User Reviews

This is such a lightweight episode that I don't understand it's placement in the season. It feels more like the "classic" BTVS than the dark episodes that surround it. With the characters making jokes and teasing each other, rather than crying and wishing for death. It's a welcome change, but it seems out of place. Just last episode Buffy beat the h*ll out of Spike and now they're goofing around and playing cards together. Xander and Anya's relationship is self-destructing, but in this episode they're sweet and worried about each other. "Older and Far Away" just doesn't "fit" into this point of the season. That said, I really like it. The episode is fun and likable and I highly recommend that you give it a shot.

The episode revolves around Buffy's 21st birthday. The night before the party, Buffy kills a demon with his own sword and then brings it home as a souvenir. Dawn meanwhile is feeling neglected. She complains to her new guidance councilor that everyone always leaves her and that she wishes that they would just stay. Xander and Anya decide to bring a "friend" to the party: Richard, a "date" for Buffy. Buffy isn't happy. Then, Spike and Clem show up and Spike's not happy, either. Luckily Buffy seems more interested in sparring with Spike than in flirting with Richard. And the party goes ahead with surprising success. In fact, no body wants to leave.

Little do they know that Dawn's councilor was really Halfreck the vengeance demon (or, as she prefers, "justice demon.") Halfreck has granted Dawn's wish not to be alone, by making it impossible for anyone to leave the house. As the Scoobies are trapped. Unfortunately, the demon Buffy killed with the sword is accidentally released and is soon trapped with them. It jumps out and attacks Richard. Then it disappears into the walls of the house. Anya wants Willow to use magic to get them out, but Willow refuses. She's afraid to try any magic for fear of re triggering her addiction. Anya is angry, but she also suspects that Dawn knows more than she's saying. She searches Dawn's room and finds many stolen items from the Magic Box.

Buffy realizes that Dawn made a wish to a vengeance demon and Anya calls Halfreck who pops in, just in time for the demon to stab her with his sword. Spike and Buffy battle the demon again and this time she finally kills it. Halfreck gets up, perfectly alright because you can't hurt a vengeance demon with a sword in the chest. At first she refuses to undo the spell, but then she gets trapped in the house, too. Finally, she ends the spell and everyone can finally leave.

There are some great parts to this episode. I really like Clem. I have no idea why Spike brought him to the party, but I'm glad that he did. Maybe Spike thought that Buffy wouldn't toss him out in front of a guest. But, Richard's reaction to Clem's "skin condition" is just hilarious. And I'm so glad that he's there. I also think that Tara's great in this episode. From protecting Willow to kidding Spike about his "leg cramp." I've never seen Spike at a loss for words before. But he really doesn't seem to know what to say to Tara's teasing. She isn't being mean or making fun of Spike, she just not intimidated by him and willing to laugh good-naturedly at his predicament with Buffy. I really like Tara a lot. And I like Buffy's friend "Sophie from work." Her list of all the foods she can't eat and how her mom told her to say thank you right away, just in case she forgot at the end, is priceless. I'm sorry we don't get to see her again. Finally, I'm glad that Anya finally busts Dawn for shoplifting. It's about time somebody called her on it.

There seems to be some suggestion that Halfreck really could be Cecily, Spike's first love from "Fool for Love" back in season five. Halfreck sees Spike standing in the Summers' living room and whispers, "William." At which point he squints at her and says, "Hey, wait a minute..." They then both deny knowing each other, but it's pretty clear that they're lying. I wish that the show had explored their relationship more throughly. Why would Cecily become a vengeance demon? What was wrong in her life? Could it have something to do with her parents, since she mainly works on children's vengeance wishes? Was her unhappiness the reason that she was so mean to William/Spike? Or maybe she already WAS a vengeance demon when she met William/Spike. Maybe she was working "undercover" as a human in 1880s London, like Anya was working undercover as a Sunnydale high student back in season three's "The Wish." Which would explain her curt dismissal of his love. I don't know, but I want to.

