This really got me thinking about Riley, and what I think of him. I've never been a Riley hater, but I've never liked him, either. He's always been pretty much "meh" to me, because he doesn't really have much personality. You reminded me that one of the major themes of this season is individual identity vs institutional identity, and I realized that Riley doesn't have much personality because all he Has is institutional identity. All of the Scoobies come into this season with some semblance of individual identities, and with what could be considered institutional identity as members of the Scoobies. They spend much of the season trying to figure out how to balance and develop both identities. Riley, on the other hand, spends the season learning to find his individual identity, and not be so dependent on the institutional identity. He is boring because as far as Maggie Walsh and The Initiative were concerned, he was never meant to be an individual, but rather a cog in the machine. We aren't really meant to care about him because he's interesting (since he isn't), or even because he's Buffy's love interest, but more so because he's, to a certain extent, Buffy's mission this season. Buffy spent the last three seasons learning to make choices, to be self-determining, to individuate. Now, in season 4, she has to teach Riley to do that. She doesn't completely succeed, of course, and it spills over into season 5, but that's typical of the show. In a way, one could argue that Riley was Buffy's preparation for having to raise Dawn after Joyce dies.

The Cheese is approaching...

Damn. As much as I like Riley (yes, I did just say that!), your Xander AU fanfic actually makes sense and would have been infinitely more satisfying. Also, I love the action in this one. Buffy fights are always tight and weirdly beautiful; but the demons vs Initiative one is a mess, just bodies flying all over the place, it’s wild!

I love your idea of Xander taking Riley's place. It makes so much sense. Aaah what could have been.

Forrest's Subtext Bugle bottoming out made me laugh so hard.

You have an amazing skill for breaking down what irks us the fans about...well, this entire season, into it's core elements. I never knew a lot of the behind-the-scenes elements, and it would have been easy to just say "This happened and then the show sucked" but you have never, Ever been that lazy. You are incredibly intelligent, you have an excellent feel for the series, and the love that you hold for Buffy and Angel is Absolutely Palpable through these videos. You're a breath of fresh, emotionally rich air, and your channel is basically my favorite on this entire website. Thank you for doing what you do!

I like your idea of Xander in the Initiative--sounds like a good AU fic. Ultimately, I wanted to like Riley more than I did. There's something in his good-guy doofiness that I do genuinely find endearing, but the season was so determined to put its dramatic weight on him that I think it put people off. Maybe if they hadn't decided to rush Buffy into a life-altering romance where she's suddenly transferring all her Angel-angst to someone else--if they'd let Riley be a light ship for a while, or even just a new friend--it might have worked better. Or, had Xander gone into the Initiative, maybe the friendship could have even initially been with Xander, working him into the team later on. So, to keep going with the AU, Riley, instead of being Mr. Chief Initiative guy is also a new recruit, fresh out of Iowa, and he's trying to follow protocol. He and Xander have become friends because his normal family stories are so bizarre and alien to Xander, but Riley is maybe a little over-eager, and Xander, who knows Sunnydale, breaks protocol for the first time saving him. ??? Who knows? I just feel like they were so desperate to keep Buffy in a romance that they didn't give a lot of room to let romance actually grow, just throwing her in with huge amounts of melodrama that left the audience going, "WTH? I thought that was reserved for people you, like... KNEW?"

Willow: The spirit. Xander: The heart. Giles: The mind. Buffy: The body. With their powers combined they shall form...The Mecha-Slayer.

I am sure I am not the first one to say it but I think the last 20 minutes of Cabin in the Woods, before the very end, was probably what Joss Whedon wanted for this episode. A giant fight between soldiers, scientists, and monsters.

Great episode guide. I never thought of Xander possibly joining the military then joining the initiative. That would've made season 4 so much better, I wish we could've got an alternative version of season 4 with that plot point included.

Can’t wait for Restless!

I'm so excited for Restless. It's probably one of my favorite episodes of the series.

This is maybe my favorite of your reviews. Every other line i was thinking "this is exactly what I've been wanting to say, but I just didn't know how to say it."

