Buffy notes - seasons 1-3.
Nov. 9th, 2005 08:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
avreliaWe were watching Buffy with the husband in the last two months. Well, seasons 1 and 3 we have watched together, and s 2 he watched while I was away, and I watched on weekends.
Again, I cannot write a coherent re-watch review, but some notes I would love to share here:
1) the only thought of mine I remember from season1:
I robot, you Jane. This episode is usually on the lists of the worst episodes, or less memorable, or those one can miss easily. I am not going to say that it is an underestimated gem, but it has great Willow moments in it, not even moments but the pattern of all the following relationships Willow has: Oz, Tara, even Kennedy.
WILLOW (to Moloch): That's what Buffy doesn't understand, how comfortable you can make me feel.
That’s pretty much Willow in a nutshell.
Off to other random thoughts:
2) I think I generally like season 2 more than season 3, but season 2 is so easy to love: the characters are becoming more detailed, more interesting, but not really controversially so. The good guys are still distinguished from the bad guys as easily as Angel from Angelus. The right choice may be difficult, but it is there, in plain view. Everything is new and shiny, and clear, even when it starts to muddle. Still the pain and happiness are there, and it is impossible not to feel for Buffy. I even like B/A relationship. Not because it is romantic or good – it is not either, but because it is important, it is shaping both Buffy and Angel, and it is a powerful story to watch (even when actual words make me cringe.)
3) Come season 3 – and B/A becomes unbearable to watch. It is simply boring and overwrought. I don’t remember any of their scenes I didn’t want to fast forward through. Basically, the list of the episodes I like stays the same: good characters moments, less B/A, more Faith. B/F is so my OTP during the s3! The relationship, the sistership between Buffy and Faith is a joy to watch, both in their good and bad moments.
4) I noticed that the appearance of the second Slayer (Kendra in What’s my line, Faith) coincides or is followed with the discussion about Buffy’s future – Career Day, choice of colleges, giving the idea that Buffy would be free to choose her future if there going to be someone else protecting the world. Thus it is laying ground to the series end. Of course, Buffy cannot go to Disneyland forever, she cannot stop being the Slayer even stripped of her powers…
5) I also noticed that Kendra’s lucky stake Mr. Pointy took its place among Buffy’s memorable things. It is mentioned several times throughout s3, and somehow it was nice to remember that Buffy uses Kendra’s stake. And it was sad to see Kendra’s last fight, when she reaches for that stake, only to be left empty-handed.
6) Another good moment: Faith’s “We are the law!” in Bad Girls vs. Buffy’s “I am the law!” in Selfless. Same words, very different meaning. And “Give us a kiss” with the kiss in GDII. And everything else with the Buffy and Faith in it. They have such an incredibly influence over each other, even as they are fighting it.
7) Other characters: I watched every one for the character continuity, and I am glad to say that I found it. It is not necessarily foreboding or the detailed planning of the future/whole series, but more of a good groundwork that makes the future developments believable, even if not only possible choices. Willow, Xander, Giles, Wesley, Cordelia are all exhibit the traits that will go in the foreground later.
8) Going to the season3 finale I have to say that I liked it less than I expected. (I never before managed to watch the whole episode of GDII. It was fate, I am sure of it.) I usually see how perfect it was, especially compared to Chosen, and – I was not impressed. First of all, it was way too long. I know, many think that Chosen is too short and cramped, but I was seriously bored during all those long scenes with ominous music in GD. The parallels are many (we can find a lot of nifty parallels between any two episodes in Jossverse, especially finales). Buffy tries to send away her family before the battle. There is a big-scale war, that destroys the previous world for the good. Anya is not able to understand why stay and fight in GD, and getting the answer for herself by the end of s7. People are choosing to fight. Okay, I definitely need to think about these parallels some more.
9) I wish Larry survived.
Again, I cannot write a coherent re-watch review, but some notes I would love to share here:
1) the only thought of mine I remember from season1:
I robot, you Jane. This episode is usually on the lists of the worst episodes, or less memorable, or those one can miss easily. I am not going to say that it is an underestimated gem, but it has great Willow moments in it, not even moments but the pattern of all the following relationships Willow has: Oz, Tara, even Kennedy.
WILLOW (to Moloch): That's what Buffy doesn't understand, how comfortable you can make me feel.
That’s pretty much Willow in a nutshell.
Off to other random thoughts:
2) I think I generally like season 2 more than season 3, but season 2 is so easy to love: the characters are becoming more detailed, more interesting, but not really controversially so. The good guys are still distinguished from the bad guys as easily as Angel from Angelus. The right choice may be difficult, but it is there, in plain view. Everything is new and shiny, and clear, even when it starts to muddle. Still the pain and happiness are there, and it is impossible not to feel for Buffy. I even like B/A relationship. Not because it is romantic or good – it is not either, but because it is important, it is shaping both Buffy and Angel, and it is a powerful story to watch (even when actual words make me cringe.)
