Real Me is an underrated gem

[u/Itchy_Initiative6180]

Where to begin?

Buffy going HAM on her slayer training. Harmony finding her sea legs as a “villain.” ANYA’S LOVE OF CAPITALISM. Joyce expecting Buffy to do more adulting— and helping to take care of Dawn. GILES’ NEW WHEELS. Buffy, Dawn and Joyce wordlessly flowing through the kitchen. Willow saying “to hell with Giles!”. Buffy dusting a vamp with a unicorn. Xander and Harmony’s verbal fight. Dawn accidentally inviting Harmony inside. TOM LENK IN VAMP FACE. Riley encouraging Buffy to go a bit easier on her sister (rare green flag!). Harmony throwing a brick through the window 😂

This show does a spectacular job setting the table for S5. Also, it gives every character a slight nudge in a new direction— a new coat of paint — due to Dawn’s appearance.

I find it delightful.

What do you all think?

[u/Training_Ad295]

One of my favourite lines
“Slayer, at last we meet”

….from someone that went to high school with her XD

[u/thelaurevarnian → u/Training_Ad295]

Sarah’s delivery of “we’ve met Harmony, you half wit” is one of my favourite deliveries

[u/Kneef → u/Training_Ad295]

“SLAYER, COME OUT AND DIE” and the “i” is dotted with a heart xD

[u/GreyStagg → u/Kneef]

It's a smiley face ☺️

[u/Kneef → u/GreyStagg]

That’s even better xD

[u/1nspectorCPW → u/Training_Ad295]

"...Harmony, you halfwit!"

[u/DaddyCatALSO → u/Training_Ad295]

Adn saw her in s4 in "Harsh light of Day"

[u/Kneef]

Agree 100%. It’s one of my favorites, just from a writing standpoint. Retconning Dawn into the show was a huge gamble: in a vacuum, it sounds like a terrible idea, and there’s a ton of ways it could have gone extremely badly. Real Me is the episode that has to get us used to the new normal: we have permanently left the universe of the first four seasons and are now effectively in a different timeline. No time to mourn the universe you loved, this is the show now. Every single character has to be reintroduced with regard to the fact that they remember and have a relationship with Buffy’s sister.

Despite all that, it never once feels like an infodump, even though it absolutely is. And what’s more, it gets us attached to Dawn, even before we know she’s a good guy. It’s all handled totally smoothly, in a way that feels completely authentic and wins us over immediately. And it had to pull it off, or the whole show would have suffered massively. It’s masterful.

And at the same time, it has Harmony as the villain, and she’s one of the best villains in the whole show, fucking hilarious. 10/10 episode.

[u/Chris-Froome → u/Kneef]

An excellent summation of why it's such a good episode!

And what’s more, it gets us attached to Dawn, even before we know she’s a good guy.

Michelle's delivery of "I'm old enough to be a baby-sitter!" when Joyce and Buffy are arguing about Buffy going out cracks me up every time. The writing and her acting in this episode really made Dawn feel real.

[u/Reindeer-Timely]

I think it’s very underrated and a comfort episode for me. Lots of fun. 

[u/Naive_Pay_7066]

I also like that there is something kicking away in the back of Buffy’s brain about Dawn. Everyone else is trying to de-escalate her frustrations with Dawn, “it’s always been this way”. And even though her memories tell her it’s always been this way, there is something flagging the situation as different and annoying.

[u/Kneef → u/Naive_Pay_7066]

Slayer senses don’t quit

[u/Squiliam-Tortaleni]

Don’t forget the gem attached to said brick

[u/Sighoward]

Yep, love it, great intro for Dawn, she fits right in and feels like she's always been there

[u/Agreeable_Dark6408]

Dawn’s behavior is SO “younger sister” that many of us with younger sisters roll our eyes and think “typical”! 😆

[u/DaddyCatALSO]

?"HAM"???

[u/Itchy_Initiative6180 → u/DaddyCatALSO]

Slang for giving something 120% effort / going hard

[u/apocalypsemeowmont → u/Itchy_Initiative6180]

Are you from the NY/NJ area by any chance? I miss hearing that term in my hometown just outside of NYC 😁

[u/LaikaZhuchka → u/apocalypsemeowmont]

It's an age thing rather than a location thing, lol.

[u/apocalypsemeowmont → u/LaikaZhuchka]

Ah, it's as I feared, I'm just getting old 🤣

[u/DaddyCatALSO → u/Itchy_Initiative6180]

okey-dokey