I Only Have Eyes for You

Written by: Marti Noxon
Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.

Cast : Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, David Boreanaz as Angel, Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles.
Main guest stars : James Marsters as Spike, Juliet Landau as Drusilla, Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder, Meredith Salenger as Grace Newman, Christopher Gorham as James Stanley.

Original broadcast date : April 28, 1998

My one-line description: He used to go to school here. Now he’s back in the flesh… um, decomposed flesh, that is.

At the Bronze, cute guy Ben approaches Buffy and awkwardly tells her about the upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance, for which the girls are supposed to ask the boys. He’s hoping Buffy will ask him, but she tells him she’s not seeing anybody… ever again. She’s still reeling over the whole thing with Angel. As Ben goes away, Willow expresses her concern at Buffy being all work and no play lately. Buffy argues that she did come to the Bronze tonight, but Willow comments that she came, she saw, and she rejected. She thinks Buffy is thinking too much and needs to be impulsive. However, Buffy reminds Willow of what happened the last time she was impulsive – Angel lost his soul. Buffy gets up and prepares to leave – she’s going to see Giles at the library.

In a hallway at school, a couple is apparently having a very tearful fight. As the girl turns around to leave, the guy pulls out a gun. “Don’t walk away from me, bitch!” he screams. Buffy arrives and sees this; she tackles the guy before he can shoot, and the gun skids away on the floor, where it vanishes into thin air. Buffy berates the guy for going O.J. on his girlfriend, but neither the guy nor the girl can remember what happened…

Buffy is called into Principal Snyder’s office the next day. It seems he blames her for the previous night’s incident. She tries to tell him that she didn’t do anything, but he calls her a “pathetic little lowlife vegan”, and tells her she stinks of lies (there should be laws against a principal saying these things). He steps out of the office for a moment to take care of something else, and as Buffy waits, a book slips out of a bookshelf nearby and falls to the floor. Buffy picks it up, notice it’s a 1955 yearbook, and puts it back on the shelf.

Later, in class, Buffy slips into a daydream. Suddenly, she’s sitting in class with a bunch of students from the 50s – the guys in letter jackets and greased hair, the girls in large-skirted dresses. As the students get up and file out, one of them, James, goes up to the young and attractive teacher. He hands him a book she lent him, and they share a moment that seems altogether much too intimate… Buffy snaps back into full consciousness in her own class. The teacher is writing on the blackboard while lecturing. The students laugh as they notice what he’s unconsciously written – “Don’t walk away from me bitch”.

As Xander opens his locker, Buffy tells him about the incident in class. Suddenly, a decomposed hand bursts out of the locker and grabs him, pulling him in. Buffy helps him fight it off, and they slam the door shut. She reopens it slowly. Nothing.

Xander and Buffy enter the library, and Willow, taking in Xander’s rumpled state, asks him if he was in another fight with Cordelia. After some discussion about the locker incident, Giles concludes to some type of poltergeist. He explains that someone had died with some unresolved issues, and is lashing out in confusion and anger. The only way to get rid of it is to help it resolve its issues.

That night, George the janitor greets teacher Ms. Frank, who has been working late. As she leaves, a gun suddenly appears in his hand, and they start repeating exactly the same argument as the young couple of the previous night… Giles overhears the fight from the library; he hears the words “I need you”, and thinks it’s Jenny’s ghost talking. He arrives on the scene just in time to see George shoot Ms. Frank, who topples over a balcony and falls to the ground a floor below. Giles tackles George, and suddenly the gun vanishes… George doesn’t remember what happened, but panics when he learns he killed the teacher.

At the library, Giles and the gang are discussing the incident. Giles is convinced that Jenny’s ghost is haunting the school, but the Scoobies are sceptical. Giles refuses to hear them out, however; he’s convinced he’s right and they’re wrong. Startled by Giles’ behaviour, they decide to research the matter on their own. On the Internet, Willow finds a report about a student killing his teacher when she broke up with him, and then shooting himself in the music room. Xander asks when it happened; “1955”, Buffy answers. She tells them about her daydream; a bit later, they page through the yearbook and see the pictures of the student, James Stanley, and the teacher, Grace Newman.