Frankenstein (the novel) does contain a similar scene with a child; the monster encounter's Frankenstein's child brother, William, who he hopes won't be afraid of him because of his innocence. When he realises that the child still treats him with disgust and hatred, and that the boy is Frankenstein's brother, he kills the child in a rage.

I appreciate what you're doing so much. I can not tell you how much I LOVE these damn videos. I am always so excited when you release a new one, I've watched pretty much all of the Buffy & Angel guides.. twice. Anyways enough gushing, I'm just a huge fan and you've become my favorite KZfaq channel of all time and I'm so happy I have a place to continue to nerd out about Buffy some more.

2:40 -- Spike actually speaks to this directly in one of his talks with Adam. Spike said "Bit of prognosticating demon in there, eh?"

That blatant mishap with the computer and monitors is just unacceptable. It really is the very specific scene in which the entire show had a huge downfall, i'm glad you pointed it out.

I cannot wait for Season 5, its going to be so good!

I’m going to miss the Forrest Subtext Bugle so much

I have to point out that the Military/Government guy wanted the Initiative base filled in with cement but when Buffy and Spike return to the base in season 7 there is no cement. Where's the cement? Good job government.

The elevator and Super Buffy scenes are probably my favorite in the whole series. Your alternate plan for Xander sounded much better than what we got, but I don't mind season 4 as much as most. It's uneven as hell, but it's highs are so amazing that i can look past the lows

WOW, I had never ever considered that before, but I am suddenly IN LOVE with your "Initiative Xander" idea! Oh, but it would fix so many things!! Xander gets more of an arc than the crumbs he got this season; ALL the "oh, i know military stuff because i was turned into a military guy once years ago" they milked for ages in the show gets to ACTUALLY make sense; Riley could befriend Xander first and we get to know him more as a character and as a friend, avoiding him being reduced to the love interest (and THAT explains Xander's staunch and sometimes over the top defending of Riley later on) - especially if he's also a recruit, as suggested in another comment, because then we get to hear more about his home life and he gets a backstory; Buffy's metaphorical heart is in the Initiative (as well as her new beau), so she's inclined to side with them at first, giving more meat to the "The I in Team" conflict; Xander could be keeping something from Buffy, which contributes to the gang drifting away that we got, replacing the "we were just busy with other things" which I like as a metaphor for college and growing up, but it could be more solid; Spike could still use it as a manipulating tactic at the end, as "They think you're going back to the Initiative" rather then "They think you're going to enlist" he pulled out of his ass; it fits INCREDIBLY well with all of Xander's fears of being the weakest among them, and desperately wanting to help fight somehow, maybe even overlooking some of the Initiative's faults at first; ... It just fits so well, and I love the idea so much, and I hate you, TPN, for introducing me to something I will want so much, but that will never be...

The Xander idea is a brilliant one. It would give him more credibility as a member of the Scoobies as well as set up an exploration on quick-fixes when trying to find an occupation. After leaving the Initiative, Xander could have some realization regarding his relationship with career and his future.

If they had gone with your idea for a season 4 "Xander in the Initiative story arch" it would have been AMAZING! It would have easily have made the fourth season the best, because as you note, the season has some of the best stand-alone episodes of the series!

I feel compelled to write a fanfic revision of this whole season with Xander as Initiative Boy. Excellent work, Ian. These guides get more complex and inventive every time. I'll be waiting restlessly for the next one ;)

Is it strange that I was happy to see Maggie again? Even as a Zombie with a load of wires hanging out she was still more interesting to me than Adam. Also, is it bad that every time I see the FORREST SUBTEXT BUGLE i actually read it as BULGE? I suppose technically i'm not wrong! tehe.

Hey Nerd. I just wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to make these videos. Buffy and Angel is very near and dear to my heart. And I can see that it is to you, too. The amount of hard work, love, care, and thought that go into these videos are amazing. And I applaud you, sir. Just want to thank you, from me and all the other Buffy fans that love your videos. Keep doing what you do man. Your hard work is appreciated.

