Sept. 26-Oct 3 Discussion - led by caintaintdead

So what moments did people like and dislike about both episodes?

The Gift
Liked: That everyone got to play a really incredible part in the episode. From Willows spell, to Xander being the bowling bricklayer to Giles killing of Ben. I loved Buffy's speech to Dawn and how it was interlinked with the images of her friends grieving. I thought the Buffybot idea was really clever, I was genuinely surprised the first time I saw it. Haha, Glory - uh, did anyone else know the slayer was a robot? Friggen GOLD!

What about you guys? If you could, would you combine different aspects of the two to create one awesome finale?
 
caitaintdead said:
So what moments did people like and dislike about both episodes?
Click to expand...

Things I like about The Gift:
-Willow curing Tara and their scene together, Buffy inviting Spike back into her house, Xander proposing to Anya, Buffy's speech to Dawn before sacrificing herself, and the last scene with all her friends looking at her dead body (so sad).

Things I dislike about The Gift:
-Dawn didn't die (totally kidding, or am I? lol) :tongue3:

Things I like about Chosen:
-Pretty much everything, which is why I picked it over The Gift 🙂

Things I dislike about Chosen:
-It was the last episode of the series 🙁

What about you guys? If you could, would you combine different aspects of the two to create one awesome finale?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I like both episodes they way they are and really wouldn't change anything or combine aspects. Each episode was part of a different storyline, and I love them both for different reasons because of that.
 
I think Chosen definitely should have had some aspects that The Gift had. For example, I loved that The Gift had an opening scene of Buffy fighting a vampire so simply. It took it right back to where the series started and made me feel nostalgic for the show, and sad that it might be over. I also loved how they did the montage of the past 5 years that we had seen. Obviously it couldn't be done again in Chosen or it would seem to samey... Maybe they should have held off on these two plot devices?
 
caitaintdead said:
I think Chosen definitely should have had some aspects that The Gift had. For example, I loved that The Gift had an opening scene of Buffy fighting a vampire so simply. It took it right back to where the series started and made me feel nostalgic for the show, and sad that it might be over. I also loved how they did the montage of the past 5 years that we had seen. Obviously it couldn't be done again in Chosen or it would seem to samey... Maybe they should have held off on these two plot devices?
Click to expand...

When did they know that Buffy was picked up by UPN? Maybe that would explain those plot devices, especially if the episode was already completed before they knew Buffy would be coming back.
 
caitaintdead said:
So do any bangel fans think they may be biased because in The Gift Buffy doesn't think about Angel at all? Or have any time for him really? If The Gift had have ended the show would bangel shippers been disappointed that the last we saw of Bangel was the graveyard scene in Forever?
Click to expand...

The fact of whether or not Angel or Spike was around during the finale doesn't matter to me. When I think about the series finale, I think about how I would have wanted Buffy's life to turn out.
Buffy spent so much time fighting evil and sacrificing for the world... I just felt that was who she was, ultimately, so for the series to have ended with "The Gift", it just felt like it would have made sense. 🙂
 
M
msfantastico87
[No message]
HisMrs said:
The fact of whether or not Angel or Spike was around during the finale doesn't matter to me. When I think about the series finale, I think about how I would have wanted Buffy's life to turn out.
Buffy spent so much time fighting evil and sacrificing for the world... I just felt that was who she was, ultimately, so for the series to have ended with "The Gift", it just felt like it would have made sense. 🙂
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you here girl! It's Buffy the vampire slayer. Not Buffy and her love triangle vampire slayer...I was more interested to see how everything would turn out for Buffy. For Chosen to have been the very final episode was disappointing. I also feel that Caleb was pretty much there for nothing. It was far too easy for Buffy to get the scythe from him. There should have been more battle, that way she can say she really fought for it! anyways, i digress. I agree with HisMrs 🙂
 
caitaintdead said:
I do agree, The Gift battle was definitely more epic!
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I think I may have to disagree. In Chosen, Buffy fought with a mortal found and still won. There was also tragic casualties, such as the potentials and even Anya. Yes, Buffy fought against a god and kicked her butt, and ultimately sacrificed herself in The Gift, but I just felt the battle in Chosen was more of a fight to the death. It felt more epic to me. And while it was Spike who saved the world in The Chosen, he wouldn't have been in that position if it wasn't for Buffy.
 
