IfBuffy the Vampire Slayerfans can agree on anything, it’s that a particular season 4 episode is hands down one of the show’s worst, but it happens to feature an incredibly powerful moment from Willow Rosenberg. The wallflower-turned-powerful witch is one of the show’s best characters, and as many of us identify with Willow’s nerd status in high school, it’s a huge thrill to watch her confidence blossomacrossBuffy’s seven seasons.
As a whole,Buffyseason 4 is often considered the show’s worst. The Scoobies' transition from high school to college was clunky, the Big Bad was lackluster, and then there’s the Riley of it all. Still, Willow had some greatBuffyepisodes in the season. After all, season 4 introduced Tara Maclay, the love of Willow’s life, and it’s where Willow comes out.Willow undergoes huge growth throughoutBuffy the Vampire Slayer, and this maligned episode proves it.
Cavewoman Buffy Didn’t Click With Fans
TheworstBuffyepisode as voted by viewerson IMDb is season 4, episode 5, “Beer Bad”. In it, Buffy, still hurting after having been spurned by Parker, decides to drown her sorrows at the campus pub where she becomes drinking buddies with a group of obnoxious college guys. Unbeknownst to them, the owner of the pub is a warlock who is lacing the beer with a potion to turn them into cavemen. While not as affected by her fellow barflies,Buffy begins to take on cavewoman-like qualities, though we learn that the effect is ultimately temporary.
As a whole, “Beer Bad” is a shining example of everything wrong withBuffyseason 4. The show’s first three installments were absolutely brilliant, and they totally nailed the “high school as hell” metaphor, but season 4’s attempts to do the same thing with college fell flat.The Hellmouth’s answer to the dangers of excessive drinking was heavy-handed and awkward, and the villain’s attempt at class warfare was more silly than scary. It’s not a surprise thatBuffyseasons 5 through 7 abandoned college storylines almost entirely.
Willow Calling Parker Out Is Still One Of Her Best Moments
She Meets Him On His Level & Outsmarts Him
“Beer Bad” may be the worstBuffyepisode, but it’s still worth watching for Willow’s fantastic scenes with Parker. It crushes Willow to see Buffy so distraught, so when the witch spots theworst love interest inBuffyhistoryat a coffee house, she can’t resist giving him a piece of her mind. Now,it would have been wholly satisfying for her to embarrass him by yelling at him and throwing a drink in his face, but Willow’s revenge is way smarter, and all the sweeter for it.
At first,Willow flat-out calls Parker out for leading Buffy onand hurting her. She’s firm but entirely classy in holding him accountable. Parker, being the weasel that he is, then tries to appeal to Willow on an intellectual level. He begins to wax philosophical about the thrill and joys of casual sex — none of which have to do with promising to call someone and ghosting them. Willow listens in earnest, and it appears she’s opening her mind to everything Parker is saying. At first, it makes you want to scream at your TV like you’re watching a horror movie.
We also think Willow is more susceptible to Parker’s charms because she is beginning to grow envious of Oz’s attraction to Veruca.
Indeed, the idea of Parker winning over Willow is the most terrifying moment in an episode with literally no other scares. Willow also lets Parker prattle on for quite a while, long enough that they move from a table to couches. But when Parker goes in for the kill and hits on Willow, she completely turns the tables on him, asking, “Just how gullible do you think I am?” It turns out thatshe was conning him the whole time, letting him think his lip service was having an impact when she only planned on laughing in his face after wasting his time.
The only downside is that Willow’s takedown is interrupted by the cavemen crashing in. It would have been nice to witness the humiliation on Parker’s face for a beat or two longer. But it’s a powerful moment for Willow, and one that has nothing to do with her magical abilities. You may be tempted to skip thisBuffy the Vampire Slayerepisode on a rewatch, but at least watch these Willow scenes — well, them and Buffy knocking Parker out with a club at the very end.
