You guys.
You guysssssssss.
YOU GUYS.
Holy crap. Was that not the best three episodes of Buffy yet!? Oh, my gooodnessssssss. Why didn’t you tell me!?!!!! (This is sarcasm, by the way. You ALL told me.) Before I continue to praise Buffy endlessly this week, let me first apologize for not replying to any comments at all for last week’s recap. We were in the middle of switching servers and I was going through a very dark time because of it. But I’m good now. And I promise to reply this week. I hate not replying to comments; it makes me feel snooty. I’m not! I swear!
And also, I need to burst your bubble quickly: we may not be doing live rewatches anymore. Gah! Don’t kill me. The three episodes per week thing is going too slow for even my liking and adding more days would a big hassle for me personally. So we’re most likely going to do a last hurrah and watch your five favorite episodes and call it a summer! (I was actually thinking we could skip some episodes for live-viewing, but I’d still watch in order for my recaps because I’m a purist.) I know, I’m the worst. I apologize. But I’ll continue recapping — especially after these episodes! Now to win you over and get you back on my side… We’re still watching three this Monday! Don’t worry. I’m just trying to figure out how to watch more episodes a week is all.
These episodes were probably the best of Buffy thus far. You had a somewhat useful villain in Spike, you got some of the greatest and most useful FOTEs (Friend of the Episode, if you’re new), some REALLY good dialogue, Calendiles, and fantastic characterization. They were so good, in fact, I have absolutely zero snarky things to say. Ruh-roh! (Scooby-Doo joke. I had to get it in there.) How will I make this funny? I don’t. I’m basically just going to mention how these episodes are the best thing ever repeatedly below. No, I’m being one hundred percent serious. Get ready to NOT laugh. Ready?
Halloween episodes for supernatural shows are, as a rule of thumb, usually the greatest. (Even though they’re not the same series, we have to compare them anyway…) like, for example, Vampire Diaries’ Halloween episode last season. It wasn’t exactly Halloween on the show, it only aired on Halloween, but there were ghosts walking around everywhere and it was quite badass. It was All Hallow’s Eve, get it? And besides, the season one Halloween episode (in which — SPOILER ALERT — Vicki dies — END OF SPOILERS) is the first episode of The Vampire Diaries where it finally became a good show. It’s the turning point. That’s what happens with Halloween episodes.
And wasn’t True Blood’s Halloween episode where Jessica dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood? Yeah, toldja Halloween episodes are THE BEST.
Now, I won’t lie to you: the first 20 minutes or so of this episode are pretty awful. Buffy is all “woe is me” about Angel. Truthfully, I think the writers just wanted us to forget about them deciding they were just going to stay friends and not even discuss a little bit about changing their policy. It’s kind of haphazard. But let’s just go along with it. Anyway, Buffy is jealous of Cordelia for reasons (even though Cordelia’s longest relationship is two episodes). And Cordelia is all touchy-feely with Angel, because apparently she has zero clue that he’s a vampire. But anyway, that’s our setup for the episode.
And then something ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS happens. This extra gets the Turn Face treatment. But you guys… look this this:
THAT’S RIGHT. An entire 360 degree Turn Face. You’ve seen the 45 degree, you’ve seen the 90 degree — but ladies and gents, THREE HUNDRED SIXTY DEGREES. That brings Turn Face full circle. Now all we need is someone to literally twist their neck 360 degrees. Bug Lady did 90 degrees, so why not 360? Exorcist time, Buffy!
So get this. What Principal Snyder is making everyone signup for is to have them lead a group of kids trick-or-treating for the night. What? I can’t even fathom this. I guess the parents just stay home and hand out candy or drink or cry or something? The point being that Buffy isn’t the only one with an absentee mother, because apparently NO ONE’S parents in town want to take their kids out for the best holiday ever.
So, anyway, the trio sign up because they have to and Xander pretends to not be Chandler Bing and then the weirdest thing ever happens.
Sure, on the outside it looks like just a guy getting a soda. But look again. This guy is getting a *SODA* in a public school, from a WOOD vending machine, and it costs 60 CENTS. WHOA. Can we BE anymore in 1997, Xander? How’s that for a throwback? Anyway, then we meet a FOTE.
