Ha! I said the same thing only not as clear and concise and without proper punctuation. Can I just pay you to write for me in life? 😛😀
Ha! I said the same thing only not as clear and concise and without proper punctuation. Can I just pay you to write for me in life? 😛😀
Grace
Destructo-Girl
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2017
- Messages
- 1,792
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
Help
I'm with Buffy on the tastefulness of closed caskets. Love how none of them so much as yelps when the vampire opens her eyes!
There's a lot of stuff to enjoy in this episode, more than I remembered, so I'll just get the stuff I didn't like out of the way first.
Azura Skye for me did her best with a thinly drawn character who seemed to serve simply as a metaphor - I think that's the right term but I expect I'll be set straight - for the group's collective helplessness and frustration at their lack of control over events.
The demon raisers - bunch of creeps. And the chief demon raiser reminded me at the end of Niles from Frasier, fainting not once, not twice but repeatedly over his cut finger. Get over it, boy. You tell him, Buffy.
The poetry and website didn't help me feel Cassie was any more real or fleshed out, it just felt gimmicky to me.
Why does nobody take any notice of Dawn? She could have a valid point.
Buffy threatening to punch that boy for information.
Cassie's so-called friend Mike. She keeps a photo of him but he dismisses her.
The consistent thread of misogyny.
On to the good:
"Something out there's going to kill me."
But the killer is inside.
Ah Willow and Xander, sharing a moment at last and Xander being supportive. Lovely. Miss you, Tara. Sniff.
Sidebar: really hope Tara and Joyce's graves didn't disappear at the end.
Xander wants to help, Buffy wants to help. I like seeing purposeful Buffy again.
Buffy has a goldfish - really? Would that be the goldfish that demon from way back was trying to look after?
Both Willow and Xander are in Buffy's corner, convinced she is the right person for the job of counsellor. Buffy is less sure. She could also have a valid point.
Only when she sees a supernatural threat does she come into her own and she is right there.
Ah the zeal and self-righteousness of Buffy and Xander going to see Cassie's father. They all want to return to the certainty of their younger days when things were more black and white. They think they have worked out what's going on but they are wide of the mark. Diplomacy, thy name is not Buffy.
Although Buffy swings into action Cassie already knows this is an exercise in futility. Wood has a slightly world- weary air here that I actually liked. He knows these things go in cycles.
Can't remember the significance of Slaughterhouse 5 so I'll have to go back and read it again. But I got very excited by Willow referencing the works of Philip K Dick.
The gang has lived such a strange life for so long that they see supernatural in everything. But Cassie dies of a weak heart.
Spike is completely in the dark here. If he doesn't listen to the voices he says he can keep calm. He begs Buffy to help him but she asks for, no, demands his help and expects it without question. She snaps her fingers at him. Nice. Not.
I can't remember what the meaning of Spike's Mon Tresor is.
But he shows up and fights through the chip pain, then unties Cassie's hands and untapes her mouth. He may well look baffled at what she says - I'm not sure what's going on, either. At this stage I don't believe that, either.
Buffy knows what it's like to walk the halls feeling lost and alone.
On the whole, a bit better than I remembered but an episode I would still class as filler.
I'm with Buffy on the tastefulness of closed caskets. Love how none of them so much as yelps when the vampire opens her eyes!
There's a lot of stuff to enjoy in this episode, more than I remembered, so I'll just get the stuff I didn't like out of the way first.
Azura Skye for me did her best with a thinly drawn character who seemed to serve simply as a metaphor - I think that's the right term but I expect I'll be set straight - for the group's collective helplessness and frustration at their lack of control over events.
The demon raisers - bunch of creeps. And the chief demon raiser reminded me at the end of Niles from Frasier, fainting not once, not twice but repeatedly over his cut finger. Get over it, boy. You tell him, Buffy.
The poetry and website didn't help me feel Cassie was any more real or fleshed out, it just felt gimmicky to me.
Why does nobody take any notice of Dawn? She could have a valid point.
Buffy threatening to punch that boy for information.
Cassie's so-called friend Mike. She keeps a photo of him but he dismisses her.
The consistent thread of misogyny.
On to the good:
"Something out there's going to kill me."
But the killer is inside.
Ah Willow and Xander, sharing a moment at last and Xander being supportive. Lovely. Miss you, Tara. Sniff.
Sidebar: really hope Tara and Joyce's graves didn't disappear at the end.
Xander wants to help, Buffy wants to help. I like seeing purposeful Buffy again.
Buffy has a goldfish - really? Would that be the goldfish that demon from way back was trying to look after?
Both Willow and Xander are in Buffy's corner, convinced she is the right person for the job of counsellor. Buffy is less sure. She could also have a valid point.
Only when she sees a supernatural threat does she come into her own and she is right there.
Ah the zeal and self-righteousness of Buffy and Xander going to see Cassie's father. They all want to return to the certainty of their younger days when things were more black and white. They think they have worked out what's going on but they are wide of the mark. Diplomacy, thy name is not Buffy.
Although Buffy swings into action Cassie already knows this is an exercise in futility. Wood has a slightly world- weary air here that I actually liked. He knows these things go in cycles.
Can't remember the significance of Slaughterhouse 5 so I'll have to go back and read it again. But I got very excited by Willow referencing the works of Philip K Dick.
The gang has lived such a strange life for so long that they see supernatural in everything. But Cassie dies of a weak heart.
Spike is completely in the dark here. If he doesn't listen to the voices he says he can keep calm. He begs Buffy to help him but she asks for, no, demands his help and expects it without question. She snaps her fingers at him. Nice. Not.
I can't remember what the meaning of Spike's Mon Tresor is.
But he shows up and fights through the chip pain, then unties Cassie's hands and untapes her mouth. He may well look baffled at what she says - I'm not sure what's going on, either. At this stage I don't believe that, either.
Buffy knows what it's like to walk the halls feeling lost and alone.
On the whole, a bit better than I remembered but an episode I would still class as filler.
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
Selfless
"What have I done?"
Boy, this episode packs a punch. Loved it. Rank it alongside BY so far as my favourite.
Sweet conversation between Dawn and Willow. Xander is on the banks of the Nile, basking, he'd better watch out for crocodiles.
Aud giving selflessly of herself in 9th century Sweden. She desperately wants to belong to the community but is constantly rejected because she acts differently. I laughed out loud at the more arid Baltic region comment.
Will we ever find out why she comes to hate bunnies?
Should be tavern, not bar.
Strong allusion to Lady Macbeth there and we see subsequently that Anya has indeed not managed to wash all the blood away.
Beneath the veneer of a normal life that Willow is trying to get back into lies the darkness. When Willow met up with Anya on the pathway, I got a very strong sense of two worlds colliding.
Dark Willow makes a brief but telling reappearance. Is it wrong of me to admit I felt more for the scorned and humiliated girl than I did for Cassie? The whole episode was on a different plane from Help. To my mind, anyway.
