VisionGirl
Newly Human
Just a warning, mildly spoiler-y (esp about season 8)! I tried to mark those.
I just finished NFA a few days ago, so it's given me a little bit of time to sit and think about this re-watch. I started in August when I joined up here, and I just want to say how much I've enjoyed watching & discussing with all you guys. This board rocks! The episode discussion boards have been a favorite place of mine, and I've loved the episode summaries by both saturn5 and PrincessBuffy16. I've never been part of a fan forum before, and you guys have always been welcoming, entertaining, and at times hilarious! Special props to Merrick, you guys are crazy. Now, it sounds like I'm leaving, but I'm not. I just got to thinking about all this and wanted to share.
So, some conclusions for me. You guys know that I love these shows and I dislike very little about them. So when I talk about things like favorite episodes, seasons or characters, it's not that I dislike all the others. Although I will mention my dislikes. 😉
Favorite seasons from most favorite to least (doesn't mean I dislike the least fav ones though!):
Buffy- 2 with 3 followed very close behind, 5, 7, 4, 6, 1 (only because it's so short!)
Angel- 1, 4, 2, 5, 3
It surprised me how much I ended up liking Angel season 4. I can't stand Jasmine & what they do to Cordy's character (which I will talk about in a moment), but everything else is really great: the Beast, the Faith arc. While I loved the Darla & baby Connor stuff in season 3, I really dislike Holtz, so that put a damper on it for me.
Even though Season 2 of Buffy has some weak episodes at the beginning, it has Bangel, Angelus and Spike- you simply cannot beat that! Season 3 is simply quality throughout, with the addition of Faith. It doesn't have Spike save for 1 ep, so that knocks it down just a peg for me. And I just have to note that I am NOT a season 6 nor season 4 hater!
Favorite episodes:Buffy- OMWF (big surprise, huh?), The Body, Hush, Becoming, Graduation Day, Chosen, Fool for Love, Lovers Walk.
Angel- IWRY, Hero, Darla, Lullaby, Billy, Smile Time, A Hole in the World, Not Fade Away
Favorite Characters: Buffy, Angel, and Spike are easily my favorite characters. And while I adore the core Scoobies (Giles, Willow & Xander), I have to say this re-watch that I was really struck with how much I liked Cordy, Oz and Wes. Cordy & Wes' character progression on Angel was so awesome. There are really not a lot of core characters that I dislike. Oh god, I guess I'm just so polyanna, because you guys know that I am a Riley defender LOL, and I don't even mind Dawn & Connor (that much!). Dawn is actually more likeable to me than Connor, mostly because of how she is in Buffy s7.
Favorite villains: Angelus, W&H, Lindsey & Lilah, the Mayor, and Glory.
Favorite storyarcs: Angelus in BTVS s2, Faith (especially in ATS), Darla in ATS, Buffy in s5 (dealing with her Slayer-ness, relationship to Dawn, & loss of mother).
Favorite music: Aimee Mann's Pavlov's Bell is my favorite. I love that song, and love that entire scene with Spike fighting in the balcony & throwing the other vampire down to the floor. "I hate playing vampire towns". 😀 I also like Prayer of St. Francis, Lucky Ones, Blue and anything by Four Star Mary.
I guess it's time for me to list some dislikes. My biggest complaints involve a couple character stories. The hugest one for me is Cordy. I loved Cordy's character development in ATS...until s4. I hated Cordy as a corny HP, hated her as the Big Bad, hated that they couldn't have worked her pregnancy into the story better, hated that she isn't in s5. There. That's seriously my biggest resentment of the series, creators, and writers. I blame Joss for that one. I dislike Adam in s4. I think the season would've been a lot better if it had focused on Maggie Walsh as the Big Bad, creating an army of these hybrids. Holtz is not a favorite character of mine, he gets on my nerves LOL. I didn't like Willow's addiction to magic. I think it would've been a lot more interesting if they had played up her overuse of magic as it relates to power & identity. They touched on that some, and certainly in s7 & 8, but they lose that by treating it as a drug analogy.