Apparently Xander and Larry (FOTE, pictured) are like on speaking terms. And Larry is a lil’ horny and hopes Buffy will satisfy his urges. And, you guys, I’m ashamed at this but I totally went “OHHHHHHH NO HE DIDN’T” when he said he heard Buffy was “fast.” I was, like, oh hells to the nah! You ain’t just say dat. I will come ovah thurr so fast and beat chu up!
But truthfully, I probably would have just got in the fetal position if I were Xander, so I admire his guts. Anyway, they’re about to throw down when Buffy comes in and saves the day and Xander is ashamed for all eternity because it emasculates him. This is where we differ because I would have been thankful that my beautiful face was still intact, but that’s ME.
Anyway, Willow and Buffy — who’s still all “why won’t my brooding vampire we-don’t-label-our-relationship guy talk about his feelings with me” — decide to do the equivalent of snooping through a guy’s phone in 2012, which is reading Giles’ books to get the 411 on all things Angel. And for some reason Buffy thinks Angel still lives hundreds of years ago in the past and wants to dress up like this:
Hawt.
So she does. And the reason she can afford it is because of this guy:
Who was totally creepy from the beginning, right? We can see right through it, guy! While we’re here, let’s just talk about everyone’s Halloween choices.
Buffy decides to dress as someone from the victorian era (I don’t know, I’m not good with time periods, I’m sure someone will correct me) but to me she looks like a cross of a Disney princess and a pirate. Right?
And okay, I’ve been sitting on this for a long time but…she totally looks like Melissa Joan Hart circa Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I feel like Sabrina did a victorian episode or something too, and it really was apparent to me here.
So hear me out: blonde female lead, the story begins when she’s 16, she’s learning the rules thanks to her “watchers,” has to fight monsters on a weekly basis, developed from a movie, runs for seven seasons but HAD TO CHANGE NETWORKS with a The WB(!!!) connection, titled “[Female Character] the [What She Is].” Buffy’s persona even sort of reminds me of Sabrina’s, too — that sort of ambivalent snakiness. So, Buffy and Sabrina are the same.
Willow was ready to dress up as a…uh…an uhm…a floozy? I don’t know what the costume choice is here, really. But she decides to go as a ghost, anyway.
Xander dresses up as Chandler dressed up as a soldier. But here’s the thing, guys, when everyone becomes their costume…why would Xander have become a soldier? He only bought the gun from the costume place, so wouldn’t he have become a republican? I don’t understand it.
And Cordelia also decides to be a floozy, but a feline floozy so at least she had a reason. I’m still dumbfounded at what Willow is.
Anyway, everyone goes trick-or-treating and they become their costumes and it’s awesome finally when the episode hits the 22 minute mark and this happens:
And Willow becomes a ghost but I didn’t understand it because…
It seemed like a HUGE plot hole, more so than the Xander thing. Like, why not? I will not stand for this.
Not even Giles got it.
Anyway, with this Buffy has become some helpless damsel in distress (Daphne!) and Spike is loving it because now’s his chance. He’s been studying her from his lair all this time anyway!
But the thing is, Spike is only close to even hurting Buffy when she’s helpless. So, congratulations Spike? That’s so…badass of you? I don’t know. Seems a little cheap for the slayer slayer. Regardless, she gains consciousness and kicks his ass.
And then Angel and Buffy make out, but not before he tells her that girls from the past were the worst oh em gee, Buffs, like get a grip.
For a guy who whispers so low his mouth noises are REALLY LOUD.
And it’s like, yeah okay we get it — Buffy has insecurities but she’s not some one-dimensional weakling. Stop laying it on so thick, writers. Buffy has a literal monologue in this episode about how the only thing she’s good for is waiting to marry the right man and letting men do all the fighting. We get it.
And then this happens:
Giles became a million times more interesting. Uh oh! This is all because he kicked Ethan’s ass—
oh, my god! Did I not mention that he kicked Ethan’s ass? Because he TOTALLY kicked Ethan’s ass.
Sure it looked like a dance move, but like a deadly dance move. And that’s the episode.
Update on Xander/Cordelia: Soldier Xander gives Cordelia his jacket in this episode and she says “thanks.” So, y’know, they’re the best and whatnot.
Future Pop Culture References: Using Halloween to dress up as a total slut?