Loved seeing that Willow was happy and chatty with Anya.
Both Anya and Buffy subsume themselves in their respective callings. And for pity's sake, why can none of Buffy's friends see or understand that she yearns for love and happiness as well??? As a Spuffy I should have felt devastated by her grief-stricken "I loved him (Angel) more than I will ever love anything in this life". But I just felt almost heart broken for her. She wants to go back, to a simpler time and place. Where love was sweet and new. And she was innocent. But none of them can.
Spike doesn't trust his senses any more. He reminisces tenderly about Dru. But he's confiding in the evil shapeshifter and when the real Buffy shows up her manner is brusque and challenging. Sorry I got the reference wrong above - it's actually here that Spike says scream Mon Tresor all you like. Still need to look that up again. Blame my poor editing.
Just getting a bit fed up with seeing Spike sitting alone in the dark. Waiting for people to visit him. Move it along, please. He needs to regain his spirit. That's the only thing I didn't like here, oh and also the throwaway reference to Xander's huge lie from Becoming 2. Never dealt with again.
Olaf adapts rapidly to being a troll, just as he said back in Triangle. Seems to enjoy it, in fact.
Anyanka now has a family and a friend, Halfrek. Halfrek provides running commentary and points out that there is more to life than work. Anyanka responds that work is all that she is, all that matters. She and Buffy are curiously alike in that regard.
I may be stretching but I sort of see similarities between Spike and Xander's situations here. They are both torn between their womenfolk. Xander still loves Anya, Spike seems still to be fond of Dru but hates himself for hurting Buffy. Xander stands up to Buffy over Anya and gets slugged by Anya for his pains.
The poster behind Buffy bears the legend "People can alter their lives by altering their attitude." Indeed, but is any of the gang at that stage yet?
The fight between Anya and Buffy - since when were these two ever best friends? I never saw any hint from Buffy that she ever did more than tolerate Anya for Xander's sake.
I enjoyed the glimpse into OMFW. Marti Noxon has a gorgeous singing voice.
Poor Hallie. Life and soul of a vengeance demon? Interesting.
Anya shows courage here, and in the end they all walk alone in fear.
Great episode.
Him
Trying my best to catch up here.
Ok, back to not great episode. This one reminds me of why there are certain episodes in each season that I rarely watch again. The things I do for you lovely lot!!
Lots of references to being able to see into hearts. In the previous episode only D'Hoffryn could see what was going on. Now the blindness continues under an enchanted cloak of concealment. The beautiful mural that covers the ugly wall.
Glad to see that Spike is starting to swear again. Always a good sign. Buffy is jumpy and Xander is resentful but goes along with her plan. In Spike's shoes I think I would wonder why the hell I went to the trouble of getting my soul back when suddenly it doesn't seem important to anyone, not even Buffy.
There's a short conversation between Dawn and Buffy where, again I should have been hacked off with her assertion firstly that she doesn't love Spike then her lukewarm "I feel for him." But that was overshadowed for me by a hugely important observation Buffy made.
She said - and I paraphrase- Spike knew he was wrong so he went to get his soul. Instead of fixating on whether the sound matters, couldn't either Dawn or Buffy recognise that a soulless demon isn't supposed to have a sense of right and wrong? Or suffer remorse and guilt, or desire atonement??? Instead we get that bloody stupid chat in The Bronze about wet towels. Argh!
Spike and Xander making a tag team - I laughed at that shared look when RJ's brother opened the door. I'm guessing Sosa Lola was sighing at this point.
I felt for Dawn, again she is overlooked and her concerns dismissed. Buffy turns into a sexual predator. Argh my eyes. Get off the boy, Buffy. Oh wait, Xander has my line.
Dawn wants to disappear, Buffy wants to kill Wood, Anya wants money and Willow wants to bend reality to her will. Innermost traits coming to the fore.
Xander looking back fondly at BBB actually makes sense to me. He may have been a dateless nerd but he had hope and Cordy. Whom he threw away. But hey story for another time.
Spike and his Angel issues. Or is it that he knows he faces damnation and the weight of his soul?
Bazooka fight is only mildly amusing.
The rest of this episode is just meh.
Fixating on whether the soul matters, not the sound!!!!
"What have I done?"
Boy, this episode packs a punch. Loved it. Rank it alongside BY so far as my favourite.
Sweet conversation between Dawn and Willow. Xander is on the banks of the Nile, basking, he'd better watch out for crocodiles.
Aud giving selflessly of herself in 9th century Sweden. She desperately wants to belong to the community but is constantly rejected because she acts differently. I laughed out loud at the more arid Baltic region comment.
Will we ever find out why she comes to hate bunnies?
Should be tavern, not bar.
Strong allusion to Lady Macbeth there and we see subsequently that Anya has indeed not managed to wash all the blood away.
Beneath the veneer of a normal life that Willow is trying to get back into lies the darkness. When Willow met up with Anya on the pathway, I got a very strong sense of two worlds colliding.
Dark Willow makes a brief but telling reappearance. Is it wrong of me to admit I felt more for the scorned and humiliated girl than I did for Cassie? The whole episode was on a different plane from Help. To my mind, anyway.
Loved seeing that Willow was happy and chatty with Anya.
Both Anya and Buffy subsume themselves in their respective callings. And for pity's sake, why can none of Buffy's friends see or understand that she yearns for love and happiness as well??? As a Spuffy I should have felt devastated by her grief-stricken "I loved him (Angel) more than I will ever love anything in this life". But I just felt almost heart broken for her. She wants to go back, to a simpler time and place. Where love was sweet and new. And she was innocent. But none of them can.
Spike doesn't trust his senses any more. He reminisces tenderly about Dru. But he's confiding in the evil shapeshifter and when the real Buffy shows up her manner is brusque and challenging. Sorry I got the reference wrong above - it's actually here that Spike says scream Mon Tresor all you like. Still need to look that up again. Blame my poor editing.
Just getting a bit fed up with seeing Spike sitting alone in the dark. Waiting for people to visit him. Move it along, please. He needs to regain his spirit. That's the only thing I didn't like here, oh and also the throwaway reference to Xander's huge lie from Becoming 2. Never dealt with again.
Olaf adapts rapidly to being a troll, just as he said back in Triangle. Seems to enjoy it, in fact.
Anyanka now has a family and a friend, Halfrek. Halfrek provides running commentary and points out that there is more to life than work. Anyanka responds that work is all that she is, all that matters. She and Buffy are curiously alike in that regard.
I may be stretching but I sort of see similarities between Spike and Xander's situations here. They are both torn between their womenfolk. Xander still loves Anya, Spike seems still to be fond of Dru but hates himself for hurting Buffy. Xander stands up to Buffy over Anya and gets slugged by Anya for his pains.
The poster behind Buffy bears the legend "People can alter their lives by altering their attitude." Indeed, but is any of the gang at that stage yet?
