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| + | {{buffyepisode |
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| − | {{Buffy Episode |
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| + | | season = 3 |
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| − | | quote= "This time tomorrow, I'll kill you all.." |
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| + | | number = 18 |
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| − | | |
+ | | image = 3x18_Earshot.jpg |
| − | | name='''Earshot''' |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | | season_num=3 |
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| + | | writer = [[Jane Espenson]] |
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| − | | ep_num=18 |
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| + | | director = [[Regis Kemble]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | | |
+ | | previous = [[Enemies]] |
| − | | |
+ | | next = [[Choices]] |
| − | | guests=[[Kristine Sutherland]] as [[Joyce Summers]] <br> [[Alexis Denisof]] as [[Wesley Wyndam-Pryce]] <br> [[Ethan Erickson]] as [[Percy West]] <br> [[Danny Strong]] as [[Jonathan Levinson]] |
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| − | | costars=[[Larry Bagby]] as [[Larry Blaisdell]] <br> [[Keram Malicki-Sanchez]] as [[Frederick Iverson|Freddy Iverson]] <br> [[Justin Doran]] as [[Hogan Martin]] <br> [[Lauren Roman]] as [[Nancy Doyle]] <br> [[Wendy Worthington]] as [[Lunch Lady]] <br> [[Robert Arce]] as [[Mr. Beach]] <br> [[Molly Bryant]] as [[Ms. Murray]] <br> [[Rich Muller]] as [[Student #1]] <br> [[Jay Michael Ferguson]] as [[Student #2]] |
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| − | | uncredited= |
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| − | | transcript= |
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| − | | transcript2= |
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}} |
}} |
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| − | "'''Earshot'''" is the eighteenth episode of the [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer#Season Three|third season]] of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', and is the fifty-second episode altogether. The screenplay was written by [[Jane Espenson]] and directed by [[Regis Kemble]]. It originally broadcast on September |
+ | "'''Earshot'''" is the eighteenth episode of the [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer#Season Three|third season]] of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', and is the fifty-second episode altogether. The screenplay was written by [[Jane Espenson]] and directed by [[Regis Kemble]]. It originally broadcast on September 21, 1999. |
| + | |||
| + | == Synopsis == |
||
| + | [[Buffy]] gains a telepathic ability after defeating a [[Unnamed Telepath demons|demon]], but soon finds it too hard to handle - especially after hearing about a mass-murder attempt in her high school. |
||
== Summary == |
== Summary == |
||
| ⚫ | [[Image:318_Earshot1.jpg|thumb|left|Infection.]] While on patrol, Buffy fights two mysterious, mouthless demons. One manages to escape, but Buffy slays the other. However, she doesn't notice that some of the demon's blue blood gets on her skin. The next day at the library, the [[Scooby Gang]] gather for another group meeting, where they find that [[Giles]] is making little to no progress with [[Richard Wilkins|The Mayor]] and stopping his [[Ascension]]. [[Wesley]] soon arrives, promising new updates, but his information is obsolete. |
||
| ⚫ | Meanwhile, [[Willow]] and Buffy talk about the current [[Angel]]/[[Faith]] situation. Willow suggests that Buffy talk to Angel and straighten things out. [[Percy West|Percy]] arrives, telling Willow that they'll have to reschedule their planned study session. Willow then talks to Buffy about the basketball game held after school later that day. Apparently, everybody except for Buffy is going. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | |||
| ⚫ | Meanwhile, [[Willow]] and Buffy talk about the current [[Angel]]/[[Faith]] situation |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | Buffy |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | The next day at school, Buffy finds the rest of them ecstatic about the game held the day before. When [[Cordelia]] passes by, Buffy hears Xander wondering if she and Wesley had kissed before - although the problem is, he wasn't wondering it aloud. Buffy then walks through the school halls, where she suddenly starts hearing people's thoughts |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | However, Buffy decides to try it out in class instead. During American Literature, she answers the teacher's questions without |
||
| − | |||
