New Titles: Being the first episode of the second series, When She Was Bad features a revamped title sequence, with an added credit for David Boreanaz (Angel).

Love the hair: Since the second season was shot six months after filming wrapped on the first, several cast members have different hairstyles. (In Sunnydale at least several weeks have passed since the events in Prophecy Girl, so it makes sense that there would be differences).

She's back: The pre-credits teaser includes a shot of Buffy turning to camera to say "Hi guys. Missed me?" She's talking to Xander and Willow, but it's also a message to the viewers who'd been waiting since the end of the first series.

Happy holidays: We hear about several of the Scoobies' holiday trips. Xander and Willow have spent a boring summer in Sunnydale. Buffy's been off in LA shopping and partying. Cordelia spent a month and a half in Tuscany, but would have preferred St Croix, and Jenny Calendar went to the Burning Man Festival. That's a kind of American Glastonbury, only more hectic and with guns.

Sexy dancing: The band onstage at the Bronze when Buffy does her flirty routine with Xander are Cibo Matto, who play their tracks Spoon and Sugar Water.

The Three... Cordelia greets Xander, Buffy and Willow with the words "Oh look. It's The Three Musketeers." It's a reference to Alexander Dumas' 1844 book about three gallant knights protecting the King of France against his scheming Cardinal.

The story has been made into a film many times. Possibly the best version is from 1973, starring Oliver Reed and featuring a great cameo by Spike Milligan as a crazed landlord. British audiences may know the story better from dire mid-80s cartoon Dogtanian and The Three Muskerhounds, though.

Bitch-o-matic: Buffy gets some great bitchy lines in this episode. To Cordelia she says "Your mouth is open, and sound is coming from it. This is never good." When Cordelia hits back with the thought that Buffy is "campaigning for Bitch of the Year", Buffy replies "As defending champion, are you nervous?"

Quote of the week: Once more at a loose end at the close of the show, the gang discuss plans for the evening. Xander suggests "Well, we could grind our enemies into talcum powder with a sledgehammer, but hey, we did that last night." Referring of course to the skeleton of The Master which Buffy had previously got medieval with.