WWDD: S2E2 “SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED”

While Buffy is out discovering open graves in the cemetery, Joyce and Dawn are curled up on the couch watching TV. Joyce asks about Buffy’s recent emotional distance and Dawn reassures it’s probably just boy problems. When Buffy comes home, huffy over Angel, her mom wonders aloud if Buffy is dating Xander, which Dawn, affronted, immediately rejects and denies. Dawn corners Buffy in her room when she gets home, asking more unanswered questions about slaying (and Xander).

After her second night of open graves, Buffy again comes home huffy with Angel. To make matters worse, she finds Dawn in her room asking more questions. Dawn’s relentless idolization is exasperating Buffy, who throws a pillow at her little sister, telling her to get out! Joyce gets a night to herself when Buffy goes to the football game and Dawn goes to Melinda’s (her neighbor down the street) for dinner. The Summers girls get home at the same time, Buffy having new empathy for Dawn after her experience with Chris and Dawn eager to ask about Xander at the football game. Buffy and Dawn sit on the porch together talking about boys, Buffy finally answering some of Dawn’s questions about Angel (is he really a vampire? Does he have a reflection? If he doesn’t, how does he know how to gel his hair like that?) before they go inside together to find their mom on the couch watching “Thelma and Louise” and having schnapps.