Buffy the Vampire Slayer Talk || s4e20 "The Yoko Factor" 

I always took Angel’s “I don’t like him” line as a backhanded endorsement of Riley. The delivery of the line and Buffy’s reaction make it seem that way to me.

Xander: "No, it happened way before that, when you two went off to college and forgot about me! Just left me in the basement to-Tara's your GIRLFRIEND???" Giles: "BLOO-DY HELLLL!" I've seen that scene like hundreds of times and it keeps getting funnier every time I see it lol

I'm still just giggling about Giles' reaction to Fort Dix. The name wasn't that funny, but drunk Giles' expression is just the best.

This episode is all about being led to jump to conclusions, then that final scene does it to the audience.

Rule #1 of serialised fiction: never trust a cliffhanger. Especially if it's the show that did the fake Cordelia funeral.

Buffy: Forrest is dead. *laughter in background ensues* HAHAHAHA

Angel did not go back to apologize. That was his cover. He went to check out the new man in her life. He left confident he was still the number one man in her life.

Haven't you noticed that the misunderstanding about Angels happy moment that keeps being made is the same type of mistake that society constantly makes about love and relationships. We are always confusing sex and love.

I never saw the ending as Riley switching sides. It always seemed to me like he’s there to take down Adam by himself because of inferiority complex.

"WTF is happening on this show?" Everything. As usual. Great reaction!

Yeeeah, the fact that Angel thought he needed to see Buffy again to apologize when he really didn't need to shows how sweet he is

Oh god I forgot how much I loved drunk Giles!!!

I either never realized or just completely forgot that the end of this episode was suppose to appear like a double cross or turn on Riley's Part. I think I just always assumed he went to Adam to kill him, to behave recklessly, to blow off steam and revenge Forrest. I just don't think I could ever take Riley for a doubble agent 🤷‍♀️

Angel didn't say anything that warranted an apology, but I understand he didn't want to leave things the way they were left.

I don't think Buffy does see that Angel's still in love with her. Her fear, despite telling herself and him it's for the best, is that he will move on from her so completely she'll "just be an ex" to him i.e. not significant to him anymore. She felt totally insecure and jealous when she saw him with Faith. And, remember, he left her. She didn't want him to. What's obvious to us isn't obvious to her. In her mind, Angel rejected her and dumped her.

It's unclear how much in the Buffyverse the characters recognise that it wasn't the sex which caused Angel to lose his soul. Obviously none of them were there when it happened, and the curse is pretty vague.

Allie thinks Angel is being unreasonable and jealous. Editor Allie realizes Angel is an extremely good judge of character. LOL!

The highlight of the episode: ms kitty fantastico

I love Giles "bloody hell" line when Xander realizes Willow and Tara are dating. Your freak out at the ending is so cute. I truly look forward to seeing you experience this.

The Initiative was Rileys family, and with it he lost his purpose and his source of confidence. He has problems with Buffys ex-boyfriend and his best buddy was killed. His whole wold collapsed. You know that at times like this, people start to act stupid.

"I don't hate Oz, it's just, you know.* Thanks for clearing that up.

Wes asked Angel at the end of the Faith two parter if he was going after Buffy, and Angel said yes.

Drunk Giles kills me! He always makes me laugh and your rant about Riley was fucking great! 🤣

I love drunk Giles and smirking, smug Angel in this episode.

Wait, you took that ending as Riley switching sides? When I first saw this episode (back on original broadcast) I took it as Riley going to get revenge for Forrest. It never would have occurred to me to think it was Riley working for Adam.

Regardless of how warranted what he said was, Angel didn't like leaving things with Buffy on a bad note. Because, as you noted, he still loves her. And she's sad at the beginning of this episode because she and Angel had words. Also, she went in saying she was going to put Faith in jail, not kill her; she did go there thinking Angel was in danger and she didn't find Faith's wanting to change convincing given all the other times Faith'd been offered redemption and rejected it, and the time she spent literally spying on them and trying to trick Angel into losing his soul. The same Angel she seems to be manipulating again. .

Seems like I'm watching reactions to the end of season four a lot lately. I like that Buffy got that last word in the argument unlike in _Dead Man's Party_ and _Revelations._

I find it interesting that you assumed Riley was working with Adam from the ending. I'm pretty sure my first watch I assumed he was going for revenge for Forrest.

"Then why with the crazy." "Cos I'm so in love with you I can't see straight." NOT CUTE You can't use love as an excuse for toxic behaviour like that kind of possessiveness. It's deflecting from a problem.

