What do you think about season 6?

[Icarium]

I think that the "life is hard" theme they had going on would have been a lot more effective if the problems weren't so contrived and, let's face it, easy to overcome if anyone in S6 had a working brain in their head.

Exactly. For instance, I can't take Buffy's money troubles even remotely seriously. The council's money aside, why is she not working at the Magic Box, really? She tried it for a day then quit because Jonathan played tricks on her. Why not try it again later? It's much easier than flipping burgers and apparently the shop is a virtual goldmine, so Giles can pay her well too without she getting the feeling it's charity.

But, Buffy never took the Trio "plotting" seriously because she never saw them as a legitimate threat.

She did that even after they kidnapped Willow and killed Katrina which frankly doesn't reflect well on Buffy's mental capacity. Then again, if the writers had half a clue they would have had someone of Buffy, Willow, Xander and Tara realising the Trio treat. But no, somehow everybody prefers to keep their heads in the sand. It's particularly silly in Flooded where Giles stops Willow from doing a locator spell on the demon sent by the Trio. Apparently he got advanced notice that magic was going to become crack...

Back in the day Buffy took people like Chis Epps and Eric from Some Assembly Required or the Coach from Go, Fish seriously. Why couldn't she do that with Warren, Jonathan and that other moron? I know why - because if she (or Willow or Tara or Xander) did, the plot wouldn't have worked. Treating them as a mere nuisance for an episode or two I can accept, for more than half a season...not so much.

OMWF is pretty much everything S6 is, done right.

I would have to disagree, OMWF suffers from many of the same problems as the rest of the season. Silly plot twists, OOC behaviour (Xander causing people to burn to death), Spuffy, Giles being an idiot, Buffy not even trying to kill the bad guy, etc. I like the songs but the actual plot of the episode is pretty bad, IMO.

I can tolerate depressing stuff easily, I have watched some movies and read certain books that can make S6 look positively heartwarming in comparison. But a show needs to be convincing first. S6 never managed to convince me that the Willow, Buffy, Giles, Xander and even Anya that I knew from the previous seasons would do many of the things they were shown to do. Bad writing, pure and simple. YMMV, and all that jazz.

 

[zobothehobo]

I didn't take the Trio seriously. They were just a nuisance. They were treated as such for half a season because they were there for half a season. Warren was the only one with a vision and with the balls to do something. He was the only one I cared about. The other two would have been and were nothing without him. Buffy didn't take them seriously because she didn't know Warren. She knew he made April and Buffy-bot but that's it.

As for what you said about OMWF... You've missed the entire point of the episode and the season. I suggest you do a season 6 re-watch and really try to understand the metaphors and deeper meanings. The plots of season 6 (particularly OMWF) should become a lot more clear.

 

[shadowforce420]

I'm in the minority but I loved season 6, it's my favorite after season 2.

 

[TheVoid68]

But after OMWF, Giles left. Just another reason for her to be depressed, especially when she said she needed him the most.

Which brings us back to my point about contrived events occuring for the sole purpose

Coming out of a depressive state doesn't happen over night or that quickly. She tried to get better. She got a job to earn money, she broke things off with Spike because she couldn't keep using him,

It wasn't until after OMWF that she started sleeping with Spike - like I said, she just got worse.

she tried to be there for Dawn,

Nope, sorry, but Buffy was terrible at being there for Dawn. She chose to do it with Spike up against a tree rather than go inside and give her some food.

The change wasn't immediate, but it was happening, even though it was at a slow pace.

Yes. A slow, slow, slow, sloooooooow pace. You know what I say about slow-paced shows? "Zzzzzzz...."

Maybe it was realistic, but it sure didn't make for good TV.

Back in the day Buffy took people like Chis Epps and Eric from Some Assembly Required or the Coach from Go, Fish seriously. Why couldn't she do that with Warren, Jonathan and that other moron? I know why - because if she (or Willow or Tara or Xander) did, the plot wouldn't have worked. Treating them as a mere nuisance for an episode or two I can accept, for more than half a season...not so much.