I have to agree. Season 4 is the funniest season. It doesn't hold together very well as a whole, but has some of the best single episodes of any season. I find myself watching Fear Itself every halloween. Pangs every Thanksgiving. Something Blue when I just want something funny. And Restless... man... Restless.... Can we get a full length feature film like Restless??? That would be awesome!

Does the fact that Adam could see through Jonathan's reality-warping spell mean he would have been able to tell Dawn was the Key? Or, at least, be aware that her human shell was unreal?

I love the idea of Xander as part of the Initiative. Say, he does end up joining. Xander, who normally marches to the beat of his own drum slowly becomes more and more conditioned by Walsh ( remember, Xander has an obsession with powerful woman, and he always wants to prove his masculinity and purpose.), more and more part of the machine. but with Willow, dealing with the break up form Oz and her new relationship with Tara, Buffy struggling with life in college and what means for her, Giles and his midlife crisis. The only person who notices is Anya, Xander's new ex demon girlfriend. Maybe at one point, Walsh finds out that Xander is firends with the Slayer, and asks to meet Buffy. Xander ends up torn between his firends/ girlfriend and his conditioning. What if during the episode where Oz returns, Xander is the one who protests the experiments on Oz, and is forced to choose. The whole arch would make more sense.

Even though I watched Buffy in its entirety precisely when I believed I most needed to, in my early 20's, I was old enough to register bits and pieces from the back half of the series growing up, starting from late Season 4. I'm grateful you for helping me to understand and articulate more clearly my affection for the much maligned season 4. I choose to leave this comment on this video because Restless of course needs no such defence.

Feel like Riley always gets a bad rap, but he had a certain nobility and longed to help people from a secure place in the world. Everything you need to know about him is in his season 6 speech to Buffy about how nothing humiliating can touch her.

I love Nicolas' delivery of " Oh God, we're gonna die, aren't we? So funny😆

All these years later and I finally know what Buffy and gang were chanting thank you

Your point on putting Xander in the military would have worked far better for a story arc. Imagine Buffy's face when she would inevitably come across Xander on patrol one night with him amped up on the pills. And of course when you grabbed that scene from Seal Team starring David Boreanaz - kudos.

Ugh, that Xander/Anya scene is so cute. He didn't deserve her.

Another wonderful commentary. I especially liked the dichotomy between "imposed" and "chosen" family, and how we need that chosen family, and self-efficacy, to be our best selves. Keep up the excellent work.

Oh man, I cannot WAIT for your commentary on Restless. Such a fascinating piece of television. Your thematic critique is always on point, especially for this episode. Also, Forrest Subtext Bugle is genius.

Omg the Xander joins the initiative idea is brilliant! You’re making me want to rewrite that whole season now XD

Thank you for bring up your "fix it" I've been thinking a lot of my fix it ideas in no small part of your retrospective. Like Xander being part of the initiative so we have our "in" that we care about and heck they could have brought back Marcie.

That idea about season 4 with Xander is genius. Would have been sooo much better

Great video as always. I love your alternate Initiative plan.

Xander joining the initiative, beyond getting together with Anya, would definitely have made Season 4 more interesting.

I haven't forgotten what you've promised a few years ago on a stream: that you'll be doing two guides for Restless, one spoiler free and one with spoilers. I hope you're still planning on doing that.

The Initiative not being really authentic military-wise is a justified criticism. Always seemed more like amateur hour story telling. Xander's portrayal in the past seasons as a soldier was much more legit. But, special forces type units do have a different feel to them, since they often have an attitude about certain rules being more like guidelines. Too bad they didn't go this route.

I have a whole new appreciation for season 4 now.

Ian: The Mac and monitor hardware incompatibility was really throwing me off. SMASH-CUT to FrankenBorg CyberStein. ACciDenTAl sUbText

I am absolutely in love with the Xander in the Initiative idea. ❤ It would fit the character so well. It took him years to realize he was The Heart. (Wasn't that on some merch? Irritated me.) Before that, he was an unsurprisingly dumb teenage boy who felt emasculated by Buffy. Joining the military could have been his answer to that.