Least favorite episodes: there are really only 2 that I vehemently dislike: Beer Bad and Why We Fight. Beer Bad is just stupid, and Why We Fight is booor-ing.
Let's talk about Buffy season 8. I just started reading season 8 this last summer, so I had a lot of catching up to do, but I have to say that I have so enjoyed discussing it with the folks in the season 8 board. I'm not a comic-hater, there has been a lot I've liked (especially earlier in the season), although like most people I dislike
I won't go into more detail about all this so as not to give spoilers, but suffice it to say that despite my better judgement, I will be joining you all on the season 9 board when the time comes LOL. 🙂
'Ships: OK, I said I would make a decision at the end of my rewatch, and I have. As our good friend Litheran said to me: "I'm not much for fences; bloody dangerous." I have debated in my mind over Spuffy & Bangel, but I'm now calling it. I'm coming out of the closet to declare my Bangelness. I've always been sort of Bangely, but now (even despite the events of s8), I am committing LOL. So, I guess someone needs to make me a new banner, even though I'm reluctant to replace Emzzie's awesome SS banner for me! Apologies to my Spuffy friends, I really do love you guys. 😉
This is not to say that I don't like Spuffy. I do. Angel, Spike & Buffy are my favorite characters, and I love the Buffy/Spike interaction, & find their relationship to be complex and fascinating. I do believe she meant what she said when she told him she loved him. But, as Spike says "Love isn't brains, children, it's blood...blood screaming inside you to work its will." So, I really can't explain it as well as a lot of you, but Bangel is where my heart lies, it's what moves me the most. But I'm not a super-duper die-hard shipper, I don't need to cut down other 'ships in order to make my choice valid. 🙂
I think what I like a lot is the whole Buffy/Spike/Angel triangle. And I adore Spangel. 😀 Their relationship is complex & historical LOL.
OK, that's it. Big Kumbya for Buff-Boards LOL! Now, where's the New Year's Eve alcohol?:cool2:
I just finished NFA a few days ago, so it's given me a little bit of time to sit and think about this re-watch. I started in August when I joined up here, and I just want to say how much I've enjoyed watching & discussing with all you guys. This board rocks! The episode discussion boards have been a favorite place of mine, and I've loved the episode summaries by both saturn5 and PrincessBuffy16. I've never been part of a fan forum before, and you guys have always been welcoming, entertaining, and at times hilarious! Special props to Merrick, you guys are crazy. Now, it sounds like I'm leaving, but I'm not. I just got to thinking about all this and wanted to share.
So, some conclusions for me. You guys know that I love these shows and I dislike very little about them. So when I talk about things like favorite episodes, seasons or characters, it's not that I dislike all the others. Although I will mention my dislikes. 😉
Favorite seasons from most favorite to least (doesn't mean I dislike the least fav ones though!):
Buffy- 2 with 3 followed very close behind, 5, 7, 4, 6, 1 (only because it's so short!)
Angel- 1, 4, 2, 5, 3
It surprised me how much I ended up liking Angel season 4. I can't stand Jasmine & what they do to Cordy's character (which I will talk about in a moment), but everything else is really great: the Beast, the Faith arc. While I loved the Darla & baby Connor stuff in season 3, I really dislike Holtz, so that put a damper on it for me.
Even though Season 2 of Buffy has some weak episodes at the beginning, it has Bangel, Angelus and Spike- you simply cannot beat that! Season 3 is simply quality throughout, with the addition of Faith. It doesn't have Spike save for 1 ep, so that knocks it down just a peg for me. And I just have to note that I am NOT a season 6 nor season 4 hater!
Favorite episodes:Buffy- OMWF (big surprise, huh?), The Body, Hush, Becoming, Graduation Day, Chosen, Fool for Love, Lovers Walk.
