Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Series) Out of My Mind (2000) User Reviews

Riley loses it

[Joxerlives · 7/10 · 27 March 2012]

The Good; Some great acting by Marc Blucas, best he'll ever show us. Nice to see Graham back too, my favourite of all the Initiative characters and you genuinely get the impression that he's Riley's friend. Harmony and Spike hilarious and some scenes to make Spuffers punch the air with joy. The Dawson's Creek joke had me splitting my sides laughing. Anyone else hear the rumour that Katie Holmes was offered Buffy but turned it down to go to college? Just think, SMG could have married Tom Cruise. (At least he'd have been more her height)

The Bad; Why is the operation on Spike such a complicated process? Surely his vamp healing could just fix everything, what's the problem with just hacking it out? Equally Buffy's leap of logic that Spike has left the hospital is pretty unbelievable.

Best line; Spike; "Awww, is the enormous hall monitor sick?"

Women good/men bad; Buffy "You're going to die over some macho-pissing contest?". On the bad side Harmony goes running back to Spike, have some dignity girl!

Jeez!; Spike is still awake during his surgery which must be weird beyond belief. Riley self-harms.

Kinky dinky; In return for Spike's protection/shelter Harmony will have sex with him, banging-for-rent HIMYM style. Looks like what Buffy and Willow always said about her is true? Buffy refers to Spike hanging out in his crypt and 'doing something nasty'. How right she is! Drug enhanced Riley is quite the machine in the sack. Buffy doesn't even flinch when Dawn puts her hand on her breast to listen to her heart, the closeness of Dawn to Buffy evident. Harmony says that she read in a magazine that a man's best sex organ is his brain but she seems to prefer Spike's penis. Buffy refers to herself as 'still touchable' and Riley says he'll take advantage if that fact when healed.

Captain Subtext; According to Harmony Spike can't even pick flowers, implying that he likes to? And the Buffy/Spike subtext officially becomes a text (Harmony oblivious as ever). Interesting quote from 'Harsh Light of Day' Buffy;"If Spike wants me? I go alone, lead him away from the popular spots, and give him what he wants." Spike picks up on the little look between Buffy and Riley. Buffy refers to having the strength of 10 men during sex, Riley asks could she say 10 women instead. Tara wonders about Willow's magic when they explore Sunnydale High. Buffy says that if she wanted someone with superpowers she'd be dating Spike. Riley's little look after Buffy leaves him speaks volumes. Grahme says to Riley 'You belong with us'. Ever noticed there are no female Initiative commandos?

Guantanamo Bay; The Initiative haven't gone away, just changed their spots. Dawn refers to the CIA's numerous failed plots against Castro and Buffy refers to 'Big Brother'

Scoobies to the ER; Riley gets the surgery he needs

Scoobies knocked out: Joyce passes out Buffy: 15 Giles: 10 Cordy: 6 Xander: 8 Will: 5 Jenny: 2 Angel: 6 Oz: 3 Faith: 1 Joyce: 3 Wes: 1 Anya;1

Sunnydale deaths; possibly the security guard but he might just be knocked out 83;

Scoobies shot: Riley by Harmony' crossbow. But given his drugged state it doesn't even hurt him Giles: 2 Angel: 3 Oz: 4 Riley; 1

Questions and observations; Another nail in the Buffy/Riley coffin, in fairness to Graham he is right and he is Riley's friend for saying so. A good ep, also introducing Joyce's sickness properly for the first time. Interestingly it's Dawn who discovers something's wrong with Riley and helps Buffy hit on the solution. She's also right about Castro, nice to see kids are still interested in history. And whilst fainting Joyce for the first time senses Dawn's special nature. One of the clever things about Dawn is how she's introduced out of nowhere but for the first few eps she has no special significance, all she is is Buffy's little sister, special alright but only to Buffy, Joyce and Hank. And here's Ben for the first time. Giles is actually impressed by Xander's carpentry skills. The 'Willow hand' scene between Tara and Willow is SOOOO lovely? Harmony takes up smoking, well, it's not like it'll do her any harm. That she obeys the 'No Smoking' sign at the hospital is testament to the power of group reinforcement. Ben refers to Dr Dawn, that would be cool if Dawn became a doctor and could patch up the Slayer legion. The Riley basketball scene is a bit of an indulgence, Marc Blucas a pro-basketball player before becoming an actor. Tara and Willow explore Sunnydale High, the first time Tara ever goes there. According to Riley Buffy is getting stronger every day which seems to suggest that a Slayer get's more powerful the longer she lives (Buffy and Faith presumably the longest living Slayers ever). Spike refers to Buffy's 'shampoo commercial hair', at this time of course SMG was the Maybeline adverts girl. Spike says 'Oh god no', so strange that vamps still appeal to god even when they're the epitome of evil.