The fight between Anya and Buffy - since when were these two ever best friends? I never saw any hint from Buffy that she ever did more than tolerate Anya for Xander's sake.
I enjoyed the glimpse into OMFW. Marti Noxon has a gorgeous singing voice.
Poor Hallie. Life and soul of a vengeance demon? Interesting.
Anya shows courage here, and in the end they all walk alone in fear.
Great episode.
Him
Trying my best to catch up here.
Ok, back to not great episode. This one reminds me of why there are certain episodes in each season that I rarely watch again. The things I do for you lovely lot!!
Lots of references to being able to see into hearts. In the previous episode only D'Hoffryn could see what was going on. Now the blindness continues under an enchanted cloak of concealment. The beautiful mural that covers the ugly wall.
Glad to see that Spike is starting to swear again. Always a good sign. Buffy is jumpy and Xander is resentful but goes along with her plan. In Spike's shoes I think I would wonder why the hell I went to the trouble of getting my soul back when suddenly it doesn't seem important to anyone, not even Buffy.
There's a short conversation between Dawn and Buffy where, again I should have been hacked off with her assertion firstly that she doesn't love Spike then her lukewarm "I feel for him." But that was overshadowed for me by a hugely important observation Buffy made.
She said - and I paraphrase- Spike knew he was wrong so he went to get his soul. Instead of fixating on whether the sound matters, couldn't either Dawn or Buffy recognise that a soulless demon isn't supposed to have a sense of right and wrong? Or suffer remorse and guilt, or desire atonement??? Instead we get that bloody stupid chat in The Bronze about wet towels. Argh!
Spike and Xander making a tag team - I laughed at that shared look when RJ's brother opened the door. I'm guessing Sosa Lola was sighing at this point.
I felt for Dawn, again she is overlooked and her concerns dismissed. Buffy turns into a sexual predator. Argh my eyes. Get off the boy, Buffy. Oh wait, Xander has my line.
Dawn wants to disappear, Buffy wants to kill Wood, Anya wants money and Willow wants to bend reality to her will. Innermost traits coming to the fore.
Xander looking back fondly at BBB actually makes sense to me. He may have been a dateless nerd but he had hope and Cordy. Whom he threw away. But hey story for another time.
Spike and his Angel issues. Or is it that he knows he faces damnation and the weight of his soul?
Bazooka fight is only mildly amusing.
The rest of this episode is just meh.
Fixating on whether the soul matters, not the sound!!!!
Interestingly you and I agree on this point. I find this frustrating as well.
What Angel issues do you think he is dealing with in this episode?
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
Only that he turned the angel on the dresser at RJ's house away from him. Just a hint that Angel is on his mind, or that he is afraid of death. I couldn't decide.
In fact Angel is never far from either Spike or Buffy's minds.
In fact Angel is never far from either Spike or Buffy's minds.
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I don't know. I think Buffy gave up a quest for "happy" about 2 seasons back. She seems less and less concerned with finding any type of peace, happiness, or for feeling anything at all right now. She is concerned with the task at hand, keeping those she cares about safe, defeating the first and doesn't seem to have time for anything else.
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
I meant to edit that reference out but as usual my incompetence got the better of me. But I did find it really sad that she said that because she shouldn't have to give up that hope.
Sorry got interrupted again just now. I meant to do one long post to include that I also meant to say that I felt that Willow and Xander seem so wrapped up in their own problems they no longer notice Buffy's frame of mind. She is starting to feel cut off - she asks them outright if they even remember she killed Angel.
Anyway, you may be right - she may well have given up on being happy. But I think she still dreams about it.
Sorry got interrupted again just now. I meant to do one long post to include that I also meant to say that I felt that Willow and Xander seem so wrapped up in their own problems they no longer notice Buffy's frame of mind. She is starting to feel cut off - she asks them outright if they even remember she killed Angel.
Anyway, you may be right - she may well have given up on being happy. But I think she still dreams about it.
TriBel
Scooby
Potential - prologue - I think there are 3 angel statues in the segment that has Rona and Vi creeping between the gravestones. I'm sure they're facing away from the action. As I recall there's a fourth in the "that's hot" segment - also looking the other way. TBH, I'm not inclined to credit Spike with rearranging the furniture this time. 🙂
"Scream Montresor all you like, pet." I think it's a reference to Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". That said, I like the way you split the syllables because Mon Tresor is a Fendi handbag. I wouldn't mention this except for the fact that in the Lesson's shooting script there's this: DAWN (as Yoda) "The Stake is not the power..." Thank you, Master Prada."🙂
debbicles
Prada and Poe - thank you! Now I'm embarrassed not to have spotted my typo. Darn predictive typing.
Grace
Destructo-Girl
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2017
- Messages
- 1,792
I tend to agree with Mark Field's take: "It’s pretty clever when Spike turns the angels to face away from him while Xander’s talking to Lance. Keep in mind that Spike’s path is that of a recovering alcoholic, and he sees himself as not yet worthy. He’s now out of his self-imposed prison, no longer suffering from the DTs, and trying to live in the world."
First Date
I want to like First Date. It has some very charming parts, and it's probably the first episode of Season 7 where I really feel the Spuffy. They look quite pretty in that hallway scene with all their blond glowiness.
I enjoy finding out Wood is a slayer's son (such a good twist!), and that he's not actually evil. (Although, again, the fakeout isn't completely a fakeout, is it, since the Buffyverse is pretty consistently anti-vengeance. Wood, Holtz, potato, yadda yadda.)
I also liked the Andrew subplot, though the wire thing was totally random. But funny. I noticed that Jane Espenson couldn't help but bring back the pizza sauce shirt and the broken microwave from her Dawn scenes in CWDP. (Not quite as good as, for example, the Band Candy / Earshot payoff, but still fun.)
But there's badness here, too. Especially the Chao-Ahn stuff, which seems like it would have been cringey even in 2003. The prospect of Wood and Buffy dating, given their work relationship, is also not good (though I do think they're kind of cute in their date scene...but of course the whole thing is just fodder for the Spuffy mill and was never going to go anywhere).
And Giles. Giles, Giles, Giles. I'm not saying I can't understand some of his concerns, but he's regressing. And annoying.
I didn't read the whole shooting script, but I couldn't help but look up the first scene with Buffy and Giles. There are a couple of things that were interesting to me.
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
Conversations with Dead People
Buffy has now brought back the former and current demons into the fold for their protection. Both of them are making merely token protests at this.
So we now get the X-Files/24 similarities with the time/date caption, perhaps meant to make us twitch our curtains and wonder what is that moving out there in the dark?
Several disparate storylines - but where is Xander?
Uh oh, the wolf reference is to Spike, and this will be borne out in the closing scenes.
