The Harsh Light of Day (Buffy episode)
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"The Harsh Light of Day" is the third episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Plot synopsis
Summary
Spike is back, with Harmony at his side, searching for a gem that will make him invincible. He finds it, but Buffy gets it away from him and decides to send it to Angel. Meanwhile, Buffy decides to do the dirty deed with Parker, thinking he has great boyfriend potential, but is let down when he turns out to be just another bad guy (not demonic, just sleazy). More meanwhile — Anya's back in town, and convinces Xander that they should have sex so she can get him off her mind. They do, but it doesn't.
Expanded overview
At the Bronze, while the Dingoes play on stage, Willow and Oz talk while Buffy secretively watches Parker play pool. After the Dingoes wrap, Oz gets ready to take Willow home and Parker volunteers to take Buffy back to her dorm since it isn't safe outside. While Willow is waiting for Oz and Devon to return to the van outside the Bronze, Harmony approaches her. The two of them talk and then Harmony reveals she's a vampire and bites Willow. Oz rescues her and Harmony goes away threatening that her boyfriend is not going to be happy that they were mean to her. Buffy and Parker walk back to the dorm, and Parker discovers her scar from when Angel bit her. She tells him it was an angry puppy that bit her. He then asks her to a party the next night and she accepts.
At Giles' place, Xander is helping him put books away when Anya makes a surprise visit. She wants to know where her relationship with Xander is going, and not aware that they even had a relationship, Xander is a bit confused. Back at the dorms, Buffy and Parker are just about to kiss when Willow and Oz arrive. While Oz cleans her wound, Willow fills Buffy in on everything, including Harmony's supposed boyfriend. Harmony goes to her boyfriend who's working underground and it's revealed to be Spike. He works on plans with another vampire to dig through the floor of a crypt. Harmony persistently annoys him and he continues to yell at her. She complains that she wants to go out, and after the use of some feminine charm, he agrees to take her out to a party.
The party happens to be the same one Buffy and Parker are attending and the two couples run into each other. Buffy asks Spike if he's with Harmony because he lost a bet and Spike then takes the opportunity to run. They meet outside and fight for a second. Harmony reveals that Drusilla left Spike for a Fungus demon and that they'll be back as soon as they get the Gem of Amara. Anya shows up at Xander's place and after he gets her a drink, he turns around to see that she's naked. Buffy calls Giles and informs him about Spike and Harmony. Giles looks up the Gem of Amara, and he says it doesn't exist. Buffy says she's going to sleep but instead, goes back to the party with Parker. Harmony annoys Spike then draws his full attention with her sexual charm. Anya and Xander have sex because she's convinced it will help her get over him, and Buffy makes the decision that she wants to sleep with Parker.
The next morning, Buffy wakes up to an empty bed, and as she's searching for her clothes, Parker arrives with coffee. He says that he'll call her. Anya tells Xander that she's over him, and when he says he's okay with that, she storms out in anger. Spike wakes up to Harmony drawing on his back with lipstick and then leaves to get back to work. Buffy finds Willow and Giles in her dorm room and apparently the Gem of Amara is real. After they get rid of Giles, Buffy tells Willow about her night with Parker.
Spike finally breaks into the crypt, and thinks he's found the Gem of Amara in a necklace. Harmony shows up and starts trying on jewelry. Spike finally loses his control and tries to stake her but the stake doesn't kill her. He sees the ring and after holding a cross to her, he takes the ring off of her and leaves to go outside. At Giles' place while they search for answers, Xander finds a TV and turns it on. They watch the news and see that there was a sinkhole caused by the erosion of dirt beneath it. They come to the conclusion that it was Spike's underground digging that caused it. Buffy tracks down Parker, but she finds that everything they had together was really no big deal to him. She thinks it's her fault and again, feels sorry for herself. Spike shows up in the daylight and hits her.
Buffy and Spike have a spectacular fight outside. She tries to stake him, but instead of killing him, it just tickles--in a good way. Xander shows up but Spike quickly knocks him out of the way and continues to beat up on Buffy. He talks very vulgarly about her relationship with Parker. Then Spike brings up how Angel once told him that she was only worth doing it with once. She then kicks his butt, and takes off the ring. Smoking from exposure to the sun, he dives down into the sewers. Later, Buffy and gang sit around at Giles's place and Buffy reveals that she wants Angel to have the ring. Oz volunteers to take it when he goes to LA for a gig.
Buffy, Anya and Harmony all walk separately around campus, incredibly depressed.
