ag25
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Post by ag25 on Oct 4, 2020 0:38:42 GMT
Alright, I'm back....anyone want to take bets on how long I will stick with it this time, lol? I will say though, that I have been watching all the episodes and taking notes consistently but I have just not been posting. Shame on me. I guess it is just laziness and it takes me a while to write a post, because I am analytical and reread and proof read my post before I post. Yes, I know I can edit, but this is just how I am, lol. I hope everyone is doing well during this crazy pandemic time, and I will try to keep up with this, as well as finishing the other past seasons I need to finish. Say safe, everyone! Buffy Season 5 Buffy vs. Dracula 9-26-2000/2020 In keeping in what I have said in the past of me not loving the Buffy season premiers, this one isn't one of my favorites, but I do love that this episode is tied in with Restless (as we usually see with the show) and then sets up Buffy's issues with her hunting, death, wanting to know more about Slaying/Slayers, etc. for later episodes and the season's story arc pretty well. I like the reuse of the quote from Restless that Tara, I believe, told Buffy that Dracula then repeats: "You don't know what's coming, you have to be ready."sdjfh'nmskefjnksjed-check quote I like the opening with Buffy "hunting" good set up for the season. My biggest problem with this episode is Dracula. He just doesn't work for me. He breaks too many of the vampire rules in the Buffyverse. It kind of challenges some things and themes from the episode Lie to Me as well. Even though Spike says that Dracula uses parlor tricks, some seem useful so why don't more vampires use them more often? Maybe not the younger ones, but vamps like Darla, other kinds of older ones, and even Harmony (although I'm not sure she could learn them, lol...can you imagine her trying?... ). The hypnosis/mind control I am ok with because we have seen it before with The Master and Drusilla. Also, Dracula coming into Buffy's room is explained by Joyce inviting him in earlier, so those make sense. But the teleportation, coming back to life after being staked, and turning into a bat are things that I would think other vamps would find useful, so why don't we see them more? They also just kind of go against the Buffyverse lore, so to me it doesn't make sense. It's like the writers were trying to contradict or put into practice/reality the stereotypes of vampires that were presented to us in Lie to Me. It just rubs me the wrong way. Unless I am mistaken, we never see these things again in Buffy or Angel and we have not seen them in the past or flashbacks, so it all comes off as very random. Like a one off alternate reality Buffy episode...or an episode that it satirizing Buffy, or something like that. I do, however, remember something about reading that the dirt (consecrated?) Dracula brings with him, I think it is mentioned in the episode when the movers are moving Dracula's coffin (why does he sleep in a coffin? Is it just for transportation? Weird.) out of the truck. Anyway, the dirt that he transformed in maybe is what allows him to regenerate/stay alive after being staked. So, you would have to kill him when he is not at his house because that's where it is???...I could have totally made that up, but I remember reading it somewhere. I do like the idea of introducing Dracula into the Buffyverse, but I just don't like how they did it. It came off a cheesy to me, when it actually had a lot of potential. I wish they had updated him to look more modern (mainly get rid of the cape). I don't exactly mind that he wants his victims to want to be bitten and turned by him, etc. but it's overdone. It's like everyone is so enamored with him, that I'm like, well what makes him so special? I mean, Buffy actually lets him bite her! Angel was the only one who had bitten her (and that was a special circumstance) and it kind of was special, and now it's not. Yes, Dracula was hypnotizing her or whatever, but I felt that she, as the Slayer, should not have been susceptible to his tricks. Yes, she was to the Master's but that was back in Season 1, she has grown and learned as a Slayer so it shouldn't have been so easy in my opinion. However, as I mentioned before, I do like the effect all of this has on Buffy. Setting up her questions about Slayers, herself, and death, etc. I thought that was well done, I just with it had been executed better. Why does drinking Dracula's blood make Buffy nape out if the trance? I think it was a missed opportunity for Spike and Dracula not to have had a scene together. So sad not to have seen that. The scene at the end between Buffy and Giles is one that I love and is such a beautiful little scene. I am glad that Giles' story is finally coming to a head after last season. Him feeling useless and not needed I get, and his decision to leave. And I love that Buffy comes to the realization that she still needs training, help, advice, and guidance from her Watcher. We didn't really explore that last season and I wish we had, or at least started to so that it would tie into this season very well. Since Buffy quite the Council, I understand her lack of enthusiasm for training, etc. and last season she still sort of had to figure out her place when she started college, and the Initiative/Adam distracted her, so now she is getting back to basics, and I like that! We also get to see Giles get back to being a Watcher as well as new stuff later on with the magic shop, which I like too. Oh Xander...yep, this is typical for him. At least he was more useful here. I do feel bad that he is just completely taken over by Dracula. I also love the Master...bater joke, lol. I am looking forward to his episode coming up! Willow, Tara, and Anya were good. I loved it when Xander locked Anya in the closet and then he and Buffy just went skipping off to Dracula, lol. Riley is understandably jealous of Dracula, but I like that this is setting up for his arc of issues with himself and Buffy. And now we get to say hello to Dawn. I do think it's weird that Joyce would tell Buffy that the house will be quiet when she starts back up at school, when Dawn was actually there. Yes, I know this is to throw the audience off the Dawn reveal for the end, but I still think this is an odd thing for Joyce to say. Also, odd that Dawn was not eating with them, but I could argue that she was finished and had left the table by then. Maybe Joyce meant that it would be quiet because Buffy and Dawn wouldn't be able to argue, but that's not clear. The only thing I can think of, Spoiler Alert, is that the Key spell thing hadn't been cast yet and therefore Dawn wouldn't have been there yet. Like the spell was cast at the end of the episode so that is when she turns up. For the dinner scene, I think it would have been better to have that scene be in the kitchen and Joyce doing the dishes and talking with Buffy when she is leaving to go patrolling. I just think it would have flowed better and hid Dawn better. All in all, certainly not a bad episode but not a great one for me, but it does capture one's attention and does a good job of setting up some things for the rest of the season.
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Post by PreachCaleb on Oct 5, 2020 15:27:07 GMT
Dracula as a rock star. That was pretty much the empetis of the episode. Everyone's acting as if they've met a celebrity, and it makes for some funny moments. It reminds me of Giles getting all giddy at the prospect of werewolves way back in Phases. While this episode is certainly not my favorite Buffy season premiere, I do enjoy it for being a light comedy episode mostly.
