The Only Episode Of Buffy Where Joss Whedon Told Anthony Head To Do More, Not Less
Where would Buffy Summers be with Rupert Giles? More importantly, where would "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" be without Anthony Head? When fans discuss their favorite characters on "Buffy," you're likely to hear a lot of Spikes, Willows, Faiths, and of course, a lot of Buffys. You don't hear the name of the Scooby Gang's trusty leader, Giles, quite as often. Why is that?
The man appointed by the Watcher Council to oversee Buffy's tenure as the current slayer of the realm, Giles' role within the Sunnydale vampire-fighting crew mirrored to a large extent the character's role within the larger show, as a kind of straight man. For the most part, Giles is a reliable, even-tempered, unfailingly knowledgeable teacher, guide, protector, and father figure to Buffy and her friends. For the most part.
The further that "Buffy" went along, the further Giles' character deepened, as tends to happen on 22-episode-long seasons of television in which every rock is ultimately going to get turned over again and again for plot fodder. We learned more about his backstory, which involved rejecting his birthright to become a Watcher, experimenting with dark magic, and earning the nickname "Ripper." He also began to have darker and more wild storylines, including some episodes in which he figured as the main character.
The most memorable of these episodes has to be season 4's "A New Man," in which Ethan Rayne, a black-magic-worshipping bad boy (now bad man) from Giles' past takes advantage of the Watcher's newfound boredom and restlessness, as the Scooby Gang have all but outgrown Giles' help and Sunnydale High has burned down. Ethan lulls Giles into a false sense of camaraderie and, while he's in an idle, drunken stupor, transforms him into a leathery, horned Fyarl demon. Absolute chaos ensues.
Giles breaks free
After a long night of drinking with his old pal, "A New Man" smash cuts to Giles waking up transformed into a bestial demon. He's super strong, super fast, and unable to speak English any more, marking him as an immediate threat. Ultimately, after he's been hunted and stabbed by Buffy (who thought he was a demon who attacked Giles and not Giles himself), the gang realize who they're dealing with and force Ethan to turn Giles back.
Narratively, the episode is more focused on developing Buffy's relationship with the covertly treacherous Riley; Giles is merely a tool in that development. But on a character level, it's hilarious to watch the usually prim and proper Anthony Head scream in demonic gibberish, flail around naked, and indiscriminately threaten his enemies. Not only did it reveal a hidden spectrum in Giles' emotional range, but showcased a new range of talents in Head's actor's arsenal. In a character profile that aired alongside the series' original run, Head reflected on how "A New Man" broke with showrunner Joss Whedon's usual way of doing things:
"Joss has always been very clever and very sharp as to just how much emotion to have, and if you give the audience too much you take them beyond that moment of holding their breath [...] I seem to remember it was one of the times where Joss did not say, 'pull it back,' he actually said, 'do more.'"
Indeed, one of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's" great strengths is its restraint. Sure, Sunnydale is full of bloodsucking vampires, lesbian witches, and undead Knights of Byzantium, but the series' true heart lies in the interpersonal dynamics between the characters. And these dynamics are intimately attuned to the painful intricacies of young adult loss and longing. That even old Giles gets a chance to showcase a deeper side — even if that deeper side is his silly side — is all the more testament to "Buffy's" enduring appeal.