There's always magic as a rationale. When people do something wildly out of character, or there's no other rational explanation, that's when horror and fantasy genres get to pull out the irrational explanation. Dodgy Spike's dangerous divisive deviousness in this episode is delicious. I actually quite like where Buffy and Angel's relationship is arriving at in this episode. They are increasingly seeming like old friends who care about each other, which is what they need.

Spike, the blackhat therapist. Observant and insightful as fuck, and uses it for (highly entertaining) evil. For whatever reason, the baddies in this show often have insights that the good guys don't. The Mayor, on the Buffy/Angel relationship? Spike, on Willow still being a mess over Oz leaving? Faith, twigging to Willow/Tara almost instantly? The good guys are pretty clueless in comparison.

Take it easy on Riley...His boyfriend Forrest just died.

@2:26 "..rewatches.." ♥️ I think that Angels need to apologize for his harsh words can partly be understood when we remember that he operates with societal norms from the mid 18th century. It is my understanding that people were nicer back then, or expressed intense meaning with subtler wording.

Hey editing Alley, lookin forward to see your reactions on season 5

I think Angel saying he didn't like Riley was meant to be kind of a recommendation in a way. .

The infamous "Foriely" clip... LOLed. We are a small community, but we are loyal. (and apparently a bit incestuous) Hi there Shan in AUS! Great reaction Alley!

I always liked how much you liked Riley. It's a nice contrast to how other reactors just hate his guts. Take the end of 4x09 for example. Buffy: You really have a lot to learn about women, Riley. Riley: You're gonna teach me. Shan: That's a bit cringey. Alley: That was... too cute.

I would agree that Angel had points when he spoke to Buffy in LA, but I do feel the way he spoke to her was out of order - Buffy was out of order as well of course. But Buffy was still traumatised, having just been severely assaulted with Riley, by Faith (Buffy & Riley were essentially just raped by Faith). To go to help Angel only to see him protecting Faith... I feel Buffy's anger was mostly understandable in that episode because she can't understand how Angel gets Faith.

I'm getting Restless for the season finale

I think your feelings about Oz and how his & Willow's relationship story ended are totally valid. I didn't have that strong of a reaction to it either way, but then I've never had a bad break-up or been cheated on. A lot of people really just love and connect to Oz, and that makes sense too. Not everyone is gonna agree or have the same reactions to things, but that doesn't mean anyone's exactly wrong, it's just that we all being ourselves to every story we engage with. That's how it's SUPPOSED to work.

Loved your comment on Riley watching currently the fifth season 🤣🤣🤣

“I have never been so upset with a decision on a show” … oh Alley. You’ve got quite the journey when it comes to this. There is certainly much worse writing decisions in this show than that.

Angel is a guilt ridden brood puppy, He'll always take it upon himself to be in the wrong and apologize. He's especially hard on himself when he has a soul and fucks up because it adds to the proof that sees himself as the 26 year old disappointment of a son that he was all that time ago as a human.

Hi Alley ! When you sid "What are these two doing ? They just need to stay in their cities and leave each other alone !" I think you just nailed the message the writers wanted to pass to the audience. Having Buffy being an a***ole in AtS and Angel being also one in the right next episode of BtVS, is like them shouting to us "Please stop wanting to see these two together, it won't happen anymore !" Also, about Xander telling Riley about Angel turning because of sex with Buffy... I don't think it's the show wanting to point us specifically that. But the thing is that it is definitely how the Scoobies, even Buffy herself, have perceived what happen that night. And, as much as I think that Willow or Giles could have figured that it's not the sex thing that is important in the curse if they have take some time to think about it (which there is no proof they did so far). It's no wonder that Xander just stopped at that fact and don't search a further explanation. I even think that it's also what Buffy still believe, or else, her behavior in previous season is highly concerning.

Oh my God, so much rage over a plot twist that was a fakeout, lol! I think most people watching the first time picked up on the stiffness of Riley's speech when he left Buffy and thought he was brainwashed (though he turned out to be less brainwashed than they thought). .

It's so shitty of Riley that he just assumes Buffy had slept with Angel! Why?! Where did this come from?! Buffy had never given him any reason not to trust her! And his reasoning is that he is so in love with her that he can't think straight?! That is very preditor-y. He needs to take responsibility for his actions! And the unspoken notion that sometimes stuff just happens between exes is also very wrong!

That FoRiley clip was a gift. Thank you for sharing

Alley, you are my absolutely favorite Buffy “show watcher!” I try to watch others, but I love your enthusiasm! Buffy is the Best Show Ever!!! I never got into Angel; not quite the same comedic, dark intelligent genre as Buffy. Please post Buffy more often!

Tara and Anya leaving the room was so funny

Loves the rage on the cliffhanger at the end! Looking forward to next episode!

I always loved the little Tara/Anya moments,

I am just eagerly waiting for the dawn of the best season.

