Ok, here it is: my summary of what I consider to be the most carelessly written episode of Buffy to date. *Yes peoples, it even out does the wig-worthy yet cheese filled "Teachers Pet" ep from the first season*

First of all we have Buffy acting completely out of character. For starters, she's still wearing her 'moping/brooding face' yet she is psyched to wrap herself around Scott's arm at the Homecoming dance. Which leads us to Angel, who is currently residing at the old mansion; Buffy brings him a snack one night and proceeds to explain her new lifestyle to him (including the new apple of her eye who she claims "makes her happy"). After an extremely heartbroken Angel reacts to her statement we are flashed forward to a scene in the halls between Scott and Buffy where Scott blatently tells Buffy their relationship is kaput. *How nice* (Yay Scott! It's about time Buffy had what was coming to her...- Robyn) Personally I found myself doing an over abundance of head shaking while viewing this tragic turn of events. Since when did Buffy 'get over' Angel? A few short eps ago she was dreaming of rendezvous with her beloved on a secluded beach - now she's bringing him blood and shooting him down? Excuse me Joss, did you leave out a piece of the script or something?

On to the next disastrous event: Willow and Xander. Sure we've seen the two share some "gaga" glances but we all know very well that Oz and Willow are for keeps right? Wrong. While prepping for Homecoming, Willow and Xander share a long awaited kiss and later continue to discuss their feelings for each other (ie: Xander telling Willow "now when I look at you it's like I'm seeing you for the first time.") *shudders*

Oops, I almost forgot....there is a plot! *surprise!* Mr. Trick and some other freakish demons *including newly wed Lyle Gorch and some lizard with a "spikey hair-do" goin' on* are planning "Slayer Fest 98'" which involves picking Buffy and Faith up in a limo for Homecoming and taking them to a desolate spot in the woods where they will meet their fate. Unfortunately, Mr. Trick's plan doesn't go as planned due to a lack of Faith and a surplus of Cordelia (in other words they goof up and Cordy gets in the limo instead of Faith and there you have it folks: one big Slayer booboo).

Okeeleedokeely, I think I skipped ahead there. Let me fill in some of the blanks, *as if there weren't enough as it was* Buffy decides to run for Homecoming queen in an attempt to "become somebody"; she feels somewhat invisible and is in need of some major bud bonding but tragically her friends leave her in the dust to do her own campaigning. *Since when did Willow, Xander and Ox become so uncaring? Geezies Joss, you shock me!*

Now here's the general jist of things: Buffy and Cordy are taken to the woods where they are attacked by Mr. Trick and co. They take refuge at an abandoned cabin until some spikey haired dude tracks em' down. Next thing you know we have torpedoes (or some sort of nasty little grenade like weapon) being launched at the cabin and explosions galore (of course Buffy and Cordy escape - duhhh* The two wannabe Homecoming queens race their royal booties back to the library where Lyle awaits them with an unconscious Giles. After a spiffy little fight scene where Cordy bluffs her "slayer powers" to Lyle and scares him enough to send his feet a runnin' in the opposite direction, the girls discover the hidden transmitters implanted in their corsages *dun da dun* Before you can say, "Episode number 5 was a let down" the entire cast of "Slayer Fest '98" is defeated and Buffy saves the day just in time to go to the dance - naturally.

At the dance Willow and Xander are being overly distant *gee I wonder why?* and Faith is playing mind games with Scotty boy *who happens to have found a date....already!* (What a jerk! I applauded Faith's joke on Scott - totally deserved! - Robyn) The candidates arrive just in time to see the crowns be placed on the opposition and that's about it. Yay BTVS!

You will have to excuse my lack of enthusiasm. Perhaps I am a little prejudice, because I'm very much pro-B&A but it seems to me that in one episode the writers of BTVS were able to blow everything I ever knew about the show out of the water. I wish there was some familiar ground the show would stick to but sadly there doesn't seem to be. The character development we have all seen thus far has changed, and all because of one teensy weensy little episode. Let's hope for some MAJOR back tracking, shall we folks?