For the third time. And Willow is the redheaded girl with fair skin who just doesn’t get it and shows up to the party in a ghost (bride) costume. Just sayin’. And also, it’s a reference to real life.
The Grade: This episode may have dragged on a bit in the beginning, but once everyone turned into their costumes it was a homerun. It was just really fun to have that happen and it allowed everyone to shine through when Buffy took the backseat, including Willow — who struggled with going unnoticed this episode but proved that she has what it takes to be a leader. The next couple of episodes also sort of emphasize that fact as well.
I think this may have been the most well-put-together Buffy episode thus far. And here’s why:
Joss Whedon wrote and directed it. Obviously, it’s also Joss Whedon and he’s awesome, but it’s his show. Showrunners are usually always the best writers for their series because they just get the tone of their own shows. That’s why “Prophecy Girl” was so good and “When She Was Bad.” And now “Lie to Me.”
It was the perfect mixture of dark elements with playful self-reference, while being a beautiful metaphor for life’s unknown mysteries. And that, my friends, is no easy feat. Regardless of how if you dissect it, it’s not the most perfect thing ever, the sum of its parts fit nicely.
In this episode, Buffy’s longtime friend moves to Sunnydale. And it turns out he’s part of a pro-vampire cult. He offers Spike a trade: Buffy and in return Spike will make him a vampire. Deal is done, but they don’t prevail. We find out Buffy’s friend is dying of cancer. Throughout, Buffy is having more “woe is me” probs with Angel. And the end is the best Buffy/Giles scene.
STOP WITH YOUR PERFECT DELIVERY AND ACTING AND GLASSY EYES, SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR. Aghhhhhh.
Let’s break it down.
FOTEs: We meet Ford in this episode, who is Buffy’s friend from Los Angeles.
And he seems all nice and whatnot, but you just know that he’s going to die as soon as he shows up. Because he’s a FOTE. And also, you know he’s totally bad when this scene happens:
What?! That was a little suspect. Buffy should have known better.
Proof it’s 1997: Anyway, because of Billy, Angel and Willow teamed up and I feel like I just need this screencap here:
And then Angel says this:
On the net. Hello, 1990s.
Most misunderstood scene:
We find out that Drusilla is actually insane because of Angel, and then I suppose Spike came into the picture somewhere down the road. But he gives Buffy up to save Drusilla’s life. Aw. He cares, guys.
The Grade: I already told you this was the best right? Because it is. And the lines are both dark and hilarious! Willow talking about sore thumbs, Angel mentioning vampire wardrobe and his broodingness. It’s all the best!
And finally, we arrive at “The Dark Age,” an episode that very much explored Giles’ character. And it’s pretty grim, if we’re being honest. Apparently, Giles created a demon of sorts and it’s out to kill everyone who helped! It enters Calendar — and then she’s saved…but it seems like Calendiles is on the fritz! NOOOOOO!!!!!
Update on Xander/Cordelia:
Ugh, you guys, need I say more? And it also prompted…
Badass Willow: Willow telling people off has become my favorite thing in episodes now. This time, she decides to yell at Cordelia and Xander who are acting completely childish in a they-love-each-other way, and it’s just the best.
Don’t change, Willow.
She also figures out exactly how to save Calendar. And the solution was probably the show’s best special effects scene yet.
Also, the show is going with a literal meaning of vampires having demons replacing their human counterparts. So that was a slight change.
Update on Calendiles: Okay, so OBVIOUSLY I was shrieking at this part:
But then they just HAD to add the following, too!
DEAD. Buffy is trying to kill me.
However, given the whole DEMON POSSESSING HER and whatnot, their prospects are now significantly lower. Ugh.
We’ve all been there.
But at least it gave us another AMAZING Giles/Buffy scene.
The most perfect final scene ever?! I think so.
The Grade: This episode was a great look into who Giles is and completely fleshed him out without turning the character on his head for cheap gasps. He created a monster and feels indebted to perfecting the balance of nature. It’s just great. I also love what it did for Willow and showed her life’s roadmap as well. Good episode, I say!