Well said.

 

[Angelus88]

IMO, this was an excellent season. Definitely not the worst and I really enjoyed it despite some weak enough episodes (Doublemeat Palace being the pick of the bunch). There were some fantastic episodes though with OMWF, Life Serial, Two To Go, Grave and Older And Far Away being particular favourites of mine.
As for the Trio, I thought they were excellent villains. They represnted a real change for Buffy because after finding a God the season before they only way was obviously down from there but they were so entertaining and really fun compared to most. There was even a real edge to them and especially Warren after killing Katrina. I think that they were supposed to represent struggling in life and how the little things that you don't notice straight away and dont take seriously can add up and come back to haunt you later on. They were really solid villains for me.

 

[StarSlayer]

It wasn't until after OMWF that she started sleeping with Spike - like I said, she just got worse.

Yes and no. This is getting into my Spuffy love, lol, but Buffy said that the only time she felt anything was with Spike. In a way, she was able to escape her depressive state and problems (or at least not think about it) when she was with Spike, both before and after OMWF. However, in this process, she realized she was using him and she knew that was wrong. It wasn't until "As You Were" that she stopped it.

Nope, sorry, but Buffy was terrible at being there for Dawn. She chose to do it with Spike up against a tree rather than go inside and give her some food.

Like I said, she tried to be there for Dawn. It was a step in the right direction, even if she still got side-tracked every now and then. Whether it was saying they should go out and do something or bringing her dinner, etc., she was making an effort to show Dawn that she still cared about her.

Maybe it was realistic, but it sure didn't make for good TV.

IMO, it did 🙂

---------- Post added at 10:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 AM ----------

Exactly. For instance, I can't take Buffy's money troubles even remotely seriously. The council's money aside, why is she not working at the Magic Box, really? She tried it for a day then quit because Jonathan played tricks on her. Why not try it again later? It's much easier than flipping burgers and apparently the shop is a virtual goldmine, so Giles can pay her well too without she getting the feeling it's charity.

Buffy said she found retail/sales work extremely boring though, even before she worked there, which is why she tried construction work first. And even when she finally did work at the Magic Box, she said she was "bored to tears even before the hour that wouldn't end."

Back in the day Buffy took people like Chis Epps and Eric from Some Assembly Required or the Coach from Go, Fish seriously. Why couldn't she do that with Warren, Jonathan and that other moron? I know why - because if she (or Willow or Tara or Xander) did, the plot wouldn't have worked. Treating them as a mere nuisance for an episode or two I can accept, for more than half a season...not so much.

One of the reasons is because Buffy was not in the same state of mind as she was back then. In s6, she was depressed, even lost. She didn't have the same drive as she did in the earlier episodes.

I would have to disagree, OMWF suffers from many of the same problems as the rest of the season. Silly plot twists, OOC behaviour (Xander causing people to burn to death), Spuffy, Giles being an idiot, Buffy not even trying to kill the bad guy, etc. I like the songs but the actual plot of the episode is pretty bad, IMO

I agree with zobothehobo on this one. Maybe you should re-watch it and really listen to the lyrics of the songs, especially Buffy's. Plus, there's a ton of deeper meanings behind that episode.

 

[Icarium]

One of the reasons is because Buffy was not in the same state of mind as she was back then. In s6, she was depressed, even lost.

What about the rest of the group? Did they become braindead...I mean, clinically depressed too? Not to mention how awfully convenient it is that no serious adversary ever shows up when Buffy is depressed. Some realism, that. Buffy is very depressed in Anne too, this somehow doesn't stop her from kicking some demon booty.

Buffy said she found retail/sales work extremely boring though, even before she worked there, which is why she tried construction work first.

This would have been a valid argument had Buffy been looking for an intellectual challenge and not a job, any job that would provide her with enough money to make a living. Also, working in the Magic Box is much more convenient than working anywhere else because nowhere else would the bosses know she is the Slayer. Well, unless she had decided to become one of Riley's commandos. 😉

I agree with zobothehobo on this one. Maybe you should re-watch it and really listen to the lyrics of the songs, especially Buffy's. Plus, there's a ton of deeper meanings behind that episode.

I have watched it plenty of times, thank you very much. The more I watch it, the sillier it seems. I get the "deeper" meanings, I just don't agree with many of them. Also, for an episode to work on metaphorical level it needs to work on the plot level first. Having Xander be the cause of people dying and nobody including him giving a damn is enough for to dislike the episode and there is also the beginning of Spuffy, Willow being a quasi-rapist, Giles being an abandoner once more (only with less feeling), etc.

 

[StarSlayer]

What about the rest of the group? Did they become braindead...I mean, clinically depressed too? Not to mention how awfully convenient it is that no serious adversary ever shows up when Buffy is depressed. Some realism, that. Buffy is very depressed in Anne too, this somehow doesn't stop her from kicking some demon booty.

First, with the rest of the group, Willow was depressed after Tara left. The way she dealt with it was with getting high on magic, until it almost led to Dawn's death. She then started her recovery process from there. Xander may not have been severely depressed as Buffy and Willow, but he had states of feeling panic with getting married and all. Depression can vary by the person and the circumstances, which leads me to my next point.

It was different circumstances when Buffy was depressed in "Anne." She was depressed because she had to kill Angel to save the world. It wasn't to the point that she gave up her slayer duties though. But, in s6, she was depressed because she felt she was in hell after being torn out from heaven. She said she felt finished and complete while in heaven, but that was taken away from her since coming back to earth. In OMWF, she sings about how she wants the fire back. In another sense, she wants that drive back. She doesn't want to just "go through the motions," sleepwalking through life. She wants to feel alive, feel like what she's doing matters again.

This would have been a valid argument had Buffy been looking for an intellectual challenge and not a job, any job that would provide her with enough money to make a living. Also, working in the Magic Box is much more convenient than working anywhere else because nowhere else would the bosses know she is the Slayer. Well, unless she had decided to become one of Riley's commandos. 😉

Buffy always felt she was superior to others because she was the slayer. For the most part, if she didn't like something, she didn't do it, which included working in an atmosphere that she found boring. But, I agree that working in the Magic Box would have been more convenient, but that's not how Buffy saw it. For her, the convenience didn't matter.

I have watched it plenty of times, thank you very much. The more I watch it, the sillier it seems. I get the "deeper" meanings, I just don't agree with many of them.

I don't mean any offense btw. If you don't agree, that's fine. You're entitled to your opinion 🙂

 

[zobothehobo]

I have watched it plenty of times, thank you very much. The more I watch it, the sillier it seems. I get the "deeper" meanings, I just don't agree with many of them. Also, for an episode to work on metaphorical level it needs to work on the plot level first. Having Xander be the cause of people dying and nobody including him giving a damn is enough for to dislike the episode and there is also the beginning of Spuffy, Willow being a quasi-rapist, Giles being an abandoner once more (only with less feeling), etc.

The topic of Xander summoning Sweet has been talked about on this board in recent history. The general consensus is that Xander didn't actually do it, he was covering for Dawn. If he actually did it, he wouldn't have sang his part in I've Got a Theory because he would have known and since they sing what's in their hearts and exactly what they're feeling... His part would have been full of guilt, and fear rather than worrying about what it was.

What's wrong with Spuffy? It's what Buffy needed. She turned to abusing Spike to get out of her depression. I watched TV. Both were unhealthy but Buffy and I did them anyway.

Willow had been abusing magics before... it wasn't a stretch to have her do a spell on Tara to have her forget their fight.

I honestly don't feel like Giles abandoned Buffy. He was right... she'd never get better with him there. There were things in episodes leading up to this where we saw that Giles had to go. It was sad, but it had to happen... for Buffy's character to grow.

 

[Icarium]

It was different circumstances when Buffy was depressed in "Anne." She was depressed because she had to kill Angel to save the world. It wasn't to the point that she gave up her slayer duties though.