I preferred First Evil Cassie - she had sass and was interesting. I loved this entire conversation- Willow shows how deeply she misses Tara and her realisation that Cassie is not what she seems is spectacular. But First Evil Cassie disappearing looked to me unnervingly like the blossom Willow pulled through the earth in Lessons. I wonder if that means something.
Poor Dawn, she wants so much to have faith in the big sister who plunged to her death for her sake, but she is subjected to the worst torment of them all: her beloved mum. I never for one moment thought that was Joyce's ghost, but Dawn doesn't have the benefit of distance. Also, that brief glimpse of Joyce on the sofa - ugh, I actually thought she was going to rise like a zombie.
Oh, Andrew and Jonathan - I'd almost forgotten they were in this episode. They are still playing out at being geeks but are also going back to their roots, home. Poor Jonathan. I really hated Andrew in that moment.
Spike is at a bar, and is approached by a pretty girl who uses the universal code for evil in the Buffyverse as her chat-up move: a packet of cigarettes. I liked seeing this glimpse of sociable Spike, looking noticeably shy and awkward at clearly being invited up for coffee. But when he killed her.. Whoa Nelly. What the heck???
Buffy and Holden - I like it that Holden is connected but whilst Buffy claims she is, she is actually disconnected. Again. Holden is astute and funny, and calls Buffy on her ambivalence about her vocation. The visual gag of her lying on a tombstone for her therapy session is wryly amusing. And she is saddened to think she will fight and dust him, but that's what she does, it's her job.
This is the first indepth insight into Buffy's state of mind we have been treated to for a while, and she's only being honest because Holden doesn't matter to her. But she is merely toying with him and she gets rid of him fast enough when she hears something crucial. Namely that Spike unaccountably is back in the game.
I liked her reference to her friends being better than her. I was relieved that she finally acknowledged that Spike did love her.
I am not clever enough to analyse structure and themes. I enjoyed this episode on an emotional level, but I'm sure that I'd appreciate it a lot more if I understood these things. On the whole I did like it very much.
Buffy has now brought back the former and current demons into the fold for their protection. Both of them are making merely token protests at this.
So we now get the X-Files/24 similarities with the time/date caption, perhaps meant to make us twitch our curtains and wonder what is that moving out there in the dark?
Several disparate storylines - but where is Xander?
Uh oh, the wolf reference is to Spike, and this will be borne out in the closing scenes.
I preferred First Evil Cassie - she had sass and was interesting. I loved this entire conversation- Willow shows how deeply she misses Tara and her realisation that Cassie is not what she seems is spectacular. But First Evil Cassie disappearing looked to me unnervingly like the blossom Willow pulled through the earth in Lessons. I wonder if that means something.
Poor Dawn, she wants so much to have faith in the big sister who plunged to her death for her sake, but she is subjected to the worst torment of them all: her beloved mum. I never for one moment thought that was Joyce's ghost, but Dawn doesn't have the benefit of distance. Also, that brief glimpse of Joyce on the sofa - ugh, I actually thought she was going to rise like a zombie.
Oh, Andrew and Jonathan - I'd almost forgotten they were in this episode. They are still playing out at being geeks but are also going back to their roots, home. Poor Jonathan. I really hated Andrew in that moment.
Spike is at a bar, and is approached by a pretty girl who uses the universal code for evil in the Buffyverse as her chat-up move: a packet of cigarettes. I liked seeing this glimpse of sociable Spike, looking noticeably shy and awkward at clearly being invited up for coffee. But when he killed her.. Whoa Nelly. What the heck???
Buffy and Holden - I like it that Holden is connected but whilst Buffy claims she is, she is actually disconnected. Again. Holden is astute and funny, and calls Buffy on her ambivalence about her vocation. The visual gag of her lying on a tombstone for her therapy session is wryly amusing. And she is saddened to think she will fight and dust him, but that's what she does, it's her job.
This is the first indepth insight into Buffy's state of mind we have been treated to for a while, and she's only being honest because Holden doesn't matter to her. But she is merely toying with him and she gets rid of him fast enough when she hears something crucial. Namely that Spike unaccountably is back in the game.
I liked her reference to her friends being better than her. I was relieved that she finally acknowledged that Spike did love her.
I am not clever enough to analyse structure and themes. I enjoyed this episode on an emotional level, but I'm sure that I'd appreciate it a lot more if I understood these things. On the whole I did like it very much.
TriBel
Re: the flower. That's an absolutely stunning call! Yes - it does mean something. Thank you!
W
WillowFromBuffy
Guest
Grace
I am as uncomfortable as Chao-Ahn after eating ice cream in those scenes, even if the humor is mostly at Giles’ expense.
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
Mylie
Scooby
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2016
- Messages
- 2,098
- Age
- 38
First Date
I find this episode very weird
Buffy's random mention of Principal Wood's shady attitude and the shovel thing that happened 4 episodes ago come out of nowhere and it felt very much like Buffy reminding the audience and letting them know that this will be the topic of the episode.
I agree with Buffy that getting rid of Spike's chip is giving him a chance to prove himself. I'm just not sure that it's worth putting others at risk. I guess she really does believe in him a great deal but I can't blame the others for not having the same faith.
I still very much hate the "why does everyone think I'm still in love with Spike" line. I wouldn't have a problem with Buffy falling for Spike in s7 if the relationship wasn't presented as a continuation of s6. Because the idea that Buffy was ever in love with a soulless being is pretty disturbing to me.
I do enjoy the scoobies talking about their dating life and teasing each other though. It reminded me of the early seasons.
Ok so watching Buffy and Wood fight those vampires... I kind of shipped them for a minute? I think I could have been open to a romantic relationship between those 2.
Poor Xander...
One thing that seems weird to me... Wood's reaction to Spike was pretty uncomfortable/shady but apparently he didn't know yet that he was a vampire? Why would he react this way if he didn't already know?
Overall, this is an underwhelming episode. Not bad, not good. Just there.
My ranking :
Selfless
Same Time, Same Place
Lessons
Potential
Conversations With Dead People
Him
Never Leave Me
Showtime
Bring On the Night
Help
The Killer In Me
First Date
Sleeper
Beneath You
I find this episode very weird
Buffy's random mention of Principal Wood's shady attitude and the shovel thing that happened 4 episodes ago come out of nowhere and it felt very much like Buffy reminding the audience and letting them know that this will be the topic of the episode.
I agree with Buffy that getting rid of Spike's chip is giving him a chance to prove himself. I'm just not sure that it's worth putting others at risk. I guess she really does believe in him a great deal but I can't blame the others for not having the same faith.
I still very much hate the "why does everyone think I'm still in love with Spike" line. I wouldn't have a problem with Buffy falling for Spike in s7 if the relationship wasn't presented as a continuation of s6. Because the idea that Buffy was ever in love with a soulless being is pretty disturbing to me.
I do enjoy the scoobies talking about their dating life and teasing each other though. It reminded me of the early seasons.
