Buffy the Vampire Slayer - 6x12 “Doublemeat Palace” FULL REACTION

My best friend left school at 16 to work at McDonalds. By the time she was 18 she was the manager and turned the franchise's fortunes around. At 19 she was headhunted by a national cinema chain to be a regional manager. I'll never laugh at anyone who chooses to make a career in fast food.

Rewatching this episode with you was rewarding because it really drives home the parallels between Halfrek, Amy, and Spike as friends/allies who have become toxic influences on Anya, Willow, and Buffy.

Járnviðr

Kirsten Nelson who plays the manager at the end went on to become a series regular on a show called 'Psych'. If you've seen that show, that may be where you recognize her from.

David Boyd

I always thought this episode was terrible but rewatching it has some great character moments like Willow basically telling Amy to eff off and Xander’s fear of Anya’s demon past being brought up again. It seems like Xander has always thought of the Anya he is with is now is totally separate to the Anya who was a demon but now it seems like the lines are blurring.

Sarah McKinlay

This one is pretty darn bad, but I do appreciate the accuracy of what it's like to join the fast food work force.

Jarrod Wild

I think we needed to deal with Buffy in a ridiculous job--the seasonal theme basically is going from the grand dramas of adolescence into the everyday slog of adulthood and the attendant disorientation--but I wish they hadn't devoted a whole episode to it. Let it be a subplot. We could have had an episode at this point humanizing the nerds a little instead.

FernWithy

I get what you are saying about spike and buffy, BUT, every single time it seems like she keeps initiating it. I'm not saying he doesn't flirt or put ideas in her head, but she can refuse and walk away. But it does make me sad because you can see she is using him to escape her thoughts and feelings and isn't really there with him.

Holi117

this is the episode I usually skip. Its not terrible but I just dont enjoy it much. It definitely fits the overall themes of depression... I feel depressed just watching this episode lol.

Holi117

1) No one ever comments on it, and I didn’t notice it myself the first time I watched, but I love the hats they wear. The front has the cute little cow on it, which people do notice, but the back has the flared out rooster tail. It’s cute and clever and exactly what a fast food place with this theme would have. 2) I’m a big fan of Bike (or Spuffy but I don’t like that name) but Spike screwing Buffy up against a back alley wall is the first time it made me sad. It’s so his thing and so not hers. It also made me wonder if Spike had ever ‘been with’ any human women as a vampire. I could see Dru absolutely destroying any vampire floozy that cast eyes at Spike, but she wouldn’t care about a human woman. 3) Amy has never been the nicest character. In her second appearance, she mind controls a teacher. It’s easy to forget, because in most of her appearances, she’s been a victim (of her mom, of her own love spell, of the gingerbread demon) but it’s there. Willow has shown that magic can be used with science, that Amy could have used magic to help her do her homework, but she took the ever easier, and far more yucky, path of just controlling her teacher’s mind. 4) The scene with Buffy capsizing all the people’s trays and food I think is definitely a call back to the end of the movie Soilent Green. 5) Season 6 is my second favorite season after season 5, I hope you are enjoying it Liam.

Richard Lucas

ONe of the things I do love in the episode is the manager that comes in at the end, that does seem to have more sense, and kindness. She could in a sense be a metaphor for hope in Buffy’s life.

Richard Lucas

It makes me angry that jobs aren’t paid more equally. That’s one of the reasons that I love the Star Trek future. The invention of replicators basically made money useless (everyone could replicate gold, gems, etc) so it allowed people to go into whatever field they actually had a passion for and wanted to do most.

Richard Lucas

It used to be in my bottom ten, but I can appreciate it more now.

Richard Lucas

Yep, I was going to post that this was the most controversial episode of the show, from the network’s point of view. As a ‘teen show’ you aren’t going to get a lot of car or beer advertising, but you are going to get a lot of fast food advertising. This episode cost the show some revenue for sure.

Richard Lucas

This comment made me really happy. Maybe it was your brilliant insight, or that last sentence where "Penis Head Monster Lady's penis monster head" is said, or just the Dolly Partner reference... either way, thank you for the laugh! ❤

Abby

That is double sweet.

UTU49

I like this episode. It wasn't one of my favorites but I don't think it's one of the worst either. Same with Beer Bad. I found enjoyment in both of these episodes.

Prue

It’s right to defend fast food employment, by the way. 👍🏻

Koz

Now go back and watch Smashed again and you'll hear a Doublemeat commercial when Amy's watching TV. The writing on this show, man...

Yesmydog

I think it’s absolutely okay to say most wouldn’t find a higher meaning working fast food. At least least not as an exploited worker, whether that be running around like a chicken with their head cut off, or completely bored out of their mind. That’s perfectly acceptable. I too have swam the murky waters of fast food, and I can tell you, they’re some of the most overworked, demeaned (both by consumers but their own managers), people, not to mention -underpaid-.. They get a lot of flack for their shortcomings as a service when they’re actually short staffed, to no fault of their own, but by design to save the company money.

Alexis Cardarella

It IS criminally underrated, but nowhere near my top ten. I find it hard to believe it's in the conversation of worst episode for some folks! I really enjoy it, and it takes me back to days working fast food...

Shashank

This episode is actually in my top 10 for the whole series. Criminally underrated and a testament to the often misunderstood brilliance of Season 6.

Pudungurte

The thing that I love about this episode is that you can feel your sanity draining away as you watch it.

UTU49

Fast Food Jobs might not be meaningless, but they're kind of mind-numbing and unfortunately very underpaid.

Alexandra Wege

Worst episode of Buffy across all seasons imo but still ok.

Roy Ben-Ami

I kinda want a Double Meat Medley. ... You know, Buffy actually is probably the only Slayer in history who had to go out and earn a living. I think it’s a safe bet Slayers were never expected to do that. I doubt very much that Kendra would have been working nine to five (ain’t no way to make a living) when she had been raised to have only one skill, that being killing monsters. I mean Watchers got paychecks; pretty sure Slayers were housed and fed. And Buffy has a minor to watch AND she got Giles his job back and he... took off. Well that’s what happens when real life, as they say, writes the plot. ... The big fake-out is that they’re NOT serving soylent green fast food. It’s a little like “The Puppet Show,” where Sid’s NOT evil. 👌🏻 Penis Head Monster Lady’s penis monster head getting ground up is indeed just as gross as you might reasonably expect.

Koz

HA!!! LMAO- Double Meat Palace!!!

Mark Judge

The lighting looks so good Liam!

Eliza

I'll say it again: I like this episode. It's solid, fun weirdness. I really like this new setting for Buffy, and can't help but giggle at the episode ending with a lesbian killing a penis monster. One of the most underrated episodes of the show, in my opinion.

Thomas Hansen

Second time's the charm! :) I suspected you'd appreciate this episode more than the average fan, Liam. I'm not crazy about it, but I can enjoy it. I think it sets the atmosphere perfectly (the lighting, the sound effects and music, the zombie-like performance by the supporting cast...), and it fits perfectly the themes of the season

Khanach

Can't wait to watch! Thank you, Liam ❤

Abby