In the third episode of the second season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, HOW IS ALL OF THIS HAPPENING IN THE THIRD EPISODE? Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Buffy.
NO SERIOUSLY HOW IS THIS EPISODE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. HOW IS THIS AT ALL POSSIBLE. WHAT IS GOING ON AND HOW ARE THERE STILL ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE MORE OF THESE TO GO. NONE OF THESE ARE QUESTIONS. THEY ARE FRUSTRATED STATEMENTS AND DEMANDS.
My god, what a fantastic, riveting, and game-changing episode for the whole series. And, yet again, HOW IS THIS A THING THAT HAPPENED AND WAS MADE REAL???? The cold open alone was enough to get me interested, setting up a pair of plots that collided so brilliant and chaotically for nearly twenty minutes straight. Buffy gets stuck with the lovely Sheila Martini preparing for an upcoming parent-teacher conference because Principal Snyder is an evil human being. To be fair, he’s comical in his dedication to being awful to everyone around him, and I kind of enjoy how ridiculous he is as an antagonist. He’s played specifically so that we hate him, and every time he makes an appearance, it’s one giant guessing game to determine when he’s going to die. He can’t last six full seasons! I think Whedon and company know that, too, because there’s certainly some tension that comes from his existence, at least for me. On top of that, the show is constantly finding new ways to tell stories about mainstays of American high school culture, and the dreaded parent-teacher night is certainly one of them.
It’s also in “School Hard” that I believe I have met the actual Spike, who I knew was a character on this show. I had no concept of who he was on the show, except that he was good enough to warrant the fact that people spoke about him. This episode gives me a great idea of what his character arc might be like, and I think that season two is going to set him up as the main antagonist, like the Master, for Buffy to fight. That’s exciting in and of itself, but it’s the character of Spike that intrigues me the most. He’s got a lot in common with Angel and not just because they were once…friends? I guess Angel was Spike’s “sire,” which I don’t even understand. But he’s introduced in a way to specifically play off of Angel, but Whedon takes him in a different direction. Like Angel, he is meant to be a sexual symbol of sorts, and his past and aggressive nature probably caused a whole lot of blushing. Personally, he doesn’t do anything for me. (Yet.) But I do understand that his arrogance and personality is essentially Angel but taken to another extreme. He’s completely and totally full of himself, a vampire who knows he is good and has no problem telling others. I mean, he just waltzes into Sunnydale to confront the Anointed One, and he doesn’t spend a second acting like any of the other minions. I find that SO FASCINATING.
This episode really just leads to the confrontation between Spike and Buffy, and it was the one thing I was waiting for. I did not, however, expect it to happen so fast. I think Spike did this on purpose, first of all. The two contrasting plots–Spike’s mission to kill Buffy, and Buffy dealing with parent-teacher night–are so far from having anything to do with one another that I believed they wouldn’t collide in any way. Plus, I think it’s why Spike chooses to do what he does in “School Hard.” He sees that the Slayer is, by all appearances, an ordinary school girl. Why not tease her while she’s studying?
On top of that, I love how easy it is to discern Spike’s character at this point because it’s so well-defined. I know that it’s in character for him to refuse to kill Buffy the first time he meets her (outside the Bronze) just so he can tease her with the idea. I mean SERIOUSLY. He had the opportunity to go after Buffy in that alley, and he chooses to taunt her instead. Oh, he’s gonna be an interesting villain this season. And not just because he’s already given such an interesting entrance either; his past is what gives him a clever dynamic for the show. I found myself laughing at the scene where Angel shows up to the library to tell the group that Spike is bad news, and then promptly leaves without any further information. So…he gives Angel the creeps? He worries Angel? Is Angel jealous or something? I don’t quite understand this yet, but I can see that this new character is not someone who is very disposable. Yet, that is. He’s not a main character, so he could die at any time! THIS IS WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE.
Oh, right, Spike also used to be known as “William the Bloody” and he got his nickname from torturing people with railroad spikes. THIS IS GOING TO BE A SUPER FUN, UPLIFTING SEASON.
It’s just minutes after this scene, though, that “School Hard” becomes something special. Episode placement isn’t always that important, but in a long form narrative like a season of a television show, writers tend to hold on to the best stuff until the end. The most “real” shit isn’t stuff that comes right at the beginning. And yet, as Buffy is concerned with dealing with the ramifications of her mother meeting Principal Snyder, this particular episode decides to take every bit of her problem and throw it off the top of a building. That worry she had about what her mother might do if she discovered how Principal Snyder felt? Yeah, that’s the least of her worries at this point.
I honestly expected that the writers would find a way to get Snyder, Joyce, and anyone else out of the building so that Buffy and company could go after the vampires without Buffy’s identity revealed. (Well…and the revelation that there are fucking vampires in Sunnydale, but somehow, that wasn’t as urgent to me as Buffy’s identity.) Instead, THE EXACT OPPOSITE HAPPENS. What might have just been an interesting story turns into a thrilling disaster. Buffy not only has to kill Spike and his minions, but she has to protect the students and staff left behind, INCLUDING HER OWN MOTHER, and somehow make sure no one discovers what is really going on. It’s a sign of how well this is written that I felt overwhelmed by the last third of “School Hard,” but I was never confused. There really is a whole lot going on, but it’s not difficult to follow it.
That being said (and this is a complement), THIS IS SO CHAOTIC. A group of adults are in the science room and they just witnessed Buffy climb out through the goddamn ceiling, and then one of the teachers is ripped out of a window in front of Joyce and Principal Snyder and all I can wonder is HOW ON EARTH ARE ANY OF THESE PEOPLE GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS? The writers take much more care this time around to cleverly avoid any confirmation that vampires are at work here. Joyce makes a comment about the vampires’ faces to Buffy, and Principal Snyder may have seen more than he would have liked when his coworker was murdered. But I found the way this was wrapped up far more believable than when a similar end came about in season one.
And even amongst all of this action, there’s still room for these characters to grow and interact with one another in intriguing ways. I felt Angel and Spike’s confrontation scene was properly awkward (how could it not be???), giving us all just a hint of what possible storylines could come from this. (It also pretty much guaranteed to me that there are a couple million Spike/Angel fics in the world and I’ve read not a second of Buffy fanfic. Yet I know this is true as I know that I breathe oxygen.) Of course, there’s the weird “sire” and “Yoda” lines. So Angel…..created Spike? Maybe? Perhaps? LOOK IDEK.
But let’s just be real here. “School Hard” is a great episode of Buffy, one of my favorites so far. Shit gets real, Whedon brings, it’s funny, it’s frightening, and it’s only the third episode of this season. But two things happen at the end of this episode that launch it far into the stratosphere. First of all, I must immediately call the Joyce Summers Fan Appreciation Club into session. Y’all, we must talk about her, and we have to talk about how wonderful that moment is with her and her daughter after Joyce cracks Spike over the head with a fire axe. Clearly, badassery runs in the family! But it’s more striking to me that Joyce takes the time to tell Buffy that while she acknowledges that Buffy may be having problems at school, she knows that her daughter is a good person, that she cares about others and will risk her own life to protect them. Look, I just have a lot of feelings and these feelings are just everywhere, okay? Ugh, Joyce Summers, how are you so perfect?
As if all of what we’d just seen in the episode didn’t satisfy Whedon’s desire for brain explosions, though, he had one last trick up his sleeve. Did all of you, like myself, believe that the team of the Anointed One and Spike would influence the myth-arc of season two? So, did all of you, as I did, completely lose their shit when Spike kills the Anointed One because he’s bored of following rules?
Yeah, I take it back. Shit hasn’t even gotten close to real at this point.
A note on commenting about this particular episode: I know you are going to want to call Spike “crazy” to describe his behavior or characterization, so I’m going to just go ahead and ask you not to. First of all, if you’re not familiar, it is considered a slur and I don’t allow it on the site to be used except in a reclamation sense. I don’t care if you use it in your life and I’m not interested in telling anyone how to talk in their own life or own communities. But this is a large, public community here and it’s fairly diverse. I’m just trying to look out for those who might be marginalized. Can we all try to do this around here? THANK YOU I LOVE YOU ALL YOU’RE THE BEST.
<img src="http://www.vampires.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Joyce-Summers.jpg" width="40%" height="40%"> <img src="http://images.wikia.com/harrypotter/images/d/df/Molly_Weasley2.jpg" width="40%" height="40%">
DON'T FUCK WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS.
Dear photographer working with Julie Walters: WHY WOULD YOU LET THERE BE A GIANT SHADOW ON HER FACE? COME ON, NOW.
<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkcf06a0v01qzi80do1_500.gif" />
FUCK YEAH JOYCE SUMMERS! It needs repeating as often as possible.
this is EVEN MORE HILARIOUS pbafvqrevat gur snpg gung Wblpr npghnyyl raqf hc znxvat Fcvxr ubg orirentrf naq yvfgravat gb uvz pelvat nobhg Qehfvyyn yngre ba va gur fubj.
That, and gurl'er obgu snaf bs qnlgvzr fbncf. V fgvyy pna'g oryvrir guvf fubj npghnyyl znqr gurfr gjb gjb bs zl snibhevgr crbcyr gb jngpu gbtrgure.
spectralbovine, you are my favorite person ever. I just got done reading Mark Read The Hunger Games series and all of your posts had me crying of laughter… I just thought I'd let you know this on the most recent post so that you'll actually read it… hopefully.
Aw, thank you!! I do love making people laugh.
This may actually be my all-time favorite episode. Or, at least, it's way up there among my favorites. <3 You know why? SPIKE. I love a good villain, and Spike is a fantastic one in this episode. His snark is epic, which pretty much guarantees my love: snarky characters in general tend to be fun for me, and snarky <i>villains really hit a sweet spot for me. Spike gets so many wonderful lines and moments in this episode, that it would take me forever to list off all the good ones. So just assume that I love it all. It also helps that James Marsters is fucking flawless in the role. Much love to him. <3
(Whfg va pnfr nalbar vf jbaqrevat, lrf, V qb unir n znffvir nzbhag bs ybnguvat sbe yngre-frnfbaf Fcvxr, cnegvphyneyl nsgre n pregnva, funyy jr fnl, pbybeshyyl gvgyrq rcvfbqr. V'yy gnyx nobhg gung jura Znex trgf gurer, gubhtu, naq sbe abj jvyy or qvfphffvat ubj zhpu V ybirq Fcvxr nf n ivyynva va gurfr rneyl rcvfbqrf, juvpu V ershfr gb yrg yngre jevgvat furanavtnaf gnxr njnl sebz zr. Frnfba gjb vf fcrpvny gb zr, qnzzvg, naq Fcvxr jnf n shpxvat njrfbzr onq thl onpx gura.)
– I like that Buffy covers for Sheila.
– Giles and Jenny continue to be adorable.
– Hush, Xander. Buffy and Angel are none of your business.
– I'm not really comfortable with Sheila's treatment in this episode: namely, that the "bad girl" dies, particularly since she gets abducted by Spike right after leaving a bar with two guys she just met and talking about how a Cadillac makes her horny.
– Love Drusilla, she's so eerie and strange. Seems like she has precognitive powers of some sort, doesn't it? Also she and Spike are hot, I love that moment when it seems like they're going to kiss but then turn towards the camera. IIRC that was on their part in audition/an ad lib? And it was so awesome that they decided to use it in the episode. Something like that, I can't remember anymore.
– Xander, your dancing is terrible. Utterly horrible. And thus hilarious. Keep doing that.
– That moment when SUDDENLY SPIKE behind them is creepy as hell.
– Cordelia's helping! Yay Cordy!
– I love how Cordelia and Xander both IMMEDIATELY go for a snack as soon as Buffy leaves. I would too!
– Oh Willow, no. 🙁 You should've told Buffy it needed sugar, not let her serve it like that. FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS SERVE SOUR LEMONADE. I mean, it would serve Snyder right to get a mouthful of that swill, but it wouldn't help her in the end. BAD WILLOW. (Though I love the face Alyson Hannigan makes when she samples the stuff.)
– Oh Buffy no. 🙁 Don't tell a lie like that.
– SHIT JUST GOT REAL.
– We finally see a non-white person and he dies. Great. 🙁
– A gang on PCP??? Snyder, methinks YOU are the one that's tripping.
– JOYCE YOU ARE AWESOME FOREVER I ADORE YOU. <3 <3 <3
– "Use your head."
<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/2zdzjp4.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
– ANNE RICE ROUTINE LULZ FOREVER. Also, I think this may be the best bit of acting we've seen out of Boreanaz yet. Love his faking being a bad guy. He was clearly having fun with that.
– Spike is a Star Wars fan. I approve of his taste in movies.
– JOYCE IS THE BEST. Clearly badassery is an inherited trait for Buffy, and didn't just come with the Slayer calling. <3
– Okay, I kind of love you for that line, Angel.
– OMG THEY KNOW. WHAT. WHAT. WHAT.
– WELL. Bye-bye, Annoying One, hello SPIKE. I'm so up for this. And as usual, you were so not prepared, Mark. Still are not. 😀
– A gang on PCP??? Snyder, methinks YOU are the one that's tripping.
Jnf Wbff nyernql ynlvat gur tebhaqjbex sbe gur znlbe fghss va frnfba 3? V pna'g erzrzore vs ur unq vg cynaarq bhg fb sne va nqinapr, ohg vg frrzf yvxr vg jbhyq or n uvag jura Falqre vf gnyxvat gb gur cbyvpr!
Ur jnf, lrnu. V erzrzore gurer'f nabgure pbairefngvba orgjrra gurfr gjb, V'z cerggl fher vg'f va V Bayl Unir Rlrf Sbe Lbh, jurer Falqre pbzcynvaf nobhg univat gb xrrc pbirevat guvf fghss hc, naq gur cbyvpr thl fnlf fbzrguvat yvxr "Creuncf lbh'q yvxr gb gnxr guvf hc jvgu gur znlbe?" Falqre, bs pbhefr, vf yrff guna guevyyrq jvgu gung vqrn.
V jbaqre ubj zhpu ur xarj jura ur svefg gbbx gur wbo naq jung ur gubhtug ur jnf qbvat. Ur'f n ubeevoyr crefba va n Fancryvxr jnl, ohg V nyjnlf vagrecergrq uvf qrngu nf n xvaq bs urebvfz. Yvxr ur fgvyy gubhtug ur jnf qbvat gur evtug guvat pbirevat hc sbe gur Znlbe hagvy ur ghearq vagb n fanxr naq ortna gb rng crbcyr. Fb znlor ur jnf gbyq gb xrrc na rlr ba Ohssl ohg abg gung fur jnf cebgrpgvat crbcyr. Naq ur jnf unccl gb tb nybat jvgu gung orpnhfr ur'f greevoyr nf n cevapvcny naq vtaberq gur fvtaf, yvxr va guvf rcvfbqr, gung fur jnf qvfehcgvat ure fpubby yvsr orpnhfr fur unq gb sbe gur tbbq bs nyy. Ohg gura jvgu gur Znlbe ng tenqhngvba ur unq n fbeg bs jnxrhc pnyy nobhg jung ur'q orvat qbvat, naq qvrq. Gura ntnva, vg'f nzovthbhf rabhtug gung bar pbhyq vagrecerg uvz nf rivy naq whfg jnagvat gur Znlbe gb xvyy va na beqreyl snfuvba be fbzrguvat.
Here's a spoilery Snyder fic exploring the possibilities. It's short and good. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3993564/1/Through_a_G…
V frpbaq gur ungerq sbe fnvq rcvfbqr. V frevbhfyl ungr gung cnegvphyne jevgvat qrpvfvba–nygubhtu V xabj gung bowrpgviryl gung gubhtug vf n ovg zrffrq hc, v.r. V graq gb cenvfr gur PUNENPGRE jura gurer'f n yvar/npgvba/jungrire gung V yvxr, naq gur JEVGRE jura vg'f fbzrguvat V qba'g yvxr. Vg'f gevpxl!
Gung fnvq, gubhtu, V qb unir n pregnva ybir sbe cer-Gung Rcvfbqr, cbfg-puvc Fcvxr. V zrna, qba'g trg zr jebat, onqnff!Fcvxr vf njrfbzr, ohg V nyfb xvaq bs ybir gur nep gung gnxrf uvz sebz "Fngheqnl vf gur qnl V xvyy lbh" Fcvxr gb Qnja'f ONOLFVGGRE Fcvxr. KQ
Anyways, WORD on Xander's awful/hilarious dancing and also I love you for the Toy Story gif. <3
Lrnu, gur riragf bs "Frrvat Erq" ner gur bayl guvat V ernyyl ungr nobhg Fcvxr'f nep. V'z abg n uhtr sna bs gur Fchssl eryngvbafuvc va Frnfba 6 va trareny, ohg gur encr nggrzcg vf whfg… hetu. 🙁
Sbeghangryl, Fcvxr (zber be yrff) ergheaf gb uvf cerivbhf yriry bs terngarff va Frnfba 7 – naq RFCRPVNYYL va Natry Frnfba 5, juvpu unf fbzr bs gur orfg Pbzrqvp!Fcvxr zbzragf va gur ragver Ohsslirefr.
V'z abg ovt ba gur Fchssl rvgure. Bs pbhefr, V graq gb guvax gurl fubhyq unir whfg tvira hc gur tvt nygbtrgure nsgre frnfba svir (V'z n ovt sna bs ovggrefjrrg raqvatf sbe fbzr ernfba KQ), rkprcg gurer ner n srj rcvfbqrf V'q ungr gb zvff bhg ba…*pbhtuBZJSpbhtu*
"V frevbhfyl ungr gung cnegvphyne jevgvat qrpvfvba–nygubhtu V xabj gung bowrpgviryl gung gubhtug vf n ovg zrffrq hc, v.r. V graq gb cenvfr gur PUNENPGRE jura gurer'f n yvar/npgvba/jungrire gung V yvxr, naq gur JEVGRE jura vg'f fbzrguvat V qba'g yvxr. Vg'f gevpxl! "
V qb gur fnzr guvat jvgu Knaqre va Uryy'f Oryyf. V znvagnva gung Knaqre nf n punenpgre jbhyq ARIRE unir yrsg Naln ng gur nygne naq gung vg jnf whfg n cbbe jevgvat qrpvfvba. V erpbtavmr gung guvf vfa'g rknpgyl snve, ohg V ungr Uryyf Oryyf fb zhpu.
V'z n ovt Fcvxr sna naq V guvax ur jnf ragveryl va punenpgre, va gur pbagrkg bs uvf rzbgvbany fgngr, fbhyyrffarff naq fvghngvba jvgu Ohssl, va Frrvat Erq, naq gung gur jnl gurve eryngvbafuvc jrag, gur NE jnf n ybtvpny bhgpbzr bs nyy gur zrffrq-hc-rqarff.
V nyfb guvax Knaqre jnf irel zhpu va punenpgre va Uryy'f Oryyf. V ybir obgu gubfr rcvfbqrf.