| ⚫ | The gang meets up at the library again the next morning, where Buffy tells her friends her newfound ability. She finds Xander constantly thinking about sex and Wesley keeps thinking about Cordelia. Oz thinks extremely deep thoughts, while Willow is upset because Buffy has access to Oz's mind |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | When she regains consciousness, Buffy tells The Scoobies to find out everyone in the cafeteria, and interrogate them, to find out who the potential killer is. Giles tries to find a cure for Buffy, but before she leaves to rest at home, she hears the painful truth - she'll go insane if the telepathy continues. At home, while trying to comfort Buffy, [[Joyce]] inadvertently lets |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | Meanwhile, the rest of the gang starts interrogating members of the faculty and the students. They |
||
| − | |||
| ⚫ | He brings the ingredients needed for the spell to |
||
| − | |||
| ⚫ | Buffy shows up just as the group finds a letter on Freddy's desk from [[Jonathan Levinson]], an ignored and disregarded student, |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | Jonathan remains hostile at first, claiming that he is tired of everybody disregarding him |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | Xander runs out and warns everybody to stop eating the food. The lunch lady |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Acting== |
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| − | |||
| − | ===Regular Stars=== |
||
| − | |||
| − | *[[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] as [[Buffy Anne Summers]] |
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| − | *[[Nicholas Brendon]] as [[Xander Harris|Alexander LaVelle Harris]] |
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| − | *[[Alyson Hannigan]] as [[Willow Rosenberg]] |
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| − | *[[Charisma Carpenter]] as [[Cordelia Chase]] |
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| − | *[[David Boreanaz]] as [[Angel]] |
||
| − | *and [[Anthony Stewart Head]] as [[Rupert Giles]] |
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| − | |||
| − | ===Guest Stars=== |
||
| − | |||
| − | *[[Kristine Sutherland]] as [[Joyce Summers]] |
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| − | *[[Alexis Denisof]] as [[Wesley Wyndam-Pryce]] |
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| − | *[[Ethan Erickson]] as [[Percy West]] |
||
| − | *[[Danny Strong]] as [[Jonathan Levinson]] |
||
| − | |||
| − | ===Co-Stars=== |
||
| − | |||
| − | *[[Larry Bagby]] as [[Larry Blaisdell]] |
||
| − | *[[Keram Malicki-Sanchez]] as [[Frederick Iverson|Freddy Iverson]] |
||
| − | *[[Justin Doran]] as [[Hogan Martin]] |
||
| − | *[[Lauren Roman]] as [[Lunch Lady]] |
||
| − | *[[Wendy Worthington]] as [[Lunch Lady]] |
||
| − | *[[Robert Arce]] as [[Mr. Beach]] |
||
| − | *[[Molly Bryant]] as [[Ms. Murray]] |
||
| − | *[[Rich Muller]] as [[Student]] |
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| − | *[[Jay Michael Ferguson]] as [[Another Student]] |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Themes & Styles== |
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| − | |||
| − | ===Main Theme=== |
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| − | |||
| − | "If you could hear what they were feeling. The loneliness, the confusion ... it's deafening". Like [[Gingerbread]], it's an episode with an unusually broad agenda. The underlying theme is that ''everybody'' is suffering - at its most obvious when [[Buffy]] tells [[Jonathan]] that even the popular, athletic students are being torn apart on the inside. Yet, it also touches on teen suicide and high school gun massacres, which [[Oz]] chillingly describes as "bordering on trendy". Once again, [[Sunnydale High]] is a crucible for US high school life, and on American television, '''Earshot''' remains "the episode most likely to be canceled due to current news events". |
||
| − | |||
| − | A word about Buffy's relationship with Jonathan: While mainstream television too often delivers the generic message, "It doesn't matter what you look like, it's what inside that counts," most serious fail to put this into practice. Instead, they default to a double standeard that gives special treatment to the more attractive characters. (On [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xena_Warrior_Princess Xena: Warrior Princess] for example, Gabrielle is presented as a caring, sensitive, moral soul - who nonetheless flirts with a blood-soaked, genocidal God of War just because he's built like a weightlifter and has a sexy beard). |
||
| − | |||
