Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Like Giles' summing up of werewolves in general, this is one of Buffy's classics. Stupendous dialogue and incredibly well-observed characterisation all pull together to make the fantastical world of Sunnydale feel very realistic.

While the first half of this episode is a relatively straightforward whodunnit, once the identity of the werewolf has been revealed the story really begins to sparkle. Seth Green's portrayal of the amazingly laid-back Oz particularly shines ("Is Jordy a werewolf?... No, no reason") and the deepening affection between Willow and himself really convinces.

It's true that this episode is pretty packed - several plot threads compete for space, meaning that some of them don't get as much screen time as they deserve. It's particularly sad that the character of Cain, the macho werewolf hunter, couldn't have been explored more thoroughly, but he is given a few blistering lines that sum up his personality in a nutshell. "First they tell me I can't shoot an elephant for its ivory, and now I've got to deal with People for the Ethical Treatment of Werewolves."

Rob Des Hotel and Dean Batali's fourth script for the series has real depth, and plays with gender roles without becoming dull, or undermining the main thrust of the drama. Bruce Seth Green is a director with a lot of experience with genre shows, and he handles the difficult action and the human-to-werewolf transformation scenes very ably.

The special effects team deserve credit, too, for creating a werewolf costume that wouldn't disgrace a well-budgeted feature film.