Buffy the Vampire Slayer Re-Watch: Lie To Me (Season 2 Episode 7)

Buffy reunites with an old friend that Xander, Willow, and Angel find untrustworthy on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 Episode 7, “Lie To Me.”

Who can you trust? That’s a choice most people struggle with their entire lives and it’s the main problem at the heart of “Lie To Me,” which, despite airing 20 years ago, feels just as relevant today. This is a really strong episode with a great storyline, solid performances, and the perfect blend of humor and heartache.

Not only is Buffy dealing with her old friend, Ford, suddenly showing up at Sunnydale High, but after she sees Angel talking to evil vampire, Druscilla, she starts to wonder exactly where his loyalties really are. Plus, Willow and Xander are acting super weird around Buffy and don’t seem too supportive of her friendship with Ford . . . .

Basically, this episode is one big pile of trust issues for Buffy.

Full disclosure, I completely forgot Buffy did not know who Druscilla is at this point in Season 2. So, Buffy going a little green-eyed after seeing the vampire with Angel in the first Act made my annoyance level rise pretty high in the first 15 minutes. I mean, Druscilla is completely bonkers, why would Buffy be jealous of her?

Of course, it all makes sense later when Buffy finds an old photograph of the vampire and asks Giles about it. Ah, the perils of watching this show two decades later with a fuzzy memory . . .

Anyway, despite my initial annoyance, I am completely on Buffy’s side in this case. Angel is a goober for lying to Buffy about running into Druscilla, but their relationship is brand new and it isn’t surprising he’d want to hide his connection to her considering his role in turning Druscilla into an insane demon blood-sucker.

Given the tension between Angel and Buffy, it isn’t surprising to see him make the situation even worse by enlisting Willow and Xander to help him investigate Ford – without telling Buffy. This is a completely bone-headed thing to do, but it’s a mistake that fits Angel’s mindset at this time.

I am slightly more skeptical about Xander and Willow agreeing to not tell Buffy about their Ford-shaped suspicions. I’ll overlook it though because Willow trying to be casual about keeping something from her best friend is one of the funniest moments in the entire episode.

This setup also results in Angel, Xander, and Willow following Ford to his secret underground vampire fan club. This scene includes a few classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer  funny moments, including Willow musing about sore thumbs and Angel bumping into one of the vampire “posers” while they are both wearing the same outfit.

Xander: Are You noticing a theme here?
Willow: As in, Vampires “Yay!”
Xander: That’s the one.

Plots that hinge on characters not telling other characters something important are some of my least favorite. However, the writers do a good job keeping the choices to do so in character here. Buffy’s doubt and anger at Angel and her friends is justified and it isn’t a stretch to see where both sides are coming from.

Unfortunately for Buffy, in the middle of dealing with her Angel issues, she also must contend with her friend, Ford, moving to Sunnydale and somehow knowing all about her life as The Slayer. Again, she is having to weigh who is and is not deserving of her trust.

Although Ford proves to ultimately be a total (dying) jerk-face, the motivation behind his actions makes some sense – even if it is a very twisted sort of logic. He is completely terrible, but it’s a sad and tragic kind of awful.

Buffy’s desire to rekindle their friendship is also understandable. My only nitpick is that I wish Ford’s revelation about knowing Buffy’s identity gave her more pause. However, once Buffy realizes he’s lying to her the game is essentially over.

One of the strengths of this episode is that the writers allow Buffy to reach her own conclusions about Ford, independent of Angel and her friends. It shows they didn’t need to keep their concerns from her after all.

Plus, the smart, resourceful Buffy we see in the last Act of this episode? This is my absolute favorite version of the character. Ford never really stands a chance against her.

Delightful Moments I’d Forgotten About

Angel showing up at Willow’s. So, so funny. Alyson Hannigan really excels at playing funny/awkward.

Discovering Ms. Calendar and Giles went to Monster Trucks on their date. Giles. At. Monster. Trucks.

 

What did you think of this episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available for streaming on Hulu.

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