Buffy and Riley get mutually suspicious of each other when Buffy reveals that Professor Walsh tried to have her killed. When Professor Walsh is found dead things get even more out of hand, with the commandos quick to blame Buffy. Riley is even more agitated when he sees Buffy with Spike ("Hostile 17") and then again at Willy's Place.
Meanwhile the man-demon-machine Adam that Professor Walsh created is roaming Sunnydale and even Buffy can't seem to stop him.

Good by Iowa

Not a great episode apart for the fact we finally discover Adam and Maggie Walsh’s legacy: turning military staff into perfect puppet 1/by drugging them 2/by mixing them with demon and computer bits (turning them into “lame” green GI Joe action man look alike)


A funny moment is Buffy having an in charge speech but her yummy sushi pyjama make the whole scene quite funny. One annoying thing is: the death of little kid (a Frankenstein reference) is a big thing for 5 minutes and then it’s completely forgotten (by Buffy, scoobies, initiative, news, investigators,… )


Marc blucas is given a little more to act with: the curtain scene did make me jump the first time, the cold turkey scene at the willy’s bar (yeah to the return of willy) is quite ok too. Apart that, the whole “It was probably a test” excuse is really dumb and then it’s a little hard to care about his well being.


Willow/tara and the sabotage of the demon finding spell: there was a good plot to go with (but as seen in season five, it was nothing big).


There is a few good scene: giles/anya bickering about the sleeping arrangement, buffy/anya/willow discussion about relation (anya: you should get someone as boring as xander …………….. you can’t have xander!), buffy/xander going undercover at the initiative (LOL at xander confusion rectal/retinal scan and his “I get it now, can I sleep with riley too” when discovering the initiative HQ), xander trying to make out with buffy when two marines pass by (a moment of panic or just on purpose ).

Not too bad, again. Whatever happens though, I can't abide Adam. He just doesn't convice me. A shame, as the concept is good, and George Hertzberg does a pretty good turn.

The murder of the boy is quite a shocker really, but I agree with Claire that this is forgotten all too quickly,

I don't really have much to add after Claire's excellent post (again!) A long way from the best of this season, but it's watchable.

Andrew :yahoo:

well adam does comment about killing the kid but what could buffy do with that information? "a frankestein monster created by the governement killed your son" (the initiative would cover up, the cops won't believe it, not sure about the journalists) :unsure: :ponder:

Goodbye Iowa reminds me a little of Out Of My Mind in S5 in that it is a necessary but not very memorable checkpoint episode developing Riley and moving on the story arc. It is almost as if they thought they had to put everything in its place before Faith storms back on the scene.

Even though I have just watched it almost none of it feels memorable. The dearth of witty dialogue is apparent. For whatever reason this feels a world away from the sparkling banter of Dead Mans Party. Marti seems to have been sucked into the serious mindset of Adam and S4. Possibly seeing as they only have half a season to develop Adam they want to establish him in a serious way.

The senseless murder of the little boy shows what Adam is like and maybe makes it difficult to segue into humour. The thing is the better episodes do change gears with some degree of effortlessness.

I forget if this is officially a two partner but it would seem so. Riley has to leave the comforting embrace of The Initiative. I am reminded of Jean Paul Sartre who commented about leaving the comforting embrace of the Communist Party. His earlier philosophy seems strongly individualistic with his stance against 'the predominance of the other'(echoes of Heidegger). Though Goodbye Iowa seems to touch on these issues exactly how Riley feels is left somewhat unclear.

There are virtually no quotes that stand out though I like Anya's line about Xander not being in the nam. 4/10. sk