V SRRY GUR FNZR JNL NOBHG URYY'F ORYYF. V srry yvxr gur jevgref jrer gelvat gb perngr qenzn orpnhfr Abobql Pna Rire Unir N Unccl Eryngvbafuvc Va Gur Jurqbairefr, abg orpnhfr gung'f jung gubfr punenpgref jbhyq qb.
Gung'f n tbbq cbvag–gur jevgref gnxr gur oynzr jura vg'f fbzrguvat gung frrzf bhg bs punenpgre, zber bs n jevgvat-obear qrpvfvba guna fbzrguvat gung'f n ybtvpny cebterffvba bs jung gur punenpgre jbhyq qb. V fhccbfr va gung pnfr vg nyfb ubyqf gehr sbe zbzragf/yvarf/jungrire gung lbh YVXR, ohg gung fgvyy qba'g frrz va punenpgre…bs juvpu V pna guvax bs n srj. KQ
Er: Uryy'f Oryyf, gubhtu…V srry yvxr vg qvq znxr n ovg bs frafr, fvapr gurer unq orra cyragl bs znlor-gurve-eryngvbafuvc-vfa'g-npghnyyl-gung-terng yrnqvat hc gb gur rcvfbqr. Vg'f whfg gung gur jnl vg ghearq bhg jnf…noehcg naq qenzngvp.
Er: Uryy'f Oryyf – Gur ernfba V sryg yvxr vg qvqa'g znxr frafr vf gung Knaqre unq orra fb ernffhevat whfg na rcvfbqr be gjb orsber. V pna'g erzrzore rknpgyl – cerggl fher vg jnf gur rcvfbqr jurer Evyrl pnzr onpx naq Knaqre xrcg nfxvat nobhg nyy gur jrqqvat qrgnvyf naq ur naq Naln unq gung pbairefngvba va gur onguebbz nobhg ubj n jrqqvat qbrf abg rdhny n zneevntr. Gung pbairefngvba fher pbaivaprq zr gung Knaqre unq erfbyirq uvf vffhrf jvgu trggvat zneevrq.
V trg jul Uryy'f Oryyf unccrarq. Naln jnfa'g n shyyl qrsvarq punenpgre bhgfvqr bs ure eryngvbafuvc jvgu Knaqre. Fur unq arire pbasebagrq be ercragrq sbe gur ubeevoyr guvatf gung fur unq qbar gb crbcyr nf n iratrnapr qrzba. Gur jevgref jnagrq gb rkcyber gung. V'z TYNQ jr tbg zber Naln qrirybczrag naq onpxfgbel. Ohg V fgvyy guvax gung Knaqre'f npgvbaf va gung rcvfbqr jrer bhg bs punenpgre. V jvfu gurl unq cerpvcvgngrq Naln'f punenpgre cebterffvba va nabgure jnl.
V zhfg nqzvg gung V qvqa'g ernyyl fgneg yvxvat Fcvxr hagvy Orpbzvat, ur jnf n ovg bar abgr naq gjb qvzrafvbany va uvf rneyvre nccrnenaprf. Sha naq fanexl fher, ohg gung qbrfa'g znxr n ynfgvat punenpgre.
Vg vfa'g hagvy Orpbzvat gung ur gehyl fgnaqf bhg sbe zr nf n punenpgre, naq abg hagvy f5 gung V gbgnyyl naq hggreyl sryy va ybir jvgu gur punenpgre.
V srry gur fnzr! V yvxrq uvz va n pnfhny jnl orsber Orpbzvat, yvxrq uvz rira zber qhevat gung naq gura sryy pbzcyrgryl va ybir jvgu uvz va f5, naq abj ur vf zl snibevgr punenpgre rire. V pna'g jnvg sbe Znex gb frr gur erfg bs uvf nep, orpnhfr vg'f zl snibevgr punenpgre nep one abar.
ur jnf bevtvanyyl zrnag gb or, naq jevggra nf, gur ivyynva sbe frnfba 2, ohg ur (znefgref) qvq fhpu n onat hc wbo gung gurl xrcg jevgvat zber naq zber sbe uvz naq qrirybcvat uvf punenpgre. ur qvqa'g unir zhpu gb jbex jvgu ng svefg orpnhfr gur jevgref jrera'g cynaavat ba xrrcvat uvz cnfg frnfba 2.
Npghnyyl, ur jnf fhccbfrq gb qvr unysjnl guebhtu frnfba 2 va 'Jung'f Zl Yvar'. Lbh pna xvaq bs gryy gbb. Vs lbh pubc bss gur pbqn bs Qeh pneelvat uvz bhg bs gur puhepu, gura lbh cerggl zhpu trg gur rcvfbqr nf vg jnf bevtvanyyl vagraqrq.
v npghnyyl xarj gung! ohg v sbetbg. funzr ba zr! v orggre unaq va zl ohssl vf gur orfg yvsrgvzr zrzorefuvc pneq.
Well, Shelia got turned into a vampire, but she did kinda sorta get to live. I mean, Buffy didn't stake her. So she got to continue being her bad self. Only worse.
Willow should have told Buffy about the sugar, but the payoff where she tells Cordy to have some lemonade is perfection
Nice gif usage
Angel's a lot more fun when he isn't brooding.
I have lots of feelings just about your comment (and this episode of course) 😀
You KNOW that's what that vampire was thinking as Spike hurled him into the glass. 😀 Just, maybe not in Wallace Shawn's voice…
Haha, yeah, I always laugh at Willow telling her to have some lemonade.
Wait, when did Wallace Shawn come into this? I'm confused.
When he voiced Rex in Toy Story, and thus said the line in my gif: "BUT I DON'T WANT TO USE MY HEAD!"
OHH. I was trying to connect it to the Princess Bride somehow…
Holy shit. Somehow it never occurred to me that Rex was voiced by Wallace Shawn.
MIND BLOWN (AND YET SORT OF NOT REALLY BECAUSE NOW THAT I KNOW, IT SEEMS REALLY OBVIOUS IN RETROSPECT OOPS)
"Jvyybj fubhyq unir gbyq Ohssl nobhg gur fhtne, ohg gur cnlbss jurer fur gryyf Pbeql gb unir fbzr yrzbanqr vf cresrpgvba "
Cneg bs gur ornhgl bs guvf fubj vf ubj gurl'ir ynvq gur tebhaqjbex bs Jvyybj'f punenpgre. Rira guvf rneyl, uryy, rira va rcvfbqr 1 (jura Jvyybj gryyf Pbeql gung fur arrqf gb cerff gur "qryvire" xrl va pbzchgre pynff), gurl ner fubjvat ubj Jvyybj unf n gnfgr sbe iratrnapl-pbageby… fbzrguvat gung ortvaf gb fgnaq bhg va ure punenpgre zber naq zber nf frnfbaf cebterff.
Vg'f fb gehr. V ybir gur pbagvahvgl. Gur svefg gvzr guebhtu, V erzrzore guvaxvat Qnex Jvyybj sryg bhg bs punenpgre orpnhfr V whfg qvqa'g yvxr vg. Ohg vg'f gurer evtug sebz gur ortvaavat.
Bu lrnu, naq gura yngre fur qbrf fghss yvxr gelvat gb qb n fcryy gb trg Bm onpx. Jura fur'f uheg, fur srryf gur arrq gb pbageby gur fvghngvba ol nal zrnaf arprffnel, naq gung hfhnyyl zrnaf zntvp orpnhfr gung'f jung fur pna qb orfg. (Fbba, naljnl…)
Spike looks like Billy Idol and loves Star Wars and his kooky girlfriend. I didn't stand a chance 🙂
(speaking of which, Drusilla totally talks like River Tam, five years before River Tam even came into being)
Nu, ohg qba'g sbetrg, vg'f abg gung Fcvxr ybbxf yvxr Ovyyl Vqby, vg'f gung Ovyyl Vqby fgbyr uvf ybbx sebz Fcvxr 😉
The characters of Spike and Drusilla were based on Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy. (Not a spoiler, because the connection is never played out in the series.)
yby naq gura ur yvfgraf gb Fvq'f irefvba bs "Zl Jnl" yngre…
Funny how Whedon created both Dru and River Tam…
He gets stuck sometimes
Naq rneyl Serq
Naq Rpub
Naq Qnan
Naq Gbcure (ng yrnfg, yngr, cbfg-ncbpnylcfr Gbcure)
Zvaq Oybja. Gura ntnva, cenpgvpnyyl rirel punenpgre ba gung fubj svgf vagb guvf glcr.
IIRC that was on their part in audition/an ad lib?
Yes, it was ad libbed! They have such fantastic chemistry, gah. I love it when actors are so in sync.
I love that Spike's use of the "USE YOUR HEAD" line was a bit of a fakeout – we expect, from seeing this joke a thousand times before, that he's about to smash the door open with the other vampire's head (a la the Toy Story 2 gif). Instead, he does the far more plausible (and yet somehow less obvious) thing: smash the glass protecting the fire axe.
Nyfb, V guvax guvf znl or gur orfg ovg bs npgvat jr'ir frra bhg bs Obernanm lrg. Ybir uvf snxvat orvat n onq thl. Ur jnf pyrneyl univat sha jvgu gung.
V guvax guvf vf jul V'ir nyjnlf sbhaq gur punenpgre zber vagrerfgvat nf Natryhf, ur npghnyyl unq fbzr crefbanyvgl! N pbzcyrgryl rivy naq zbafgebhf bar ohg fgvyy.
Lrf! V nyjnlf svaq zlfrys ebbgvat sbe uvz gb tb fbhyyrff naq gura V srry thvygl. :/
A big WORD to your opinions about Spike, both within and outside rot13. I love snarky Spike, he's so much fun.
I agree with every ciphered letter of your rot13 comment. And, well, we'll get there when we get there.
I had a love/hate relationship with Drusilla's eerieness when I first watched the series — sometimes I just found it over the top — but now on re-watch, I'm really enjoying it. (So far?)
"Friends don't let friends serve sour lemonade" is an excellent mantra for friendship in general. This philosophy will save a lot of people from a lot of pain.
I love your new gif making skills.
<3 Thank you! I put up other new Toy Story ones at the spoiler blog!
It's not Willow's fault! Buffy probably forgot because she's busy and forgot to make it in the first place.
ITA, I hate when characters tell terrible lies. Like it's not going to influence Snyder into giving a bad report when he finds out the truth, if he even believed the lie.
I thought the same thing about the black teacher. I always felt sympathetic towards him in particular because of that. Though it's not the first time we see one: there's a black girl musician in The Puppet Show, and I think Aura in the pilot is one too, though I don't remember well. But still, minor minor characters. There are several things written about that. http://meloukhia.net/2010/12/feminism_and_joss_wh…
I discovered her Whedon posts today on this, women, and disability. Though of course I've read some before that – now I have to track them all down. I hope the lj ones are saved in my memories and not just stuck in my epic history folder.
Rkprcg va frnfba fvk ur qbrfa'g xabj jub Obon Srgg vf. Ohg V bayl erzrzore uvf anzr orpnhfr bs snaqbz, fvapr ur jnfa'g gung zrzbenoyr sbe zr va gur zbivr. Be ur pbhyq unir yrnearq bs Lbqn guebhtu cbc phygher snzvyvnevgl.
Ooh, thank you for those! 😀 I haven't watched a lot of the first season in ages, so you're probably right that it isn't the first time. Still, not a good track record thus far either way.
There was also a black vampire in "When She Was Bad" But he only lasted one episode as well
Fcvxr'f yvxr zr va gung ertneq, V xabj rabhtu nobhg Fgne Jnef gb xabj jub Lbqn vf, ohg abg rabhtu gb xabj jub Obon Srgg vf rknpgyl. Rirelbar xabjf nobhg Lbqn.
s.e. smith is amazing.
Thanks for that link! It made me imaginary-fist pump. (I may actually have to do it IRL to express my approval.)
– We finally see a non-white person and he dies. Great. 🙁
Naq Fcvxr frrzf gb unir n guvat sbe arpx-fanccvat crbcyr jub ner oynpx 😐
"(Whfg va pnfr nalbar vf jbaqrevat, lrf, V qb unir n znffvir nzbhag bs ybnguvat sbe yngre-frnfbaf Fcvxr, cnegvphyneyl nsgre n pregnva, funyy jr fnl, pbybeshyyl gvgyrq rcvfbqr. V'yy gnyx nobhg gung jura Znex trgf gurer, gubhtu, naq sbe abj jvyy or qvfphffvat ubj zhpu V ybirq Fcvxr nf n ivyynva va gurfr rneyl rcvfbqrf, juvpu V ershfr gb yrg yngre jevgvat furanavtnaf gnxr njnl sebz zr. Frnfba gjb vf fcrpvny gb zr, qnzzvg, naq Fcvxr jnf n shpxvat njrfbzr onq thl onpx gura.) "
V pna'g qrfpevor ubj zhpu V qvfnterr jvgu guvf. Naq ubj zhpu V svaq vg uvynevbhfyl nofheq jura crbcyr ner nyy yvxr "jryy V ybirq Fcvxr nf n ivyynva, ohg V ungrq uvz jura ur gevrq gb encr Ohssl". Orpnhfr ur jnf fb jbaqreshy jura ur jnf encvat naq xvyyvat ybgf bs crbcyr bss-fperra naq abg srryvat na bhapr bs thvyg nobhg vg, ohg ubeevoyr jura ur qbrf vg gb n punenpgre jr pner nobhg ba-fperra – naq srryf fb thvygl gung ur tbrf gb svtug sbe uvf fbhy. Jungrire.
Nyfb, gur jnl gur snaqbz rkcybqrq, yvxr 'BZT FCVXR VF N ENCVFG!' Vg whfg znxrf zr jnag gb gryy crbcyr: Jryy, lrnu. Ur jnf bar nyy nybat, obgu ur naq Natry jrer encvfgf naq zheqreref jura gurl jrer fbhyyrff naq jura Fcvxr jnfa'g puvccrq. Ln nyy svtherq vg whfg abj? YBY
Nsgre ur trgf gung puvc ur qbrf unir gb xrrc erzvaqvat rirelbar gung ur'f rivy. Rira Tvyrf naq Ohssl bppnfvbanyyl sbetrg.
Jryy, V pna'g fcrnx sbe nalbar ryfr, ohg V graq gb qenj n qvfgvapgvba orgjrra rawblvat n punenpgre nf n ivyynva naq rawblvat gurz nf fbzrguvat ryfr. Sbe rknzcyr, V ybir Qnegu Inqre, Nmhyn, Wnqvf, naq znal bgure ivyynvabhf punenpgref, ohg V'z arire haqre nal vzcerffvba gung gurl'er tbbq crbcyr. Tbbq punenpgref, lrf, ohg abg tbbq *crbcyr*. V unq nyernql orra fbherq ba Fcvxr nf n punenpgre ol gung cbvag sbe inevbhf ernfbaf, naq gung jnf gur ynfg fgenj sbe zr, cnegvphyneyl jura ur oynzrq Ohssl sbe uvf gelvat gb encr ure, gubhtu gung'f nyfb fbzrguvat V ynl ng gur srrg bs gur jevgref. V pbhyq rawbl uvz nf n ivyynva va frnfba gjb, ohg gura ur unq n frevbhf pnfr bs ivyynva qrpnl, gb cuenfr vg yvxr GIGebcrf qbrf, naq gura ur qvq nyy gung fuvg va frnfba fvk naq V sbhaq vg vzcbffvoyr gb rawbl uvz nf n ivyynva nalzber. V thrff vg'f n pnfr bs zvyrntr inelvat, jurer qvssrerag crbcyr qenj gur yvar, rgp. Punenpgref jub encr pna arire or rawblrq ol zr ntnva, ab znggre jung gurve shapgvba (frr: Jvyybj, jubz V ybir va gurfr rneyl frnfbaf ohg nofbyhgryl ybngur bapr fur fgnegf encvat Gnen).
Fcvxr'f jubyr fgbel jnf nobhg punatvat sebz n ivyynva (jura ur pbhyqa'g or bar nalzber) vagb fbzrguvat ryfr naq lrg fbzrguvat ryfr naq erqrsvavat uvzfrys pbzcyrgryl. V ybir nzovthbhf punenpgref naq punenpgre genafsbezngvbaf (or vg sebz ureb gb ivyynva be gur bgure jnl ebhaq) jura gurl'er qbar pbaivapvatyl, naq V guvax guvf bar jnf.
V trg gung fbzr crbcyr yvxr gurve ivyynvaf yvxr gurl yvxr gurve zra – Rivy 😉 ohg n punenpgre gung arire punatrf vf cerggl obevat gb zr. Naq va Fcvxr'f pnfr, ur jnf rvgure tbvat gb or xvyyrq bss be yrnir gur fubj, be ghea vagb fbzrguvat bgure guna n ivyynva.
Gur shaal guvat nobhg Ivyynva!Fcvxr vf gung ur jnf n Ovt Onq sbe whfg n srj rcvfbqrf naq qvqa'g trg gb qb zhpu. (Gevrq gb xvyy Ohssl n srj gvzrf naq snvyrq. Rira va Fpubby Uneq, ur ehaf njnl sebz WBLPR?!) Ur qvqa'g rira ynfg nf na nagntbavfg sbe gur ragver frnfba, naq uvf zbfg vzcbegnag npgvba va frnfba 2 jnf nf na nzovthbhf nyyl. Guvat vf, gurl arire pbhyq unir xrcg uvz nf n ivyynva jvgubhg qrsnatvat uvz va fbzr jnl (jurrypunve, puvc). Ur jnf gelvat gb xvyy Ohssl, naq ur pbhyqa'g qb gung, fvapr vg'f ure fubj, fb vs ur whfg xrcg ba gelvat, ur jbhyq fbba ybbx fvyyl naq varssrpghny, yvxr Jvyr R. Pblbgr.
Fb gurer jnf arire nalguvat gb unir "qrpnl" sebz – be, vs nalguvat, uvf "onqnff qrpnl" jnf va frnfbaf 3 naq 4, jura ur jnf n cngurgvp qehax pelvat bire orvat qhzcrq, naq n cngurgvp fhvpvqny jnpxl arvtuobe inzcver jub jnfa'g fpnevat nalbar nalzber naq jnf gerngrq whfg nf n pbzvp punenpgre. Gur vqrn bs "onqnff qrpnl" vf shaal orpnhfr ur orpbzrf n ybg zber onqnff (rira pbzcnerq gb frnfba 2) nsgre ur fgnegf gheavat vagb n tbbq-vfu naq yngre tbbq thl. (Guvatf yvxr ehaavat njnl sebz Wblpr be ehaavat njnl sebz Ohssl va Unyybjrra ernyyl qvqa'g qb jbaqref sbe uvf onqnffrel.)
"cnegvphyneyl jura ur oynzrq Ohssl sbe uvf gelvat gb encr ure,"
Jura qvq ur qb gung? Ur oynzrq ure sbe gur jnl fur gerngrq uvz qhevat gurve eryngvbafuvc*, pregnvayl abg sbe uvz gelvat gb encr ure. Uvz gelvat gb encr ure jnf jul ur qrpvqrq gb trg n fbhy naq or noyr gb or "gur xvaq bs zna" jub jbhyq arire qb gung.