Ok so watching Buffy and Wood fight those vampires... I kind of shipped them for a minute? I think I could have been open to a romantic relationship between those 2.
Poor Xander...
One thing that seems weird to me... Wood's reaction to Spike was pretty uncomfortable/shady but apparently he didn't know yet that he was a vampire? Why would he react this way if he didn't already know?
Overall, this is an underwhelming episode. Not bad, not good. Just there.
My ranking :
Selfless
Same Time, Same Place
Lessons
Potential
Conversations With Dead People
Him
Never Leave Me
Showtime
Bring On the Night
Help
The Killer In Me
First Date
Sleeper
Beneath You
debbicles
Music is what makes life amazing
The Big Evil has started chomping...
Sleeper
The gang clearly has a protocol - Xander is very careful not to invite Buffy in.
"Sweet mamlooshin" - love that line, can I adopt it?
Buffy wants to keep Xander safe - that's the only reason I can think that she doesn't immediately confront Spike when he returns from his creaturing. After showing sympathy for Buffy having to dust someone she knew, Spike gets the message that he's in the way. Buffy insists to Xander that there is something different about Spike but she can't tell what.
Xander very funny with Anya.
Absurd scene with Anya and Spike - no wonder we are all so fixated on our body image. Emma Caulfield looks as though a breeze would blow her over. Again I take to The Beauty Myth for mental cleansing.
And why on earth would Anya wait until dusk to make her move???? Anyway, gratuitous glimpse of Spike in bed - didn't care much for that, either.
OK, moving on. Sunnyvale is no longer the small town Xander described in S1. Suddenly lots of people on the promenade. Buffy loses Spike in the crowd. And now we glimpse what could be going on when Spike seduces and kills a girl, but is then horrified.
I enjoyed the scene at The Bronze with Aimee Mann - loved her set and the way she just carried on after Spike dusted the vamp coming on to him.
The scene in the basement at Hoffman Terrace - Spike must know that he is likely to meet a Very Bad End if he brings Buffy here? The First Evil messes with them both by causing the vampires to rise all at once. For the first time in ages Buffy looks genuinely frightened - she has been accustomed for a long time to Spike having her back, not this. But at the last second the taste of her blood brings him to his senses and he reels back. She regains the strength to fight and even quips with the poor old lady. For me it was hard to see Spike so abject. So broken, he begs Buffy to destroy him. But when he explains why she realises something is manipulating them all and brings him back to Casa Summers.
The trusty blanket returns.
Mostly I enjoyed the episode, with the exception of the Spike/Anya scene. Spike's intel proves invaluable in getting a clearer picture of what is going on. Buffy takes a leap of faith, something that she has a history of doing. After her despondency in CWDP, it's good to see.
Never Leave Me
"Saw a man about a girl."
Spike is a sleeper agent - Anya gets a pop culture refence now? When it's wrong?
I adored Willow's encounter with Andrew and the way Xander is putting the house to rights. He and Buffy are Mum and Dad to everyone now.
I really hate the whole addiction line - I hated the magic addiction story and I hate the blood addiction now. We've never seen Spike have the DTs in S4, he was simply starving.
Anyway Spike and Buffy have a real honest-to- goodness talk about their affair and where they stand now. It's mostly one-sided: Spike is clear-eyed about what he has done and is no longer interested in sugar-coating things. He even shrugs off his soul quest as no big deal, whether or not that's what he really believes. But having his soul back makes him realise what a monster he is. At first Buffy seems to be scornful of his insights. But it is true, loving Buffy so far has brought him little personal joy. He has been humiliated over and over again, realised he was beneath her but tried firstly to rise up to her level then when that didn't work tried to bring her to his. He then wronged her desperately, which act precipitated him, then still torments him along with the voices of his past victims.
In the basement he has one more stab at getting Buffy to off him. He is worried about what he has done, whether he hurt anyone,and Buffy is very gentle with him. The running gag about Andrew is not just funny, it's a reminder this group has all known eachother a very long time and their lives are interwoven.
But he knows she never loved him and doesn't love him now. Nonethless she astonishes him by declaring her belief in him.
Before it all goes to hell.
I don't understand the First's strategy here. Surely there must be more straightforward ways of attacking the Slayer and her gang?
I was glad to see Spike and Buffy having a proper heart-to-heart, not once but twice. By the time they get to chat in the basement Buffy has absorbed Spike's earlier comments and starts to get an inkling of what he has been feeling, not just now but before, when they were briefly never together.
Really liked this episode, needless to say.
Sleeper
The gang clearly has a protocol - Xander is very careful not to invite Buffy in.
"Sweet mamlooshin" - love that line, can I adopt it?
Buffy wants to keep Xander safe - that's the only reason I can think that she doesn't immediately confront Spike when he returns from his creaturing. After showing sympathy for Buffy having to dust someone she knew, Spike gets the message that he's in the way. Buffy insists to Xander that there is something different about Spike but she can't tell what.
Xander very funny with Anya.
Absurd scene with Anya and Spike - no wonder we are all so fixated on our body image. Emma Caulfield looks as though a breeze would blow her over. Again I take to The Beauty Myth for mental cleansing.
And why on earth would Anya wait until dusk to make her move???? Anyway, gratuitous glimpse of Spike in bed - didn't care much for that, either.
OK, moving on. Sunnyvale is no longer the small town Xander described in S1. Suddenly lots of people on the promenade. Buffy loses Spike in the crowd. And now we glimpse what could be going on when Spike seduces and kills a girl, but is then horrified.
I enjoyed the scene at The Bronze with Aimee Mann - loved her set and the way she just carried on after Spike dusted the vamp coming on to him.
The scene in the basement at Hoffman Terrace - Spike must know that he is likely to meet a Very Bad End if he brings Buffy here? The First Evil messes with them both by causing the vampires to rise all at once. For the first time in ages Buffy looks genuinely frightened - she has been accustomed for a long time to Spike having her back, not this. But at the last second the taste of her blood brings him to his senses and he reels back. She regains the strength to fight and even quips with the poor old lady. For me it was hard to see Spike so abject. So broken, he begs Buffy to destroy him. But when he explains why she realises something is manipulating them all and brings him back to Casa Summers.
The trusty blanket returns.
Mostly I enjoyed the episode, with the exception of the Spike/Anya scene. Spike's intel proves invaluable in getting a clearer picture of what is going on. Buffy takes a leap of faith, something that she has a history of doing. After her despondency in CWDP, it's good to see.
Never Leave Me
"Saw a man about a girl."
Spike is a sleeper agent - Anya gets a pop culture refence now? When it's wrong?
I adored Willow's encounter with Andrew and the way Xander is putting the house to rights. He and Buffy are Mum and Dad to everyone now.
I really hate the whole addiction line - I hated the magic addiction story and I hate the blood addiction now. We've never seen Spike have the DTs in S4, he was simply starving.