That's pretty much what I think. Dawn didn't arrive until the after Dracula had been dealt with. Though on repeat viewings, I did find myself looking for some clues that Dawn was somewhere in the background.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Oct 7, 2020 6:46:05 GMT
Dracula as a rock star. That was pretty much the empetis of the episode. Everyone's acting as if they've met a celebrity, and it makes for some funny moments. It reminds me of Giles getting all giddy at the prospect of werewolves way back in Phases. While this episode is certainly not my favorite Buffy season premiere, I do enjoy it for being a light comedy episode mostly. That's pretty much what I think. Dawn didn't arrive until the after Dracula had been dealt with. Though on repeat viewings, I did find myself looking for some clues that Dawn was somewhere in the background. Yeah, I totally get that, it just doesn't work for me personally. But, I agree with you, Caleb, in that I do enjoy it for a light comedy episode. I agree that Dawn must have arrived after dealing with Dracula, and yes it is fun rewatching and trying to find clues.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Oct 10, 2020 22:28:57 GMT
Buffy S5 Ep. 2 Real Me – 10-3-2000/2020 An interesting episode that it more like a monster of the week episode, but of course is important for Dawn’s introduction and the new family/show dynamic. Yay that Harmony comes back…with minions, lol!!! God, I still love the threatening note that Harmony sent/threw “Come out and die” with a smiley face over the “i” LOL! Love the joke that Spike makes at Harmony’s expense, “Evil for Dummies” lol! I like that Dawn and Harmony are in similar situations; at least emotionally. No one takes them seriously, being treated like little kids, etc. This is an interesting dynamic that I had forgotten about since I had seen it last, so kudos to writer David Fury. I like that the gang is all pretty supportive of Dawn and defend her against Buffy. Dawn has more allies than she knows. I like that Buffy and Dawn are almost like foils of each other; each are jealous of the other, want what the other has, and don’t appreciate what they have themselves. It would have been interesting to switch bodies and take a turn walking in each other’s shoes, but of course we have already done that. It would have been too soon. I think Tara looked so pretty in this episode. Loved her hair and makeup. She is so sweet to Dawn, and it’s sad that she still feels like an outsider (although it’s understandable), but I am glad that she doesn’t necessarily want to be a Scooby; that she doesn’t want to intrude and be apart of something special because she respects it…she gets it. Love her! I love that Dawn has a crush on Xander! So cute. I also like that Anya was surprisingly excited about babysitting Dawn, which of course leads to the hilarious Game of Life scene “can I trade in the children for more cash?”. I really liked them in this episode. They were well utilized. I liked Xander’s banter with Harmony and that Anya stood protectively in front of Dawn. Sweet. I like that Giles bought the Magic Shop. It gives him something to do, a job, and a new place for the gang to hang out. Also, he can utilize his knowledge as a Watcher on supernatural stuff and books. LOL that he was “so bored last year that he watched Passions with Spike”. I would have liked to have seen clips of that. Like Giles getting their drinks ready and coming over to the sofa and asking Spike to catch him up or tell him what he missed, lol. Overall, a good character-driven episode to reintroduce us to the new group dynamics and Dawn as a character.
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Post by PreachCaleb on Oct 13, 2020 22:34:28 GMT
I love how the show straight up made the new character the focal after the previous episode's huge twist, yet provided no real answers whatsoever. It was a bold move. One that I'm sure might've thrown off a lot of viewers (I know I was), but those who'd been with the show understood that answers would unraveled over the season.
Giles purchasing the Magic Box is a pivotal moment in the series. As far as I'm concerned, the Magic Box is the second best set of the entire show, next to the Library of course. But it does provide the Scoobies once again with an HQ, a place to research, a place for Buffy to train, and central hub for all things magic.
Plus, I like Tom Lenk's early bird cameo.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Oct 21, 2020 0:36:56 GMT
Buffy Season 5 E. 3 The Replacement – 10-10-2000/2020 I think this is a really good Xander episode. I finally see him getting some character growth and development (which, I feel, he lacks sometimes, as well as almost never having to face the consequences of his actions) and this makes me very happy for him! I like that this episode actually points out that Xander can be kind of useless, idiotic, irresponsible, and can get in his own way. But then highlights his good qualities too: strong, brave, confident when he wats to be, and smarter than he comes off. But, just like in the episode, Xander’s irresponsible/idiotic self gets in his confident self's way or influences him too much of the time. I think that he has potential as a character, but I feel that the writers keep him in the comedic role too much, and I wish they would do more with him. Shout out to Nick Brenden’s twin Kelly Donovan for playing Xander’s stand in for when there were the two Xanders (not actually playing either Xander; Nick plays both, for those who don’t know.). Buffy was reading a history book/studying instead of watching TV?! I am so proud of her! I wish we could have seen her academically more because she is smart and is interested in things, we just hardly ever see it. Like, back in season 3 when she scored high on the SATs it was almost hard to believe, because she normally complains about school and that she doesn’t study, or has no time to. I don’t think I can say what her favorite subject(s) were on high school, I don’t think she ever says (possibly she mentions English in Beauty and the Beasts ?). I just would have liked to hear her academic interested mentioned just a little more, that’s all. So when it is, I always like that. I also like that she is correcting the fights/fight choreography in the movie, lol! It was sweet of Riley to cough to try to draw attention away from Xander’s fighting parents, and for Anya to hold on to his leg in subtle comfort. The Toth demon looks great with the prosthetics and the glow in the dark makeup! I really like the concept of what Toth was trying to do. It’s a good idea to try and split the Slayer in to two selves, one with the Slayer powers and one with the normal human qualities, and then kill the normal half which would then kill both halves. I also love that, despite this being a Xander centric episode, this still touches on Buffy’s identity as the Slayer, and the larger role that will play on both her and the season’s story arcs. Good for Giles for “not getting killed or knocked out” when going up against Toth, lol. Some things I didn’t like were that I think it was too easy to find the Toth demon in the book; usually it takes a bit more research. Also, that the stupid relator lady hits on Xander. She knows he has a girlfriend! I get the point of it, but didn’t like it. The big thing that bothers me is at the end when Riley tells Xander that Buffy doesn’t love him. How does he know this? Has she never told him? Does he not feel it from her? Does he think this means that she is not committed to him? Maybe Buffy just isn’t there yet, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be at some point. Does he not feel that she doesn’t love him because he thinks she doesn’t “need” him? I don’t think that’s fair and sells Buffy short. She likes that he is a normal and constant part in her life. That’s how she needs him. This is what bothers be about Riley. Yes, I know this is meant to plant seeds in their relationship, it still bothers me, lol. In contrast to this, I do like the scene between Buffy and Riley where she is worried that Riley would have preferred normal Buffy instead of Slayer Buffy, and he reassures her that he likes her Slayer part too because it is a part of her. It was very sweet and exactly what he needed to say. It also says a lot for Riley in that he knew what she was thinking (he knows her well enough and loves her), thought about it and knew what to say to comfort her. So, I give point to Riley for that. Good for him! Overall, I think this is a really good episode, and, dare I say, an excellent Xander-centric episode, because, while acknowledging his faults/shortcomings, we can tangibly see his character growth and development. This is then tied into not only Xander's storyline but a bit into Buffy's as well, which I think is great.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Oct 21, 2020 0:57:36 GMT