*Naq V ybir gur jnl gung obgu bs gurz jrer oehgnyyl senax naq qvqa'g fcner rnpu bgure va gur pbairefngvba va Arire Yrnir Zr, rira gubhtu gurl jrer obgu nyfb njner bs gurve bja njshy orunivbe. Yvxr jura Fcvxr fnlf ur pnzr gb erqrsvar cnva naq fhssrevat fvapr ur sryy va ybir jvgu ure, naq Ohssl ergbegf: "Ubj pna *lbh* fnl gung?" V yvxr gung gurl tbg gung nyy va gur bcra orsber gur erfg bs gung pbairefngvba naq frnfba nf n jubyr, jurer gurl'er zhpu avpre gb rnpu bgure naq fhccbegvir naq pnevat.
Nsgre gur nggrzcgrq encr, ur unf fbzr yvar yvxr "jung unir lbh qbar gb zr?" jura ur'f guvaxvat nobhg vg ol uvzfrys. Nf vs NALGUVAT fur qvq jnf erfcbafvoyr sbe jung ur whfg gevrq gb qb. Ab. Whfg ab. V nyfb ungr ubj gur fubj znxrf gur vapvqrag nyy nobhg uvz naq uvf srryvatf, jvgubhg pbafvqrevat uref, ohg ntnva, V'yy gnyx nobhg guvf va qrcgu jura Znex trgf gurer.
Yes, exactly as liliaeth said.
Ur fnlf "Jung unir V qbar? – Jul qvqa'g V qb vg? – Jung unf fur qbar gb zr?" v.r. svefg ur srryf thvygl sbe jung ur qvq gb ure, gura ur jbaqref jul ur'f srryvat thvygl (nf n ernyyl rivy zbafgre, ur jbhyq unir whfg gevrq ntnva), naq gura ur jbaqref ubj uvf srryvatf sbe ure unir znqr uvz srry thvyg bire guvatf gung rivy inzcverf fubhyqa'g srry onq nobhg. Ur tbrf ba gb gnyx nobhg ubj vg hfrq gb or fvzcyr, ur jnf xvyyvat Fynlref, ur jnfa'g fhccbfrq gb ybir bar, naq pregnvayl abg gb srry onq sbe uhegvat ure.
Ur ernyvmrf gung jvgu n puvc naq jvgubhg n fbhy ur pna'g or rvgure n "zna" abe n "zbafgre" naq gung ur'f "abguvat". Uvf vqragvgl pevfvf unf gb or erfbyirq – ohg gur fubj jnf cynlvat jvgu bhe rkcrpgngvbaf nf gb juvpu bar Fcvxr jnagrq gb orpbzr jura ur jrag gb Nsevpn, n zbafgre be n zna.
nzovthbhf nyyl
V yvxr gung qrfpevcgvba naq V yvxrq Fcvxr va gung ebyr. V npghnyyl yvxrq uvz hc hagvy gur "Jrg Qernz". Jul gurl qvqa'g qhfg uvz nsgre frrvat gung rira jvgu gur puvc ur pbhyq fgvyy or n guerng jnf orlbaq zr. Htu.
Jnvg jnvg jnvg. Jvyybj encvat Gnen? Ubj ba rnegu qvq V zvff gung? Fbeel, jura qbrf gung unccra rknpgyl?
Nsgre Jvyybj jvcrf Gnen'f zrzbel naq gurl unir frk va Bapr Zber Jvgu Srryvat. N ybg bs crbcyr ivrj gung fprar nf encr.
Sebz 'Nyy gur jnl' ba, fur hfrq gur Yrgur oenzoyr gb znxr Gnen sbetrg gurl unq n svtug, guhf nygrevat ure tveysevraq'f zvaq fb fur jbhyq fyrrc jvgu ure va n fvghngvba jurer fur jbhyqa'g unir bgurejvfr.
Gnen urefrys pyrneyl fgngrq ubj fur sryg guvf nf n ivbyngvba bapr fur ernyvmrq jung Jvyybj unq qbar gb ure, naq lrg gur frpbaq Jvyybj unq n punapr, fur gevrq vg ntnva.
V'ir nyjnlf frra vg nf gur zntvpny rdhvinyrag bs hfvat n ebbsvr gb trg Gnen gb fyrrc jvgu ure.
Crefbanyyl, vg'f abg fb zhpu gur ercrngrq encrf, gung ehva zl qrfver gb rire frr gurz gbtrgure ntnva, ohg gur snpg gung Jvyybj arire rira bapr gbbx erfcbafvovyvgl sbe ure npgvbaf naq arire ubarfgyl gevrq gb znxr hc sbe gurz.
– Love Drusilla, she's so eerie and strange. Seems like she has precognitive powers of some sort, doesn't it? Also she and Spike are hot, I love that moment when it seems like they're going to kiss but then turn towards the camera. IIRC that was on their part in audition/an ad lib? And it was so awesome that they decided to use it in the episode. Something like that, I can't remember anymore.
Oh God yes. That moment is one of my absolute favorites ever, when they turn toward the camera like that. So much love.
– We finally see a non-white person and he dies. Great. 🙁
This happens in the pilot, too, with the bouncer at the Bronze being the first one to die. [Naq V erpnyy vg unccravat n srj zber gvzrf, gbb. Gung bar thvqnapr pbhafrybe, nalbar?]
[Nyfb, V guvax guvf znl or gur orfg ovg bs npgvat jr'ir frra bhg bs Obernanm lrg. Ybir uvf snxvat orvat n onq thl. Ur jnf pyrneyl univat sha jvgu gung.
*favpxre*]
V guvax gung frnfba gjb vf tbvat gb frg uvz hc nf gur znva nagntbavfg, yvxr gur Znfgre, sbe Ohssl gb svtug.
LOL. Preparedness hast thou not.
V guvax gung frnfba gjb vf tbvat gb frg uvz hc nf gur znva nagntbavfg, yvxr gur Znfgre, sbe Ohssl gb svtug.
Unun, V ybir gung Znex nyjnlf snyyf sbe gung. V pna'g jnvg sbe gur "Fhecevfr".
Va Ohssl gur Ovt Onq vf erneyl jub be jung lbh guvax vg vf.
Be ng yrnfg eneryl erirnyrq hagvy unysjnl guebhtu gur frnfba
SPIKE!
Yeah, so I may not know anything about this show, but one thing I do know is that Spike is an important (or at the very least recurring) character. So as soon as he showed up and they said who he was I was paying super close attention! I’m not sure if this counts as a win on my ‘new villain of the season’ prediction, because it sure as hell doesn’t count on my ‘I will hate the new character on principle’ prediction. Because…I kind of love him in this? After just one episode he’s established himself as not only a powerful adversary but just a fabulously WEIRD guy. He’s impulsive, he’s flippant, he has a relationship with that Drusilla girl that I can’t even BEGIN to figure out. He also has one of the strangest accents I’ve ever heard. I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be British? But is it Cockney? Northern? A little bit of both? The fangs don’t help of course. But to be honest, I don’t care, because in just one episode he managed to be far more engaging and fun to watch as a villain than the Master ever was. Plus, he totally killed the Anointed One, which gives him like a million points.
Most of this episode was given over to introducing Spike and everything, but there was a nice continuation of Buffy’s problems at school. I can’t say I can really relate to that sort of thing, but it is quite sad to see her work so hard and still have her bad reputation follow her around. There was also that other girl (whose name I can’t recall) basically just there to be a foil to Buffy – she’s someone who truly doesn’t care what happens and never bothers with school at all. I feel like she would have quite enjoyed being the slayer, which is an interesting thought. Buffy struggles so hard to keep up a normal life with friends and family, and that (according to Spike at least) is what makes her such a unique and ultimately powerful Slayer. Principal Snyder is just as obnoxious as ever, but his conversation with the Police Chief guy at the end suggests he might not be as oblivious as we thought. Holy shit, people are actually noticing this stuff! So is that a fail on one of my predictions? DARN IT.
And finally we come to…Joyce Summers.
JOYCE MOTHERUCKING SUMMERS EVERYONE.
There are no words for how much I love Joyce Summers. I just want to reach into the screen and shake her firmly by the hand. Not only is she endlessly kind and encouraging to her daughter, she also wants her to do the best she can. She believes in Buffy and that means not being patronising or letting everything slide. She tells her the truth, admitting when she’s disappointed, but also saying how proud she is of what Buffy has achieved.
Oh yeah, and she hits vampires over the head with an axe.
On a random note, I feel like I should be choosing a favourite quote of the episode because this show has such great dialogue, so I’m gonna go with…
Giles: "You are, after all, the Slay–uh…slaves! You're all slaves to the, uh, television."
People coming up with astonishingly implausible explanations for what they were about to say or what they just said is my favourite part of Buffy.
*sigh* I have SO MUCH LOVE for Joyce here, until she xvpxf Ohssl bhg bs gur ubhfr orpnhfr fur yvgrenyyl pnaabg cebprff vg jura Ohssl gryyf ure fur'f gur Fynlre.
(naq V pna'g rira vzntvar jung vg zhfg or yvxr gb xabj bar qnhtugre vf gur Fynlre naq gur bgure qnhtugre jnf abg rira erny gvyy fvk zbaguf ntb, NAQ lbh unir n oenva ghzbhe ba gbc bs vg)
Vg frrzf yvxr Wblpr'f qvfpbirel bs Ohssl orvat gur Fynlre unf n ybg bs erny jbeyq cnenyyryf gb tnl xvqf pbzvat bhg bs gur pybfrg gb cneragf jub nera'g vzzrqvngryl npprcgvat be haqrefgnaqvat bs vg. Tvira gung, V nz IREL rkpvgrq gb frr jung Znex'f ernpgvbaf gb gung rcvfbqr (naq gung jubyr nep, ernyyl) jvyy or.
That is exactly it. Gur jubyr "qbhoyr yvsr" ceboyrz gung Ohssl'f unq gb yvir jvgu, znavsrfgvat vgfrys gur jnl vg qbrf, jnf n checbfrshy cnenyyry gb orvat va gur pybfrg. Naq V'z phevbhf gb frr jung ur znxrf bs vg – naq bs Wblpr va gung rcvfbqr – gbb.
"Unir lbh gevrq ABG orvat gur Fynlre?" Gung yvar, rirel gvzr, znxrf zr guvax bs gur uhaqerqf bs cneragf jub lbh XABJ unir fnvq fbzrguvat yvxr, "Unir lbh gevrq ABG orvat tnl?" V trg fuviref ng gung yvar.
Naq gurer'f rpubf va frnfba 3 – "V gevrq znepuvat va gur Fynlre Cevqr cnenqr", juvpu znxrf zr fvqrrlr gur jevgref n ovg, gou.
Lrnu, gung yvar nyjnlf fgehpx zr nf fyvtugyl urnil-unaqrq. LRF JR XABJ GUR CNENYYRY LBH QB ABG UNIR GB FCRYY VG BHG SBE HF.
Gur njshy guvat vf, fur UNF gevrq abg orvat gur Fynlre! Vg'f whfg abg hc gb ure. Juvpu, ntnva… cnenyyryf.
EXACTLY.
Vg'yy pbzr hc zber jura jr trg gurer, ohg vzb, Wblpr gryyvat Ohssl abg gb pbzr onpx jnf n fche bs gur zbzrag hygvznghz orpnhfr Wblpr jnf pbashfrq naq fpnerq sbe ure qnhtugre gung Wblpr pyrneyl qvqa'g ernyyl zrna orpnhfr fur fcraqf gur ragver fhzzre gelvat gb svaq Ohssl.
James Marsters is actually American, and based Spike's accent on Anthony Stewart Head's real one. Yes, Giles' voice isn't his real one.
Really? Because I've heard Anthony Stewart Head speak (not as Giles) and…
Well I guess Spike's accent wasn't THAT bad. It just um…slipped into weirdness in a few places.
Jryy pbafvqrevat gung va punenpgre jvfr, Fcvxr vf snxvat uvf npprag gb ortva jvgu, V zrna, ur jnf fhccbfrq gb or sebz na hccrepynff snzvyl, V qba'g ernyyl frr guvf nf n ceboyrz*t*
Fcvxr onfvpnyyl erznqr uvzfrys, npprag, pybgurf, nggvghqr naq nyy nsgre ur jnf ghearq, fb vg fgnaqf gb ernfba gnug uvf snxrq npprag jbhyq or n ovg jrveq.
Naq vg'f orggre guna Qnivq Obernanm'f Vevfu npprag! *fuhqqref*
RIRELGUVAT vf orggre guna gung npprag.
ROFLMAO!!!
I didn't even have to decrypt your comment to know what it said.
Jryy, ur jnf n cbfu xvq sebz 19gu-praghel Ybaqba nf n uhzna naq bayl jrag nyy Ovyyl Vqby nsgre Qehfvyyn ghearq uvz. Fb vg svgf gung uvf npprag jbhyq or Zbpxarl gbb, vg'f bar bs gur fubj'f orggre ergpbaf.
Meh. Anthony has a noticable London accent in his normal speaking voice, including the very distinct glottal stops associated with lower-class Southern English accents. It is a stark contrast to his very posh RP used as Rupert Giles.
James Marsters is trying to do an imitation of that, fairly clearly, but he manages to sound more Australian than London to me.
It is a stark contrast to his very posh RP used as Rupert Giles.
Sometimes, especially early on, he just goes way too Queen's English-y, doesn't he? Naq bs pbhefr nyfb va qbbzrq. Htu gurl fubhyq'ir yrg favssyl NFU fcrnx, gung qhoorq va … guvat … vf ubeevq.
Especially considering that by the Nineties RP was already in retreat. Even on the BBC the Queens English is now allowed to have a slight tinge of local colour, and occasionally an announcer is allowed to give full rein to his natural voice; witness Craig Charles on Robot Wars.
So, that makes Giles' RP even more of an affectation played for laughs. He is even stuffier than the Brit stereotype.
Naq jr xabj gur EC vf na nssrpgngvba, nf jr trg synfuonpxf gb Evccre, jub qrsvavgryl qbrf abg fcrnx EC (nygubhtu vg qbrf abg fbhaq yvxr NFU'f Ybaqba npprag rvgure, gb zr; ohg gung znl or orpnhfr jr bayl urne irel fubeg sentzragf. Ohg "gnnuz gb tb gb fyrrc"? Yratguravat gur 'v' vagb na 'nnu' vf abg n Ybaqba guvat, vf vg? Be qb V zvferzrzore gung sentzrag?)
I haven't seen much 90s stuff, but as far as I can tell, that was already rather different from 50s/60s RP.
I mean, really, Margaret Rutherford's Miss Marple should not talk like that.
Hmm, which ep does that appear in?
I'm not an expert on British accents, at best I can tell South/North/Scottish/Welsh/everybody and there mum's packing round 'ere-West Country apart 😛
The short quote I was referring appears in S2 'The Dark Age'.
Just so you know for the future, episode titles are considered spoilers if Mark hasn't reviewed the episode yet.
I *thought* I had ROTted it. And I re-read it, and still didn't see that I hadn't.
Apologies.
Can you imagine Craig Charles speaking in anything other than his wonderful Scouse voice? Craig Charles speaking in RP would just be WEIRD.
(Plus I'm pretty sure he's not very good at doing other accents anyway.)
Znefgref qvq gur Oevg npprag ng nhqvgvba, nsgre gelvat bhg n Fbhgurea npprag. Gur Zhgnag Rarzl grnz yvxrq gur Zbpxarl. V'ir pbzr npebff znal jbefr. Znefgref jbexrq uneq ba gur npprag, gnxvat n ybg bs nqivpr sebz Gbal Urnq, jub vf sebz Pnzqra naq fbhaqf yvxr vg jura abg va punenpgre.
Ur fbhaqf jnl zber pbaivapvat guna Qeh, be rira Geniref. Jrf unf sne naq njnl gur orfg Oevg npprag va gur Ohsslirefr, gubhtu. Vg'f rnfl rabhtu gb rkcynva njnl gur intnevrf va uvf npprag bapr bar unf gnxra ba obneq gur riragf bs "Sbby sbe Ybir".
Marsters sounds fine. He gets the sounds slightly wrong: his vowels tend to be a bit too drawn out and he inserts diphtongs where they don't belong, which is what gives me the Australian impression.
He also gets the rhythm wrong, but otherwise he does a fairly convincing job of sounding more British than American.
Naq bs pbhefr gur zvfgnxrf pna or jnirq njnl ol cbfvgvat gung ur tbg uvf npprag praghevrf ntb.
Of course, I'm hardly one to quibble. If I am not amongst Englishmen, my accent is all over the place, ranging from my native Dutch, to slightly German, to outright Mid-Atlantic.
Stick me among Englishmen though, and in about 2 hours I have a fairly convincing Thames Valley accent; stick me among English speakers for more than 2 days, and I pick up the local accent (which was fun when I returned from holiday in Scotland, as I had picked up a Western Highlands lilt).
Oh god, I do the picking up accents thing, too, which is sometimes just downright embarrassing. Thankfully these days it usually just means various different Texan accents, depending on who I'm with. But back when I had teachers from France, England, and Scotland it could get annoying.
I have the same problem – in Wales I go so Welsh I worry they will think I'm taking the Mickey. I'm a Midlander and some of my vowels are northern, some not.
Fcvxr'f npprag tbrf qbjauvyy n ovg va NgF F5 – naq ng gur cbrgel fynz ur fhqqrayl gnyxf nobhg "Gur jnagba sbyyl bs zr znz", nf vs ur'f n Fpbhfre! Ohg, gura, arvgure Ubygm abe nalbar ryfr jr frr va Lbexfuver unf rira n fyvtugyl abegurea npprag. Zhgnag Rarzl jrer whfg pbashfrq ol Oevgf. 😉
First time I had this when I was visiting Nottingham for a long weekend, years ago, when I was still in my early thirties.
"Where are you from? Somewhere in the South?"
"No, a lot farther than that. I'm Dutch"
I did feel proud that I could pass as a native though. And that was also my first contact with the notion that anyone north of the Thames considers anyone even a few miles southerly as a 'Southerner'.
And that was also my first contact with the notion that anyone north of the Thames considers anyone even a few miles southerly as a 'Southerner'.
Ahaha, European regionalism.
According to a friend of mine, I tend to enunciate to clearly which marks me as foreign (try and distuingish /w/ and /Ê/ among Englishers), but it's hard to place which foreign I'm from. I do generally adjust my rhota…c…ity? to that of whomever I'm speaking to.
I only once had someone correctly guess Austrian, but that was because the guy was Austrian himself and picked up the intonation patterns, which are generally harder to get rid off than mispronunciations.
He also has one of the strangest accents I’ve ever heard. I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be British? But is it Cockney? Northern? A little bit of both?
The first time I saw an interview with James Marsters I was floored that he wasn't actually British. But I am bad at discerning accents.
