Last Week
The ghosts of slayings past paid a visit Willow, Dawn and Buffy. Willow and Dawn's ghosts gave warnings about the Big Bad and Buffy's implicated Spike in evil doings.

Ten Second Recap
Unsure if she can trust Spike any longer, Buffy searches for proof that Spike is evil. She finds a house of horrors and a deeper mystery.

20 minutes later…Sleeper addresses the immediate fallout from last week's Conversations with Dead People. However, since it's still pretty early on in the season, questions are not so much answered as new ones are asked.

As we suspected, Spike has been killing people. But not everything is as it seems. The Big Bad has been manipulating Spike just as it has the rest of the Scooby Gang. When he finally realizes that he's responsible for the death of a dozen people, Spike offers himself to Buffy for slaying.

Unlike she did with Anya, Buffy sees the remorse and pain in Spike and spares his life. Her excuse is flimsy, but you can't go around killing off regular cast members now can you? Oops. Sorry, Tara.

Another young woman was killed by the cloaked figures this week. Also, a middle-aged man was killed. Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want to read my theory on these snippet killings we've seen thus far in the season, but I believe that someone or some cult is killing all the young ladies that have the potential to be the next Slayers. They have all been young women and the man this week looked Watcheresque. Add to the fact that Giles knows both of the slain, all signs point in that direction.

We already know that Buffy's death wouldn't activate a new Slayer, but Eliza Dushku is rumored to be returning this season. If Faith were to die, a new Slayer would be chosen. Or if Sarah Michelle Gellar left the show then Faith could become the last Slayer. Well, at least until they find some hot young actress to fill the gap.

Aimee Mann makes a cameo this week to literally plug her new album. Things like that just make me cringe and want to scream "sell out" at the television. (Buy it here.)

Secret, secret, who's got the secret? One of the most common plot devices used in Buffy is the secret. Drama unfolds when one character has a secret that only they (and us) know about.

Last season, Buffy's secret was that she'd been brought back from heaven and Willow was secretly using magic behind her friend's backs. This season, it's Dawn's turn. While she does tell Willow that she spoke with her mother's ghost, she makes no mention of the warning Joyce gave. The camera lingers on Dawn every time she's in the room and she gives Buffy the shifty eyed look whenever Buffy's not looking. Subtlety, thy name is Michele Trachtenberg.

While not one of the more entertaining episodes of the season, it held my interest. Half filler episode, half Conversations with Dead People part two gets a thumbs up from me this week.

GILES! DUCK!

Line of the Week
Buffy: "Whatever this is, From Beneath Us, it's bad and it's only getting worse."

Michael Goodson