Apparently the favorite opening segment for the season is cloaked men chasing, and ultimately stabbing, a girl in various locales. "From beneath you it devours." Like last week, we get a quick glimpse of Willow and Giles in England, hinting about the doom that's coming. Willow is scared that her Scooby membership has expired.

Tonight's episode was touted as Buffy's return to Sunnydale High on the other side of the desk. After being shown her new desk, Buffy wasn't seen in the Sunnydale office again. Instead she went roaming the basement looking for Spike, rambling idiotic Spike. His rambling predictions about the Hellmouth are reminiscent of the masses of people that suffered Glory's brain sucking. Is this an attempt to bring back fond memories or have the writers run out of creepy behavior?

We all know southern California is prone to earthquakes, but the giant Tremors-like creatures erupting from the pavement and eating passing puppies are new. The puppy's owner, Nancy, apparently isn't smart enough to let go of the leash when her dog gets sucked into the ground. However, she is smart enough to hit on Xander when he rescues her and takes her home. That's after Nancy meets the Scooby Gang and Spike shows up to help with the evil bashing.

This is Spike the cleaned-up (yum) everything's like it used to be, not interested in raping anyone Spike, not the living in the basement, talking to rats, formerly scary Spike. After a few awkward moments at the Summers house, and a threat from Dawn to kill Spike if he hurts Buffy, the revised gang is off to hunt down wormy badness.

Turns out Nancy had a mean ex-boyfriend that she was chatting with a girl at the Bronze about. While chatting, she may have wished he was worm-like or disgusting, or able to burrow through cement (she's not real smart). Of course that nice girl she chatted with was our old vengeance demon friend Anya. Confronted by Buffy, Xander, Spike and newbie Nancy, Anya throws some insults and innuendo, brawls with Spike, and notices that he has a soul.

Apparently the kids that hang out at The Bronze are finally getting used to the wacky stuff that tends to happen there and don't even notice when people start growing extra demon-like facial features.

Nancy runs off. Buffy breaks up the fight. Spike and Buffy go to protect Nancy from ex-worm, and Xander stays to talk Anya into reversing the spell. It's only then that we realize Nancy is way too wussy to become a regular. Spike takes advantage of this chance to get all his aggression out on the worm. Unfortunately, just at that moment Anya reverses the spell and Spike stabs a human.

James Marsters carries the show tonight, proving he's got more than that sexy accent. Between the crazy babbling, the heroic rescues, and the touching outbursts, he covers a wide range of emotions, and does it well, right down to the voice and cadence variations depending on Spike's state of mind. It's unclear still if he's good or evil, but either way, he can pull it off.

Sharon Goodson