Well, to be fair, I AM British, so I do have rather an unfair advantage. 😛
Good point 🙂
And I should have said non-USian accents
I know, right? Juliet Landau, as well. It is SO WEIRD to watch the DVD commentary and have them talking about Spike and Drusilla and they're talking in American accents. So weird.
JOYCE MOTHERUCKING SUMMERS EVERYONE.
*wild mad foot stomping chanting clapping woo hoo!*
Re: Spike's accent. Pretty sure it's meant to be Cockney. He's still settling into it, but it's actually not that bad. I've heard far worse. I mean, I knew he was doing an accent, but the only real give away that James Marsters is American for me is the way he says "can't" with a short 'a'. Also, gvira uvf yngre pnaba, V arire zvaqrq orpnhfr ur'f gbgnyyl chggvat vg ba, fb vg'f bxnl gung vg'f abg n terng npprag!
Actually, the Beatles – working-class Liverpudlians all – used to pronounce words like "can't" and "dance" with short As too, but Spike sounds like he's speaking what people call Mockney.
I'm Liverpudlian, and yes, "dance" and "grass" and "bath" &c have shorts As, but "can't" is always long.
I could have sworn I heard a short one in one of their songs! Looks like I'm wrong, though.
Oh, in a song, there might be, but not just speaking.
Now I'm just imagining this:
[youtube q3OkXi5osfU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3OkXi5osfU youtube]
LOL YES. Oh, Lena <3
she hits vampires over the head with an axe.
And later she will tvir gurz ybir yvsr nqivpr naq pung nobhg qnlgvzr gi.
I think we have gur fgneg bs n ornhgvshy sevraqfuvc urer.
"I feel like she would have quite enjoyed being the slayer, which is an interesting thought. "
Like I was saying before, if I was a slayer, I would probably end up like other girl, whatever her name is, and watch the rest of my life go to hell from neglect. I can't get over the amount of sheer effort Buffy puts into trying to have a normal life while pulling off all the superhero shit. Naq nyfb jul V pna'g jnvg sbe Snnnvgu.
SPIKE! And also SPIKE! OMG SPIKE! *fangirl flail* Also, Joyce with an axe!
“Not my daughter, you bitch!”“Stay the hell away from my daughter!” Can I get a “HELL YEAH”?V pna'g ortva gb fnl ubj zhpu V ybir gung Fcvxr npghnyyl erzrzoref gung yvar jura ur zrrgf ure yngre ba va Orpbzvat.
Gung'f bar bs zl snibevgr cnegf nobhg Fcvxr naq Wblpr zrrgvat naq ubj fur whfg fbeg bs ebyyf jvgu vg naq vf nyy "Fb, ner lbh sebz bhg bs gbja?" YBY, Wblpr naq Fcvxr = njrfbzr fprarf.
HELL YEAH!
Why, thank you!
Hee! I have a lot of adjectives for Spike…crazy ain't one of them 🙂
I have been waiting for this episode since you announced that you would be reviewing Buffy because Spike and Drusilla. Spike and Drusilla. Best characters, best couple, best introduction. Spike walks on in, brash and bold and confident, blatantly contradicting our season’s main villain. Everything about his demeanor is rough and arrogant, and then he hears Drusilla. His face literally transforms because of her. I sincerely hope someone posts a gif of that, because it’s still one of my favorite moments of the show.
The fact that he morphs back into his human face just hits me on a visceral level. It brings up a completely unexplored facet of the show’s mythology. Here are two soulless creatures that shouldn’t care about anything other than death and destruction, but care about each other. Vampires in love, demons with humanity. Giving me all of the feelings. Then, it’s like they forget that they’re in front of other people. The haaaands and the faaaaces. Gratuitous displays of intimacy and physicality-based perfection. James Marsters and Juliet Landau fucking bring it.
That shot of Spike seeing Buffy for the first time is fantastic. Like visually it just appeals to me?
“Slayer!” “Slayee!” Forever the best Buffy quip.
Sheila, sweetheart, if you meet a man in a dark alley, and he tells you that the guys you were just with “disappeared,” RUN AWAY in the opposite direction as quickly as possible.
Juliet Landau has the best face. Even when she’s all vamp-face. It looks significantly more natural on her, which sounds ridiculous, but I mean it. The transition between the two faces is so fluid and smooth unlike the vampires we’ve met so far. LUV U AND UR FACE, JULIET.
And we get Angel backstory. I WANT MOAR. Evolving from a smoldering, broody piece of scenery into an actual character before our very eyes.
"Ab, Fcvxr. Vg'f tbvat gb uheg n ybg."
BU ZL TBQ. BAFYNHTUG BS FRNFBA FVK SRRYF. ORFG HAVAGRAGVBANY SBERFUNQBJVAT RIRE BE ORFG HAVAGRAGVBANY SBERFUNQBJVAT RIRE? V FGENVTUG HC TNFCRQ. V QBA'G RIRA XABJ JUNG GB QB JVGU ZLFRYS. FGBC GUVF CRESRPGVBA GUVF VAFGNAG.
BLESS YOU, JOYCE SUMMERS. BLESS YOU. YOU ARE SUNSHINE, LOLLIPOPS, AND RAINBOWS. YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING. HATERS TO THE LEFT. BETTER THAN ALL OF YOUR FAVS.
V ybir jura Fcvxr zhggref, "Jbzra." Bu, qneyvat. Lbh qb ernyvmr gung lbhe ragver yvsr eribyirf nebhaq gurz, pbeerpg? Lbhe zbgure, Prpvyl, Qehfvyyn, Ohssl. Lbh qrsvar lbhefrys ol gur jbzra va lbhe yvsr.
In other news, Giles and Jenny continue to be the cutest people ever, and Cordelia remains the fiercest lady in the world.
And that ending. Just killing off the Anointed One. Whatever. They’re destructive and dangerous and so completely in love, and I adore every second of it.
In other news, Giles and Jenny continue to be the cutest people ever, and Cordelia remains the fiercest lady in the world.
I am trying seriously hard not to mention how adorable Giles and Jenny are in every frickin' comment I make so I'm glad someone else did.
😛
There is no penalty for mentioning how adorable Giles and Jenny are in every single comment you make. It's allowed and, as far as I'm concerned, encouraged.
Best characters, best couple, best introduction.
Oh, ABSOLUTELY. Spike+Dru are one of my favourite Buffy couples ever, and Mark is SO NOT PREPARED.
Spike and Dru ~~ I ADORE the way they interact.
Gung yvar nyjnlf trgf zr gbb. Vg uhegf fb zhpu, Fcvxr! Nuuuu! Naq lrf, jbzra qrsvar uvf rkvfgrapr. Fb zhpu nterrvat urer.
Be jung nobhg nabgure cebonoyl havagragvbany ovg bs yvaxvat orgjrra Ohssl naq Fcvxr, rfc. pbafvqrevat gung Fcvxr orpbzrf ure funqbj yngre ba va gur frevrf (va zhpu gung fnzr jnl gung Snvgu qvq rneyvre ba)
Gur ovg bs cnvag ba Ohssl'f purrx nf fur'f cercnevat gur onaaref. Pbzcnerq gb gur oybbq jurer Qehfvyyn'f anvy fpengpurf Fcvxr'f purrx…
>V ybir jura Fcvxr zhggref, "Jbzra." Bu, qneyvat. Lbh qb ernyvmr gung lbhe ragver yvsr eribyirf nebhaq gurz, pbeerpg? Lbhe zbgure, Prpvyl, Qehfvyyn, Ohssl. Lbh qrsvar lbhefrys ol gur jbzra va lbhe yvsr.
so so true
That sounds like a gif request if I've ever heard one. Here you go.
<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/5kgahh.gif">
HAAAAAAAAAAAAANDS AND FAAAAAAAAAACES
Orfg havagragvbany sberfunqbjvat rire:
– gung yvar
– Avpxry'f "Fghcvq Guvat" cynlvat va gur Oebamr
– "Jbzra!"…lrnu, onfvpnyyl uvf ragver punenpgre nep
htu V ybir rirelguvat
Zl snibevgr havagragvbany sberfunqbjvat vf gur snpg gung gurl qvfphff gur Pehpvsvkvba va uvf irel svefg fprar pbafvqrevat Jurqba cerggl zhpu guebjf uvz vagb n zrffvnavp dhrfg va Frnfba 7.
I love this episode so much!!! It is such a great introduction to two new characters, and it flips everything you thought you knew about this season upside down. Plus it has so many great moments of dialogue from the incredibly genre savvy this:
Xander Harris: As long as nothing really bad happens between now and then, you'll be fine.
Buffy Summers: Are you crazy? What did you say that for? Now something bad is gonna happen.
Xander Harris: What do you mean? Nothing's gonna happen.
Willow Rosenberg: Not until some dummy says, "As long as nothing bad happens."
Buffy Summers: It's the ultimate jinx.
Willow Rosenberg: What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?
To practically everything Spike says.
"Yeah, I did a couple o' Slayers in my time. I don't like to brag….Who am I kidding? I love to brag!”
"So, who do you kill for fun around here?”
“I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. I fed off a flower person and I spent the next six hours watchin' my hand move.”
Spike: I was rash, and if I had to do it all over again…
[laughs evilly]
Spike: Who am I kidding? I would do it exactly the same, only I'd do this…
[grabs the Anointed One]
The Anointed One: No!
Spike: …first!
[Spike sticks The Anointed One in the nearby cage and starts pulling a chain, lifting the cage up from the floor]
Spike: From now on, we're gonna have a little less ritual… and a little more fun around here.
[the cage is lifted into the sunlight. The Anointed One screams as he dies]
Spike: Let's see what's on TV.
Plus, James Marsters is just way too pretty.
Also, Principal Snyder is hilarious
“On the one hand, Buffy hasn't stabbed a horticulture teacher with a trowel.”
The Woodstock line is one of my favorites. Especially combined with Spike's little sway as he watches his hand move 🙂
They were pruning shears!
and this:
"Your parents, (looking at Buffy) assuming you have any, will meet your teachers, (looking at Sheila) assuming you have any left"
I am more worried about people using the "C" word for Drusilla than for Spike, honestly. Thank you for the warning in advance, Mark!
I am a bad, bad person, since I initially thought of a different C word for Drusilla 🙂
crafty? cunning? classy?
cromulent!
By Crom!
Crepuscular! Bonus geeky vampiry reference. >_>
Is it terrible that the first word that started with C that popped into my head was "cookie-monster!"
And now I want a picture of Drusilla in full vamp-face chowing down on a plate of cookies.
Drusilla understands that cookies are a sometimes food.
Crivens!
One of my favourite words 😀
Crom! I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it.
V guvax "rppragevp" vf n tbbq fhofgvghgr…ng yrnfg jura vg pbzrf gb Qehfvyyn.
MY NAMESAKE SHE IS FINALLY HERE YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpz9ke20n81qgulpwo1_500.png" />
(and my bad horrible first-ever tv boyfriend with her I am so excite)
I'm guessing this Drusilla was named for the sister that Caligula married? Has Joss ever said anything to this effect?
Caligula didn't marry his sister Drusilla, though there are rumors about them.
Rot13-ing just in case.
V oryvrir gurer jnf na vagreivrj ng fbzr cbvag ertneqvat guvf, naq Wbff fnvq gung ur bevtvanyyl vagraqrq vg gb unir haqregbarf bs Pnyvthyn/Qehfvyyn nf gurl jrer fhccbfrq gb or fver-fvoyvatf, obgu ghearq ol Natryhf. Yngre, ur zrffrq jvgu gung naq Qehfvyyn ghearq Fcvxr, gubhtu senaxyl V yvxr gung vqrn orggre nalubj. Crbcyr unir nethrq jurgure nyy gur inzcverf punatrq gurve anzrf cbfg-fvevat. Jr xabj Yvnz, Jvyyvnz, naq Qneyn qvq, ohg Qehfvyyn vf hapyrne (fnzr jvgu Craa). Vg jbhyqa'g or na haurneq bs anzr qhevat gur Ivpgbevna ren, gubhtu vg jbhyqa'g unir orra n pbzzba Pngubyvp bar. Sbe fbzr ernfba, gubhtu, V'ir nyjnlf sniberq gur vqrn vg jnf ure ovegu anzr. Qba'g xabj jul, whfg qb.
Nf sbe jung jrag qbja orgjrra gur npghny Pnyvthyn naq Qehfvyyn? Uvfgbel znxrf gung oyheel, gunax urniraf, gubhtu znal fbheprf fhttrfg Qehfvyyn jnf npgvat ntnvafg ure jvyy, naq ur irel yvxryl zheqrerq ure, juvpu jnf cerggl pbzzbacynpr sbe uvz. Ur jnf… jryy, V guvax gur grez "zragnyyl hajryy" jbhyq nccyl urer.
Drusilla is a name that's very much in use in the present-day UK, though I think it's one of those "typical posh English" names these days.
As for our Drusilla, vg npghnyyl znxrf frafr gung fur jbhyq npg qvssreragyl sebz gur erfg bs ure "snzvyl" jura vg pnzr gb guvatf yvxr xrrcvat ure ovegu anzr be pubbfvat gur fnqqrfg ybfre nebhaq (Fcvxr-nf-Jvyyvnz) gb wbva ure, Natry naq Qneyn.
Qnvyl Qnja Guernq! 🙂
Jung jvgu Wblpr trggvat yngr abgvpr nobhg Cnerag-Grnpure Avtug, jung qb lbh jnag gb org fur jnfa'g noyr gb svaq n onolfvggre va gvzr? Fb fur unq gb oevat Qnja nybat, jvgu nyy gung ragnvyf–vg jnfa'g whfg "Zl zbz'f va gurer", ohg "Zl zbz naq fvfgre ner va gurer".
Ohg ba n yvtugre abgr, Wblpr cebonoyl jbhyq unir yrsg Qnja jvgu Ohssl naq Jvyybj juvyr fur jrag bss gb gnyx gb Falqre, jurerhcba Qnja dhvpxyl pbzzraprq gb vafhygvat Ohssl'f chapu.
QnjaQnjaQnja! V ybir guvaxvat nobhg jung ebyrf fur'q cynl ng nal tvira cbvag.
V trg gur srryvat fur jbhyq unir gnxra Pbeqryvn'f cynpr, naq cbffvoyl rira gur "Gragu erhavba" yvar, jura Wblpr jrag bss jvgu Falqre.
V qba'g rira yvxr Qnja gung zhpu naq lrg V'z rawblvat gurfr guernqf fb zhpu. V jnf qbvat zl erjngpu abgrf sbe Orpbzvat cneg 2 gur bgure qnl naq jrag bss ba n jubyr gnatrag gelvat gb jbex bhg ubj Qnja svgf vagb gung rcvfbqr.
V qb fbzrgvzrf srry yvxr V'z bar bs bayl gjb crbcyr va guvf jbeyq–gur bgure orvat Wbff Jurqba–jub npghnyyl yvxrf Qnja. KQ Nu jryy, gb rnpu gurve bja!
V xabj jung lbh zrna; V xrrc gjb fgvpxl abgrf (pbzchgre-l, qrfxgbc-l fgvpxl abgrf) fb V qba'g trg zl erthyne rcvfbqr abgrf naq zl Qnja abgrf zvkrq hc. :C
I disliked her for a good deal of her first season, but she grew on my and now I love her.
Bu, tbq, V ubcr fur tbg n fvggre :/ Be gung Qnja fgnlrq jvgu n sevraq. Vs fur jnf gurer, gubhtu, V ubcr fur'q unir gur fnzr "V'z abg tbvat gb tvir lbh nal fuvg sbe ng yrnfg n jrrx" ernpgvba gung Wblpr unf. Ohg vg'q cebonoyl or fjvgpurq sbe "zl ovt fvfgre vf gur pbbyrfg, pna jr unat bhg? :Q? :Q?" juvpu vf vasvavgryl zber naablvat sbe Ohssl.
V yvxr gb vzntvar gung Wblpr yrsg ure jvgu Wnavpr'f zbz.
Ng jung cbvag qb lbh guvax Qnja qvfpbirerq ure fvfgre'f frperg vqragvgl, naq ubj qb lbh fhccbfr fur ernpgrq?
V guvax jr qvfphffrq gung va gur "Cebcurpl Tvey" qvfphffvba…nppbeqvat gb n pnaba pbzvp obbx, Qnja sbhaq vg bhg gura! Ab jbeq ba ernpgvba gubhtu.
Almost immediately and with taunting, of course!
V ernyyl jvfu jr'q tbggra gur pnegbba frevrf gung jnf fhccbfrq gb fubj hf ubj gur fubj jbhyq'ir tbar jvgu Qnja gurer. V ybirq gung yvggyr vageb ivqrb gung jr tbg sbe vg.
Wait, what????? Link, please!
Go go gadget google: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnUvZP7-5LM&fe… (Video may contain spoilers)
Thank you! I'd heard about the series-that-almost-was, but I'd never seen the trailer. 🙂
I lost interest the minute it didn't include Fcvxr
Jung qb lbh jnag gb org gung Qnja gura hfrq guvf rkcrevrapr gb gel gb trg bhg bs Wblpr pbzvat gb URE cnerag grnpure avtug? Fvapr V nz fher gur ryrzragnel/zvqqyr fpubby jbhyq unir unq vg ba n qvssrerag avtug sebz gur uvtu fpubby.
Naq rira gubhtu Qnja pyrneyl unf vffhrf jvgu Ohssl, fur gbgnyyl ungrf Falqre whfg nf zhpu nf rirelbar ryfr, orpnhfr qhu.
QNJA: Jura V jnf lbhatre, V hfrq gb chg zl pubcfgvpxf va zl zbhgu yvxr guvf, naq gura Ohssl jbhyq punfr zr nebhaq gur ubhfr lryyvat, 'V'z gur fynlre, V'z tbvat gb trg lbh!'
Fb Qnja xarj nobhg Ohssl naq gurl rira cynlrq nebhaq nobhg vg ohg jung nobhg Wblpr, qvq fur fgvyy abg xabj hagvy gur raq bs Frnfba 2?
Jryy, gung qbrf xvaq bs frrz gb or gur pnfr? Qba'g sbetrg gur pnaba gung Ohssl gbyq ure cneragf nsgre gur Urzrel tlz ohearq qbja, naq gurl pbzzvggrq ure…naq onfvpnyyl frrz gb unir sbetbggra orsber fur erpnagrq naq tbg bhg bs gur zragny vafgvghgvba. Creuncf Qnja arire sbetbg?
Spike is definitely speaking for joss at the end there. The Master had some good moments but was mostly a pretty cardboard villain. But now Spike is here, providing a far more engaging antagonist whose scenes can actually be enjoyable for more than just rooting against him. Plus, his girlfriend is pretty much an evil Luna Lovegood, so there's that.
EVIL LUNA LOVEGOOD omg I love everything.
"evil luna lovegood".
YES.
OMG EVIL LUNA LOVEGOOD IS THE BEST DESCRIPTION EVER.