On the down side, there's Dawn. Her constant whining and selfishness are like nails on a chalk board. Buffy "is never home" because she's out making a living to take care of Dawn. She dropped out of college so she could care for Dawn. She's sacrificed her social life and peace of mind for Dawn. And is that little brat grateful or understanding? Nope. I just can't stand her snotty, entitled attitude.

My favorite part of the episode: Willow's birthday gift to Buffy. Buffy holds the back vibrator in her hands for a long moment. Then, her eyes slide over to Spike. He arches a brow and smirks, knowingly. They each assume that the other is thinking exactly what they're thinking. And they're both right.

The gang arrive for Buffy's 21st Birthday party with old friends and new joining in. But Dawn makes a wish to Halfrek that no one would ever leave again. Now no one can leave the house and they are trapped inside with a demon.

Why It's So Good - A great concept (somewhat borrowed, but with a Buffy twist). Dawn is often seen as an annoying character, and that is somewht deserved, but he does get left out. Her mum also died, but she doesn't have the friends and super powers to fall back on. No wonder she feels abandoned at times.

Watch Out For - William and Cecily, I mean Spike and Halfrek.

Quote - "Oh, that was Anya's little raison d'etre. Most of us try to be a little more well-rounded. And actually, we prefer "justice demon", okay? FYI." - Halfrek.

The Good; Everything with Halfrek who I really like for some reason. Clem really comes into his own as a character here for the first time. Tara and Willow start to get back together and I also adore Sophie. Once again contrast Tara standing up to Spike and Anya here with the shy girl in 'Hush', she really has grown tremendously.

The Bad; Note there's a Sunnydale High Razorbacks pennant behind Halfrek in her office. But Dawn doesn't go to Sunnydale High (yet). The potion that Tara mixes up to try to break the spell looks like she's trying to make a chocolate cake.

Best line; Spike; "I had a muscle cramp, Buffy was helping" Tara; "A muscle cramp. In your pants? You might want to put some ice on that"

Women good/men bad; Anya implies that Halfrek has 'daddy issues'

Jeez!; Upsetting to watch Anya have her panic attack.

Kinky dinky; Richard, the handsome guy Xander has set Buffy up with, even Tara thinks he's cute. Dawn not only in leather for the first time but check out her miniskirt, fishnets and knee boots at the party, Joyce's little girl all grown up! (Eliza Dushku always complained that she got a lot of fanmail from guys in prison and couldn't believe that they showed a TV series full of hot teenage girls to incarcerated criminals. You shudder to think what kind of letters MT must have received). Spike asks Buffy if she'd like to 'blow out his candle'? Willow's back massager present for Buffy is certain to provide 'Instant gratification for all aches' (anyone else think of Samantha and her 'back massager' from Sex and the City?)

Captain Subtext; Clem also thinks Richard is cute. In many ways he comes to resemble Buffy/Dawn's gay/demon male friend. Tara calls Buffy 'Sweetie'. They also refer to telling everyone their big secret and deciding it's time to 'Come out'. They probably mean Buffy's affair with Spike but what really happened after Buffy collapses into Tara's arms at the end of 'Dead Things'? Might she have jumped on the sapphic bandwagon a few years before Satsu? Taffy anyone?

Scoobies to the ER; Xander cut but Richard is the only one to go to hospital.

Missing scenes; Reputedly a scene was filmed where Buffy and Dawn run out of the house at the end but I prefer the subtle implication of the ending we have

Kills: Buffy kills one demon Buffy: 103 vamps, 43 demons, 6 monsters, 3 humans, 1 werewolf, 1 spirit warrior & a robot Giles: 8 vamps, 2 demon, 1 human, 1 god. Cordy: 3 vamps, a demon Will: 6 vamps + 3 demons +1 fawn. Angel: 3 vamps, 1 demon, 1 human Oz: 3 vamps, 1 zombie Faith: 16 vamps, 5 demons, 3 humans Xander: 6 vamps, 2 zombies, 1 a demon, Anya: 1 vamp and 1 a demon Riley; 18 vamps + 7 demons Spike; 8 vamps and 4 demons Buffybot; 2 vamps Tara; 1 demon Dawn; 1 vamp

