User Reviews

Buffy's birthdays never go well. She's either attacked by big blue demons or fighting hell gods or mystically trapped in a house... Basically, she'd be better off if she just left town when her birthdays rolled around. She never does, though, and her 18th birthday finds her sapped of her Slayer strength and battling an insane vampire. This is actually a fairly important episode that paves the way for Wesley, reinforces Buffy and Giles bond, and introduces the Watcher's Council. It's also the episode where Giles gets fired, a story line that will play out over the next few seasons. All in all, it's worth a look.

The episode revolves around the Watcher's Council's Slayer test. Basically, they use drugs to steal Buffy's strength, lock her in with a deranged vampire named Kralick and make her fight it using her only her wits. It's kind of a dumb idea. And to make matters worse, Giles is in charge of administering the drug. He hypnotizes her and secretly gives her the power-stealing injections. As Buffy's strength wanes, she begins to panic. She can't even beat up school bullies, let alone Big Bads. Giles feels miserable and guilty about the deception. He and the Watcher's Council argue about the test, but he goes along with the plan until Kralick escapes.

It's also Buffy's birthday. Deciding against a party, she instead makes plans with her father to go to the Ice-Capades. When he cancels on her, she starts "hinting" that Giles should take her to the show. After Kralick breaks free, he comes after her and Buffy nearly dies. Giles saves her, takes her back to the school and admits to drugging her. Hurt and angry, Buffy goes home and discovers that Kralick has kidnapped her mother. She has to save Joyce and fight Kralick, all without her powers. Buffy passes the test, but the Council is furious over Giles' interference. They fire him as Buffy's Watcher.

There are some good parts to this episode. I think it's so cute that Buffy wanted Giles to take her to the ice show. Her father is becoming a less important figure in her life and she's transferring all her dad-love to Giles. It's a shame that he was so distracted when she was "subtly" hinting about the trip or I'm sure that he would have gone with her. Also I think the idea of a powerless Buffy is interesting. She might say that she wants to be a normal girl, but when her Slayer strength was gone, she REALLY wanted it back again. It's hard to go from super-hero to average person. As Angel will find out in the "Angel" episode "I Will Remember You." Also, Willow looks really cute in that hat.

I think the title of the episode, "Helpless," is interesting. It could be talking about the draining of Buffy's powers or about Giles' situation with the Council. Without her strength Buffy hardly seems a match for Kralick. Her fight against him seems impossible. And Giles is an employee of the Watcher's Council. He might want to stop the test, but he doesn't have the authority to change the rules. They're both caught up in situations beyond their control. But, are either of them really helpless? Buffy beats Kralick with creativity, not muscle. And Giles ruins the Slayer test and betrays the Council, because he loves Buffy more than his job. They both might have seemed helpless, but in reality, they each fought back and won.

Some questions about the episode. Why does Kralick still need medicine as a vampire? Shouldn't his human illnesses be cured? And after Joyce got kidnapped, why didn't Buffy go to Angel or Faith for help? They're both strong enough to fight Kralick and protect Joyce. Why did she go alone? And what's the deal with this Slayer test? She's the Chosen One and has been for years, why are they testing her? Why would they test any Slayer like that? What's the point? What would they do if the Slayer failed? It's nuts! Also, did Buffy and Giles ever go to the ice show together? I hope so.

My favorite part of the episode: Angel's birthday present to Buffy. It's sweet that he remembered that she likes poetry.

I can not get over the modernity and feminism of this episode. It revolves around the sexuality of a young girl and the growing danger of men on both a physical and a systemic/political level as she becomes a woman on her 18th birthday. The episode opens with Buffy sparring and letting off sexual steam with Angel. It opens on the fun, flirty side of sexuality. Buffy turns 18 and she is suddenly helpless and we enter the realm of the darker, more frightening side of a woman's new sexuality - helpless to stakes, needles, pointy teeth and all things penetrating. She is also helpless to catcalls, violence, predation, and even the politics of the watchers. The fear and anxiety Buffy feels as she runs and fights is accurate. Don't walk home alone. Be on your guard, even against the very political groups formed to watch and protect you. Be prepared to face test after test even though you've long ago proved yourself worthy. And never has the strength and stability of a father figure been more important. This episode is just beautiful. Tragically accurate, but stunning for it.

In terms of atmosphere, Helpless is the scariest Buffy episode by far. Season one engaged with horror at a campy level, season two utilizes Gothic imagery for romantic effect, and the odd episode like Hush is certainly creepy, but Helpless goes for no-holds-barred dread and terror in a way it never otherwise attempts.

Part of this is her lack of powers; Buffy usually feels too capable to really be in danger from outside forces. It's typically her own self-doubt that acts as the real threat. Here, though, her diminutive size isn't a joke or an ironic contrast--it's true vulnerability.

The episode is also beautifully shot, soaked in shadows. Whenever you're inside this run-down house with a psychotic vampire, your skin crawls. You feel that this is a place you should not be in. Every frame shouts, "Get out of here!" Like in the best horror movies.

