Buffy the Vampire Slayer Re-Watch: Some Assembly Required (Season 2 Episode 2)

Love makes you do that wacky.

That’s the biggest lesson learned in Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s, “Some Assembly Required.”

Everyone, especially during the tender teenage years, finds themselves in a position of wishing that they could take attributes from someone’s “X” column, and someone else’s “Y” column, to create the perfect person to be their partner.

In Sunnydale, the teens are so smart (and creepy), that they literally do just that. In an uber-sad (but again creepy) way, Chris really just wants help his brother by giving him the perfect girlfriend.

It sounds harmless and sweet enough, doesn’t it?

Again, the creepy part. Chris’ older brother Daryl is dead. Chris is a genius of sorts and he, along with his buddy Eric, zombie-fied Daryl, bringing him back to life.

But Daryl is still a teenager and companionship is important, so Chris and Eric take it upon themselves to find Daryl love, or rather, make Daryl love so that he won’t be alone. He’ll always have someone by his side. It’s a nice intention.

Thankfully, Chris would never actually kill a girl to harvest her organs, and settles for recently deceased corpses to provide the “parts” he needs to give Daryl the best gal possible. Weird science experiments in the basement involving random corpses? Just another Tuesday night in Sunnydale.

Love is making everyone (not just Chris, Eric, and Daryl), do the wacky.

Giles is bumbling about, trying to decide how to ask Jenny out on a date. It’s a nice change to see Giles become a lovesick schoolboy, something far from his prim and proper watcher ways. Around Jenny, Giles reverts to being a teenager himself, unsure of what to say, how to act, sometimes even how to construct a sentence.

Luckily, Jenny has no difficulty picking up the slack and takes the lead in setting up a date with the lovable librarian.

The blossoming romance between Jenny and Giles makes my heart feel warm inside. They seem compatible in all of the right ways, with just the right hint of differences to keep things complimentary.

In terms of ‘shipping, while all eyes are on Buffy and Angel, it’s a lot more fun to watch Giles attempting to date.

I’m torn on it, actually. I’d love a universe where Giles and Buffy’s mother, Joyce, spend time together and realize how compatible THEY are. I’d love a universe where Giles, who’s taken on a bit of a paternal role in Buffy’s life, actually has a shot at becoming her step-dad.

But then I see Giles and Jenny, snacking together at a football game, and the way that she makes him uncomfortably comfortable, and my heart fills up wanting THEM to be happy. And all of a sudden, they become the couple I want to root for.

But luckily for all of you #Bangel ‘shippers, Buffy and Angel’s wackiness plays a role in “Some Assembly Required.”

Angel is still jealous following Buffy’s dirty dance with Xander, and he isn’t going to let her forget that the event ever happened, as much as she’d love to erase it from the memories of all she holds near and dear.

Their bickering and unresolved sexual tension is just beginning to build, as Buffy still tries to figure out how to have a relationship with a vampire. (Side note: Buffy, it’s pretty simple. Just have a relationship with the cute vampire who clearly loves you.)

But it’s not quite as simple as it seems. Angel can’t be with Buffy all the time. He can’t see her under the sunlight. He isn’t there, and can’t be there, while she lives 50% of her life.

It breaks his heart, and he finally admits to her how jealous he is of the fact that Xander, or anyone for that matter, gets to be there.

It’s silly for a 241 year old vampire to be jealous of a 17 year old.

But when Angel explains it to Buffy, it makes sense. I get it. She does too, and she reassures Angel by reminding him that she doesn’t “love” Xander. It’s a interesting choice in words for the slayer. Does this mean that her feelings toward Angel are beginning to lean on the “love” side of things?

And speaking of Xander, it seems like he may not be alone for very long, or at least it seems that he’s caught the attention of someone.

Cordelia’s new balance with the Scoobies is great. She serves somewhat of a “bait” role, just waiting to be rescued by Buffy. But her genuine interest in the gang is surprisingly natural, considering how villainous she seemed to be towards them during Season 1.

And now, it seems that a tiny little seed has been planted for her with Xander.

While Buffy does the hard work of actually killing Daryl as he tries to cut off Cordelia’s head, Xander has the easier task of unbuckling Cordelia from the gurney and assisting her to safety.

And boy, oh boy, is she thankful. She even takes it upon herself to seek him out and personally offer to repay him for saving her life, and offer which he rebuffs, because he and Willow are in the middle of discussing why they never get dates. Oh, irony…

But let’s be realistic. Queen Cordelia is still just that. She’d never allow herself to come down THAT many rungs on the social ladder and actually chase after Xander Harris…

Right?

Pop Into Pop Culture:

• The bat signal is a Batman reference, the way in which the city asks for help from the caped crusader.
• Siskel and Ebert were a film reviewing duo who popularized the “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” rating system.
• Eric sings the classic Temptations song, “My Girl.”

Fashion Faux Pas: 

• Angel’s khaki-colored zip up jacket
• Jenny’s TIGHT cream pants
• Willow’s crazy patterned shirt

Cordeliaisms:

• “I don’t think anyone should have to do anything educational in school if they don’t want to!”
• “God! What are you doing?! We are under florescent lighting here!”
• “Sorry to interrupt your little undead playgroup…”
• “Hello? Can we deal with my pain please?”
• “Why is it that every conversation you people have has the word ‘corpse’ in it?”
• “Why are these terrible things always happening to me?”

Get into a time machine of your own and re-watch this classic episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then share your own thoughts with us in the comments below!

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Re-Watch when we meet a Bonnie and Clyde set of vampires who will forever change the Sunnydale universe as we know it!