This week on Buffy and the Art of Story Becoming Part 1 (Season 2 Episode 21 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer):

This podcast episode covers (1) use of recurring images and actions to link characters’ stories together; (2) major plot points through the Midpoint for the 2-episode story arc; (3) how those points intertwine with episode plot turns; and (4) in spoiler section, how this episode sets up the next one, Season 3, and Willow’s series arc.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Go Fish

Next Up: Becoming Part 2

Work On Your Story

Download free Story Structure worksheets. 

Or you can become a patron and get (a) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to future bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown and a monthly Q&A.

Check out Help With Your Story at Writing As A Second Career.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Episode Links

Happiness, Anxiety, and Writing: Using Your Creativity To Live A Calmer, Happier Life

Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in April and May, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen from Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Becoming Part 1

Hello and welcome to the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today we're talking about Becoming Part One, the first part of the two-part finale of Season Two.

What’s Included

There's so much to talk about here. A few points in particular:

the use of recurring images and actions to link the characters’ stories together;

what I think is the best use of flashbacks we have seen in Buffy so far, because those flashbacks tell a story of their own;

major plot points through the Midpoint for the two-episode story arc; and

(in the Spoiler section)n how this episode sets up the next one, Season Three, and Willow's series arc.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Becoming Part One was written and directed by Joss Whedon.

Opening Conflict - Voiceover

We start with a voice over. We’ll later meet this character Whistler, a demon who seems to be on the side of good.

Whistler: Here's the thing. There's moments in your life that make you….Some are little or subtle and some are not.

A subtitle tells us we are in Galway 1763. Angel as a human and his friend are being thrown out of the pub. The friend passes out in the street. Angel sees a woman. Her back is to him, and she walks down an alley. She looks a lot like the drawing of the woman in the fancy dress that Buffy saw in the Halloween episode in the Watcher diaries.

Angel Meets Darla

Angel follows her and asks what a lady of her station is doing in an alley with a reputation like this one. Darla says maybe she's lonely. Angel offers himself as escort. He sounds like a bit of a smart ass and kind of smarmy. But she smiles and asks if he's up to the challenge. He says with the exception of an honest day’s work there's no challenge she's not prepared to face.

The two talk, and Darla tells him she's from far away. From everywhere. Angel says he's never been anywhere himself.

This is the first time he sounds genuine. There's a note of longing and almost wistfulness in his voice as he says he's always wanted to see the world.

Close Your Eyes

Darla's eyes light up, and she says she can show him things he's never seen. Frightening things.

Angel: I'm not afraid. Show me your world.

Darla: Close your eyes.

He does. She goes into vamp face, holds him, and bites him. Now his eyes open. As she is feeding on him she lets go. He drops to his knees, and she draws her nail across her own skin above her breasts, drawing a line of blood.

She brings his face to her, and he drinks.

This whole scene implies that Angel chose the vampire life to some extent despite that he didn't fully know what he was choosing.

And maybe this is part of why we blame Angel. Or the show blames Angel for his wrongdoing as a vampire. Or at least maybe it is why he is so willing to take on that guilt.

We’re at 2 minutes 52 seconds into the episode. This scene fades and shifts into Angelus in the present day.

Angel Watches Buffy Fight

He is watching Buffy. She's fighting a vampire in the cemetery. Buffy knocks the vamp down and tells him to get a message to Angel. She's done fighting. She says, “I'm taking the fight to him.”

But the vamp here keeps on fighting, and Buffy has to stake him.

She walks behind a tombstone and helps someone up. We see that it Xander. He says he's fine, and what is that, five vampires? Buffy says yes, in two nights, but no Angel.

Xander asks if she's really that anxious to come up against Angel. And she says she wants it over with and then that they better go, she hasn't even started studying for finals get.

Xander says something like, oh, finals, why didn't you let me die?

Buffy: Look on the bright side. It'll all be over soon.

The Story Spark Of The First Half (Becoming Part One)?

We’re at 4 minutes 19 seconds in. Angel from the shadows says to himself, “Yes, my love, it will.”

And we go to credits.

This is about 10% through the episode. Usually at that point in any story we see the Story Spark or Inciting Incident that gets the story rolling.

But Becoming is part one of the two-episode arc. So 10% in would be more like 8-10 minutes in.

I do think this comment, though, is that hint of conflict we need to keep our attention and keep the audience engaged.

Our next scene after the credits shows us what really got the story rolling. Though we don't know exactly when it happened.

The Monolith

At 5 minutes 19 seconds in, two men in a museum are working on a large rectangular rock. It stands about 10 feet tall, or 5 feet taller than the two men. It's a few feet deep, maybe 5 feet wide, grey stone, craggy, with writing on it.

Giles walks into the room. The curator is happy to see him, saying he called the Washington Institute and they told him that the best authority in obscure relics was right here in Sunnydale. Giles smiles, but says this might be a bit exaggerated.

This is a nice small amount of conflict to help the exposition come in. If you hadn't seen the show before you would know something about Giles. The curator says the construction workers dug up this rock outside of town and they don't know what it is.

Recurring Images

Interestingly, the rock looks a little like the monoliths we see in Agents of Shield, another Joss Whedon show. I mention it only because it shows that, like all artists, Whedon has recurring themes and imagery that comes back into his stories.

I've noticed this in many writers’ work, including my own. And I always feel like I need to be a little cautious about repeating those themes. But on the other hand, it clearly is part of what drives each of us to create. And audience members are often drawn to those same visions and images.

Giles Doesn’t Like Surprises

Here, Giles looks over the rock. He uses a pick to scrape a sample into a jar and sees that there is a seam in the rock. And he ays he assumes they haven't tried to open it.

The curator hadn't realized it could be opened. And he's ready to go ahead right now, but Giles asks him to wait. He wants to translate the text on it first.

Curator: You don't want to be surprised?

Giles: As a rule, no.

This is our first call back to the episode Surprise. That episode was part one of the two-part episode where Angel lost his soul. A pivotal point for the series and for Buffy and Angel, as this two-parter now is.

And I can't help thinking Giles’s dislike of surprises relates back to that moment.

A Fish Story

The next scene takes place in the cafeteria, Xander acts out Buffy's fight scene from the night before using fish sticks and a toothpick. Cordelia laughs.

Oz: I thought it was riveting. I was a little unclear about some of the themes.

Willow is sitting on Oz's lap. So we quickly learn that she has a boyfriend even if we missed previous episodes. Or if we only saw Go Fish and weren't aware of Oz at all.

Buffy says the theme of the story is that Angel is too much of a coward to face her.

Xander says the other thing was buy American but it got kind of buried.

Willow asks if Buffy thinks she's ready to face Angel. Buffy says she wishes people would stop asking her. She's ready. She's also willing and able.

Buffy: It's the one test I’m likely to pass.

...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Go Fish (Season 2 Episode 20 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

This podcast episode covers (1) how the episode undercuts its light tone by treating disturbing issues as a joke; (2) some of the most fun lines in Buffy to date – including "Oh forgive me your Swimteamliness"; (3) an unexpected Midpoint twist; and (4) major plot turns at unusual places.

As always, the discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: I Only Have Eyes For You

Next Up: Becoming Part 1

Work On Your Story

Download free Story Structure worksheets.

Become a patron and get (a) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to future bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown.

Visit Help With Your Story at Writing As A Second Career.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Links

Three Times a Lady (Not a Fish Guy, as Xander jokes)

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in June, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen to The Awakening on Audible.

Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Go Fish

Hello and welcome to the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today were talking about Season Two Episode Twenty Go Fish.

What’s Included

In particular we’ll talk about:

how this episode treats disturbing issues as a joke, undercutting its lighthearted tone;

some of the most fun lines in Buffy to date (including Xander saying, “Oh forgive me your swimteamliness”;

a twist at the Midpoint that is especially fun and interesting; but

major plot turns out unusual places that rob the episode (in my view) of a bit of its momentum and make it feel uneven.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Is Go Fish Fun?

