Ok, I probably shouldn’t be writing this now, as I have some serious statistics courses tomorrow, and I’m still kinda in that “I’ve said it all before” mood, but what the hell. It’s not as if I can postpone this.

The title of this post says much about this episode. Tim Minear said in the commentary that what they wanted to do with this episode, was to sell the show to the network people, so that they would get another season, or something like that. Also, they present a lot of the stuff that will go on in the next season, what with the shift of paradigm and all.

But the great drama in this one came from Connor. He continues to show just how seriously messed up he is, and how high he sets an ideal he’s never even been close to experiencing. I guess someone wiser than me (or just more pretentious — and that’d be quite the achievement!) could say some profound words about the human condition based on that, but I’m too tired too even try right now. Besides, I’ve always hated everything that can be connected to the word “profound”. It’s a disgusting little word. I never use it, myself.

Anyway, sad scenes with Connor in this one, especially the last one, even if it also makes me kinda happy for him.

However, I still get the deus ex machina vibes from that amulet which saves everyone’s collective ass in BS7×22. According to Minear, he and Whedon sat next to each other when writing these two episodes, when Whedon said to Minear, “yo! I need an amulet!” And Minear writes in this amulet, which is tossed into the story, with no explanations beyond “it may be needed up Sunnydale way” or something like that. And so, like I said, I’m far from able to shake off my deus ex machina suspicions. But, like Master Malrubius said to Severian the Torturer-Autharch in “Citadel of the Autarch”:

As an actor, Severian, you must surely know the phrase I hinted at a moment ago. It refers to some supernatural force, personified and brought onto the stage in the last act in order that the play may end well. None but poor playwrights do it, they say, but those who say so forget that it is better to have a power lowered on a rope, and a play that ends well, than to have nothing, and a play that ends badly.

Which is one opinion on these mechanisms. As valid as any other opinions.

But now I really have to get to bed.