Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season One: Episode Eleven: Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Original Air Date: 5/19/97
Special Notes: Cordelia asks for help, Giles meets Angel

Andrew Webster

Action: 3.0
Comedy: 2.5
Plot/Story: 3.0

In an episode mostly revolving around Cordelia, and the essence of herself, a reflection on how brutal social clicks can be is shown here. Being left out all the time is never a joyful feeling, and this episode plays heavily on that, when an invisible force begins to cause chaos in the school. The victims though, are all friends of Cordelia. One of the bettter parts about this episode is the emotion that's put into the villain, as well as the characters. Despite how psychopathic the antagonist is, we can sympathize partially with her plight. As for the action in the episode, it's somewhat enjoyable seeing invisible forces being tackled by Buffy. As for the comedy, it only has its few inspired moments. It's a decent episode at best, but it has one scene, maybe two, that lend themselves to the next episode of the series. Other than that, it's an episode of nothingness.

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Scott Tofte

Action: 3.5
Comedy: 3.5
Plot/Story: 3.5

Out of Mind... is slightly better than the episode before it, "Nightmares", but it runs along the same track. It's a very metaphor-heavy episode in that Joss takes the feeling of being an unnoticed outcast, and turns it into a literal translation in which the antagonist phsyically becomes invisible as a result of her torment. Again, thank god for that ever handy Hellmouth, or else this episode would be totally unbelievable. There were a couple captivating moments in this one, the one that most sticks out in my mind is when Cordelia tells Buffy how truly hard it is always being the popular one. The goodness comes though once again in the message and the idea behind the episode, rather than the episode itself. It's another Joss-aphor as i like to call it. A good ep, better than the last, not as good as the next.

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Running Tally's

Cordelia almost dead: 3
Cordelia finds badness: 1
Xander bad dates: 1
Apocalypses: 1
Hospital Scenes: 2
Perfect 5 Ratings: 1

Eaglefreak2k: hey
Webby2299: discussion time?
Eaglefreak2k: yeah
Eaglefreak2k: what we up to?
Eaglefreak2k: out of sight?
Webby2299: Out of Mind, Out of Sight. Episode 11
Eaglefreak2k: frankly, this is the biggest jossaphor of season one
Eaglefreak2k: girl gets really really ignored, so physically, she becomes invisible
Eaglefreak2k: of course, thank god for that handy dandy magic spurtin' hellmouth
Webby2299: and another episode whose only explanation is, "well, we're on the hellmouth".
Webby2299: exactly
Eaglefreak2k: yeah
Eaglefreak2k: granted, another great idea for a story, and it's nice to see cordelia start to open up characterwise a bit more, seeing as she'll be a major player next season
Webby2299: yes, but overall I thought the episode was somewhat weak
Eaglefreak2k: true
Webby2299: the plot especially. Granted the story put a spin on the idea of social clicks and being left out, but it became too cliched too quickly
Eaglefreak2k: there were really only minor highpoints. Angel meeting Giles for the first time, cordelia's inner turmoil, seeing snyder's reaction to the term "sue"
Webby2299: yes, and we did get a set up here for the next episode as well
Webby2299: in the Giles, Angel meeting
Eaglefreak2k: yep
Eaglefreak2k: but you're right, it did become very very cliche. All though it's the first time we see the sunnydale high bandroom
Eaglefreak2k: but not the last
Webby2299: very true, any other points about the story itself you'd like to make?
Eaglefreak2k: not really, other than it is something most people can relate to on some level.
Eaglefreak2k: so onto comedy
Eaglefreak2k: go for it
Webby2299: Comedy in this episode was fairly decent. Principal Snyder in all of his greed and fear was comical, but other than that it's very comedy lite. The only other memorable scene I can think of is upon Xander and Willow reading the yearbook. I can't take anything away from Cordellia though. Her naievity of the situations she's in, does add some humor to the episode.
Eaglefreak2k: id like to point out when she comes to buffy for help in reference to her humor
Webby2299: yes, the first time since the first episode we see a pleasant exchange...pleasant by Cordy's standards anyway
Eaglefreak2k: true
Webby2299: how about the action?
Eaglefreak2k: again, kinda blunt
Eaglefreak2k: this is another one of those myster episodes
Eaglefreak2k: where the scoobies spend the whole time figuring out whats going on
Eaglefreak2k: and then buffy goes and has a battle
Eaglefreak2k: although i liked the fact that there's some interesting action throughout. harmony's tumble
Eaglefreak2k: Mitch getting clobbered (i think his name was mitch)
Webby2299: yes
Webby2299: it was
Eaglefreak2k: but mediocre action
Eaglefreak2k: i think this episode was a little better than nightmares, seeing as there was more critical plot info
Webby2299: eh, I go the other way, I think it was worse than nightmares, less original to me
Eaglefreak2k: maybe less original, but presented very well.
Eaglefreak2k: i give this ep a 3.5
Webby2299: and I give it a 3. I think more could, and should've been done with this invisibility concept besides just the revenge on the social click.
Eaglefreak2k: good point,
Eaglefreak2k: so that gives us a 3.25
Eaglefreak2k: at least it's easy math
Webby2299: so far it has been
Eaglefreak2k: ok well join us next time
Eaglefreak2k: same (vampire) bat time....
Webby2299: yes yes, same (vampire) bat channel
Webby2299: we're going to get so sued for this
Webby2299: u up for finishing off season one tonight with the last chat?
Webby2299: scott?
Webby2299: ?
Webby2299: you feel asleep....again
Webby2299: wake up, or I'll start typing the lyrics to "Come On Eileen"
Webby2299: you're just lucky I don't know all the words!
Webby2299: tune in next time for another rendition of "The narcoleptic, and the insomniac."