Anyway Spike and Buffy have a real honest-to- goodness talk about their affair and where they stand now. It's mostly one-sided: Spike is clear-eyed about what he has done and is no longer interested in sugar-coating things. He even shrugs off his soul quest as no big deal, whether or not that's what he really believes. But having his soul back makes him realise what a monster he is. At first Buffy seems to be scornful of his insights. But it is true, loving Buffy so far has brought him little personal joy. He has been humiliated over and over again, realised he was beneath her but tried firstly to rise up to her level then when that didn't work tried to bring her to his. He then wronged her desperately, which act precipitated him, then still torments him along with the voices of his past victims.
In the basement he has one more stab at getting Buffy to off him. He is worried about what he has done, whether he hurt anyone,and Buffy is very gentle with him. The running gag about Andrew is not just funny, it's a reminder this group has all known eachother a very long time and their lives are interwoven.
But he knows she never loved him and doesn't love him now. Nonethless she astonishes him by declaring her belief in him.
Before it all goes to hell.
I don't understand the First's strategy here. Surely there must be more straightforward ways of attacking the Slayer and her gang?
I was glad to see Spike and Buffy having a proper heart-to-heart, not once but twice. By the time they get to chat in the basement Buffy has absorbed Spike's earlier comments and starts to get an inkling of what he has been feeling, not just now but before, when they were briefly never together.
Really liked this episode, needless to say.
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Grace
Destructo-Girl
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2017
- Messages
- 1,792
Get It Done
I have to say I was dreading this one. It was both better and worse than I remembered. Thematically, it's interesting, but it's hard to watch Buffy in it.
I enjoy the foreshadowing -- "You are the Hellmouth's last guardian" -- and the repetition of "It isn't enough." On rewatch, it seems to mean that Buffy's power alone will not be enough to save them, no matter how much power Buffy has.
Overall, I think maybe the point of this episode is that it's not how much power you have, it's how you use it. And that not using the power you do have is problematic, even if you're scared. But it's a bit muddy.
Here's Mark Field's take on Spike's retrieval of the coat: "As I see it, the sole reason Spike went back for the coat was so that he could do what Buffy demanded of him. In my view the coat serves as Spike’s reminder of what he once was. It’s a step on the road to the acceptance of his true self that I described above. That doesn’t make it any less painful for Wood, as we see from Wood’s reaction to learning where Spike got the coat. And it emphasizes the ambiguities inherent in the exercise of power."
I'm not sure if that's enough for me, but it's interesting to contemplate.
I did really appreciate his comments on the Buffy/Willow parallel in this episode: "Willow most certainly does NOT use her own power as Buffy tells her to do, she instead steals power from Kennedy and Anya. We see this as wrong – her eyes and hair turn black in the circle, Willow herself apologizes to Kennedy later on. Turning to the metaphor, we understand that Willow – Buffy's metaphorical spirit – reinforces the theme of the episode in the course of her spell: Buffy's harsh words and actions, in their own way, suck the power out of others."
Buffy's comments about Chloe are horrible. And I don't really understand what Buffy was expecting the group to do. Where have they failed lately? Buffy wouldn't let anyone help when she killed the Turkey Khan in a big show; the Potentials she locked in the crypt passed their Cruciamentum-lite; Spike helped with the training; Willow's locator spells did work in Potential and First Date; Willow's Warren drama didn't require any help from Buffy; it was Buffy's own choice to help Spike with his chip drama; and sure, Xander made himself demon-bait, but he's been doing that for seven years now. Dawn even freaking figured out how to translate Sumerian. Am I missing something?
The only person who had any kind of warning about Chloe's death was Buffy herself in her dream. So I do agree with the idea that her speech had more to do with her own self-blame. She feels she failed, so she yells at them for failing. I wish Willow hadn't brushed that off at the end of the episode, but given the parallel that MF points out, it makes sense that she would.
Season 7's meta-ness shows in this episode (though not as much as it will in Storyteller): "You'll have to forgive Andrew. Or not. Your call." / Buffy literally fighting the patriarchy / etc.
I'm among those who are not thrilled with exactly how they handled the slayer origin story, since it makes the subsequent episodes problematic, even if I like what I see as the message they were trying to send with Chosen.
Oh, and if anyone else has ever wondered about the choice for Buffy's wardrobe in the desert, the costume designer says it was actually quite cold.
--
Only a few more weeks to go!
Week Seven
Storyteller
Lies My Parents Told Me
I have to say I was dreading this one. It was both better and worse than I remembered. Thematically, it's interesting, but it's hard to watch Buffy in it.
I enjoy the foreshadowing -- "You are the Hellmouth's last guardian" -- and the repetition of "It isn't enough." On rewatch, it seems to mean that Buffy's power alone will not be enough to save them, no matter how much power Buffy has.
Overall, I think maybe the point of this episode is that it's not how much power you have, it's how you use it. And that not using the power you do have is problematic, even if you're scared. But it's a bit muddy.
Here's Mark Field's take on Spike's retrieval of the coat: "As I see it, the sole reason Spike went back for the coat was so that he could do what Buffy demanded of him. In my view the coat serves as Spike’s reminder of what he once was. It’s a step on the road to the acceptance of his true self that I described above. That doesn’t make it any less painful for Wood, as we see from Wood’s reaction to learning where Spike got the coat. And it emphasizes the ambiguities inherent in the exercise of power."
I'm not sure if that's enough for me, but it's interesting to contemplate.
I did really appreciate his comments on the Buffy/Willow parallel in this episode: "Willow most certainly does NOT use her own power as Buffy tells her to do, she instead steals power from Kennedy and Anya. We see this as wrong – her eyes and hair turn black in the circle, Willow herself apologizes to Kennedy later on. Turning to the metaphor, we understand that Willow – Buffy's metaphorical spirit – reinforces the theme of the episode in the course of her spell: Buffy's harsh words and actions, in their own way, suck the power out of others."
Buffy's comments about Chloe are horrible. And I don't really understand what Buffy was expecting the group to do. Where have they failed lately? Buffy wouldn't let anyone help when she killed the Turkey Khan in a big show; the Potentials she locked in the crypt passed their Cruciamentum-lite; Spike helped with the training; Willow's locator spells did work in Potential and First Date; Willow's Warren drama didn't require any help from Buffy; it was Buffy's own choice to help Spike with his chip drama; and sure, Xander made himself demon-bait, but he's been doing that for seven years now. Dawn even freaking figured out how to translate Sumerian. Am I missing something?
The only person who had any kind of warning about Chloe's death was Buffy herself in her dream. So I do agree with the idea that her speech had more to do with her own self-blame. She feels she failed, so she yells at them for failing. I wish Willow hadn't brushed that off at the end of the episode, but given the parallel that MF points out, it makes sense that she would.
Season 7's meta-ness shows in this episode (though not as much as it will in Storyteller): "You'll have to forgive Andrew. Or not. Your call." / Buffy literally fighting the patriarchy / etc.
