Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"Restless"

Airdate: May 23, 2000

If somebody asked me to name my favorite episode of Buffy's fourth season -- nobody ever does, but if somebody did -- I think I'd have a hard time deciding. There were plenty of episodes I really didn't like: "Beer Bad" and "Where The Wild Things Are" immediately come to mind, so if, say, I were to hand out a Worst Fourth Season Episode prize, I don't think it'd be all that tough to pick one that's stinkier than all the rest. But the Best Fourth Season Episode prize is a more difficult one to give out.

On the one hand, you've got "Hush". Fairly revolutionary almost-no-dialogue thing aside, "Hush" was just creepy, and despite the way the Gentlemen reminded me of Dark City, this episode was an instant classic with all the thrills and chills and really messed up nursery rhymes of a good, solid horror story.

And on the other hand, you've got "Restless". It's an episode with an odd premise and even more odd goings-on: Giles, Xander, Willow and Buffy fall asleep while watching a movie, and are stalked through their dreams by the First Slayer, or at least the mystical essence of said Slayer. After Buffy called on her power for that "Primeval" showdown with Adam, the First Slayer is apparently a bit peeved that Buffy's operating outside the rules of the Slayer handbook by having friends, so she chokes Willow, rips Xander's heart from his chest, and gives Giles an instant lobotomy.

But don't worry -- they're just dreaming, so there's no physical damage. But more important than this whole plot thing is the dreams we're treated to; we walk with the characters through their various dreamscapes, which are strange, delightful, and utterly weird. It's all very reminiscent of Buffy and Faith's dreams, in which cryptic clues were given that kept fans guessing about what exactly they meant. What does "counting down to 7-3-0" mean? Who's "Little Sister"? Why are Buffy and Faith always making that bed, and when did they become neat freaks? What is Joss smoking, and where can I get myself a big ol' bongful?

I won't run down each dream from "Restless" because, frankly, they're messed up and I'm not going to claim I understand them, but there were quite a few highlights. Willow shows up for the first day of drama class only to discover that they're putting on a play already. In Xander's dream, he's terrorized by his father, giving us a glimpse into his family life, and he also dreams of Giles and his new apprentice Watcher, Spike -- decked out in tweed and everything -- playing on a swingset, because, as you know, Watchers defy gravity. Giles' dream includes another musical number, in which he sings research instructions to Willow and Xander at the Bronze. Buffy dreams that Riley's leading a government plot to take over the world, along with a human Adam, who's pretty damn hot without all that wacky makeup on. And, perhaps best of all, each and every dream featured the Cheese Man, a fellow with a bunch of thin slices of cheese who spouted all sorts of wonderfully nonsensical lines.

So. Best episode of the fourth season? I'm going to have to give that honor to "Restless", because though "Hush" was a super-scary monsterathon, "Restless" has an even better quality: with every dream open to interpretations of all sorts, this is one you can watch over and over again without getting bored. I'd also name it among the top five Buffy episodes of all time. It's crazy how much I enjoyed this episode.

Of course, if you find yourself viewing "Restless" one too many times, just remind yourself...

You wear the cheese. The cheese does not wear you.

-- Lisa Kincaid

Buffy the Vampire Slayer airs at 8pm EST, Tuesdays on the WB.

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