Line #36 Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E5LifeSerial


1	->'''Anya:''' ''"This whole day -- has it gone by too quickly for you?"''
2	->'''Buffy:''' ''"No. No, I don't think that's exactly the problem."''
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4	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20190210_012018_video_player.jpg]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:''"Stop touching my magic bone!"'']]
6
7	Directed by Creator/NickMarck
8
9	Written by Creator/DavidFury, Creator/JaneEspenson, Creator/RebeccaKirshner, & Creator/StevenSDeKnight
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11	Buffy returns from her meeting with Angel, implying that it didn't go well but refuses to reveal any details. Instead, the Scoobies discussed Buffy's future plans. Not knowing what she wanted to do in life, Buffy agreed to audit the classes Willow and Tara are taking until the next semester starts.
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13	The Trio prepared for their competition to test Buffy, setting up their van with high-tech monitoring equipment. However the three get into an argument when Andrew paints a decal of the second Death Star on the side, since they're supposed to keep low-key.
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15	At school, Buffy found herself overwhelmed by a class she took with Willow. Buffy later met up with Tara for Art History, but before class began, Warren tags her with a tiny device that caused her to move very slowly in time so everyone else seemed to be moving in fast-forward. Buffy was dazed as the world whizzed around her; when she finally noticed the device Warren planted on her, it self-destructed, putting Buffy back in normal time.
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17	Later, Buffy decides to get a job and Xander pulls some strings to get her a job as part of his construction team, telling him about the time situation at school before she's introduced to Tony, the boss, and two other workers, Danny and Vince. Although stronger than the other workers, she makes a bad impression when she starts to power through the work since the crew is being paid by the hour. Andrew summons demons from the van, which trashed the construction site before Buffy kills them. Xander is angry that Buffy brought her slayer work to his job and that he's now got to find a way to explain the mess to his clients, and fires her.
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19	Buffy learns about working at the Magic Box from Giles and Anya as Jonathan began casting a spell to loop time. Buffy assists a man with a candle sale and then goes downstairs to fetch a live mummy hand for a female customer. The hand attacked her and she was forced to kill it, which also killed the sale. Events started to repeat themselves (a la Groundhog Day, as Buffy must satisfy the customer while dealing with the mummy hand. If she fails, the events reset to when the customer walks into the store. Buffy becames increasingly agitated, even taking off Giles's glasses and stepping on them in one loop, and crying in another. After several loops, Buffy finally manages to end the spell by promising the customer they'll deliver the mummy hand instead so she doesn't have to deal with it directly. Although Giles congratulates Buffy on making her first sale, Anya reminds her that she didn't charge extra for the item's delivery and (despite Giles trying to ignore the mistake) decides to take the money out of Buffy's pay. This is the last straw for Buffy, and she quits as the three villains keep score.
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21	Later that night, Buffy got drunk with Spike at his crypt. Completely hammered, Buffy went with Spike to a bar where he played poker (using kittens as currency) and searched for information. After the poker game ended badly, Buffy ranted to Spike about the new low her life has reached with her inability to understand school or get a decent job. Meanwhile the Trio, still spying, get into an argument over who was the best James Bond and accidentally trip the horn (which plays the theme tune to ''Franchise/StarWars''). Buffy and Spike notice the black van that she realizes has been at all the events of the day; the Trio notices Buffy approaching with alarm.
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23	A fake demon appears from behind the van and threatens Buffy, but it's beaten down by a staggering drunken kick from the girl while the van drives away. With the use of smoke to confuse the Slayer and vampire, the demon (Jonathan in disguise) runs away. Buffy began to recover from her drunken state and complained to Giles about her life. He consoled her and offered her a check to help pay for all the expenses. Buffy was happy that Giles would always be there, but the look on Giles's face suggested that he might not always be.
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25	----
26	!Tropes:
27
28	* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: PlayedStraight when Buffy goes out drinking with Spike, throws a punch at a BigRedDevil, and falls flat on her face.
29	* ApeShallNeverKillApe: "He kills our kind! Don't let him in!"
30	* BarBrawl: Averted; Spike tries to get Buffy's help when the demons start ganging up on him, but she just [[MoneyToThrowAway upends the basket of kittens and walks out while everyone's trying to catch the 'money'.]]
31	* BestBeerEver: Inverted
32	-->'''Buffy:''' BLEH!
33	* BigRedDevil: In order to distract Buffy who's approaching their VanInBlack, Jonathan [[VoluntaryShapeshifting uses a spell to disguise himself]] as a demon that seems to be modeled on the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' Satan. [[CurbStompBattle He goes down in one hit,]] [[LargeHam spouts something about returning to his home dimension to die]], then [[SmokeOut drops a smoke bomb and runs.]] It only works because Buffy is [[AlcoholInducedIdiocy drunk off her ass]].
34	* BigRedButton: The GenreSavvy Trio naturally have one for their Destruct Mechanism.
35	* BirdsOfAFeather: Spike suggests Buffy engage in a little PerpSweating to find out who's hassling her.
36	-->'''Buffy:''' Not my kind of fun.\
37	'''Spike:''' Yeah it is. And your life's gonna get a lot less confusing when you figure that out. [snip] You're not a schoolgirl. You're not a shop girl. You're a creature of the darkness. Like me.
38	* BlatantLies: The demons [[EvilIsPetty cheating at poker]].
39	-->'''Spike:''' Me? I cheat? He's got X-ray vision! (points to scaly demon)\
40	'''Scaly Demon:''' I'm not using it!\
41	'''Clem:''' (stands up angrily) ''We'' are not the ones who are cheating! (An ace of spades protrudes from his folds of skin) I, I had no idea that was there. I could have leaned on that days ago.
42	* CavemenVersusAstronautsDebate: Warren and Andrew's argument on who was the best ''Film/JamesBond'' actor.
43	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: The [[spoiler: good demon Clem]], appears for the first time playing kitten poker and is credited as "Loose Skinned Demon." In this episode, he is noticeably more hostile toward Buffy and Spike, but [[spoiler: befriends them and the Scoobies in his later appearances]].
44	* ChekhovsGag: [[AmbiguouslyGay Andrew]] isn't happy over HoldingHands for a spell incantation, causing Warren to say, "You know what homophobia ''really'' says about you?" Also serves as a BrickJoke from when 'casting spells' was used as a metaphorical way of portraying Willow and Tara's lesbian relationship.
45	* ChekhovsGunman: Clem (credited here as 'Loose-Skinned Demon') becomes a minor character in the series.
46	* ChekhovsGun: Jonathan's VoluntaryShapeshifting spell is used for more serious purposes in "Dead Things". The camera hidden by the Trio in the Magic Shop becomes a plot point in "Entropy".
47	* ComfortFood: Buffy returns from her meeting with Angel with a gigantic tub of fried chicken.
48	* CurseCutShort: Buffy gets out a "What the f__" before a SmashCut. Averted when she actually says "Crap" to celebrate UPN's looser restrictions on swearing.
49	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Twenty-something person can't focus on what they want to do in life.
50	* DoubleEntendre: The Scoobies help themselves to Buffy's fried chicken.
51	-->'''Dawn:''' I'll take a drumstick.\
52	'''Willow:''' I'm a breast girl myself. (looks slyly at Tara) But then you already knew that.
53	* DopeSlap: Timothy Dalton is ''not'' the greatest Bond actor!
54	* DescriptionCut: Buffy with no idea what to do with her life to Jonathan talking about how decisive she is.
55	* DrowningMySorrows: Spike steps in and helps Buffy with scotch before she agrees to go with him to a BadGuyBar for information. She promptly takes a bottle of alcohol and spends the night snarking as she gets drunk off her dial. She regrets it later as she spent the rest of the night puking. Next time Spike asks if she wants a drink she firmly declines.
56	* EvilFeelsGood: Spike encourages Buffy to do things his way, which will include all sorts of badness and mixing with evil creatures.
57	-->'''Spike:''' Try on my world. See how good it feels.
58	-->'''Buffy:''' [[INeedAFreakingDrink Do they have drinks in your world?]]
59	* EvilHand: It is from Buffy's perspective.