Buffy S5 Ep.4 Out of My Mind – 10-17-2000/2020 I like that the title has multiple meanings. Obviously meaning Riley and his condition, but then also Spike’s chip in his head as well as the beginning (at least it being out in the open) of his obsession/crush over Buffy. And Joyce gets a nod with her brain condition/illness. I like that this is a Riley/Spike-centric episode (interesting combination) that actually addresses my complaints about Riley from the previous episode. I like Riley and Buffy’s scene where she says that she needs him and doesn’t like him because he’s “superpowered”. I get that Riley would be a little insecure about that, but if this conflict had just been addressed here and then they had moved on with their relationship, then I would be fine with it. But it isn’t, at least not for Riley. It then comes up later and is a big problem between them. Why does Riley feel inferior or not good enough for Buffy? Is it because of Angel? I am understanding of Riley in that he is sort of going through an identity crisis but to not give Buffy credit for her feelings for him, etc. is not fair, and she is going though a lot of things too, or at least she will be, and it isn’t enough for him. This is what bothers me. But I am glad that it was addressed here and they had somewhat moved on. I love when Harmony came back. The entire scene with her and Spike, she’s “on the lam” and is Buffy’s “archnemesis” was so funny! I like the dynamic of Harmony. She’s ridiculous but we can’t forget that she is a vampire so she is somewhat dangerous. Again, I love seeing Buffy’s smarts and her having an academic debate with Willow! I’m so proud of Buffy and that this is acknowledged! I always love the joke where Spike wants half of the cash now and Buffy rips it in half, lol. I think it may have been smarter for Spike to help Buffy because then he could claim that she owes him or something. But maybe it is smarter for him to take the opportunity to try and get the chip removed from his head. I honestly don’t blame Spike for doing it. Maybe I’m just projecting “good Spike” onto him too soon or something, lol. Nice that we are starting to get more info, or at least clues, on Dawn’s appearance with Ben’s intro and the beginning of Joyce’s illness. I’m sort of glad that Tara got to see Sunnydale High even if it was just the burned building. Also, good to see Willow’s magic progressing. Not a lot of Giles, Xander, and Anya in this episode, but that’s ok. Nice to see Giles getting ready to open the shop and praising Xander’s carpentry skills. And with the end of the episode, so starts Spike’s crush on Buffy. Or at least it is brought to the surface. The ending always makes me laugh. Overall, a solid episode that is more of a character episode and still moves the plot forward.
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Post by PreachCaleb on Oct 26, 2020 13:43:25 GMT
Buffy Season 5 E. 3 The Replacement – 10-10-2000/2020 I think this is a really good Xander episode. I finally see him getting some character growth and development (which, I feel, he lacks sometimes, as well as almost never having to face the consequences of his actions) and this makes me very happy for him! I like that this episode actually points out that Xander can be kind of useless, idiotic, irresponsible, and can get in his own way. But then highlights his good qualities too: strong, brave, confident when he wats to be, and smarter than he comes off. But, just like in the episode, Xander’s irresponsible/idiotic self gets in his confident self's way or influences him too much of the time. I think that he has potential as a character, but I feel that the writers keep him in the comedic role too much, and I wish they would do more with him. Shout out to Nick Brenden’s twin Kelly Donovan for playing Xander’s stand in for when there were the two Xanders (not actually playing either Xander; Nick plays both, for those who don’t know.). Buffy was reading a history book/studying instead of watching TV?! I am so proud of her! I wish we could have seen her academically more because she is smart and is interested in things, we just hardly ever see it. Like, back in season 3 when she scored high on the SATs it was almost hard to believe, because she normally complains about school and that she doesn’t study, or has no time to. I don’t think I can say what her favorite subject(s) were on high school, I don’t think she ever says (possibly she mentions English in Beauty and the Beasts ?). I just would have liked to hear her academic interested mentioned just a little more, that’s all. So when it is, I always like that. I also like that she is correcting the fights/fight choreography in the movie, lol! It was sweet of Riley to cough to try to draw attention away from Xander’s fighting parents, and for Anya to hold on to his leg in subtle comfort. The Toth demon looks great with the prosthetics and the glow in the dark makeup! I really like the concept of what Toth was trying to do. It’s a good idea to try and split the Slayer in to two selves, one with the Slayer powers and one with the normal human qualities, and then kill the normal half which would then kill both halves. I also love that, despite this being a Xander centric episode, this still touches on Buffy’s identity as the Slayer, and the larger role that will play on both her and the season’s story arcs. Good for Giles for “not getting killed or knocked out” when going up against Toth, lol. Some things I didn’t like were that I think it was too easy to find the Toth demon in the book; usually it takes a bit more research. Also, that the stupid relator lady hits on Xander. She knows he has a girlfriend! I get the point of it, but didn’t like it. The big thing that bothers me is at the end when Riley tells Xander that Buffy doesn’t love him. How does he know this? Has she never told him? Does he not feel it from her? Does he think this means that she is not committed to him? Maybe Buffy just isn’t there yet, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be at some point. Does he not feel that she doesn’t love him because he thinks she doesn’t “need” him? I don’t think that’s fair and sells Buffy short. She likes that he is a normal and constant part in her life. That’s how she needs him. This is what bothers be about Riley. Yes, I know this is meant to plant seeds in their relationship, it still bothers me, lol. In contrast to this, I do like the scene between Buffy and Riley where she is worried that Riley would have preferred normal Buffy instead of Slayer Buffy, and he reassures her that he likes her Slayer part too because it is a part of her. It was very sweet and exactly what he needed to say. It also says a lot for Riley in that he knew what she was thinking (he knows her well enough and loves her), thought about it and knew what to say to comfort her. So, I give point to Riley for that. Good for him! Overall, I think this is a really good episode, and, dare I say, an excellent Xander-centric episode, because, while acknowledging his faults/shortcomings, we can tangibly see his character growth and development. This is then tied into not only Xander's storyline but a bit into Buffy's as well, which I think is great. This episode along with Go Fish and The Zeppo makes for a great Xander Trilogy. I've always like when the normal guy in the group actually pulls his weight and shows his worth in scheme of things. Usually, Xander is too reactive and not active enough, but this one really sees both sides of himself taking charge. One moment that I've especially loved is this exchange between Xander and Willow regarding Anya: XANDER: He can take anything, but he can't have her. I need her. WILLOW: Really? Alysson Hannigan's delivery is just so beyond adorable; who couldn't love Willow? The moment with Riley coughing (great catch), the scene where he and Xander share their feelings about their relationships, and the little scuffle they get into in "Family" really makes lament the fact they never explored the relationship between the two of them more. The show, and the characters, could've been better off for it. Xander could've gotten a new guy friend that he never really had since Jesse, not even with Oz. And as close as he was with Giles, they were never really peers due to such a big difference in their ages. And Riley could've felt like more like part of the group. Considering he had pretty much lost all his friends once the Initiative folded, he could've used a new support system. Something to help him feel like he belongs. Xander could've been that. It really seemed like he and Xander were becoming much closer friends, and in turn, that could've given the writers a new dynamic to work with Riley, besides just being Buffy's boyfriend. I think the show could've used a little guy-guy buddy dynamic. Riley feeling that Buffy doesn't love him feels like it should've been the start of this. I'm sure he felt what Xander points out to Buffy in Into the Woods, that she treated him (whether intentionally or unintentionally) as more of a convenient boyfriend. If she calls, he'll be there. If she doesn't call, he'll wait. Maybe Xander could've been the one to help them work things out. Or maybe not. But I do feel the Xander/Riley relationship had a lot of potential to further develop both characters. A missed opportunity, sadly.