Spike Versus Angel tally: I haven’t mentioned Spike much, but he’s been pretty minimal throughout and hasn’t changed much. I’m waiting for that moment where he becomes an essential character on the show and is as amazing as everyone says he is. For now, let’s update the tally. As you probably remember, Spike received a point for being intelligible. But now Angel has gained in on him!
Because COME ON.
Being frustrated, as I am, with the on-again off-again aspects of this series, I was so pleasantly surprised by these three episodes. They even wove stories from season-long arcs into episodic ones gracefully for the first time, in a way that makes sense too. Going forward: if this is Buffy, then it’s beginning to make sense why everyone couldn’t wait for the middle of season 2.
Yeah, these three episodes were the best.
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So.... I'd like to go ahead and continue to watch the episodes live. I'm not sure about any body else but I am really having a blast! Just my vote.
It's still happening on my end, and apparently people are just like "Nah we gon' watch and we don curr if you join!" :D so that's probably the BEST reaction, tbh. Love you guys <3 We're still on for this Monday, though.
I'll just say... if you think this is good... I'd rate none of these episodes above a 7.5. So... yea. This is the very beginning of what Good Buffy can be.
From what I understand, everyone has such different opinions of how to rate episodes, y'know? (For example, some people said The Puppet Show is the worst and I loved it.) I'm trying to just keep that in my mind. I don't want to psych myself out.
Its generally not really ABOUT the episode, but about how the episode stacks up in comparison to other episodes. Since to judge an episode, the fanbase has 144 BTVS and 110 ATS episodes to compare it to :)
Puppet Show is enjoyable sure(more enjoyable than Mummy Girl, for example), but its just not up to the standard the fanbase has set for this show.
Drusilla's backstory and who Angel is to her and Spike is possibly one of the most interesting things about BTVS.
I can see aspects of it building currently, but otherwise it's sort of just happening. I'll have to take a few more episode to evaluate it.
oh you only at the surface. I have advice to give once season 3 gets done that may help strengthen you analysis and viewing pleasure of the show.
I agree, I will continue BuffyRewatch live on Mondays. I really look forward to it but I appreciate your impatience, it means you "get it," why we're all so crazy about the show. You can watch ahead but please stick around while the rest of us hash tag BuffyRewatch for the rest of the summer.
if the rewatch continues autonomously, that would just be the BEST solution. :D
If "we" collectively continue the rewatch, I would suggest maybe starting at 9EST instead of 9:30. By the time we finish 3 eps, my brain is spinning and its so late lol :/
Even Whedon mentions that Buffy really didn't find it bearings until bit in season 2. Whedon is best television writer ever, not Kevin Williamson and definitely not Julie Plec (who seems to not get the show she help create). on un-related but a series creator note, Both Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage wrote the season premiere for GG's sixth season so yay.
Okay, so OBVIOUSLY not Plec, and I don't know about Williamson as a standalone writer, but I very much appreciate when he's involved in projects. He's really good at overseeing creative. And yeah I know! I'm really excited for episode 601!
yeah but Williamson seems to have the habit of not staying with projects even as just someone who overseeing it. He left Dawson's Creek after season 2, ended up doing the same thing with tvd, pretty much slapped his name on TSC while Andrew did most of the work and now is doing something he been waiting to do. He has Josh Schwartz mentality and I never liked that in a showrunner. Stick with your shows until the end of you are forced out (Dan Harmon wanted to stay on with Community and got ousted) or if you personally need a break make sure you leave your show (which is like a baby/child) in capable hands and Kevin like JS left it to people who are too immature to handle being a showrunner, JP spends imo too much time tweeting fans (you know comforting them SE/DE shippers that wish death upon her) than actually working and seems to let Caroline Dries do everything. I like Kevin's writing despite the fact he too struggles with minority characters but he kind of a fickle boss and I not a fan of how he handles things if he not hand ons. Whedon knew how to balance his work, he had two-three shows going at once that ran rather smoothly.
Yeah that's exactly what I meant. When he has his hand in his projects, they very much are good. But when he leaves, it's a huge shift and it spirals down. Ugh. The second half of TVD S3 was just awful.