I think the more appropriate description, considering their creator+appearance, is "evil River Tam"
<img src="http://images1.cliqueclack.com/tv/files/2011/06/tumblr_lfrh2gyvq11qzj1o1o1_500.jpg" />
Except Drusilla was first! So River Tam is a good Drusilla?
…Hrm. Maybe.
Npghnyyl, gurl'ir obgu orra sbeprq vagb vafnavgl (naq V qb abg zrna guvf va gur qrebtngbel jnl, V zrna vg va gur yvgreny "abg fnar" jnl) ol bguref, naq obgu frrz gb unir fbzr sbez bs cerpbtavgvirarff. Wbff Jurqba qrsvavgryl yvxrf gur glcr, ohg ng yrnfg ur jevgrf vg jryy?
Nqq va rneyl-Serq gb gur zvk naq lbh'ir tbg nabgure oeharggr jvgu ceboyrzf… bu, naq gura gurer'f Vil. Lrnu, Wbff qbrf unir n glcr, ohg vg'f n pynffvp. V'q nethr gurl nyy tb onpx gb Pnffnaqen va Terrx zlgu.
Evire jnfa'g n cerpbt. Fur urneq fgenvtug hc crbcyr'f gubhtugf rira vs fur jnfa'g va gur fnzr ebbz jvgu gurz.
"Mice that were smoking?"
This episode establishes Spike's reputation quite convincingly, what with the killing two Slayers and telling Buffy she'll be dead on Saturday—the contrast with Angel is definitely interesting, but he doesn't exactly live up to that reputation here. lolololol I can't even when he storms into the school with enough backup to fill the frame and then flounces off by himself at the end. Fgbel bs uvf yvsr. Gung ur'f gnxra nonpx ol Ohssl univat snzvyl naq sevraqf ohg erfcbaqf gb Wblpr'f oybj jvgu "Jbzra!" vf nyfb gur svefg fvta ur unf znwbe vffhrf.
While sending the Anointed One up in smoke is meant to signify "a little less ritual and a little more fun" for the vampires in Sunnydale, that line is perfect because it also opens up the vampire mythos on the show, which until this point has been shrouded in ancient prophecies and stifled by formal ceremony and hierarchy and the stuff of open-collar velvet shirts. What used to lurk around in graveyards will now be loud and brash and in your face. This sea change also comes in the form of Drusilla, and Spike and Drusilla's relationship—they're so tactile, for one, and openly affectionate. Juliet Landau moves and sways so fluidly; it looks like if she leans too far to one side her head will roll right off. Love her. Qb abg ybir Wbff'f snfpvangvba jvgu qnzntrq jbzra jub unir ybfg gurve zvaqf ohg ergnva zlfgrevbhf cbjref. Oyretu.
Willow doesn't have a big role here, but I realized on rewatch how much I like the scenes she has: sticking up for Buffy, helping to distract Joyce, and getting that dig in at Cordelia when they're in the janitor's closet.
Gur fgernx bs oybbq ba Fcvxr'f purrx nf ur'f pbmlvat hc gb Qeh sbyybjrq ol gur erq cnvag ba Ohssl'f purrx nf fur'f jbexvat ba gur onaare jnf cebonoyl zrnag nf n arng ovg bs ivfhny pbagvahvgl. Jungrire, V nz tbvat jvgu gur jevgref arrqrq n jnl gb znex gurz nf jbegul nqirefnevrf orpnhfr gurl whfg ~*xarj.*~
Gur fgernx bs oybbq ba Fcvxr'f purrx nf ur'f pbmlvat hc gb Qeh sbyybjrq ol gur erq cnvag ba Ohssl'f purrx nf fur'f jbexvat ba gur onaare jnf cebonoyl zrnag nf n arng ovg bs ivfhny pbagvahvgl. Jungrire, V nz tbvat jvgu gur jevgref arrqrq n jnl gb znex gurz nf jbegul nqirefnevrf orpnhfr gurl whfg ~*xarj.*~
Jbj gung vf vagrerfgvat, V arire abgvprq gung.
Vg vf nyfb n avpr pbagenfg; Ohssl jvgu n ovg bs cnvag sebz pbybevat n onaare, Fcvxr jvgu oybbq ba uvf purrx, avpr pbagenfg bs puvyqvfu vaabprapr naq cynlshy rivy.
Njjj. Lbh guvax Fcvxr'f tbvat gb or gur nagntbavfg. Ubj phgr.
Spike. I… I just… Spike.
But Joyce with the fire axe? I want her to be my mother.
I so could not wait until you got to this episode. When I re-watched it over the weekend, I was so giddy that I started squeeing at my screen, "HI SPIKE! HI! HI, DRU! I LOVE BOTH OF YOUR FACES!"
You are dead-on about the amount of Spike/Angel fanfic. Also, that "YOU WERE MY YODA!" line never fails to amuse me.
I wish I could say more without ROT13'ing it, but alas, spoilers, so instead I'll just say SHIT: IT'S GETTING REAL.
(Also, let's just take a second to appreciate how this season is already better than 99.9% of season 1 combined, with the possibly exception of "Prophecy Girl" because her speech in the library is perfection on film, but OUTSIDE OF THAT: omg this season is so much more the BtVS I know and love.)
Oh God, so much fanfic. Hell, there's fanfic of every possible pairing on this show, including characters who have never met in canon.
…Which is still better than some of the HP pairings I've seen. Giant Squid, anyone?
I was going to post, but you've already touched on EVERY one of my thoughts! I have been waiting for Mark to get to this, one of my favorite episodes, in anticipation of it blowing his mind. I feel quite satisfied! Ah, Spike and Drusilla. Love love love. Can I say how much I love this episode????
Well really. The amount of Spike/anything fanfic is staggering. Spike/toaster is my favorite ship. (not really but it could be)
Jvyybj jnf jrnevat n fuveg jvgu Fpbbol-Qbb ba vg. 😀
No, when Spike shoved the brat into the cage, I was too busy feeling incredibly grateful for my head to explode. With the exception of "The Empty Child," the whole creepy child thing has always bored the hell outta me. I was, however, shocked by how young James Marsters looks.
It's funny how young James Marsters looks because he's actually 36 in this episode (which means he's turning 50 this year). David Boreanaz is only 29, but he looks pretty close to the same age.
He's almost fifty?! Okay, NOW my brain has exploded.
OMG MINE TOO. WHAT.
MINE THREE (as evidenced by that terrible grasp of English!)
My husband's reaction: "WHAT?! Did he look like an embryo when he was five?"
Well he did look about 10 when he was in high school.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sl…
My mom and I used to "fight" over James Marsters and she always won because he is, in fact, old enough to be my father.
Uru – fbzrbar cbvagrq bhg gung ol gur raq bs gur fubj, Qnja vf nf byq nf Ohssl vf ng gur ortvaavat, juvpu zrnaf gung gur Qnja/Fcvxr fuvccref nera'g nal vpxvre guna gur Ohssl/Natry fuvccref. Vg whfg srryf vpxvre fvapr gur npgbef' ntr qvssrerapr vf fb zhpu ovttre.
Guvf erzvaqf zr bs n Fchssl svp V ernq bapr va juvpu Fcvxr vf Ohssl'f fgrcsngure. Lrnu. Vg'f xvaq bs fvpx naq jebat, ohg nyfb cerggl ubg.
WHAT. He didn't look 36 at all.
How old was Nicholas Brendon around this time? He looked like he could kind of pass for a high school student in the first season, but lately he's been looking much older. Like late 20s/maybe a very young 30 older. Maybe it's the hair cut?
He's actually just 2 years younger than David, so that would put him at 27. I think the clothes they had him in for Season 1 made him look younger, they are similar in style, but subtle differences make him look more mature.
IIRC, Nic Brendon and Charisma Carpenter were both 25 when the show started.
I always thought Charisma looked old enough to be Buffy's mom in this show. Maybe it's the bad tan? And as much as I <3 James Marsters, I lost my boner for him a little when I read that he had married a 24 year old student at the age of 48. *sobs*
…Wait, wait, what?
WHAT?
Jubn, jubn, oenva fubg. Qneyn vf byqre guna Natry vf byqre guna Qehfvyyn vf byqre guna Fcvxr…naq gur npgbef tb va rknpgyl gur bccbfvgr beqre. Guvf vf fb jrveq!
Gung'f npghnyyl gehr bs gur npgbef cynlvat gur Uboovgf va YBGE, gbb!
1) SPIKE! Serious step up from The Annoying One. He's proactive! He's impulsive! He's snarky!
2) Joyce continues to be the best mom ever
3) Angel is more cryptic than usual in this episode. He could have at least hung around and given them more info about Spike
4) Snyder knows about vampires. Or "gangs on PCP" It's a big ol' conspiracy!
5) The scene with Buffy using the big knife to chop a cucumber always bugs me. It's some of the sloppiest chopping ever. Though I suppose it is more in line with how Buffy would be accustomed to using a knife
6) I went out and bought the album from the band that's playing when Spike first sees Buffy dancing at the Bronze. Yup.
7) I adore Dru's interactions with her dolls. I even feel a little bad for Miss Edith in the scene
8) SPIKE! CHEEKBONES! SPIKE!
9) You have no idea how right you are about the Spike/Angel fanfic. So much sexual tension, just in that one scene
10) Your unpreparedness continues to be the most amusing thing ever
5) That's a machete. So useful for some things. Chopping veg isn't one of them.
Excellent point 🙂
I like how you can see Sarah Michelle Gellar visibly give up on trying to slice the zucchini in any useful fashion. Her last three or four cuts don't even go through the whole vegetable.
She could have done a much better job if she had used a rolling type of cut with the machete instead of chopping.
Random Factoid: My local WalMart sells machetes for something like $10
Joyce is the BEST. That is all. Oh and thou are not prepared at like all.
Everything with Spike and Dru this ep was great. Vampires! Who are disturbingly affectionate?! AWESOME. "EAT SOMETHING."
Amazing chaos. Hahaha poor Willow and Cordelia at the end.
The last shot of the empty cage was amazing and chilling and exciting.
Vampires! Who are disturbingly affectionate?!
This! Even the other vampires seem to be weirded out by the couple.
I love how Spike's face chages the moment Dru enters, he is such a softy.
Yeah that always struck me. Other vampires seem to find them creepy! So perfect in their roles, both of them.
and also a nice way of getting Buffy out of the need of having to kill something that looks like a child onscreen.
(fnzr ernfba jul gur gjb xvqf va Tvatreoernq ghearq vagb bar ovt qrzba. Gurl qvqa'g jnag gb unir Ohssl xvyyvat jung ybbxf yvxr puvyqera bafperra.)
so, once upon a time i taught a class about buffy and now i actually have TOO MANY FEELINGS AND OPINIONS ABOUT THIS SHOW TO FORM A COHERENT THOUGHT RIGHT NOW.
You taught a class on Buffy!?!? OMG, where was I!?!? Oh right, I was probably in like middle school. That's brilliant though. I'm heading to the University of Wisconsin-Madison next year and I hope I can find a class like that! The resource center at my dorm had a Buffy poster so I know I made a wise selection! XD
it's actually this thing where students can teach a one or two credit class so it was only a year ago – it was super fun, but being a students and teaching a class is hard as shit.
you'll be in good hands wherever you go, though – college is where nerds go to make friends 🙂
Dropping in to give you a long-term "you are so not prepared". I'm too much of a lazy sludgepuddle to find the ROT13 site, but hmm… let's spoiler in Chinese. 她æ»æŽ‰äº†æ™‚候 Mark 會怎麼樣å應啊?
..it's just rot13.com, for the record.
Spoiler in Chinese are pretty awesome, though.
Hey! I can read that!
But I don't want to be spoilered, so I won't. x3
写ä¸æ–‡å¤ªå¥½äº† 😀
Oh Spike and your insistence on looking like Billy Idol. ILU sfm.
Fun fact: Spike's accent was based off of Anthony Stewart Head's natural accent.
Nz V znxvat guvf hc, be vf gurer n wbxr va n yngre rcvfbqr fhttrfgvat gung Ovyyl Vqby tbg gur ybbx sebz Fcvxr?
You are in fact correct.
Vg'f fb zhpu sha gb jngpu gur rcvfbqr "Onaq Pnaql" va frnfba 3, juvpu Tvyrf fbeg bs gheaf vagb Fcvxr, npprag naq nyy.
Onaq Pnaql!Tvyrf vf yvgrenyyl gur frkvrfg guvat V unir rire jvgarffrq ba zl gryrivfvba. Gurer vf ABGUVAT FRKVRE VA GUVF JBEYQ.
I must admit that I've been refreshing the site over and over since yesterday, so you can't imagine my joy when the review finally showed up*g*
Spike he's… well … let's just say that I like him, a lot.
And even though I'm not a big fan of Drusilla myself, (yes, despite naming my cat after her, if you met my cat you'd understand why) I was surprised to say the least that you didn't even mention her in the review.
The relationship between Spike and Drusilla is clearly important from the first moment onwards and the way she acts and moves sets her apart from any of the other vampires, which is part of what makes the two of them so interesting.
"I must admit that I've been refreshing the site over and over since yesterday, so you can't imagine my joy when the review finally showed up*g* "
LOLOLOL, you too?! I've been dying for this episode to get here! (I'm dying for a lot of episodes to get here actually.)
You are not alone in the refreshing! All weekend I've been waiting for this. I don't know what I would have done if Mark had hated this ep. Flounced away forever, possibly.
Agh! I, too, refreshed all morning and then got pulled away for life living. Stupid life, now I am hours late!
For years, I named all of my pets after Buffy characters. My current dog is named after a character Mark has not yet met, and shall therefore remain unmentioned. In fact aside from Willow (dog), Drusilla (dog), Xander (cat), and Rupert (cat), I have had also had three more pets named after characters to come. Obsessed? Me?
Me too! I figure I'll be doing this every day until season 2 ends and then again during season 4, 5, 6 and 7.
I love me some season 3, but it lacks a specific something.
So I'm guessing the main theme of the comments is going to be: SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE! Just, HE'S HERE! Getting rid of the Annoying One (and finally allowing us to use that nickname)! His speech during that scene about "a little more FUN!" shows us just how different the character is. Where The Master, and practically every other vampire so far, has been big on the prophecy and tradition, Spike is just anarchy and doing things for the hell of it. James Marsters just brings so much energy to the character (although he clearly hasn't learnt how to talk with the vampire teeth in yet).
"Gur ynfg Fynlre V xvyyrq, fur orttrq sbe ure yvsr." Css yvne!
"YOU GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" ALL HAIL JOYCE SUMMERS! <3<3
It also didn't help that he's a theater actor with little or no TV experience. Even James admits that he overacted more than a bit in this ep.
That was like half the comments LAST episode, too, except they were in rot13! …Yeah, Some Assembly Required suffers a little for being right before School Hard, which has ALL THE LOVE.
It helps that he didn't have specially made and fit to him fangs, yet. Jurqba bapr fnvq gurl qba'g fcrpvny svg snatf hayrff gurl vagraq sbe n punenpgre gb or nebhaq sbe n srj rcvfbqrf naq ur jnf gnxra ol fhecevfr ol Fcvxr'f cbchynevgl.
Not one word for Drusilla, Mark? Dissapoint!
Rot13 just in case.
Jryy gurer'f tbvat gb or cranygl bs ure va gur shgher fb V'z fher ur'yy trg gb gura. N ybg unccrarq va guvf rcvfbqr naq vg'f qvssvphyg gb gnyx nobhg rirel fvatyr guvat.
I wanted to hear Mark about her too. It seemed odd to me the “crazy” warning at the end was about Spike. Ah well, that’s lot of good thoughts about Spike.
I guess Angel was Spike’s “sire,” which I don’t even understand
Man, you really don't do vampires, do you? Vg'f shaal, Qeh ghearq Jvyyvnz, ohg Natry perngrq "Fcvxr", fb uvz pnyyvat uvz uvf fver vf xvaqn gehr.
It also pretty much guaranteed to me that there are a couple million Spike/Angel fics in the world
*cackles* jryy lrnu, vg'f pnaba.
JOYYYYYCE OMG. Proud member of the Joyce Summers Appreciation Society! She is the best TV mom <3
MARK, WHAT ABOUT DRUSILLA? Why have you neglected to talk about the wonder that is Dru? I love herrr and I love her and Spike, they are so great and fascinating to me. And I'd be more worried about people calling Dru "crazy", to be honest. Sigh.
DID THE COVERING UP BLOW YOUR MIND, MARK? So. Freaking. Awesome.
It also pretty much guaranteed to me that there are a couple million Spike/Angel fics in the world
*cackles* jryy lrnu, vg'f pnaba.
Jryy, cerggl zhpu nalguvat nalbar pna pbzr hc jvgu orgjrra gur snatrq sbhe vf pnaba, gurl unq n ybg bs gvzr gbtrgure nsgre nyy…va qnex pryynef, uvqqra va fgnoyrf naq zvar funsgf sbe qnlf… ;C j
Jryy, sbhefbzrf bs gur sbhe naq guerrfbzrf sbe rvgure thl jvgu Qeh naq Qneyn ner pnabavpnyyl aba-pnaba.
Bs pbhefr, pnabavpnyyl, gurer jnf bayl "gung bar gvzr" orgjrra Fcvxr naq Natry. LOL!
OMG, I have been WAITING for this episode. Because, yes, SPIKE. *flails* I love Spike, I love Joyce being a badass, I just love this ep. YAY!
I really wish I had something more constructive to say but at this point, I'm just going "YAY, Spike is here!" LOL.
You have finally, finally met Spike and Drusilla. Granted, you didn't actually say anything about everyone's favorite vampire princess, but I'm glad you're enjoying Spike. James Marsters really is a killer talent as far as pure acting chops go.
SPIKE! Yay, I can finally post his name with rot13ing. And Dru! Gah, as other people have said, I fell in love with Spike the moment he heard Dru's voice, and his ENTIRE BEING transformed, from badass super villain to doting lover. SPIKE! <3
"It also pretty much guaranteed to me that there are a couple million Spike/Angel fics in the world and I’ve read not a second of Buffy fanfic. Yet I know this is true as I know that I breathe oxygen."
If it exists, there is porn of it. If 'it' is in the form of two hot vampires subtexting all over each other, there is MASSIVE amounts of porn of it.
Also of note about killing off the Annoying One is that they pretty much had to do it around this point, as the actor would soon start getting noticeably older. One of the perils to not knowing if you'll get another season.
Yeah, unfortunately it felt like an obvious patch to me, something that screamed "Well, we thought this would work a lot better than it actually does, so let's switch horses midstream".
Mind you, the horse they switched to was SPIKE, so I can't complain on that score, but it definitely would have been better to have killed the Annoying One along with the Master. Oh well, at least it was done quickly and pretty much painlessly without a lot of narrative screwing around.
I know some people feel like it added to the show's cred that it killed off a villain in such an unconventional way, but I think it demonstrates that some things are unconventional because they don't work well and make it seem like the writers had their back against the wall.
JOYCE IS THE BEST FOREVER AND EVER.
