The treatment of the cavemen in s04e05 Beer Bad makes me sad.

The writers treat them uncharitably. Why are four boys picking up girls at bars just to chat about (unbelievably) dull freshmen philosophy? When Buffy jokes about being bored they do switch to ask her about herself, so they're capable of more social behavior. Why then?

The bartender mistreats them. He drugs them and not in a "this is the 90s, Bill Cosby drugging people is supposed to be funny somehow" way. Xander immediately worries they could die; it's serious. And he drugs them because... he didn't like them talking about dull philosophy?

Buffy casually mistreats them, at least insofar as she writes them off after this episode. They offered her some innocent, respectful friendship at a moment when she desperately needed it. But they're only around to be the punchline.

The extended metaphor is unkind. Men haven't evolved; Parker is unga bunga caveman who deserves to be revenge-bashed. Except the actual cavemen didn't hurt anyone that we know of.

Everyone used them up and threw them away, and it's worse than Parker's one night stand. I couldn't bring myself to be complicit, an audience member treating them with the same disregard, and it makes it a lot harder to enjoy the episode.