Earshot (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Plot

On patrol, Buffy kills a mouthless demon, but some of its blood is absorbed through her skin. Her hand itches, and Giles explains she may be infected with an aspect of the demon. The next day, Buffy finds she can hear others' thoughts. In class, she answers questions by listening to classmates' minds, including Freddy Iverson, a cynical editorial writer.

She visits Angel at the mansion to read his mind, but he tells her she cannot read his mind any more than see his image in a mirror; he says what happened with Faith meant nothing and that he has loved only Buffy in 243 years. At the library, Buffy reveals her ability. She learns Xander constantly thinks about sex, Cordelia says almost exactly what she thinks, Oz thinks deep thoughts, Willow feels left out, and Wesley has romantic thoughts about Cordelia but reprimands himself.

In the lunchroom, Buffy hears someone planning to kill all students. The gang organizes to find the potential killer. Angel hunts the surviving demon and brings its heart in a glass mixture; he forces Buffy to drink it, she convulses, and wakes unable to hear thoughts. Willow and the others locate all students except Freddy Iverson.

They find Freddy in his office and learn he is not the killer. They discover a letter from Jonathan apologizing for his upcoming actions. The gang finds Jonathan in the clock tower assembling a rifle. Buffy takes it and realizes he was planning to kill only himself.

Xander checks the kitchen and finds a lunch lady putting rat poison into the food; she tries to kill him with a cleaver, but Buffy knocks her unconscious.

Production

Writer Jane Espenson stated in her DVD commentary that she always wanted the student in the tower to be Jonathan, believing Danny Strong could handle the dramatic scene despite his previous small comedic roles. Espenson also included the exchange confirming that Buffy's mother slept with Giles in "Band Candy" because she wanted to eliminate any doubts fans had.

James South noted that Oz's overheard thoughts, "I am my thoughts... if they exist in her, Buffy contains everything that is me, and she becomes me. I cease to exist," reference the philosopher Descartes. Anthony Head suggested Giles walking into a tree after Buffy told him she knew he slept with her mother, though he did not expect Joss Whedon to allow it.

Cultural references

The website Women at Warp compares the episode to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Tin Man." Both feature a telepath who isolates herself to escape the pain of constant mental chatter. Buffy's telepathy is temporary and she uses it to prevent a classmate's suicide, while Tam in "Tin Man" chooses suicide by joining a lifeform. Harry Groener, who played Tam, also played the Mayor of Sunnydale in this season of Buffy, though he does not appear in "Earshot."

Reception

Critics have praised this episode for its unexpectedly heavy emotional punch. The climactic conversation between Buffy and Jonathan, addressing the fundamental loneliness of human existence, has been singled out as incredibly powerful and sudden, like a freight train. While the plot involves some clumsy misdirection around the true threat, much of the episode stays on the lighter side. The concept of Buffy gaining telepathy is celebrated for the humorous and poignant insights it provides into her friends’ thoughts, including a memorable scene where she smugly reads her teacher’s mind.

The episode also handles the subplot of Larry Blaisdell coming out as gay. However, the portrayal of telepathy itself has been criticized, and the group investigation plot has been called routine. Overall, the episode balances biting wit with serious issues, earning high marks from some reviewers.

Did You Know?

• The episode was originally scheduled to air one week after the Columbine High School massacre, and the WB substituted a rerun of "Bad Girls" instead.
• The season finale was also delayed due to school violence concerns.