Angel- IWRY, Hero, Darla, Lullaby, Billy, Smile Time, A Hole in the World, Not Fade Away
Favorite Characters: Buffy, Angel, and Spike are easily my favorite characters. And while I adore the core Scoobies (Giles, Willow & Xander), I have to say this re-watch that I was really struck with how much I liked Cordy, Oz and Wes. Cordy & Wes' character progression on Angel was so awesome. There are really not a lot of core characters that I dislike. Oh god, I guess I'm just so polyanna, because you guys know that I am a Riley defender LOL, and I don't even mind Dawn & Connor (that much!). Dawn is actually more likeable to me than Connor, mostly because of how she is in Buffy s7.
Favorite villains: Angelus, W&H, Lindsey & Lilah, the Mayor, and Glory.
Favorite storyarcs: Angelus in BTVS s2, Faith (especially in ATS), Darla in ATS, Buffy in s5 (dealing with her Slayer-ness, relationship to Dawn, & loss of mother).
Favorite music: Aimee Mann's Pavlov's Bell is my favorite. I love that song, and love that entire scene with Spike fighting in the balcony & throwing the other vampire down to the floor. "I hate playing vampire towns". 😀 I also like Prayer of St. Francis, Lucky Ones, Blue and anything by Four Star Mary.
I guess it's time for me to list some dislikes. My biggest complaints involve a couple character stories. The hugest one for me is Cordy. I loved Cordy's character development in ATS...until s4. I hated Cordy as a corny HP, hated her as the Big Bad, hated that they couldn't have worked her pregnancy into the story better, hated that she isn't in s5. There. That's seriously my biggest resentment of the series, creators, and writers. I blame Joss for that one. I dislike Adam in s4. I think the season would've been a lot better if it had focused on Maggie Walsh as the Big Bad, creating an army of these hybrids. Holtz is not a favorite character of mine, he gets on my nerves LOL. I didn't like Willow's addiction to magic. I think it would've been a lot more interesting if they had played up her overuse of magic as it relates to power & identity. They touched on that some, and certainly in s7 & 8, but they lose that by treating it as a drug analogy.
Least favorite episodes: there are really only 2 that I vehemently dislike: Beer Bad and Why We Fight. Beer Bad is just stupid, and Why We Fight is booor-ing.
Let's talk about Buffy season 8. I just started reading season 8 this last summer, so I had a lot of catching up to do, but I have to say that I have so enjoyed discussing it with the folks in the season 8 board. I'm not a comic-hater, there has been a lot I've liked (especially earlier in the season), although like most people I dislike
what they have done to Angel's character, and of course, the death of Giles.
'Ships: OK, I said I would make a decision at the end of my rewatch, and I have. As our good friend Litheran said to me: "I'm not much for fences; bloody dangerous." I have debated in my mind over Spuffy & Bangel, but I'm now calling it. I'm coming out of the closet to declare my Bangelness. I've always been sort of Bangely, but now (even despite the events of s8), I am committing LOL. So, I guess someone needs to make me a new banner, even though I'm reluctant to replace Emzzie's awesome SS banner for me! Apologies to my Spuffy friends, I really do love you guys. 😉
This is not to say that I don't like Spuffy. I do. Angel, Spike & Buffy are my favorite characters, and I love the Buffy/Spike interaction, & find their relationship to be complex and fascinating. I do believe she meant what she said when she told him she loved him. But, as Spike says "Love isn't brains, children, it's blood...blood screaming inside you to work its will." So, I really can't explain it as well as a lot of you, but Bangel is where my heart lies, it's what moves me the most. But I'm not a super-duper die-hard shipper, I don't need to cut down other 'ships in order to make my choice valid. 🙂
I think what I like a lot is the whole Buffy/Spike/Angel triangle. And I adore Spangel. 😀 Their relationship is complex & historical LOL.
OK, that's it. Big Kumbya for Buff-Boards LOL! Now, where's the New Year's Eve alcohol?:cool2:
