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Post by Clare on Sept 24, 2008 8:53:15 GMT -5
3.18 Earshot - Episode #052
Buffy becomes infected with telepathy after a demon encounter and uncovers a murder plot at the school.
Review (also post a score out of 10) and discuss this episode.
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Post by cyclica on Oct 1, 2008 11:49:14 GMT -5
I give this one an 8.
There were a lot of good parts to the story, I loved the idea of xander always thinking about sex and oz being philosophical, that girl in class who was jealous of buffy (shame she was never seen again), and the whole mislead at the end, its the paper editor, no its jonathan, no its the lunchlady. Plus there were loasds of great quotes, "Infect? Infect? Giles, infect?", "Was it a boy monster?", "like shame is something to be proud of", and of cource the end where buffy says to giles "....if you're not too busy having sex with my mother" and he walks into a tree.
There were a few problems I had, such as the gang taking this death threat so seriously, I mean come on it was just someone's thought, like xander said everyone idly thinks these things. And it was clearly a woman's voice, there was no way that sounded like jonathan's voice or the newspaper guy freddy.
Also upon re-watching, I realised something - at the end buffy says jonathan was suspended, but he appears in the prom, just 2 episodes later. Pretty short suspension.
And what's with angel's revelation that he's been with dozens of bad girls as angelus? Has he been cheating on darla?
Still it was a great enjoyable episode with an original idea. I especially love any ep where the sidekicks get to take charge while buffy is away or incapacitated. One of the best season 3 stories.
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Post by jennf10 on Dec 3, 2008 14:17:08 GMT -5
By far one of the best episodes of Buffy. Buffy is able to hear people's thoughts after being attacked by a demon. She finds out more than she wants to know about a lot of her family and friends (i.e. Giles and Joyce).
However, the mood of this show is really about paying attention to people. It isn't worth taking drastic measures in your life to solve problems. Every problem ultimately has a solution. Very timely.
Side note, this episode was put on hold by The WB after the tradegy of Columbine. Personally, I think that was a mistake. This episode truly dealt with issues that were close to what Columbine dealt with. It would have been beneficial to see TV deal with such a topic, when it was at the forefront of the news.
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Post by partcynic on Feb 14, 2010 8:49:33 GMT -5
3x18 “Earshot”
Episode Rating = 9
Of all of S3’s episodes, “Earshot” is the one I’ve most looked forward to re-watching; being amongst my personal highlights of the series, and a near-objectively excellent exercise in skilled writing. Intelligently constructed with an intricate plot, it manages to combine good-natured humour with some of the most emotive (and topically relevant) drama the show ever did. Everything in this episode works in both concept and execution, and the fact that it’s able to aim so high and succeed so well makes “Earshot” a definite candidate for my ‘top ten ever’ list.
What I Liked about “Earshot”:
- The first library scene manages to possess both desperation and humour, with the gang’s lack of knowledge about the Mayor’s Ascension making it ever more threatening, and the barbs exchanged between Giles and Wesley having the right amount of witty terseness.
- Few episodes can trump this one when it comes to plot density and effectiveness. Beginning with the very interesting concept of Buffy being ‘infected’ by a monster (an idea worth looking at, and one that makes sense), the story flows excellently, managing to sneak in four big twists (Buffy’s demon-part being telepathy; the planned attack on the school; Jonathon in the clock-tower; and the real killer) without sacrificing its cohesion or flow. This is a huge plus, and a benchmark for the series in demonstrating just what it can do in a single-episode window.
- Like the similarly top-notch “Lover’s Walk”, a tremendous amount of activity occurs during this story, and it all happens as people are acting. Although the first part could have done with an adrenaline shot, the pacing is superb once Buffy realises what her new skill is, and it races along from there, not letting the viewer catch their breath until its conclusion.
- After the ‘Angelus’ scheme from the previous episode, Buffy is believably unsteady about the kissing she witnessed, and her concern was dealt with fairly quickly. It’s nice that she’s finally learning that talking about problems is the best way to deal with them, and the school discussion of “Othello” provided a great segue for Buffy going to the mansion and trying to read Angel’s mind. I thought his response to her concerns was pretty good, and his deadpan “I’m a funny guy” at the end of the scene was one of his all-too-rare humour moments.
