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Posted: |
Nov 28, 2001 - 6:26 PM
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By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
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So much introspection!!!!!!!!! I'm getting a bit concerned about Dawn. Dawn the vampire slayer's sister who dated a vamp and almost got bitten; Dawn the kleptomaniac; Dawn who wore her feelings on her sleeve when Tara and Willow broke up; Dawn who was "forgotten" by both Buffy and Willow when they were out and about all night; and Dawn the trusting who was betrayed by Willow's addiction and then showed herself capable of extreme anger when she slapped Willow. As much as I didn't want to believe Willow would take Dawn into that cloaked house, I have to say it was way typical behavior for an addict. (Having grown up with an alcoholic parent, I was subjected to plenty of hair-raising episodes of my own. Never was in a wreck, but found myself in some scary situations). Buffy was dangrously close to hurting Willow last night. I think Buffy realizes she has her own "addiction" to overcome. There are two seriously messed up adults in the Summers house...and Dawn needs stability desperately. Willow was totally pitiful. All is cloudy and I can't see what's coming.... Meanwhile, though, those were some kick-ass trips Willow took through "Rack's" (I heard "rack" or "Rak") magical powers. Why is it Jeff Kober can only play parts like this -- he was terrific as the "China Beach" jungle grunt who always seemed to operate alone...and he's been various bad guys on "Poltergeist: The Legacy" and "The Outer Limits" (I think)...plus other shows. And now he's this wreck of a warlock! And what's with Amy? Is she a thief? Was she ransacking the Summers house? And Buffy having to put garlic up and sit all night on her bed holding a cross to avoid getting .... what ... "Spiked"???? : ) Tsk! Can't get Willow to cast a spell to remove Spike's welcome without seeming unsupportive of her resolve to give it all up (and there's NO chance of THAT, IMO)... A great "Buffy" -- not a stand-alone, but a hell of a transition. Coop: I heard Spike's retort, but don't recall what Buffy said. Will take you at your word of recall, though, until I hear it again. It was racy stuff...even had it been for Showtime!!!!!! Lots of naked Spike in last night's show. And Spike's right about a lot of what he said to Buffy! And does anyone else think it was Willow who sent that demon back to hell when it dissolved into flames. It wasn't that clear, although her eyes were black and she was walking toward Buffy right after it happened. Talk everyone.... Ron
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Posted: |
Nov 29, 2001 - 6:46 PM
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debi
(Member)
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Thanks for the welcome back! I guess I had a much different reaction to the last Buffy ep. I was shocked at how heavy handed the metaphor was, even more shocked that Marti (whose writing I adore) wrote it. I didn't need for every detail of Willow's addiction to Black Magic to look exactly like a drug addition--including an "opium den"--in order to get the point. Why did her experience look EXACTLY like an acid trip, and why why why was she having the shakes from withdrawal at the end? Addiction to black magic should have had a very different "look" IMO. This had all the subtlety of an Afternoon Special. It seemed like fear that if they didn't make her look EXACTLY like a drug addict, we weren't going to get it. Geez, usually they give us credit for brains. I'm sorry, but my head hurts from being whacked over the head with the point. And I'm really not going to like it if Willow and Buff's problem are neatly wrapped up in one episode. Just shouldn’t be that easy. I guess we'll see. Re: the soundtrack, SIGN that petition at UPN! May be the only way to get it! Whedon's direct quote was: "Also, soundtrack…we're definitely going to put one out, but it may take awhile cuz of contract bull@#$%. MAN it's been a nightmare trying to set that up. I’m hoping to have a place a Buffyupn.com for people to log on and click if they're interested in buying it. If we set it up, click away! (but only once, so we can get an accurate number). I guess some execs didn't think there'd be much interest, but I'm not looking for a hit record, just want those who want it to be able to get it. But every step has been painful and insane and pretty much shaken my faith in humanity." Kamiakane: we did have a letter/email campaign (Save the Score) directed at Fox to get them to release Beck's Season 2-4 score. I have it on good authority they got tons of letters, but still no action. If you know someone who can code an online petition, I'd be happy to put it on the Save the Score site. Let me know. Ron: Allison Hannigan has had that "As Willow" credit since the beginning of the season. Go Allyson!. Also, Amber Benson was never added to the opening credits (still a guest star) and Anthony Stewart Head is out of the credits and listed as "guest star" as well. I'm nervous about Amber—-you know what can happen to guest stars (Darla, Jenny Calendar).