Marks out of 10; 7/10 although that might be a bit generous, the Spike scenes make it better than it otherwise might be.

Is A New Romance Beginning?

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 17 September 2007]

While patrolling in the cemetery, Buffy meets Riley and Spike and becomes upset with their presences. On the next morning, Giles shows the exercise room that he built in the back of his store for the training of Buffy. Meanwhile Harmony looks for a hideout in Spike's place, and she is manipulated by him to kill Buffy. Joyce faints in the kitchen and goes to the emergency of a hospital, but she is apparently OK. Dawn plays with an intern's stethoscope and finds that Riley has a severe tachycardia, but he does not accept to be treated. Buffy contacts Grant and he brings Goodman and Brown, from the Initiative, trying to convince or force Riley to go under examination with a doctor. However, Spike and Harmony breaks into the facility to force the doctor to remove the chip implanted in his head.

In this episode, the most surprising scene is the incoherent romance between Buffy and Spike, fortunately only in his head. The "Barbie" Harmony and Spike are responsible for the funniest lines of this episode; I have not found any explanation for the appearance of Dawn in this Season yet; and Buffy, worried with Riley, convinces him to be operated. Spike having wet dreams with Buffy is absurd, but very funny. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Fora de Controle" ("Out of Control")

Who is Riley Finn?

[ossie85 · 7/10 · 19 August 2022]

Riley's heart rate is through the roof and Buffy is worried about him. Graham and the government come to Riley in an attempt to get him fixed up as Riley gets weaker and weaker. Spike and Harmony team up to try and get Spike's chip out. The reasons for Joyce fainting are unknown.

Why It's So Good - Riley has some masculinity issues to work through, and unfortunately a significant character flaw in not being able to cope with being second fiddle in a relationship. This relationship doesn't look like it is going to work out.

Watch Out For - Spike's dream at the end.

Quote - "Is it safe? Has Buffy gotten to you yet? I saw her patrolling just now... with a stake! She won't give up until she's killed me to death!" - Harmony.

Spike realizes that he loves Buffy and the Buffyverse is never the same

[katierose295 · 9/10 · 29 August 2006]

Spike and Angel are my two favorite characters and I'm basically happy with whoever the date. (Well, except Nina in season five of "Angel." She a waste of time, but that's another post.) Anyway, I enjoy the Angel & Buffy, Angel & Cordy, Spike & Dru, and Spike & Buffy relationships. That said, I actually find the Spike and Buffy pairing the most interesting to watch. It takes a long time to develop and play out. It has a lot of set backs and wrong turns along the way, but it also has some of the sweetest, most meaningful moments in the entire series. It forces both of them to make decisions that they'd never expect and, in the end, to come out better "people." I love Spike and Buffy together and this is the episode that sets up their relationship. This episode also introduces Ben and shows us that Joyce is sick. You can't skip it if you're watching on DVD. It changes the whole course of the show.

"Out of My Mind" revolves around Spike's latest attempt to get the chip out of his head. When Joyce faints and is rushed to the hospital, Buffy meets an intern named Ben. She also finds out that Riley is having heart problems. It seems those experiments that the Initative did to make him all super-powered are slowly killing him. With the backing of Riley's old friends, Buffy tries to convince Riley to get help. Riley is scared that if he becomes a regular guy again, Buffy won't want him. He runs off.