Go Fish was written by Elin Hampton and David Fury and directed by David Semel.

Before I go into the breakdown, when I said last Monday that we were coming up to Go Fish, a fun episode, I had forgotten the troubling aspects of it. Which are that both threatened and actual sexual assault and rape are treated lightly and played for jokes.

There's nothing graphic here in my breakdown or in the episode itself, but I am flagging these issues in case it's something that you don't want to encounter as you listen to this episode. Especially if perhaps, like me, you forgot that aspect of the episode.

A Peaceful Start, Then Opening Conflict

We start out, for a change, not with conflict but with a very peaceful scene. A shot of the ocean. It is rolling. We see lovely waves, and there is really nice music in the background.

Then we get our opening conflict. Xander, Willow, and Cordelia are standing on the beach. And Xander says what a stupid idea it is to have a party on the beach when it's this cold. He also says the swim team is not a real team. But Cordelia says it's about time school excelled at something. To which Willow responds, “You're forgetting our high mortality rate.”

So what a nice quick opening conflict.

We also see on bonfires on the beach and lots of students around. So now we know it's a celebration for the swim team. And that it is apparently the first team that is winning anything at Sunnydale in quite some time. Plus Willow quickly reminds us how many people die in Sunnydale.

Buffy On The Beath

Buffy, however, is not with her friends. She is sitting on the beach looking out at the ocean. A swim team member (by the way, it's the boys swim team), we’ll find out his name is Cameron, walks over. He says something about how beautiful the ocean is and how it’s eternal.

And Buffy jokes something like she was just thinking that it was big. He laughs, and she asks what he's going to do now that he has had this big win. He says he wants to spend some time hanging out with her.

Someone calls out for help from behind them. Jonathan is being dumped into a tub of water by another swim team member. Buffy runs over, pulls the swim team guy off of Jonathan. Cameron says his teammate had it coming.

Cameron Seems Okay

So at first I am sort of liking Cameron. He clearly likes Buffy. He laughs at her jokes. While he's a little annoying with his profound comments about the ocean, he doesn't seem to approve of his teammates bullying. So he seems like a reasonably okay guy.

Jonathan, though, is mad. He tells Buffy he could've handled this without her help. And he says, “Mind your own business” and stalks off.

Buffy (turns to Cameron): See, it's fun to hang out with me.

The Story Spark In Go Fish

An unnamed bully and another swimmer (whom we find out is named Gage) take a walk on the beach. The bully complains about Buffy. He can't believe her. He falls behind Gage, who doesn't notice at first. But he does notice that something smells terrible. He looks around.

And at 4 minutes 35 seconds into the episode the camera pans to skin pieces on the beach. Skin and steaming flesh.

And then there is a shot of the sea creature in what looks like a giant storm drain.

And we go to credits.

So that was our Story Spark or Inciting Incident which typically happens about 10% into any story. So here it is right on time at 4 minutes 35 seconds in. It is about a 42-minute episode. And it's a great hook, no pun intended. (Given all the fish puns we have right before the commercial. Or rather the credits.)

Gage Goofs Off

When we return, Willow is teaching the computer class. And she walks through the room looking at the students’ efforts and their screens. Telling them they are doing good pie charts. Until she gets to Gage.

Willow: Your pie chart is looking a lot like solitaire. With naked ladies on the cards.

Gage: What's your point?

The bell rings. Principal Snyder comes in as the class leaves. He tells Willow the board wants her to continue teaching the rest of the semester. They're having trouble finding a substitute to replace Miss Calendar.

I mentioned in a previous episode how only in Sunnydale would a student be asked to take over and teach a class. I have to wonder if some of that is that high death rate Willow mentioned. Perhaps substitutes are not too eager to come to Sunnydale.

Being A Team Player

Willow, though, is excited. She says how much she likes teaching. And Snyder says he's glad she's a team player and he understands that there's a problem with Gage.

Willow is relieved that he knows. She mentions behavior issues, and he doesn't do the work and his test scores – well, there aren't any test scores. Because he doesn't take the tests.

But Snyder's not interested in any of that. He’s concerned that she's slapping a failing mark on a student on a winning team. That would disqualify Gage from swimming.

Willow says she's trying to be fair. Snyder points out the Gage is a champion, he's under a lot of pressure. Willow says, “You're asking me to change his grade?”

Snyder claims he never said that. He just said that he thinks if she reviews her figures she'll find something more appropriate for Gage in the area of the D.

What Winners Deserve

In the hall later, Xander is appalled. He says that's a slap in the face to everyone who worked hard for their Ds.

But Cordelia says winners deserve more, that's how the world works. Xander's mad that Buffy is not there to share his outrage about swim team perks because she's too busy being one of them.

We switch to Buffy and Cameron there sitting in his car talking. Or rather Cameron is talking. In the school parking lot.

He waxes eloquent about swimming and philosophy. She interrupts and thanks him, saying with a little bit of sarcasm, “I forgot how nice it is to just talk, or in my case listen, without any romantic pressure.”

Cameron Attacks

Cameron assures her he's not about pressure. But then he turns on a dime and asks if she's wearing a bra. When she reacts badly he locks her car door and says, “Relax, I'm not going to hurt you.”

And Buffy, in a line that I love, says, “Oh it's not me I'm worried about.”

He says, “You like it rough,” and lunges for her.

She grabs him and bangs his face into the steering wheel. He yells out. Says, “You broke my nose.”

All this is Snyder passes the car. He stares through the windshield at both of them. Of course, he only saw the part where Buffy bangs Cameron's nose into the steering wheel.

Everyone Blames Buffy

About 10 minutes in, in the nurse’s office, the nurse gives Cameron an ice pack. Buffy tells Snyder she wasn't the attacker, she was attacked....

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: I Only Have Eyes For You (Season 2 Episode 19 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer):

This podcast episode covers (1) the interplay of plot and emotion; (2) surprising major turns after the three-quarter point in the episode; (3) whether the pop scares fit the narrative; and (4) seemingly insignificant scenes that turn into a subplot with a twist of its own.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week:  Killed By Death

Next Up: Go Fish

Work On Your Story

Download free Story Structure worksheets. 

Or you can become a patron and get (a) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to future bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown and a monthly Q&A.

Check out Help With Your Story at Writing As A Second Career.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Episode Links

Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in April and May, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen from Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for I Only Have Eyes For You

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today we're talking about Season Two Episode Nineteen I Only Have Eyes For You.

What’s Included

This episode is all about twists and turns that grow organically out of the story and yet still surprise us. In particular, I'll talk about:

plot and emotions;

a surprising major turn after the three-quarter point in the episode;

scares that, in my opinion that don't quite fit; and

seemingly insignificant scenes that turn into a subplot with a twist of its own.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

This episode was written by Marti Noxon and directed by James Whitmore, Jr.

Opening Conflict

The opening conflict in I Only Have Eyes For You shows Buffy standing alone at the Bronze on the upper level. She's leaning on the railing and looking down. The moment, I just realize, is echoed in a way in the climax of the episode.

But here another student walks up to her.

We have not seen him before. Below there is a band playing. The young woman vocalist is singing a song about language as an annoying necessity. Which fits because language becomes key to this entire story.

The student tells Buffy he was in her Algebra class. She doesn't remember him but she does her best trying to. He asks if she's going to the dance tomorrow. And she says, “Oh, the Sadie Hawkins Dance where the girls are supposed to ask the boys.”

He says right, and he thought if she wasn't going already maybe she could ask him.

Buffy stutters and stumbles. He immediately backs off.

Willow Worries For Buffy

She apologizes and tells him he seems like a great guy but she says. “I'm not seeing anybody. Ever again actually.”

