Where the Wild Things Are (Buffy episode)
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| “Where the Wild Things Are” | |
|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 18 |
| Guest stars | Emma Caulfield (Anya) Amber Benson (Tara) Leonard Roberts (Forrest Gates) Bailey Chase (Graham Miller) Kathryn Joosten (Mrs. Holt) |
| Written by | Tracey Forbes |
| Directed by | David Solomon |
| Production no. | 4ABB18 |
| Original airdate | April 25, 2000 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Superstar" | "New Moon Rising" |
"Where the Wild Things Are" is the 18th episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
At a fraternity party, Buffy and Riley are compelled to have sex by a mystical influence. The party is held in a house — formerly a home for wayward children — that is haunted by the angry ghosts of children who were physically and emotionally abused by the Christian fundamentalist who managed the home.
[edit] Expanded overview
Buffy and Riley fight a vampire and a demon in the cemetery, finally disposing of both of them. While they intend to go tell Giles about the odd pairing of demon and vampire, they opt for sex at Riley's dorm at Lowell House. Riley gets up in the middle of the night, acting as if he hears something from the restroom. All he finds is a dripping faucet in the tub. Xander's driving an ice cream truck for his new job, and Anya rides along with him to complain about their diminishing relationship. Trying to convince her that there is nothing wrong with him or their relationship, Xander suggests they have sex right there in the truck. He doesn't realize that there is a group of kids waiting outside for their ice cream.
The gang talks about patrol the night before, and they realize that Adam is bringing the races of demons together. Buffy and Riley escape for some alone time, which is no secret to the rest of the gang. The two continue their sex romp through the night. While the rest of the house is freezing cold, Buffy and Riley continue to keep occupied, and warm. An initiative agent is badly burned when a fire in a fireplace bursts forth into the room. The next night, Spike jumps out at Anya in the streets, trying to scare her into giving him her money. At the party, Buffy and Riley are making eyes at each other from across the room while their friends attempt to talk to them. Spike and Anya bond over a couple beers at the Bronze, complaining about what it's like to be without their harmful demon powers.
A guy is talking to a girl, when he places his hand on a wall and suddenly gets very excited. Xander flirts with a girl named Julie. Riley and Buffy escape upstairs to resume their own private party. Willow and Tara talk about horses, but Willow had a bad experience with them and she's very afraid of them. Willow touches Tara's knee, but Tara backs away, disgusted with the gesture. When Anya and Spike arrive at the frat party and the two verbally gang up on Xander.
A group is playing spin the bottle, and Xander joins in. On Xander's turn, the bottle lands on Julie, and he kisses her on the cheek. She suddenly jumps him and starts kissing him aggressively. After she runs away, Xander follows and finds her in the closet cutting off her hair. Willow goes to the restroom looking for Tara and instead finds a body drowning in the bathtub. When she reaches for it, it disappears and reappears behind her. All this time, Buffy and Riley have barely come up for air, not even stopping when they hear Willow scream or the gang calling for them outside the door.
The house begins to shake violently, and vines begin to cover the walls. Forrest and Graham run downstairs for instructions from their commanding officers. A ghost runs straight through Anya and Spike is strapped to a chair. Spike breaks free of his bonds and everyone escapes outside. The gang goes to Giles for help and find him singing and playing the guitar at the Espresso Bar. He's surprisingly very good, which Willow, Tara and Anya all find slightly appealing.
Research leads them to information about the Lowell building, which used to be the old Lowell Home for Children. They find the woman, Genevieve Holt, who ran the children's home and she confesses that she rewarded the children when they were good and punished them when they were dirty. She'd cut off their hair and "baptized" them by holding them under water in a bathtub. After leaving Ms. Holt's place, they conclude that a group of poltergeist is now releasing their pent up sexual energy thanks to the repetitive acts of sex by Buffy and Riley. When Buffy and Riley are drained of all their strength, they will die.
Willow, Tara and Giles perform a spell to stop the spirits. Xander and Anya hack their way through the vines and try to reach Buffy and Riley. Anya is knocked across the house while Xander is dragged into the bathroom and held underwater. Anya makes her way upstairs to save Xander and they fight against the vines and finally open Riley's dorm. The next day, the gang talks about Giles's "mid-life crisis" and the consequences of Buffy and Riley's endless sex. Unconvincingly, Buffy and Riley say how horrible the experience was.
[edit] Arc significance
Anya and Spike first bond in this episode. This becomes important in season 6's episode "Entropy" where they found physical comfort in each other after being rejected by their lovers.
[edit] Writing and acting
[edit] Production details
[edit] Music
- Caviar - "I Thought I Was Found"
- Crooner - "Parker Posey"
- face to face - "The Devil You Know (God is a Man)"
- Fonda - "One Of A Kind"
- Lumirova - "Philo"
- Anthony Stewart Head - "Behind Blue Eyes"
- The Who - "Behind Blue Eyes"
[edit] Quotes and trivia
[edit] Translations
- Italian title: "La casa stregata" ("The haunted house")
- German title: "Die Unersättlichen" (someone who is insatiable, pl.)
- French title: "La maison hantée" ("The Haunted House")
[edit] Continuity
[edit] Timing
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) |
Buffyverse chronology: January 2000 - Spring 2000 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.12 A New Man |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.12 Expecting |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel graphic novel: Hunting Ground |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel comic: Strange Bedfellows/Love for sale |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.13 The I in Team |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.13 She |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.14 Goodbye Iowa |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy video game: Wrath of the Darkhul King |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.14 I've Got You Under My Skin |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.15 This Year's Girl |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.15 The Prodigal |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.16 Who Are You |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.16 The Ring |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy comic: Giles |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy comic: Jonathan (by Jane Espenson) |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.17 Superstar |
| Sunnydale, L.A., 2000 | Buffy/Angel graphic novel: Past Lives |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy graphic novel: Out of the Woodwork |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | Buffy book: These Our Actors |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.17 Eternity |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.18 Where the Wild Things Are |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.18 Five By Five |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.19 New Moon Rising |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.19 Sanctuary |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.20 The Yoko Factor |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.20 War Zone |
| Sunnydale, 2000 | B4.21 Primeval |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.21 Blind Date |
| Sunnydale, L.A., 2000 | B4.22 Restless |
| L.A., 2000 | A1.22 To Shanshu in L.A. |
| L.A., 2000 | Angel comic: Cordelia special |
| Sunnydale, L.A., 2000 | Buffy/Angel books: Unseen [Trilogy] |
[edit] External links
[edit] Episode guides
[edit] Reviews
- Soulful Spike Society analysis of Where The Wild Things Are
- Peripheral Visions Review
- Section 31 Review
- Swing the Sickle Review