My GOD! That’s exactly what they should have done with Xander!

We're almost to what I consider to be the best Buffy season can't wait for the reviews for a fool for love, the Body, and the Gift.

No love for Spike's cool slo-mo fight scene against the demons?

Love that you included a short clip of Seal Team! David Boreanaz (Angel), for those who don't know, is one of the main characters and I've been really enjoying the show. Anyway fantastic review as always!

I like your comments on the science vs. magic and science magic themes in series 4. I know they touched on it previously a few times, like with Willow's demon-robot boyfriend and Calendar's status as a techno-pagan. It makes sense that Walsh taught in this light, so that some of the episodes could straddle the quasi-science, quasi-mystical aspects of psychology.

Riley's chip wasn't about mind control to me so much as it was about control over his motor functions. I look at Maggie's absence from the show and the rewrites that had to be made because of it as Adam having "mommy" issues towards Maggie in the same vein as the monster had with his "daddy" issues towards Frankenstein except Adam dealt with those issues by killing Walsh and Frankenstein's monster was unsuccessful in that regard. I like the idea of Xander doing the Riley story arc. It might of made me like his character more if I saw him struggle genuinely, as opposed to whatever it is his character does as he sits in the back complaining and getting angry and petulant for numerous seasons. Plus any excuse to not have Riley on the show. Authenticity was never the point of anything in the Buffyverse (although I loved the SEAL Team moment as it is a David Boreanaz (Angel) show.

Have you ever considered the joharri window as it pertains to Buffy and angel? The public self or things we choose to share with others, the hidden self or things we choose not to share with others such as embarrassing things or things that might make us vulnerable, the blind self or things we don’t see in ourselves but others might, the undiscovered self or things we are unaware are actually part of us and others also didn’t know existed. It leads to four different personas. The open persona, the naive persona, the secret persona, the mysterious persona.,I believe it’s a very important psychological model. And resembles a lot of what you’re talking about. I really enjoy your videos. I learn such an enormous amount in regards to who I am, who I want to be, and how I relate that to the rest of the world. As a psychologist, I also learn from you in order to better connect with my clients and who they may hope to be

I love your Buffy angel videos!!! I agree season four is the funniest! I love them all for different reasons!

" 'Burn it down, gentlemen,' says the Man In Charge. 'Burn it down and salt the earth.' That sounds about right to me, even if I wonder how they're going to handle the order on that. Do they burn it down first, then fill it with concrete and salt the earth; or burn it down, salt the earth, and fill it with concrete; or fill it with concrete, salt the earth, and then burn it; or fill it with concrete, burn it, and then salt the earth; or..." -- David Hines, usenet reviewer, 5/18/00

Oh man I'm so excited for the Restless review! It's one I've been waiting for since you started this thing!

I look forward to these guides so much, you provide such clarity not just with Buffy, but with life, I could listen to you all day!

Thank you so much for these videos Ian. From the passion and emotion in your reading, to the Forrest subtext bugle. Your work is a true pleasure to be a fan of. Thank you. Love from Ireland.

Wow! Im just discovering the chanel and loving all of the Buffy content!! Blowing through from season 1 in just a week or so...Thank you for all the well thought out video essays. Looking forward to a rewatch soon, but I'm enjoying the revisit through this format first. 😎

The joy of another Passion of the Nerd Buffy guide landing in my notification list :D Can't wait for Restless - probably one of my top 5 Buffy episodes ever

While it would be easy for me to shout "RESTLESS NEXT OMG" I wanted to pause and say I really loved the breakdown of this particular episode and how you tied the themes of this season together within it. I'm glad you said this is probably the funniest season too - I agree. It has some of the funniest moments of the series. The only other season I can recall actually laughing out loud watching is probably some of the moments in early season 7.