Desperate to find Riley, Buffy goes to Spike for help. She explains that there is an army doctor standing by to operate on Riley and she offers to pay Spike for his help if he can track Riley down. Spike has a better idea, though. He and Harmony kidnap the doctor for themselves and force him to do an operation that will remove the chip in Spike's head. Buffy, meanwhile, finds Riley. Furious that Spike stole the doctor, Buffy goes after him. The doctor is unable to remove Spike's chip, but he's afraid to tell Spike and Harm that. He pretends to complete the operation and when Buffy arrives, Spike attacks her thinking that he's cured. He's not. The chip goes off and Spike retreats in frustration. That night Spike has a dream about kissing Buffy. He wakes up, gasping in horror, and realizes that he loves her.

There are a lot of good parts to this episode. I love that Spike really is trying to protect Harmony from Buffy. He might make fun of Harm and roll his eyes and threaten to stake her again, but in the end he hides her in his tomb to keep her safe. Given a choice, Spike will always side with the underdog. I think that he identifies with them on some level. He protected Dru for over a century and he automatically does the same thing with Harm. I also love the scenes with Harmony, Spike and the Doctor. She's taken up smoking. (Because she's "Hello?" evil now and her evil mentor, Spike, smokes all the time.) But, when the doctor tells her that she has to put her cigarette out Harmony, diabolical master mind that she is, quickly apologizes and stops smoking. She just isn't cut out for evil schemes.

Also, I think it's interesting that even with a chip in his head, Spike seemed to beat Buffy in their fight. Which sort of lends credence to Harm and Dru's later accusations that he's never really fought Buffy full out. Personally, I tend to think that Buffy, Spike and Angel are about equally matched. Depending on the day, and how mad they are, any one of them could come out the winner in a fight. When Riley and Buffy argue in the cave, he's actually right. Riley claims that Buffy won't want him if he's not super-powered any more. Buffy snaps that if she cared about dating someone really strong, she'd be with Spike. But, she's missing his deeper point. It's not about mere physical strength. Buffy is the Slayer and she needs someone who is her equal. Someone who can fight with her, and stand up to her, and who she can be herself with. Riley can't be that person and he knows it. Maybe Buffy knows it, too, but she's in complete denial. Riley doesn't have a place in her world the way Angel and Spike do.

On the downside, how did Buffy think that Spike could get Riley to the doctor's on his own? With the chip in his head, Spike can't exactly knock Riley out and carry him there. Also, shouldn't Buffy have been mad at Spike for trying to steal Riley's doctor? We never have a scene where she confronts him about that. By the next episode, it's just forgotten.

My favorite part of the episode: Spike watching "Dawson's Creek." I enjoy it on about four different levels. (1) It's just funny to see a 120-something vampire watching a teen soap opera. (2) He's shouting, "Pacey, you blind idiot, can't you see that she doesn't love you?" at the screen. Which sort of mirrors the reactions that everyone will be having about his seemingly unrequited love for Buffy over the next few years. (3) In season seven, Buffy accuses Angel of going all "Dawson" on her about her relationship with Spike. Which means that she must watch the show, too. (4) On "Dawson's Creek" Joey chooses Pacey over Dawson in the end, which I think is kind of interesting. If Buffy sees Angel as "Dawson, does that mean she sees Spike as "Pacey?" And if she does, does that mean that she's unconsciously choosing Spike over Angel? I'm not sure. But, all in all, that's a lot of meaning to be packed into one five second scene.

The One Where Spike Is In Love With...

[taylorkingston · 10/10 · 17 October 2014]

I absolutely love this episode. It is one of my all time favorite Buffy The Vampire Slayer episodes. It's so funny, and of course, it brings in the start of my favorite couple on this show, Buffy and Spike.

In this episode, Spike decides it's time to get rid of his chip, once and for all. And when Riley starts getting sick, because his heart is all screwed up, thanks to Maggie Walsh's implants and doses, Spike has the perfect opportunity. He finds out where there's an Initiative doctor, takes Harmony along, threatens the doctor, and gets him to perform brain surgery. He makes the doctor remove the chip, and the he and Buffy have a giant fight. But it turns out that the doctor couldn't remove the chip, and Spike and Harmony run away. A few hours later, Buffy shows up at Spike's crypt, and they have a big argument, then Spike kisses Buffy, and says he loves her. Then Spike wakes up, all huffing and puffing, and realizes that it was a dream. But worse, he realizes that he's in love with Buffy and begs it to not be true. You can't fight feelings, Spike.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10.