Notches on Scooby bedpost: Giles: 2; Joyce & Olivia, possibly Jenny and 3xDraccy babes? Cordy: 1? Buffy: 4 confirmed; Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike. 1 possible, Dracula(?) Angel: 1;Buffy Joyce: 1;Giles, 2 possible, Ted and Dracula(?) Oz: 3; Groupie, Willow & Verucca Faith:2 ;Xander, Riley Xander: 2; Faith, Anya Willow: 2;Oz and Tara Riley; 3; Buffy, Sandy and unnamed vampwhore Spike; 1 Buffy

Questions and observations; Another appalling Buffy birthday, if I was her I'd just hide under the bed all day and have Dawn bring me the occasional cup of tea until midnight. The title is a quote from Empire of the Sun (the book not the band) which Dawn is discussing in class at the beginning of the ep. Xander refers to Children of the Corn, Nic Brendon having acted in one of the sequels. Halfrek refers to vengeance demons as 'justice demons' FYI. What does 'Total JD' mean?

Spike and Halfrek, hmmmm? Question is did Cecilly become Halfrek as Aud became Anyanka? OR was there NEVER a Cecilly, was there only ever Halfrek?

Subtle but very interesting final scene. Everyone leaves but Buffy and Dawn. They bid their friends goodbye then look at each other and smile. Because although they didn't want to be trapped there's no reason for them to leave because this is their house, this is where they belong together. Dawn wanted Buffy to spend more time with her and now when she has the option to leave she instead chooses to stay with the sister she loves and who loves her in return. Dawn is finally getting Buffy back in soul as well as in body.

Marks out of 10; 8/10, really like this one

I love this episode. It's funny, it's interesting, it's new and inventive. It's just so good. I love watching it and it is one of my all-time favorite episodes of Buffy from Season 6.

In this episode, it's Buffy's birthday and everyone gathers at her house to celebrate at a party. Dawn, earlier in the day, talked to a guidance counsellor where she admits that she wishes people would stop leaving. It turns out that the guidance counsellor was actually Halfreck, a vengeance demon, who made her wish came true. Everyone is unable to leave the house and at first they don't really care, since they're having such a good time. But the next day, when people have to get to work, they try to figure out what's going on. After Dawn admits that it was her accidental doing, Anya summons Halfreck and since Halfreck can't leave because of the spell, she reluctantly reverses it.

Overall, I give this episode an 8 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Awesome.

The definition of uncomfortable? Take a snapshot of Willow and Tara's first major encounter since their split and paste it in your nearest Webster's Collegiate.

And while there's nothing funny about addictions...Spellcaster's Anonymous?

And Tara's delivery of the line to Spike: "A muscle cramp...in your pants?" is hysterical.

However, with regard to the notion that this episode is somehow "lighter" than the rest of season 6, I strongly disagree. Maybe it's because it focuses on Dawn's feelings, and some people here are indifferent because they consider Dawn to be the equivalent of nails scraping down a blackboard. I don't know. But this episode is anything but light. Dawn is the only character in BtVS who doesn't have a single friend. She's a total outcast. She's not even human. And now that Glory has been dealt with, and The Key is no longer an issue, she has no real purpose either. And when Buffy says to her: "Dawn...the most important job I have is looking out for you" -- it's total BS.

So much of BtVS deals with "fitting in", and how important friends are to one another. Yet when it comes to Dawn and her feelings of alienation there's no sympathy whatsoever -- either from the Scoobies OR the BtVS lifers. Odd, to say the least.

The real power of this episode lies in Halfrek's searing indictment at the end -- that NOBODY from the entire Scooby entourage could hear or feel Dawn's pain. In fact, that's what brought Halfrek there in the first place -- to exact justice/vengeance on Dawn's behalf. It wasn't Dawn's whining -- it was the Scoobies' indifference -- that brought about the curse. It strikes me as ironic that the reviewer most familiar with the series is as clueless as the Scoobies themselves when it comes to Dawn's pain and predicament. Maybe -- like Buffy -- she's too concerned with what's going on in Spike's pants to notice what's going on with Dawn.