- As I’ve mentioned before, it’s good to see minor characters like Jonathon out and about (even though he wasn’t so minor here), and it really helps the school feel like a living, breathing entity. It was great to see Larry again (with a funny pay-off from “Phases” in his chat with Xander), and new figures like Mr Beech, Logan and Nancy also contributed to the atmosphere (while being potential murder suspects). I will say I’m a little surprised that the likes of Amy and Harmony didn’t get a look-in here, but it’s no issue.
- All of the other characters’ reactions to Buffy’s new power are excellent, being comedic but simultaneously telling us about their personalities. I loved how Cordy said whatever she thought and Willow tried to mask her uncertainty and low self-esteem with placating words, but the victor here is definitely Oz. The reveal that he’s an incredibly articulate and philosophical thinker beneath his monosyllabic veneer was awesome, and lends credence to the continued mentions of his intelligence.
- Like most editions written by Jane Espenson, this episode is consistently humorous, and manages to juggle its comedy and serious elements without doing a disservice to either. In fact, the slow progression from what would appear to be light-hearted filler (Buffy gets telepathy, hilarity ensues) to a meaningful study of personal pain and relationships is a powerful one, and one of the script’s strongest assets. It’s great to have an ep that delivers consistent laughs without neglecting plot or character, and some of the jokes were absolutely hilarious (like Buffy finding out about Giles and Joyce, and both of their reactions to the news).
- Thematically, this has one of the most important ‘take home messages’ in the series. While you could twist it into a cynical statement about how you shouldn’t expect compassion from others, its real substance – that everyone suffers, and people’s lack of awareness of others’ pain is often due to being consumed by their own troubles, and not callousness – is a profound one. The scene with Buffy and Jonathon in the clock-tower was beautiful, with thoughtful, intelligent dialogue and lovely performances from SMG and Danny Strong; and it made clear just what Buffy had learned from her fleeting dalliance with mind-reading.
What I Disliked about “Earshot”:
- The first act is a bit slow. Everything it contains is good in terms of character and plot, but there was a bit too much Buffy/Angel moping for my tastes. I think it says a lot that once the ramifications from “Enemies” were dealt with, the episode really took off.
- It would have been nice for the school newspaper to have been referred to at some previous point, and would Principal Snyder really permit the continued publication of something so critical of Sunnydale High? It’s not like he’s a firm believer in student’s rights or their freedom of speech.
- Buffy’s convulsions after drinking the demon-heart potion were cheap. I always expect them to signify something important, but they’re just a shallow shock that doesn’t belong in what is otherwise a deep episode.
- I could have done without the gang’s discussion of telepathy and mass murder in front of Freddie, but I suppose their openness helps make the reveal that the students are aware of the supernatural in “The Prom” a bit more believable.
- I understand Jonathon’s decision to kill himself in the school’s clock-tower (after all, he wanted someone to finally pay attention to his problems), but why did he did he decide to commit suicide via rifle? Wouldn’t a handgun have achieved the same goal, and probably have been easier to attain? The only reason I can think of for him using the rifle is to perpetuate the ‘he’s the killer’ twist, but it doesn’t make sense character-wise.
Do I like this episode more or less than the last time I watched it?
I’ve always loved “Earshot”, and I still think it’s a brilliant piece of work. Combining one of most textured and twisting “Buffy” plots with a superb theme, meaningful development and genuinely funny humour, it ticks all of the boxes necessary for a top-tier ranking, and its message is as important and truthful today as it was ten years ago. Because of these numerous qualities, it’s my favourite S3 episode, and it consequently gets a thoroughly earned score of nine out of ten.
