"Lover's Walk" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer s3 ep8)

"Lover's Walk"

(Buffy the Vampire Slayer s3 ep8)

Spike returns for some hard lessons in love

Just as Buffy, freed by high SAT scores and the presence of Faith is beginning to think of the possibility of a life away from Sunnydale, Spike returns. When he sees Willow gathering components for a love spell, he decides to kidnap her to force her to perform a spell that will make Drusilla fall in love with him again.

As the title implies this episode gets pretty deep into the love lives of the major characters. Angel and Buffy are forced to contend with their on-again-off-again relationship in light of recent events. Xander and Willow's feelings for each other bring their own relationships with Cordelia and Oz to a head. And, of course Spike has to figure out what to do about an estranged Drusilla - even in desperation turning to Joyce Summers for advice.

When it comes to romance, and cutting through all the lust, heartache, heartbreak, and wild passion that comes with it, few episodes of this, or any other TV show, cut to the heart of the matter better than "Lover's Walk". It's episodes like this that earned Buffy the Vampire Slayer a much deserved reputation as some of the finest TV ever aired.

The Good:

• Spike summarizing Buffy and Angel's relationship

The Bad:

• No Faith in this episode

Stuff to watch for:

• Spike's rendition of Sid Vicious

The Verdict:
***** out of *****