 Critics hailed the episode as successful in telling a complex story about all the characters in a unique way , while retaining the series ' effective elements of writing and character development . Throughout the show — as in the rest of the series — the characters self @-@ consciously address their own dialogue and actions . Anya describes her own duet " I 'll Never Tell " as " a retro pastiche that 's never gonna be a breakaway pop hit " . With a characteristic dry demeanor , Giles explains that he overheard the information about Sunnydale residents spontaneously combusting as he was eavesdropping upon the police taking " witness arias " . In her opening number , " Going Through the Motions " , Buffy sings that she feels as though she is playing a part : " nothing here is real , nothing here is right " . The song introduces the character 's emotional state but also removes the barrier between the actor and the audience , as Gellar the actor portrays Buffy , who feels she is merely playing the part of the Slayer . This hints to the audience that the episode 's musical format is strange to the actors and characters . According to Buffy essayist Richard Albright , the lack of polish among cast members ' singing voices added to the authenticity of their breaking out into song for the first time in the series . Whedon included self @-@ conscious dialogue and references about the characters being in a musical and showed their reluctance toward song and dance , so that the audience would feel more comfortable with the improbability of such a thing happening on the show . 
