The Harsh Light of Day (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Harsh Light of Day" is the third episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Written by Jane Espenson
and directed by James A. Contner
, it originally aired on the WB network
on October 19, 1999. In "The Harsh Light of Day", Buffy
tries to return to the dating pool, and guest star James Marsters
, reprising his role as Spike, returns to Sunnydale for a gem that will make him invincible. The same gem appears in the spin-off Angel
episode "In the Dark", which originally aired immediately following this episode.
, while the Dingoes
play on stage, Willow
and Buffy talk while Buffy secretively watches Parker play pool. After the Dingoes wrap, Oz gets ready to take Willow home and Parker volunteers to take Buffy back to her dorm since it isn't safe outside. While Willow is waiting for Oz and Devon to return to the van outside the Bronze, Harmony
approaches her. The two of them talk and then Harmony reveals she's a vampire and bites Willow. Oz rescues her and Harmony goes away threatening that her boyfriend is not going to be happy that they were mean to her. Buffy and Parker walk back to the dorm, and Parker discovers her scar from when Angel bit her. She tells him it was an angry puppy that bit her. He then asks her to a party the next night and she accepts.
At Giles'
place, Xander
is helping him put books away when Anya
makes a surprise visit. She wants to know where her relationship with Xander is going, and not aware that they even had a relationship, Xander is a bit confused. Back at the dorms, Buffy and Parker are just about to kiss when Willow and Oz arrive. While Oz cleans her wound, Willow fills Buffy in on Harmony's return, including her supposed boyfriend. Harmony goes to her boyfriend who's working underground and it's revealed to be Spike. He works on plans with another vampire to dig through the floor of a crypt. Harmony persistently annoys him and he yells at her. She complains that she wants to go out, and after the use of some feminine charm, he agrees to take her out to a party.
The party happens to be the same one Buffy and Parker are attending and the two couples run into each other. A thoroughly amused Buffy teases Spike about being with Harmony saying "what, you lose a bet?" and the two vampires flee. Buffy pursues them and she and Spike fight. Harmony reveals that Drusilla left Spike for a fungus demon and that they'll be back as soon as they get the Gem of Amara, to Spike's utter irritation. Anya shows up at Xander's place and after getting her a drink, he turns around to see that she's naked. Buffy calls Giles and informs him about Spike and Harmony. Giles looks up the Gem of Amara, and he says it's a myth. Buffy says she's going to sleep but instead, goes back to the party with Parker. Harmony annoys Spike then draws his full attention with her sexual charm. Anya and Xander have sex because she's convinced it will help her get over him, and Buffy makes the decision that she wants to sleep with Parker.
The next morning, Buffy wakes up to an empty bed, and as she's searching for her clothes, Parker arrives with coffee. He says that he'll call her. Anya tells Xander that she's over him, and when he says he's okay with that, she storms out in anger. Spike wakes up to Harmony drawing on his back with lipstick and then leaves to get back to work. Buffy finds Willow and Giles in her dorm room and apparently the Gem of Amara is real. After they get rid of Giles, Buffy tells Willow about her night with Parker.
Spike finally breaks into the crypt, and thinks he's found the Gem of Amara in a necklace. Harmony prattles on while trying on jewelry, and Spike finally loses his control and tries to stake her - but she's impervious to harm. He sees the ring and after holding a cross to her, he snatches the ring and leaves to go outside. At Giles' place while they search for answers, Xander turns on the news, which is reporting on a giant sinkhole caused by the erosion of dirt beneath it. They come to the conclusion that Spike's underground digging caused it. Buffy tracks down Parker, but she finds him putting the same moves he used on her on another girl and that the sex they had was meaningless to him. She thinks it's her fault and again, feels sorry for herself. Spike shows up in the daylight and hits her.
Buffy and Spike have a spectacular fight outside. She tries to stake him, to no avail. Xander shows up but Spike quickly knocks him out of the way and continues to beat up Buffy. He talks vulgarly about her relationship with Parker, with just enough truth in his comments to sting. Then Spike makes the mistake of bringing up Angel and mocking their relationship as well. An enraged Buffy pummels Spike and takes the ring from him. Smoking from exposure to the sun, he dives down into the sewers. Later, Buffy and gang sit around at Giles's place and Buffy decides that she wants Angel to have the ring. Oz volunteers to take it when he goes to LA for a gig.