I'm among those who are not thrilled with exactly how they handled the slayer origin story, since it makes the subsequent episodes problematic, even if I like what I see as the message they were trying to send with Chosen.
Oh, and if anyone else has ever wondered about the choice for Buffy's wardrobe in the desert, the costume designer says it was actually quite cold.
--
Only a few more weeks to go!
Week Seven
Storyteller
Lies My Parents Told Me
I'm still here! I'm still alive! Thanks to @Grace for keeping us on course. I'm going to catch up this week!
First Date
Giles makes a LOT of sense here, especially because we don't know how TF plans to use Spike. I'm not saying that Spike can't be a good man like Buffy says) its just that we don't know the way TF plans to use him. What Buffy did was dangerous and Giles is right to worry. Plus I love this conversation that Giles has with Buffy in this episode. "I want more for you." Valid point Giles. The whole point of Angel leaving was so that she could have something better than dating a vampire and here she is changing her facebook status to "its complicated" with Spike.
Principal Wood is such a hottie and watching him fight is even hotter. But I can't get passed that facial hair. I'm not feeling it.
LOL @ Willow laughing at Buffy doing a good job (and Wood laughing about her counseling skills too). Buffy feels like herself in this episode this is nice. And I love seeing the Scoobies together bantering etc. That's nice.
I'm just going to ignore the Chao-Ahn stuff because its bad/annoying.
Jonathan as the First is very insightful: "Interesting. And you're the only one she makes seek redemption. Does that seem fair to you?"
The Buffy/Spike moment in the hall First Date parallels Buffy/Angel in Homecoming when Buffy tells Angel that she is dating Scott as she tries to "move on." Thus begins the pointless distraction human romance. I'm a little over Spike playing the whole "I know you don't love me, I know there isn't a chance" card. But with regards to the Wood stuff, I gotta say Buffy and Wood have some good chemistry. She is glowing in front of him. I had forgotten how smitten she looks. She never seemed this interested in Scott Hope! Although part of that might be her being giddy at meeting a Slayer's son.
I remember when Ashanti was a big deal. I don't think she is all that great an actress. And the whole Xander dating a demon storyline, while I know it is played for jokes seems a little tired for me. (Although it does advance the theory about how Something Blue spell never broke).
Finally - WTF is Buffy wearing?? A coat with like a lacy duster underneath? I'm confused.
The Xander talking about gay stuff is also a bit painful.
I like the Buffy/Wood stuff in this episode and I like Principal Wood overall. I also enjoy Giles here. He seems to be the voice of reason. I don't like that Buffy seems to be floating around from person to person without a defined thought or goal in mind. She seems very passive in this episode.
Oh you see, I liked him in this episode. He didn't feel judgy to me at least in the first half of the episode. He felt concerned for her (which made me feel that fatherly vibe we hadn't seen in some time.)
I guess I felt his concerns were valid and it felt true to character for him to be like "ok why is everyone going on dates when the end of the world is coming?" It kinda felt like a call back to early Giles. But I suppose I can see how that would be regressive. I tend to find it in character for him. What I don't find in character is his cold demeanor towards Buffy in the previous episodes or the episodes to come.
First Date
Giles makes a LOT of sense here, especially because we don't know how TF plans to use Spike. I'm not saying that Spike can't be a good man like Buffy says) its just that we don't know the way TF plans to use him. What Buffy did was dangerous and Giles is right to worry. Plus I love this conversation that Giles has with Buffy in this episode. "I want more for you." Valid point Giles. The whole point of Angel leaving was so that she could have something better than dating a vampire and here she is changing her facebook status to "its complicated" with Spike.
Principal Wood is such a hottie and watching him fight is even hotter. But I can't get passed that facial hair. I'm not feeling it.
LOL @ Willow laughing at Buffy doing a good job (and Wood laughing about her counseling skills too). Buffy feels like herself in this episode this is nice. And I love seeing the Scoobies together bantering etc. That's nice.
I'm just going to ignore the Chao-Ahn stuff because its bad/annoying.
Jonathan as the First is very insightful: "Interesting. And you're the only one she makes seek redemption. Does that seem fair to you?"
The Buffy/Spike moment in the hall First Date parallels Buffy/Angel in Homecoming when Buffy tells Angel that she is dating Scott as she tries to "move on." Thus begins the pointless distraction human romance. I'm a little over Spike playing the whole "I know you don't love me, I know there isn't a chance" card. But with regards to the Wood stuff, I gotta say Buffy and Wood have some good chemistry. She is glowing in front of him. I had forgotten how smitten she looks. She never seemed this interested in Scott Hope! Although part of that might be her being giddy at meeting a Slayer's son.
I remember when Ashanti was a big deal. I don't think she is all that great an actress. And the whole Xander dating a demon storyline, while I know it is played for jokes seems a little tired for me. (Although it does advance the theory about how Something Blue spell never broke).
Finally - WTF is Buffy wearing?? A coat with like a lacy duster underneath? I'm confused.
The Xander talking about gay stuff is also a bit painful.
I like the Buffy/Wood stuff in this episode and I like Principal Wood overall. I also enjoy Giles here. He seems to be the voice of reason. I don't like that Buffy seems to be floating around from person to person without a defined thought or goal in mind. She seems very passive in this episode.
Oh you see, I liked him in this episode. He didn't feel judgy to me at least in the first half of the episode. He felt concerned for her (which made me feel that fatherly vibe we hadn't seen in some time.)
I guess I felt his concerns were valid and it felt true to character for him to be like "ok why is everyone going on dates when the end of the world is coming?" It kinda felt like a call back to early Giles. But I suppose I can see how that would be regressive. I tend to find it in character for him. What I don't find in character is his cold demeanor towards Buffy in the previous episodes or the episodes to come.
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Grace
Destructo-Girl
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2017
- Messages
- 1,792
I guess that's part of why I don't like it. He can't just turn on the Dad after consistently leaving Buffy to fend for herself. He can't force her to make all the decisions and then second-guess them. It's annoying.
That is a fair point. He did leave her to make all of the decisions. But this is a questionable decision. Someone needs to talk about that. Could have been Xander I suppose maybe that would've presented better. It wouldn't be Willow since she has 0 self-confidence since she has returned. I know this is General Buffy. And I know she is the one making the calls and it is her final say, but a good general always has key advisors. She isn't talking to anyone about her decisions or at least talking through the ramifications of them.
thetopher
Giles is Buffy's metaphorical mind. Makes sense. :)
Get it Done
There is so much in this episode to talk about.... so so so much.
- I will always be just a little of a Spike/Anya shipper. I think they have much in common and I love their banter.
- LOL at Willow with the cover-up story.
- Spike: "Yeah, I went to great lengths. Lots of trouble, and now I'm unique. Well, more or less." Yes Spike we get it, it's a BFD. Are you going to tell everyone you meet or??