What? She did exactly that for the entire summer between S2 and S3.

But, in s6, she was depressed because she felt she was in hell after being torn out from heaven. She said she felt finished and complete while in heaven, but that was taken away from her since coming back to earth.

Which is one my biggest problems with Buffy's "depression". Most non-relatable cause of depression ever. If she wants heaven so much, let her kill herself. Why should I be rooting for Buffy to live when she prefers to be dead?

Buffy always felt she was superior to others because she was the slayer.

And that's why she is working in a fast food joint? 🙂 Seriously, I totally disagree. Except for Hitler!Buffy in S7, that is. Buffy trying to combine her Slayer-ness with normal life is part of the very core of the show. She has never been about "oh, I can't do that, I am the Slayer". She is studying for finals in Becoming, after all. Not to mention there is nothing in the text of the show that suggests Buffy think the Doublemeat job is better than the one at the Magic Box, it's simply a case of the writers ignoring the obvious solution for Buffy's problem.

But, I agree that working in the Magic Box would have been more convenient, but that's not how Buffy saw it. For her, the convenience didn't matter.

Of course it mattered. Isn't she supposed to want to spend more time with Dawn? What would be a better way to do it - working at the Magic Box where Dawn could even come to study or working extra shifts at the Doublemeat?

 

[StarSlayer]

What? She did exactly that for the entire summer between S2 and S3.

I stand corrected. But, we don't know for sure if she completely gave up all her duties. I may have to re-watch the episode again, but we know LA had vampires and demons, etc. Even though she wasn't at the Hellmouth, she could have slayed some demons here and here, if they were attacking humans. It was in her instincts to protect them, like when she pushed that man away from the car. But, that's really speculation.

Which is one my biggest problems with Buffy's "depression". Most non-relatable cause of depression ever. If she wants heaven so much, let her kill herself. Why should I be rooting for Buffy to live when she prefers to be dead?

Lol, this goes back to OMWF again. She tried to kill herself there. She wanted to dance herself to death. But Spike stopped her. Both he and Dawn reminded her at that point she had to go on living. Although she was feeling pain, it would heal overtime. As Dawn said, "The hardest thing to do in this world is to live in it," which in fact were Buffy's words. She had to be strong and be brave, if not for herself, than at least for those who loved her. Depression can lead to people wanting to commit suicide. They think it can't get any worse than what they are feeling now. They don't think about how seriously it can effect their friends and family, but it can be very damaging.

And that's why she is working in a fast food joint? 🙂 Seriously, I totally disagree. Except for Hitler!Buffy in S7, that is. Buffy trying to combine her Slayer-ness with normal life is part of the very core of the show. She has never been about "oh, I can't do that, I am the Slayer". She is studying for finals in Becoming, after all. Not to mention there is nothing in the text of the show that suggests Buffy think the Doublemeat job is better than the one at the Magic Box, it's simply a case of the writers ignoring the obvious solution for Buffy's problem.

It's not so much that she can't do it, but that she doesn't want to do it. She didn't want to study for finals (who doesn't, lol), but she had to. She didn't want to kill Angel, but she had to, in order to save the world. She didn't want to die at 16, the list goes on. In s6, Buffy tried going back to college, so she could earn a better job. Didn't work. She tried working in construction with Xander. Didn't work. She tried the Magic Box, as a last resort. Didn't work and she hated it. Buffy choosing to work at the Doublemeat Palace was to earn money and even to try to be normal. However, Spike, and even Riley, knew she was better than that and hated seeing her waste her time there.

 

[Icarium]

It's not so much that she can't do it, but that she doesn't want to do it.

And why would that be? Name one reason Buffy would rather work at the Doublemeat than at the Magic Box. Even better, tell me why no one ever suggests that she do that after the initial failure in Life Serial.

I stand corrected. But, we don't know for sure if she completely gave up all her duties.