Buffy is really angry at James Stanley for what he did; she thinks he should be doing 60 years in prison and making friends with Rocco the Weight Lifter. Her friends are uneasy at her intense display, and Xander changes the subject by suggesting they go grab something to eat.

At the cafeteria, Cordelia complains about the girls having to ask the guys out to the Sadie Hawkins dance. Then she screams, as her lunch turns to a plateful of snakes… the students flee the cafeteria as snakes appear in everyone’s lunch. Outside, as the firemen clear some of the snakes away, Principal Snyder discusses with the police chief the excuses they’re going to use this time. Snyder reveals he knows about the Hellmouth – he confides to the chief that he doesn’t know how long he can cover up its existence…

Willow tells the Scoobies that the only solution is to perform an exorcism. That evening, they go back to the school, where they plan to form a Mangus Tripod to perform an exorcism – that is, each of them must be in a different place in the school to form a perfect triangle. Willow gives them each a smelly sulphur scapular and a candle, and they’re off…

Spike, Angelus and Drusilla are taking a look at their new place – an abandoned mansion with a garden spot, which Drusilla loves. Suddenly, she pauses and reports that a gate is opening – it’s black, and it wants the Slayer. She’s dancing… dancing with death.

Nearing the music room, where her corner of the triangle is, Buffy hears an old 50s’ song called “I Only Have Eyes For You”. She looks through the door window, and sees James and Grace slowly dancing… As James turns with the music and faces Buffy, she sees his face is horribly decomposed.

Going to her spot, Willow encounters Giles, who is preparing to contact Jenny. He warns Willow to stay away, because there might be some paranormal phenomena if he succeeds.

Xander slowly enters a snake-invaded cafeteria; Willow takes her place on the spot from which Miss Newman fell to the ground below 40 years earlier. Suddenly, a vortex opens in the floor and pulls her in as she screams; luckily Giles hears her and comes to the rescue. He pulls her out of the vortex, and they fall to the floor together. “Giles, Jenny could never be this mean!” Willow pleads. “I know… It’s not her, is it?” he replies.

Willow, Buffy, Xander and Cordelia attempt the exorcism, lighting their candles and reciting the incantation. But a soft breeze blows out their candles, and after a moment of silence… a great buzzing sound rises. It’s a huge swarm of wasps coming at them – Willow and Giles bolt, meeting up with Cordelia, Buffy and Xander on the way. They escape just in time; from across the street, they watch as the wasps form a barrier around the school.

The Scoobies retreat to Giles’ house, to try and draw up a Plan B. Xander wonders what James wants, and Giles theorizes that he’s trying to re-enact what happened, to understand it. Buffy doesn’t care – the guy should pay for what he did. Giles tells her that forgiveness is an act of compassion, done not because people deserve it, but because they need it. But Buffy doesn’t want to hear it – James is just going to have to live with what he did. “He can’t live with it, Buff”, Xander points out; “He’s dead”. Clearly, Buffy is drawing a parallel here, and showing that she can’t forgive herself for what happened to Angel. Suddenly, she hears a voice calling to her. “I need you…” It sounds like Angel. Buffy decides to go back to the school. As she gets there, the wall of wasps parts to let her pass, and the doors open by themselves…

Back at Giles’ place, the Scoobies are worried about Buffy; however, Giles thinks she’s face, since there’s nobody to enact James’ part in the deadly little scene.

Buffy walks through the school… and runs into Angelus. It seems the wasps don’t like the undead. He’s ready to kill her, but suddenly… the scene kicks in, with Buffy playing James’ role and Angelus playing Grace’s… Once again, James shoots Grace, and Angelus falls over the edge of the balcony to the ground below. A distraught Buffy goes to the music room, where “I Only Have Eyes For You” plays on an antique record player. She – and James 40 years earlier – lifts the gun to shoot herself, but suddenly Angelus is there; the bullet, of course, didn’t kill him. This allows James to finally gain forgiveness from Grace, and they kiss. The essences of James and Grace flow out of Buffy and Angelus, going to their final rest. Buffy whispers Angel’s name… but then he looks at her, pushes her away from him and runs off.

