Dead Things 

After Jonathan, Andrew, and Warren accidentally kill Warren's ex-girlfriend Katrina, they set Buffy up to make her believe it was she who killed the girl.

Director:

James A. Contner

Writers:

Joss Whedon (created by), Steven S. DeKnight

Stars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Emma Caulfield Ford

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Emma Caulfield Ford	...	Anya (as Emma Caulfield)
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers
James Marsters	...	Spike
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Danny Strong	...	Jonathan Levinson
Adam Busch	...	Warren Mears
Tom Lenk	...	Andrew Wells
Amelinda Smith	...	Katrina Silber (as Amelinda Embry)
Amber Benson	...	Tara Maclay
Marion Calvert	...	Gina
Armand Reiser	...	Desk Sergeant
Bernard Addison	...	Cop #1 (as Bernard K. Addison)
Eric Prescott	...	Cop #2

Storyline

Buffy goes to Tara, concerned about the fact that Spike can harm her without triggering his chip. She also gets mixed up with the Trio's latest scheme, creating a new device which will make women their mindless slaves, which goes horribly wrong when Warren's ex-girlfriend Katrina is accidentally killed. The Trio set Buffy up to make her think that she has killed Katrina - and it works. Between finding out the truth about her resurrection and believing that she has killed an innocent girl, Buffy's world begins to fall apart, and she ends up revealing to Tara that she and Spike are having sex.

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Plot Keywords:

sci fi episode | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Dawn said she was staying at Janice's house, Buffy said, "And I'm falling for that again because of the surprise lobotomy?" This is a reference to when Dawn and Janice snuck out on Halloween to go on dates with two boys who turned out to be vampires in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: All the Way (2001).

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Goofs

When the camera pans back rapidly as Buffy looks upon the crying girl with confusion, a large stage light is clearly visible on the left hand side of the screen.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[after they've been making love]
Buffy Summers: We missed the bed again.
Spike: Lucky for the bed.
[Buffy looks at the Oriental carpet which she's draped over herself]
Buffy Summers: Is this a new rug?
Spike: Mmm, no. Just looks different when you're under it.
Buffy Summers: [chuckles then sighs] You know, this place is okay for a hole in the ground. You fixed it up.
Spike: Well, I ate a decorator once. Maybe something stuck.
Buffy Summers: I've been thinking about doing something to my room.
[...]

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Connections

References Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

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Soundtracks

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme
Written by Nerf Herder
Performed by Brandon K. Verrett

User Reviews

Buffy's worst ever episode

Buffy's relationship with Spike is getting increasingly kinkier. Meanwhile, the trio of nerds plan to make a woman their sex slave. Leader Warren picks his ex-girlfriend Katrina. When the spell wears off and Katrina threatens to tell the authorities, Warren kills her. He decides to pin the murder on Buffy.

This episode is where "Buffy" veers straight into soap opera melodrama. There is very little of the supernatural to be found - just a brief appearance by demons who disrupt the fabric of time. The episode is mainly concerned with Buffy confronting her internal disgust. She hates what she has become and that she can't seem to stop herself on this dark path. Her realisation in "Gone" that she doesn't want to die and that she's okay with being back in the world seems largely forgotten.

I can't fault this show's characterisation or the way characters have to address their actions and beliefs. Sarah Michelle Gellar's acting is excellent. But the episode has zero entertainment value. It's dark, it's depressing, and it's full of icky kinky sex. This episode seems to have forgotten the show's theme of addressing human issues through a supernatural context. It's more like "Days Of Our Lives" with a supervillian/s plotting the downfall of a nemesis.

And what's with all the rape themes in season 6? I hated this episode. In a season full of subpar episodes, this one sinks right to the bottom.

Details

Official Sites:

Hulu Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 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:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1