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Post by PreachCaleb on Oct 27, 2020 14:25:46 GMT
I think it all comes back to Riley not feeling like he belongs. He was so used to being the Initiative's top soldier that when it was all taken from him, it was something he couldn't deal with or fully process. Suddenly, he can't be a hero. Not to the public and not to his girlfriend. Sadly, it all boiled down to insecurity. If Riley had a deeper relationship with any of the other Scoobies (say Xander) then maybe that could've helped him to deal.
I think at the end of the day, more than anything, Riley was a soldier at heart. And he was no longer at the frontlines of the war, so to speak. It was Buffy's war. She took point every time. Riley needed to fight, to protect. And Buffy didn't always need him to fight for her or protect her.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Nov 1, 2020 1:19:43 GMT
I love how the show straight up made the new character the focal after the previous episode's huge twist, yet provided no real answers whatsoever. It was a bold move. One that I'm sure might've thrown off a lot of viewers (I know I was), but those who'd been with the show understood that answers would unraveled over the season. Giles purchasing the Magic Box is a pivotal moment in the series. As far as I'm concerned, the Magic Box is the second best set of the entire show, next to the Library of course. But it does provide the Scoobies once again with an HQ, a place to research, a place for Buffy to train, and central hub for all things magic. Plus, I like Tom Lenk's early bird cameo. Yes, I agree. I think that's good writing when, as you said, they make Dawn the focus of the next episode, but reveal almost nothing to us. I love the Magic Box, too, and agree that it was the second best set. I was sad when they got rid of it. Tom's early cameo is cool, and I like that he was always in vamp face so we don't "really" know what he looked like, so it is kind of like a loophole for continuity, lol.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Nov 1, 2020 1:52:05 GMT
Buffy Season 5 E. 3 The Replacement – 10-10-2000/2020 I think this is a really good Xander episode. I finally see him getting some character growth and development (which, I feel, he lacks sometimes, as well as almost never having to face the consequences of his actions) and this makes me very happy for him! I like that this episode actually points out that Xander can be kind of useless, idiotic, irresponsible, and can get in his own way. But then highlights his good qualities too: strong, brave, confident when he wats to be, and smarter than he comes off. But, just like in the episode, Xander’s irresponsible/idiotic self gets in his confident self's way or influences him too much of the time. I think that he has potential as a character, but I feel that the writers keep him in the comedic role too much, and I wish they would do more with him. Shout out to Nick Brenden’s twin Kelly Donovan for playing Xander’s stand in for when there were the two Xanders (not actually playing either Xander; Nick plays both, for those who don’t know.). Buffy was reading a history book/studying instead of watching TV?! I am so proud of her! I wish we could have seen her academically more because she is smart and is interested in things, we just hardly ever see it. Like, back in season 3 when she scored high on the SATs it was almost hard to believe, because she normally complains about school and that she doesn’t study, or has no time to. I don’t think I can say what her favorite subject(s) were on high school, I don’t think she ever says (possibly she mentions English in Beauty and the Beasts ?). I just would have liked to hear her academic interested mentioned just a little more, that’s all. So when it is, I always like that. I also like that she is correcting the fights/fight choreography in the movie, lol! It was sweet of Riley to cough to try to draw attention away from Xander’s fighting parents, and for Anya to hold on to his leg in subtle comfort. The Toth demon looks great with the prosthetics and the glow in the dark makeup! I really like the concept of what Toth was trying to do. It’s a good idea to try and split the Slayer in to two selves, one with the Slayer powers and one with the normal human qualities, and then kill the normal half which would then kill both halves. I also love that, despite this being a Xander centric episode, this still touches on Buffy’s identity as the Slayer, and the larger role that will play on both her and the season’s story arcs. Good for Giles for “not getting killed or knocked out” when going up against Toth, lol. Some things I didn’t like were that I think it was too easy to find the Toth demon in the book; usually it takes a bit more research. Also, that the stupid relator lady hits on Xander. She knows he has a girlfriend! I get the point of it, but didn’t like it. The big thing that bothers me is at the end when Riley tells Xander that Buffy doesn’t love him. How does he know this? Has she never told him? Does he not feel it from her? Does he think this means that she is not committed to him? Maybe Buffy just isn’t there yet, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be at some point. Does he not feel that she doesn’t love him because he thinks she doesn’t “need” him? I don’t think that’s fair and sells Buffy short. She likes that he is a normal and constant part in her life. That’s how she needs him. This is what bothers be about Riley. Yes, I know this is meant to plant seeds in their relationship, it still bothers me, lol. In contrast to this, I do like the scene between Buffy and Riley where she is worried that Riley would have preferred normal Buffy instead of Slayer Buffy, and he reassures her that he likes her Slayer part too because it is a part of her. It was very sweet and exactly what he needed to say. It also says a lot for Riley in that he knew what she was thinking (he knows her well enough and loves her), thought about it and knew what to say to comfort her. So, I give point to Riley for that. Good for him! Overall, I think this is a really good episode, and, dare I say, an excellent Xander-centric episode, because, while acknowledging his faults/shortcomings, we can tangibly see his character growth and development. This is then tied into not only Xander's storyline but a bit into Buffy's as well, which I think is great. This episode along with Go Fish and The Zeppo makes for a great Xander Trilogy. I've always like when the normal guy in the group actually pulls his weight and shows his worth in scheme of things. Usually, Xander is too reactive and not active enough, but this one really sees both sides of himself taking charge. One moment that I've especially loved is this exchange between Xander and Willow regarding Anya: XANDER: He can take anything, but he can't have her. I need her. WILLOW: Really? Alysson Hannigan's delivery is just so beyond adorable; who couldn't love Willow? The moment with Riley coughing (great catch), the scene where he and Xander share their feelings about their relationships, and the little scuffle they get into in "Family" really makes lament the fact they never explored the relationship between the two of them more. The show, and the characters, could've been better off for it. Xander could've gotten a new guy friend that he never really had since Jesse, not even with Oz. And as close as he was with Giles, they were never really peers due to such a big difference in their ages. And Riley could've felt like more like part of the group. Considering he had pretty much lost all his friends once the Initiative folded, he could've used a new support system. Something to help him feel like he belongs. Xander could've been that. It really seemed like he and Xander were becoming much closer friends, and in turn, that could've given the writers a new dynamic to work with Riley, besides just being Buffy's boyfriend. I think the show could've used a little guy-guy buddy dynamic. Riley feeling that Buffy doesn't love him feels like it should've been the start of this. I'm sure he felt what Xander points out to Buffy in Into the Woods, that she treated him (whether intentionally or unintentionally) as more of a convenient boyfriend. If she calls, he'll be there. If she doesn't call, he'll wait. Maybe Xander could've been the one to help them work things out. Or maybe not. But I do feel the Xander/Riley relationship had a lot of potential to further develop both characters. A missed opportunity, sadly. Absolutely! I do think that those episodes are a good Xander trilogy. And yes, I agree it is so nice to see when he does pull his weight within the group. I just harp on it so much because he doesn't do it often (not that he doesn't help) but I want to see more of it and again I think it is more of the writers who hold him back. The Replacement is probably my favorite of the Xander episodes, but I do like The Zeppo too because we can actually see tangibly his heroics. He was willing to die to stop the bomb and was trying to do the right thing. A nice dramatic ending to a mostly comical episode. Nick was really good in that scene I thought. Yes, Willow is so adorable! She's probably my favorite female on Buffy. I 100% agree with you Caleb about Riley. He and Xander could have been friends and it could have been explored much more before Riley left. It would have been much better for both characters, not only together as friends but for both of them for development. I think this is what ultimately bugs me about Riley (and possibly Xander), not necessarily him as a character, but the wasted or lost potential he had. Definitely a missed opportunity! Happy Halloween, Caleb!
