Bufffy the Vampire Slayer: Real Me

"She and Willow are both witches. They do spells and stuff, which is so much cooler than slaying. I told Mom one time I wish they'd teach me some of the things they do together. And-and then she got really quiet and made me go upstairs."

It was sooooo hard to settle on a quote for this one. The dialogue sparkled, especially with Dawn narrating much of the episode. This is one of the most fun episodes ever, and probably the biggest, best and most in-your-face retcon of all time. The character is likeable and fun from the start, and Michelle Trachtenberg (immediately in the opening titles, which are more crowded than ever) is fantastic. David Fury's script is superb, managing to be funny and ecomomically told while having to put across an awful lot of exposition. The device of Dawn narrating how she feels about all the regulars is a hugely efficient shorthand, as well as being fun and nicely metatextual.

There's absolutely no explanation as to how or why reality has shifted; Dawn has suddenly been there all the time, and Buffy's life is even more complicated. This is starting to have consequences; her University studies are starting to suffer, and so is her doomed relationship with Riley. She seems to be living at the family home now, a worrying indication of distance from her studies. And her new Slayer studies with Giles are one extra thing to add to the mix.

It looks as though Giles may be staying after all. He has a flashy new car, for one think. And the convenient death of the magic shop owner, along with the apparently huge profit margins, lead him to take over as manager, even though, as Buffy points out, "Most magic shop owners in Sunnydale have the life expectancy of a Spinal Tap drummer." I'm not sure how, legally and financially, he's in a position to but the business, and from whom, but let's not ask such awkward questions.

Oh, and Harmony as a Big Bad with minions is great. I love Buffy's reaction!

Other characters have interesting moments, too: Tara still feels herself to be a non-Scooby. Xander now has a steady job in construction, and is still a little plagued by his ongoing self-doubt issues, which were emphasised last episode. But the focus, obviously, is on Dawn, establishing who she is and how she relates to everyone. Some mystery is established, too- we learn that Dawn has a secret. And who is this dishevelled man who tells her that she doesn't belong here? It's only the second episode, and the season arc is well under way.