Doppelgängland (Buffy episode)
Encyclopedia
"Doppelgangland" is the sixteenth episode of the third season of the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003). It was written and directed by the show's creator, Joss Whedon
, and originally aired on The WB Television Network
in the United States on February 23, 1999. The episode's title is derived from the term "Doppelgänger
", a German word for a look-alike or double of a living person.
The premise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is that an adolescent girl, Buffy Summers
, is chosen by mystical forces and given superhuman powers to kill vampires, demons, and other evil creatures in the fictional town of Sunnydale
. She is supported by a close circle of family and friends, nicknamed the Scooby Gang. "Doppelgangland" revisits the alternate reality
created in the ninth episode of the third season, "The Wish", in which Buffy never arrived in Sunnydale
and vampires ruled the city. In "Doppelgangland", when Anya
, a vengeance demon who previously granted the wish, attempts a spell to regain her powers, it pulls the alternate universe's Willow
(Alyson Hannigan
)—an evil vampire—into the current world.
Although Buffy centered around its titular character, "Doppelgangland" primarily focused on the character Willow. The episode was highly praised by the media and critics upon its airing, and it is widely considered to be one of the best episodes in the series.
, she befriends Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris
(Nicholas Brendon
), who join her in the struggle against evil. They are guided by Buffy's Watcher, Rupert Giles
(Anthony Stewart Head), who is well-versed in demonology and is responsible for Buffy's training as a Slayer. During season two, Willow begins to experiment with magic, eventually becoming a formidable witch.
to restore her demonic powers.
Principal Snyder browbeats Willow into tutoring basketball star Percy West. At Giles
's request, Willow hacks into Mayor Wilkins's files; when Faith finds out, she alerts him of the intrusion. Wilkins presents Faith with a fully furnished apartment and then tells her he plans to have Willow killed.
Percy makes it clear that his idea of "tutoring" is that Willow should do his homework. Frustrated and unhappy, Willow then quarrels with Buffy and Xander and storms away. Willow assists Anya with a spell, but their conjuration goes awry, summoning "Vamp Willow" from "The Wish" rather than retrieving the magic amulet Anya sought. Neither Anya nor Willow realizes the consequences of their spell.
Vampire Willow goes to the Bronze
, where she fights with Percy and shows her vampire face to Xander and Buffy. Two vampires sent by the Mayor attack her, but she turns them to her side. Buffy and Xander tell Giles that Willow has been killed and turned vampiric, but the genuine Willow arrives to demonstrate their error.
Angel and Anya drop in to the Bronze. Vampire Willow and her new minions arrive and capture the crowd. Angel escapes to find Buffy. Anya recognizes what has happened, offers to restore Vampire Willow to her own world in return for help in retrieving her amulet, and suggests capturing the other Willow to assist in the spell. Angel, Buffy and Xander head for the Bronze, but Willow, turning back to get the tranquilizer gun, is captured by her doppelganger. Willow shoots the vampire and goes to rejoin her friends. They lock the unconscious vampire in the library cage, and Willow changes clothes with her. They return to the Bronze.
Cordelia
arrives at the library and releases Vampire Willow, who immediately attacks her, but Wesley intervenes and drives the vampire away. At the Bronze, although Anya exposes Willow's disguise, Buffy defeats the other vampires, then captures the returning doppelganger. Anya returns vampiric Willow to her own timeline, where she is immediately killed. The next day, Percy, thoroughly intimidated by Willow's doppelganger, shows up for tutoring with all his work completed.
liked the character of "Vamp Willow", who was first introduced in "The Wish", so much that he wrote an episode specifically for her.
reviewed the episode in 2009, after beginning his first look at the series in 2008, he commented that the episode "is terrific on myriad levels, from the dialogue to the plot twists to the multiple spot-on character moments. But mostly it’s a top-drawer episode for the way it binds the Buffyverse together, by demonstrating how adept the writing staff is at remembering everything they’ve done on the show before, and re-using the elements that still have plenty of juice in them."
Many fans and critics consider the episode to be among the best in the Buffy catalogue. Daily Kos
, an American political
blog
, ranked the episode at number eight in its list of the ten best episodes in the series. Series creator Joss Whedon
has placed "Doppelgangland" fifth in his list of favorite episodes from the show, stating "one Willow is certainly not enough." Alyson Hannigan
, who portrays the character Willow, also considers the episode to be one of her favorites in the series. According to TV.com
, the episode holds an average score of 9.5/10, based on 658 compiled ratings.
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
, and originally aired on The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
in the United States on February 23, 1999. The episode's title is derived from the term "Doppelgänger
Doppelgänger
In fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune...
", a German word for a look-alike or double of a living person.
The premise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is that an adolescent girl, Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
, is chosen by mystical forces and given superhuman powers to kill vampires, demons, and other evil creatures in the fictional town of Sunnydale
Sunnydale
Sunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
. She is supported by a close circle of family and friends, nicknamed the Scooby Gang. "Doppelgangland" revisits the alternate reality
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
created in the ninth episode of the third season, "The Wish", in which Buffy never arrived in Sunnydale
Sunnydale
Sunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
and vampires ruled the city. In "Doppelgangland", when Anya
Anya Jenkins
Anya is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also appears in the comic book series based on the television show. Portrayed by Emma Caulfield, the character appears as a guest star in the third and fourth seasons of the show before...