- I hate this episode because theMiranda Chloe (I was a Lizzie McGuire fan so sue me) stuff is so tough. But it's not that we haven't been faced with death in the show it's just I have never felt a death treated so cavalierly by Buffy and it makes me sad to see how much she has changed. The thing is, I get Buffy's anger here and I sympathize with the fact that she feels that these girls need to toughen up very quickly. But she needs to draw from her personal experiences. Doesn't she remember "I'm 16 years old, I don't want to die." She struggled with coming to grasp with her duties as well. And no one told her "tough cookie little girl you need to die." Now, these potentials are not half the slayers that Buffy is or was IMO, but her pep talk, however well-intentioned, is really tough to watch and not very effective. She did not need to call Chloe an idiot. She was just a girl, NOT even a slayer yet.
- When I agree with Xander you know sh*t is getting really freaking weird.
- I'm glad Anya finally said she isn't Buffy's friend. Because honestly, Anya was never Buffy's friend so can we stop pretending this? She was her bridesmaid because Anya has no non-demon friends.
- Spike once again reminding Buffy (and everyone else in that room) that he got his soul for her because it is what she wanted. But no Spike, Buffy never said she wanted you to go get a soul. You did that all on your own.
- The whole Buffy wanting soulless Spike back - I don't know what to do with that. I get she wants Spike's confidence as a fighter back, makes sense but also soulless Spike tried to rape you so... we don't want that guy back right? But I guess that doesn't matter much with TF? I'm going to chalk this up to Buffy just trying to speech Spike into having some confidence again.
- I love that magic is back to being a metaphor for science. That was always my preferred metaphor over drugs.
- Ha! I see now why @Grace you commented re Buffy's freckles!
- Even I'm happy to see Spike back. He had become incredibly dull. I think this is all by design but then again I'm back to the whole - so what is the difference between souled Spike and unsouled Spike? Is the fact that they are similar in personality, swagger etc related to the fact that Buffy has asked him to be like his soulless counterpart?
- I love that Buffy is this great big General, she is uber Buffy and her heart is slowly turning to ice but yet she still has a giant stuffed teddy bear(?) on her bed. 🙂 She is still in there, somewhere - my Buffy!
- The shadow men: This has always been a problematic aspect of s7 for me because of the message I understand it to convey is that the shadow men violated the first slayer when they infused her with the slayer power. Making her less human to fight their battles. "No, you don't understand! You violated that girl, made her kill for you because you're weak, you're pathetic, and you obviously have nothing to show me." So Buffy says - "No. You don't get to do that anymore you sick freaks." (I'm paraphrasing) She turns down the power because what they are offering is a violation of Buffy's humanity. She can do this without them. But then - how do I square this away with Chosen?????? I guess we can discuss this more when we get to that episode. But why is it OK for Buffy to make this decision for all of these girls when she is criticising these men for doing the same thing. Is there a distinction between the Shadow Men infusing slayers with power and Buffy sharing her power and if so what is that distinction? (when I'm done with my review I'll go read ya'lls reviews to see what MF's says on this because I am curious if I'm missing something).
Still putting all of this aside and concentrating on this episode alone, I love Buffy standing up to the patriarchy in this way. To once again redefine the rules that have been in place for generations by older men that want to control young girls to fight their wars. So it's a powerful moment and I enjoy it.
I say again - what is Buffy wearing? Couldn't they find something that fit her?? Her jacket is huge, she is swimming in the skirt. SMG looks so thin in this episode. The wardrobe department was not on point this episode.
There is so much going on in this episode it gives me whiplash.
Very true. What exactly does she want them to do?!
I should've read this before my review lol.
There is so much in this episode to talk about.... so so so much.
- I will always be just a little of a Spike/Anya shipper. I think they have much in common and I love their banter.
- LOL at Willow with the cover-up story.
- Spike: "Yeah, I went to great lengths. Lots of trouble, and now I'm unique. Well, more or less." Yes Spike we get it, it's a BFD. Are you going to tell everyone you meet or??
- I hate this episode because the
- When I agree with Xander you know sh*t is getting really freaking weird.
- I'm glad Anya finally said she isn't Buffy's friend. Because honestly, Anya was never Buffy's friend so can we stop pretending this? She was her bridesmaid because Anya has no non-demon friends.
- Spike once again reminding Buffy (and everyone else in that room) that he got his soul for her because it is what she wanted. But no Spike, Buffy never said she wanted you to go get a soul. You did that all on your own.
- The whole Buffy wanting soulless Spike back - I don't know what to do with that. I get she wants Spike's confidence as a fighter back, makes sense but also soulless Spike tried to rape you so... we don't want that guy back right? But I guess that doesn't matter much with TF? I'm going to chalk this up to Buffy just trying to speech Spike into having some confidence again.
- I love that magic is back to being a metaphor for science. That was always my preferred metaphor over drugs.
- Ha! I see now why @Grace you commented re Buffy's freckles!
- Even I'm happy to see Spike back. He had become incredibly dull. I think this is all by design but then again I'm back to the whole - so what is the difference between souled Spike and unsouled Spike? Is the fact that they are similar in personality, swagger etc related to the fact that Buffy has asked him to be like his soulless counterpart?
- I love that Buffy is this great big General, she is uber Buffy and her heart is slowly turning to ice but yet she still has a giant stuffed teddy bear(?) on her bed. 🙂 She is still in there, somewhere - my Buffy!
- The shadow men: This has always been a problematic aspect of s7 for me because of the message I understand it to convey is that the shadow men violated the first slayer when they infused her with the slayer power. Making her less human to fight their battles. "No, you don't understand! You violated that girl, made her kill for you because you're weak, you're pathetic, and you obviously have nothing to show me." So Buffy says - "No. You don't get to do that anymore you sick freaks." (I'm paraphrasing) She turns down the power because what they are offering is a violation of Buffy's humanity. She can do this without them. But then - how do I square this away with Chosen?????? I guess we can discuss this more when we get to that episode. But why is it OK for Buffy to make this decision for all of these girls when she is criticising these men for doing the same thing. Is there a distinction between the Shadow Men infusing slayers with power and Buffy sharing her power and if so what is that distinction? (when I'm done with my review I'll go read ya'lls reviews to see what MF's says on this because I am curious if I'm missing something).
Still putting all of this aside and concentrating on this episode alone, I love Buffy standing up to the patriarchy in this way. To once again redefine the rules that have been in place for generations by older men that want to control young girls to fight their wars. So it's a powerful moment and I enjoy it.
I say again - what is Buffy wearing? Couldn't they find something that fit her?? Her jacket is huge, she is swimming in the skirt. SMG looks so thin in this episode. The wardrobe department was not on point this episode.
There is so much going on in this episode it gives me whiplash.
Very true. What exactly does she want them to do?!
I should've read this before my review lol.
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