| − | However, ''Buffy'' outright confronts this problem instead of pretending it doesn't exist. After her speech about good-looking and athletic students having the same problems as everyone else, Buffy still laughs off the idea of attending the prom with Jonathan because he's too short - a rare acknowledgment of just how shallow even the central characters can be. Sadly, the lesson will be forgotten by Season Six, in which the attractive characters are always given a shot at redemption, while the geeks are - as ever - just stupid, evil and pathetic(Although Johnathan and Andrew both attempted to make Amends for their crimes,Warren was portrayed as a truly despicable character so the lesson still applied in a way). However Warren is portrayed as somewhat reprehensible from his debut and was hardly the first human monster on the show, while Amy a minor (good looking) ally for seasons goes evil and never manages (or attempts) to redeem herself. |
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| − | |||
| − | ==Trivia== |
||
| ⚫ | Buffy is bothered by persistent itchiness on her hand (the one the demon blood got on), and decides to confer to Giles about it. After a little research, Giles tells her, rather distractedly, that the demon's blood might have infected her with an 'aspect of the demon.' [[Image:318_Earshot2.jpg|thumb|Watching the pep rally.]] Later that day, [[Xander]], Willow, [[Oz]], and an absent-minded Buffy watch a pep rally, where Willow catches Buffy feeling her head for horns. Willow further horrifies her by wondering if the demon is male. That night, Buffy meets Angel during her usual patrol and tells him about the demon. Angel tells her that he'll still love her no matter what she looks like. |
||
| − | ===General=== |
||
| ⚫ | The next day at school, Buffy finds the rest of them ecstatic about the game held the day before. When [[Cordelia]] passes by, Buffy hears Xander wondering if she and Wesley had kissed before - although the problem is, he wasn't wondering it aloud. Buffy then walks through the school halls, where she suddenly starts hearing people's thoughts. Buffy, freaked, talks to Giles about her new ability, where Giles realizes the demons are telepathic. Buffy seems overjoyed about it, and Giles says that this power is very useful in combat. |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | [[Image:318_Earshot3.jpg|thumb|left|Buffy discovers that telepathy doesn't work on vampires.]] |
||
| − | *The second time Willow questions Jonathan (after [[Go Fish]]). |
||
| ⚫ | However, Buffy decides to try it out in class instead. During American Literature, she answers the teacher's questions without difficulty, impressing the rest of the students, the teacher, and even herself. Buffy then hears the thoughts of [[Frederick Iverson|Freddy Iverson]], who writes editorials for the school newspaper, and has a seriously negative opinion about everything at [[Sunnydale High]]. Later that evening, Buffy visits Angel at the mansion and attempts to use her mind-reading abilities on him. But Buffy realizes that she can't as Angel's thoughts no more reflect into her mind than his image does in a mirror. Angel reveals to her that what happened with Faith meant nothing, and reassured Buffy that she's all he ever loved in 243 years. |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | *In a season four DVD commentary, [[Seth Green]], [[Joss Whedon]] and [[Marti Noxon]] mention the frequent appearances of the extra they call "Asian Dan". Apparently, he is present in this episode too. |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | *According to a British slang dictionary, [[Giles]] was calling [[Wesley]] an idiot when he said, "Berk." This has been confirmed by some viewers, but others tell us that it originates from the word "berserk," still others tell us that it's a contraction of the slang term "Berkshire Hunt," and is an extremely profane term, and still others tell us that the Berkshire Hunt part is right, but that "berk" in itself isn't profane at all, although perhaps it used to be. We're guessing this is a regional thing — unless it's a conspiracy to confuse us. |
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| − | ** Berk is a cross between idiot and jerk. It is only slightly more profane than those words. |
||
| ⚫ | The gang meets up at the library again the next morning, where Buffy tells her friends her newfound ability. She finds Xander constantly thinking about sex and Wesley keeps thinking about Cordelia. Oz thinks extremely deep thoughts, while Willow is upset because Buffy has access to Oz's mind and will learn more about him than she ever will. While in the school cafeteria, Buffy's newfound power starts to become painful as the voices become too much for her to endure. Just then, a single, menacing voice pops up; "'''This time tomorrow, I'll kill you all'''". Buffy passes out, overwhelmed by the cacaphony of others' thoughts. |
||
| − | ===Production=== |
||
| + | [[Image:318_Earshot4.jpg|thumb|''Giles: If it doesn't go away she'll go insane.'']] |
||
| ⚫ | When she regains consciousness, Buffy tells The Scoobies to find out everyone in the cafeteria, and interrogate them, to find out who the potential killer is. Giles tries to find a cure for Buffy, but before she leaves to rest at home, she hears the painful truth - she'll go insane if the telepathy continues. At home, while trying to comfort Buffy, [[Joyce]] inadvertently lets slip that she and Giles has had sex, twice, and on a hood of a police car. |
||
| ⚫ | Meanwhile, the rest of the gang starts interrogating members of the faculty and the students. They make little progress with their research and almost all likely suspects are crossed out -- except for Freddy, who Oz can't seem to find. In the meantime, Giles and Wesley had come across a potential cure for Buffy's telepathic abilities, but it requires the heart of the second demon. Angel hunts down the demon at the cemetery, and successfully acquires the heart. |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | [[Image:318_Earshot5.jpg|thumb|left|Buffy: On the hood of a police car?!? ]] |
||
| − | *The time on the clock is incredibly inconsistent, jumping back and forth. |
||
| ⚫ | He brings the ingredients needed for the spell to [[Summers' residence}Buffy's house]] the next morning. Giles performs an incantation, and Buffy downs the potion. Buffy's body soon goes into convulsions, and she starts spasming and loses consciousness. Moments later, she wakes up again, good as new, and heads to the school to straighten the mess out. Meanwhile, the Scoobies finally corner Freddy in his office, where they realize that he isn't the (would-be) killer. Rather, he's been avoiding Oz out of fear that Oz is mad at him for a negative review he had written about [[Dingoes Ate My Baby|Oz's band]]). |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | *[[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] lobbied hard for this epsiode to be released on schedule. She thought it was great and would help those affected by the Colubmine tragedy (also, Sarah regarded this as one of her favourite Buffy episodes). |
||
| ⚫ | *Buffy's class discuss Shakespeare's [ |
||
| ⚫ | *This episode's subject matter, in conjunction with the |
||
| ⚫ | Buffy shows up just as the group finds a letter on Freddy's desk from [[Jonathan Levinson]], an ignored and disregarded student, announcing a dire plan. The gang then splits up to look for Jonathan. [[Image:318_Earshot6.jpg|thumb|The lunch lady.]] Meanwhile, Jonathan loads a firearm, ready to pull the trigger, up in the high school clock tower. Buffy locates him and quickly jumps into the tower to confront him. |
||
| − | ===Bloopers=== |
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| ⚫ | Jonathan remains hostile at first, claiming that he is tired of everybody disregarding him for his size and his lack of abilities. Buffy civilly talks to him, telling him that the reason everybody ignores him is that they have their own problems to deal with -- problems they consider bigger than his own. She takes the rifle from him and unloads it, just as he admits his plans on committing suicide. In the meantime, Xander is still looking for Jonathan in the cafeteria and stumbles upon the overweight lunch lady putting rat poison into the food. |
||
| − | *The [[Lunch Lady]]’s stunt double is clearly nowhere near the same shape or size as the actress. |
||
| − | *When [[Angel]] is sitting on [[Buffy]]’s bed, sun is shining in, directly, but he doesn’t burst into flame. |
||
| − | *The scabby, mouthless demons were telepathic, and should have anticipated Buffy's moves while fighting. |
||
| − | *How was [[Jonathan]] going to kill himself with that high-powered rifle considering it was so long and his arms were so short? |
||
| − | *When Buffy and Angel are talking at the mansion, Angel’s necklace moves from inside his shirt to outside as the camera switches angles. |
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| − | *When Buffy does the flip to get on top of the building near Jonathan, her shirt is not the same one that she is wearing before and after she does the flip. |
||
| − | *When Buffy's in the lunchline and walks out of it, you see that there is no food on either of her plates. Then in the very next shot, each plate has something on it. |
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| − | *When Buffy first looks up at the clock tower, the clock says 12:40, but when she looks back up a moment later, it says 12:10. Shortly before this scene, it says 11:00. |
||
| − | *Making her way into Angel's mansion, Buffy throws open the curtain and lets the sunlight flood in, nearly scorching Angel as he's already walking across the room towards the doorway. |
