I always remember it as one of the funniest episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I guess, for many, the most noteworthy thing about season three's "Earshot" is that it didn't air when it was originally supposed to. The story involves a school shooter and shortly before its original air date the Columbine shooting occurred. I suppose it would have been insensitive considering the shooter plot ends up being misdirection for something sillier (but comedy gold), even though, within the episode itself, Oz (Seth Green) remarks on how school shootings are becoming so common they could be called trendy. And this was before they started to become even more common in the U.S.
Yet I always remember the episode better for the fact that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) temporarily gains the power to read minds. This leads to funny moments like when Cordelia's (Charisma Carpenter) thoughts turn out to be exactly what she says, indicating her lack of filter, while Wesley (Alexis Denisof), the scrupulous new Watcher, is struggling with his attraction to a high school student, Cordelia.
Now that I'm working in junior high here in Japan, and I so often hear about scandals involving affairs between teachers and students, it's a bit surprising to see how casually Buffy treats the relationship between Wesley and Cordelia. But, then, I suppose I should remember the age difference between Buffy and Angel (David Boreanaz).
They actually give Angel a joke in this episode, maybe as part of a way of gearing up for his impending spin-off. It's also conspicuous how much more common demons are getting to be on Buffy at this point. Some of the costumes and makeup on random demons Buffy fights in the cold opens are pretty impressive.
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