Buffy 7.4 FAQ
What’s it called?
“Help.”
Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to Rebecca Rand Kirshner (“Tabula Rasa,” “Hells Bells”).
What does TV Guide say?
“Novice counselor Buffy gropes for words of wisdom for Sunnydale High students, but is left speechless by Cassie (Azure Skye), a teen who calmly predicts her own death.”
Is it true, as rumored, that a student cult is after the teen Cassie?
Yes.
Is it true, as rumored, that Cassie is a psychic girl?
Yes.
The big news?
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” continues on its roll. It’s four for four in the “terrific season-seven episode” department.
What is TV Guide not telling us?
The proper spelling of Azura’s name. Also, Spike gets his own cryptic piece of prophesy. “She’ll tell you. Someday she’ll tell you.”
Any hooded figures? Slayers-in-training?
No and no.
Is it true, as rumored, that Xander and Willow visit Tara’s grave?
Xander escorts his best friend into the cemetery, but Will approaches the headstone alone.
Is the Tara visit Xander and Willow’s whole gig this week?
No. Buffy draws the surviving human Scoobies thoroughly into the mystery of Cassie.
Is there Willow magic this week?
No.
Are Xander and Nancy boyfriend and girlfriend now? I forget how we left that.
Yeah, me too. But Nancy’s not around, and neither is Anya.
No Anya? Surely Anya keeps busy this week? Our understanding is the next new episode is built around Anya!
If one excludes the “previously” and title footage from prior episodes, “Help” is 100-percent Caulfield-free.
Any news on Spike’s condition?
Spike, still in residence betwixt high school and hellmouth, appears only briefly this week, but he’s extremely, extremely well-utilized. One hates to spill too many beans in this regard – suffice it to say his role carries far more than its share of emotional resonance.
Any indications that Spike may soon be leaving his basement lair?
Not this week.
Is Dawn in need of rescue at any point?
Dawn moves more toward the role of rescuer.
Any sign of Giles?
No.
What about Morphy?
No. Though Spike continues to reference the voices he hears.
What’s great?
20-year-old Skye, far blonder and cuter than we remember from her days opposite Selma Blair and Michael Rosenbaum on “Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane.” “Help” contains some nifty low-key jokes, but will be most fondly remembered for its extraordinary poignancy – it plays a bit like a sequel to “The Body.” Skye and Kirshner deserve special recognition for making us care so much about Cassie, this vulnerable and casually charming one-episode character, and making us care that the Scoobies come to care about her. It’s a talky episode, but one of the carefully crafted ones; one doesn’t mind any the bonus verbiage because we get to dig deeper than usual, and because the installment is free of padding and waste. Also? “Help” is loaded with welcome and fascinating surprises, some enormously gratifying, some heartbreaking.
What’s not so great?
No Anya! She and ex-husband Olaf “Can it be babies?” The Troll-God don’t return until next week’s adventure, titled “Selfless.”
How does it end, spoiler-boy?
“What do you do when you know that? When you know maybe you can’t help?”
Herc’s rating for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” 7.4?
****
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
8 p.m. Tuesday. UPN.