Writing and acting
- This episode explores the ramifications of casual sex when the participants hold different expectations, which happens more often when it occurs soon after the two people meet or when they are under the influence. In "Beer Bad", Parker will make an argument for spontaneity -- Willow points out that his seduction implies more to the girl, however. Buffy's mistake this time may be viewed as a real-life analogy to her sex with Angel.
- Harmony is in an abusive relationship with Spike. She wonders why she continues to love him when Spike is so mean to her ("I love syphilis more than you"). This may be viewed as a warning to abusive teenage relationships, although domestic violence does not discriminate for age.
Cast and crew
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
- Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
- Seth Green as Oz
- Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
- Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
Production details
Music
- Bif Naked - "Anything"
- Bif Naked - "Lucky" (Dance Remix)
- Bif Naked - "Lucky"
- Bif Naked - "Moment of weakness"
- Devil Doll - "Faith In Love"
- Dollshead - "It's over it's under" (Club Mix)
- Dollshead - "It's over it's under" (Rhythm mix)
- Dollshead - "It's over it's under"
- Four Star Mary - "Dilate"
- Psychic Rain - "Takemedown"
Quotes and trivia
This episode is part of a crossover event with Angel that aired as a two-hour event on the WB.
Joss has mentioned in various interviews that Sarah disagreed with Buffy sleeping with Parker. She thought that it was too soon after Angel had left her, and she didn't think that Buffy would do something like that. Joss told Sarah to "Go to college, you do stupid things"
The party takes place in a building with Greek letters ΓΑΠ (gamma alpha pi) by the door. When translated into English it spells GAP.
Continuity
Arc significance
Crossover with Angel: Oz's visit to Los Angeles was aired immediately afterwards in the episode "In the Dark".
- Harmony and Anya return to the series for the first time this season.
Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) | Buffyverse chronology: Fall 1999 - December 1999 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| L.A. 1999 | Angel comic: |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.01 City of (Angel episode)>City of |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.01 The Freshman (Buffy episode)>The Freshman |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.02 Living Conditions (Buffy episode)>Living Conditions |
| L.A. 1999 | |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.02 Lonely Hearts (Angel episode)>Lonely Hearts |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.00 Unaired Angel pilot |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Not Forgotten (Angel novel)>Not Forgotten |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.03 The Harsh Light of Day (Buffy episode)>The Harsh Light of Day |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.03 In the Dark (Angel episode)>In the Dark |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.04 Fear Itself (Buffy episode)>Fear Itself |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Blood of Carthage (Buffy comic)>Blood of Carthage |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel graphic novel: Surrogates (Angel comic)>Surrogates |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel comic: Strange Bedfellows (Angel comic)>Strange Bedfellows story, Angel #4 |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy video game: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Game Boy Color) |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.04 I Fall to Pieces (Angel episode)>I Fall to Pieces |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.05 Beer Bad (Buffy episode)>Beer Bad |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.05 Rm w/a Vu (Angel episode)>Rm w/a Vu |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy books: Lost Slayer (Buffy novel)>Lost Slayer series |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.06 Wild at Heart (Buffy episode)>Wild at Heart |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy graphic novel: Oz (Buffy comic)>Oz |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | Buffy book: |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.06 Sense & Sensitivity (Angel episode)>Sense & Sensitivity |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.07 The Initiative (Buffy episode)>The Initiative |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.07 Bachelor Party (Angel episode)>Bachelor Party |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Close to the Ground (Angel novel)>Close to the Ground |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Soul Trade (Angel novel)>Soul Trade |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel graphic novel: Earthly Possessions (Angel comic)>Earthly Possessions |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Redemption (Angel novel)>Redemption |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Shakedown (Angel novel)>Shakedown |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Hollywood Noir (Angel novel)>Hollywood Noir |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Avatar (Angel novel)>Avatar |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: Bruja (Angel novel)>Bruja |
| L.A. 1999 | Angel book: The Summoned (Angel novel)>The Summoned |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.08 Pangs (Buffy episode)>Pangs |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.08 I Will Remember You (Angel episode)>I Will Remember You |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.09 Something Blue (Buffy episode)>Something Blue |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.09 Hero (Angel episode)>Hero |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.10 Hush (Buffy episode)>Hush |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.10 Parting Gifts (Angel episode)>Parting Gifts |
| Sunnydale, 1999 | B4.11 Doomed (Buffy episode)>Doomed |
| L.A. 1999 | A1.11 Somnambulist (Angel episode)>Somnambulist |
External links
Reviews
- [Soulful Spike Society analysis of The Harsh Light of Day]
- [Peripheral Visions Review]
- [Section 31 Review]
- [Swing the Sickle Review]
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