Episode 92 - Sweaters, Shrines, and Slayer Role Play (Crush)

Here is a summary of the conversation from Episode 92 of The Sunnydale Diaries.

The hosts, Sean and Melanie, begin by reflecting on the nature of crushes, sharing personal stories from their youth—driving by a crush’s house and getting caught, or asking a boy to prom through a friend. This personal framing sets the stage for their discussion of "Crush," a Buffy episode where the central tension is not a monster of the week but the uncomfortable reality of Spike’s romantic feelings for Buffy, and the dangerous confusion this causes for her teenage sister, Dawn.

Spike’s Confession and Buffy’s Rejection

The episode’s core conflict is driven by Spike’s decision to confess his love to Buffy. The hosts note how 22-year-old Sean viewed this episode very differently than he does now at 48, suggesting a deeper appreciation for the character work. Spike is shown trying to be "normal and nice," dressing in a clean, preppy style that the hosts compare to a "90s Gap commercial," possibly to make himself more appealing to Buffy. He arranges a date-like scenario to give her information about a vampire nest, and when she confronts him about it, he delivers a poetic line: "I’m drowning in you."