3) Come season 3 – and B/A becomes unbearable to watch. It is simply boring and overwrought. I don’t remember any of their scenes I didn’t want to fast forward through. Basically, the list of the episodes I like stays the same: good characters moments, less B/A, more Faith. B/F is so my OTP during the s3! The relationship, the sistership between Buffy and Faith is a joy to watch, both in their good and bad moments.
4) I noticed that the appearance of the second Slayer (Kendra in What’s my line, Faith) coincides or is followed with the discussion about Buffy’s future – Career Day, choice of colleges, giving the idea that Buffy would be free to choose her future if there going to be someone else protecting the world. Thus it is laying ground to the series end. Of course, Buffy cannot go to Disneyland forever, she cannot stop being the Slayer even stripped of her powers…
5) I also noticed that Kendra’s lucky stake Mr. Pointy took its place among Buffy’s memorable things. It is mentioned several times throughout s3, and somehow it was nice to remember that Buffy uses Kendra’s stake. And it was sad to see Kendra’s last fight, when she reaches for that stake, only to be left empty-handed.
6) Another good moment: Faith’s “We are the law!” in Bad Girls vs. Buffy’s “I am the law!” in Selfless. Same words, very different meaning. And “Give us a kiss” with the kiss in GDII. And everything else with the Buffy and Faith in it. They have such an incredibly influence over each other, even as they are fighting it.
7) Other characters: I watched every one for the character continuity, and I am glad to say that I found it. It is not necessarily foreboding or the detailed planning of the future/whole series, but more of a good groundwork that makes the future developments believable, even if not only possible choices. Willow, Xander, Giles, Wesley, Cordelia are all exhibit the traits that will go in the foreground later.
8) Going to the season3 finale I have to say that I liked it less than I expected. (I never before managed to watch the whole episode of GDII. It was fate, I am sure of it.) I usually see how perfect it was, especially compared to Chosen, and – I was not impressed. First of all, it was way too long. I know, many think that Chosen is too short and cramped, but I was seriously bored during all those long scenes with ominous music in GD. The parallels are many (we can find a lot of nifty parallels between any two episodes in Jossverse, especially finales). Buffy tries to send away her family before the battle. There is a big-scale war, that destroys the previous world for the good. Anya is not able to understand why stay and fight in GD, and getting the answer for herself by the end of s7. People are choosing to fight. Okay, I definitely need to think about these parallels some more.
9) I wish Larry survived.
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no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 01:51 am (UTC)That's basically the way I feel about it too, that it's a beautifully told story and incredibly important in shaping the characters. The problems with B/A really come when it gets extended into S3 and the characters go into a holding pattern, waiting for Angel to go off to his own show. In S2 their relationship is vital to the story, but in S3 it's just a placeholder.
B/F is so my OTP during the s3! The relationship, the sistership between Buffy and Faith is a joy to watch, both in their good and bad moments.
Yeah, I'm a big fan of that relationship too, maybe even more in retrospect than I was the first time around.
I love the first half of GDII - the B/A bite scene, the B/F dream, Buffy waking up and kissing Faith on the forehead - that's all great. But the rest of the episode leaves me cold, though I do love all the students throwing off their robes to reveal their weapons. All the emotional stuff gets wrapped up in the first part of the episode, and all that's left for the climax is the action scenes. "Chosen", "Becoming", "The Gift" - those all had the action and emotion tangled up together, which I think made the episodes more powerful.
::sniff:: Poor Larry.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 02:01 am (UTC)To add to the post: I realized why the battle in Chosen works for me better - it is a battle inside - that's why they are not recruited but asked to make a choice, that's why they go in the Hellmouth - the characters are not battling some outside forces - authoruty, patriarchy, they are battling themselves first of all. Cool idea?
no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 05:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-11 01:53 am (UTC)s7 always seems to me looking inward - with the First Evil as the main enemy and the world coming to live in Casa Summers - inward in a slightly different way than s6, where we never notice the existence of the other world.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 02:38 am (UTC)Me too! I think Larry was one of the unsung heroes of S2 and 3, and to have come so far and developed into such a likable character, and then get casually crunched by the mayor . . . ! He's the unsung Doyle of that moment.
It makes me sad, every time I see it. And I thought he deserved a better epitaph than Willow's brief update to Amy in season 6 (Larry's gay; Larry's dead; high school's over).
no subject
Date: 2005-11-11 01:56 am (UTC)and I read your last entries, but wasn't sure what to say. I am glad that the email situation clarified, and can I just offer your hugs and best wishes?
:;hugs::
no subject
Date: 2005-11-17 02:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 01:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-11 12:32 am (UTC)