So, story:
I was watching this show called Buffy, by renting dvds from Blockbuster. It was okay, but not good enough to rewatch.
And then came this scene where a platinum blond vampire marched into the Anointed One's inner circle, announced that he was better than any of them, and started rambling about Woodstock.
…and I paused the dvd, ran to the shops, bought the ENTIRE SERIES, and came home.
Spike's entrance made this show my favourite, in under a minute.
Me, too, Mez. Spike is what made me a fan.
I very much like this story.
This is one of my favorite episodes, just because Spike. Everything about him is awesome. Fuck all the plotting and prophecies, he just wants to have fun. And by fun, he means murder people.
And I really like his relationship with Drusilla. I'm not sure I've ever seen a villain with a legit love interest before. (Not in any of the stuff I've read/watched, anyway. I dunno, there's probably something from Doctor Who that I'm forgetting about. Oh, and ASoIaF. ) Everything else that comes to mind, if the villain even has a love interest, then it's one-sided and the villain is just using the person's emotions for his/her own ends. The Joker and Harley Quinn comes to mind.
Of course, I'm a huge fan of James Marsters in just about anything. I won't say any specifics, since I don't know what Mark's seen of certain things.
I can, however, post this video of James Marsters covering "Chocolate Jesus," which was originally by Tom Waits.
[youtube gKUUUZhHl78 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKUUUZhHl78 youtube]
There's just so much good dialogue in this episode. Giles' "Slaves to the television" cover-up is great. And I love the stuff between Spike and Angel. Especially the line: "You were my Yoda!" (Bs pbhefr, gung'f rira shaavre jura lbh xabj gung Wnzrf Znefgref qbrf gur nhqvbobbxf bs Gur Qerfqra Svyrf, naq gung gur znva punenpgre/aneengbe znxrf n gba bs Fgne Jnef wbxrf/ersreraprf.)
And of course, we must bow before the badassery of the Summers line. Buffy may be a slayer, but Joyce is even more awesome. She doesn't have super strength or anything, and she hit Spike on the head with a fire axe!
If scientists ever figure out how to create a child from two eggs or something, we must combine the genetics of Buffy Summers and River Song for the ultimate badass…Wait, isn't that how the Bene Gesserit got started? (Do not talk to me about the Dune prequels. Those don't exist.)
I loves James' voice, he has something really special. My favourite of him is 'Good night sweet girl'.
Pna uneqyl jnvg sbe gur zhfvpny, zhfg unir jngpurq gung gjragl gvzrf abj.
OMG, I have all of James Marster's music on my iPod and I love this rendition of "Chocolate Jesus" more than most things.
My all time favorite song is his too, "Good Night, Sweet Girl." If I wasn't at work I'd put the video in here, but if you have the time, look it up, it's beautiful!
-She burnt down a different school's gym. It isn't really fair to count that here.
-Suitable for a Dahnce? Or Adults? You need to enunciate Mr. Principle.
-Aww Xander. Of all things for them to call you out on being thoughtless for.
–
PERSON WHOS NAME HASNT BEEN MENTIONED YET!!!!SPIKE!!-I know! Choose the new Boss by a fight to the death. Last Vamp standing wins.
-Spike your girlfriend is creepy.
-Why can't she (Dru) “see” Buffy?
-Banner-making is not that messy Buffy.
-Xander's solo dancing is adorable.
-Clever Spike, love how the people he asked just went back to dancing.
-Spike is an interesting name for a vampire.
-She is very drunk.
-Spike eats fast.
-Is he gonna vampify her?
-Heehee, Angel in a bell collar.
-Cordelia is just there? With no explanation/fanfare/questions that we get to see?
-There are people still socializing but lets turn off the lights because Buffy's mom was the only one that mattered.
-Again with an ax! Schools don't have axes!!!
-Oh! I was right for once! She got vamped.
-Natry znqr Fcvxr…Vagrerfgvat. ← I guess this is a spoiler then?
-Go Joyce!
-How are they gonna explain this one?
-Are Willow and Cordelia still in the cupboard?
-!!!!!! Snyder, you in on it?
-Week and a half is a long time in vampire slayings.
-lol Poor Willow. Prayer was your suggestion though.
-Spike, you fried Creepy Kid! :-O Are you…the Big Bad?
Saturday: I didn't realize that it was the weekend until my video was done loading. Arguments with myself begin.
Sunday: “Mark always watches ahead anyway, and there isn't going to be a review until Tuesday,” “I can watch and write down my thoughts in between,” “It takes forever to load anyway, I won't be able to get through too many episodes,” “It will make my weekdays easier.” Watching Doctor Who to stay strong.
Monday: Stay Strong, Stay Strong, Stay Strong, Stay Strong, Stay Strong, Stay Strong, Stay Strong.
I just want to see more Spike.
Ha, I can totally relate to your difficulties in not watching more! I just found the Tumblr post I made on Friday…
Don’t mind me, I’ll just sit here trying to ignore my brain seeping out through my ears from the effort of not watching more Buffy.
It’s fine, I don’t really want to watch more than one episode a day anyway.
I can totally deal with not watching any all weekend.
I mean, I’ve gotten through my whole life so far not watching it.
This is no different.
I AM IN A PERFECTLY RATIONAL FRAME OF MIND
So clearly this schedule is giving me issues. I JUST WANT TO MARATHON THE WHOLE THING ASDFGHJKLasdfghjkl
He was talking about the science building last episode.
Ohhhhh. But still, the abandoned science building that Eric and Chris were performing illegal experiments in (which was actually what caused the fire anyway)? Still unfair.
How did I EVER confuse Spike and Angel? I MAKE NO SENSE! I think this is the first time I've gotten REALLY excited about this show and couldn't wait to watch next episode!
Does this mean The Annoying One is gone forever? What exactly was his purpose besides to lead Buffy to the Master? Did he actually do anything? I never really noticed him- he was just there, being creepy
JOYCE SUMMERS YOU ARE FANTASTIC AND WE NEED MORE OF YOU <3
I think there was originally a plan to have a longer plot arc for the Annoying One, but then they realised the actor was going to start looking older, which vampires don't so much do.
Well, they couldn't have him do much other than hang out in shadows because he very visibly ages between the 1st and 2nd season. Which is, of course, why they had to kill him off so quickly. Child vampires and long-running series do not mix.
I absolutely love this episode. From a story perspective, my favorite part of the episode is when Spike kills the Annoying one, because DAMN did I find both him and The Master annoying. I was never much for the hyper-dramatic horror cliches that the Master was so fond of, so having Spike sweep into town and bury it in one episode was FANTASTIC.
Another great moment in the episode is Spike's stalker-ish walk in the Bronze as he's watching Buffy & friends dance. It's extremely predatory, but at the same time you can tell there's something there beyond just "hunter stalking prey". Almost like he wants to play with his food a bit first. Which, of course, he then does in the alleyway. V nyfb guvax gurer'f n uvag bs nggenpgvba gb Ohssl ba Fcvxr'f cneg va gung jnyx nf jryy. Ur'f qenja gb ure naq qbrfa'g rira ernyvmr vg lrg.
Joyce is really wonderful, but one of the things I love about her the most is how she ISN'T a perfect parent. She doesn't always get it right. She's a single parent, and she struggles sometimes. She is, however, doing her very best, and absolutely without a doubt loves Buffy very deeply. Joyce feels HUMAN to me, unlike so many TV moms, and is completely wonderful at the same time.
Yes to your rot-13.
I always like that Spike watches her fight first. He's a bit smarter than some of the other vamps we've seen. He sets up a situation so he can study how she fights and show up prepared.
Gung'f bar bs zl snibevgr Fcvxr nggevohgrf – gung ur'f npghnyyl irel pyrire, nf inzcverf tb. Gur synjf va uvf cynaf nera'g rire fb zhpu va gur cynaavat, nf zhpu nf gur rkrphgvba. Orpnhfr, nf ur nqzvgf, ur trgf oberq.
Lrf, ur'f irel "bbbu, fuval!"
Wnzrf yngre ba nqzvggrq gb cynlvat vg gung jnl, fb vg'f qrsvavgryl gurer.
"V nyfb guvax gurer'f n uvag bs nggenpgvba gb Ohssl ba Fcvxr'f cneg va gung jnyx nf jryy. Ur'f qenja gb ure naq qbrfa'g rira ernyvmr vg lrg."
Unir gb nterr jvgu guvf – Wnzrf unf rira fnvq vg va…vg'f frnfba svir be fvk'f fcrpvny srngherf, V guvax. Ur fnlf gurer'f fbzr urnil frkhny grafvba gurer gung pnzr whfg sebz gur jnl gurl cynlrq gung fprar naq jngpuvat FZT qnapr.
V guvax gurl cynl jvgu gung guebhtubhg guvf frnfba gbb, yvxr jura ur'f jngpuvat gur ivqrb bs ure svtugvat va Unyybjrra naq ur xrrcf erjvaqvat vg naq gura va Jung'f Zl Yvar? cg. 2 jura gurl unir gur rkpunatr bs "Engure or svtugvat lbh naljnl." "Zhghny."
Gurl qrsvavgryl znxr gung ivbyrapr = frk guvat rkcyvpvgyl n ovt cneg bs Fcvxr'f punenpgre. V'z fher ng yrnfg fbzr bs gung pbzrf sebz gur jnl ur cynlrq Frnfba 2.
"V qb orng uvz hc n ybg. Sbe Fcvxr, gung'f yvxr guveq onfr."
Irel gehr. Naq gura va frnfba 3, uvf fcrrpu nobhg ybir. "Ybir vfa'g oenvaf, puvyqera, vg'f oybbq. Oybbq fpernzvat vafvqr lbh gb qb vgf jvyy." Urpx, ur rira nqzvgf gung va Gbhpurq jura ur gryyf Ohssl, "V sbyybj zl oybbq, juvpu qbrfa'g nyjnlf sybj va gur qverpgvba bs zl oenva." Vg'f bar bs gubfr punenpgrevmngvbaf gung gurl xrcg cerggl fgrnql guebhtubhg gur frevrf. (Juvpu, lnl, pbagvahvgl! V zvff jura zber fubjf unq gung.)
Also tbqh I would have thought Drusilla was a likelier target for the c-word and the i-word than Spike. Spike is sadistic and a total bastard, but he's also completely sane here, he hasn't disconnected from reality the way Drusilla has.
And YOU ARE NOT PREPARED. Doing Buffy right after BSG is like jumping from the fire into, well, another fire with the temperature slightly turned down, but it's still a fire.
Spike and Dru, eff yeah!
Coming again to ruin the motherfuckin' day, yeah!
I've been waiting for you to watch this episode. ;D Spike is the best and I can't wait to see your reactions as his storyline progresses.
Just reading this reviews really makes me wish I'd never seen the show so I could watch it all over again!
Man, someone needs to be making brand new gifs and images of these episodes as Mark watches them, like BURNING.
<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/22m0b4.gif"/>
(This counts as a spoiler, so I'm deleting it.)
Oh, I've been wanting to break that baby out for so long. Nice to see it again.
I've missed it too!
Aw yay! Gif nostalgia!
Aw yeah. Vacation at Lake Laogai.
One of my favorite smash cuts ever is in this episode!
Spike: “Is she tough?”
cut to
Buffy, brushing her hair: “Ooowww.”
How did you know – of course. Yes, Spangel is a big ship. It really is hilarious that Angel just drops the information that Spike's a threatening figure and immediately leaves without saying anything concretely useful. The man is not interested in disclosing his past.
Also, do vampires get some vampire saint powerup from St. Vigeous? Otherwise it's pretty useless if people know about it. No sensible vampire would want to attack right then. Well, unless it didn't make any difference, but still. Attacking the night beforehand makes more sense.
This a wonderful episode. I am alternately smiling and tensed up when I watch it, knowing every scene that's coming.
Xander was adorable here. And he got past his dislike of Angel quite a bit, without even snarking at him despite the fact that Angel is so dismissive – at least verbally – of his possible death.
It rarely gets mentioned, but Willow is very heroic as well, boldly hitting that vampire. In a way, she was acting Xanderlike, with this and the snark at Cordelia, while Xander got a softer though no less heroic role.
Spangel is the Spike/Angel ship name? Oh fandom.
Well, what else? Spangel, Spuffy, Bangel, it's all portmanteau.
Spike/Angel, duh. Spuffy and Bangel can go fuck themselves, too.
…
Yeah, those name mushes make me irrationally angry.
You know, for those of us who have worshiped at the feet of one of those ships for a dozen years or so, and lovingly adopted the label, your comment can be taken as incredibly insulting.
I also feel really bad for Xander in the scene with Spike and Angel. I mean, he's being held in place by a vampire who he THOUGHT was friendly (or at least semi-friendly) with two vampires staring at the back of his neck, offering to share him.
I'd totally be freaking the hell out if I were in that position, seriously.
Yeah, that has to be scary. Although, that scene has spawned erotic fanfiction.
…Is there a scene that HASN'T?
School Hard!!!! I was just waiting for this episode these few weeks. MARK, WELCOME TO BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
Spike. Such an interesting character. Comes in all vampy and arrogant. Melts completely as soon as Drusilla shoes herself. Continues to subvert convention for the rest of the episode. He's everything you don't expect.
I doubt you have too much to fear on the score of people calling Spike "crazy". He seems in full control of his faculties. Like others, I was actually more worried that people would use the term with Drusilla, who sometimes acts as though she is mentally ill.
Also, Spike's accent can be called "Mockney".
Spike's accent can be called "Mockney".
Well, that's quite fitting considering ur jnf n cbfu xvq sebz 19gu-praghel Ybaqba va gur svefg cynpr naq bayl jrag nyy Ovyyl Vqby nsgre Qehfvyyn ghearq uvz.
"Zbpxarl"
Vg'f nyfb svggvat, pbafvqrevat gung ur pubfr gb fcrnx yvxr guvf, gb trg evq bs uvf cbfu cnfg naq gb naabl gur uryy bhg bs Natryhf.
lol, that too. Though I think I'd have done the same too, if V'q orra nf cngurgvp va (uhzna) yvsr nf Fcvxr jnf.
V zrna, vs V unq praghevrf gb yvir naq arire ntrq, lbh pna org V'q or ervairagvat zlfrys rirel fb bsgra
Yeah, I was thinking of that, too, though of course I didn't mention it because of spoilers. Oh god, so much to discover!
Deleting this for spoilers. Vg'f abg fcryyrq bhg gung fur'f zragnyyl vyy hagvy Yvr gb Zr.
I am rolling around on my futon flailing and squealing gleefully because I watched Buffy FROM THE BEGINNING AS IT FIRST AIRED and this episode was the great big OH FUCKING YEAH THIS SHOW IS ACTUALLY A MAJOR NEW FLAVOR OF AWESOME and later I found out I was NOT AT ALL PREPARED. There was no "well, yeah, it's JOSS" when this was new. And I have never had the chance to watch someone discovering all the FUCKING AMAZEBALLS ahead and oh god so much I am looking forward to you finding out and I can't even.
Also I'm a little in love with you for your stance on that particular category of ablist slurs.
There was no "well, yeah, it's JOSS" when this was new.
This is why Buffy is still my favorite of his shows. Everything was new and shiny
There was no "well, yeah, it's JOSS" when this was new.
WE WERE NOT PREPARED.
Cebbs gung Znex vf FB abg cercnerq:
"Ur’f abg n znva punenpgre, fb ur pbhyq qvr ng nal gvzr!"
…bu qrne. Znex, lbh unir ab vqrn.
Jryy, ur jnf zrnag gb qvr unysjnl guebhtu gur frnfba, ohg gura gurl punatrq gurve zvaqf naq tbg uvz vagb n jurrypunve vafgrnq.
The way I got through Monday without watching any more Buffy you ask?
Why I went over to my sister's flat and marathoned the entire first season with her while drinking cocktails.
I think she quite enjoyed it. We watched all twelve episodes without her asking me to turn it off anyway.
Awesome! I hope you had bloody marys. 🙂
Actually it was mainly Sex on the Beach for me and White Russians for her. I…don't know what that says about us.
I think it says that y'all are welcome to come by for cocktails anytime. I need more coffee liqueur in my life.
It says that your sister would fit in well with The Dude. Can she bowl?
Things:
– Spike's smoking when he's introduced! Clearly he's evil and cool!
-Random gif:
<img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/9uqfpj.gif" alt="Dru and Spike about to kiss, then turn and look straight at the camera">
-One piece of humor I wish would cease to exist is 'hahaha guys freaking out about tampons and pads and anything to do with vaginas that don't involve sex.' Leave it out, please.
-I do like that Spike has the foresight to test the Slayer's fighting skills by getting a lackey to fight her for him.
–"Giles: Spike. That's what the other vampire called him? That's a little unorthodox, isn't it?
Buffy: Maybe he's Reform."
Hee! Love that.
– Angel, if you think Spike is so dangerous, why don't you stick around and give your pals some information so they can better prepare and protect themselves – you know, TALK TO THEM ABOUT IMPORTANT SHIT jfc I hate this trope and making Angel mysteriously and quickly disappear after dropping tiny crumbs of information does not endear him or the writing to me.
– Yay Cordy's helping out!
– I do love the gag of everyone messing with weapons, then Buffy's cutting up vegetables.
– "Cordelia – have some lemonade." Heh.
– Willow takes a vampire out with a random bust! Good for her!
– So far it seems as though black people, when they're around, tend to only be victims on this show. Not the best environment to have two slave jokes in this episode, show.
– Angel pretending to be evil is so much more interesting than his usual self. So…he deliberately chooses to have no personality the rest of the time? Anyway, the relationship between Angel and Spike is intriguing and probably my favorite part of this episode.
– Ooh, how much does Snyder know?
– I'm really glad Joyce gets to find out about more about Buffy's life; she doesn't know the truth, but she at least has some inkling of it now, and I'm glad. I hate when characters are kept in the dark for too long, so at least Joyce gets to know Buffy's a fighter. Plus, Joyce is awesome, and her knowing would just increase her awesomeness. If that's possible.
<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/f239xz.gif" alt="Joyce holding an axe and saying 'you get the hell away from my daughter!'">
– And the end of this episode is the reason why Spike is a compelling villain – fun and unpredictable.
-One piece of humor I wish would cease to exist is 'hahaha guys freaking out about tampons and pads and anything to do with vaginas that don't involve sex.' Leave it out, please.
THIS. Give me a break, it's not like it's USED, which would indeed be gross and unsanitary in the same way that used toilet paper would be.
I wish it would die in real life, too. A guy in my office freaked out when I opened a drawer in my desk and he saw my stash of tampons. UM, HI, I'm here 9 hours a day, dude. OF COURSE I HAVE A BOX OF THEM.