Buffy's character comes through, though. She does go into the house; she does face down the threat. It's who she is, even without super powers. I love that she is ultimately saved by her craftiness instead of her fists. That's why she's a worthy slayer, and in a strange way it sort of justifies the council's test.

I love this episode, it is just fantastic. I really do love it. It's interesting and unlike anything I, as a Buffy fan, had seen.

In this episode, Buffy mysteriously loses her powers, like speed and strength and she's devastated. She doesn't know what to do. She's about to turn eighteen and that's actually the reason why she loses her powers. It turns out that when a Slayer is about to turn eighteen, her Watcher, in this case, Giles, must give her a needle, filled with some kind of liquid, that takes her powers away. Then she must fight a crazy vampire and defeat them without help. How stupid is that? I guess they want to see if a normal human could defeat a crazy vampire. And as we've seen from literally every other episode, most normal humans can't get away from a vampire, and they die. Does the Watchers Council want Buffy to die? Because that's just stupid. In the end, Giles comes clean about what he was forced to do and Buffy defeats the vampire and gets her powers back.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10.

Helpless is a favorite of mine where Buffy is training with Giles when he weakens her muscles for the council's Cruciamentum to test her skills without her powers. Very powerful episode as up to this point the council were the good guys yet they have a dark past using their weapon as if her life doesn't matter and playing with their minds. Because without their strength its like putting a lamb into a cage with a lion with no way to defend herself and have to rely on their quick thinking. Its understandable how Buffy feels like the man she thought as her father figure poisoned her as the ultimate betrayal as he was always proud of her, guiding and helping out in the battle field before this. Yet by the end coming to his little girl's rescue always redeemed him in my eyes.

It also feels like another Grimes tale as the vampire wears a red hood like a wold in disguise to kidnap Joyce luring her helpless daughter to his den. I like it better then ginger bread as it feels darker with the themes and the parental mistrust.

Helpless is about Buffy being put to a test on her 18th birthday, powerless with an insane vampire foe.

A quality episode, Sarah as cute as ever. I'm not sure Buffy should forgive Giles, but it's not as straight forward as right or wrong. By not admitting her the drug, he would be banished from his life's pursuit and also lose his employment, though still the librarian. He chose to admit the drug, but lost his employment anyway as he chose to partly intervene. Jeff Kober plays a decent villain. The line by Quentin Travers from the council, that he has a father's love for the child may be true, but in this case it's unwarranted and sort of lessens the feeling of betrayal.

Helpless

The Good; Fabulous ep, really pulls the rug out from under you and puts Buffy in serious peril, very scary. Lovely Amy ref, love the final scene and Joyce's pride at Buffy's cleverness.

The Bad; The whole idea of the Cruciantanem is stupid. If the Slayer isn't up to the job then surely she just dies anyway and they get a new one? Surely Buffy would go to her friends for help? How does Kralik know that Buffy is aware where to come to when he sends her his invitation? Wouldn't it be better for the Council to have Wes standing by to relieve Giles rather than leave it a fortnight? Willow's mustard yellow tights are awful, I think Tara threw them out as we don't see them past season 3.

Best line; No contest "Bite me!" but I do also like the Buffy/Angel exchange; Buffy; "That's beautiful...or taken literally really gross" Angel; "I was just thinking"

Character death; 2 humans and 2 vamps

Tied up; Joyce

Knocked out; No but Buffy mesmerised

Women good/men bad; Lots of it. Buffy is let down by her father and betrayed by her father figure (the scene where she dumps her father's present in the bin is particularly heartrending). Kralik killed and ate his own mother (hopefully after he became a vampire?) Kralik menacing Joyce is very scary and his idea of turning Buffy even more so (although would even a sired Slayer be evil?).

Kinky dinky; How long have you got? Buffy and Angel 'getting all sweaty' as Xander would say. Buffy refers to dating an older man who likes it when she calls him daddy, probably her father but Angel would like to be sure....Seeking arrangement.com? I must say I missed the whole 'phallic crystal fondling' first time around, David Fury had to point it out to me. You could even say that the whole Giles' drugs Buffy routine is tantamount to child abuse, he dopes her then penetrates her body with the needle. Kralik meanwhile actually seems to like pain from Buffy burning him with the cross

Calling Captain Subtext; If there were ever an ep where Cordy and Buffy were to get together this is it. Note Cordy's outraged pounding of the guy who pushes Buffy and her leaving Buff home.

Guantanamo Bay; The Watcher's Council show their true colours and they're pretty damn ruthless

Scoobies to the ER; Going to start a new topic because in virtually every ep one or more requires hospital treatment; Buffy pretty banged up and without Slayer healing for once

Where's Dawn? Still at the house when Kralik snatches Joyce? At Kit's? Girl Scouts? After school classes? Or taken hostage with her mother?

