Rebecca Rand Kirshner

[goldenboy]

I was half asleep listening to NPR last night"”scientists discussing astronomy. I'm not absolutely positive, but I think it was Robert Kirshner, the Harvard astrophysicist. He apparently specializes in dark energy:

http://www.earthsky.com/shows/showsmore.php?t=20030913

I perked up because he mentioned that his daughter wrote for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and she had worked in some astronomy as a tribute to him. He was describing the scene where Willow and Tara are gazing at the stars, talking about lightyears and stuff. That was this ep, right?:

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/GuidePageServlet/showid-10/epid-8320

Anyways, I'm not positive I've got the correct two people here, but I thought it was an interesting connection to the 'verse.

 

[nerd4hire]

Interesting. I liked that episode (Listening to Fear), but it always felt a little out of place, like the subject matter didn't fit in Buffy or somthing. Although, again, I liked it, and that Queller demon is the ickiest thing in BTVS I think.

Anyway...that information makes it all make sense. Thanks for that.

And here's the passage I think her dad might have been talking about -

Cut to: aerial shot of Sunnydale, night. Pan across roofs and treetops.
Cut to: roof of a UCS dorm building. Willow and Tara are lying side-by-side on their backs on a sleeping bag, with pillows under their heads and another sleeping bag covering them.

WILLOW: You know what's weird?
TARA: Japanese commercials are weird.
WILLOW: Yes. And also, you know some of the stars we're looking at ... don't even exist any more? In the time that it takes for their light to reach us, they've died. Exploded. (Tara turns her head to look at Willow) Poof.
TARA: Were, um ... were things rough at the hospital?

Willow frowns and shrugs.

WILLOW: You know, I used to love to look up at them when I was little. They're supposed to make you feel all insignificant, but ... they made me feel like ... like I was in space ... part of the stars. (points) There's ... Canis Minor ... and ... (points) and Cassiopeia.
TARA: (smiles, points) And the big pineapple.
Willow frowns.
WILLOW: Hmm. You know, I'm not sure I remember that one.
TARA: Oh, it's, it's a major one. (points) See those three bright stars right over there?

Willow moves over to put her head on Tara's shoulder and look along Tara's pointing arm. Shot of the starry sky with Tara's finger pointing.
WILLOW: Yeah.
TARA: And see those stars along there? (Shot of the stars) That's the bottom of the pineapple.
WILLOW: It's big.
TARA: Hence the name. (pause) The real ones never made sense to me, I ... sort of have my own.
WILLOW: Teach me.
TARA: (points) See those stars over there? "Short man looking uncomfortable."
They both giggle.
TARA: Uh... (points) "Moose getting a sponge bath." Umm... "little pile o'crackers." (Willow frowns) Tha-that was a bit of a stretch. (They both laugh) You do it. What would you call ... mm, that one? (points)
WILLOW: Hmm, let's see.

Shot of the starry sky. One of the stars suddenly enlarges and streaks toward the earth, trailing a golden tail.

 

[goldenboy]

I never saw this ep when it originally aired, just the promos. And I was thinking, what the hell is an alien doing in the Buffyverse? But, then I learned it was just a weird demon. It was one of the creepier ones too. A good, scary Buffy ep.

Also, there's lots of references to stars and killer comets in various Christian prophecies and modern, off-the-beaten-trail Catholic eschatology. Not sure about pagan, mythological references.