Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3, Episode 4 Review: Beauty and the Beasts

Beauty and the Beasts
Original Airdate: October 20, 1998
Writer: Marti Noxon
Director: James Whitmore Jr.

Angel’s return from hell becomes an opportunity to focus on the darker side of masculinity, with three “beasts” at center stage. Angel is acting like a wild dog from centuries in hell. As “Phases” introduced, the usually calm and collected Oz has to deal with being a werewolf (which has moved away from a canine appearance) driven by primal urges. Finally the MOTW Pete has been experimenting on himself to become some hyper masculine animal to control his girlfriend and eliminate anyone who may raise his jealousy.

Despite the multi-layered theme, it might’ve been better just to focus on Angel, whose return negates all the progress Buffy appeared to have made in the last episode. She was ready to let go of Angel, but how does that play out when she learns he’s back? It was played out over a few episodes, but perhaps a closer emphasis on Buffy’s dilemma rather than Pete and Debbie in this episode would’ve been worthwhile.

The big problem comes from the Jekyll and Hyde allegory for domestic violence. Episodes that so explicitly tackle an issue like this one don’t end up on the top of any “best of” lists. Pete and Debbie’s story fails because they were introduced in this episode and have little development that would set them apart from a Lifetime movie or “very special” episode. They’re Scott’s best friends, but we just met him in the last episode. Ultimately the couple is dead and it hardly registers. Abuse in teenage relationships was far better played when it was the emotional abuse Angelus unleashed on Buffy in “Innocence” and throughout the latter season two episodes. They would have better luck at a similar plot on “Angel” a few years later, which was a better fit.

In “Anne”, it was established that time passes differently in other dimensions. To make things even worse for Angel, his time in hell amounted to centuries rather than a few months, leaving him with extreme PTSD. This only intensifies Buffy’s guilt. Through the first three episodes, she’s haunted by what she had to do: send her love to hell so the world wouldn’t get sucked into it. Now she knows Angel was stuck in hell for centuries enduring torture that would drive most people insane.

Buffy manages to find some help with Mr. Platt, who apparently lives in an alternate reality where guidance counselors can smoke freely in a 90s public school (ultimately that was only a device for Buffy to realize he had been mauled). Unfortunately they never had the time to develop any school staff besides Giles and Jenny as support for her, but that might’ve been a result of not enough time, so Platt quickly is dispatched. Getting rid of him just as Buffy reveals her feelings serves to keep her silent to her friends.

Although it’s not a great idea, Buffy decides to keep Angel’s return secret, initially chaining him in the mansion and presumably leaving him there after he escaped and saved her from Pete. Considering the distances she’s placed between herself and her friends last season, it would make sense that she’d keep a secret. She did make a big step in the last episode by filling in the blanks of what happened to Acathla, but that was with her assumption that she’d never see him again.

Oz gets left out of most of the action. “Phases”, the first episode dealing with Oz’s other side, was done just as Willow and Oz started to date. While it was hardly a knockout, the episode was an important step in that relationship. Perhaps it is fitting as he is the weakest threat of the three since he only manifests three nights a month and, like Angel, can’t harm anyone while roaming freely during the day. He is also easily contained in Giles’ book cage, whereas Pete ripped the door off and Angel managed to break free of the harness he was held in.

Faith hints more at her troubled background, expressing a deep cynicism towards men and their motivations. Her introduction mentioned her mother had died. It could be assumed she was left with a father or step-father who wasn’t a great guy or at least exposed to a lot of guys with similar motives, explaining her attitude towards men. It has never been explicitly said what happened to Faith growing up on the show, so that remains the topic of speculation, fan fiction and alternate media tie-ins.

Like many early in the season episodes, this one is a forgettable entry. The issue, while an important one to discuss when talking about teenage life, doesn’t get the coverage to warrant it above soapy melodrama. Had Pete and Debbie been removed or better detailed, it could’ve been a better episode.

Overall Score: 6/10