"Good-Bye Iowa" is about growing up and cutting ties with the past. All of season for is about the rocky-road to adulthood, but this time it's Riley and Spike who have to let go of the their old beliefs and start moving into the future. This episode isn't vital to the season. You could probably follow the story-arc without it, but it's definitely worth a look just to better understand the character's motivations.
"Good-Bye Iowa" picks up right where "The 'I' in Team" left off. The Scoobies know that the Initative is bad news and are trying to decide what to do about it. Adam has killed Maggie and Riley is devastated. He's also not sure who to trust, especially after he finds out that Buffy has been hiding Spike. As his behavior grows more extreme, Buffy realizes that something is really wrong with him. After hiding in Xander's basement, the Scoobies finally set-out to investigate the Iniative and get some answers. Buffy and Xander sneak into the complex and learn that the Intiative has been drugging all the men. They also confront Adam, a super powered being built out of human, demon and mechanical parts. Spike meanwhile is attacked by other demons who don't appreciate him working with Buffy and is being tracked by the Iniative who still want him dead. The episode ends with Riley injured and in the Initative's care, but longing for Buffy. And Spike unable to fit-in with demons or humans and feeling lost. Plus Adam's still on the loose...
There are some good parts to this episode. I like Spike's thumbs up to Riley when he thinks that Riley tried to kill Buffy. He has a habit of voting for the "wrong" side that's pretty funny and annoys the other characters right into "Angel" season five. Also, I like Anya's possessive "You can't have Xander" speeches and her bickering with Giles. At this point I can't remember the show without Anya. She fits right in. And I'm glad that Xander finally gets something to do, even if it is just a trip to the Initative.
It's also cool that the Adam situation in this episode is being used as a metaphor for maturing. He's killed Maggie, his "mother," he's left his "home," and now he's going out into the world to discover who is really is. Riley's being forced to face some harsh truths about Maggie (who also stood as his mother-figure,) he's finally seeing the shades of gray in the Intiative and it's scaring him. This episode shows his struggle to reconcile his new knowledge with his old ideals. By the end of the season, he must say "good-bye" to his naive view of the world and to his boyhood (metaphorically "Iowa," where he grew up.) Spike, meanwhile, has mother issues on two fronts. First there is the death of his real mother, which will be addressed in season seven's "Lies My Parents Told Me," and has been haunting him for over 100 years. Plus, there is his break-up with Dru, his sire, who "gave birth" to his vampire self. For the first time ever, Spike is alone in the world and he has to choose his own path. This episode shows his desire to remain on the familiar Black Hat side of things. He scared to change. He doesn't know how to be a good-guy and, into next season, he'll actively try to remove his chip so he can be "normal" again. So he can stay in his former "evil" world where things were simple and not have to admit that he has changed. Spike isn't growing older, but he is growing up. Unlike most vampires Spike can learn and feel, and he's beginning to mature in the person (well, vampire) that he will become. Both Riley and Spike use this episode to show their fear and reluctance to venture into the unknown realms of adulthood.
On the downside, a dangerous drugged Riley is still a remarkably boring Riley. They try to make him "edgy," but it just doesn't work. Plus, Forrest's hostility towards Buffy and his fixation on Riley is a little bit odd. I think that he might have some romantic feeling for Riley that he doesn't want to express because of his "macho" image. Honestly, I think if the show had addressed the undercurrent between them it would have been an interesting story-line. It would have reflected Tara and Willows relationship and explained some of Forrest and Riely's motivation. Just a thought. Also, Adam's built in disc drive is kinna dated and silly.
My favorite part of the episode: The Scoobies hiding together in Xander's basement. The Giles sleeping on an inflatable chair, Anya's "Wagner-ian" snoring, roadrunner cartoons and yummy sushi pajamas... The whole scene is hilarious. I only wish Spike had been there.
"Good-Bye Iowa" picks up right where "The 'I' in Team" left off. The Scoobies know that the Initative is bad news and are trying to decide what to do about it. Adam has killed Maggie and Riley is devastated. He's also not sure who to trust, especially after he finds out that Buffy has been hiding Spike. As his behavior grows more extreme, Buffy realizes that something is really wrong with him. After hiding in Xander's basement, the Scoobies finally set-out to investigate the Iniative and get some answers. Buffy and Xander sneak into the complex and learn that the Intiative has been drugging all the men. They also confront Adam, a super powered being built out of human, demon and mechanical parts. Spike meanwhile is attacked by other demons who don't appreciate him working with Buffy and is being tracked by the Iniative who still want him dead. The episode ends with Riley injured and in the Initative's care, but longing for Buffy. And Spike unable to fit-in with demons or humans and feeling lost. Plus Adam's still on the loose...
There are some good parts to this episode. I like Spike's thumbs up to Riley when he thinks that Riley tried to kill Buffy. He has a habit of voting for the "wrong" side that's pretty funny and annoys the other characters right into "Angel" season five. Also, I like Anya's possessive "You can't have Xander" speeches and her bickering with Giles. At this point I can't remember the show without Anya. She fits right in. And I'm glad that Xander finally gets something to do, even if it is just a trip to the Initative.
It's also cool that the Adam situation in this episode is being used as a metaphor for maturing. He's killed Maggie, his "mother," he's left his "home," and now he's going out into the world to discover who is really is. Riley's being forced to face some harsh truths about Maggie (who also stood as his mother-figure,) he's finally seeing the shades of gray in the Intiative and it's scaring him. This episode shows his struggle to reconcile his new knowledge with his old ideals. By the end of the season, he must say "good-bye" to his naive view of the world and to his boyhood (metaphorically "Iowa," where he grew up.) Spike, meanwhile, has mother issues on two fronts. First there is the death of his real mother, which will be addressed in season seven's "Lies My Parents Told Me," and has been haunting him for over 100 years. Plus, there is his break-up with Dru, his sire, who "gave birth" to his vampire self. For the first time ever, Spike is alone in the world and he has to choose his own path. This episode shows his desire to remain on the familiar Black Hat side of things. He scared to change. He doesn't know how to be a good-guy and, into next season, he'll actively try to remove his chip so he can be "normal" again. So he can stay in his former "evil" world where things were simple and not have to admit that he has changed. Spike isn't growing older, but he is growing up. Unlike most vampires Spike can learn and feel, and he's beginning to mature in the person (well, vampire) that he will become. Both Riley and Spike use this episode to show their fear and reluctance to venture into the unknown realms of adulthood.
On the downside, a dangerous drugged Riley is still a remarkably boring Riley. They try to make him "edgy," but it just doesn't work. Plus, Forrest's hostility towards Buffy and his fixation on Riley is a little bit odd. I think that he might have some romantic feeling for Riley that he doesn't want to express because of his "macho" image. Honestly, I think if the show had addressed the undercurrent between them it would have been an interesting story-line. It would have reflected Tara and Willows relationship and explained some of Forrest and Riely's motivation. Just a thought. Also, Adam's built in disc drive is kinna dated and silly.
My favorite part of the episode: The Scoobies hiding together in Xander's basement. The Giles sleeping on an inflatable chair, Anya's "Wagner-ian" snoring, roadrunner cartoons and yummy sushi pajamas... The whole scene is hilarious. I only wish Spike had been there.