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Posted: |
Nov 29, 2001 - 7:57 PM
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By: |
Cooper
(Member)
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Debi/All: You make a good point about the heavy-handed metaphor. Marti had a more complex, yet similarly themed image workin' during her "Into the Woods" episode, as the vamp "crack whore" put the bite on Riley's arm, suggesting narcotic abuse, as well as a resorting to prostitution. True, though, that Willow's magic binge seemed tediously unimaginative, right down to the car wreck staple. Jeff Jensen seems to be on board with this criticism. He's doing a weekly write-up of Buffy episodes over at ew.com, Enterainment Weekly's official website. Head on over, punch "Buffy" into their search field and click on the latest entry in the "...most recent articles about" column. From there, there's links to Jensen's other articles--"TV Watch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Archive," at the bottom of the 1st review--on each and every episode of the season thus far, including some from last. What saved this episode for me was the execution, and some reliably affecting work from Hannigan. The impact transcended the cliched approach. Weird that, with Buffy, we've gotten to the point where what would've been shrewd allegory a few years ago seems a little basic now. And Debi, don't know if you caught my previous post (at the end of page 2), but what the heck do you make of that Buffy/Spike exchange culled from the most recent Buffy? I think I've got it down there fairly accurately. I had a: "!" and a "?" reaction. Am I depraved, or sort of on board with Marti, who's possibly depraved herself? --Coop
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I caught a re-run over the weekend -- this was the Christmas show from a couple of years back...at least, I always thought of it as a Christmas show. It featured the actress who played Jenny Calendar back as a ghost to torment Angel like some horrible ghost of Christmas past/present/& future, taking Angel to the point where he wanted to end his life. He begs Buffy to watch the dawn and be with him as the sun ends his misery. Buffy refuses and says she won't be a part of it. Then it starts snowing. And Sunnyvale -- and Angel -- are treated to a miracle -- the impossible snow storm that it so dense the sun won't come out...and Angel gets a sign that he is meant to continue living and atoning for his past. All in all, quite satisfying.
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Watched that super episode of "Buffy" last night...the one where all is a bit bright...and where Buffy tells Spike what really happened when Willow did the spell over her grave. Tears all over again. Gellar did that scene brilliantly. And, it was brilliantly written. Next week -- "Hush"! First airing on UPN!
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Primetime -- it's next Tuesday's episode on UPN. And they are promoting it with a vengeance (locally, anyway).
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Posted: |
Dec 12, 2001 - 8:40 PM
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By: |
Cooper
(Member)
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Weird, man. Well, glad you found it again. Here's a repost of my CBS/UPN message from the other board: Could this be a bad omen for the creative freedom the Buffy Bunch has enjoyed over the years? I just read that the UPN network has been folded into CBS--the snooziest, oldest demographic centered network of all the majors--by the parent company, Viacom, and will be presided over by Les Moonves. The two networks will remain networks unto themselves, but CBS could well be granted new authority in determining the sensibility of UPN. Dean Valentine is still, at the moment, acting president of UPN, but he's suing them for allegedly holding back some 20 odd million in bonuses from him. I doubt he'll last long. That said, think the creative team behind Buffy has anything to worry about in terms of preserving their prized, artistic freedoms? ...Maybe I'm just looking for trouble here? --Coop
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Posted: |
Dec 17, 2001 - 10:25 PM
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By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
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I'm moving this comment from the unnecessary backup board which has about 18 replies to it, many of which are unrelated to Buffy or anything relevant: No, I'm not disappointed because I don't watch the show. I was just curious because I very rarely see any vamps in the ads or on the show anymore, the bits and pieces that I see occasionally. If they want to explore other creatures (and other issues) that's fine. I'm sure the Whedon team appreciates the leeway. Buffy has had issues to deal with, Spacehunter. There's the whole "Dawn" thing she dealt with last season that included dealing with an immortal from hell and the death of her mother. And, oh, yeah -- Buffy died in that last climactic battle. Then, this season, the Scoobie gang resident witch managed to bring Buffy back (since her death was not from a mortal blow but from a leap into a rupture between earth and hell). The assumption was that she was in hell. As Buffy related to Spike in a brilliant episode, she was torn out of what she perceived to be heaven by her friends. And now she is back in the world -- a place that is too bright, too