Older and Far Away (12 Feb. 2002)

After Dawn talks to a guidance counselor about her feeling lonely, she accidentally puts a spell on Buffy and her friends, trapping them inside the Summer's house with a sword-wielding demon.

Director:

Michael Gershman

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator), Drew Z. Greenberg

Stars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Emma Caulfield

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers
James Marsters	...	Spike
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Kali Rocha	...	Halfrek
Ryan Browning	...	Richard
Amber Benson	...	Tara Maclay
Laura Roth	...	Sophie
James Charles Leary	...	Clem (as James C. Leary)
Elizabeth Cazenave	...	Teacher

Storyline

Everyone gathers at the Summers home for Buffy's twenty-first birthday party and it goes well... at first. Feeling neglected by Buffy and the gang, Dawn's wish to keep people from leaving her is answered by Halfrek, who binds the attendees of the party to the house. When Tara tries a spell to free them, she only makes the situation worse by accidentally releasing a demon trapped inside a sword.

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Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | lesbian | sister sister relationship | heroine

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 2002 (USA)

Filming Locations:

1800 Stewart St., Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mutant Enemy, Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Spike comes to Buffy's party with a six-pack of Einbeck beer bottles under his arm.

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Goofs

As Spike walks toward the front door at 40:53, you can see part of a lighting instrument at the top edge of the frame, just left of the door.

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Quotes

Spike: I had a muscle cramp. Buffy was, uh, helping.
Tara: A muscle cramp... in your pants?
Spike: What? It's a thing.

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Connections

References The Exterminating Angel (1962)

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Soundtracks

"Rock and Roll Bar"
Performed by Mint Royale

User Reviews

Great episode.

Im sure no one seriously thinks it is plagerizm to have the theme of people unable to leave a get together. This "mexican film" is not the first or the last to feature such a story. The play "Waiting for Godot" has characters that are waiting to leave, but don't know what they are waiting for, and can't leave until it happens. Its common surrealist fare. I don't think that the party that never ends is really the central message of this episode. Its more of a running gag. The fact that Halifreck is obviously Ceciy is great. And the partial resolution of Dawns problems is gratifying. The characters being unsble to leave sort of forces them to confront each other in meaningful ways. That is in my opinion the point.