it. A now for the big question; just what exactly is Project 314?

Niki Bartl's Review

Alright, the Initiative (what the hell kind of cheesy name is that?) is starting to piss me off.I hate Professor Walsh.What the hell is up with "314"? I want answers. And I want them soon. I suppose I'll have to wait a few more days until "The I in team" airs. But this episode left me with a lot of questions about Ethan. I just don't understand why they keep letting him return. What was Ethan's motivation for turning Giles into a demon? Just for kicks, to see what kind of fun he could have by making Giles miserable? And, if Ethan is such a joker, why would they take him seriously when he says that the world is becoming unbalanced. I thought the job of the Slayer was to rid the world of evil, but it's SUPPOSED to stay in a continual balance of good and bad? The episode in itself was done very nicely. I was happy to see Willow and her little friend start casting some spells, but is it just me, or might they become more than friends? The part when Giles wakes up Xander was absolutely hilarious, as was when Giles discovers that Spike can understand him. The part in the car was done well because it shows Spike's still-bad-ass side. I do miss how he used to kick ass, though. Buffy's and Riley's tension gave the episode this foreshadowing feel as well as providing a base for future episodes. I for one, can't wait until next Tuesday night

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