Often I do not enjoy as much the Buffy episodes in which nothing is added to the main plot. Even more strange plots that do not change much at all because the characters are in a trance and do not even remember it. For example episodes: 'Nightmares', 'Bad Eggs' and 'The Wish' where Cordelia wishes Buffy had never came to Sunnydale and after the whole episode nobody remembers anything at all about what happened.
However I did enjoy this episode as it had many great comedic moments. The story starts on V'day when Cordelia breaks up with Xander. To make her pay Xander wants to get Amy the witch to cast a spell on Cordelia so that she falls helplessly in love with him and he can break up with her in front of everyone. Unfortunately the spell goes wrong and every girl in Sunnydale, and further, miraculously falls in love with Xander. Nicholas Brendon is amazing in this episode with his innocent shocked expressions caused by the obsessed girls stalking him. One of my favorite quotes of this episode is when Xander is attempting to convince Amy to cast the spell;
Xander: "'Blackmail' is such an ugly word."
Amy: "I didn't say 'blackmail'."
Xander: "Yeah, but I'm about to blackmail you, so I thought I'd bring it up."
There is such irony for poor Cordelia as she broke up with Xander to fit in with her sheep-like friends and then the next day they and every girl that has ever been introduced to the show become obsessed with him.
Again we get a taste of 'Bander' (Buffy and Xander) like that of the episode 'When She Was Bad' where Buffy attempts to make Angel jealous by sexy dancing with Xander, which Angel surprisingly stands there the whole time watching instead of just walking away. I guess he's got nothing better to do. Anyway in one scene Buffy appears in a short dressing gown? Attempting to seduce Xander.
This scene is amusing as Xander finally gets what he wants! But turns it down...because he is a true man.
...
Anyway another thing to be complimented on from this episode is the mob of girls which follow Xander around, beginning at school, and then at Buffy's home. Willow is always at the front of the mob, mostly carrying an axe (!!) and it is also ironic as she is the only one out the girls who has a crush on Xander without the spell.
Great other people to see in the mob are the cafeteria lady, Jenny and Joyce, Buffy's mom. I love how instead of being instantly obsessed with Xander when him and Cordelia appear at her house, she waits until Cordelia has left for a minute then makes her move. I also like how she breaks her own window to get to Xander.
An excellent moment in this episode is when Xander has just realized the spell went wrong, and is walking down the hallway and it is a little cliche, all the women staring at him and the song 'Got the Love' by Average White Band plays, and we finally see the ladies' man side of Xander!
This also leads me to another funny feature of this episode -the male's point of view on this matter. Oz says to Xander 'I was on the phone all night, listening to Willow cry about you. Now, I don't know exactly what happened, but I was left with a very strong urge to... hit you.'
Giles is also comedic as always, shunning Xander by saying 'I cannot believe that you were foolish enough to do something like this.'
But my absolute favorite male response to this situation is that of 'Angelus' or Angel's baddie side. When Angel was normal Angel, Xander and him already had awkward tension involving Buffy, and the jealous tension somehow transferred to Angelus too?
Anyways the best part of this whole episode is when Xander and Cordelia quickly rush to Buffy's room to hide from Joyce and suddenly Xander is pulled out of Buffy's window where Angel's all like 'Where's Buffy?' At this point Buffy has been turned into a rat but anyway,
the viewer had sort of forgot about old Angelus and his evil ways as for crying out loud Joyce Summers was flirting with Xander!!
So anyway Angel attempts to revenge Buffy by planning to hurt or possibly kill Xander and Drusilla appears and picks Xander up by his hair. We expect that Drusilla will probably want to feed off him? Or torture him? And we sort of totally forget about the obsession plot until Drusilla says 'Don't fret, kitten, Mummy's here.' Ummm who says that kind of stuff to their lover anyway but anyway Angel looks at Drusilla all confused and says 'I don't know what you're up to, Dru, but it doesn't amuse!'
Drusilla then says 'If you harm one hair on this boy's head...' strokes him, Angel still confused replies 'You've got to be kidding, him?'
Oh Xander you do get yourself in a lot of trouble. Later after the mob chases Xander back in the house we see Angel's jealousy AGAIN when he teases Dru because she can't enter as she hasn't been invited in the house!
It is nice to see the directors and writers do something totally random sometimes and as for me it was nice to see jealous Angel again! Even if he wasn't jealous over Buffy...and may have killed Xander....
This 'scavenger hunt' which it is referred to by Cordelia to cover up the reason why so many women are hanging around Xander in Buffy's garage, is successful in the end as Cordy and Xander make up. For a little while....
