Ok I keep making posts about my fav episodes but Fool for Love was so cool. I am basically new to the show even though I watched when it originally aired but I was a preteen. I thought the acting was phenomenal. So interesting and different and really gives you a lot of insight into Spike. Really loved the train scene. The ending when almost tries to kill Buffy once again but instead confronts her damn. I’m blown away by some of the episodes on the last two seasons. Really good stuff!
I love when he looks at the camera and talks to it like he’s speaking directly to Buffy from the past
Also, when he claps his hands while on the train and in front of Buffy's face at the same time. I've rewatched that moment an ungodly amount of times.
‘And the second …the SECOND that happens…you know I’ll be there.’
‘I’ll slip in. Have myself a real good day.’
Breaking that 4th wall…
Yessssss. I was in awe. Powerful stuff!!
Also, the origin story of his duster!
I just saw this and it’s so funny as I just watched this episode
Nikki had such a cool vibe. I don’t blame Spike for pilfering her coat.
I want it too
i've looked longingly at leather dusters in mall stores so often
I am still in the market for one haha although I couldn’t pull it off like them
I spotted this on TikTok too!
Its one of the few times in pop culture where providing an origin story for a garment is actually useful and adds something important to the character's identity. This isn't an idiotic origin like "Why does Han Solo have stripes on his pants!?" Like they tried to do in Solo: A Star Wars Story or similarly dumb additions to character lore.
Absolute favorite episode. Full range of emotion: comedy, sadness, excitement, pity, and just overall all the feels. Definitely my emotional reset episode. Also even Riley’s existence in this ep is tolerable, I love when the scoobies are trying to figure out what his hand gestures mean and they are just eating snacks and chilling while he’s all business about slaying
Hahah that was really funny with the riley part. I laughed out loud. And you’re so right. Low-key I don’t like the guy, but he was tolerable.
Full range of emotions for real. I feel like I want to rewatch it. It was so good.
And Willow, “CRONCH cronch, cronch” 🤣
This was the hottest Spike ever looked. Just DAMN
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Player 2 Spike
Yes!!!!!
More men need to bleach their hair
Agreed!
We see Darla, Drusilla, and Angel's past in 2x21/22, but we don't see Spike's past. Even though the scene with him in the wheelchair literally follows Drusilla's past and present. I always thought that was a little unfair. But his story in Fool For Love exceeded any of my expectations. It's a really great episode and it wasn't even written by Whedon.
I didn’t even catch onto that that It wasn’t written by him. Who wrote it?
Douglas Petrie
Doug Petrie about Fool for Love (this episode was a last minute replacement when another one got thrown out):
This episode was written very quickly which is usually a recipe for disaster and much much rewriting. But something kind of clicked with this one. We knew it was a special episode going in. It was very much designed as a two-parter with the Angel episode that was to immediately follow, back when we were on the same network. I asked Joss Whedon, "what do you do when you’re working around the clock at the office and you need to sleep, and there’s nowhere to sleep?" and Joss told me "go down to the sets" because the sets have really comfortable beds.
I actually wound up sleeping in mom’s room. I was looking at all the beds like Goldilocks, trying to find the right bed to sleep on during the marathon writing session. I tried Xander’s bed but that wasn’t quite right, and then I tried Buffy’s bed, but that just felt awkward and stalkery-fan boy. And then I tried mom’s bed and that was just right.
Working with James is fun. When I told him that I had very little time to write an episode about Spike, he gave me a crate of Red Bull which I drank for four days straight and wrote like a lunatic.
This is very dangerous behavior. I saw a driver who worked for a beverage company, and they released a line of energy drinks. And of course, there were employee discounts. And he immediately bought a box of these energy drinks and didn't eat anything all day, but drank 8 cans of this drink and two coffees. He was taken to the hospital, where he couldn't breathe on his own and was in such a state that he was almost in the grave.
Petrie himself said he was "a caffeinated lunatic" for that time, although he presumably ate.
what an episode seriously!
I was in shock by how good it was lol
Fool for Love might be my favourite BTVS episode (it's a toss-up between this and OMWF).
Aside from Spike's backstory and the very final scene, which are perfect down to the last detail, it also encapsulates the reason why I believe Buffy and Spike's to be the most interesting dynamic on the show.
She's wary and confrontational at first, but you can see how she gradually grows interested in the tale. Spike and Buffy start at the table, then are seen playing pool. They get into a confrontation, and apparently, the script calls them "embarrassing freak couple" (real, lol).
Then they go outside, where Spike, now getting closer to the end of the story, tries mimicking the fight. And you can see him landing "blows" at Buffy, and yet it doesn't hurt him - meaning that he had no intention of actually hurting her. Otherwise, the chip would have activated.