Actually that's the very point of the episode. Buffy doesn't want to be Buffy, the Slayer. She creates an entirely new persona - Anne. She explicitly tells Lily (future Anne) that she isn't doing that anymore and that in this case is helping people.

Lol, this goes back to OMWF again. She tried to kill herself there.

Call me crazy but I prefer characters who'd rather be alive than dead. Maybe it's just me. I don't want Buffy to want to live for Dawn for Spike or for whoever. If she doesn't want to live for her own sake, I want her off my screen, thank you very much. Everybody wins - she is much happier in heaven, I am much happier not having to watch this zombie drag her feet through life. Of course, this being the season of "great realism" she somehow snaps out of it at the end because doing that right in the end of the season is really realistic. Oh, wait...

 

[zobothehobo]

And why would that be? Name one reason Buffy would rather work at the Doublemeat than at the Magic Box. Even better, tell me why no one ever suggests that she do that after the initial failure in Life Serial.

Well for one, she knows nothing about magic. I don't feel like working the Magic Box would have been good for Buffy because I feel like in order to do that, you have to have some knowledge of the stuff you're selling. It's like working in a comic book store if you don't read comics... or working in an outdoor activities supplies store if you're not an outdoorsy person... it just doesn't work and you'd be awful at it.

Call me crazy but I prefer characters who'd rather be alive than dead. Maybe it's just me. I don't want Buffy to want to live for Dawn for Spike or for whoever. If she doesn't want to live for her own sake, I want her off my screen, thank you very much. Everybody wins - she is much happier in heaven, I am much happier not having to watch this zombie drag her feet through life. Of course, this being the season of "great realism" she somehow snaps out of it at the end because doing that right in the end of the season is really realistic. Oh, wait...

You've obviously never had a major depressive episode. Or been around anyone who has. I never died and went to heaven... but I wanted to be dead. I didn't know who I was or why I was here... I just was. I was legit going through the motions of my life. When you feel depressed, sometimes you really do just feel dead. Like "what's the point in living." I tried to kill myself once because I just didn't see what the point was of living. The season finale is actually realistic. One day, something really bad happened and I almost lost my mother. After that, I just felt better. It was sudden and strange... I understood all of the sudden that life doesn't suck. Life has a point... but I have to find that point.

Maybe season 6 was my favorite because I've been there. I've felt what Buffy's feeling and I see the parallels to my own depression. It was the season I related to the most.

 

[xaphania]

For anyone wanting an in-depth analysis of Buffy's depression in S6, gabrielleabelle's "Buffy Came Back Wrong" meta series is an excellent read.

Okay, Buffy gets a lot for her part in S6. And, yet, most people realize that she is depressed. Although I don't see her depression being described much more than, "She didn't want to be alive", which is true.

But I want to take a more in-depth look at that depression. How it's portrayed in the season. How it affects Buffy's behavior and perceptions. How the other characters react to it. And then her gradual recovery by the end of the season. And the best way I know how to explore that is to just take it one episode at a time.

Buffy Came Back Wrong
You'll need to scroll to the bottom of the page for the beginning, then work upwards. The series is ongoing - the author's up to Hell's Bells.

 

[Icarium]

Well for one, she knows nothing about magic.

I am pretty sure Buffy knows a lot more about magic than about flipping burgers.

You've obviously never had a major depressive episode. Or been around anyone who has.

Would you mind stopping with the suppositions about me? First, it was the number of times I have watched OMWF, now this.

I never died and went to heaven... but I wanted to be dead. I didn't know who I was or why I was here... I just was. I was legit going through the motions of my life. When you feel depressed, sometimes you really do just feel dead. Like "what's the point in living." I tried to kill myself once because I just didn't see what the point was of living. The season finale is actually realistic. One day, something really bad happened and I almost lost my mother. After that, I just felt better. It was sudden and strange... I understood all of the sudden that life doesn't suck. Life has a point... but I have to find that point.

But Buffy's case is different than any depression in our world. With "normal" cases of depressions assuming the person in question would be better off death is quite a leap of faith. In Buffy's case it's more of a statement of fact.

