The Yoko Factor, Episode 76

The one where Spike stirs it up and Angel meets Riley.

I have just watched TYF and it left me a little flat as most of the episode is merely Spike engaging in an elaborate wind up to destabilise the scoobies. Though it is not without an element of interest, especially the fact Spike acts like a normal person, I feel only the delightful conclusion really worked.

I love how Spike reads Willow and Tara with only the slightest evidence to go on. Spike's effortlessly silly but brilliant use of witch as a metaphor is a perfect wind up. The funniest moment of the episode for me has to be the totally sensitised Willow reacting furiously to Buffy's benign use of witch in the confrontation. I also loved Buffy's ironic assessment of how the group should go and attack Adam with the other two attacking her and Giles drooling all the while. After the fun the dramatic reveal of Riley with Adam was a fine twist.

In the early scene where Willow and Tara are playing with Miss Kittyfantastico quite frankly are they suggesting via a visual metaphor that Willow is playing with her pussy?

Maybe this a problem with all of S4 but I found TYF a little lacking in laughs. Possibly they are trying to ramp up the tension for the final showdown. On the other hand Glory always managed to be wonderfully OTT. With Adam they have painted themselves into a corner a bit with him being so serious.

TYF reminded me a bit of GD1 in that it moves the protagonists around just before the end game. In that they are both perhaps a bit functional and more a means to an end than an end in themselves. 6/10. sk

spike using his inside knowledge of the scoobies to broke them apart playing the yoko factor but like he said, university is where everything change especially relationships. spike showing what the worse he can do without actually hurting physically anyone (a bit of angelus teaching there ).

quite a good episode before the finale episode but a little slow to tell us what is adam plan but the thing is it's kind of hard to really care with everything happening around.

the arguement between the gang was really well written and played, everyone is right and have valid points (giles about buffy not needing him as a watcher, xander about buffy and willow having their own life and not liking anya, willow about buffy reaction to tara,..........). it's a good even if painful way to deal with their problem now

the best bits: angel/ buffy talk outside her dorm room, a good conclusion of their argument started in sanctuary, angel vs riley , willow/tara scene at the start of the episode and giles singing freebirds.

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