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| ⚫ | Xander runs out and warns everybody to stop eating the food. The lunch lady pursues him and tries to attack Xander with a cleaver. Buffy shows up in time and knocks the weapon out of her hands. The lunch lady calls the students vermin, always eating and never stopping. Buffy decides that the lunch lady has lost her mind and knocks her unconscious. Soon after, Giles and Buffy recap the events as they walk around the school grounds. Giles asks her if she's up for some training, and Buffy says she is - that if he isn't too busy sleeping with her mother. Giles walks straight into a tree. |
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| − | ===Title=== |
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| + | == Quotes and trivia == |
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| − | *'''Earshot''': Obviously, the episode refers to [[Buffy]]'s ability, and the fact that others' thoughts are all in earshot for her. |
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| + | * '''Oz''': (thinking) I am my thoughts. If they exist in her, Buffy contains everything that is me, and she becomes me. I cease to exist. (Aloud) Hmm. |
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| + | * '''Buffy''': (reading Joyce's thoughts) You had sex with Giles? You had ''sex'' with Giles? |
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| − | *'''French''': "Voix Intérieures" ("Inner Voices") |
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| + | :'''Joyce''': It was the candy, we were teenagers. |
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| − | *'''Italian''': "Poteri Metafisici" ("Metaphysical powers") |
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| − | + | :'''Buffy''': On the hood of a police car? |
|
| + | :'''Joyce''': I'll be downstairs. You feel better. |
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| − | *'''Japanese''': "声が聞こえる距離" ("Earshot") |
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| + | :'''Buffy''': ''Twice''? |
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| − | *'''Spanish''': "Al alcance del oído" ("Within reach of the ear") |
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| + | * '''Willow''': The school paper is edging on depressing, lately. Have you guys noticed that? |
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| − | *The title does not appear at all in the script. |
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| + | :'''Oz''': I don't know. I always go strait to the obits. |
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| + | * '''Xander''': You know, Oz, I look at all this beauty, all these healthy young women and I wonder why I ever wasted my time on Cordelia. I mean, look at her. She's no better lookin' than the rest of 'em. |
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| − | ===Body Count=== |
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| + | :'''Oz''': None of them are really my... |
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| + | :'''Xander''': Oh, my God! He's lookin' at her. He's got his filthy adult Pierce Brosnany eyes all over my Cordy. |
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| + | :'''Oz''': You're a very complex man, aren't you? |
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| + | * '''Angel''': Buffy, careful with this gift. Lot of things that seem strong and good and powerful, they can be painful. |
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| − | *[[Unnamed Telepath demons|Scabby Demon #1]]. [[Buffy]] stabs demon number one in the park, while out patrolling. |
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| + | :'''Buffy''': Like, say, immortality? |
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| − | *[[Unnamed Telepath demons|Scabby Demon #2]]. It is offscreen, but since [[Angel]] got its heart, it's safe to assume that it's dead. |
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| + | :'''Angel''': Hm, exactly. I'm dyin' to get rid of that. |
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| + | :'''Buffy''': Funny. |
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| + | :'''Angel''': I'm a funny guy. |
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| + | * '''Oz''': (reading Freddy's review) "'Dingoes Ate My Baby' played their instruments as if they had plump Polish sausages taped to their fingers." |
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| − | The series has shown that Buffy has killed '''70 vampires''' and '''19 demons'''. She stabs a scabby demon in the park. |
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| + | :'''Freddy''': Sorry, man. |
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| + | :'''Oz''': No, that's fair. |
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| + | * '''Willow''': So, you're feeling better about Angel? |
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| − | ===Music=== |
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| + | :'''Buffy''': Well, we talked, then, then he ripped out the heart of a demon and fed it to me, and-and then we talked some more. |
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| + | :'''Willow''': See? That's how it should work. |
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| + | * This episode marks the second time Willow interrogates Jonathan, the first having been in "[[Go Fish]]". |
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| − | No music is featured in this episode. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ===Literary Techniques=== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | * '''Juxtaposition'''. [[Oz]] likes reading the obituaries in the [[Sunnydale High]] newspaper. [[Cordelia]]'s just fishing the papers for news about the cheerleading team. |
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| − | * '''Foreshadowing'''. While interrogating [[Jonathan]], [[Willow]] says, "We all have fantasies that we're powerful, more respected. Where people pay attention to us ... But sometimes the fantasy isn't enough, is it Jonathan? Sometimes we have to make it so people don't ignore us. Make them pay attention". [[Superstar|She really shouldn't be giving him any ideas]]. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ==Memorable Quotes== |
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| + | * According to a British slang dictionary, [[Giles]] was calling [[Wesley]] an idiot when he said, "Berk," a (slightly more profane) cross between "idiot" and "jerk." |
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| − | ==References== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ===Cultural References & Allusions=== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ===Episode References & Continuity=== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ==Critical Reception== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ==Gallery== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ==External Links== |
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| ⚫ | * This episode's subject matter, in conjunction with the mass shooting at Columbine High School (which occured a week before the intended airdate for this episode), led the WB to postpone this episode's broadcast. The episode finally aired September, 21 1999, two months after the Season Three finale (which was also delayed due to the final scene which includes Sunnydale High's destruction). Due to the long delay, "earshot" was aired in other countries before it was shown in the United States. [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] lobbied hard for this episode (which she considers one of her favourite ''Buffy'' episodes) to be released on schedule. She thought it was great and would help those affected by the Columbine tragedy. The ''Buffy'' novel, ''[[The Evil That Men Do]]'' was also delayed due to Columbine; it was published one year later than originally planned. |
||
Revision as of 04:43, 4 February 2009
Template:Buffyepisode
"Earshot" is the eighteenth episode of the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and is the fifty-second episode altogether. The screenplay was written by Jane Espenson and directed by Regis Kemble. It originally broadcast on September 21, 1999.
Synopsis
Buffy gains a telepathic ability after defeating a demon, but soon finds it too hard to handle - especially after hearing about a mass-murder attempt in her high school.
Summary
Infection.
While on patrol, Buffy fights two mysterious, mouthless demons. One manages to escape, but Buffy slays the other. However, she doesn't notice that some of the demon's blue blood gets on her skin. The next day at the library, the Scooby Gang gather for another group meeting, where they find that Giles is making little to no progress with The Mayor and stopping his Ascension. Wesley soon arrives, promising new updates, but his information is obsolete.
Meanwhile, Willow and Buffy talk about the current Angel/Faith situation. Willow suggests that Buffy talk to Angel and straighten things out. Percy arrives, telling Willow that they'll have to reschedule their planned study session. Willow then talks to Buffy about the basketball game held after school later that day. Apparently, everybody except for Buffy is going.
Buffy is bothered by persistent itchiness on her hand (the one the demon blood got on), and decides to confer to Giles about it. After a little research, Giles tells her, rather distractedly, that the demon's blood might have infected her with an 'aspect of the demon.'
Watching the pep rally.
Later that day, Xander, Willow, Oz, and an absent-minded Buffy watch a pep rally, where Willow catches Buffy feeling her head for horns. Willow further horrifies her by wondering if the demon is male. That night, Buffy meets Angel during her usual patrol and tells him about the demon. Angel tells her that he'll still love her no matter what she looks like.
The next day at school, Buffy finds the rest of them ecstatic about the game held the day before. When Cordelia passes by, Buffy hears Xander wondering if she and Wesley had kissed before - although the problem is, he wasn't wondering it aloud. Buffy then walks through the school halls, where she suddenly starts hearing people's thoughts. Buffy, freaked, talks to Giles about her new ability, where Giles realizes the demons are telepathic. Buffy seems overjoyed about it, and Giles says that this power is very useful in combat.
Buffy discovers that telepathy doesn't work on vampires.
However, Buffy decides to try it out in class instead. During American Literature, she answers the teacher's questions without difficulty, impressing the rest of the students, the teacher, and even herself. Buffy then hears the thoughts of Freddy Iverson, who writes editorials for the school newspaper, and has a seriously negative opinion about everything at Sunnydale High. Later that evening, Buffy visits Angel at the mansion and attempts to use her mind-reading abilities on him. But Buffy realizes that she can't as Angel's thoughts no more reflect into her mind than his image does in a mirror. Angel reveals to her that what happened with Faith meant nothing, and reassured Buffy that she's all he ever loved in 243 years.
The gang meets up at the library again the next morning, where Buffy tells her friends her newfound ability. She finds Xander constantly thinking about sex and Wesley keeps thinking about Cordelia. Oz thinks extremely deep thoughts, while Willow is upset because Buffy has access to Oz's mind and will learn more about him than she ever will. While in the school cafeteria, Buffy's newfound power starts to become painful as the voices become too much for her to endure. Just then, a single, menacing voice pops up; "This time tomorrow, I'll kill you all". Buffy passes out, overwhelmed by the cacaphony of others' thoughts.
Giles: If it doesn't go away she'll go insane.
When she regains consciousness, Buffy tells The Scoobies to find out everyone in the cafeteria, and interrogate them, to find out who the potential killer is. Giles tries to find a cure for Buffy, but before she leaves to rest at home, she hears the painful truth - she'll go insane if the telepathy continues. At home, while trying to comfort Buffy, Joyce inadvertently lets slip that she and Giles has had sex, twice, and on a hood of a police car.
Meanwhile, the rest of the gang starts interrogating members of the faculty and the students. They make little progress with their research and almost all likely suspects are crossed out -- except for Freddy, who Oz can't seem to find. In the meantime, Giles and Wesley had come across a potential cure for Buffy's telepathic abilities, but it requires the heart of the second demon. Angel hunts down the demon at the cemetery, and successfully acquires the heart.
Buffy: On the hood of a police car?!?
He brings the ingredients needed for the spell to [[Summers' residence}Buffy's house]] the next morning. Giles performs an incantation, and Buffy downs the potion. Buffy's body soon goes into convulsions, and she starts spasming and loses consciousness. Moments later, she wakes up again, good as new, and heads to the school to straighten the mess out. Meanwhile, the Scoobies finally corner Freddy in his office, where they realize that he isn't the (would-be) killer. Rather, he's been avoiding Oz out of fear that Oz is mad at him for a negative review he had written about Oz's band).
Buffy shows up just as the group finds a letter on Freddy's desk from Jonathan Levinson, an ignored and disregarded student, announcing a dire plan. The gang then splits up to look for Jonathan.
The lunch lady.
Meanwhile, Jonathan loads a firearm, ready to pull the trigger, up in the high school clock tower. Buffy locates him and quickly jumps into the tower to confront him.
Jonathan remains hostile at first, claiming that he is tired of everybody disregarding him for his size and his lack of abilities. Buffy civilly talks to him, telling him that the reason everybody ignores him is that they have their own problems to deal with -- problems they consider bigger than his own. She takes the rifle from him and unloads it, just as he admits his plans on committing suicide. In the meantime, Xander is still looking for Jonathan in the cafeteria and stumbles upon the overweight lunch lady putting rat poison into the food.