In high school the guy I was sitting next to minorly freaked out when one fell out of my purse, so I unwrapped it and explained to him how it worked and he ended up rather fascinated. I really wish more guys would just get over it
People really need to stop with the being embarrassed by women's things in general. The number of men who feel the need to tell me that the women's clothes/underwear/products they're buying aren't for themselves is ridiculous. I'm not judging you for buying your wife a bra! (or yourself one for that matter)
I had a boyfriend once who refused to buy *condoms* because it was "embarrassing". It was just, like "fine, we won't have sex, then"
*upvote*
There's a comedian who has an incredible outlook on the whole thing. He does a bit where, instead of being embarrassed when he has to go buy tampons for his wife, he walks through the store holding the box proudly while yelling, "I GOT A WOMAN!!!"
Well, it made me laugh.
This is why my husband is awesome. He regularly buys me whatever kind of period stuff. He just totally does not give a shit. Also, any time we're watching something and some man is grossed out by whatever, he's like GROW UP AND BE A MAN! NO WONDER YOU DON'T GET LAID.
I actually don't like it when people compare menstrual blood to feces, because they are NOT the same thing. But otherwise, yes, I agree with your comment.
I wasn't comparing it to that, actually, I know they're not the same thing. More of "you shouldn't handle this from someone else either, hello biohazard" kind of comment. Which goes for more than one thing that comes from that general area of the body. And other areas too.
Right, I mean, I agree that unused pads and tampons should not be such squick-causing things, and I think a lot of it is just ignorance. It's amazing how many dudes I've met who are just completely uneducated about how the female menstrual cycle works. And I'm like "Really? Seriously?" because I've known about this stuff since WAY before I got my first period. But either guys don't get taught, or they don't pay attention in sex-ed class…
At my school, sex-ed was divided by gender, so I don't know if the guys got taught anything about it. I'd bet that a lot of them tune it out if they DO get taught about it because of the whole perceived squick factor to them. Sigh.
Excellent gifs. Especially that first one. 🙂
I kind of think they were making Angel so mysterious so there would actually be some tension when he pretends to be on Spike's side later. Like, maybe he isn't being helpful because he's actually ~evil~. But it falls flat because the previous episodes don't support that reaction
I thought Joss did it to make him seem more like Batman. He even once commented that Ohssl'f eryngvbafuvc jvgu Evyrl va frnfba 4 jnf tbvat gb or yvxr tbvat sebz Ongzna gb Pynex Xrag. Juvpu…npphengr, VZB.
Guh, Spike's smirk in that gif is just…Why always the bad boys, self? Why not go for a reasonable mathematician or cross-country runner? Why a bleach-blonde vampire?
Angel deliberately chooses to have no personality because it is just too damn hard to brood and have personality. You just can't do it. And brooding is his #1 priority.
"Angel deliberately chooses to have no personality because it is just too damn hard to brood and have personality. You just can't do it. And brooding is his #1 priority."
Heh. That reminds me of a thread from a gaming forum (gaming as in D&D and such) about how so many bad players have the stereotypical dark brooding loner antihero who broods in the dark corner of a tavern with his hood hiding his face. That led to the creation of a guild for brooding, and tavers with scheduled brooders. And another tavern that was well lit, and round, so there wouldn't be any dark corners.
That was a random tangent, but I just love that idea of a Brooding Guild.
Ahahhaa. We were just talking about loners brooding in the dark corners of taverns with hoods hiding their faces over at Mark Reads!
Finally I was going to be seriously disappoint if I didn't see that gif, or both of them really. But esp that first one!
– Spike's smoking when he's introduced! Clearly he's evil and cool!
I always thought Joss was trying to sneak subtle anti-smoking messages into this show. Like in "Nightmares" when that one girl gets beat up by the Ugly Man when she sneaks down to the basement to smoke and they focus on the "SMOKING KILLS" sign. Evil characters (like Spike) can smoke, but the "good" characters can't smoke or else they'll have something horrible happen to them. [Gung pbzovarq jvgu "orvat oynpx ba guvf fubj zrnaf lbh'er qbbzrq" znxrf gur riraghny sngr bs Ohssl'f thvqnapr pbhafrybe cerggl cerqvpgnoyr.]
But then he kind of undermined the whole message by having Spike be awesome.
-One piece of humor I wish would cease to exist is 'hahaha guys freaking out about tampons and pads and anything to do with vaginas that don't involve sex.' Leave it out, please.
It is an annoying trope, but I do like the random humor of him having to look through Buffy's purse and the way the music changes to humor music for just a few seconds during that tense scene. Plus, it's totally in-character for Xander 😛
Qvqa'g Snvgu nyfb fzbxr va frnfba frira? V frrz gb erzrzore gung, ohg gura, V cersre gb sbetrg zbfg bs frnfba frira.
Unun, V unir ab vqrn, V'ir oybpxrq bhg f7 sebz zl zvaq gbb. Nyfb, Snvgu jrag rivy sbe n juvyr, fb V guvax fur trgf n cnff?
Fur qvq fzbxr va frnfba 7. Naq V yvxr gung frnfba!
"Angel pretending to be evil is so much more interesting than his usual self. So…he deliberately chooses to have no personality the rest of the time?"
OJNUNUNUNUNUNUN!!!!!! V tbg na vzzrafr nzbhag bs tyrr sebz gung pbzzrag.
I've been waiting so long for this episode!
First of all, Joyce hitting Spike with the fire axe is amazing. Naq vg'f uvynevbhf jura Wblpr naq Fcvxr fvg gurer njxjneqyl gnyxvat nobhg vg jura Ohssl naq Fcvxr grnz hc va gur ynfg rcvfbqr bs guvf frnfba. Tbq V arrqrq gbb znal jbeqf gb fnl gung. Also that fire ax is used in so many freaking episodes of this show.
Also, I read somewhere that the title of this episode was meant to be a reference to Die Hard, which is awesome (assuming it's true). LOVE THAT MOVIE.
Also, SPIKE. I'm a big fan of charming villains, so he's easily one of my top 5 favorite Buffy characters. <3
It is a reference to Die Hard, with Buffy crawling around in the ceiling, taking out the vampires one at a time, and trying to sneak up on Spike while saving everyone else.
re: Joyce and Spike – it's even more hilarious when ur pbzrf gb gbja ybbxvat gb xvyy Ohssl va Frnfba 3 naq qbrfa'g qb vg orpnhfr Wblpr vf bssrevat uvz ubg orirentrf naq yvfgravat gb uvz pelvat nobhg ubj Qeh yrsg uvz 🙂 🙂 🙂
Jub'q unir gubhtug orvat uvg va gur urnq jvgu na nkr jbhyq or gur fgneg bs n ornhgvshy sevraqfuvc?
*Joins the squee* SPIKE!!!!
Out of all the actors in the Whedonverse (and there are many many who I love and adore) but I honestly think David Boreanaz and James Marsters the one screen chemistry these two have is out of this world.
Pnirzra irefhf nfgebanhgf. 'Ahss fnvq.
YZSNB, gung'f bar bs gur orfg nethzragf ba n fubj RIRE. Naq V nyjnlf ybirq "Lbh xabj, V nyjnlf gubhtug lbhe cbrgel jnf cerggl tbbq." "Lbh yvxr Oneel Znavybj."
Naq, bs pbhefr, ubj pna V yrnir bhg: "Lbh'er n oybbql chccrg! Lbh'er n jrr yvggyr chccrg zna!"
HAHAHAHA. V xabj evtug? Nyfb guvf sebz N Jubyr Va Gur Jbeyq. Natry: Whfg ubyq zl unaq. Fcvxr: Fg. Crgrefohet. Natry: Gubhtug lbh'q sbetbggra.
"vg'f abg nobhg JUNG V JNAG!"
I don't know, I always thought (Angel spoiler) Qnivq Obernanm naq Puevfgvna Xnar unq znq purzvfgel gbtrgure nf Natry naq Yvaqfrl.
Qnivq naq Puevfgra jrer snagnfgvp gbtrgure gbb. Hasbeghangryl V qba'g guvax gurl tbg rabhtu fperra gvzr gbtrgure. Yvaqfnl qrfreirq n ovttre cneg gura ur unq. V jvfu ur jbhyq unir tbar bire gb Natry'f fvqr nsgre ur yrsg Jbysenz naq Uneg.
Ba gur cyhf fvqr, ur'f snagnfgvp ba Yrirentr gurfr qnlf.
V xabj! Yrirentr unf fhpu na rkpryyrag pnfg naq Ryyvbg vf fhpu n onqnff naq ubg!! kQQ
Vg jnf jrveq gb zr orpnhfr V jnf hfrq gb frrvat uvz cynl Yvaqfrl, jub'f xvaq bs n cerggl obl, fb gb unir uvz cynlvat gur fpehssl onqnff jub orngf crbcyr hc sbe n yvivat jnf n ovg bs n fubpx ng svefg :Q Abj, gubhtu, V pna'g vzntvar nalbar ryfr cynlvat gur ebyr.
Frr, V bayl inthryl erzrzorerq Yvaqfrl, fb V jrag onpx gb jngpu Puevfgvna'f rcvfbqrf NSGRE trggvat ubbxrq ba Yrirentr. GUNG jnf jrveq, rfcrpvnyyl va gur rneyl frnfbaf. 'Lbh zrna guvf gval yvggyr cvrpr bs abguvat vf tbvat gb tebj hc gb or Ryvbg Fcrapre?' V pbhyq oneryl frr gur erfrzoynapr. Bs pbhefr gura ur'q guebj n gnagehz naq V'q tb, 'bxnl, lrnu, gurer'f Ryvbg'.
Aren't they close friends IRL which is how he was cast for the show to begin with?
I've got no idea if that's how he was cast, but yeah, they were (are) definitely close friends. I think I've seen Puevfgvna fnl va vagreivrjf ubj zhpu ur ybirq trggvat gb jbex jvgu uvf orfg sevraq, rira vs ur pbhyqa'g fgnaq rneyl-frnfba Yvaqfrl. Fcrnxvat bs juvpu – ubj jrveq vf vg gb ybbx ng cerggl, sybccl-unverq yvggyr Yvaqfrl naq guvax 'gung thl vf tbvat gb tebj hc gb or Ryvbg Fcrapre'?
Jryy, Fcvxr jnf fhccbfrq gb or n bar-bss punenpgre, naq gurl pyrneyl unqa'g jbexrq bhg gur zlgubybtl lrg. Nf vg gheaf bhg, Natry jnf arire Fcvxr'f fver, nygubhtu V thrff lbh pbhyq ergpba vg nf Natry fvevat Qeh naq Qeh fvevat Fcvxr.
Fgvyy — zhpu yvxr gur znal enlf bs fhafuvar gung qba'g unez Natry va F1 — fbzrgvzrf vg'f orggre gb whfg pnfg n irvy bs xvaqarff bire gur zvfgnxrf.
Nyfb, vg jnf Knaqre jub urneq gung pbairefngvba, vvep ur qvqa'g urne nyy bs vg. Cerggl pbairavrag sbe ergpba "bbcf guvf vfa'g ubj vg ernyyl jnf!" checbfrf, ohg V qb guvax gurl rfgnoyvfurq jub jnf jubfr fver whfg n srj rcvfbqrf yngre.
Npghnyyl gurl bayl qvq va Sbby Sbe Ybir, fb vg'f ernyyl zber yvxr n srj frnfbaf yngre.
Ohg gur ovg jurer Fcvxr arrqrq Natry'f oybbq gb urny Qehfvyyn'f vyyarff orpnhfr ur (N.) jnf ure fver, jnf qbar va Frnfba 2 vgfrys.
Va n jnl vg'f nyy xvaq bs svgf. Guebhtu synfuonpxf jr frr gung Qeh perngrq uvz ohg ur gbbx genvavat sebz Natryhf o/p Qeh jnf n yvggyr ovg ( N YBG) penml gb grnpu Jvyyvnz/Fcvxr ubj gb or n inzcver
Please do not use 'crazy' on this site. Mark already explicitly stated at the end of the review that it isn't acceptable.
I didn't call her crazy!
And I don't understand why my comment was deleted, I made it quite plain that it was a question in my thoughts when I first watched that scene/the episode (i.e. not a spoiler).
Vg'f abg n zvfgnxr. "Fver" hfhnyyl zrnaf gur qverpg fver ohg pna zrna nal inzcver naprfgbe. Gur jevgref unir fnvq vg jnf nyjnlf Qehfvyyn jub znqr Fcvxr n inzcver va gurve zvaqf.
Lrf, gurl rfgnoyvfurq va Yvr gb Zr gung Natry jnf Qehfvyyn'f fver, ohg gurl qvqa'g rfgnoyvfu gung Qehfvyyn (abg Natry) jnf Fcvxr'f fver hagvy Sbby sbe Ybir.
UM.
Mark, I don't know how much power you have over what sidebar ads you get but I'm getting an ad for the 'season 9' Buffy Comic and HOLY SPOILERS BATMAN.
Vg fnlf 'Ohssl naq Fcvxr – gbtrgure ntnva' fb abj V xabj Fcvxr fheivirf gur jubyr fubj! Abg bayl gung, ohg ur pyrneyl orpbzrf abg n ivyynva ng fbzr cbvag.
So…yeah.
Ab, gung arire unccraf! Fcvxr tbrf gb gur zbba naq Ohssl orpbzrf na nfgebanhg naq Natry rngf n ybg bs cvr jvgu Qehfvyyn naq nyfb Knaqre vf gurer naq Jvyybj trgf n qbt.
Gurer, abj lbh qba'g xabj jung gur erny fcbvyref ner naq jung gur snxr barf ner! V URYCRQ!
V'q jngpu "Pbzcrgvgvir Cvr Rngvat jvgu Natryhf naq Qehfvyyn."
Now that I think about it, I have no idea why I rot13'ed the above. What the fuck could it possibly be spoiling?
Well, Natryhf still needs rot13, so good job, you!
Spike said Natryhf in this episode, though! He just … pronounced it NAtryhf instead of NaTRYhf.
yeah that was weird
Gung unccraf n ybg va gur rneyl frnfbaf, gurl qba'g ernyyl frggyr ba "naTRYhf" nf gur bssvpvny cebahapvngvba hagvy Natry trgf uvf bja fubj, VVEP.
If my rot13 reading skills are up to snuff, Natryhf was said in the episode Natry when they were learning about his past.
Gung qbrf fbhaq engure yvxr Natryhf naq Qehfvyyn… bar bs lbh trgf gb yvir, gur bgure trgf rngra, abj ba lbhe znexf, rng gung cvr!
Lrf! Naq gung'f jung gur "Ohssl naq Fcvxr – gbtrgure ntnva" cneg vf nobhg: zbba erhavba!
Oh no! I'm sorry you got spoiled!! That sucks verily.
I turned off my Adblock and the first ad I saw was for a rehab center. Uh.
LIES! It's all LIES!
Well, if it makes you feel any better, the comics really do some weird stuff with where the characters are at the end of the series. I would say you really can't draw HARD conclusions about the series from any spoilers from the comics. There's quite a bit of retconning going on. Better?
"There's quite a bit of retconning going on."
Not really, there isn't. Rkprcg sbe n penccl rcvfbqr bs Natry gung funyy abg or anzrq, juvpu vf gur Orfg.Ergpba.Rire. Jungrire ryfr unccraf va gur pbzvp, V funyy sberire ybir gurz sbe ergpbavat gur penccl rcvfbqr juvpu gur ernyyl jrveq guvat jvgu gur punenpgref, rfcrpvnyyl jvgu Ohssl orpbzvat n gebcul tveysevraq sbe Tnel Fghzbegny, juvpu jnf fghcvq naq bssrafvir nf na raqvat sbe fhpu n punenpgre.
Lrf V xabj, V jnf gelvat gb or n ovg farnxl. Nyfb, vs bar fvzcyl vf gnyxvat nobhg Ohssl naq abg Natry, gurer'f xvaqn guvf ovt guvat jurer Fcvxr jnfa'g ERNYYL qrnq, rgp. Gurer vf FBZR ergpbaavat, naq fbzr bs vg pbzrf sebz Natry ergpbaavat Ohssl.
Plus, comics resurrect characters all the time. Nobody ever dies in comics. So don't assume that anyone mentioned in the comics actually survived the show…
Not so fun fact: I got majorly spoiled for a pretty major event in season 2 by an ad for a Buffy comic in the back of an unrelated comic I was reading >:(
Never assume you know something that will happen on the show based on what happens in one of the comic books. You'll probably be wrong. Most of the comics are so wildly out of canon it's not funny.
…And now I have a yenning for some slash of Spike, Angel, with a little Xander thrown in. 😡
Cordelia, still so fierce. HORRAY SHE APPRECIATES JOYCE TOO though in a superficial foundation-appreciation way.
I was always more a fan of throwing Willow in with that duo. 😉
I used to read spander, but I've more and more lost interest in it. I often get the feeling that even though most spander fics focus on Xander, very few spander fans actually seem to like or even be able to stand the actual canonical Xander. It's like the real flawed and multidimensional Xander gets pushed aside to turn him into a total Gary Stu.
It's the same reason I've lost all interest in any and all Xander centric crossovers…
I can't wait until you're finished with this series and someday down the road you're rewatching this episode and you'll just lose your shit with all of the love and adoration and excitement that comes with seeing the first moment Spike appears on-screen. You'll be all "jfvndfjvhgujfdhgdkjffjfdhjdhgbshwe!!!!!!"
Wow, now the ad banners on this site are hell-bent on spoiling Mark! Seriously?
There are a few episodes from my childhood that I can remember. This is the first one. The vampires smashing through the window is just so cool that the image has stayed with me for ages. It's also such a really fun episode with lots of death, jokes, death, more jokes, more death and JOYCE<3333 yay for joyce. I've only recently found out that anointed one got fried because of puberty which made me LOL and feel bad for him all the same time but it does show Spike to be the ultimate badass.
Lots of good jokes but Willow asking Cordelia to pray for aspirin and she's halfway through it before she notices is one of the best ones! 😀
PS. My advert is telling me to buy property. I'M TOO SKINT TO BUY PROPERTY, GO AWAY YOU RUB-IT-IN-YOUR-FACE-ADVERTS. 🙁
I've only recently found out that anointed one got fried because of puberty
Ahaha, seriously? Can't blame them, though, he's supposed to be a vampire. It's a lot harder to handwave the adult vamp actors aging than it is with a kid going through puberty!
Hmm, my advent is telling me to buy a $400 soccer shoe. Strange.
Neat bit about Dry: she's played by Juliet Landau, the daughter of Martin Landau, who won an Oscar for playing Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood. She also had a small role there as Loretta King, the star of Bride of the Monster who infamously claimed to be allergic to all liquids. So it's pretty funny after seeing her suck blood.
I remember reading that somewhere, years ago. It's also funny that they dress her like a Victorian child here, it's almost begging for the comparison to be made.
Is it Victorian? Her dress always looks more Regency to me.
It looks like some kind of Victorian-era nightgown to me, which I guess has similarities with Regency dressup.
Ah Spike, how awesome you are.
I was excited for the character from his very first line of this episode. It is still one of the bits I think of when Spike comes to mind.