He only wrote the season 3 premiere and before the winter hiatus stated he was no longer involved with TVD. I think he should stick to writing movies (cause imo he rather be doing that than television and it was reason he left Dawson's Creek in the first place). I do have problems when he attempts to come back to the project for the last episode (he wrote the series finale of DC) and there is a huge disconnect between the episode before. Now I aware on tvd, they have lost a majority of the show's original writing staff to other shows like OUAT but JP needs to quit what she doing as I see her doing what she did when she work on Kyle XY, which led to that being cancelled. JP also is highly unprofessional and too fangirly, she makes Josh Safran look like Einstein. I group Williamson with Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage they are neglectful. I mean while I am not a big fan of Shonda at times, she is still very involve with her projects.
Williamson's problems is that he has his ON and OFF days.
One day he will think up the best of TVD episodes, and other day he will praise Elena Gilbert as best character "EVERRR" and start up shows like Hidden Palms.
Also he has a tendency to get disinterested in projects midway through.
The difference with Whedon is that Whedon tends to pay attention COMPLETELY to his work and have far more control over the show to the point that sometimes even the network itself can't influence things in the show.
not to mention there are callbacks to what happens and Whedon seems to not forget what happens, even seasons upon seasons latter. There's a frightening amount of consistency that I personally really miss in other shows nowadays.
Also he is hands down the best at handling ensemble casts(hence why he got the whole Avengers gig from marvel). Characters won't just disappear from episode like in certain other shows(*cough*uhh tyler why were you not in Ghost World when your uncle was there*cough*). Everyone gets something to do within their capabilities and its not as much the show about Buffy, as much as its about all of them and how their decisions impact each other and everyone around them.
I was actually sort of having this conversation with my sister two days ago — how a character can leave TVD for half a season and it's just the worst. Then again, the casts are much bigger on the vampire series of today (and who knows what the budgets are nowadays compared to then), but anyway, my favorite thing about "Halloween" here is that the secondary characters proved they could carry an episode…even just for fifteen minutes. That's really important, and sometimes rare, especially for a show with the character's name in the title.
That's the thing, BTVS cast overall "dwarfs" TVD cast in number of side-characters.
By now you already have dozens of side characters like Principal, Joyce,
Jenny, etc, who do find a way to figure out into a plot and at some
point the show can have at least 3 or 4 equally important plots going at
once and interacting with each other, while giving equal attention to
each character participating.
And there's a whole town. And it actually does feel like a town in that way, moreso than mystic falls do.
TVD wanted to focus more on 'separate" ongoing plotlines and thats okay
for itself but the show clearly does not have capability to HANDLE the
entire cast it already has. Add a bunch of originals to the mix and the
show keeps forgetting that characters exist or "sends off" important
characters to develop offscreen(something TVD for some reason loves and
that I utterly hate)
BTVS usually takes a different approach - it takes several character
plotlines and makes them interact with each other, adding a lot of
wild-cards to the overall seasonal narrative. If characters are living,
they do not just "stop" living when they go "offscreen".
What Whedon seems to get is that its not just about "What Buffy Would DO
in situation X". Its about "what each one of them would do in that
situation and how they would react to each other's decisions".
Already it was obvious in things like "Prophecy Girl" where you had
different viewpoints of Buffy, Angel, Joyce, Giles and Willow clash,
then there was "When She Was Bad" which equally paid attention not only
to how the "Lead" character reacts, but how the supporting cast reacts
to lead character reacting that way. Even "Dark Age" had a lot of focus
not only on how Giles(arguably the
centerpiece of it) reacts to the consequences of his actions, but also
how everyone around him is affected by it.
And In an essence, I guess that's part of why I value Whedon's writing
and this show over the "modern vampire shows" nowadays - It might be
about supernatural role, but its really more about how all those dozens
of characters interact, develop and live in such a place. Its about
those characters interacting, making decisions and having to live with
consequences(another thing I feel TVD really fails to touch upon)
Yes I don't watch TVD because any vamp stuff since Buffy has really bothered me with how derivative it seems. But just wanted to agree about the spectacular continuity in Buffy and even across into angel, it was such a relief to watch and not be fuming about writers thinking viewers are idiots who can't follow a storyline and remember what happened a mere episode or two ago (*cough, gossip girl, cough*)
NOOOOOOOOOO the rewatch must continue! I don't even care I'm sitting down every Monday night to watch those eps and I'm going to keep tweeting you like we are bff's anyways!
But we *ARE* BFFs!
