TABULA RASA
Episode 108, #8 of Season 6

Previously on Buffy. The engagement, Willow doing the mind spell and a few musical-less snippets from the musical to show that everyone learned a few things rather left unlearned. We then segue into tonight’s show. Buffy is walking through the cemetery, blissfully alone until Spike arrives to talk about the kiss that ended last episode. Buffy denies it meant anything and relegates it to history. They are interrupted by a loan shark (literally), a demon who claims Spike owes him 40 Siamese kittens. Buffy and Spike beat up the loan shark's enforcers and Spike flees.

Meanwhile, Tara, Willow, Anya and Xander are wallowing in guilt over pulling Buffy out of heaven. Willow shoulders most of the blame and then comes up with the idea of a memory spell that will 'cure' Buffy. Tara reacts badly and Xander and Anya, sensing an argument, wisely flee. Tara tells Willow that she knows about the memory spell and tells Willow that she doesn't think it's going to work. Willow apologizes and tells Tara that it won't happen again, that she won't use magic for a month. Tara tells her a week, that if she can go without doing magic for a week she'll reconsider leaving Willow.

At the Magic Shop Giles tells Buffy that he's returning permanently to England because Buffy is using him as a crutch and therefore not becoming the adult she should be. Buffy considers this a betrayal and yet another adult abandoning her. Giles tries to explain but Buffy walks out.

Next day Giles has called a Scooby meeting and Dawn and Tara are waiting for a behind schedule Willow. Willow tells them that she'll meet them at the Magic Shop and heads upstairs to change. She's off screen for about two seconds and returns, dressed and hair dry. She then takes a big bag of herbs and a crystal and performs a spell to alter the memories of both Tara and Buffy.

At the Magic Shop Giles begins to inform them Scoobies that he's returning to England however he's interrupted by an outburst from Buffy, then by the arrival of a disguised Spike and, finally, Willow's spell which was a little more powerful than she was expecting because she knocks everyone in the room out.

They awake, totally without any memory of who they or the others are and the fun begins.

After some serious wigging out the gang begins to reason things out. Willow, Tara, Xander and Giles are all carrying identification so they know their names. Willow is wearing Xander's jacket so there is an assumption that they're a couple. Anya discovers her name by the papers by the cash register and there is an assumption that she and Giles, co-owners of the shop, are a couple. Buffy finds Dawn's name on a necklace and, lacking id, names herself Joan. Spike assumes his name is Randy, the name in his suit jacket, and that he's Giles' son based on the similar accents.

After sorting out the names and relationships they decide to all head down to the hospital to get their memories back. This idea falls to pieces (as do they) when the loan shark's vampires all arrive. Xander finds a trap door into the sewers and Buffy discovers that she has super strength so the new plan is for Xander, Willow, Tara and Dawn to make their way via the sewers to the hospital while "Joan" and "Randy" draw off the bad guys and "Ruppy" and Anya look for a magical solution.

In the sewers the gang is chased by a vampire and they are forced to hide in a side tunnel. During this time Willow and Tara become aware of a mutual attraction and they all take turns being supportive to Dawn. When the vampire finally finds them Xander makes himself a target until Dawn can find an improvised stake and Xander can accidentally stake him.

In the Magic Shop Anya finds a spell book and begins casting. She makes bunnies, more bunnies, even more bunnies, a sword wielding animated skeleton, a funky green cloud and some large cat. Giles finds his ticket and assumes that he's leaving her at the altar. Finally he finds a nullification spell making it all go away and they reconcile with a big kiss.

In the outside "Randy" quickly gets the game face. He tells "Joan" that obviously he and she are a vampire fighting team - exact opposites united in the fight against evil. She goes along with it until "Randy" suggests that he's a vampire with a soul, an idea she finds ludicrous. More vampires attack.

At this point Xander stands on and smashes the crystal that holds the spell and it breaks, returning everyone to their senses. Xander finds amusement at the idea of Spike thinking he's Randy Giles. Giles and Anya go into a cleaning frenzy of denial to avoid thinking of the kiss.

And Tara simply looks at Willow. And Willow, knowing there is nothing she can say, says nothing.

In the aftermath Buffy retreats to the Bronze to listen to sad music and rebuff Spike while Giles flies off to England. Tara packs her things and, when she tries to say good bye to Dawn is rebuffed. Willow sits in Buffy’s room looking miserable. The final shot is of the crowd in the Bronze, the camera slowly finding its way to Spike kissing a girl and, as Spike shifts position, we see that it’s Buffy.

Fade to black.

Random Quotes
Too many good ones going by way too fast. Maybe when I get a chance to see it again.

Random Notes:

• Hubris, thy name is Willow (and yeah, I’m going to keep on saying it until she smartens up).
• Wrong analogy, Tara. Glory was a bad guy and she was supposed to hurt people. And Willow doesn't see herself like that as her motivation was love. It would have maybe sunk in if she'd asked Willow how the memory spell differed from what Tara’s dad and brother had done to Tara with the years of brainwashing that she was a demon.
• Today's theme, addiction. Willow is addicted to the easy out and instant gratification that magic brings. Buffy is addicted to the emotional tie that she and Spike share with the whole undead thing. Buffy knows she has a problem but is unable to break it. Willow hasn't quite figured it out yet.
• The painful moment of the show for me was when I realized Tara was giving her a week knowing that Willow would break her promise.
• The painful moment of the show for my kid was when she realized Willow made the promise knowing she was going to break it.
• Look of the week - Tara and Willows expressions changing from the tentativeness of a first kiss to that of lover betrayed/lover betrayer.
• Plot problem. Willow leaves the same evidence sitting around to be found.
• Xander, after fainting and mewling like a kitten in terror, still makes himself the target of the vampire to save Willow, Tara and Dawn. Proving himself once again the heart of the team even when he doesn’t know there’s a team.
• The spirit of the team needs some help though, doesn't she?
• The mind of the team needs some replacing.
• If this Willow had been around a few seasons ago do you think she’d have gone through with the curse?

Angel Notes:
For me, Wolfram and Hart just went from spooky to silly in one episode. I miss Evil Hand Lindsay.