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Nov 1, 2020 2:04:30 GMT
I think it all comes back to Riley not feeling like he belongs. He was so used to being the Initiative's top soldier that when it was all taken from him, it was something he couldn't deal with or fully process. Suddenly, he can't be a hero. Not to the public and not to his girlfriend. Sadly, it all boiled down to insecurity. If Riley had a deeper relationship with any of the other Scoobies (say Xander) then maybe that could've helped him to deal. I think at the end of the day, more than anything, Riley was a soldier at heart. And he was no longer at the frontlines of the war, so to speak. It was Buffy's war. She took point every time. Riley needed to fight, to protect. And Buffy didn't always need him to fight for her or protect her. Yes, I think you are right about Riley, it all comes back to his insecurity. I totally understand Riley's predicament, I even have sympathy for him, but he is blaming Buffy for his own problems. Yes, I think Xander would have helped. Riley may not have been superpowered anymore, but still had combat training and could hold his own against some vamps and demons. He was a big part of the Scoobies, a good soldier. A good second to Buffy, much like Angel and even Spike, and yet this wasn't enough for him. I am hard on Riley this season, but, for the record, I do understand his actions and sympathize with him...but that's doesn't excuse him. Again, this is probably more so the writers fault because they wasted a lot of potential with Riley.
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Post by ag25 on Nov 1, 2020 2:14:57 GMT
Buffy Season 5 Ep. 5 There’s No Place Like Home – 10-24-2000/2020 This was a good solid episode that finally gave us information on Dawn; her importance, what she is, and introduces Glory. It also pushes the other story lines of Joyce’s illness, Ben, Spike and Riley a little, and a bit of Buffy’s journey as the Slayer all forward. Giles, Anya, and the magic shop are developed more too. Spike called Riley Captain Cardboard lol!!! And the “Out. For. A. Walk…Bitch.” Is always hilarious. I think Riley acted well here. He talked to Buffy about what was bothering him and offered a compromise. I give him brownie points in this episode. I am proud of Anya in this episode. She is helpful, nice (mostly lol), and useful. This is where she shines, other than her sarcasm and comic relief, she has useful knowledge about demons and magic, and helping Giles with the magic shop. I forgot how much I like Glory! She is not only a female (main) villain, but very different as we see. She is powerful (can easily defeat Buffy) and wants the key to get home, did she actually say this here? She is at least stuck on earth and doesn’t want to destroy it or anything, she just wants to leave…of course it is not that simple. I like that we have gone back to a villain whos’ actions make it personal for Buffy through Dawn. It’s nice to raise the stakes that way and to have a bigger investment in stopping the villain. Maybe that is the thing missing, for me, in Season 4 with Adam and Professor Walsh/The Initiative as opposed to Angelus and Faith. I love that the episode toys with the audience making us think that Dawn might be the true villain until we found out she’s not. I love Glory, but this did make me think that this would have been a cool idea. Make a child and someone close to the Slayer the villain and see how they get out of that. It would have created some interesting scenarios. Sort of like the Anointed one from Season 1, but with an actual purpose, lol. Side note, I do wish the writers had dome something with him. They introduced him and then did nothing. All he did was lead Buffy to the Master and then got killed off memorably by Spike. Oh well. Glory asks if Buffy can fly during their fight, just like Angel asks Russell the same thing in the Angel series premier. Cool parallel. I love when the show do stuff like this! Oddly enough, for some reason I thought that Sarah looked like Season 1 or 2 Buffy when we see her in her first scene and in the kitchen scene. I don’t know why, maybe I’m just seeing things, lol. I think this is the first episode where Buffy starts to do the hair thing with Dawn. Where she is stroking her hand through Dawn’s hair and then off her shoulder. I had noticed that this was a thing Buffy did to be affectionate to Dawn. I do think this episode felt a little bit slow. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but something I noticed. We do get a lot of good information and it is still an important episode. Another side note, lol. Before I watched Buffy in it’s entirety, I do remember that this was the first episode I got to watch in syndication. I missed the very beginning, but I definitely remember Glory’s entrance and was interested enough to watch the whole episode. I was already watching Angel, so it was nice to get to watch it’s parent show. All in all, a good episode that finally gives us important information we need for the season, as well as introducing us to the main villain. Happy Halloween, guys!
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Post by PreachCaleb on Nov 3, 2020 14:34:25 GMT
This is definitely the episode where season 5 really picks up. We finally get to meet the Big Bad of the season, and what a big bad. She's a pretty, vapid blonde. She's Buffy before she became a slayer. Only really concerned about herself and the latest fashions. I liked seeing Buffy retreat, not something she does often, and that it took a collapsing building to slow her down. It really helps sell what a threat Glory is.
This episode is just full of twists. Buffy's mom isn't being magically affected. Dawn is in fact not evil. Also, she's not even real.
I like that we had already met Ben in Out of My Mind before we ever met Glory. It's a nice way to keep the audience from making any connections between the two of them until later. Another good episode that keeps in with the theme of the season: family.