At the mansion, Angelus splashes water from a basin on his face. Drusilla pities him, and suggests they go feed to wash the taste away. “Try to have fun without me”, Angelus tells Spike as they leave. “Oh, I will”, Spike growls. Getting up from the wheelchair, he kicks it away and stands firmly on his two feet. He’s healed.

Summary by OttsFiveByFive.

Episode Ratings

Mac -
“Everyone always talks about this one like it’s a classic, but I never saw it like that. The last 15 minutes were good, the whole concept was good, but I don’t feel as though it was in any way classic.”

DJ Angelus - <—Best Episode Of The Season—>
“Really deals with relationships. How we handle relationship when they go bad. What passion can make a person do. I know I realted all to well personally. Still do.”

Quotes

(B=Buffy, G=Giles, X=Xander, W=Willow, As=Angelus, C=Cordelia, JC=Jenny Calendar, J=Joyce, PS=Principal Snyder, S=Spike, D=Druscilla, O=Oz, PC = Police Chief )
—
Ben: We had Algebra II together last year.
B: Sorry. I pretty much repress anything math related.

B: Oh. Yeah. I remember now. It’s the one with the desks and the chalkboards and pencils and stuff, right?
Ben: Yeah.
B: Like a steel trap.

B: I’m not seeing anybody. Ever… again actually.

W: You’ve been doing that a lot, patrolling and sacking. In fact, you’ve kind of been all work and no play Buffy.
B: I play. I have big fun. I came here tonight, didn’t I?
W: You came. You saw. You rejected.

B: I’m just not in date mode right now.
W: Well, maybe you need to date to get in date mode.

W: You’re thinking too much. Maybe you need to be impulsive.
B: Impulsive? Do you remember my ex-boyfriend? The vampire? I slept with him, he lost his soul, and now my boyfriend’s gone forever and the demon that wears his face is killing my friends. The next impulsive decision I make will be my choice of dentures.

W: Okay. The Angel thing went badly. I’m on board with that.

PS: That’s right. I want to thank you. What would Sunnydale High do without you around to incite mayhem, chaos, and disorder?

PS: People can be coerced, Summers. I’m no stranger to conspiracy. I saw ‘JFK’.

PS: Pathetic little lowlife vegan.

PS: You stink of lies

W: I bet you’ll think coding is pretty cool. I mean, if you find two-digit multi-stacked conversions and primary number clusters a big hoot.

W: Giles! I made them laugh. Did you hear? I did … the joke thing.

X: “Something weird is going on.” Isn’t that our school motto?

X: I don’t want to poo-poo your wiggins, but domestic dispute, a little case of chalkboard Tourette’s all sounds like Hellmouth life to me. *slam*

W: Xander? What happened? Did Cordelia win another round in the broom closet?
X: You’re just a big bucket of funny, Will.

X: I’ll have you know I was just accosted by some kind of, um, locker monster.
G: Loch Ness Monster?

G: Ooo! Sounds like paranormal phenomenon.
W: A ghost? Cool!

X: This was no wimpy chain rattler. This was “I’m dead as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.”

G: Well, despite the Xander-speak, that’s a fairly accurate description of a poltergeist.
X: I defined something? Accurately? Guess I’m done with the book learnin’.

B: So we have some bad boo on our hands?

G: It lashes out, growing ever more confused, ever more angry.
B: So it’s a normal teenager … only dead.

B: Fabulous. Now we’re Dr. Laura for the deceased.

S: It’s paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It’ll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us.
As: You don’t like it Spike, hit the stairs and go. Take a stand, man.

As: Things change, Spikey. You gotta roll with the punches. Well, actually, you’ve pretty much got that part down.

S: Yeah. You’re a giver.

G: I think it’s very clear what’s happening.
X: Fill me in then. ’Cuz I’ve read the book, seen the movie, and I’m still fuzzy about what’s going on.