Operation: Brain Surgery

[Samuel-Shovel · 6/10 · 2 November 2017]

In this episode, Riley's health post-Initiative continues to deteriorate. Meanwhile, Spike plots with Harmony to remove the chip from his head.

While this episode does have a lot of filler, it does set up a lot of interesting potential subplots moving forward.

The fact that Dawn has abruptly appeared out of nowhere and everyone acted like it was normal is finally addressed by Joyce and a fainting spell as she briefly sees through the facade. I'm sure we'll see more of this later.

Riley's relationship with the government and his relationship with Buffy are both strained and it feels as if he'll be making his exit sooner rather than later. (Side note: Graham played Bailey Chase has horrendous acting in this episode)

Willow seems to be fiddling with more powerful, more dangerous magic and Tara seems to be concerned by this.

And of course, Spike's new love-hate relationship with Buffy as he starts to feel a hateful sexual attraction to the Slayer.

We'll see how all of this goes down moving forward. I must say, this isn't one of my favorite episodes but it could definitely have been worse.

Spike: Taking up smoking, are you? Harmony: I am a villain, Spike. Hello.

[bombersflyup · 9/10 · 3 August 2018]

Out of My Mind is about Riley's health, from being modified by the Initiative and Spike trying to remove the chip from his brain.

I don't care for Riley and the plot's mostly centered around him, but I do like the episode. Sarah's exceptional in the dramatics and especially alluring here and Spike and Harmony together's always a lot of fun. Spike having dreams about Buffy's pretty expected, why did it take five seasons?

I couldnt Care less about spike or about Riley.

[nicofreezer · 7/10 · 23 August 2022]

Want i want is good stories, not Riley or spike love stories..., what i want is great Standalone/Monster of the week episodes or a good main plot.

But no, Season 5 have been a huge let down for the moment. With stupid stories in every episodes, best one yet is the Xander episode with the double/twins.

7/10.

Yet another disjointed episode

[skay_baltimore · 5/10 · 29 July 2010]

Too much meaningless dialog; too difficult to empathize with the Riley character; too many BtVS episodes tipping the scale towards irrelevance. This episode has the distinct queasy feel of a cheap soap opera. And even considering the fact that Harmony is supposed to be obnoxious, the way she grates on one's nerves defies description. This is one of those shows that tries too hard -- hence the melodramatic feel. It tries too hard to be serious and it tries too hard to be funny. And it fails miserably at both.

This, unfortunately, has become a bad habit in this series. One can only wonder about the stubborn, sophomoric mentality that Joss Whedon possesses. Like his inability to really comprehend just how detrimental Dawn is to the fan base and the show. He seems to feel the problem lies in the audience, rather than in the writing/direction. Oh well...it's his sandbox. But rather than some creative genius being on display for all to see, it's more like the Emperor's (Nude) Clothes; he can dance around proclaiming how magnificent his wardrobe is all he wants -- most of the rest of us can see it for what it really is.

The chip

[Realrockerhalloween · 4 October 2016]

The love the fall out for last season as Spike is still desperate to get the chip out of his head. He can't pose a threat or eat without Harmony's help and he's tired of being mixed to the scoobies. While neutered he has to surpass his demon side which goes against his nature and driving him crazy. Also I find it startling that he has gotten so close to Buffy he knows facts to sprout off as insults and even has a fantasy dream involving them together. It seems the chip has finally allowed him to see what we all knew from the beginning that he has an obsessive crush on the slayer and can't get his mind off of her.

Another factor is Riley's body can't handle not being feed the chemicals injected into him and now may suffer a heart attack. It finally brings to the surface his inferior complex as he wants to live, but not lose his abilities and think she won't want him anymore. Ever since the fight with Angel he doesn't feel he measures up to him and can't keep a girl interested. I love his talk with Buffy that she doesn't need a superhero, but an average Joe who cares and will be there for her.