He says that's too bad and leaves, and Buffy looks sad.

She goes down the stairs to the first floor where Willow asks if she's bailing. Buffy says she'll go to the library, patrol if Giles think she should, and then hit the sack.

Willow says Buffy's been doing that a lot lately, adding, “You've kind of been all work and no play Buffy.”

When Buffy says she came to the Bronze tonight, she does have fun, Willow says:

Willow: You came. You saw. You rejected.

Excellent Exposition In I Only Have Eyes For You

Buffy doesn't think she's in date mode. Willow suggests that maybe she's thinking too much. Maybe she needs to be impulsive. And Buffy responds by saying remember her last boyfriend and she says:

Buffy: I slept with him. He lost his soul. Now my boyfriend's gone forever and the demon that wears his face is killing my friends. The next impulsive decision I make will involve my choice of dentures.

This entire scene is such a great example of getting exposition in through conflict. Even the background of the Sadie Hawkins Dance where the girls ask the boys slips in there really naturally with the humor and awkwardness of the scene where the boy asks Buffy out.

Not Just Sharing Information

Buffy's dialogue summing up what happened with Angel does give us a ton of information. But unlike in Killed By Death last Monday, where some of the information sharing just felt like that's all it was, here to me it really works.

One, it is in conflict. Willow is saying, hey relax, have some fun, be impulsive. And Buffy is saying exactly why she does not want to be impulsive.

It also has that rhythm and style of the language of the show that most of us fans just enjoy listening to. And it ends with humor.

So all of this makes it fun despite that there is a lot of information. They’re  both preparing us for the episode to come and giving us that quick reminder of what happened earlier in the season. And the major conflict, which will be key to this episode as well.

The First Couple Fights

We switch to the school to a young couple fighting. Two teenagers. She's breaking up with him.

Boy: A person doesn't just wake up one morning and stop loving someone. Love is forever.

He pulls a gun on her and we go to credits. This is a great hook and it could be the Story Spark in a different episode. The Story Spark or Inciting Incident gets our main plot moving. But we will find out that the gun and this particular fight isn't exactly what this story is about.

We return and at 4 minutes 48 seconds in.

Story Spark In I Only Have Eyes For You

The boy says he's not afraid to use the gun.

Boy: Don't walk away from me, bitch.

Buffy sees the two of them. She runs in and tackles the guy. The gun flies away and as it skids across the floor it disappears.

We are now a little over 5 minutes in. So the Story Spark usually comes about 10% into the story. Here that 4 minutes 40 seconds. So 5 minutes, 20 seconds is right around the right spot. Our episodes are usually 42 to 44 minutes long.

I see this as the Story Spark – that attempt to shoot and the gun disappearing – because it is what sets off the supernatural conflict here. Otherwise, it would've been a story about Buffy stopping a guy from killing his girlfriend, and the story pretty much would be over.

Principal Snyder Suspects Buffy

In the next scene Buffy has been called into Principal Snyder's office. Buffy tells him she stopped the boy from killing his girlfriend. The janitor who was there saw him.

But Snyder says people can be coerced and he is going to look at all the pieces of this puzzle carefully and rationally until he can see how it's all her fault. This is another reference to fault.

We already had Buffy expressing her feelings of responsibility and guilt about what Angel has done. Now Snyder is telling her this incident is all her fault. But Snyder gets called a way to deal with a vegan boy who chained himself to the vending machine again. He tells Buffy to wait for him. He's not done.

While she waits, a 1955 Sunnydale High yearbook slides off the shelf. Buffy takes a quick look and replaces it.

Jenny Calendar Remembered

Willow is teaching Jenny's computer class. She tells a joke toward the end and is very pleased when the students laugh. Giles stops by as that's happening to see how the class is going. And he tells her she looks like she's doing fine.

Willow says she had a good lesson plans, that they were on Ms. Calendar's computer. Which I thought burned in the Passion, but perhaps that was a different one. Perhaps it was only the printer. I guess it doesn't matter. The line is here to let us know why Willow teaching a class and that Miss Calendar is gone.

She also tells Giles she found files on paganism and magic on the computer and they’re really interesting. And she gives him a rose quartz she found in Ms. Calendar's drawer and says it has healing powers. She thinks Jenny might've wanted Giles to have it. Giles looks touched and thanks her, saying it's very thoughtful.

The Jenny and Giles theme music plays.

Buffy’s First Vision

We switch to Buffy sitting in class looking bored. The teacher is talking about the stock market and the Great Depression. Buffy shuts her eyes for a moment.

When she opens them she is in a different classroom. A pretty, dark-haired teacher is handing a book to student in a varsity jacket. They’re alone in the classroom. She calls the student,James and asks if he liked the Hemingway book she gave him.

Their hands are touching, just barely. She says the book is based on a true story. He fell in love with his –

A door opens, interrupting them....

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Killed By Death (Season 2 Episode 18 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

This podcast episode covers (1) what causes this episode's slower pace; (2) whether the flashbacks are needed; (3) fuzzy major plot turns in unusual places; (4) just-in-time backstory; and (5) very subtle advances in the season 2 arc.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Passion

Next Up: I Only Have Eyes For You

Work On Your Story

Download free Story Structure worksheets.

Or you can become a patron and get (a) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to future bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown.

Check out Help With Your Story at Writing As A Second Career.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Links

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in June, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen to The Awakening on Audible.

More Episode Links

Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Killed By Death

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today we're talking about Season Two Episode Eighteen Killed By Death.

What’s Included

In particular, I'll cover:

why the pace in this episode feels slower than usual;

the use of flashbacks;

some fuzzy major plot turns; and

the very subtle advances in the Season Two series arc.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Killed By Death was written by Rob DesHotel and Dean Vitali and directed by Darren Serafini.

Opening Conflict

We start with conflict. Buffy climbs over stone wall into the graveyard. And she is coughing as she does. She stumbles when she lands on the ground and puts her hand to her head, clearly feeling ill but struggling to patrol anyway.

As she moves around the tombstone she almost stakes Xander.

Xander: Damn Buffy. My whole life flashed before my eyes. I gotta get me a life.

Cordelia and Willow are with him. Willow scolds Buffy for being out patrolling when she is so sick.

Cordelia: Half the school is out with the flu and we’re all concerned about how gross you look.

Buffy says she needs to patrol. She's not going to let Angel kill even one more person.

From behind her Angel says, “Oh, come on, just one more.” And he runs for Cordelia and knocks her down. Buffy pulls him off of Cordelia. They fight. She is struggling, but she does get some good punches and kicks in.

Angel, though, says her being off her game kind of takes the fun out of it. Then he hits her really hard says, “Nope, still fun.”

The Fight Goes On

The others join in and help fend Angel off. Buffy is angry at them, insisting she is fine and then she collapses,

We go to credits. When we get back, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia are bringing Buffy in to the emergency room. The doctors whisk her away after saying she has a high-grade fever and possible fractures.

Willow says to Xander to call Giles and tell him what happened.

Willow (to Cordelia): Call Buffy's mom and tell her – not what happened. Just get her here.

In the next scene, Giles paces and cleans his glasses as they wait in the emergency room waiting area. Joyce appears, very worried. The doctor comes out and says that Buffy has stabilized, but the doctor wants to keep her here a few days to heal.

Story Spark In Killed By Death

This is about 5 minutes in. Usually a little before this, we see our Story Spark or Inciting Incident. It comes about 10% through any story and sets our main plot in motion.

Here, the main plot will be Buffy defeating a monster that is killing children in the hospital. So the fact that she now must stay in the hospital is what sets that plot moving.

The episodes are about 42 to 44 minutes long. So at 5 minutes this is a little bit late but around in the range where we usually see that spark.

Buffy Doesn’t Love The Hospital

Everyone walks along with Buffy's gurney as she's being wheeled to a room. She gets agitated when she hears she has to stay in the hospital. She's a bit delusional from the fever.