Ecstatic that there’s a new video!

This is one of my favorite episodes! I love Spike and Giles so much here.

I don't really read comments that often, but I am disappointed and surprised that 20 years later the very vocal Riley haters are still doing their thing, they cannot be stopped.

Aye it’s been a minute. Glad to see you’re doing good!

These kinds of reactions are why I watch the channel :D

@Alleybox You're great. Please keep doing these videos, Buffy/Angel is a great series that a lot of ppl love, and your theories and analysis are sooo interesting! I admire/respect you a lot! A good day to you.

If it wasn't peppered with small Visual Spoilers, I would definitely tell you to go check out The Passion of the Nerds Channel because he analyzes every single episode. And he is in the middle of season 5 right now, or near the end or something. I keep re-watching them so much LOL. If you're that far in the show, I recommended very highly that you keep tissues by you at all times from now on.

Love to see you back. Hope things have been going well with your classes and all. So just something I wanted to mention about the last Buffy episode I didn't get around to. When you found it strange that Xander and Buffy didn't seem to pick up that Willow and Tara were all ready starting to seem like more than friends. Aside from the attempt to build up there relationship gradually and not make it super obvious because they know it would probably be controversial, it's worth remembering that none of these character really know many openly LGBT people. As someone who was in high school at this time period, I can say that was rather typical. My school had some support group that I only became aware of during my last year or two, but high school can be such a social hell that's a hard to imagine many people would have been comfortable coming out back then. So it would have would've been a little more difficult to even imagine this about someone you've known for years. Especially when you're best friends and assume to know each other the best. Buffy's rather harsh reaction to Riley's shock at learning Willow dated a werewolf foreshadowed her being a bit startled (though still accepting) to hear her same friend was know attracted to another woman. Which ultimately lead to her own coming out about her old relationship with a vampire.

I understand your frustration with Buffy's actions. She is a great leader, and very strong, but with Angel, he's so much older.. she somehow ends up sounding petulant. I think they are most definitely better as friends as they are now. Right? She took out a lot of her hurt from Faith on Angel and that was definitely misplaced and I think Angel understood that so he wanted to apologize for his side of escalating it instead of trying to help her. Angel is so pure

Yoko is a reference to Yoko Ono who was with John Lennon & some people say she's the reason why the Beatles broke up.

The thing about Angel concerning Buffy. He will love her FOREVER, Just as she will love him FOREVER. Even though they can't be together. However, he (Angel) gets EXTREMELY jealous and petty with ANYONE she dates.

It's painful to me that you're so close to one of the best seasons and best episodes of television ever made ... You're gonna love season 5 so I just want to get this over with now and get to that! Almost there, almost there ...

It's all explained next episode, I promise. The episode title and everything. And you are one of the most entertaining reactors I ve ever seen, I swear.

Still can't wait for episode 22. It's gonna be a trip. lol

After angel got his own show - i don’t like how they write Angel guest appearing on Buffy or how they write Buffy when she guest appears on Angel.

Really curious to see your Restless edit now.

I think Angel could see the whole situation as messy and want to mend things. If you admit your own faults with a person you care about, that can be a start of something that leads to "I'm sorry too", and then you talk it out. In some sense, maybe Buffy should have started apologizing, but Angel couldnt very well be all "I came so you could apologize, obviously".

You probably won’t see this but the title of the episode is the yoko factor the reference is to yoko ono and the Beatles and how everyone believes she broke up the band. I also think they mention yoko ono in the episode but I’m not 100% certain.

Welcome back, Alley!

The "because I'm so in love with you. I can't think straight." thing is where I started to not like Riley. Angel didn't apologize either but, that's not an apology. You pretty much accused Buffy of cheating on you!

In the closet Forest makes a lot of sense of his character 😅

21:15 Xander would explain it like that. Riley would take it like that.

As I have interpreted it, Angel went to apologize because that is how he was raised in the old timey ways of his upbringing. For him, he was the one who had to start the reconciliation process, even though he is not the one who started the aggression. It could also be how both he and Buffy are Champions and them being in an antagonistic situation would be bad for the cause. So, Angel wanted to fix that right away. It could also be that those two are really emotional and irrational when it comes to each other. They are too important/significant in each other's lives so they don't know how to not be a constant part of each other's lives without them behaving in an emotional way. But let's be honest most likely the producers didn't like the way they left Angel and wanted a reconciliation no matter what. Also, the differences that some see in the characters is because they don't have the benefit of having the filter that we see them in their respective shows. Which makes us see another side of them in a different context.

Using your psychological insight, what does it say about me, that I love watching people just get wrecked by these episodes?