Xander runs out and warns everybody to stop eating the food. The lunch lady pursues him and tries to attack Xander with a cleaver. Buffy shows up in time and knocks the weapon out of her hands. The lunch lady calls the students vermin, always eating and never stopping. Buffy decides that the lunch lady has lost her mind and knocks her unconscious. Soon after, Giles and Buffy recap the events as they walk around the school grounds. Giles asks her if she's up for some training, and Buffy says she is - that if he isn't too busy sleeping with her mother. Giles walks straight into a tree.
Quotes and trivia
- Oz: (thinking) I am my thoughts. If they exist in her, Buffy contains everything that is me, and she becomes me. I cease to exist. (Aloud) Hmm.
- Buffy: (reading Joyce's thoughts) You had sex with Giles? You had sex with Giles?
- Joyce: It was the candy, we were teenagers.
- Buffy: On the hood of a police car?
- Joyce: I'll be downstairs. You feel better.
- Buffy: Twice?
- Willow: The school paper is edging on depressing, lately. Have you guys noticed that?
- Oz: I don't know. I always go strait to the obits.
- Xander: You know, Oz, I look at all this beauty, all these healthy young women and I wonder why I ever wasted my time on Cordelia. I mean, look at her. She's no better lookin' than the rest of 'em.
- Oz: None of them are really my...
- Xander: Oh, my God! He's lookin' at her. He's got his filthy adult Pierce Brosnany eyes all over my Cordy.
- Oz: You're a very complex man, aren't you?
- Angel: Buffy, careful with this gift. Lot of things that seem strong and good and powerful, they can be painful.
- Buffy: Like, say, immortality?
- Angel: Hm, exactly. I'm dyin' to get rid of that.
- Buffy: Funny.
- Angel: I'm a funny guy.
- Oz: (reading Freddy's review) "'Dingoes Ate My Baby' played their instruments as if they had plump Polish sausages taped to their fingers."
- Freddy: Sorry, man.
- Oz: No, that's fair.
- Willow: So, you're feeling better about Angel?
- Buffy: Well, we talked, then, then he ripped out the heart of a demon and fed it to me, and-and then we talked some more.
- Willow: See? That's how it should work.
- This episode marks the second time Willow interrogates Jonathan, the first having been in "Go Fish".
- The name of the Sunnydale High School newspaper is The Sentinel.
- The character, Hogan Martin, was named after a gymnast with whom Jane Espenson went to school.
- According to Jane Espenson, Joss Whedon hates having demons with tails on the show, as the tails almost never look realistic. That was parodied in this episode, with Buffy checking if she has one.
- According to a British slang dictionary, Giles was calling Wesley an idiot when he said, "Berk," a (slightly more profane) cross between "idiot" and "jerk."
- The Sunnydale High school clock tower was constructed especially for this episode. It will be seen only one more time: When it explodes in "Graduation Day, Part 2".
- Jane Espenson says that the fact Joyce and Giles had sex under the influence of the chocolate bars in "Band Candy" was confirmed in this episode was because she was shocked fans still weren't sure about this.
- The scene at the end, in which Giles walks into a tree, was not in the shooting script. It was a last minute addition by Anthony Stewart Head, intending to provide the scene with more comic relief.
- Buffy's class discuss Shakespeare's Othello in Literature class. The original script had them discussing Henry VIII, but Joss Whedon rewrote the scene to make it tie in with Buffy's feelings (and the sub-theme of this episode).
- Regis Kemble who directed this episode, also designed the title sequences for Angel.
- This episode's subject matter, in conjunction with the mass shooting at Columbine High School (which occured a week before the intended airdate for this episode), led the WB to postpone this episode's broadcast. The episode finally aired September, 21 1999, two months after the Season Three finale (which was also delayed due to the final scene which includes Sunnydale High's destruction). Due to the long delay, "earshot" was aired in other countries before it was shown in the United States. Sarah Michelle Gellar lobbied hard for this episode (which she considers one of her favourite Buffy episodes) to be released on schedule. She thought it was great and would help those affected by the Columbine tragedy. The Buffy novel, The Evil That Men Do was also delayed due to Columbine; it was published one year later than originally planned.