Buffy, Anya and Harmony all walk separately around campus, all single.
during early evening, the Broadcasting Standards Commission
complained about the "sexually charged" scenes between the couples.
Jane Espenson
Jane Espenson is an American script writer and television producer who has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shared a Hugo Award for her writing on the episode "Conversations with Dead People"...
and directed by James A. Contner
James A. Contner
James Atwater Contner is an American television and film director and cinematographer. His work includes episodes of such television series as Miami Vice, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Star Trek: Enterprise...
, it originally aired on the WB network
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
on October 19, 1999. In "The Harsh Light of Day", Buffy
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
tries to return to the dating pool, and guest star James Marsters
James Marsters
James Wesley Marsters is an American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond yobbish English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004...
, reprising his role as Spike, returns to Sunnydale for a gem that will make him invincible. The same gem appears in the spin-off Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
episode "In the Dark", which originally aired immediately following this episode.
Plot
At the BronzeThe Bronze
The Bronze is a fictional nightclub in Sunnydale, the fictional setting for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of 144 episodes of the series, 66 have at least one scene at the Bronze, not including its appearance in the unaired pilot....
, while the Dingoes
Dingoes Ate My Baby
Dingoes Ate My Baby is a fictional rock band on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The name was derived from the widespread news coverage of the disappearance of 9 week old Azaria Chamberlain in Australia in 1980...
play on stage, Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
and Buffy talk while Buffy secretively watches Parker play pool. After the Dingoes wrap, Oz gets ready to take Willow home and Parker volunteers to take Buffy back to her dorm since it isn't safe outside. While Willow is waiting for Oz and Devon to return to the van outside the Bronze, Harmony
Harmony Kendall
Harmony Kendall is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. The character is portrayed by Mercedes McNab...
approaches her. The two of them talk and then Harmony reveals she's a vampire and bites Willow. Oz rescues her and Harmony goes away threatening that her boyfriend is not going to be happy that they were mean to her. Buffy and Parker walk back to the dorm, and Parker discovers her scar from when Angel bit her. She tells him it was an angry puppy that bit her. He then asks her to a party the next night and she accepts.
At Giles'
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
place, Xander
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
is helping him put books away when Anya
Anya Jenkins
Anya is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also appears in the comic book series based on the television show. Portrayed by Emma Caulfield, the character appears as a guest star in the third and fourth seasons of the show before...
makes a surprise visit. She wants to know where her relationship with Xander is going, and not aware that they even had a relationship, Xander is a bit confused. Back at the dorms, Buffy and Parker are just about to kiss when Willow and Oz arrive. While Oz cleans her wound, Willow fills Buffy in on Harmony's return, including her supposed boyfriend. Harmony goes to her boyfriend who's working underground and it's revealed to be Spike. He works on plans with another vampire to dig through the floor of a crypt. Harmony persistently annoys him and he yells at her. She complains that she wants to go out, and after the use of some feminine charm, he agrees to take her out to a party.
The party happens to be the same one Buffy and Parker are attending and the two couples run into each other. A thoroughly amused Buffy teases Spike about being with Harmony saying "what, you lose a bet?" and the two vampires flee. Buffy pursues them and she and Spike fight. Harmony reveals that Drusilla left Spike for a fungus demon and that they'll be back as soon as they get the Gem of Amara, to Spike's utter irritation. Anya shows up at Xander's place and after getting her a drink, he turns around to see that she's naked. Buffy calls Giles and informs him about Spike and Harmony. Giles looks up the Gem of Amara, and he says it's a myth. Buffy says she's going to sleep but instead, goes back to the party with Parker. Harmony annoys Spike then draws his full attention with her sexual charm. Anya and Xander have sex because she's convinced it will help her get over him, and Buffy makes the decision that she wants to sleep with Parker.
The next morning, Buffy wakes up to an empty bed, and as she's searching for her clothes, Parker arrives with coffee. He says that he'll call her. Anya tells Xander that she's over him, and when he says he's okay with that, she storms out in anger. Spike wakes up to Harmony drawing on his back with lipstick and then leaves to get back to work. Buffy finds Willow and Giles in her dorm room and apparently the Gem of Amara is real. After they get rid of Giles, Buffy tells Willow about her night with Parker.
