Buffy: Doppelgangland (3.16)

This is a masterpiece. I always thought Doppelgangland, in some ways, was the perfect Buffy episode, the one that encapsulated every beautiful thing this show did so well. It takes a reliable and somewhat safe sci-fi idea (the evil double), twists it to fit the show, squeezes dry every little bit of potential to create something truly fresh and original. It challenges one of the show's performers and in the process forces everybody else to up their game. It features a script which is literally soaked in genius one-liners and wonderful comedy moments. And, finally, at the same time as all that is happening, it analyzes and helps evolve one of the series regulars in a way that hasn't been done before. It's one of the finest hours this series ever did.

Doppelgangland is Willow's version of The Zeppo, but far more successful: it's a beautifully constructed character portrait all about Willow's feelings of dissatisfaction, her belief that she is shabbily treated by most of her friends, her fellow students and her teachers, and her efforts to improve herself in some way. There are some truly genius lines, from her annoyance with being dubbed Old Reliable ("that's a sexy nickname"), to her moments of being strong and assertive with Anya ("did you try looking inside the sofa in hell?"). Equally awesome are her undercover exploits while portraying her vampire doppelganger. I loved the flash-wave she signaled at Oz, her hand getting caught in that girl's hair, and her various attempts to distract Anya and the vamps from working out that she's not who she says she is.

But her real moment of character growth arrives with her sympathy for Vamp Willow. Instead of being eager to stake her, she feels some form of pity for her. At the end of the day, they're both two sides of the same coin (Angel's quickly vetoed line about 'kinda gay' vampires being not all that different from their human selves is insanely funny), and Willow expresses concern for her more than anything. Ultimately, however, we end up where we're meant to, so Vamp Will returns to her universe and immediately gets killed by Oz again. Heh.

Anya, seemingly a one-episode guest star back in The Wish, smashes her way back into the show with a sledgehammer of funny. Emma Caulfield's delivery is beautiful, especially in Anya's disgust at being mortal ("gimme a frickin' beer!") and later her distrust of the real Willow. Anya is one of many characters that get their moments to shine, despite Doppelgangland outwardly appearing to be a Willow-centric episode. Giles is hilarious with his gleeful embrace of a suddenly-alive Willow and casual put-downs of Xander's uselessness; Buffy has that great blind-sided moment of realizing the skankalicious leather fiend is in fact her best friend; Angel is suddenly funny; and Cordelia and Wesley's bathroom banter is genuinely cute.

Doppelgangland is a phenomenal hour, the episode almost designed to lure in newbie audiences with its aggressive humor, wonderful character interplay and exciting action. The script unfolds gorgeously, reaching its peak when the conspicuously absent Cordelia suddenly appearing around act three to interact with Vamp Willow (or, as she believes, regular - if locked up - Willow), teaching her about not stealing other girls' boyfriends. Alyson Hannigan gives a tour de force performance, playing three vastly different characters (ordinary Will, vamp Will, and ordinary Will-playing-Vamp Will) and instilling each one with their own ticks and neuroses. This is Buffy at its greatest. And I believe these chicken feet are mine. A+

Credits
Guest stars Harry Groener (Mayor Richard Wilkins III); Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce); Emma Caulfield (Anya); Ethan Erickson (Percy West); Eliza Dushku (Faith); Armin Shimerman (Principal Snyder)
Writer Joss Whedon Director Joss Whedon