
Xander : (digging) Y'know, this might go a lot faster if you femmes actually picked up a shovel, too.Season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer began with Buffy returning to Sunnydale after having spent the summer in LA with her father. Secretly traumatized by her near-death experience at the hands of the Master, Buffy began to behave badly rather than confiding in her friends and confronting her fears. This was epitomized by an emotionally uncomfortable scene (a Joss Whedon trademark), in which Buffy performed a little seduction dance for Xander, and essentially killed three birds with one stone by spurning Angel, betraying Willow, and leading Xander on, only to reject him. Meanwhile, after gaping at the whole performance, Cordelia briefly set aside her crown as Sunnydale's queen of mean, and gave the Slayer a little advice about the road she was headed down if she didn't deal with her issues.
Giles : Hear, hear.
Buffy : Sorry, but I'm an old fashioned gal. I was raised to believe that men dig up the corpses and the women have the babies.
Big Bads
Spike : I want to save the world.For me, one of the best aspects of the second season was the arrival of the reckless and impetuous vampire, Spike. From the moment he drove into town, unceremoniously knocking down the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign in the process, I knew he was going to be a spectacular character.
Buffy : You do remember that you're a vampire, right?
Spike : We like to talk big. Vampires do. "I'm going to destroy the world." That's just tough guy talk. Strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood. The truth is, I like this world. You've got... dog racing, Manchester United. And you've got people, billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here. But then someone comes along with a vision, with a real... passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Piccadilly. Farewell, Leicester bloody Square. You know what I'm saying?
Initially it seemed that Collin, the Anointed One, and charismatic leader of the vampire "Order of Aurelius", was destined to be the season's Big Bad, but in a surprise move, Spike tossed the child into a cage and killed him by hoisting him into the sunlight. With Collin gone, Spike assumed leadership with his ailing vampire girlfriend, Drusilla, at his side. Apparently, Joss Whedon has said that although the Annointed One was intended to be the villain of the season, the child who portrayed him, Andrew J. Ferchland, was growing too quickly to remain believable as a perpetual child.
In spite of the damage Spike and Drusilla wreaked upon Sunnydale during the course of the season, it eventually became apparent that the true Big Bad was actually Angel, or his gypsy-curse-free alter ego, Angelus. Angel's betrayal of Buffy, followed by a string of cruel and sadistic acts, provided the show with some of its all-time most poignant and dramatic moments. When Angelus came between Spike and his love, Drusilla, Spike formed an uneasy alliance with Buffy, which was to foreshadow future story lines in the series.

Willow : Love makes you do the wacky.The course of true love never runs smoothy in the Buffyverse and Season 2 was no exception to that rule. Cordelia solidified her position as a bona fide "Scooby-gang" member and embarked upon a hilarious love/hate relationship with Xander. This was, of course, much to the dismay of the lovelorn Willow, although Season 2 did see her eventually become involved with werewolf, Oz.
Angel's switch to the dark side was a tragic loss for Buffy, but it also had repercussions for her Watcher, Rupert Giles. Seeking to taunt Buffy, Angelus murdered Jenny Calendar, Giles' love interest.
Even the vampires suffered a few romantic hurdles as Angelus sought to drive a wedge between Spike and Drusilla.
Classic Movie Monsters
Cordelia : You, you, you! What about me?! It's one thing to be dating the lame unpopular guy, but it's another to be dating the Creature from the Blue Lagoon.While Season One featured fear archetypes like killer clowns, ventriloquist dummies, and demon children, Season 2 paid homage to a number of classic horror movie monsters. Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon were all given the Buffy treatment.
Xander : Black Lagoon! The Creature from the Blue Lagoon was Brooke Shields. And thank you so much for your support!
Vampire Decor
With the arrival of Spike and Drusilla in Sunnydale, and Angel's defection to the dark side, there was the opportunity in Season 2 to focus on the living arrangements of the vampires. Their dysfunctional family life began in an abandoned factory, which was given an appropriately dark, theatrical makeover with dramatic dining furniture, candles, and Drusilla's collection of creepy dolls.Angelus : And this... this is the garden.
Drusilla : Wow! Look. Jasmine.
Angelus : Night blooming.
Drusilla : Like us. Oh, Angel, it's fairyland. (Turns in excitement.) Oh!
Spike : It's paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us.
Much to Spike's vexation however, the vampires were forced to flee the factory, and move into an empty mansion, after Angelus killed Miss Calendar, and provoked Giles into exacting a little fiery vengeance. Their new lair had a vine covered walled garden appropriately filled with night blooming jasmine.