Spike finally breaks into the crypt, and thinks he's found the Gem of Amara in a necklace. Harmony prattles on while trying on jewelry, and Spike finally loses his control and tries to stake her - but she's impervious to harm. He sees the ring and after holding a cross to her, he snatches the ring and leaves to go outside. At Giles' place while they search for answers, Xander turns on the news, which is reporting on a giant sinkhole caused by the erosion of dirt beneath it. They come to the conclusion that Spike's underground digging caused it. Buffy tracks down Parker, but she finds him putting the same moves he used on her on another girl and that the sex they had was meaningless to him. She thinks it's her fault and again, feels sorry for herself. Spike shows up in the daylight and hits her.
Buffy and Spike have a spectacular fight outside. She tries to stake him, to no avail. Xander shows up but Spike quickly knocks him out of the way and continues to beat up Buffy. He talks vulgarly about her relationship with Parker, with just enough truth in his comments to sting. Then Spike makes the mistake of bringing up Angel and mocking their relationship as well. An enraged Buffy pummels Spike and takes the ring from him. Smoking from exposure to the sun, he dives down into the sewers. Later, Buffy and gang sit around at Giles's place and Buffy decides that she wants Angel to have the ring. Oz volunteers to take it when he goes to LA for a gig.
Buffy, Anya and Harmony all walk separately around campus, all single.
Production details
When this episode was aired on BBC TwoBBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
during early evening, the Broadcasting Standards Commission
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
complained about the "sexually charged" scenes between the couples.
Trivia
- Joss WhedonJoss WhedonJoseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
has mentioned in various interviews that Sarah disagreed with Buffy sleeping with Parker. She thought that it was too soon after Angel had left her, and she didn't think that Buffy would do something like that. Whedon told Sarah that when you "go to college, you do stupid things" - The party takes place in a building with ΓΑΠ (gamma alpha pi) by the door: the GreekGreek alphabetThe Greek alphabet is the script that has been used to write the Greek language since at least 730 BC . The alphabet in its classical and modern form consists of 24 letters ordered in sequence from alpha to omega...
equivalent of the letters GAPGap (clothing retailer)The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
. - The album that Oz asks Giles about in this episode is Loaded by The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
. - The scene where Buffy wakes up in Parker's bedroom echoes the scene from "Innocence" where Buffy wakes up in Angel's room after they sleep together. In both scenes, Buffy wakes up alone, wrapped in red sheets. Buffy seems to sense this and worries that Parker is gone, like what happened with Angel, until he walks in with coffee. Similar circumstances also occur later in the season, when Buffy sleeps with Riley. That time, however, Buffy wakes up in red sheets, looks around, and Riley is lying right next to her.
Continuity
- When Parker points out Buffy's scar from Angel, she says it's from an "angry puppy". In the season three episode "The WishThe Wish (Buffy episode)"The Wish" is the ninth episode of season 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.- Plot synopsis :Following Xander and Willow's kiss in "Lovers Walk", Oz has called a time-out on his relationship with Willow and Cordelia is decidedly avoiding any contact with Xander. Cordelia returns to school only to be...
" Angel was referred to as "Puppy" by Vampire Willow and The Master. - Harmony and Willow briefly discuss the events of "Graduation DayGraduation Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)"Graduation Day" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's third season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes. They are also the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth episodes of the show overall...
" when Harmony mentions the "big snake." - Harmony references Spike almost killing Willow last season, recalling the episode "Lovers Walk"
- Before having sex with Anya, Xander mentions having sex with Faith in the season 3 episode "The ZeppoThe Zeppo (Buffy episode)"The Zeppo" is episode 13 of season 3 on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup in a Series. Feeling left out by the gang, Xander "befriends" a psychotic student named Jack O'Toole...
"
Arc significance
- Crossover with Angel: Oz's visit to Los Angeles was aired immediately afterwards in the episode "In the DarkIn the Dark (Angel episode)"In the Dark" is episode three of season one of the television show Angel. Written by Doug Petrie and directed by Bruce Seth Green, it was originally broadcast on October 19, 1999 on the WB network. In "In the Dark" James Marsters guest stars as Spike and Seth Green reprises his role as Oz, both...
". - This episode features Anya's, Harmony's and Spike's first appearances in season four.
- Harmony returns as a vampire, revealing her fate in the season 3 finale, and becomes a more prominent villain in the series.
- Spike's obsession with Buffy is revealed for the first time in this episode. His fixation will become a major plot point later in the series.