The way your face lite up when you saw Riley set eyes on Angel for the first time, was perfect and the exact same face we all had when we first saw this episode.

The Riley/Angel interaction is one of my favorites on the show. Angel's smug grin when going to talk in the hall is hilarious

If you don't love it or hate it, the writers had a bad day. Im curious to see if you hate it more or less next episode.

Sorry but your reaction at the end was hilarious, you became part of the show and jumped to conclusions

I know this is kind of a random time to bring this up...but i thought now would be an interesting time to talk about how i personally see each of the characters...some may disagree...some may not. Buffy: Leader figure, central to everything...kind of the point. Faith: the polarity of Buffy, both of them have a lot in common but they don't always want to admit it. Willow: Incredibly smart and has a lot of potential...but with great knowledge must come great caution...i'll say no more. Xander: No group would be complete without an Average Joe to keep things grounded, he's the joker and sometimes comes through. Angel/ Angelus: The leader of the complicated platoon...and also deadly. Spike: As poetic and brooding as he is deadly. Giles: Father figure and brilliant with the knowledge. Tara: Interesting witch character, all about caution... Cordelia: Zero filter but that is what makes her so brilliant. Oz: Insightful and respectful...does what he thinks is best...even if is the hard thing. Riley: Captain testosterone of the jarhead squad...his narrow minded ways is his undoing.

3 episodes away from my favorite season, can’t wait!

Willow needed Oz at the time in her life when she first started going our with him. The network was unsure of showing a lesbian relationship, this is one of the first (maybe even the first) on a major show. I think this actually works well for Willow's character, she's not one to hop into bed with someone else as soon as one relationship ends. Willow's love takes time, but is really deep. Loved the chalked formulae almost as much as I like your old dial-up modem noise you play when you are processing something that just happened mid-episode. I do watch Shan's reactions, and her Foriley love video was great as was the time James Marsters did a shout out to her. You understand the title I assume.

Alley and After Show Reacts is the Collab I need

Watching alley getting more and more insane is very funny! 👌 But i hope Buffy is not ruining every day for you. :D

It was THAT BAD, because he took Faith's side without listening to Buffy on what she did -effectively raped someone in her body, and Angel just fucking talked over her like she was a little girl. He didn't listen to her at all.

I love Crazy Alley! 16:16 (Never mess with Alley's emotions!)

Alley's expression at 15:40 is pretty much every Buffy fan at this point in the season. Season 4 was totally shafted by actors suddenly quitting and someone letting the intern have a go in the writing room 🤣

drunk giles is the best character in the entire series no this is not up for debate

Your reaction to the ending was wildly different than mine. I always took it as him going to confront Adam without Buffy to protect her.

I love watching these videos knowing what is coming up. But can't say anything because I would never spoil anything. 4 is my least favorite season (Although Buffy is like Lasagna, there is no bad lasagna) but with a few of my favorite episodes mixed in. I just love seasons 5, 6, and 7. I think you could make a case for season 2, because of everything that happened with Buffy and Angel. Anyway, I am glad you are enjoying the ride. You can't get as mad as you are without being completely invested in this show. Enjoy!

Wow that was a rant! Lol can't wait for the follow up in the next episode. Lol

Editing Alley at 13:05 omg 😂 as a non-patron (I'm broke lol) I was wondering how far in s5 you were. Riley drama, yikes 😂

I'll add a comment. This episode is completely important to not just the season, it's important to the series. Shutting up to avoid spoilers.

Ah, the Foriley tribute. Never gets old.

Alleys reaction at the end. 🤣😂 It'll be ok. 🤣😂

The curse is 100% about them smashing.

My read: Buffy was spiteful from hurt jealousy of seeing Angel cuddling and comforting Faith. Angel, who, yes, she still has strong feelings for, cudding the girl who nearly killed her mum, nearly killed and raped her friend, slept with her boyfriend, violated her body and tried several times to sleep with Angel whilst he was going out with her. Not pretty. Certainly petty. But kind of understandable. And, yes, my personal head canon is that she doesn't really love Riley. That she's been quite performative in her relationship with him cos of a need to move on from Angel cos her love for him was totally consuming and painful. That also leads her to try to rub Riley in Angel's face in LA. "Well, fine, that you're cosying up to Faith despite how much she's hurt me, therefore telling me how little I must matter to you now - you don't matter to me, either. See? I have a boyfriend now and I love him sooooo much. He's actually better than you. We are soooo in love." Performative.

so early to this lol, ive been CRAVING it

13:0-18 LOL I was wondering how you were going feel about Riley after THAT EPISODE! 13:41-:52 LOL again. Oh trust me him on a bad day is something you'll never forget! Alley mind spiraling over the cliffhanger: final LOL