60	* EvilIsPetty: Spike has no use for kittens, but cheats at kitten poker anyway.
61	* EntitledBastard: Spike cheating at kitten poker, then expecting Buffy will beat up the demons when they object.
62	* FinishDialogueInUnison: The Trio excitedly rattle off all the information they've gathered on the Slayer.
63	-->'''Andrew:''' Plus, look what Warren and me discovered by accident before we drove away!
64	-->'''The Trio:''' ''Free cable porn!''
65	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
66	** Giles' worried look when Buffy says, "This makes me feel safe. Knowing you're always gonna be here."
67	** Spike will continue to push the BirdsOfAFeather line with Buffy as their relationship intensifies over the season.
68	** Warren's favorite Bond is the guy who [[Film/{{Goldfinger}} forces himself on a woman]].
69	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The Trio cast a spell in the back of the van causing a dramatic puff of smoke, which promptly fills the van. We then cut to the Magic Shop where through the window we see the VanInBlack parked across the street. The doors at the back open to emit a [[SoMuchForStealth great cloud]] amidst the faint sound of coughing.
70	* GlassesPull: Giles' CharacterTic finally becomes too much and Buffy [[AgitatedItemStomping crushes his glasses underfoot]].
71	* GratuitousLatin: Lampshaded when Jonathan is casting a spell with his magic bone (heh heh).
72	-->"Okay, it's in Latin, so don't laugh. It's supposed to sound like this."
73	* GroundhogDayLoop: The Trio use a spell to trap Buffy in one of these. They [[ShoutOut specifically mention]] ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and ''Series/TheXFiles'' episodes, but [[GeekReferencePool not]] ''Film/GroundhogDay'' itself.
74	* HehHehYouSaidX: Warren and Andrew break out into sniggers every time Jonathan's magic bone is mentioned.
75	* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: When she gets jumped by monsters at the construction site, Buffy rather inexplicably removes her protective hard hat before throwing down with them.
76	* HelpingHands: Buffy has to fetch a live severed mummy hand for a client.
77	* HumansAreUgly
78	-->'''Demon 1:''' Better go Spike. Things could get ugly.
79	-->'''Demon 2:''' It got ugly the moment he walked in; him and his ''human''.
80	-->'''Clem:''' Her skin's so tight, I don't even know how you can look at it! Eew!
81	* HumiliationConga: The Trio put Buffy through one with their tests.
82	* HypocriticalHumor: Plenty from the Trio.
83	-->'''Warren:''' It's like she's completely without focus. (pause) Should we check the other channels for free cable porn?
84	* IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten: Why the demons are using them for money.
85	* ImagineTheAudienceNaked: Inverted with Anya who suggests Buffy deal with her anxiety by [[ComicallyMissingThePoint imagining herself naked]].
86	* ImprovisedWeapon: Buffy kills a demon by shoving its head in a scissor lift and yanking out the hydraulic cable, causing it to retract on the demon's head.
87	* InelegantBlubbering: At one point during the GroundhogDayLoop, Buffy simply stands there crying until the loop restarts.
88	* InVinoVeritas: Buffy does some great snarking while drunk, but lets slip a telltale comment that [[ShipTease Spike is the only person she can stand to be around]].
89	* ItTastesLikeFeet: Buffy is downing straight alcohol to drown her sorrows. However, she is not a drinker, [[GargleBlaster and she's downing mixer drinks straight,]] so to her and even to most seasoned drinkers it would taste like feet.
90	* ItWasThereISwear: The monsters that attack Buffy in the construction site turn into gloop and vanish.
91	* MeanBoss: Anya docks Buffy's pay at The Magic Shop, despite knowing about Buffy's financial difficulties.
92	* MoneyToThrowAway: Rather then get into a BarBrawl, Buffy overturns the kitty so the kittens can escape.
93	-->'''Demon:''' Hey, the money's getting away!
94	-->'''Buffy:''' Scamper! Be free!
95	* {{Montage}} / TantrumThrowing: Buffy trying to break the GroundhogDayLoop and failing.