So nice to watch you videos when I wake up .. :) can't wait to watch the restless review! Ive been waiting since you started haha one of my fav

I've been watching your videos for a while, and I just have to say that I think they're great! There must have been so much work going into your analyses, although you make it sound very clear and simple. I actually wrote my master's thesis on season 4 of Buffy, and I've found it particularly enjoyable to watch your take on the season: whether we reached similar conclusions, or when you offered a different perspective on it. Anyway, back to watching the video. Looking forward to all the remaining ones!

I'm so lad you decided to do this full time. I remember the first ever review and "bad decisions", you've come a long way and keep up the very excellent amazing work you do. I get to relive Buffy the vampire slayer in my 30s I thank you greatly for that. *salutes Ian*

It's great to see how much these guides have grown with in-depth analysis since S1. I can't wait for a lot of S5 and 6 cause a lot of that seems super well suited to these great guides.

This was a satisfying conclusion to an arc I didn't care too much for. Super excited to see your video on Restless. It's my second favorite episode.

Your point about the lack of authenticity in the Initiative rang so true. I constantly rolled my eyes in their scenes. Regardless of that I did enjoy this season and these guides. You really are coming into your own with this year's work. Can't wait for Blind Date and Restless! Edit for spelling.

Riley's chip controls his body, not his mind....I think🤔

And now I will never be able to stop thinking about how good that Xander storyline would have been o.o

Oh how I’ve missed the subtext bugle! Thanks for another awesome video that articulated my misgivings much better than I could have done myself.

Thank you so much for these videos. Your work is so smart and deep. Lately I found myself rewatching Buffy with a new love. I love season 4. But I always find myself going back to season 6. I know it's probably the weirdest season but it also has an interesting realism, for the real antagonist is not even Warren, but it's Adulting. You will be doing season 5 soon so if would like to share some observations, if you can't read all this I understand. Season 5 is definitely the complete passing into adulthood. Buffy loses her mom. Buffy is forced to be her own, without the confront and security of childhood. Season 5, we see. Buffy going into a depression, confused about her path. Season 6, Buffy's depression is deep and she is spiraling out of control. DAWN, the inner child: The reason for Dawn was that the network realized that Buffy and the gang were no longer teenagers. So bring back the teenage audience, they added a teenage little sister, even if it didn't make sense. However I realized something this time around. Dawn can represent Buffy's inner child. As we get older, we can see a distance from our younger selves, feeling as they are almost a separate person. Dawn appears to be annoying and immature because it's Buffy still clinging to her immaturity. When Joyce dies Buffy tries everything to save her and take care of things, like planing the funnel. Things adult children are expected to. Then there's Dawn who is instantly emotional, hearing about Joyce death. She reacts like a child would. Like how Buffy would want to. But Buffy has to put her emotions side in order to take care of things. Showing maturity. In season 6, Buffy and Dawn are both doing bad things, heading into the dark side. Dawn feels she is alone like Buffy feels as being alone is a part of being the slayer. Buffy finds herself going to the dark side by sleeping Spike. Dawn is also going into a the dark, by stealing. It is only when the sisters talk to each other about their problems, is when they become closer to resolving them. XANDER, the heart: Over season 5 and 6 Xander makes a lot of progress. He finds a stable job and gets promoted. He moves out to his own place. He finds is stable relationship. He's on a path to becoming "a real grown up." Buffy talks about how much Xander and Anya give her her hope for love. Xander is the one she talks to when she's unsure about Riley. He's the one that tells her what about love is as he has discovered it himself. Xander's relationship keeps her hopeful to seek love. As a result she sees that Riley maybe isn't the one and later starting with Spike. But then after the not wedding, Buffy becomes more hopeless. Breaking up with Spike. And neither Buffy nor Xander have a new long term relationship for the rest of series. In Life Serial, one of my favorite episodes, one I can't to see what you think about, Xander is the first one to break free, first one to fight, and first one to reassure Buffy that she is forgiven for trying to kill with them. This definitely represents where Buffy's heart has been. Though it doesn't solve everything, it helps Buffy to choose to be in their world. GILES, the mind: Though out season 4, we sees the distance between Giles and Buffy but when Giles leaves in season 6, Buffy loses her mind and her decision making skills. WILLOW, the sprit: Of course Willow is one that brings Buffy back, because she's the sprit. Without Willow, Buffy wouldn't be the slayer. Willow is the best part of her. Which is why it's so hard to see Willow go to her dark side. They are both trying to be good but struggling. Season 5' I feel completely changed the series. Season 6 was Joss Weldon experimenting, which I love. Season 7 was amazing recall back to seasons 1 to 3 and great end. Also, Buffy bot is everything.

