"The Initiative" is the seventh episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Written by Doug Petrie and directed by James A. Contner, it originally aired on November 16, 1999 on the WB network. In "The Initiative", Spike is imprisoned in an underground demon-research facility, and Riley Finn realizes he has a crush on Buffy. Plot Riley and his friends Forrest and Graham, watch Buffy making a mess of the soda and yogurt machines. They comment on what a catch she is, and how interested they all are in her, although Riley is reluctant to make fun. Giles and Xander discover the commandoes are human and that their help will not be needed again. Buffy decides to go to a party with Willow to hopefully cheer her up, and Giles and Xander go on patrol for her. Spike, having been knocked out by a Taser in the previous episode, awakes in a facility where various types of demons are held captive behind electrically charged barriers. A packet of blood drops from the ceiling into Spike's cell, but before he drinks it, a vampire in the next cell - Tom, captured in "The Freshman" - warns him that doctors starve the vampires and then feed them drugged blood before doing experiments on them. In class, Willow asks about Oz, and Riley and Professor Walsh tell her that he dropped out of class and will not likely come back, saddening her. Buffy tells the professor off for her harsh behavior, prompting Walsh to comment to Riley that she likes her. Forrest asks Parker about Buffy, and when Parker vulgarly brags about having sex with her, Riley punches him, realizing that he likes Buffy. He visits Willow and asks her advice in wooing Buffy; Willow, still emotionally distressed, questions his motives, but eventually relents, listing some of Buffy's likes and interests. Spike lies on the floor of his cell, pretending to have drunk the drugged blood, and when the doctors come to get him he attacks. He escapes the Initiative and returns to Harmony's lair to visit her, then immediately leaves to kill the Slayer. Xander later discovers Harmony crying, burning some of Spike's things. After a brief inept slap-fight, Harmony tells Xander that Spike is back. At the party, Willow tries to help Riley flirt with Buffy, but his attempts are thwarted when Xander arrives to inform Buffy