'First Date' was great; Wood's fate can't wait‏

Hee Hee...what a gloriously funny episode. Funniest ep in over a year. And great continuity and hearkening back to things past. I loved it! And I have to say I knew it! I knew he was good! And I am so pleased. So very, very pleased. I'll get to that in a few. I'll start with the one thing I did not like at all: Ashanti. She is a baaaad, bad actress. Nick Brendon was trying, but she couldn't even play off of him. She was terrible. On to the good and great stuff...~ Buffy. Poor delusional Buffy. No wonder she hasn't connected Wood with Nikki the slayer and Spike yet. She's so goddamn stupid. How can she seriously think that she was doing any kind of a good job?~ I loved her conversation with Will about Wood tho...commenting that he's on the hellmouth all day every day, like he's being showered with evil, but from underneath. Willow: "Not really a shower...like a bidet. A bidet of evil..."~ And how about that little Freudian slip..."Why does everyone think I'm STILL in love with Spike?" Interesting.~ Willow laughing about Buffy doing a good job was great. I laughed with her.~ Also Willow's: "He's 100 years younger than your type."~ I like that they finally have a potential that doesn't speak English. I also think that the girl who played her did an excellent acting job. Some of those expressions were priceless.~ Dammit, Rona was in the previews for next week's episode. Why can't she just fall off a cliff or something. Why can't they sacrifice her? By the way, the previews keep on getting worse. That music in the background was totally unnecessary and irritating.~ Anya was great in this episode. "It's part of a plan to make me jealous...of course it's working. Observe my bitter ranting. Hear the shrill edge of hysteria in my voice." Hee Hee.~ Then when she's talking to Giles later about the dating..."Willow’s been totally making out with this girl." and "Xander’s out with the hardware store whore."~ Nice continuity for the pizza stain that Dawn got on Buffy's shirt in "Conversations with Dead People." Funny that she then she said that Buffy would think it was blood.~ I'm back in the 'I like Andrew camp.'~ I loved that he was reading the microwave directions with a highlighter in his hand.~ I loved that he called the manifestation of Jonathan: "Jonathan - slash - the First."~ I enjoyed his conversation about Buffy’s underwear drawer.~ He sucks at undercover, but good for him for finally having a backbone~ Andrews: "Redemption is hard!" and his comment to Dawn after she praised him for standing up to the First: "Thank you, you’re a peach!"~ And Danny Strong rocks. Glad that something good has come from Jonathan's death. We've gotten to see that Danny has some acting range.~ Speaking of Jonathan/The First: his comment about several of Buffy’s people being murderers...Anya, Willow, Spike. Could add Giles to that, but only us fans know about Ben.~ On to my good friend Giles. He's back! He's Giles again! I am overjoyed.~ And how about his drawings? Very reminiscent of "Hush," especially his rendering of Buffy. The drawing had a triangle where the bottom half of her body should be, which bugged her in "Hush." I wonder if Tony Head actually drew those.~ I am so glad that Giles went off, incredulous that anyone can be concerned with their social life at such a time. That's what I'm talking about!~ Another bit of hearkening back to things past: Giles saying that Xander’s probably getting his head bitten off about now. Never thought we'd hear a reference to "Teacher's Pet" again. I also liked Anya’s reaction to that: "Say, that’s gratifying."~ Giles giving the Chinese slayer milk - she thinks to kill her, especially after seeing the flashcards...that was hilarious.~ Let's talk about my new favorite character: Principal Robin M. Wood. Son of Nikki the vampire slayer. Can I say I knew he wasn't evil again?~ I liked his stuff in the beginning when he asked Buffy out..."I mean, you don’t have to. I’m certainly not saying 'come to dinner if you enjoy having a job...You know, I’m going to have to make up a little document saying 'I didn’t just say that' and have you sign it."~ I knew he wasn't evil!~ I loved when even he laughed at Buffy's counseling skills. But I seriously can't believe that she could be hurt by that.~ As soon as he said his mom was a slayer I knew who he was. I yelled Spike at the TV, and Matt looked at me weird. Then at the commercial I explained what I meant. I was so giddy.~ I like Wood looking at the rearview mirror in his car to (not) see Spike.~ Then there are the final scenes...The look on Will's face after Xander asks her to make him gay. ("Willow, gay me up. Come on, let's gay!") Then he says he's undressing Scott Bakula and Andrew sighs, "Captain Archer." That was a riot!~ And Dawn chiming in with "Clem always liked you" after the comment that he's attract male demons.~ Giles is totally right for yelling at them. They have to stop and start to focus. After all, there are only 8 new episodes left and only 3 until Faith comes back. They gotta get things in gear...~ The last scene was great! It is too bad they couldn't get the same girl to play Nikki, but D.B. Woodside is a damn fine actor. I am very interested as to where they are going with this.~ I do like Wood a lot and I LOVE this plot idea...it's very Jenny Calendar. I hope he doesn't die though.