Worst of all, the heaven thing was totally unneeded. Buffy was already depressed plenty in S5, adding some more to me was superfluous and counter-productive. Oh, no Buffy's not only has a death mother, deadbeat dad, a calling that has already killed her twice, creepy vampire stalking her, bratty sister, no money and friends who suddenly decide to abandon her. No, no, somehow that's not nearly enough - she has also been kicked out of heaven. Whatever, Joss...

 

[StarSlayer]

And why would that be? Name one reason Buffy would rather work at the Doublemeat than at the Magic Box. Even better, tell me why no one ever suggests that she do that after the initial failure in Life Serial.

I think I did. She found work at the Magic Box boring. And no one suggests she work at the Doublemeat Palace because they don't see the Slayer flipping burgers and wearing orange pinstripes.

Call me crazy but I prefer characters who'd rather be alive than dead. Maybe it's just me. I don't want Buffy to want to live for Dawn for Spike or for whoever. If she doesn't want to live for her own sake, I want her off my screen, thank you very much. Everybody wins - she is much happier in heaven, I am much happier not having to watch this zombie drag her feet through life. Of course, this being the season of "great realism" she somehow snaps out of it at the end because doing that right in the end of the season is really realistic. Oh, wait...

Well, yeah, lol. I'd rather have my characters alive than dead so I can watch them 😀 Again, it's a process. Buffy gets better at various stages. When she breaks things off with Spike, when she explains to Xander how happy she is seeing him get married, when she stops herself from killing Dawn, Willow, and Xander in "Normal Again." But, it isn't until the last episode where she has her greatest change (an epiphany if you will) that she doesn't want to do this alone. She wants to teach Dawn things rather than shield her from it.

 

[zobothehobo]

Would you mind stopping with the suppositions about me? First, it was the number of times I have watched OMWF, now this.

I didn't say anything about the number of times you watched OMWF. I said I think you missed the point.

But Buffy's case is different than any depression in our world. With "normal" cases of depressions assuming the person in question would be better off death is quite a leap of faith. In Buffy's case it's more of a statement of fact.

I feel like a lot of the Buffy-verse shows what it feels like to be ____ rather than what it actually is like to be ____. When you're that depressed, it feels like a statement of fact to say I'd be better off dead. I think that was the goal of Buffy's depression in season 6... to show what it feels like to be that depressed.

Worst of all, the heaven thing was totally unneeded. Buffy was already depressed plenty in S5, adding some more to me was superfluous and counter-productive. Oh, no Buffy's not only has a death mother, deadbeat dad, a calling that has already killed her twice, creepy vampire stalking her, bratty sister, no money and friends who suddenly decide to abandon her. No, no, somehow that's not nearly enough - she has also been kicked out of heaven. Whatever, Joss...

The heaven thing gave her a reason to want to be dead. The rest was "I don't want to be me, I don't want to be here, I don't want to be the slayer..." but the heaven thing allowed her to say "I want to be dead." Which allows for my answer above.

 

[TheVoid68]

I've been depressed. I managed to get out of it eventually. To cut a long story short, I realised that life wasn't all crap. There's always something good, something funny in the midst of all that doom and gloom - even if you can't see it it's still there, just hidden underneath all the crap. Perhaps that's why S6 annoyed me so much. I have no sympathy for depressed!me. I was an idiot, wallowing in angst and self-pity. So when I watch S6, I see my old self in Buffy - a whiny, self-pitying moron who should just for the love of god get over it already. I just felt so frustrated through the whole of S6, because I just wanted Buffy to snap out of it - I worked it out, how long did it take her? Sure, you could argue that about 8 months or so isn't that long to stay depressed, but in TV time it's 1/7 of her entire existence, so it felt like a long time.

To be honest I never liked angsty!self-pitying!Buffy anyway, in any season. I love kickass!slayer!Buffy and quippy!Buffy is fun, but those two Buffys were missing from S6.