Which is a good thing because she starts raving about getting the vampires. Giles reassures her and says, “I'll take care of those vampires.” And then he tells Joyce it's best to humor her.

The hospital hallway, like so many places in Sunnydale, is dimly lit. We will see a lot of dark rooms and hallways in this episode.

Xander is really shaken by seeing Buffy scared. He says he's never seen that before. Joyce explains that when Buffy was a little girl her cousin Celia (who we've never heard about before) died in the hospital. Buffy was alone with her when it happened.

Back Story, Lack Of Conflict, And Flashbacks

This tells us almost everything we need to know about this back story. And in my view, it makes the later flashbacks for the most part unnecessary.

This also stands out to me because usually the show is so good at getting exposition in through conflict that's compelling and interesting by itself. Here we have a little bit of conflict because Xander is shaken. Then of course Joyce is worried about Buffy.

But it's not a conflict between Joyce and Xander.

So it does feel more like just handing us information. It's very quick, though, so I think that generally it works.

Backfilling

The other thing about this mention of Celia, this is an example of how sometimes you need to backfill back story. Back story maybe you didn't you didn't think about in advance as you were setting up your story. Particularly if it's a series, whether TV or novels or movies. And so you add in something when you need it.

Generally, an audience or readers will go with that as long as you're not contradicting anything from the past. It helps, though, if there is, if you can tie that new back story to something that we've heard about before.

Here, for example, if we knew there was some sort of tragedy in Buffy's family’s past, but we haven't really gotten it.

Wouldn’t Buffy Have Mentioned This Before?

Also, this is such a big thing to be – I think we find out later she's about ten years old. To have watched your cousin of your age die when you were ten is so traumatic.

It seems like something that Buffy might have alluded to somewhere along the way. Especially because being the Slayer is so much about death and saving people. So this feels a little bit clunky to me. And maybe it only stands out because the show is so overall well written that when you get these moments that aren't quite as elegant it sticks out.

Does Joyce Wonder Why Giles Is There?

Joyce now says she needs to go call Buffy's dad. Giles takes her to show her where the phone is. (This is before cell phones were very common.) Joyce tells Giles she really appreciates how he looks out for Buffy.

I think it's not an accident that she says this as she's going to call Buffy's dad, who we have not seen since Season One. Or actually I think we saw him in the pilot of Season Two when he brought Buffy back. She spent the summer with him.

But since then we haven't seen him. I'm not even sure he's been mentioned since then. And I think this linking of him, Though it's fairly subtle, helps us believe that Joyce is grateful for Giles presence in Buffy's life. As opposed to wondering why is the high school librarian at the hospital before she is when her daughter is brought to the emergency room?

Joyce And Giles Bond

Joyce also tells Giles she was sorry to hear about Ms. Calendar. That Buffy told her the two of them were close.

I really like this moment. As in the previous one, we get exposition, but this one feels more genuine.

For one thing, Joyce is feeling awkward. She says, “I don't know if I should say anything, but Buffy told me.” And she tells him Buffy's been so down since it happened and Buffy never gets sick. So we know this probably is part of what has made Buffy vulnerable.

And even though Joyce is giving us information here, I like the little bit of tension. Her sort of uncertainty. Should she raise this with Giles at all? And his response. He appreciates that Joyce said something to him about it.

Reminders In Killed By Death

And this reminds our audience why Buffy is so concerned about missing even one day of patrolling and allowing Angel to kill even one more person.

These types of reminders are helpful to do when you're telling a longer story. In a short story you probably wouldn't do that. But in a novel, if you haven't visited with certain characters in quite a whil

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Passion (Season 2 Episode 17 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer):

This podcast episode covers (1) who the protagonist is – Angel or Buffy? (2) weaving together two strong plots; (3) underscoring tragedy by shifting a character's tone; and (4) dramatic irony that ratchets up emotional pain.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Next Up: Killed By Death

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Or download and listen from Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Passion

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today we're talking about Season Two Episode Seventeen Passion.

What’s Included In Passion

I'll cover:

who the protagonist is here (Angel, whose voice we hear first, or Buffy);

how a shift in a character's actions and words underscores the tragedy here;

and using dramatic irony to ratchet up emotional pain of the audience.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Passion was written by Ty King and directed by Michael Gershman.

This episode raises interesting questions about who the protagonist is. And it shows two plots, or the same plot from two different points of view, weaving together. That’s something that usually is difficult to do, but that is done very well in this episode. And that's despite that some of the plot turns I usually look for are not quite as clear.

Yet there are significant turns that keep the story moving and engaging. So that's another reason I find this one very interesting.

Opening Conflict In Passion

We began with intense conflict. Buffy and Xander are dancing at the Bronze. That's not the intense conflict – they are having fun. But Angel is watching from a distance. We know there is danger here for Buffy.

The voiceover is about passion. Angel tells us it lies in all of us. “Waiting, unwanted, it will stir, open its jaws and howl.”

We see the Buffy, Willow, Xander and Cordelia leave the Bronze. But we are not hearing them. We only hear music, and Angel in the shadows behind them is biting and killing a woman.

Angel In Buffy’s House

We switch to outside view of Buffy's bedroom, looking through her window. Buffy peers out, looking troubled.

Angel comes in during the night. He strokes her hair.

And the voiceover continues: “Passion rules us all and we obey. What other choice do we have?”

And we go to Credits. That was 2 minutes 29 seconds in.

In the morning Buffy wakes up. She finds an envelope, and inside it is a charcoal drawing of her sleeping.

Buffy Seeks Help From Giles

At the library, Buffy tells Giles about it. When Cordelia asks how Angel could come in, Giles explains to everyone that once they are invited vampires can come in any time. They don't need an invitation each time.

Cordelia panics. She invited Angel into her car once, and now he can come in anytime. We get some humor here.

Xander: Yep you're doomed to giving him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for gas.

This is the first example of Cordelia and Xander being comic relief. Cordelia in the fashion we’ve become used to where she is very self-focused and sometimes misses the emotions of others. And that contrast to her later response toward the end of the episode.

The Story Spark In Passion

All of this happens leading up to right around 4 minutes 30 seconds, when Giles will identify what's happening. This is where we usually see our Story Spark or Inciting Incident – about 10% into a story.

It sets off our main plot. Here, as Giles will say in a moment, it is that Angel is stepping up his harassment of Buffy.

If I needed to pick a particular second in the episode, it is that drawing, that charcoal drawing, that he leaves for her. His point is to let her know that he has done it.

Buffy says there must be a spell to reverse that invitation. A no shoes, no pulse, no service kind of thing.

Giles tells them Angel is stepping up his harassment.

Cordelia” What, by leaving a drawing? Why doesn't he just slit her throat or kill her while she sleeps or cut her heart out?

Everyone gives her a look, and she says, “What I'm trying to help.” And Giles says Yes and then goes on.

Mind Games

He says these are tactics to throw the opponent off her game, provoke her into making a mistake.

Xander: The na-na-na-na-na approach to battle.

Giles: Yes, Xander once more you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form.

He then advises Buffy that it's best to ignore this provocation. But she is worried because of what Angel told her about how he went after Drusilla's family when he was obsessed with her. And she says she needs to tell her mom something.

Giles warns her against telling the truth, says it would be too dangerous for Buffy to reveal her identity. But he reassures her he'll find spell to keep Angel out. In the meantime, he says to keep a level head, don't let Angel get to her.

Buffy: So basically ignore him and maybe he'll go away.

Giles: Yes.

Xander then points out that he didn't scold Buffy about oversimplifying and says, “Watcher's Pet.”

Jenny And Willow

Now we see Jenny at the end of her computer class. She asks Willow if she can cover class for a few minutes tomorrow if Jenny is late. She has something to take care of.

Willow is super excited about this. And then immediately starts to worry about what if the students don't recognize her authority.

Buffy and Giles come to the door, and Willow apologizes for talking to Jenny.

Willow: Sorry, I have to talk to her. She's a teacher and teachers have to re-respected, even if they're only filling in….

And she rambles on about that, showing more of her anxiety. I like that we get this moment. It's characterization for Willow. It also shows the tension in there. That Willow and her other friends, they still really like Jenny as a teacher. It's a difficult position.

Jenny’s Planning Something

Also, this Jenny needing to go and do something – we’ll see later it is her going to the Magic shop. So it's a nice way to bring Jenny into this episode in a way that we don't realize is going to be key to the story.

Giles stays back to talk to Jenny after the others leave.

He tells her about Angel being in Buffy's bedroom and says he needs a spell. She gives him a book that might help. She's been reading up since Angel turned.

Jenny: I know you feel betrayed.

Giles: Yes, well that's one of the unpleasant side effects of betrayal.

We get some of the best Giles lines throughout this episode. Both heart rending like this one and funny like his earlier ones. I think this is because well, one, the writers are amazing at dialogue. But also, while this is Buffy's story, and Angel’s story, it is also Giles’ story.

So we get some of our best Giles here, which makes us feel all the more for him.

Jenny And Giles In Love

Jenny says she was raised by the people that Angel hurt most. Her duty to them was the first thing she learned. And she didn't know what would happen.

She didn't know she'd fall in love with Giles.

Giles is surprised. We have his and Jenny's theme music playing. And she says that that just came out but she doesn't want to take it back. She wants to make this all up to him.

Giles says he understands but he's not the one she needs to make it up to.

Dinner With Joyce

At dinner, Joyce asks Buffy what's wrong and urges her to talk.

Joyce: You can tell me anything. I've read all the parenting books.

And I love that we get this additional reference to Joyce. Before she talked about parenting tapes. Now we hear she's reading books.

So Buffy asks if she remembers Angel, and Joyce says, “oh, that college boy that was tutoring you.” Which is a reference to the episode Angel in Season One.

Another one where we had intertwining Buffy and Angel plots.

Buffy Warns Joyce

Buffy tries to explain it. She says they were dating, and now they're not....

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (Season 2 Episode 16 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

This podcast episode covers (1) using humor to convey theme; (2) conflict that causes character growth (for Cordelia); (3) foreshadowing significant plot developments without giving anything away; and (4) intertwining many plotlines seamlessly.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Phases

Next Up: Passion

Work On Your Story

Download the 5-Point Story Structure Template, available free to all on Lisa M. Lilly's Patreon page.

Or you can become a patron and get (a) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to future bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown.

You can find articles on writing craft, publishing, and time management at WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Links

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in May and June, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen to The Awakening on Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today were talking about Season Two Episode Sixteen Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered.

What’s Included

In particular, we’ll cover:

how this episode, which seems to be a very light one-off episode in fact, foreshadows so much of the rest of the season and the series as a whole;

significant themes about love versus obsession and about being who you are;

a central conflict that causes strong character growth for a side character (Cordelia); and

the masterful way that numerous plot lines are woven together seamlessly.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered was written by Marti Noxon and directed by James A. Contner.

Opening Conflict In Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

We start as we should with conflict. Xander and Buffy are in the graveyard. He shows her a silver heart necklace and asks if she thinks Cordelia will like it. Buffy doesn't quite understand what he sees in Cordelia and gives him a bit of a hard time about it. He says the only other person who interests him is unavailable and gives her a look.

Buffy more or less ignores that and tries to reassure him that yes, Cordelia will like the necklace. And we get the first of some great Xander quotes in this episode.

Xander: This is new territory for me. I mean, my Valentines are usually met with heartfelt restraining orders.

He also says that he wishes dating were more like slaying, with everything clear, no fuss, no muss. A vampire emerges from the grave, goes after Xander. Buffy has to fight it off, and she slays it. Afterwards she tells Xander that slaying is a little more perilous than dating.

He says she's obviously not dating Cordelia. And we go to the credits.

Internal v. External Conflict

This is an interesting opening conflict because we get internal conflict for Xander. I think more internal than external because while Buffy gives him a bit of a hard time about what he could possibly see in Cordelia, ultimately, she is very supportive and trying to reassure him. He, though, is expressing mixed feelings. While he wants Cordelia to like the necklace he is still making it clear that he's interested in Buffy. And for the most part saying she would be his first choice. At least that's how I read it.

Using ambiguous feelings could create weak conflict. But here it's very strong in the sense that this ambiguity will drive the episode. In fact, it’s probably key to what goes wrong with the spell.

Cordelia’s Friends Turn On Her

Later on, after the credits, we see Cordelia struggling with her own conflict. That also will play into our main plot.

At 2 minutes 42 seconds in, Cordelia is walking up the steps to school. She's calling after four girls, including her friend Harmony to wait for her. They finally turn around.

Cordelia says to Harmony, “Why didn't you call me back last night?” and says they need to coordinate outfits for the dance. Cordelia then looks at another girl and says, “I'm wearing red and black, so you need to switch.”

The girl, though, responds by asking if red and black is what Xander wants her to wear. And Cordelia says, “What does he have to do with it?”

Harmony says, “Well, a girl wants to look good for her geek.” And then goes on to ask when Cordelia and Xander are going to start wearing cute little matching outfits because she's going to vomit. She leads the other girls away.

Cordelia is alone, looking hurt.

Episode Theme: Who Is A Leader

This is the beginning of one of the underlying themes of this episode about popularity, who is a leader, and who is a follower.

Harmony is the one of the friends of Cordelia who has spoken the most. The only one who has a name or whose name I remember. But she has definitely been subservient to Cordelia, trying to get Cordelia's approval. Now she is turning on Cordelia and becoming this leader herself. Or so it seems.

Bad Breakup?

At 3 minutes 29 seconds in, in class, the teacher tells the students they need to turn in their papers or get an F.

After the bell rings Amy asks Willow if she and Buffy are going to the Valentine’s dance. Willow looks really excited. Buffy tells her it's okay she say it. And Willow says, “My boyfriend's in the band!”

Amy smiles and says that's cool and asks Buffy if she's going. Buffy says something about Valentine's Day is just a gimmick to sell chocolate.

Amy: Bad breakup?

Buffy: Believe me when I say Uh-huh.

Quick Exposition Through Conflict

As we see so often in Buffy, we got so much exposition through conflict in these three quick scenes here. There isn't a huge amount of conflict, but there is some because Willow was so happy, and Buffy clearly feels bad about her breakup. And we get a little bit of humor, all of which gets across that something terrible happened to Buffy romantically. And that Willow has a new boyfriend she's really excited about.

We also in the previous scene learned very quickly that Xander is not in Cordelia is social circle and that her friends looked down on her for it.

And in the Xander scene we learned quite a bit about his feelings about Cordelia and Buffy. And about his fears of rejection.

All these things as regular viewers we know. If we tuned in for the first time we might not understand everything about these characters. But we would have a pretty good idea what's going on. Who they are, what the relationships are between them. And this is all in less than 4 minutes.

The Story Spark

We're leading to our Story Spark or Inciting Incident that sets our main plot in motion.

At the end of the class each student is handling their paper one by one to the teacher. Amy, though, is empty-handed. But she gives the teacher this look, and the teacher thanks her and mimes taking a paper.

Xander sees this. It happens at 4 minutes 25 seconds in. That is often where we see the Story Spark – at 10% into an episode, novel, or a movie. These episodes are 42 to 44 minutes long so this is right at that 10%.

It will become clear until a little bit later why this is the Story Spark, but it does set our plot in motion. Because if Xander hadn't seen Amy using her witchcraft, he couldn't have gone to her about a love spell no matter how angry he felt at Cordelia.

Later in the hallway Xander tells Buffy and Willow what he saw. They all agree that Amy is the last person who should use witchcraft given what happened with her mother. So again, very quick exposition through a little bit of conflict in the sense that they are all concerned.

Tension With Jenny Calendar

Giles comes up and wants to talk to Buffy. At that moment Jenny emerges from her classroom.

She says, “Rupert,” but he says, “Miss Calendar.” As he did before they knew each other well and dated. She says she wants to talk to him if he has a minute. Buffy is looking down at the floor through this whole exchange. And Giles says he doesn't have time right now, he needs to talk to Buffy about something. Buffy says, ”Let's go.”

Jenny walks off and both Willow and Xander look sad for her.

In the library, Buffy asks if Giles is okay. He says he'll be fine, though he doesn't really look it, and that he's more concerned about her.

Giles Warns About Angelus And Valentine’s Day

In unusually vague terms, Giles warns Buffy about what Angel might do to her because it's Valentine's Day....

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Phases (Season 2 Episode 15 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer):

This podcast episode covers (1) why Buffy is the protagonist despite this being a key episode for Oz and Willow; (2) using humor and character development to hide clues; and (3) who Buffy feels she is allowed to kill and why.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Innocence

Next Up: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Work On Your Story

Download a free 5-Point Story Structure Template

Become a patron and get (a) (at $5 level) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to bonus episodes and content(all levels).

View articles on writing craft, publishing, and time management at WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Episode Links

Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale

Book 1 in Lisa M. Lilly's The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series freeKindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen from Audible.

Season 2 Buffy DVDs.

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

Episode Transcript for Phases

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Today we're talking about Season Two episode fifteen Phases.

What’s Included

In particular, I'll cover:

why Buffy is still our protagonist despite that this is such a key episode for Willow and for Oz;

using humor and character development not just as an end in itself but to hide certain clues from the audience; and

more on the show's underlying philosophy and theme regarding violence and who Buffy believes that she is allowed to kill as the Slayer.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I'll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Phases was written by Rob DesHotel and Dean Batali and directed by Bruce Seth Green. A listener asked about Seth Green the actor was the same person as the director. It is not. In fact, the two are not related.

Starting With A Call Back

Before we get to our opening conflict…. Which remember is that conflict that sometimes relates to our main plot and sometimes doesn't. It is meant to draw our audience member or reader in before we get to that Story Spark or Inciting Incident that sets off our main plot.

Sometimes the conflict relates to that Story Spark, and sometimes it does not.

Here, we’re going to have three opening conflicts and the Story Spark. All in that teaser part of the episode before the credits. (Also known as the cold open.)

What’s kind of amazing is even before we get to that, we have a short call back to The Witch. All of this in less than 5 minutes.

We start out and Oz is in the hallway. He’s looking at that cheerleader trophy. The one where in The Witch Amy's mom became trapped. Now, none of our characters know that, although they do know that that statue or trophy is of Amy's mom. We see Seth Green (Oz) standing in front of the trophy. He’s kind of moving from side to side.

Willow walks up, and he says something like, “This cheerleader trophy. It's like its eyes follow you wherever you go. I like it.”

Opening Conflict In Phases

Now we go to our opening conflict. The first one is between Willow and Oz.

Willow asks did he like the movie last night. She is really asking did he have a good time with her. But he answers the literal question. And does a very short mini critique on movies. He says, “You know, movies today, they’re like popcorn. You forget them as soon as they're done. But I really like the popcorn.”

She responds by saying, “Well, I had fun.” And doing a little bit of hinting around, trying to see how he feels. He is not really getting it. They’re just doing this kind of awkward back and forth until Buffy appears. Willow says something very awkward like, “Oh, there is my friend, and I will go to her.”

Larry

We now get a second hint of conflict here. Which is when Larry, a new character, knocks a girl's books out of her arms. As she bends over to get them, he looks at her butt and makes a sleazy comment. He also looks after Buffy and Willow and says to Oz something like, “I'd love to get some of that Buffy/Willow action if you know what I mean.”

And we get a great quote from Oz.

Oz: That's great, Larry. You’ve really mastered the single entendre.

Larry goes on to give Oz a hard time about dating a junior and asks how far he's gotten.

We cut to Buffy and Willow on the same topic. Because Willow answers and says, “Nowhere!” So clearly Buffy has asked a similar question, but with a much different intent.

Note in that conflict with Larry and Oz, a lot happens. we establish Larry as this new character who harasses girls. We also doubled down on Oz's humor. And we’ll see later, a comment Oz makes that seems like another example of showing Oz ‘s dry sense of humor and wit again actually is a clue to what's happening.

Relationships

So now we're at Buffy and Willow. Willow says something like she doesn't want to be the only girl in school without real boyfriend. Buffy looks sad and Willow immediately picks up on it. She says she's sorry, and asks how Buffy is doing. Buffy says it's hard, but it would help with the three of them could get together and share the misery as they often do.

Willow makes a snippy comment about Xander and Cordelia. But she does agree that they should get together.

So we've done a really nice thing there in getting in some very quick back story about Angel and Buffy, about Willow and Oz, and about Willow finding out about Cordelia. If you hadn't seen the prior episode, you wouldn't necessarily understand all of what happened. But you would get the sense of where these characters are. And what these relationships are about.

Now we see Cordelia and Xander making out in her car at an area where often the students go to park.

Xander breaks away and says, “What does she see in him?” Cordelia says all he does is talk about Buffy, Buffy, Buffy or Willow, Willow, Willow. And she tells him to shut up. And they kiss.

This adds to both the conflict and more quick exposition. Because we get this tension between Cordelia and Xander where Xander always seems to be focusing on anything and anyone other than Cordelia.

The Story Spark

At 4 minutes 33 seconds in we get our Story Spark or Inciting Incident that sets off our main monster plot. Usually this comes about 10% into an episode. And it does that here. The episodes are generally 43, 44 minutes. We hear this growling, and we see this beast. Cordelia and Xander are at the moment unaware of it.

So this gives us the spark that sets off the werewolf story. It also gives us our classic horror set up.

After the credits, Xander says he thinks he heard something. Cordelia didn't, and she’s mad at him, again thinking he is just being distracted. Then a claw comes through the cloth convertible roof. She throws the car in gear and drives away, throwing the beast off of the car in. Xander says, “Told you I heard something.”

The next day, Buffy looks at the shredded top of the convertible. Xander says it was a werewolf. Cordelia says it's so awful and follows up with, “Daddy just had this car detailed.” Giles tells them that animal carcasses were mutilated last night though no people were injured yet. He guesses the werewolf will be back at the next full moon.

Willow points out that last night was the night before the full moon. I love that Willow knows something, or pays attention to something, that Giles missed. He's very intrigued because this is one of the classics. All the others give him these looks.

Self-Defense Class

We switch to gym class. It is a session on self-defense. The teacher tells them to get in their assigned groups.

Xander is near Larry and notices that Larry has a scar. Larry says last week a huge dog jumped out of the bushes and bit him. He needed thirty-nine stitches. Oz says he's been there. He holds up his index finger and says cousin Jordy just got his grown up teeth in, and he does not like to be tickled. Larry rolls his eyes.

This is that moment I was talking about. We have set this up as an episode where we get to know Oz better. And this seems like just the third example of showing Oz’s personality. But really we’ve just learned about the incident that turned Oz into a werewolf.

Larry goes over to Teresa, another student I don't think that we've seen before. He says something gross to her. And says, “Oh, we’re in the same group. I may have to attack you.”

She says, “Oh, there a few people in our group.” Buffy is one of them. She comes over and gives Larry this great look

But Willow pulls Buffy aside reminds her she’s supposed to be a “meek little girlie girl like the rest of us.” Buffy’s attempt to be the meek little girlie girl doesn't work, though. The teacher has the boys get behind the girls. She’s trying to show the girls how to flip an attacker behind them over their shoulder. Buffy pretends to try and be unable to....

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Innocence (Season 2 Episode 14 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the conclusion of a two-part story:

This podcast episode covers (1) the most heart-breaking Midpoint Reversal in all of Buffy; (2) how setting affects a scene’s emotional impact; (3) making the audience love your characters; and (4) why sometimes it’s good to write yourself into a corner.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Surprise

Next Up: Phases

Work On Your Story

Download these Free 5-Point Story Structure Worksheets.

Or you can become a patron and get (a) (at the $5 level) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) (at all levels) access to bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown.

You can find articles on writing craft, publishing, and time management at WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Episode Links

Tech help for Authors from Nate Hoffelder of The Digital Reader

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen to The Awakening on Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Innocence

Add INTRO

Today we're talking about Season Two Episode Fourteen. Innocence is the second half of a two-part episode that began in Surprise, which I talked about last Monday.

What’s Included

For Innocence, we'll talk about:

how where scene takes place affects the characters and the emotional resonance of the story;

making the audience love your characters;

why writing yourself into a corner sometimes can be a great thing; and

how this episode incorporates a heart-wrenching subplot in the midst of an epic main plot.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I’ll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth innocence was written and directed by Joss Whedon.

There also is a scene-by-scene commentary on the DVD addition done by Whedon. And there is a very short interview with him as well.

Opening Conflict And A Hook

Because this is the second part of the two-part story, we have already covered the Opening Conflict, the Story Spark or Inciting Incident, and the One-Quarter Twist. We stopped at that Midpoint Commitment by Buffy, our protagonist, where she and Angel throw caution to the wind and make love after that harrowing experience with The Judge.

We also hinted at a major reversal for Buffy at the Midpoint. It’s where Angel is out in the alley, gasping Buffy's name in terrible pain.

This episode, Innocence, does start with its own opening conflict. Because we don't start right in the alley with Angel. We start in the factory with Drusilla and Spike.

Immediately we get some tension and conflict. Spike says, “I'm not happy, Pet.” He goes on to say that Angel and the Slayer are still alive. Plus they know where Spike and Drusilla are, and they know about The Judge. Spike thinks that they should vacate the factory.

Drusilla disagrees, saying, “Nonsense.” Angel and the Slayer won't bother them at the factory or come back. She says, “My Angel is too smart.” So interesting when she is opposing Spike.

Spike also complains about The Judge, calling him Big Blue. And says all he's doing is just sitting there not doing anything. Spike wants to know when can they go out and end some lives.

All of this dialogue gets in some quick exposition, catching the audience up on much of the plot from the last episode. It ends with a hook as Drusilla cries out and falls on the floor is if she is in pain. She says Angel's name. But a second later she smiles.

Buffy’s Reversal - Angel Changes

We fade to Buffy. She is asleep in Angel’s bed. She opens her eyes, hears the rain falling, and sees she is alone. Thunder claps as she looks around and says, “Angel?”

Out in the alley, we are back where we ended the last episode. Angel has fallen on the pavement and says, “Buffy.”

A woman in a leather coat, who was smoking in a doorway, comes over to ask if he's all right. He stands suddenly and says, “Y es the pain is gone now.” He turns and bites her, then lets her go and exhales smoke. He is in vamp face, and he says, “I feel just fine.:

That is 2 minutes 40 seconds in, and we go to credits.

This is that total reversal for Buffy. Angel has become evil. I also see it has a Story Spark or Inciting Incident. What gets our main plot rolling for this episode is Angel changing.

So we will see these major plot points within this episode, and we’ll see them playing out with the two-episode story arc.

And that is part of what keeps these two episodes moving so well.

The Day After

After the credits, Buffy comes into the back door at home. It's a sunny day. Joyce comes out from another room and says, “So did you have fun last night?”

We see this momentary panic on Buffy's face. She says, “Fun?” and Joyce says, “ At Willow's.” Because last night Buffy, Xander, and Willow all called their parents and told them they were staying at one of the other’s houses. Buffy covers. She's a little awkward but says yes, and Joyce asks her if something is wrong. Buffy says no. And Joyce says, “I don't know you just look – “ and she shakes her head and leaves.

Ready To Rescue Buffy

At the library Xander enters and says he had no luck at the bus depot finding any parts of The Judge coming in. This catches us up on what our friends were doing at the end of the last episode. Jenny and Willow look somber. Giles tells Xander that Buffy and Angel never checked in the night before. This means The Judge is very likely operational.

Xander says they need to go and try to help Buffy and Angel, go to the factory. But Cordelia says, “And do what except be afraid and die?”

Xander tells her no one is asking her to go. But Giles says she may have a point. If Buffy and Angel couldn't stand against The Judge, were hurt, the others don't have much chance.

Willow agrees with Xander and thinks the others are being terrible. They both head toward the door, but Buffy walks in. Xander says, “We were just going to rescue you.” And Willow, with a sidelong look at the other, says, “Well, some of us were.”

Buffy tells them The Judge is assembled. She's very upset to hear that Angel didn't check in with the others. She tells them that she and Angel had to hide. They were stuck in the sewer tunnels, and that's why they didn't call.

Willow reassures her, saying she's sure Angel will come by.

Giles asks about The Judge. Buffy says she kicked him. She barely touched him, but it burned. And Giles says eventually The Judge will be able to reduce humans to charcoal with a look.

Willow and Buffy talk. Willow is worried that Angel went after The Judge, and Buffy says no, maybe Angel just needed – and she breaks off and says she just wishes he'd contact her. She needs to talk to him. This is as they're walking in the hall and as they head up the stairs. Jenny comes around the corner, clearly having been listening.

Missing Scene

In the commentary, Joss Whedon noted that there was another scene right here that got cut. In it, Buffy sat in class and remembered the sex with Angel from the night before. Joss said it was very surreal and arty and it got cut mainly for time. And because it really didn't add to the narrative.

But he also commented that when he tries to actually be artistic, “I tend to confuse people,” and that it's better when he just tells the story.

Literary v. Commercial

This reminded me of the distinction between literary fiction writing and commercial and genre fiction. It's not really a bright line. I best heard it described as a sort of continuum. At the literary extreme it is all about the writing and the style of the writing and the beauty of it. The art of the writing itself. At the other end it is all about the plot and the story.

Not that many stories fall at one end or the other. But people do tend to like things that lean a certain way. Some people love the beauty of the writing. Some people just want the story and that is the main distinction between literary and commercial fiction (or I like to think of it, more plot-based fiction). And I found it interesting because I think Joss Whedon stories are so amazing. I love the elements of his writing the dialogue, the characterization, but all of those really go to the story more than the style. Because his dialogue is amazing, and yet it always serves the story. It is rarely there just to be good dialogue.

So I found it interesting that he said when he tried to do this very artistic scene that was all about how it was shot and doing something interesting artistically, he ended up cutting it. And feeling like it didn't work because it didn't move the story and it confused people.

Incorporating Villains

We switch to the factory. We’re about 7 minutes in. Drusilla is lying on her back on a table,...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Surprise (Season 2 Episode 13 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the first of a two-part story:

This podcast episode covers (1) hooks that keep the audience coming back - especially when the episode ends; (2) exposition through conflict; (3) snappy dialogue that makes drama more intense by contrast; and (4) how the full story arc's plot points intersect the turns in Surprise.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Bad Eggs

Next Up: Innocence (Part 2 of a 2-Part Episode)

Work On Your Story

Download the Free Story Structure Worksheets. 

Or you can become a patron and get (a) (at the $5/month level) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) (at all levels) access to bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown and Q&As.

You can find articles on writing craft, publishing, and time management at WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Episode Links

Catch up on Season One with the book edition of Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy.