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ag25
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Post by ag25 on Nov 21, 2020 0:04:43 GMT
Buffy S5 Ep.6 Family 11-7-2000/2020 Aww, yay, a Tara episode! I am so glad that we finally get to know Tara more. And that the episode acknowledges the gray area of demons like what has been done on Angel. It’s nice to see this and explore it more on Buffy. I like seeing Tara do magic. She talks about it and gives Willow and the gang info on magic but we don’t get to see her doing it a lot…or at least I’d like to see Tara doing more magic. I love the scene between Buffy and Giles where she tells him that Dawn is the key! I think it is beautiful; small but powerful. The one negative to that scene is that I hate that they retconned Hank Summers into being a jerk. I just can’t believe that he wouldn’t be there for his child(ren) when Joyce is sick. I guess this was a problem for the story, so the writers wrote him out and turned him into a jerk. Either that or the actor wasn’t available, but I do remember him having cameos in Seasons 5 and 6, so not sure. Doesn’t he at least have to pay child support for Dawn? These are problems for Season 6, so maybe it’s too early to think about it, but still. I liked that they used the prejudice against witches/magic/good demons sort of as a metaphor for prejudice against homosexuality. Or at least it can be viewed that way here; for people who are different. I do think it would have been cool to see Tara as part demon, but accepted. Like Doyle on Angel. But I do get that we already have Anya and even Spike for that. The misogynistic twist was good, but it does make me wonder what happened to Tara’s mother? Did she die because a spell went wrong or something? I forgot. This also makes me wonder why Tara’s mother married a man like her father in the first place. Or why did she stay with him if he was so bad? I get there may have been circumstances for her to stay, like she couldn’t leave or she wanted the kids to have their father, I get it. I just wanted to know a little more. A Cordelia reference! There are so few in Buffy after she left, so it’s nice to see one. Ok, I absolutely love Tara, but I take issue with her hiding her “demons” from Willow. She knew that Willow had dated Oz, a werewolf, Anya is an ex demon, Buffy is the Slayer, and they let vampire Spike hang around, so Tara should have told Willow what she was (thought she was). I know she’s the newbie and doesn’t know the group that well, but Willow trusts her and chose her over Oz, and especially since Tara thought there was a deadline coming up about her transforming into her demon self or something, then she definitely should have told Willow. She should have known Willow would stand by her, or at least be understanding. What if she did turn into a demon or something and couldn’t control her powers, and then went with her father in order to control/contain her powers (lets pretend they were telling the truth), and she just up and leaves Willow? That would have not been good, so I have to take away some brownie points from Tara for that, even though I love her. Again, I am so proud of Anya for being enthusiastic and helpful. I am glad that she is adjusting well to human life (even though it’s been 2 years, lol) and that it is helping her identity. I feel bad for Dawn with Buffy being overprotective of her, but it shows Buffy cares about and loves Dawn despite her being the key. The climactic scene where everybody stands up for Tara was so sweet and lovely! I love that Tara feels more accepted now. I forgot that Spike punched Tara in the nose! It feels weird to be happy about that, but it’s classic Spike seeing through things and getting to the truth, which then worked out for Tara. It was a good thing, lol. Also, the last scene where Tara and Willow are dancing was sweet and I thought it was beautiful dialogue between them. I was very disappointed with Buffy and Xander for not wanting to go to Tara’s birthday party. So rude! I know they don’t really know her, but this is an opportunity to do so, and more importantly, to support Willow. Cordelia and Oz were invited to Buffy’s birthday party in Season 2 and she wasn’t really friends with them, and Xander invited Anya to the Halloween frat party in Season 4, so I find this very rude to Willow. I know this is meant to make the ending stand out more and be more emotional, but it still really annoys me. Bad Riley! Not talking to Buffy about your problems and walking off…I thought he was making progress. It’s like one step forward, two steps back. But I did like that he and Xander got to do some bonding with each other. I liked the actors who played Tara’s father and brother, and of course Amy Adams. I thought the demons and their prosthetics looked good, especially in profile. Overall, I think this is a very nice and welcome Tara episode with some good character development.
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Post by ag25 on Nov 21, 2020 0:11:05 GMT
This is definitely the episode where season 5 really picks up. We finally get to meet the Big Bad of the season, and what a big bad. She's a pretty, vapid blonde. She's Buffy before she became a slayer. Only really concerned about herself and the latest fashions. I liked seeing Buffy retreat, not something she does often, and that it took a collapsing building to slow her down. It really helps sell what a threat Glory is. This episode is just full of twists. Buffy's mom isn't being magically affected. Dawn is in fact not evil. Also, she's not even real. I like that we had already met Ben in Out of My Mind before we ever met Glory. It's a nice way to keep the audience from making any connections between the two of them until later. Another good episode that keeps in with the theme of the season: family. Yes! Love that Glory is, as you said, a pre Slayer version of Buffy, but also threatening. A nice paradox or oxymoron for a new villain. And, yes, it was nice to see Buffy retreat to also sell Glory as a threat, but a nice change as well. It's nice to have twists (or "subversions of expectations" lol) done properly and not just for drama's sake or just to shock the audience. They actually are important to the plot. I miss good writing like this. Yep, I agree about Ben.