Yay, the episodes are getting better! But this isn't even close to the best of Buffy. Just you wait.
I am waiting! By this rate I'm going to grow old before I get to the end of this series xD
I'm sure you can ramp up the schedule and do a couple every day! I rewatched the whole series a couple of winters ago, and I think it took me from October-March (AND I watched the Angel series too!)
I think Willow was a floozy because underneath her ghost sheet, she was still dressed as a floozy. That's why she was a ghost floozy? Dunno really :D
I thought about that too, but I just can't stand for it! ;)
You didn't just want to see her starkers did you? Haha
Can Anyone guess that I love these three episodes? Yes I love these three episodes.
The Halloween episode. really does the best to showcase what each of them wants and represses in themselves:
- Buffy wants a normal powerless girl life. Because she currently happens to be NOT a damsel in distress and if she was, in her mind, she would still be living in LA, her parents would still be together and none of the ridiculous bad stuff would not have happened...oh and she most likely would not have died. Whats more important is that she, just like everyone has this impression that "ANGEL IS OLD", however she does not exactly realize that Angel was not stuck in time (like some certain other main vampire characters in certain other shows). Angel lived. He "outgrew" thousands of fashion styles and customs through his life. He is not a "teenager", he is *VERY* old guy who experienced a lot and knows what he iikes, but Buffy is a teenager and she does not exactly comprehend just how LONG he has lived and how his mind work. for her its all about her insecurities of "not being a girl enough". so its just as much about making herself feel better.
- Willow's costume buffy convinced her to go was supposed to be the "opposite" of how Willow normally acts or dresses. willow's costume was essentially Willow, thus ANOTHER costume above it of a ghost, made her a ghost of Willow. Willow has always been hiding, as shown in "Nightmares", fearful of any sort of audience. And only now she is starting to open up, to actually grow and with Buffy's encouragement(who is pretty much Willow's idol), to learn to actually LIKE herself instead of being ashamed of herself.
- Xander's costume is all about masculinity. The big part of Xander's character is masculinity troubles - trying to prove he is man enough, feeling insecure about his incompetence, etc. And a "soldier" in a lot of teenager minds is the perfect embodiment of competence.
Thee's a damsel in distress in Buffy who can't get out and is limited by her stronger personality traits. There's a true and strong and fearless male in Xander, limited only by his own insecurities.Its all there and its the reasons they chose those costumes and when under a spell it was essentially the "distilled" parts of who they COULD be inside.
And in essence, everyone is wearing their costumes. Giles wears one every day, in order to repress his own guilt over past mistakes for example.
"Lie To Me" is still one of my favorite S2 episodes. If only because it TRULY challenges Buffy - she has to save a bunch of people who view her as "BAD" from a bunch of vampires whom those people view as "GOOD". And she has to do it by pretty much resorting into "cowardly" tactics of targeting what the badguy loves and the badguy actually follows through every promise he made in very un-badguy-way. At the same time, essentially every friend of hers did something behind her back, but with good intentions or what they think with good intentions. Its the first big "Hello, Buffy, meet real world" kind of thing, where she truly can't figure out on what the hell she should feel or blame as in this case NO ONE could be placed into "evil" or "good" morality cliche.
For Buffy, someone who lives and COMFORTS herself by the whole "Good and Evil" idea, thats incomprehensible painful.
The Dark Age. while essentially a bit worse than the other two, is perfect for the portrayal of Giles and an extension of "Lie To Me" & "Halloween" themes. its about multi-layered nature of human beings and no none being just "one-sided" or "morally sound within black and white logic". Giles made mistakes, Giles makes mistakes, just like Buffy, just like Angel, just like everyone else. And then those mistakes come back to bite him with consequences.
These three epsiodes essentially embody one of major strongpoints of this show - Cause and Effect. Good People making bad mistakes and Bad People doing something that is not about them being BAD. - And one can't judge someone by who they are or who they were, because that all can change with but a few mistakes, decisions, choices,.
And yeah. With this, Season Two essentially starts to get really good. There are some "average" episodes there and there, but narrative getting more more complex and interesting and more and more emotionally-painful(in a good way) is one of the trends with this show.
Oh, and if you do stop the Rewatch, you still have to keep us updated on your thoughts of the show!!