Conversations With Dead People is probably one of the darkest episodes Buffy the Vampire Slayer ever came out with. Each of the main characters is visited by the spirit of someone with whom they share some king of connection...or so they think. Buffy is psychoanalyzed by a recently turned vampire who went to high school with her, Willow has a discussion with Cassie, and Dawn is alone at her house with a violent spirit. Nothing the dead have to say is encouraging in regards to their fight with the First Evil. In fact, Cassie passes along a message supposedly from Tara telling Willow to commit suicide. Which is exactly the moment that gives the game away, because Willow realizes that Tara would never say that to her: it's just the First playing with them. It's a chillingly downbeat episode, one that matches the rest of the seventh season.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
