Buffy 2x12 - "Bad Eggs"

Bad Eggs? More like... Bad Episode! HEY-OH!

I kid. But this wasn't really the strongest episode we've seen recently, and I'll explain why after the jump.

"It's an egg, Buffy. It doesn't emote."

- Cordelia

The notion of all of Buffy's friends being possessed is kind of creepy, and the episode does a great job of giving everyone something to do. This is especially true of Xander and Cordelia, whose function is often restricted to comic relief, but is somewhat expanded here.

But the problem with "Bad Eggs" is that it doesn't really take us anywhere interesting in terms of the characters. The villain, the Mother Bezoar, is pretty much the quintessential non-character since it's literally just a monster, which is the wrong direction for Buffy antagonists (see my raving about why Spike is great in "School Hard"). And while the egg parenting seems like it might legitimately provide some sort of springboard for an exploration of responsibility, or at the very least more exploration of Joyce's character, it doesn't lead anywhere of the sort. In fact, Joyce sort of backslides in this episode, and her grounding of Buffy springs not from how that character would really act, but rather from television-mom-logic to push the plot forward.

The most drama we really get out of this premise is an awkward conversation between Buffy and Angel about her future. Even the Gorch Brothers, who are more personality-driven than the bezoars and thus more conducive to drama, are too broad to be interesting. They never even really become part of the plot. They're just a thorn in Buffy's side to keep her busy and flesh out the running time.

Overall, it's one of Buffy's weaker hours, made enjoyable only by some pretty good moments of comic relief.