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Post by PreachCaleb on Nov 30, 2020 15:29:37 GMT
Buffy S5 Ep.6 Family 11-7-2000/2020 Aww, yay, a Tara episode! I am so glad that we finally get to know Tara more. And that the episode acknowledges the gray area of demons like what has been done on Angel. It’s nice to see this and explore it more on Buffy. I like seeing Tara do magic. She talks about it and gives Willow and the gang info on magic but we don’t get to see her doing it a lot…or at least I’d like to see Tara doing more magic. I love the scene between Buffy and Giles where she tells him that Dawn is the key! I think it is beautiful; small but powerful. The one negative to that scene is that I hate that they retconned Hank Summers into being a jerk. I just can’t believe that he wouldn’t be there for his child(ren) when Joyce is sick. I guess this was a problem for the story, so the writers wrote him out and turned him into a jerk. Either that or the actor wasn’t available, but I do remember him having cameos in Seasons 5 and 6, so not sure. Doesn’t he at least have to pay child support for Dawn? These are problems for Season 6, so maybe it’s too early to think about it, but still. I liked that they used the prejudice against witches/magic/good demons sort of as a metaphor for prejudice against homosexuality. Or at least it can be viewed that way here; for people who are different. I do think it would have been cool to see Tara as part demon, but accepted. Like Doyle on Angel. But I do get that we already have Anya and even Spike for that. The misogynistic twist was good, but it does make me wonder what happened to Tara’s mother? Did she die because a spell went wrong or something? I forgot. This also makes me wonder why Tara’s mother married a man like her father in the first place. Or why did she stay with him if he was so bad? I get there may have been circumstances for her to stay, like she couldn’t leave or she wanted the kids to have their father, I get it. I just wanted to know a little more. A Cordelia reference! There are so few in Buffy after she left, so it’s nice to see one. Ok, I absolutely love Tara, but I take issue with her hiding her “demons” from Willow. She knew that Willow had dated Oz, a werewolf, Anya is an ex demon, Buffy is the Slayer, and they let vampire Spike hang around, so Tara should have told Willow what she was (thought she was). I know she’s the newbie and doesn’t know the group that well, but Willow trusts her and chose her over Oz, and especially since Tara thought there was a deadline coming up about her transforming into her demon self or something, then she definitely should have told Willow. She should have known Willow would stand by her, or at least be understanding. What if she did turn into a demon or something and couldn’t control her powers, and then went with her father in order to control/contain her powers (lets pretend they were telling the truth), and she just up and leaves Willow? That would have not been good, so I have to take away some brownie points from Tara for that, even though I love her. Again, I am so proud of Anya for being enthusiastic and helpful. I am glad that she is adjusting well to human life (even though it’s been 2 years, lol) and that it is helping her identity. I feel bad for Dawn with Buffy being overprotective of her, but it shows Buffy cares about and loves Dawn despite her being the key. The climactic scene where everybody stands up for Tara was so sweet and lovely! I love that Tara feels more accepted now. I forgot that Spike punched Tara in the nose! It feels weird to be happy about that, but it’s classic Spike seeing through things and getting to the truth, which then worked out for Tara. It was a good thing, lol. Also, the last scene where Tara and Willow are dancing was sweet and I thought it was beautiful dialogue between them. I was very disappointed with Buffy and Xander for not wanting to go to Tara’s birthday party. So rude! I know they don’t really know her, but this is an opportunity to do so, and more importantly, to support Willow. Cordelia and Oz were invited to Buffy’s birthday party in Season 2 and she wasn’t really friends with them, and Xander invited Anya to the Halloween frat party in Season 4, so I find this very rude to Willow. I know this is meant to make the ending stand out more and be more emotional, but it still really annoys me. Bad Riley! Not talking to Buffy about your problems and walking off…I thought he was making progress. It’s like one step forward, two steps back. But I did like that he and Xander got to do some bonding with each other. I liked the actors who played Tara’s father and brother, and of course Amy Adams. I thought the demons and their prosthetics looked good, especially in profile. Overall, I think this is a very nice and welcome Tara episode with some good character development. I'm not sure why, but I always thought Tara's mom died of cancer. Maybe it was her line in The Body when Buffy asks her if it was sudden, and she at first says, "No." That to me just said a prolonged illness. I guess I just naturally went to cancer. Her not leaving her husband to me just screams abusive relationship. Sometimes, it's hard to break away from it. Yeah, I miss the Hank Summers of season 1 and 2 that actually cared about Buffy. I wish I could say that it was the monks who made him a deadbeat dad with the memory spell used to create Dawn to keep him away from the Key as much as possible, but sadly, we had already seen Hank pulling away from Buffy in seasons 3 and 4. The one good thing I can say about that is that it creates the opportunity for Buffy to bond more with Giles as her father figure. It is a beautiful scene and act that Giles is the one out of all the scoobies that Buffy turns to. Because no matter how strong she is, no matter how many times she's saved the world, she's still just a 19 year old at this point. She still needs guidance from her "parents." My favorite scene in this episode is the beginning when everyone is helping Buffy move, and Xander and Riley are rough housing. Again, this shows just how much better Riley could've been if he'd been written as more of a guy friend to Xander. I think that's the relationship that would've worked much better for him than being Buffy's boyfriend.
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Post by Feologild Oakes on Dec 1, 2020 10:44:43 GMT
Its a brilliant season in my opinion.
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Post by ag25 on Dec 2, 2020 5:37:29 GMT
Buffy Season 5 Ep. 7 Fool for Love – 11-14-2000/2020 Ok, this if me, this is one of my all-time favorite Buffy episodes! I never get tired of it. I think it is a very human episode in a supernatural series; Spike has to deal with his human past and current human emotions, and Buffy has to deal with her human mortality and her mother’s illness. I love that this episode, despite being a dominantly Spike episode, still ties into Buffy and delves into Slayer lore, gives us more information on two other Slayers, and even a little more insight into the Watcher’s Council, or at least the duties and functions of a Watcher. Such a wonderfully well done episode on all levels! I am glad that Buffy gets injured, and that it’s not what we, the audience, are expecting. It drives the rest of the episode, Buffy questioning her mortality, what it is the be the Slayer, why/how Spike killed 2 Slayers, more info on Spike, etc. We get more info on all of that plus it ties into Joyce’s illness and Slayer lore. Riley is being useful and needed here. He does good moves on fighting the vamps too. Good for him, but this should have helped him in his identity crises and his place in Buffy’s life/world. I will concede that Buffy does question Riley going out on patrol by himself and asks him to take the gang with him, so I wouldn’t blame him for that. I hate that the make Willow, Xander and Anya look so stupid on patrol, like they have never been on patrol before. I think it is out of character. Stupid, but whatever. Ok, so in the first Spike flashback, after the guy reads William’s poems and he says that he would “rather have a railroad spike spiked thought his head than listen to William’s poems”, is that where Spike got his name because that it how he liked to torture his victims? Now, I don’t remember hearing this from the show, or I don’t remember which episode. Does anyone know where we find this out or is it from outside material like books, interviews, etc.? Or did I make it up, lol. William was not appreciated and I feel so bad for him. I get that Cecily did not like him, but gosh, did she have to be so mean to him?! Like she’s kicking him when he’s already down. (I know about the theories surrounding Cecily and Halfrek, but I won’t touch on those here. I’ll save it for later.) I think Harmony is right. Spike is so sensitive, lol. Interesting that he hasn’t lost that part of himself as a vampire. The vampire demon tries to hide it most of the time, or at least transform it to it’s advantage. Girl thing: I like Buffy’s shirt and jewelry in this episode. Spike talks about vampirism/being a vampire and Darla in the crossover Angel episode talks about the nature of humanity and souls. Cool parallel/contrast. Love that Angelus (David) was the one to reveal/tell Spike about the Slayer for the first time. It is interesting that the Chinese Slayer would most likely have killed Spike had it not been for the fire explosion going off and stopped/distracted her from staking him. Bad luck on her part. (Or it could have been the Powers That Be intervening? (I’m not really serious about that, but it is an interesting thought.). I also love seeing all of the Fanged Four together in this episode as well as it’s crossover/companion Angel episode Darla. Seeing them all interacting with each other and their history is great, but unfortunately this episode and Darla are only two of four episodes in both Buffy and Angel that we get to see all four in an episode. Wish we could have seen more. Love the power shot as I call it of all four of them in the Boxer Rebellion. So cool, and I love the music played in both scenes in both episodes, but I do like the music better in Angel. Love Spike’s monologue at the end. I think it is so interesting and good, well delivered, shot, edited, etc. But I do think he is wrong on some things. I don’t think Nikki wanted to die. No way she wanted to die and leave her son alone. I do think he is right on other parts, like yes, I think Buffy has lasted longer because of her ties to the world, like her friends and family. And that death is the Slayers art and that they chase death in some ways, but not that they actually want to die or have a death wish. Nice foreshadowing for later on in the season. I love how James can go from crying to an evil look so quickly but believably. I feel bad for Spike in the last flashback with Drusilla. It’s not really his fault that “she sees the Slayer around him”. He did everything for her, and like he says, she is punishing him for things he can’t control. Poor Spike. Also, love that the chaos demon blows Dru a kiss while he is walking off, lol. Funny how Buffy and Spike sort of match in their clothes in the last scene. I like how Spike tries to comfort and understand Buffy in the last scene. Nice little connection going on there. We also get the story line of Joyce’s illness being pushed forward a bit. This episode is so packed with information and things that are relevant to the show, or will be, but in a very well done manner that it doesn’t feel too crowded or that there is any filler or anything that doesn’t belong. Good job to the writers! Love this episode!