G: I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. In fact I encourage you to always challenge me when you feel it’s appropriate. You should never be cowed by authority. Except, of course, in this instance when I am clearly right and you are clearly wrong.

W: This is freaky. I don’t remember ever seeing Giles be this way.
X: I know. He’s usually Investigate Things from Every Boring Angle Guy. Now he’s, like, Cling to My One Lame Idea Guy.

B: What do we know?
X: Dog spit is cleaner than human.
B: Besides that.

X: Ladies and gentlemen, we have a ghost.

X: Your dreams are getting wicked accurate, Buff. You wouldn’t happen to see me coming across some big cash or possibly knowing the love of a woman… in a full body sense?

B: He should be doing 60 years in prison, breaking rocks and making special friends with Rosco the weight lifter.

X: Yikes. The quality of mercy is not Buffy.

X: Okay. Who’s hungry?

C: Do you realize that the girls have to ask the guys and *pay* and everything? I mean, whose genius idea was that?
X: Obviously some hairy legged feminist.
C: Really. Well, we need to nip this thing in the bud. Otherwise things could get really scary. *Scream*

PC: School boy pranks?
PS: Never sell.
PC: The sewer got backed up?
PS: Better. I could probably make that one fly.

W: The only solution is the final solution.
X: Nuke the school? I like that.
W: Not quite. Exorcism.
C: Are you crazy? I saw that movie. Even the priest died.

W: That’s the hot spot. Where all the bad mojo is coming from.

B: Any questions?
C: Yeah. What if this mangled triangle thingy doesn’t work?

W: Oh. I almost forgot. I made us all scapulars.
X: Okay, so we can flip the ghost when it turns a nice golden brown?
W: Scapular, not spatula.

C: You expect me to wear that thing? It smells like grandpa breath.

D: I’ll sleep naked. Like the animals.
As: You know, I’m suddenly liking this plan.

As: Incoming! I love when she does this.

D: The Slayer. It’s time Angel. She’s ready for you now. She’s dancing. Dancing with death.

S: Our man Angel here likes to talk, but he’s not much for action. All hat and no cat.

As: With you being Special Needs Boy, I figure I should stay close to home.
You and Dru could always use another pair of hands.

G: What’s that smell?
W: It’s my scapular.
G: Ah. You use sulfur?
W: Yeah.
G: That’s clever.

X: Oh yeah, baby. It’s snakelicious in here.

W: Giles. Jenny could never be this mean.
G: I know. It’s not her is it?

C: I shall *totally* confront and expel all evil.

X: Check it. I’d say school’s out for good.

C: Hey, if Sunnydale High School shuts down forever, do we automatically graduate?
X: (to Giles) But why? What does he want? (beat–to Cordy) That’s an interesting point.

G: To forgive is an action of compassion, Buffy. It’s not done because people deserve it. It’s done because they need it.

B: It’s just something he’s gonna have to live with.
X: ….He can’t live with it, Buff. He’s dead.

C: Okay. Over-identify much?

X: So what now? Not even a mega-vat of Raid is gonna do the trick here.

C: Is she trying to a big loner hero or something?

X: So Buffy should be safe until we find a way to get her out?
W: In theory, yeah.

As: Fun fact about wasps. They have no taste for the undead.

As: Gosh, Buff…. that’s pathetic.

As (as Grace): I loved you with my last breath.

As (as Grace): Shhh…. no more tears.

B: Angel?

W: Everything seems normal. Not a snake, not a wasp.
C: Yup. School can open tomorrow.
X: Explain to me again how that’s a good thing?
C: I’m drawing a blank.

S: You might want to let up. They say when you’ve drawn blood, you’ve exfoliated.

As: I’m the one who was freakin’ violated. You didn’t have this *thing* in you.
D: What was it? A demon?
As: Love.
D: Poor Angel.

As: I’m sure he’d be hell on wheels, but we don’t have much time. Gotta travel light.

As: Try to have fun without me.
S: Oh I will. *CRASH* Sooner than you think.

Credit: The Sunnydale Slayers