If you prefer an ending which is incredibly sad, hard to watch and ultimately depressing then i suppose you would have liked the show to end with "The Gift". For me personally the show ending on that note would have been terrible. Knowing that after all they had been through Buffy was gone.

What's interesting is that many people who believe the show should have ended with "The Gift" state how depressing season 6 is, i'm not one to disagree with that but surely Buffy dying is incredibly depressing.

You've got Spike in bits, Dawn without a sister, no slayer to defend the hellmouth and Giles forced to leave the Scoobies because there is no longer a place for him.

On the contrary with Chosen you got Buffy coming out of it alive and the core 4 were still together.
 
P
paks
[No message]
O
OldSwede
[No message]
S
StarSlayer
[No message]
I didn't really feel disappointed in The Gift when Buffy didn't think of Angel...I mean, A LOT was going on and she had a world to save and a sister. In my mind, before she jumped, she thought of her life and that includes Buffy but I must say...if Angel wouldn't have been in Chose, that would have pissed me off because Chosen was clearly suitable for a reunion. If The Gift was the finale..with the Forever scene being their last scene together..I would have been quite satisfied..it was a wonderful scene, very powerful.
 
Well on a strictly episode vs. episode basis, I certainly love The Gift over Chosen... The Gift is one of my top 10 Buffy eps probably, BUT I would not have wanted that to be the series finale by any means! For one, I'm a Spuffy shipper! The Gift being the series finale would throw my world ALL askew! 😉 But seriously, we'd be without 2 entire seasons, and I'd be willing to bet that even for those of ya'll that aren't as fond of S6-7 as you are of the earlier seasons, there would still be plenty of episodes from these seasons that you'd miss sorely! For me, yeah a biggie is no Spuffy, also no return of Faith, and no Trokia?! They crack my shit up, I couldn't do without them!

Like Cait mentioned, I also kinda wish that Buffy's old school vamp kill and the "previously on" montage had been reserved for Chosen in hindsight, cause those are two very finale-ish devices, BUT we did get the "the earth is definitely doomed" scene in Chosen that was a throwback to the pilot episode, I LOVED that they did that!

I love The Gift (and all of season 5 for that matter) cause Glory is effing glorious in my eyes, so my favorite! And I definitely shed a tear during Chosen but I cry the severe ugly cry during The Gift EVERY time I see it, its ridiculous! Seeing all their reactions to Buffy's lifeless body over her speech, and especially how broken Spike is, it just kills me. Things I love about Chosen: seeing Faith & Buffy fighting side by side again, Principal Wood's "surprise", the Spuffyness right down to the firey hand hold! Hate that Anya dies 🙁 Also am not a fan of Angel appearing in the final arc... or at least not in the way they threw him in there. I mean at this point over on Angel he was torn up about Cordelia, who he was utterly in love with, being a coma... logically at this point bhe would not have been over there all whiny making with the smoochies with Buffy and pressing her about their future. It didn't fit for me, and it felt like it was only included so Bangel's wouldn't riot, to please both fan bases, which i get but still UGH. I did love the hell out of the Spike drawn picture of Angel on the punching bag :biggrin:

Two great episodes... one that had the makings of a fabulously poignant, albeit SO sad, series ender, but thankfully we got two more years and an equally fitting finale in Chosen 🙂
 
Thanks for all coming along to chat about this with me! I always find peoples opinions on this topic so fascinating as it's something I just can not make my mind up about! One week I think The Gift would have perfect, and the next I love the way they chose to end things with Chosen!

Perhaps there is something in this inability to choose - Buffy is just quality written television, either way it would have rocked!
 
S
StarSlayer
Amen to that :D
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom