'Earshot' is an episode that contains a brilliant premise - Buffy the mind reader! - but the restriction of the �hour-long� format dictates that the plot must be advanced, and ultimately resolved, before its full potential has been mined. Still, before Buffy is confined to bed with a bad case of sensory overload there�s much to enjoy.

It�s a great opportunity for Jane Espenson to highlight some very interesting character traits: Xander worries that Buffy will discover that he has a one-track mind ("Naked girls! Naked woman! Naked Buffy!"), Willow fears that Buffy will soon know more about the inscrutable Oz than she does, and Wesley has his illicit relationship with Cordelia to conceal ("I am a bad, bad man"). Buffy also catches Oz deep in philosophical thought.

Espenson captures Cordelia�s shallowness beautifully: she has nothing to fear from Buffy�s new ability because she is completely superficial, and simply blurts out whatever crosses her mind.

The fun fizzles out when the episode switches to Scooby gang mode, and the investigation into the "This time tomorrow I�ll kill you all" threat takes over. The episode becomes quite mechanical at this point, and quickly loses momentum. The hunt for clues is reminiscent of previous investigations, like those in The Puppet Show and Go Fish. This is a feeling reinforced by the appearance of a couple of suspects that have featured in similar situations before, including a conveniently suicidal Jonathan (Danny Strong), and the now happily out of the closet Larry (Larry Bagby III).