The Watcher Diaries - No Place Like Home - Buffy Episode 5.5

Posted by Jason Chamberlain on 11.19.2009

At long last, Buffy learns the truth about Dawn! Meanwhile, a hell god named Glory comes to town!



5.5 No Place Like Home
Writer: Douglas Petrie
Director: David Solomon

Slayer Speak

Dawn: Check out all the magic junk.
Giles: Our new slogan.

Dawn: What are you doing?
Buffy: My boyfriend. Go away.

Giles: Would someone please rip that bloody bell off its hinges?
Xander: Would that involve moving?
Willow: My feet are numb.
Xander: I'll see your numbness and raise you a lower back pain.

Buffy: What are you doing here? Five words or less!
Spike: Out. For. A. Walk.... Bitch.

Watcher’s Notes

The episode title is an obvious reference to The Wizard Of Oz.

Ronny Sarnecky has the full review!

This is one of the most important episodes in Season Five. At the end of episode one’s “Buffy vs. Dracula,” the fans were introduced to Buffy’s younger sister Dawn. This was probably the biggest “WTF?” moment in “Buffy” history. We have been watching “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” for four years, not once has anyone mentioned a younger sister to Buffy. Where the hell did she come from? What was even more annoying was that we were never even told where she was all of this time. Dawn just appeared out of nowhere. Until now…

We finally learned about Dawn’s origins, and you know what? It makes perfect sense in the world of “Buffy.” Dawn wasn’t there in the first four seasons because she wasn’t there. She didn’t exist. I liked how this episode divulged the truth about Dawn to Buffy. Like Buffy, when Dawn’s picture kept disappearing from family photographs, the viewer was left wondering whether Dawn was good or evil. Then the monk let Buffy know everything about Dawn. After the revelation, it all made sense and was believable. Well, as believable as a “Buffy” show can be.

This episode introduced us to one of the best “Buffy” big baddies of all-time in the form of Glory. Glory is as devastating as she is gorgeous. One look at her, and you think she’s a harmless hottie. However, looks can be deceiving. She’s a god from a hell dimension. She has near-invulnerability, super strength, and super speed. She is probably the biggest challenge to “Buffy” so far in the series.
The funny thing about Glory is that the only reason she wants the “key,” is because she wants to return back to her home dimension. Sort of like an evil Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz.” The problem with Glory returning to her hell dimension would mean all of the other dimensions become one, and that means hell and anarchy reign supreme.

The third major event to come out of this season was Joyce’s health continues to be poor. At this point, nobody knows what is ailing her, or the seriousness of it. However, there is major concern on Buffy’s part, even before she thought a demon was doing this to her mother. I like the way the “Buffy” team has progressed this storyline. The illness happened gradually, not in just one or two episodes. This makes the whole thing much more real, and sad.

Jason Chamberlain	Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age (26 next week! Give me presents!) but as much as I’ve always been a Dawn hater in the past, I found myself feeling real empathy for her in this episode. Even if she’s in a trance, Buffy is a real bitch to her. It’s also sad to see Joyce’s condition worsen. It makes sense that Buffy wants to blame it on a demon, something she can kill, but sadly what’s happening to Joyce is a lot more complicated than that. But then there’s Glory. I know I’m in the minority here, but she is probably the worst of the big bads in my opinion. From day one, the character just did not click with me. The valley girl crap, the rambling insanity, the brain sucking and accompanying crappy special effect, I didn’t like any of it. Plus the monks are just awful. Just awful, awful monk work there.	7
Ron Martin	This is an arc episode if there ever was an arc episode. We find out just what the hell Dawn is. It may not be the most exciting episode ever made, but it's one that has to be written. Buffy's reaction to Dawn right away is fairly awkward. I would think that if she thought she had a baby sister for 13 some years, it would take more than a spell and a few minutes for her to turn on that sister. However, there are some nice moments between Joyce and Dawn as we have to establish that relationship so that we are entirely emotionally invested when Dawn goes down after hearing about Joyce's death. Also in this episode we are introduced to Glory. I know there are some in this gang that aren't too fond of Glory, but I'm a fan. In fact, I have her ranked as the #2 Big Bad in the entire series just behind the Mayor. She kicks Buffy's ass here like no one else in the series has. Even the Master didn't put this kind of whoopin' on Buffy. Glory is a one of kind perfect bad guy for Buffy. In the end, the storylines are set. Buffy has to protect Dawn. Glory wants Dawn to open a portal to her universe. Something is seriously wrong with Joyce and Spike has started his chasing of Buffy. By the way, as much as everyone says I am a Spike-hater, beginning with this episode there are some very funny segments when he is chasing. "And you have stupid hair."	7
Mike Gorman	"No Place Like Home" is the game changer as far as season five goes. Secrets are revealed, the big bad makes her presence known, and Joyce's fate starts to come into focus. When I first viewed this season I, like Buffy, was very wary of Dawn and when the spell revealed that there was something supernatural about her I was certain that she was some kind of trap/device meant to screw up Buffy's life. But then, aren't all younger siblings meant to do that? Anyway, I was surprised when we did learn Dawn's actual origins but knowing Joss Whedon and his staff, should I have been? They are known for taking the basics of adolescent life and making them supernatural on this show and what is more basic than the need for one sibling to protect another? Buffy learns that Dawn may not really be her sister but that she is just as important and must be safe guarded against Glory. Yay, Glory! Just had to get my excitement out there at her finally appearing. She is one of my favorite of all the big bads. Incredibly powerful and impeccably dressed, what more could you ask for in a villain. Things are going to get really heavy for Buffy and the gang from this point on. It will be helpful for them to take the episode's title to heart.	9
Jeremy Thomas	This episode appeals for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one for me is that it's a fanboy's dream. Only in the Buffyverse could we get the biggest retcon of all-time, a term and practice that is usually reviled, and have it work because they admit it's a retcon. When we first saw Dawn, we all wondered what the hell was up. Then we thought she might be some kind of evil creature in disguise. As it turns out, she's not an evil creature...technically, she's not even a creature. She's a mystical key to a Hell dimension, and the Beast wants her bad. Oh yeah, the Beast. That's one of the other things that kicks so much ass about this episode. We meet Glorificus for the first time, or Glory for the sake of quicker typing. I know a lot of people love Mayor Wilkins, and I do too. But for my money, Glory was THE Big Bad of the show. Clare Kramer was perfectly cast and she had just the right level of bitchy, psycho, menace, sexiness and charm to play this character. Watching her when she sneaks up on Buffy with such glee is delightful, and let's face it, she's a bad-ass. She kicks Buffy's ass without breaking a sweat, and only one of her stylish heels. This is definite must-see stuff, made ever better by the skillful way it makes us think Dawn's a Bad herself, until the end.	8.5

The 411: This episode is a definitely a must see show. We discovered the truth about Dawn, as well as being introduced to this season’s “big baddie.” Plus, Spike has started to stalk Buffy, who he “loves.” LOL!

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]