, a vengeance demon who previously granted the wish, attempts a spell to regain her powers, it pulls the alternate universe's Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...
(Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Willow Rosenberg in the cult classic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, and Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.-Early life:Hannigan was born in...
)—an evil vampire—into the current world.
Although Buffy centered around its titular character, "Doppelgangland" primarily focused on the character Willow. The episode was highly praised by the media and critics upon its airing, and it is widely considered to be one of the best episodes in the series.
Background
In the show, Buffy Summers is a teenager who, at the age of fifteen, was chosen by mystical forces to be the latest Slayer, a girl endowed with superhuman powers to fight and defeat vampires, demons, and other evil forces. After moving to the fictional town of SunnydaleSunnydale
Sunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
, she befriends Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
(Nicholas Brendon
Nicholas Brendon
Nicholas Brendon , is an actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer .-Early life:...
), who join her in the struggle against evil. They are guided by Buffy's Watcher, Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
(Anthony Stewart Head), who is well-versed in demonology and is responsible for Buffy's training as a Slayer. During season two, Willow begins to experiment with magic, eventually becoming a formidable witch.
Plot
Anya unsuccessfully entreats D'HoffrynD'Hoffryn
D'Hoffryn is a fictional character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Andy Umberger. He is a powerful entity high in the demonic hierarchy. He's the master of the vengeance demons, a cabal which includes humans who are "elevated" to demonic status and endowed with mystical powers enabling them...
to restore her demonic powers.
Principal Snyder browbeats Willow into tutoring basketball star Percy West. At Giles
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
's request, Willow hacks into Mayor Wilkins's files; when Faith finds out, she alerts him of the intrusion. Wilkins presents Faith with a fully furnished apartment and then tells her he plans to have Willow killed.
Percy makes it clear that his idea of "tutoring" is that Willow should do his homework. Frustrated and unhappy, Willow then quarrels with Buffy and Xander and storms away. Willow assists Anya with a spell, but their conjuration goes awry, summoning "Vamp Willow" from "The Wish" rather than retrieving the magic amulet Anya sought. Neither Anya nor Willow realizes the consequences of their spell.
Vampire Willow goes to the Bronze
The Bronze
The Bronze is a fictional nightclub in Sunnydale, the fictional setting for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of 144 episodes of the series, 66 have at least one scene at the Bronze, not including its appearance in the unaired pilot....
, where she fights with Percy and shows her vampire face to Xander and Buffy. Two vampires sent by the Mayor attack her, but she turns them to her side. Buffy and Xander tell Giles that Willow has been killed and turned vampiric, but the genuine Willow arrives to demonstrate their error.
Angel and Anya drop in to the Bronze. Vampire Willow and her new minions arrive and capture the crowd. Angel escapes to find Buffy. Anya recognizes what has happened, offers to restore Vampire Willow to her own world in return for help in retrieving her amulet, and suggests capturing the other Willow to assist in the spell. Angel, Buffy and Xander head for the Bronze, but Willow, turning back to get the tranquilizer gun, is captured by her doppelganger. Willow shoots the vampire and goes to rejoin her friends. They lock the unconscious vampire in the library cage, and Willow changes clothes with her. They return to the Bronze.
Cordelia
Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...
arrives at the library and releases Vampire Willow, who immediately attacks her, but Wesley intervenes and drives the vampire away. At the Bronze, although Anya exposes Willow's disguise, Buffy defeats the other vampires, then captures the returning doppelganger. Anya returns vampiric Willow to her own timeline, where she is immediately killed. The next day, Percy, thoroughly intimidated by Willow's doppelganger, shows up for tutoring with all his work completed.
Production
Series creator Joss WhedonJoss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
liked the character of "Vamp Willow", who was first introduced in "The Wish", so much that he wrote an episode specifically for her.
Reception
"Doppelgangland" received high praise from critics. When Noel Murray from The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
reviewed the episode in 2009, after beginning his first look at the series in 2008, he commented that the episode "is terrific on myriad levels, from the dialogue to the plot twists to the multiple spot-on character moments. But mostly it’s a top-drawer episode for the way it binds the Buffyverse together, by demonstrating how adept the writing staff is at remembering everything they’ve done on the show before, and re-using the elements that still have plenty of juice in them."
Many fans and critics consider the episode to be among the best in the Buffy catalogue. Daily Kos
Daily Kos
Daily Kos is an American political blog that publishes news and opinions from a progressive point of view. It functions as a discussion forum and group blog for a variety of netroots activists, whose efforts are primarily directed toward influencing and strengthening the Democratic Party...
, an American political
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, ranked the episode at number eight in its list of the ten best episodes in the series. Series creator Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
has placed "Doppelgangland" fifth in his list of favorite episodes from the show, stating "one Willow is certainly not enough." Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Willow Rosenberg in the cult classic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, and Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.-Early life:Hannigan was born in...
, who portrays the character Willow, also considers the episode to be one of her favorites in the series. According to TV.com
TV.com
TV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
, the episode holds an average score of 9.5/10, based on 658 compiled ratings.
External links
- "Doppelgangland" at the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
- "Doppelgangland" at BuffyGuide.com