Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode
Xander finds out that all the girls in the school are madly in love with him.
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 16
Directed by	James A. Contner
Written by	Marti Noxon
Production code	5V16
Original air date	February 10, 1998
Guest appearance(s)
Seth Green as Oz Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers Robia LaMorte as Jenny Calendar Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy Madison Mercedes McNab as Harmony Kendall Lorna Scott as Miss Beakman James Marsters as Spike Juliet Landau as Drusilla Jason Hall as Devon MacLeish Jennie Chester as Kate Kristen Winnicki as Cordette Tamara Braun as Frenzied Girl Scott Hamm as Jock
Episode chronology
← Previous "Phases" Next → "Passion"
List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes

"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is episode 16 of season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was written by Marti Noxon and first broadcast on February 10, 1998.

In this episode, Cordelia breaks up with Xander after her friends mock her. Xander retaliates by attempting a love spell to "put her through the same hell", and he gets a little more than he had bargained for.

During a patrol through the cemetery, Xander shows Buffy a silver necklace he intends to give to Cordelia the following night for Valentine's Day. The next day at school, Xander witnesses Amy Madison use magic to avoid a homework assignment. Soon after, Giles runs into Jenny Calendar, however their relationship remains frosty, with Giles deciding talking to Buffy is more important than making amends with Jenny. Giles warns Buffy that Angelus becomes particularly vicious around Valentine's Day, and suggests she stays indoors for the following nights. Meanwhile, Cordelia is insulted by Harmony and the Cordettes, revealing to Cordelia that her relationship with Xander is not as secret as she once thought.

Xander gives the necklace to Cordelia, but she breaks up with him under pressure from her friends. Xander is heart broken, and blackmails Amy into casting a love spell upon Cordelia so he can take revenge by breaking up with her. The spell goes wrong, with Cordelia becoming the only female not to be affected by the spell (protected by her necklace).

The following day, Xander is shocked to find Cordelia repels his advances, and retreats to the library. Buffy makes it clear that she is attracted to Xander, but Amy interrupts them and tells Xander she believes the spell went wrong. She begins to act similarly to Buffy, so Xander rushes home.

The following day, all of the girls of Sunnydale High start following Xander around the corridors and Harmony criticises a shocked Cordelia for breaking up with Xander. Xander seeks help from Giles, who is appalled by Xander's foolishness. Giles goes looking for Amy, so that she can reverse the spell, while Xander barricades himself in the library. However, Buffy gets in and attempts to seduce a reluctant Xander. Amy also arrives, and becomes jealous of Buffy, ultimately casting a spell that changes Buffy into a rat. An angry Giles orders Xander to go home, while he attempts to make Amy reverse the spells. Oz looks for the Buffy-rat to ensure that she is not hurt.