And not that it really matters...but that same poster who's done a review of every single BtVS episode and who keeps whining about how much Dawn whines must really be watching a different series than I am. To begin with, NOBODY in BtVS whines more than Buffy. NOBODY. Second, Buffy treats 15 year old "Dawny" like she's 10 years old, which is beyond annoying compared to anything Dawn does. I've yet to meet a 15 year old who needed a babysitter. To the contrary -- most of them are out babysitting themselves. And even when Dawn does get upset about what she perceives to be an abandonment issue, and acts like a 15 year old, at least she IS only 15. It's not an excuse; it's a reality. 15 year olds can act like 15 year olds sometimes. What's Buffy's excuse?

In "Older and Far Away", it's Buffy's birthday and the gang is planning a party to celebrate. Dawn's struggles at school continue so she talks to a guidance counselor and tells her about how left out and alone she feels. The counselor turns out to be a wish-fulfillment demon who ends up trapping the party in the Summers' house, not allowing them to leave. A sword-wielding, shape-shifting demon is also trapped in the house with them. Tara and Willow reconnect a little and discuss magic to get out of this situation. Spike is jealous of a colleague that Xander invited to the party. Dawn continues to feel isolated. It is discovered that Dawn has begun to steal things, desperate for attention.

I'm sure I've summed up an episode of Season 6 of BtVS the same way before but I'll say it again: I like the idea of this episode but the execution is lacking. The stakes never feel totally fleshed out. Willow refuses to use magic, even though a guy is bleeding out upstairs and possibly dying. I'm sorry but you need to have your priorities straight Willow! Then Tara is all proud of her for it; I realize she's battling an addiction, but it's just an odd dynamic in this episode.

Dawn's been especially moody in recent episodes with no real indication as to why and here we finally get the truth. Her loneliness, loss of her mother, the realization that she's the Key and not a traditional human, and the rift she feels between herself and her resurrected sister, has all combined with her teenage hormones to create a very confused, very lost adolescent. As annoying as it is to hear her in these episodes, I can't say I blame her.

This episode is skippable I'd say. Spike and Buffy's relationship doesn't change in any significant way, although Tara is now cracking jokes about it left and right. Tara and Willow talk for the first time in a while, possibly hinting at the two eventually getting back together. For the most part though, this episode is fairly forgettable.

Buffy is out patrolling when she runs into a demon with a sword and becomes trapped within when pierced. Halfrick a vengeance demon for children grants Dawn's wish to keep every trapped inside with the demon. I like this episode as Dawn's abandonment issues take full frontal in showing how ignored and neglected she's become since Joyce died. Her pain so loud a demon could hear all over the city and forced to act as it broke her heart. Its even alluded to when giving gifts she gives her a nice leather jacket 51st over looked once a new wooden chest to keep weapons locked in is brought out. I'm glad Buffy was able to learn the lesson by deciding to stay inside with her instead of going out with everyone else.

Another aspect I enjoyed was Tara keeping watch over her friend to keep Spike away by directing her toward another guy or breaking up a wooing attempt. Still I notice Buffy hasn't revoked his privileges to her house instead of having a babysitter to keep her aware she doesn't need him to feel alive.

Anybody familiar with classic Mexican cinema, and/or the works of legendary Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel, cannot fail to notice the striking similarity between the plot of this episode and the film "El Ángel Exterminador" (1962), one of Buñuel's surrealist masterpieces.

The central concept of a party that keeps going and going because inexplicably none of the guests seems to be able to leave the house is lifted straight off that movie. I wonder if the producers of the show actually had permission from the Mexican owners of the rights to the story, or if they just plagiarized it, assuming that the audience wouldn't know about Buñuel and hoping nobody would notice...