"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Touched (2003)

Director:

David Solomon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Rebecca Rand Kirshner (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

6 May 2003 (Season 7, Episode 20)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Faith and the Potentials search underground for a weapon, whilst Buffy confronts Caleb at the vineyard.

Plot Keywords:

Lesbian Scene | Lesbian | Heroine | Sister Sister Relationship | Female Protagonist

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers
James Marsters	...	Spike
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Eliza Dushku	...	Faith
Nathan Fillion	...	Caleb
Tom Lenk	...	Andrew Wells
Iyari Limon	...	Kennedy
Sarah Hagan	...	Amanda
Harry Groener	...	Mayor Richard Wilkins
D.B. Woodside	...	Principal Robin Wood (as DB Woodside)
Felicia Day	...	Vi

Runtime:

41 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

The sex scene between Willow and Kennedy is the first lesbian sex scene ever on network TV, as noted by "After Ellen" network site.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the episode, in which Buffy and Caleb fight, The First (as Buffy) is sitting on a wine crate - but of course, according to the show, this is impossible.

Quotes:

Andrew Wells: Hi everybody. I missed you guys a lot. Sorry it took so long to get back from our mission-mission, but we had to wait out the sun. Well, I think our-our mission went very well. We, uh, we rode on Spike's hog, which was very cool, and, uh, uh, played some amusing games, and, uh - Oh. We got some information. You know what? I really need to urinate.
Spike: He's a breath of fresh air, innit he? Thank God I don't breathe.

Soundtrack:

It's Only Love

It's all about Spike in this episode

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

After Buffy is voted out of power in "Empty Places," I'm just waiting for Spike to get back to the house. I want him to confront those traitors and REALLY let them have it. "Touched" is an episode that doesn't disappoint on that score. In fact, if you like Spike and Buffy, this is probably the episode for you. Not only does it have Spike defending Buffy's "Chosen One" status, it also has some of Spike and Buffy's most beautiful scenes together. The Buffyverse is always more about love, than sex when it comes to showing a real bond between people. As the couples back at the Summers' house have sex, Buffy and Spike spend the night just holding each other. Transcending their physical relationship, Spike and Buffy make a real emotional connection in "Touched." It's sort of the capstone of their entire romance. You really shouldn't skip this episode if you're watching the season.

"Touched" picks up right where "Empty Places" left off. Buffy has been kicked out of her home and has taken refuge in an abandoned house. (Well, NOW it's abandoned. She forces the owner out, telling him he has to leave Sunnydale.) Spike and Andrew are at the church researching Caleb. Back at the Summers' house, Faith is trying to lead the Potentials, but things are dissolving in to chaos as everyone tries to assert their opinions. They finally decide to kidnap at Bringer and torture him for information. Unfortunately, Bringers don't have any tongues, so the Scoobies work on a spell to communicate with their new hostage. Before they get too far, though, Spike and Andrew come home. Nobody can meet Spike's eyes as he demands to know where Buffy is. Willow finally steps up and carefully explains that they took a vote and Buffy is now "taking a little break." Spike is completely unimpressed with that excuse. He begins shouting at the Scoobies, reminding them that Buffy died for them and that turning on her now is ridiculously disloyal. Faith quickly tries to stop Spike's rant. She wants him to just accept things and follow her leadership. Spike hits her. Faith and Spike battle their way in to dining room, at which point Spike tosses her into a wall and stalks out to find Buffy.

After questioning the Bringer with their spell, the Scoobies decide to attack some armory that Caleb has. Faith is still uncertain of her leadership skills and she's doubly shaken when the First pays her a visit looking like the Mayor. Mr. Wood's comes to talk to Faith and the two of them end up sleeping together. Anya and Xander also have sex, as do Willow and Kennedy. Spike finally tracks down Buffy at the abandoned house. Buffy is feeling utterly defeated. Spike promises that they will get her "head Slayer" job back and tells her that he thinks that Caleb is hiding a weapon at the vineyard. Buffy is too depressed to care. Spike gives her a very moving speech, about how he loves and believes in her and that she has to keep fighting. "You're the One, Buffy." Buffy is touched. As Spike turns to leave she asks him to stay and just hold her. Spike and Buffy lay side-by-side on the bed, just staring at each other. The next morning, Buffy heads off to confront Caleb. Faith and the Potentials head for the armory. Buffy evades Caleb's attacks and finds a magical ax thing embedded in a hunk of stone. Faith accidentally leads the Potentials into a trap. As they search the armory, a bomb goes off.

There are some good parts to this episode. A big, BIG "thank you" to Faith for telling Kennedy to back off. I hate Kennedy and I'm just so happy someone finally called her on her constant whining. Really, though, most of the episode is about Spike. In the entire Buffyverse, Spike never comes off more heroic and romantic than he is in "Touched." Seriously, his speech to Buffy in the bedroom is one of the high points of the season. Every word of it is poetry. And when he and Buffy cuddle up next to each other on the bed, they just fit together perfectly. The scene flashes from Anya and Xander, to Willow and Kennedy, to Faith and Mr. Wood all having sex. And then to Buffy and Spike just staring into each others eyes and it's pretty clear which couple is establishing the most intimate connection. Also, I was just so furious at the Scoobies for turning on Buffy in "Empty Places" that I'm glad they look guilty when Spike starts yelling at them. Actually, they seem worried from the second that he walks into the kitchen, as if they already know that he's not going to be on their side. They insist that they're right. But as Spike shouts, they seem to begin questioning themselves. Not even Giles defends himself as Spike snarls that Giles' can't handle the fact that Buffy has "surpassed" him now. By the end they're just staring at the floor. They deserve to feel bad and I think that Spike's words really got through to them.

On the down side, when did Buffy tell Spike her theory that Caleb was hiding something at the vineyard? He seems to know about it when he finds her in the bedroom, but didn't she come up with that idea AFTER he'd left for the church with Andrew? Also, I think that instead of going to that abandoned house, Buffy should have one to Spike's old crypt. It would have fit in with season two's "What's My Line? Part One" where Buffy hides in Angel's empty apartment when she has no where else to go.

My favorite (non-Spike) part of the episode: Faith and the "Mayor." I just love them and I glad they got one last scene together before the end of the show. Even if he is the First and all...