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Post by PreachCaleb on Dec 4, 2020 17:56:07 GMT
"Fool For Love" is my favorite Buffy episode of the entire season. Just about everything in it works beautifully. And as you say, it is jam packed with some great stuff in terms of characters, story, mythology, and action.
Not only in him tracking the vampires, but I love that he's the one who patches Buffy up. And of course, he's the one trusted to patrol in Buffy's place. It really shows how useful he was to the team. And just reiterates the wasted potential of his character. It was pretty badass how he personally kills the vampire that nearly got Buffy (nice bit of revenge) and then just blows the rest of the nest to hell. I also love that Xander calls him out on his lone wolf mission later on. It's a nice moment that shows Xander was genuinely concerned with Riley's actions.
I'm not terribly bothered by it. We've seen in the past that the Scoobies don't always take patrolling as seriously as they should. One of my favorite moments is from "The Initiative" with Xander and Giles:
Xander: Every man faces this moment. Here. Now. Watching. Waiting for an unseen enemy that has no face. Nerve endings screaming in silence. Never knowing which thought might be your last.
Giles : Oh, shut up.
I guess Giles would agree with you more than me. Lol.
I like the little bit of sisterly bonding as Dawn covers for Buffy's injury. An injury that serves wonderfully as the initiating event of the episode forcing Buffy to face not just her own mortality, but what it means to be a slayer. And what better way than to hear it from someone who's faced multiple slayers across multiple generations himself?
Which of course, brings us to what really drives this episode. As much as I like everything else about it, this episode belongs to James Marsters and Spike. James gives a captivating, commanding, charismatic, and other C-words performance. He owns the role of storyteller. Spike does a great job keeping Buffy invested in his story as much as James does with the audience at home.
I remember realizing from the trailers and previews that this episode would include some flashbacks. I was really looking forward to this as Buffy hadn't really had any flashbacks since Amends (at least none that I can recall at this time) While Angel was making fantastic uses of flashbacks to flesh out not just our main hero, but his relationship with Darla and Drusilla throughout the first two seasons. So here was a chance for Buffy to do the same. We were finally going to see events that we'd only heard about. And they did not disappoint.
I loved how subversive that first flashback was. After everything we'd come to know about Spike, it turns out William was just a harmless fool in love with someone above his station. It's interesting that Dru picked him at what was probably one of the lowest points in his life. Rejected by the woman he loved, mocked, and humiliated in a room full of people who equally looked down on him. It's no wonder Dru finds him in tears. It seemed she picked him for his heart, whereas Darla picked Liam for his debauchery.
It's never outright stated, but it ties in with "School Hard" where Giles mentions that was his preferred method of torture. So yes, I'm pretty sure we're meant to put the two together. That was the inspiration for what I like to imagine was William the Bloody's first real spree across England. No doubt, he started with Lord Snooty McGee first.
I do agree there. But I also love how the reason she's ultimately killed ties in perfectly with Spike's lesson to Buffy: she tried to reach for her weapon. For all his taunting and braggart attitude, Spike is actually conveying some good advice to Buffy.
These scenes, and the ones in Angel, are easily the highlight of the episode. It's so strange that despite the fact all four of these characters have so much history together, we rarely saw all of them together. They're usually just broken up in pairs or in trios. But that's just part of what makes these scenes such gems.
I like the inversion of Spike in the past being the one always taunting and annoying Angelus, yet when we had seen them together in season 2 of Buffy, it's Angelus who is taunting and annoying Spike. It really highlights what a twisted brotherly relationship the two of them have had over the centuries. And yes, Angelus being the one to inadvertently aim Spike at seeking out the slayer is a great moment. It shows not only that Angelus is obviously older and more world-experienced than Spike, but it's a great character moment that ties in with Spike's love of violence. He'd rather risk a fight he might lose than spend the rest of his eternal life winning easily.
I know the third is "That Girl in Question," but what's the fourth one? I actually can't remember.
I don't think it's so much that she wanted to die, but more as she's just curious about it. What does it feel like? What's on the other side? What'll it be like for me? It's that knowledge that vampires--beings that are already dead--have already experienced that gives them in general, and Spike in particular, a slight psychological advantage over the slayer.
The intercutting in this scene between Spike's narration and the flashback's battle is masterful storytelling. I love how it blurs the line for the audience making it visually interesting and different from the fight against the Chinese slayer, but more importantly, because Spike is addressing the camera after he's killed Nikki, he's addressing Buffy directly since she's the one he's been telling the story to. This blurring of narrator and participant is when Buffy is really reconciling that Spike isn't just some passive storyteller in this; he's the one committing these horrific acts of murder. He's not the narrator of the slayers' deaths. He's the cause of them. A stark contrast to what she wanted to learn from The Watchers' Diaries. And it's here that she can no longer separate the two of them. She sees the current Spike and past Spike as one. I think this moment, more than anything else in the episode is what really pushes her to tell him how beneath her he is. She wants to hurt him as he's hurt others. She's disgusted with him treating his crimes as some epic poem to celebrate. He's not Odysseus or Beowulf. He's a cold-blooded killer who enjoys what he is: a monster. Something Buffy (and the audience) had probably failed to really notice throughout the episode.
All of which is incredibly flipped on its head when Buffy allows Spike to console her at the episode's end. Once again, the show manages to subvert our expectations in a way that logically makes sense.
It's just so heartbreaking that for all of Buffy's inner and physical strength, we're reminded that at the end of the day, she's still just a 19 year old girl who is concerned with the health of her mother. What a way to go out for "Fool for Love."
I could go on and on about this episode, but I think I've hit the main highlights of it.
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