96	* MundaneUtility: Buffy uses her SuperStrength as a construction worker which pisses off her coworkers; they were being paid by the hour, so having someone speeding up the process is not welcome. The Scaly Demon uses his X-Ray vision to cheat at poker.
97	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Unwilling to admit they were saved from scary demons by a little girl, the construction workers say that Buffy went nuts and attacked them. Xander is forced to fire Buffy.
98	* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon
99	-->'''Andrew:''' The Slayer touched you!
100	-->'''Jonathon:''' Yeah, it was sexy the way she touched me real hard with her fists.
101	* NotListeningToMeAreYou
102	-->'''Giles''': Buffy, a word in your ear. Um, if you, uh, think of the store as a, as a library, ([[GlassesPull cleaning glasses]]) it'll help you to, to, uh, concentrate on, on ... service rather than selling.\
103	'''Buffy''': Yes. And then I'm going to marry Bob Dole and raise penguins in Guam.\
104	'''Giles''': Yes, uh, quite, quite, yes.
105	** Possibly this is the time loop spell making it impossible for Buffy to get help from Giles.
106	* ObligatoryJoke: Spike asks someone to advance him a kitten so he can join in the poker game.
107	-->'''Spike:''' Come on, someone's gotta stake me.\
108	'''Buffy:''' (grinning) I'll do it! (Off Spike's look) What, you thought I was just gonna let that lie there?
109	* OminousMultipleScreens: Not so ominous with the Trio watching them.
110	* ParentalSubstitute / AnalogyBackfire: Buffy gets misty-eyed when Giles pays off her debts.
111	-->'''Buffy:''' I don't ... really know how to say this ... (softly) but it's a little [[IMissMom like having Mom back]].\
112	'''Giles:''' In this scenario, I am your mother?\
113	'''Buffy:''' Wanna be my [[DisappearedDad shiftless absentee father]]?\
114	'''Giles:''' Is there some sort of, um, [[CoolUncle rakish uncle]]?
115	* PercussiveTherapy: Averted -- even though Buffy is looking for a fight, she refuses to play along with Spike by beating up the demons when they catch him cheating. She does feel better after defeating the big red demon...until she starts throwing up.
116	* PerpSweating: Drunk!Buffy loudly demands to know which demon she has to [[ComicallyMissingThePoint kill for information]].
117	* PlotTailoredToTheParty: The Trio ostensibly test Buffy for weaknesses, when they're actually demonstrating their skills (and personalities) to the audience (Warren's skill is technology, Andrew's is demon summoning, and Jonathan's is magic).
118	* {{Pun}}: When the customer first asks for a mummy hand.
119	-->'''Buffy:''' I saw one downstairs. It's kinda hairy, though. Maybe it was a daddy hand.
120	* RageBreakingPoint: Buffy storms out of the poker game; Spike rushes to catch up with her.
121	-->'''Spike:''' What's wrong, luv?\
122	'''Buffy:''' What's wrong?! You were gonna help me! You, you were gonna [[ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer beat heads and, and, and fix my life!]] But you're completely lame! Tonight sucks! And, and look at me! Look at, look at Stupid!Buffy -- too dumb for college, and, and, and Freak!Buffy -- too strong for construction work. And, and my job at the Magic Shop? I was bored to tears even ''before'' the hour that wouldn't end! And the only person I can even stand to be around is a ... neutered vampire who cheats at kitten poker.\
123	'''Spike:''' (embarrassed) Oh, you saw the cheating, did you.\
124	'''Buffy:''' Also? [[HypocriticalHumor I think you're drunk]].
125	* RiddleForTheAges: What happened at Buffy and Angel's offscreen reunion. Buffy isn't talking, and neither is Angel in the ''Angel'' episode [[Recap/AngelS03E05Fredless "Fredless"]].
126	* RunningGag: Buffy is determined to enjoy alcohol.
127	-->gulp
128	-->BLEH!
129	* ShoutOut:
130	** Creator/MontyPython: "This mummy hand has ceased to be. It is an ex-mummy hand."
131	** To other famous {{Groundhog Day Loop}}s.
132	-->'''Andrew:''' I just hope she solves it faster than Data did on the ep of [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]] where [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E18CauseAndEffect the Enterprise kept blowing up]].
133	-->'''Warren:''' Or Mulder, in that [[Series/TheXFiles X-Files]] where [[Recap/TheXFilesS06E14Monday the bank kept exploding]].
134	** When Warren plants the time dilation device on Buffy, he uses the codename [[Film/LogansRun "Logan 5"]].
135	* SmokeOut: Jonathan manages to escape by making himself appear to vanish in a puff of smoke.
136	* SssssnakeTalk: The forked-tongue demon bartender. Makes it difficult to say words like "Spike".
137	* SoMuchForStealth: Andrew paints the Death Star on the side of their VanInBlack, which also plays the ''Franchise/StarWars'' theme when he accidentally leans on the horn. Needless to say this gets Buffy's attention.
138	** Drunk!Buffy in the BadGuyBar
139	-->'''Spike:''' (quietly) These lowlifes know everything happens in this town.\
140	'''Buffy:''' Oh, good. These are the lowlifes!\
141	''(Demons all turn to look at her)''\
142	'''Spike:''' Fine. A little louder.
143	* SoulSuckingRetailJob: "And my job at the Magic Shop? I was bored to tears even ''before'' the hour that wouldn't end!"
144	* SpiesInAVan / VanInBlack: The Trio set up a stake-out van to monitor Buffy's activities and coordinate their attacks. There is a brief dispute over whether the very conspicuous Death Star decal added by Andrew really is appropriate on a vehicle that's supposed to be low-key.
145	* SpySpeak: The GenreSavvy Trio know this is the way to speak while shadowing someone.
146	* SquareCubeLaw: Averted; Jonathan transforms himself into a much larger demon except that as the demon he "actually had the proportional strength of, uh...me."
147	* SunnydaleSyndrome: Interestingly Xander shows a version of this; when Buffy explains she was attacked by demons he says, "No! Not here!" and fires her [[WeirdnessMagnet to ensure this remains the case]].
148	* TastesLikeFeet: Buffy has a "bleeh!" reaction every time she downs a shot. She does pick up a bottle of...Khalua? and drinks it straight; for a seasoned alcoholic that'd be tough especially if they don't like the taste, and the Slayer doesn't generally drink much. [[DrowningMySorrows It doesn't stop her.]]
149	* TemptingFate: Each act begins with Buffy saying "This is gonna be great!" It never is.
150	* TheTriple: Drunk!Buffy after she 'defeats' the big red demon.
151	-->"He blew up. I like that, you know. Makes you feel all powerful. Strong. (looks ill) Kinda sick..."
152	* UnknownRival: The Trio vs. the Slayer.
153	* UnnaturallyLoopingLocation: In an effort to escape the time loop, Buffy tries to walk out the Magic Shop's front door only to find herself entering the shop from the back, much to Giles and Anya's puzzlement.
154	-->'''Buffy''': [[CurseCutShort What the f-]]?
155	* TheUnreveal: Buffy won't say what happened between her and Angel. Meanwhile [[Recap/AngelS03E05Fredless over on the spin-off series]], Angel is no more forthcoming.
156	* UnsatisfiableCustomer: Buffy has to deal with a spell creating one of these. The spell is cast to create an endless time loop until she can satisfy the customer. Hilarity Ensues. This may actually be a subversion. The customer is satisfied by a very reasonable action on Buffy's part. The frustration and anger seen in previous attempts usually results from Buffy's poor efforts at handling the problem in the first place (trying to sell her a damaged and useless item for example). That is: Any person with decent customer service skills could have satisfied this customer initially. Buffy, on the other hand...
157	* VisualPun: In card games the betting pool is often referred to as "the kitty".
158	* VomitDiscretionShot:
159	-->'''Buffy:''' I think at one point, I actually turned completely inside out.
160	* WalkOnTheWildSideEpisode: Comically subverted when Spike invites Buffy to try out TheDarkSide and [[EvilFeelsGood see how good it feels]]. She ends up sitting in the back room of a BadGuyBar, getting drunk and snarking at her not-a-boyfriend as he gambles for kittens with AmbiguouslyEvil demons.

Context Recap / BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E5LifeSerial