Tech help for Authors from Nate Hoffelder of The Digital Reader.

Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

Or download and listen from Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

Season 2 Buffy DVDs

Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Surprise

Hello and welcome to Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories – or just taking them apart to see how they work – you’re in the right place.

I am Lisa M Lilly, author of the Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com

Today we're talking about Season Two Episode Thirteen, Surprise. It is the first of a two-part storyline.

What’s Included

In particular, I’ll talk about:

the strong hooks in this episode the keep the audience coming back after commercial breaks;

what you can learn from them about keeping your readers hooked;

the use of conflict to catch audience members up on major developments that haven't been mentioned in the last couple episodes;

the fantastic dialogue here and how its wit and humor makes the danger and drama more intense by contrast; and

how the plot points for this single episode interplay with those of the tw- episode story arc to keep the story moving and engaging.

As always, there will be no Spoilers except at the end to talk about foreshadowing, but I'll give you plenty of warning.

Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth.

Aurprise was written by Marti Noxon and directed by Michael Lange.

Because it is the first part of the two-part story which ends in Innocence, we will get only to the Midpoint of that story and will pick up there next Monday.

Opening Conflict In Surprise

We start with our opening conflict. Buffy is in bed, but she wakes up during the night, seeming restless, and drinks some water. She goes out into the hall. Drusilla appears behind her.

Buffy doesn't notice. This all seems real until Buffy opens the door and goes into the Bronze. She is still wearing a pair of shiny silk pajamas. The music is very mellow. Willow is sitting at a high top table. She gives Buffy a cheery wave, and she speaks French and has a monkey in front of her.

(I have been working on my French during this Covid-19 lockdown, but I'm sorry to say I'm not quite quick enough to get anything about that other than something about pants. Which makes me think of Oz's joke about the monkey being the only animal in the animal crackers who wears pants. At some point I'll have to look up what Willow actually says there.)

Joyce Asks If Buffy’s Ready And Angel Dusts

Buffy sees Joyce. Her mother walks over to her. Joyce has a very large cup and saucer. And she says, “Do you really think you're ready, Buffy?”

Buffy says, “What?”

Joyce drops the saucer and it breaks on the floor. Buffy seems a little disturbed, but she sees Angel and smiles. They walk towards each other. But from behind Drusilla stakes him.

Angel reaches toward Buffy, his hand almost touches her. Two rings fall off of his finger as he turns to dust. Buffy says, “Angel!” And Drusilla says, “Happy birthday, Buffy.”

Buffy wakes up.

Using Dreams In Fiction

I think I mentioned before, there is an old saying, “Tell a dream, lose a reader.” The idea is that readers often don't appreciate being drawn into something that turns out to be a dream, and perhaps doesn't move the story forward.

In Buffy, however, dreams are used to move the story. As we’ll see, this dream will be key too much of what is happening in the early part of the story. Also, it creates conflict and tension.

We are at 2 minutes 22 seconds in at the end of the dream. We go to credits.

Because we have already established that Buffy does have prophetic dreams, the fact that she sees Drusilla, and her dream killing Angel, is deeply disturbing to the audience. It also lets us know that on some level Buffy is perhaps aware that Drusilla is still alive, even though she and the others are hopeful that both Spike and Drusilla died in the church. (Something the characters will mention again later when we come back from the credits.)

Angel Reassures Buffy

Buffy knocks on Angel's door, making sure he's all right. She tells him about her dream and says that in it, Drusilla was alive “and she killed you right in front of me.”

Angel reassures her that it's not real, but she says her dream about the Master came true. This is the first instance of getting in a little exposition here through conflict for any audience members who have missed this. Or missed that Buffy's dreams are sometimes prophetic.

There's a reason for Buffy to say this because she's worried. And Angel is, in reassuring her, also somewhat contradicting her. He says not every dream she has comes true and asks what else she dreamed last night. This is a great question to help Buffy calm down. She hesitates and says she dreamed that she and Giles opened an office supply warehouse in Vegas.

(I just love that because as a writer, I have just always been so fond of office supply stores. Seeing the notebooks, pens, and way back, typewriter supplies.)

10% Into The Episode

Normally we would see our Story Spark or Inciting Incident here. It's what usually comes about 10% into any story, and it sets the main plot in motion.

Because this is a two-part episode, I don't think that we see the spark for the overall two-episode story arc here. But it is interesting to me that at 4 minutes 20 seconds in we have Buffy saying, “But what if Drusilla is alive? We never saw her body.”

This is right about 10% into the episode. And it raises the central conflict here that Drusilla is in fact alive and is actively working on a plot that will endanger not just Buffy and all of Sunnydale. And the world.

Angel reassures Buffy on two levels. Saying Drusilla is not alive, but if she is, they’ll deal with it.

We also have what we see at times in Buffy – dramatic irony. That is where the audience knows something that the characters do not. We know from a few episodes ago that Drusilla was in fact restored to her former strength by the ritual. So she is very powerful. Also that spike was injured, but she got him out of the church.

Buffy And Angel Together

Buffy starts saying what if again, but Angel kisses her. We get the Buffy and Angel theme music when they kiss. Then he says, “What if what?” And Buffy says, “I'm sorry, were we talking?”

She says she has to go to school. He says he knows, but instead they are kissing again. She goes to the door as if to leave but shuts it and stays inside with Angel. He says she still hasn't told him what she wants for her birthday. Buffy says, “Surprise me.” Angel says, “Okay I will.”

I never noticed this before, but in light of the end of this episode, this is heartbreaking. And such a good use of the episode title.

Moving Toward The Story Spark

We are moving toward the Story Spark for the two-episode arc. Buffy is having trouble leaving and breaking away from Angel. She says she likes seeing him first thing in the morning. He says it's bedtime for him. Buffy says, “Then I like seeing you at bedtime.” Then she gives this little laugh and says, “You know what I mean.”

Angel smiles and says, “I think so. What do you mean?” And Buffy says, “I like seeing you. And the part at the end of the night where we say goodbye, it's getting harder.”

We switch to Willow at school. They’re sitting on a bench outside. She is a little in awe that Buffy said “I like seeing you at bedtime.”

That leads to them talking about sex. Buffy says she doesn't know what to do, Willow asks her what she wants. And Buffy says to act on want can be wrong. But what if she never feels this way again?

Encapsulating the dilemma at the entire heart of this episode and the Buffy/Angel relationship. Willow says, “Carpe diem....

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Surprise (Season 2 Episode 13 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the first of a two-part story:

This podcast episode covers (1) hooks that keep the audience coming back – especially when the episode ends; (2) exposition through conflict; (3) snappy dialogue that makes drama more intense by contrast; and (4) how the full story arc’s plot points intersect the turns in Surprise.

As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).

Last Week: Bad Eggs

Next Up: Innocence (Part 2 of a 2-Part Episode)

Work On Your Story

* Download the 5-Point Story Structure Template, available free to all on Lisa M. Lilly’s Patreon page.

* Or you can become a patron and get (a) a free copy of Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (also available to buy in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form) and (b) access to future bonus episodes and content, including the Jessica Jones breakdown.

* You can find articles on writing craft, publishing, and time management at WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

* Writing a novel? The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year can help. Available in ebook or workbook form.

More Episode Links

* Tech help for Authors from Nate Hoffelder of The Digital Reader

* Book 1 in The Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series free in April and May, 2020, for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, GooglePlay, and AppleBooks.

* Or download and listen from Audible.

Where You Can Find The DVDs

* Season 2 Buffy DVDs

* Buffy DVD Complete Box Set

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you as the buyer or influence my love for the Buffy DVDs and all things Buffy.

About Lisa M. Lilly

In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series and the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. She also writes non-fiction, including books on writing craft, under L.M. Lilly. She is the founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

Episode Transcript for Surprise

Coming Soon. (I promise, as Buffy might say.)