Yes and no. This is getting into my Spuffy love, lol, but Buffy said that the only time she felt anything was with Spike. In a way, she was able to escape her depressive state and problems (or at least not think about it) when she was with Spike, both before and after OMWF. However, in this process, she realized she was using him and she knew that was wrong. It wasn't until "As You Were" that she stopped it.

She hated being with Spike. My evidence? "Dead Things". But let us say no more on the subject, because shipping-related arguments never end well in my experience.

Like I said, she tried to be there for Dawn.

She didn't try very hard! Bringing her dinner? Try "bringing her an old, cold, squashed, unhealthy burger that she got for free from her workplace - hours late because she was banging a vampire". 2/10 for effort - and 0 for execution.

 

[Icarium]

I think I did. She found work at the Magic Box boring.

But the Doublemeat job is also boring. And unlike the Magic Box job, it's demeaning, low-paid, doesn't allow for impromptu Slaying breaks when need be or regular visits from Dawn or Buffy's friends.

And no one suggests she work at the Doublemeat Palace because they don't see the Slayer flipping burgers and wearing orange pinstripes.

I meant how come no one tells Buffy "Hey, wouldn't it be much more convenient to work with Anya than in the Doublemeat". I didn't mean to suggest they would want her to flip burgers. Of course, if Buffy did work in the Magic Box we wouldn't have had Spike coming and suggesting he provide money for Buffy and there's no way the writers were going to lose that marvel of a scene...[/sarcasm]

The heaven thing gave her a reason to want to be dead.

The factors I mentioned could have easily achieved that too with 100% less "let's all blame Willow for daring to resurrect her best friend". As you said, plenty of depressed people want to be dead even if they haven't personally made visits to heaven.

 

[StarSlayer]

I've been depressed. I managed to get out of it eventually. To cut a long story short, I realised that life wasn't all crap. There's always something good, something funny in the midst of all that doom and gloom - even if you can't see it it's still there, just hidden underneath all the crap. Perhaps that's why S6 annoyed me so much. I have no sympathy for depressed!me. I was an idiot, wallowing in angst and self-pity. So when I watch S6, I see my old self in Buffy - a whiny, self-pitying moron who should just for the love of god get over it already. I just felt so frustrated through the whole of S6, because I just wanted Buffy to snap out of it - I worked it out, how long did it take her? Sure, you could argue that about 8 months or so isn't that long to stay depressed, but in TV time it's 1/7 of her entire existence, so it felt like a long time.

As I've stated, depression varies by the person. Sometimes, it's not so easy just to snap out of it. So, since we're all sharing, here's my personal story. I became very depressed and developed anxiety about 7 years ago. I developed massive panic attacks, where it felt like I was having a heart-attack. I tried to tough it out on my own, snap out of it if you will, but I couldn't. Something held me back and I really lost my motivation to do things. I didn't care anymore and just felt blah. So, I started taking anti-depressants, which helped ease my panic attacks. It took a couple months, but they eventually stopped. I stayed on them for about 5 years, got off them for a year, got back on them when my panic attacks came back, and am now gradually getting off them again. For some people, depression can last for a couple months or years. It's great that you were able to get out of your depressive state in the way you did (and I mean that in all sincerity) but that's not always the same for others.

She hated being with Spike. My evidence? "Dead Things". But let us say no more on the subject, because shipping-related arguments never end well in my experience.

She hated being with Spike??? If anything, "Dead Things" shows how she wants to be with him! She hated how she was using him. But, yeah, I'm not going to go more into it because it would turn into a big shipping argument :tongue3:

She didn't try very hard! Bringing her dinner? Try "bringing her an old, cold, squashed, unhealthy burger that she got for free from her workplace - hours late because she was banging a vampire". 2/10 for effort - and 0 for execution.

Of course Buffy didn't try very hard. She was still in a depressive state and Dawn recognized that. She appreciated the effort Buffy was making (as she said), but Buffy knew she could do better. Buffy felt guilty over that.