Thursday Three-fer Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3, Episode 6 Review: Band Candy

Band Candy
Original Airdate: November 10, 1998
Writer: Jane Espenson
Director: Michael Lange

Throughout the series there have been episodes where identities were distorted in a way to develop the characters and/or advance the plot. Last season’s sixth episode, “Halloween”, did that, exploring some subconscious desires of the wearer. Unlike many of those instances, this episode decides to alter the identities of the supporting cast (excepting Giles) to help mend some of the residual problems from season two between Buffy and her guardians. The producers have said this episode turns on the common teenage wish that their parents were “cool” (ie just like them). With no one to be responsible, it turns scary. That may have been the intent, but ultimately the episode is far more comic.

Buffy, like any teenager, desires freedom and greater independence from her parents or parental figures in the case of Giles. However, she has to face the consequences of running away, which means being kept on a tight leash by both Giles and Joyce. The close watch is intensified by the increased difficulty in keeping Angel’s return a secret. Deceiving her loved ones could be interpreted as her heading down another slippery slope toward bad things. Although Buffy would win their favor by stopping Lurconis, she still has to deal with Angel, who can’t stay hidden forever.

Of course Buffy’s return wouldn’t ease tensions between her and her mom. Buffy running away negated any signs of responsibility she showed in front of her mother before. They tried to explore this tension in “Dead Man’s Party”, but it failed in its forced delivery. This episode, along with its supernatural allegory, works far better to illustrate that generation gap. Joyce’s teenage persona explains why she is so concerned about her daughter: she was just like pre-Chosen Buffy, and it’s common for parents to want their children to be better and not repeat their mistakes. However, seeing Buffy take charge of the situation while her grown up counterparts do little besides tag along makes it clear that Buffy is far more mature than Joyce gave her credit for.

Through their teenage selves, we see some interesting and humorous character development. Snyder was the kid who never read between the lines in social situations and when he eventually did, solidified for his sour demeanor now. As mentioned, Joyce was similar to pre-Chosen Buffy. However, it is Giles, who reverts to his Ripper persona under the candy that is the most interesting. This is probably the closest insight into who that was the series will get, which is a little disappointing, especially with the Ripper spin-off in perpetual limbo.

It’s worth noting that, since those intoxicated were either school staff or parents who bought all (or half for Joyce and Giles) the bars, the teenage personas represented reflect only the culture from the late 60s and early 70s. It may be an excessive criticism, but it would’ve been cool to have adults of various ages behaving as they would if they came of age before or after the Vietnam era. As a side note, thankfully Giles’ played a song that isn’t in every cliché depiction of the 60s.

Joyce and Giles’s adventures touch upon their attraction towards each other, which has been alluded to in a few episodes, but kept brief. With their teenage inhibitions, they can’t keep their hands off each other. It’s implied (later confirmed) that they had sex as well. Once they sobered up, they can’t look each other in the eye the morning after. Their feelings toward each other were never as obvious as in this episode, probably so it wouldn’t cheapen what Giles had with Jenny, but perhaps they never tried a real relationship out of fear of what it would do to Buffy, as well as Giles’ role as her watcher. It’s certainly adds a lot of subtext, especially down the road.

This is the first episode to offer some insight into the Mayor’s motivations. He made “campaign promises” to several powerful demons to get in office (and to have somehow a vampire cease fire the night of the mass intoxication). While Mr. Trick noted he should be relieved not to pay Lurconis tribute, The Mayor’s request that Trick be cautious about which “favors” he does for him hints that there is something in progress that requires these powerful entities to be alive. Regardless, this tribute is really a MacGuffin to the episode’s story. It doesn’t matter what the adults weren’t paying attention to, it could’ve been anything.

Although Slayerfest failed miserably, Trick tries again outsourcing mayhem by having Ethan supply it. It makes sense to have Ethan return as the origin of this threat. Back when we last saw him, he served as a counter to Giles for maturity: not moving past the dark magic he got into as a teenager. In a way, he’s bringing everyone to his level.

While she took responsibility as the adults became immature, Buffy’s still can’t see clearly with her relationship with Angel. Buffy lying to Angel about her break up with Scott continues the theme that Buffy and Angel aren’t going to get back together. Letting him know that there is one less hurtle would just make things more uncomfortable. They’re trying to get into the “friend zone”, but that is impossible since they clearly want to be more than that and too many lines have been crossed.

Similarly, Willow and Xander are trying to go back to the friend zone, but after that kiss, they’re no facing the “more than friends” feelings that have always been there. Their gestures toward each other are far more pronounced. While not enough to get the attention of the rest of the gang, the guy plucking the acoustic guitar could almost be a character.

Probably the most noteworthy element of this episode is it is the first from Jane Espenson, who would be one of the series’ most prolific writers (second only to Whedon) and who currently works on the Battlestar Galactica update. It’s one of the last elements that solidified the Buffy brand into the thing people love and it’s been interesting to see how that happened.

“Band Candy” succeeds far better than “The Dark Age” at showing tight leashed adults that they were once young and irresponsible too and that their children are more grown up than they give them credit. Perhaps this is because it’s done it in a light hearted manner, with the adults’ new found immaturity played for laughs. This episode is another piece addressing unresolved threads about the aftermath of the second season, and is one of the better examples than the ones that started this season.

Overall Score: 8/10