OMG. I want your Xander-in-the-initiative s4 woohoo bad! That could have been amazing.

I love these videos! Thank you so much

Like seriously, we got a show about magic and vampires, and then the final thing is that they all got chips and the military is comically evil.

I am so excited about what’s to come, I can barely contain myself!

Good review. Season four is definitely a transition season from what the show was to what it would become. Highlighted by this episode and the upcoming restless.

Omg I actually love your Xander story line! I would have watched that!

Xanders does anyone else miss the Mayor I just want to be a big Snake line is one his best considering how stressed they were heading into graduation.

Spikes line "well let's go get them then by gum" had me cracking up.

Just discovered your channel, I love your videos! You deserve more subscribers 😩💪🏼.

hells yeah 421 let's go, you're smashing these out atm buddy

You've given me a new appreciation for Season 4. It's still nowhere near my favorite season but I can appreciate what they did and what they were trying to do. When it first aired, I wasn't ready for it to change the show as drastically as it did, and I wasn't watching "Angel" at all either. Now, if you can make me appreciate Season 5 I will hail you as a miracle worker. (Apart from "The Body" that is.)

I really wish you would continue on with the entire series with these. They are wonderful!

Love these!!

I always thought a better plot for the initiative to go down would be the inability to differentiate between demon and bad. we already know of neutral demons with whistler and over in ATS there are tons of neutral to good demons, but in Buffy there are few. I would have loved for Buffy and the gang to, rather than fight a big bad in the traditional sense with Adam, have to fight the entire initiative simply because they were a hammer that saw anything atypical as a nail--maybe even Buffy. bring in the idea from gingerbread when joyce clumps slayers in with the demons and vampires and make it so that Buffy and the team have to fight to protect the nuanced, fair way of doing things even though the initiative sounds good at first because they're so efficient. I dunno, just a thought

You can see why Spike called Riley "Captain Cardboard"/"Captain Whitebread".

Amazing as always. S4 has always been my least favorite season, because it all kinda falls apart for me after Walsh dies, story wise at least, and the Initiative and Riley were always really boring to me. But you are making me appreciate the season and its themes and messages a lot more with your videos. I love the Buffy Guide soooo much ^_^

Awesome as always!

Great analysis. Season 4 feels like college with all its highs and lows. It feels like forever, but the next thing you know, it's all done and you're spat out the other end. I can't wait for Restless!

I seriously loved Anya and Xander together what the writers did to them I felt was so strange with the chemistry they had on screen

Oh my god Ian, I can't wait to see you talk about Restless

I am getting RESTLESS waiting for the next episode !!!

Watching this video after having just read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was interesting. I think you were spot on with the idea that the Frankenstein metaphor got mangled by Maggie Walsh's departure.

'As for Science versus Magic, I'm issuing a restraining order. Magic must stay 500 yards from Science at all times."

Thank U! I love these

It would have been nice to see someone pledge a sorority or frat as a part of the examination of conformity. I wish Xandar had gone to college with them, but I get why he didn't. I've always struggled with this season and I think you finally hit the nail on the head when you said that the Initiative lacked authenticity. Even if that is, by its nature, hard to pin down, I think you are right. There was a hollow sense from the Initiative as an institution. They did not effect either menace, complex moral or immoral grounding or any other interesting trait.

Frankenstein blamed the monster for killing his (baby brother? nephew? I forget which). It was definitely in the book.

I write some BTVS Fanfic, and I read a lot of them one series had Xander joining the military and being stationed at SGC from Stargate, and how he helps them when they are "exposed" to Vamps. Some very fun stories