violent and every moment a reminder of what she lost. So....no, we don't get the standard run-of-the-mill vampire fest in every episode that the uncommitted viewer might expect. There's also the issue of Buffy's fatal attraction to Spike...they've gotten it on...violently and with graphic suggestion. It's been mindblowing for those of us who do love the show and who would never think of missing a single moment of any episode. But, especially since you admit you don't watch, there ARE vampires in the show -- Spike's a regular...and there are vamps everywhere, along with demons, etc. Virtually every show has a patrolling sequence where vamps are regularly staked and turned to dust. Quite often with something utterly hilarious or droll utttered by either the vamp or the patrol party. All of the cast live in Sunnydale which is right over the Hellmouth, one of the earth's worst places to be. All sorts of demons come through and some of the shows deal with their visits/challenges/etc. As with any show, various demons and the way the cast deals with them keep the show interesting, alive and fun. And the mastermind of Whedon insures that all ties back to and into Buffy's reason for being. But I don't watch anyway, though I've tried a few times. I've never understood the craze surrounding BUFFY. I think it's a bit overrated. As you've stated. And....oh, well. Why not start a thread on a show you can relate to? No one here will mind. None of us here feel threatened by your opinion of the show. As you say, there is a craze surrounding it. Perhaps it's not overrated at all, though. Perhaps it's just you. Or maybe it's us. For sure, we are definitely jazzed, psyched and tuned into it. That makes us feel part of something truly special, too. Thanks for the contribution to the thread. Y'all come back now, ya hear!
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Posted: |
Dec 17, 2001 - 10:53 PM
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By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
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Over the weekend, I saw the second part of the first "season finale" of "Buffy." Don't recall the episode title, but this is the one where everyone is trying to keep from Buffy the fact that the prophecies say she must meet the master and that she will die. It's the episode where Xander summoned up all the nerve he could -- and then some -- and asked Buffy to the Spring Fling. I especially found it poignant to see her getting all dressed for the party, then walking in on Giles to tell him she would, in fact, be meeting the master. I always felt she took something from the master in that encounter. I must have blinked because I didn't see him actually feed from and discard her. But I vaguely recall that there was an exchange at one point. Anyway, once she was revived, she indicated she felt "different." She sensed where the master would be. And she kicked his ass. Later, when someone suggested they all go to the dance at The Bronze. A very mussed Buffy looks down at herself and says, "Why not! I got all pretty." GREAT music in this episode, too, folks.
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Posted: |
Jan 10, 2002 - 10:01 PM
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By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
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The most recent "Buffy" episode...oddly quirky, strangely familiar, and disturbingly static regarding the season's plotlines. The Social Services lady played by Susan Ruttan was great -- when invisible Buffy flim-flammed her in the office, it was good to see that Buffy was tackling the problem that, frankly, has me confused as hell: To wit -- when Joyce died, Buffy and Dawn's situation SHOULD have been assessed by Social Services at that time. When Buffy died, she was buried in a cemetery plot and a stone was placed over her grave. This had to have been recorded somewhere. She was most likely declared dead by a coroner. She is OFFICIALLY dead, then....isn't she?????!!!! And Social Services is only NOW getting around to the Summers house to see what happened? Did Willow's spell somehow NEGATE everything??? Did all the facts change??? Or was Buffy merely returned from the dead? Come on....officially, she is supposed to be dead, so how could Social Services remove Dawn from her custody? How could they have not placed her in someone else's custody. This whole Social Services issue is a big old HUMONGOUS gaping hole in the plotline. Moving along -- very nice scenes between Spike and invisible Buffy. Even when Buffy was visible and Xander stumbled into the kitchen and saw them close together, it's odd that Xander did not see what was up. I think it's impossible he did not see what was up. I think he's only pretending not to know what IS up. He's not that big a moron...now is he????!!!! The petulant Dawn thing...after everything...and still Dawn is having her pouts? Slap her and move on. Or place her and move on. This isn't contributing anything to the storyline. As for Dawn blaming Buffy because she was involved in an accident, I say it's time for Dawn to move on. This isn't some sappy soaper, it's prime-time evil fighting. Dawn should either get with the program or leave. Sick of her I am. Bring back Tara. Bring back Riley. DO SOMETHING! After so much promise -- the musical, all the wonderful moments -- stuff should start adding up, not subtracting. Off my chest, Ron
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