"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Lie to Me (1997)

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Joss Whedon (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

3 November 1997 (Season 2, Episode 7)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Ford, an old friend of Buffy's from L.A., shows up unexpectedly in Sunnydale, and seems to know that she is the Slayer...

Plot Keywords:

Heroine | Library | Reference To Marie Antoinette | Female Protagonist | Demon

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Charisma Carpenter	...	Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz	...	Angel
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Robia LaMorte	...	Jenny Calendar (as Robia La Morte)
James Marsters	...	Spike
Jason Behr	...	Billy 'Ford' Fordham
Jarrad Paul	...	Marvin / Diego
Juliet Landau	...	Drusilla
Will Rothhaar	...	James
Julia Lee	...	Chanterelle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joseph Benjamin Stewart	...	Vampire Night Club Extra

Runtime:

45 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

The movie playing at the underground club is Dan Curtis' television adaptation of _"Dracula" (1973)_, starring Jack Palance.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Angel visits Buffy to reveal what he knows about Billy Fordham, after entering the kitchen, he leaves the door open a few inches and then stands at the counter opposite Buffy. In the next shot, Buffy and Angel walk out of the kitchen and the door is closed completely.

Quotes:

Xander Harris: Yeah, I'm gonna have to go with deadboy on this one.
Angel: Could you not call me that?

Movie Connections:

Features Dracula (1973/I) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Never Land

Buffy's old friend Ford comes to town with a plan

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

There's a interesting theme emerging over BTVS this season, one that will be revisited throughout the entire run of the series: The good guy's aren't always so good and the bad guy's aren't always so bad. "Lie to Me" confronts this idea in several ways. Angel may currently be a hero and champion. But, back when he didn't have a soul, he turned Dru into a vampire, making her an insane killer. At the same time, Drusilla, wasn't always a demon. She was once a pious young woman training to be a nun. Ford, Buffy's long-lost friend, is willing to sell out everyone he knows to cheat death. While, Spike, the scourge of Sunnydale, quickly abandons his evil plans for glory to save Dru's un-life. Thing's are always as clear cut as they seem. It's a hard fact of growing up that Giles and Buffy discuss at the end of "Lie to Me." Sunnydale is growing more complicated and the show is becoming more interesting because of it. This is an excellent episode that foreshadows the difficult choices and complex situations that lay ahead.

"Lie to Me" centers around Buffy's childhood friend, Ford, arriving in Sunnydale. Ford seems like a nice guy, hanging out with the Scoobies, going to the Bronze with Buffy, etc... But like most seemingly nice people in the Buffyverse, he has a secret. Ford is dying. Convinced that he can escape death if he becomes a vampire, he cuts a deal with Spike. Ford and his vampire-cult friends know that Buffy's the Slayer. They agree to capture Buffy in their underground nightclub/bomb shelter, if Spike and the gang will turn them all into vampires. Spike, between orchestrating the theft of a ancient book from Giles and jealously learning that Angel and Dru have seen each other while he wasn't around, quickly agrees to Ford's plan. Meanwhile, Xander, Willow and Angel are suspicious of Ford. (Xander, mocking Buffy and Ford's overly cute relationship, is particularly funny. "This is Ford, my bestest friend of all my friends.") After investigating his past they become convinced that Ford's up to no good. Buffy, angry that they have been snooping around without telling her, goes to confront Ford herself and fall right into his trap.

There's a lot to like in this episode. The vampire cult is hilarious. Angel's frustration and disgust with the group's worship of the "lonely ones" is great. And this episode introduces Chantarelle, who will turn up again on BTVS and "Angel." Also, I like the scene where Angel visits Willow's bedroom and they start investigating Ford on her computer. "I'm not suppose to have boys in my room," she worriedly confesses. And I really enjoy Willow's high-pitched strained laugh the next day as she tries to lie to Buffy. Spike and Dru are always wonderful and this episode begins to show the specter of Angel that still hangs over their relationship. Plus, the idea of Giles and monster trucks is just funny.

A few small complaints about the episode, how did Buffy know that Spike would back down if she threatened Dru? Buffy had only just learned about Spike and Drusilla's relationship. Vampires aren't suppose to have feelings or care about anything. Logically, Spike should have been incapable of caring for Dru and been completely willing to let Buffy kill her if it meant succeeding with his plan. How did Buffy know that Spike was different than most vampires? That he would stop the fight to save Dru? It's strange, but it's certainty an indication of things to come. Also, I think the make-up in this episode is a little heavy. Especially, in the scene where Willow and Angel talk in her bedroom. They both look a little "made up."

My favorite part of the episode: Spike's frustration over Dru's pet bird. "The bird's dead, Dru. You left it in its cage and you didn't feed it and now its all dead... Just like the last one." I'd be curious to know how many poor birds Spike had to catch for her over the years.