Questions and observations Interesting to hear David Fury's initial story idea, that Buffy hallucinates the Scoobies and Joyce as vamps. Nice to hear he was a fan before he got to write it. I also heard they couldn't do it because Kristine Sutherland was allergic to the vamp makeup. No Faith this ep? A shame, liked to have seen her. Presumably Kralik's pills are for mental illness rather than for anything physical which would have been cured when he became a vamp like Spike's mum/Darla. The guy he turns is one of the crew from ST;ENTERPRISE. You always knew Buffy would beat him but her method is very ingenious (after all, Little Red Riding Hood defeats the big bad wolf). Presumably more time elapses between Buffy trying to untie Joyce and him breaking through the door than is shown onsecreen. Remember Buffy hasn't even seen Kralik wash down the pills so Joyce must have told her. Personally I always liked the eaten-away-from-within effect and it was always obvious to me. Cordy's paper is on Bosnia which dates this ep pretty accurately (nowadays kids would be writing about Darfur).

8/10, very, very good, almost a classic

Buffy's eighteenth birthday is approaching and things don't get off to a good start when she hears that her father won't be able to visit as planned. They get even worse when, while fighting a vampire, she suddenly loses the strength and agility that go with being The Slayer; she is lucky to survive. She reports this to Giles and he tells her that he expects her strength will return and to continue with her exercises. It soon emerges that he knows exactly why she is feeling weakened... when a slayer reaches her eighteenth birthday she must face a test... first she is stripped of her powers then she must confront a vampire and defeat it with only her wiles to protect her.

This was an interesting episode; in the early scenes it is far from apparent why Buffy is feeling weak and when we see Giles injecting her it isn't clear why... is he being controlled, has he turned bad, are we seeing a duplicate or is it something else? When we learn that it is part of a test things get even more interesting as this detail is added to the slayer mythos. The vampire she has to face is suitably menacing, and more than a little insane. There are plenty of nice touches; I particularly enjoyed the nods to 'Little Red Riding Hood' as a weakened Buffy walks home alone at night. There are of course some questions that don't make sense; most obviously why would the council risk losing a slayer who has proven herself many times over in such a test? Sarah Michelle Gellar was on particularly fine form; we know she can play the tough girl but here we see that she can also play somebody who is vulnerable and scared. Overall though I enjoyed this episode; having Buffy weakened made it more frightening even if one instinctively knows she must survive.

Taking away a hero's best pieces always makes for a good story.

It would be easy, so easy for this episode to make Buffy's loss of strength a punchline. But the tone is much darker.

One thing Buffy as a show often struggles with is convincing the viewer of *danger* -- it's a long running serial and most of us don't buy into bluffs of killing off major characters midseason. Some of the weaker Buffy episodes rely on knocking Giles unconscious (seriously, how doesn't he have major brain damage by now?) in attempt to establish peril, but this episode uses a much more effective trick. Buffy's vulnerability, while also a driving force to make her get more creative in slaying, is much more powerfully reflected in a more mundane arena: walking in public while woman.

I've mentioned in other reviews my favorite Buffy episodes are those that reflect horrors of our own world. Buffy's apprehension to walking home alone at night easily lends itself to the fear almost any woman feels. The simple act of it is cast as a frightening thing, and it's damn effective.

Let me be clear at this point that, while I find the above a scathing reflection of patriarchal evils, I don't believe Buffy is feminist media. A feminist piece would not just portray a society that is hostile to the average woman, place our protagonist in it, and pull her out, but would rather feature a hero who fights against the machinery of such a society. Buffy is there, Buffy is upset on her own behalf, but in the end she does nothing about it, and nobody else feels a need to either. Let's also not forget this show is in the middle of convincing us there is nothing wrong with a 1000 year old demon starting a relationship with a girl at 16 (sorry but we can't ignore it).

Nevertheless, bits of wisdom leak into this episode. What pushes it from an 8 to a 9 for me is Buffy's outrage with Giles -- a lesser show would've had her let him off the hook, but she quite rightfully is furious that he robbed her of autonomy, an act we shouldn't take lightly even in the face of his repentance.

The meddling of the council also is a stronger element in this episode -- the episode quite astutely posits that prestigious institutions that pride themselves on "impartiality" are usually in fact too far removed from the lives of the people they see fit to control. They insist on a cruel test in the name of tradition, believing what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and they are more or less rebuked.

All of a sudden Buffy is loosing her powers, her coordination is off, her strength is down and she fights like a 'girl'. It turns out that Giles has been poisoning her! On a slayer's 18th birthday the council, lead by Quentin Travers, test a slayer by taking away her powers and then putting her up against a vampire. But this vampire escapes and now is after Buffy and her mother.

Why It's So Good - Buffy is a hero whether she has powers or not. She isn't special because of her powers, but because of who she is. Anthony Stewart Head puts in another fine performance, and the loyalties of Giles are well and truly tested.

Watch Out For - Angel's sweet speech to Buffy.

Quote - "Okay, but I'm writing an angry letter." - Willow after Giles was fired.