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Post by cyclica on Mar 6, 2010 13:06:43 GMT -5
I'm afraid once again it seems that most of the points I wanted to make regarding this episode, I've already made in my last review. Consequently all I have left to say is make some minor points and give my thoughts upon rewatching analytically, if my opinion had changed since I last watched. I hate to give two 'half reviews' like this, but I also don't want to retype what I've already typed. So anyway... Upon rewatching... I liked it! This episode has humour, an interesting story, cool looking monsters, and some nice insights into how the characters think, literally. I also appreciate having a 'school episode', after so many that focus on faith and the mayor. I don't think the school has been this focal to an episode since 'homecoming'. I also liked bringing back some past characters like jonathan and larry. Plus you gotta love any ep whenever buffy makes a speech.  There were plenty of funny moments- giles and wesley both telling the gang the demon azarath won't be involved in the ascension, buffy using her telepathy to cheat in class by reading the teachers' mind, the interview montage, buffy discovering what giles and her mother got up to while under the influence of band candy (twice!), and of cource the ending where buffy reveals to giles she knows they had sex, leading him to walk into a tree. The highlight for me though is buffy's speech to jonathan, trying to talk him out of becoming a murderer, only to discover he was never going to kill anyone, and that the real threat is someone else. Througout the episode we're lead to beleive it was freddy the newspaper guy, and since the audience might be expecting a twist, they then make it look like jonathan's the bad guy. You would never expect it's the lunch lady. Though maybe I would have liked at least some kind of build up to this revelation, instead of her just suddenly being an insane killer. Overall this episode had a lot going for it, and I stand by my 8. The only problem that really bothers me is that, after buffy hears the threatening voice, everyone takes it so seriously. It's not like buffy heard the lunch lady's plans on how she would kill everyone, it was just a thought. And you can't ignore this problem, because it's central to the plot. But here's some minor problems you can ignore! - At the start of the episode buffy is running away from the demons. If she's strong enough to fight them, like she does a moment later, why would she be running away? - Buffy gets infected after touching demon blood. So how was angel able to remove the heart of one of the demons without getting any blood on him? - The scooby gang go to the office of freddy the newspaper guy, and then talk openly about potential murderers and telepathy, right in front of him. I'm surprised this was never followed up on, like everything they said would be in the next issue of the paper. But no, fortunately this is the kind of editor who isn't interested in murders taking place in the school, or people getting superpowers.  - Jonathan was going to kill himself with a rifle that's almost as big as he is? Was he going to point the gun at his head and pull the trigger with his toe? - Buffy fighting the lunch lady.... most obvious stunt double ever. |
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Post by partcynic on Mar 8, 2010 15:11:27 GMT -5
I loved the clock tower talk too - it's probably my favourite moment in the season. I was intrigued by your comments about the lunchlady - do you think it would have been possible to adequately foreshadow her behaviour without giving the twist away? That's true, but it's not a big issue. The Scoobs are a little sceptical of Buffy when she first tells them (Xander's comment asking who hasn't fantasised about taking the school out), and only press ahead because she's so insistent. And even if it turned out to be nothing, it's better that the gang follow their lead than ignore it - far preferable that they potentially inconvenience themselves for a day than tens/hundreds of people die. They could always have hidden behind the yearbook ruse if the investigation didn't turn anything up. And in reality, the police tend to take statements about killing seriously even if there isn't evidence of a grand plan - though spoken/written are admittedly more serious than thought. She wasn't running out of fear or because she couldn't fight them. When she gets up after 'falling' she notes that demons love a "good run and stumble" - she was just toying with them for fun (and possibly leading them away from a busier or more populated area). His vampirism might make him immune to the effect. What's really bizarre is that I could have swarn Jane Espenson claims the stunt double was an actual woman.  |
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Post by cyclica on Mar 9, 2010 18:41:46 GMT -5
I was intrigued by your comments about the lunchlady - do you think it would have been possible to adequately foreshadow her behaviour without giving the twist away? Maybe she could have appeared in an earlier episode, giving some vague threat or complaint? Long enough ago that the audience wouldn't suspect her, but when she is revealed to be the potential killer she wouldn't seem so much like a last-minute villain. She wasn't running out of fear or because she couldn't fight them. When she gets up after 'falling' she notes that demons love a "good run and stumble" - she was just toying with them for fun (and possibly leading them away from a busier or more populated area). I think there was a season 4 episode where she did that, lead a vampire to a less crowded area. But here she lead the demons to a playground. Why would she plan to lead them to where children might be? |
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