If it were just any show, I'd say Buffy's actions in the episode are sympathetic, understandable even. Frustrations with existing social connections lead her to take risks in another. Angel and Giles both infantalize her.
The problem is very little of what occurs is within the bounds of where each character is at. I don't mean Angel, who acts as usual. But Giles's behavior, and Buffy's response to it seem amnesiac. Apparently Buffy has been mentally checking out of her sessions (why? We are not told. Whatever drove her there occurred offscreen), so Giles stresses importance of training. Buffy gets unusually upset about this and decides to go to a frat party behind his back.
I just don't buy it. Giles and Buffy have regularly done this dance, with Giles stressing the need to stay at the top of her game as a slayer and Buffy advocating for the existence of her own social life, and in all previous cases both characters have found ways to be more mature and understanding about it. Buffy generally makes a point of showing Giles she cares and Giles tends to concede that she does deserve some semblance of a normal life. But in this episode all of that nuance and mutual respect that has defined their relationship has suddenly been washed away, and they both act extremely immature and hostile towards one another.
Stronger points of the episode are the portrayal of the antagonists (frat guys are predators, it's true, even the "nice" ones like Tom) and a good recurring gag with Cordelia. Overall, Reptile Boy is an improvement over the disaster that was the Inca episode, but still pretty weak by Buffy standards.
The problem is very little of what occurs is within the bounds of where each character is at. I don't mean Angel, who acts as usual. But Giles's behavior, and Buffy's response to it seem amnesiac. Apparently Buffy has been mentally checking out of her sessions (why? We are not told. Whatever drove her there occurred offscreen), so Giles stresses importance of training. Buffy gets unusually upset about this and decides to go to a frat party behind his back.
I just don't buy it. Giles and Buffy have regularly done this dance, with Giles stressing the need to stay at the top of her game as a slayer and Buffy advocating for the existence of her own social life, and in all previous cases both characters have found ways to be more mature and understanding about it. Buffy generally makes a point of showing Giles she cares and Giles tends to concede that she does deserve some semblance of a normal life. But in this episode all of that nuance and mutual respect that has defined their relationship has suddenly been washed away, and they both act extremely immature and hostile towards one another.
Stronger points of the episode are the portrayal of the antagonists (frat guys are predators, it's true, even the "nice" ones like Tom) and a good recurring gag with Cordelia. Overall, Reptile Boy is an improvement over the disaster that was the Inca episode, but still pretty weak by Buffy standards.