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).

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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,