"You think we're dancing?" and "That's all we've ever done" is one of my favourite exchanges in the whole show.
And finally, Spike tries to kiss Buffy, and she backs away. But then he grabs her by the arms, and she just... lets him. For a moment, you can hear her sigh as he says to her face "You know you want to dance." I think, for a very brief moment, viewers can fully visualise the reason why she's drawn to him. I think you can see the pull represented by that kind of darkness, which Spike embodies so well, and that Buffy, at this point in the story, is growing closer towards. Excellent use of tv's very own "show, don't tell."
Aaand now I want to rewatch the whole episode. What an immaculate piece of television, my god.
Embarassing freak couple. I rest my case, your honour.
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Another thing I love about this scene is the song that’s playing in the background. It took a long time to hunt down, but it’s ‘Heal Yourself’ by Virgil. You can find it on YouTube.
Seriouslyyyyyy!!!!! And thennnnn when she flinches and he pretends he wasn’t about to try to kiss she is so hurtful and she throws the money! And he cries! And he’s reminded of being a lonely poet and people making fun of him. I almost cried too watching that!!!
I did cry dude. It was a very real moment showing that even being able to live forever doesn’t mean someone will love you. Especially, if you’re trying to woo the living which William never succeeded in at that point. Yet again was he relegated to not being enough for someone, though with Buffy it makes sense.
I couldn't have worded this better. You get it.
If you liked this, I highly recommend the book “pitch black” - it’s about Nikki wood and the events leading to this - sooooo good.
Omg I’m interested! Thank you!
Is it a good read?
I really enjoyed it, it’s not long either, thought the author did a good job.
Author please?
Keith R.A. DeCandido
I’m searching for the novelization, and can’t find it. Could you share the author?
Keith R.A. DeCandido
Thank you! It looks like name is Blackout.
So sorry! It was a long time ago since I read it haha
Between the story of some of the previous Slayers, the origins of his iconic duster, leaning into the look that Billy Idol clearly stole and the set up for season 7's arc with Robin Wood, it's a damn good episode. Easily one of my favorite in the entire series
It’s my favorite episode in the show and the train sequence is probably my favorite, too.
That fight scene was epic
When I want to show off BtVS, I show people "Fool for Love".
So iconic
Made even better when paired with the Angel episode Darla. God what amazing crossover by just using some of the same flash backs in different viewpoints.
Fool for Love is absolutely among my top 10 episodes of Buffy. The flashback scene of Spike and Nikki is incredible. Both in the context of the story and its relevance to Spike's backstory and to how well its shot cinematically.
So iconic. Can’t stop thinking about it
Very prescient episode. A sensitive young man gets rejected and spends the rest of his life turning himself into a toxic asshole. And then when you get to the very heart of it, beneath the hair, the affected accent, the scars, and the jacket, he's still the same soft touch who wants nothing more than to adore a girl with all his heart. The demon couldn't take that away, all it could do was twist it into something selfish and cruel.
Totally. When I first started re watching I noticed right away that all he ever really wants is to swoon over a girl he loves.
I love this scene
This episode is one of my favorites. And we get Billy Idol Spike!
If Billy Idol had been built like James ... (fanning myself at the thought).
one reviewer, about Spike's first appearance, described him as "an undecayed Billy idol."
I've never watched Buffy back in the day past season maybe 2? It wasn't streaming obviously you caught episodes and rewatches. And now as an adult I started over. I literally just turned off the TV for bed after this episode. Makes me realize a lot about spike lmao. But I do appreciate when things are going down or backstories they aren't boring i called it type of 2020 shows. Some times the classics really hit!
I can't get on a subway without picturing this scene.
UGH, I don't understand how we didn't get more Spike with sleeveless shirts. Specially S6 and S7.
Dang. I’m sad to hear that.
I didn’t like it that reconned Angelus Sired Spike, but everything else was great!
I don't always believe the writers when they backtrack on intent, but I do think Drusilla was always meant to be Spike's direct sire. When the second season was originally broadcasting James Marsters & Juliet Landau did an interview with Entertainment Weekly in character as Spike & Dru where they establish it.
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Fr… that scene would’ve been hot. I mean…. Uhhh narratively compelling. ☝🏼🤓
I think Spike says it himself in Angel S5. Dru created him, but Angelus made him a monster.
Spike channeling Billy Idol in this episode lol
Actually, Billy Idol stole his look from... uh, never mind
…just this one? ❤️🔥
This is an amazing episode, it really is too bad Spike didn't get his own show, he was mesmerizing from start to finish in this episode.