Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 6, Episode 14: "Older and Far Away"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

Season 6, Episode 14: “Older and Far Away”
Grade: 8.5

A lot of people do not like this episode very much but I happen to love it dearly. Besides moments of truly atrocious acting by Michelle Trachtenberg (“GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!!!”) and some weird tonal issues I really just love this episode.

It is very much an ensemble episode and my favorite parts of the episode are the initial stages of the party; the present exchange, the first night when nobody wants to leaves and everyone is having fun. It was really relaxed and funny and fascinating. We got to see Tara and Willow interact.

Tara is fucking awesome in this episode. Seriously, she rocks every single moment. Standing up to Anya, her little quips to Spike, everything. I was surprised by Anya’s behavior in the episode. It seemed a bit out of character but then I realized that was because we had never really seen anything with Anya having to act like this. It makes sense for her to be claustrophobic. I liked the conflict she brought out. She was piiiisssseeeedddd off. The way she confronted Willow about having to do magic, and the way she destroyed Dawn’s room was prett intense.

While I feel bad for Dawn in this episode, the way she handles the situation is pretty awful and childish. So they cannot leave the house and she takes it personally that they are not okay with that? Who are you Dawn? You are a moron that is who you are. Michelle’s acting here is at times not bad but she seriously has horrible moments like the one stated at the beginning of this review. That moment is easily the worst bit of acting in the entire series thus far.
Overall not a favorite with fans but a favorite with me. While objectively “Dead Things” is a better episode, I find that for me personally “Older and Far Away” is my favorite episode since “Tabula Rasa”.