Well, that and… Gur jnl ur qrfpevorf jung ur yvxrf nobhg gur jbeyq va gur svanyr. Gurer vf ybgf gb yvxr nobhg uvz va frnfba 2 ohg gubfr fgnaq bhg.
I cannot wait for you to complete this season.. Abj yrnivat Fhaalqnyr. Pbzr onpx fbba!
Also "V znl or ybir'f ovgpu, ohg ng yrnfg V'z zna rabhtu gb nqzvg vg"
V yvxr gur jnl vg cynlf jvgu traqre rkcrpgngvbaf.
Npghnyyl, nyy hfrf bs "ovgpu" ba guvf fubj ner engure vagrerfgvat naq cbjreshy. Sebz Fcvxr gurer gb Knaqre'f "ovgpn?" gb Ohssl fubhgvat vg ng Natry va "V Bayl Unir Rlrf Sbe Lbh" naq Pbeql'f erpynzngvba bs vg va "Ebbz j/ n Ih". Gur jevgref cynl jvgu vg va vagrerfgvat jnlf.
/gnatrag
GUVF VF TBVAT GB OR N FHCRE SHA, HCYVSGVAT FRNFBA.
You have no idea.
Own observations:
– Snyder, you so loathsome (this comment goes for each and every line he utters, naturally)
– ahaha, lol tv bad girls
– and… really… what else to say but SPIKE!
– stop talking and make room on the screen for SPIKE!
– oh Drusilla, gurer'f abg zhpu V pna fnl nobhg lbh jvgubhg orvat fcbvyrel
– ahaha, James Marsters, what was that tough?
– ironic segue fairy to the call!
– low blow, Joyce, playing the disappointment card. And honestly, the writing is a bit too clunky for me here with “I have a job”
– Jenny and Rupert SQUEE
– aww, hungover in school, I totally get you there, Sheila … wait, is she going for hungover or burnt out here?
– SMG speaking French. oh. dear. this show and languages *twitch*
– Buffy, I’m disappoint that you forgot a stake. Just for the sake of a tampon joke?
– according to etymonline, mace comes from Latin mateola ‘mallet’ via French, Willow!
– eeehehehe, Willow’s faces in that scene
– for some reason, Cordy’s assholish glee about Buffy being in trouble with her mum really rubs me the wrong way
– woo, Buffy takes charge awesome
– hee, Anne Rice bashing
– NOT MY DAUGHTER
– aww, bonding over… axing a guy in the head – Sunnydale bonding!
– Jung’f n fver? Abg fbzrguvat gur jevgref jrer dhvgr fher :C
– and DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN re: Sunnydale authorities
– aw, Joyce is so proud of her daughter … fighting a gang … on PCP … off successfully. Sweet? Stupid? idek
– and finally his fanon nickname makes an appearance in the Annoying One’s last scene fuuuuuuck
– first sunlight death in the series, I think? anyways, awesome, he’s dust 😀 😀
– ILU Spike
German title for this one is Elternabend mit Hindernissen – Parent-Teacher Night with Troubles. The Die Hard reference gets lost; those movies were Stirb Langsam 'Die Slowly' over in these 'ere parts, btw.
At least Buffy is supposed to be awful at French?
The scene wasn't just about the tampon joke. It's the juxtaposition of the yo-yo with the tampon. Childhood and womanhood. Growing up. It's a theme. Xander's just acting (annoyingly) in character
I like your inclusion of the German titles. They're quite amusing
V nyfb guvax vg vf n avpr cnenyyry gb jung Fcvxr gryyf Ohssl va frnfba svir nobhg n fynlre nyjnlf arrqvat gb ernpu sbe gurve jrncba, juvyr n inzcver qbrfa'g.
Gung naq uvf pbzcyrgr jvyyvatarff gb svtug *jvgubhg* jrncbaf va gur svany fprar. Ur jbhyq unir jba, gbb, vs Wblpr unqa'g fubja hc. Ur'f n ybg pensgvre guna ur frrzf naq vfa'g nobir na hasnve svtug.
"Buffy, I’m disappoint that you forgot a stake. Just for the sake of a tampon joke?
The tampons tie in to Spike's later "I smell the blood of a nice, ripe girl"…
creepy
YOU ARE NOT PREPARED.
; ) But we don't know that yet, which makes it rather more awesome when we do find out.
Needs more discussion of Drusilla, tbh 🙂 One of my favourite little moments in this entire show is the moment Dru walks into the room for the first time and Spike, who we have only seen in his big bad vamp face, turns around and immediately goes human-faced.
V nz cebonoyl ovnfrq orpnhfr V unir fcrag fbzr gvzr bire-nanylfvat Fcvxr/Qeh ohg gur zbfg vzcbegnag guvat nobhg uvf punenpgre gb zr vf nyernql cerfrag va gung zbzrag; ur ybirf svrepryl, naq vf ragveryl hayvxr n inzcver va gung ertneq.
Ur ybirf svrepryl, ohg ur nyfb ybirf frysvfuyl. Naq ur vf ragveryl yvxr n inzcver va gung ertneq.
Lrf, irel zhpu fb. "Jr pna ybir dhvgr jryy, vs abg jvfryl".
Lrnu, V zrnag gung gur snpg gung ur ybirf ng nyy vf ragveryl hayvxr 99 creprag bs gur inzcverf jr zrrg. Gur jnl ur ybirf vf pbzcyrgryl inzcver-yvxr.
Spike is such an amazing antagonist/villain here. He just bursts onto the screen and is so full of life, is so well drawn, that you can't help but find him compelling. Or I can't, anyway. I just find him such a fascinating character, and I think one of the main things is that while he does all this terrible, awful shit, you almost just a little want to like him. He's funny! Kinda charming! And then WHAM OH MY GOD WHAT IS HE DOING STOP. It's fantastic.
The other main reason this episode is fantastic is basically that Joyce has an axe. Everything else pales next to the concept of Joyce having an axe for me, that is just the greatest image.
Naq vg frgf hc bar bs gur shaavrfg yvarf rire yngre.
PROBABLY, but I never delved into Buffy fanfic before, so I don't know where to start.
I'm so laaaaate. (But I was out shopping and got a great deal on some Lush bath products, so it was worth it.)
Omg. I have been waiting so long for Mark to get to this episode. I love it so very much. Ok, the premise of “Buffy must host the parent-teacher night or else she’ll be EXPELLED” is kind of silly, but WHATEVER. I still love a lot of things that this episode chooses to be. Also, SPIKE! I enjoy him a lot. Before I dive into the Spike, Drusilla, and Angel part of the episode, I just wanted to talk a bit about Buffy and Joyce in this episode.
I think that scene between Buffy and Joyce in Buffy’s bedroom is pretty great. (Although I must first sympathize with Buffy about spending a chunk of money on a cream rinse that is neither creamy nor rinsey because I recently did the same. Woe.) Joyce acknowledges that school isn’t the be all and end all of life, but at the same time it IS important at Buffy’s age and that’s just the way things are. It does make sense that Joyce would initially believe Snyder, given Buffy’s history. But I LOVE that in the end Joyce sees how things really are and supports her daughter. The moment where Joyce knocks Spike out with an ax is brilliant (yvggyr qvq gurl xabj gung va n srj fubeg lrnef gurl’q orpbzr fbnc jngpuvat ohqqvrf).
Spike is a really fun character who brings a whole other dynamic to the show. Last season, the vampires generally took themselves super seriously and played the horror tropes pretty straight, but one of Spike’s first lines is, “If all the vampires who said they were at the crucifixion were actually there, it would have been like bloody Woodstock.” He takes things a lot less seriously than The Master did, but he’s killed two Slayers in the past, potentially making him a real threat to Buffy. Spike showed he isn’t someone to mess with, the way he baited Buffy into fighting in order to study her technique. And he’s not an idiot either. I loved it when he saw through Angel’s scheme. That scene is pretty great by the way and gives a bit of insight into what Angel might have been like before he got his soul back.
Then we have Drusilla. Drusilla seems to speak in riddles and cryptic messages. She a fun character in that she seems childlike with her dolls and her general demeanor, but don’t mistake her for a tame creature. She will kill and feed. Spike and Dru seem to have real affection for each other which is something we haven’t seen from other souless vampires (except for possibly Darla and her concern for Angel).
I love that this episode ends with Spike just getting rid of the Anointed One like it’s no big while saying “From now on we’re going to be having a little less ritual and a little more fun around here,” which I think is symbolic of the tonal shift in this episode. There’s this big deal made about St. Vigis' day which seems to feel a lot like a season 1 plot with The Harvest and all, but then this episode is like “nope, we’re not going to do that” and instead Spike attacks Buffy the day before St Vigius’s Day. Gb zr guvf fvtavsvrf gur punatr sebz n zber zlfgvpvfz-vashfrq, ubeebe-gebcr onfrq fubj jurer gur pbasyvpgf pbzr sebz na haxabjnoyr Ovt Onq gb n fubj jurer gur pbasyvpgf ner zber vagrecrefbany juvpu znxrf frafr fvapr gur Ovt Onq guvf frnfba vf Natryhf naq vg vf IREL crefbany.
Also, there’s some really genuinely amusing bits in this episode, like Giles turning “You’re the Slayer” into “You’re all slaves to the TV” when Snyder walked by. Or when Willow calls attention to how Buffy and Angel’s age difference means in terms of their difference in experiences (by saying if he only went on two dates a year that’d still be 400 dates) and then is all “…oh look a mace! Why do they call it a mace?” Oh and of course, Cordelia pointing out that if Spike is as ruthless as they all say, Buffy’s in trouble- but Cordy’s still rooting for Buffy!
"Spike and Dru seem to have real affection for each other which is something we haven’t seen from other souless vampires (except for possibly Darla and her concern for Angel). "
Jryy, abg rknpgyl. Gurer'f Wnzrf naq Ryvmnorgu jvgu gurve BGG 300-lrnef ybat ebznapr. Gur Tbepu oebguref frrzrq gb pner nobhg rnpu bgure, Ylyr fnvq ur nyjnlf gbbx pner bs Grpgbe jura gurl jrer uhznaf naq jura gurl jrer inzcverf. Unezbal jnf urnq bire urryf va ybir jvgu Fcvxr, naq frrzrq gb srry fbzr pbzcnffvba sbe Serq naq Jrfyrl. Rira gur Znfgre fubjrq fbzr sngureyl nssrpgvba naq tevrs bire Qneyn'f qrngu.
"by saying if he only went on two dates a year that’d still be 400 dates) and then is all “…oh look a mace! Why do they call it a mace?” "
Fur'f jebat, gubhtu. Sbe zbfg bs gur svefg 150 lrnef ur bayl "qngrq" Qneyn naq fbeg bs, hz, "qngrq" Qehfvyyn (encvat uvf ivpgvzf qbrfa'g pbhag, V thrff… gubhtu vs V jrer Jvyybj naq Ohssl, vg'f gur ynggre cneg V'q or sne zber qvfgheorq ol, abg gur "qngvat") naq gura qvqa'g qngr nalbar sbe 100 lrnef.
V xabj. V jnf whfg gnyxvat nobhg jung jr unq frra hc gb GUVF CBVAG va gur fubj orpnhfr V guvax Fcvxr naq Qeh'f eryngvbafuvc naq nssrpgvba vf cneg bs gur ynetre fuvsg va gbar sebz ubeebe gebcrf gb crefbany pbasyvpgf.
Nf gb lbhe frpbaq cneg, jryy lrnu. Bs pbhefr Jvyybj vf jebat, ohg fur qbrfa'g xabj gung. V whfg gubhtug vg jnf na nzhfvat zbzrag, gubhtug vg qbrf oevat hc gur snpg gung Natry unf unq fb zhpu zber yvsr rkcrevrapr guna Ohssl juvpu vf fbzrguvat V qba'g guvax Ohssl unf ERNYYL pbafvqrerq.
The Master was also very fond of Darla, though not romantically. He described her as his "favourite", and was very upset when she got dusted.
Ok, the premise of “Buffy must host the parent-teacher night or else she’ll be EXPELLED” is kind of silly
I kind of got the impression that Snyder was really just bullshitting at this point to mess with Buffy. I don't think he could really have used that as an excuse to kick her out, but when you're 16 you kind of take what your teachers say for granted.
Although I must first sympathize with Buffy about spending a chunk of money on a cream rinse that is neither creamy nor rinsey because I recently did the same. Woe.
It sucks to spend a lot of money on a hair product only to discover it doesn't work very well. Then you have a mostly-full bottle of something you'll never use and can't exactly donate to Goodwill. ANYWAY
[Gung ovg nobhg Natry'f qngvat rkcrevrapr whfg penpxf zr hc, orpnhfr V'ir frra nyy gur synfuonpx rcvfbqrf naq ur jnfa'g rknpgyl QNGVAT sbe gjb uhaqerq lrnef.]
Does that exist?
You do know which fandom you're asking about, right? 😉 OF COURSE IT EXISTS. (on livejournal or dreamwidth, very likely, but it exists)
I've always liked how they play up Spike's shortness in comparison to the other hulking vampires, how it's not about him giving them orders because he's physically imposing but because he's a natural leader.
Also, I never get tired of his liking weapons, "because they make me feel so manly" (with appropriate gesture).
James Marsters is so good at staring down (not literally, obviously) people much taller than him. Znxrf zr guvax bs Fcvxr/Evyrl pbasebagngvbaf va frnfba 5.
"home sweet home!"
SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok…i'm calm. i could quote spike all day, but i won't because everything he says is pure gold. GOLD.
this is where the series takes off for me. spike and dru come and fuck shit up. the anointed one? with his old school pomp and circumstance? DEAD. BOOM. DEAL WITH IT. spike doesn't play by anyone's rules but his own. instead of the somewhat stuffy and overdone villains we have dealt with up to this point, we now we have two goddamn rock stars.
that shot of those two touching foreheads and turning to face the camera will never not be EPIC.
i love you, spike and dru. i love you.
ok, just one other quote:
"I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. I fed off a flower person and I spent the next six hours watchin' my hand move."
I love this episode…Dru! Spike! Joyce with her ax!
I don't know how Mark does it one episode at a time. I started season one when he started reviewing and am now on season four…oops. Although I only got through half of season three before Hulu changed seasons on me. I could've sworn I owned season three but after tearing my house apart came to the conclusion it's the one season I don't have.
Guess who'll be headed to the flea market to get season three this weekend?
I'd never watched Avatar when he started watching it, read the first episode review and thought "you know, this actually sounds pretty interesting". That was on a Friday I believe and I'd watched the final 4 parter by the Monday. That was a pretty fun weekend.
(My thoughts on this episode are going to be a bit scattered. I had too much fun one day and actually managed to get a couple weeks ahead of Mark's viewing schedule, so my thoughts on this one are less than fresh. But hey! I finally got a wordpress account!)
1.) SPIKE SPIKE SPIKE SPIKE! So much nostalgia for this villain. In this episode alone, he's so much more fun than the Master in my opinion (though I did enjoy how corny the Master could be). His ego and complete confidence are so fascinating to me, as is his inability to give a damn. His relationship with Drusilla is also about as close to adorable as a vampire couple could ever get, which is weird to say since they're both evil monsters, but that's why I love it. Yvxr bguref unir fnvq, V guvax Fcvxr va gur rneyvre frnfbaf vf jevggra orggre guna ur vf yngre ba, naq zhpu rnfvre gb yvxr nf jryy. Ohg, V nqzvg gung rira gubhtu V erpbtavmr ubj zhpu orggre ur jnf nf n punenpgre ng guvf fgntr va uvf qrirybczrag, V arire jnf noyr gb fgbc rawblvat uvz. Nsgre "gung" rcvfbqr va frnfba fvk, V jnagrq gb orng uvz va gur snpr jvgu fbzrguvat urnil naq oyhag sbe dhvgr n ybat gvzr, ohg sbe fbzr ernfba V svaq vg irel uneq gb shyyl ungr nal punenpgref va guvf svpgvbany havirefr. Sbe Fcvxr, vg pbhyq or gung zl oenva fgvyy vfa'g fher vs gur Fcvxr va gung fprar naq gur Fcvxr jub pbzrf onpx va frnfba frira rira pbhag nf orvat gur fnzr crefba. V'yy rynobengr zber ba gung yngre. Vg pbhyq whfg or gung V whfg qba'g unir gur novyvgl gb ungr zbfg bs gur punenpgref perngrq ol Wbff Jurqba, orpnhfr hfhnyyl, V pna fgvyy rawbl gurz sebz n "V svaq guvf vaqvivqhny snfpvangvat" crefcrpgvir. Ntnva, V'yy gnyx zber nobhg guvf yngre jura jr trg gb fbzr bs gur yrff cbchyne punenpgref.
2.) YAY, Joyce being a badass! I recall wanting to jump up and do a cheer for her when she hit Spike with the axe. For my sake I'm glad I didn't, because it would have been very silly and my sister would have too much fun telling her friends about it.
3.) "Lbh jrer zl fver" Wait……what? PBAGVAHVGL, WBFF! Guvf fprar jnf fb jrveq gb erjngpu xabjvat gung, nccneragyl, Wbff punatrq uvf zvaq naq qrpvqrq vg fubhyq or Qeh vafgrnq.
Va zl snajnaxl jnl, V unaqjnir gung ol fnlvat gung juvyr Qeh znl unir znqr uvz, Natry jnf hz…n ybg fnare guna ure naq guhf gbbx ba gur npghny ebyr bs 'fver' nsgre gung. Qeh sbetrgf gb srrq oveqf, V nz fher Fcvxr jbhyq unir orra frevbhfyl artyrpgrq nf n syrqtr yby
Bu, gung'f npghnyyl xvaq bs fnq. Vg znxrf frafr gubhtu. Fcvxr qbrf frrz gb gnxr pner bs Qeh zber guna fur gnxrf pner bs uvz, fb lbh pbhyq or evtug nobhg gung. Gubhtu V qb guvax Qeh zvtug cnl zber nggragvba gb Fcvxr guna ure oveqf fvapr fur cvpxrq uvz bhg nf 'fcrpvny' sbe urefrys, fb V qba'g guvax fur jbhyq unir vtaberq uvz pbzcyrgryl.
V nyjnlf snajnax vg gb or gung Qehfvyyn gheaf Jvyyvnz ohg vg'f bayl haqre Natryhf gung ur orpbzrf Fcvxr, fb va gung jnl gurl obgu fverq uvz.
Lrnu gurfr crbcyr unir vg evtug, ur rira fnlf "lbh jrer zl Lbqn, zna". Bov Jna fgnegrq Yhxr orpbzvat n Wrqv ol sbezvat gur vqrn va uvf urnq naq gryyvat uvz nobhg gurz. Lbqn qvq gur npghny genvavat naq znqr uvz n Wrqv. Qeh ghearq Jvyyvnz ohg Natry jnf onfvpnyyl gur urnq bs gurve yvggyr snzvyl naq ur gbbx Fcvxr haqre uvf jvat naq gnhtug uvz ubj gb or n zbafgre.
– SPIKE AND DRUSILLA!
– He he, I love the cut to Buffy struggling to brush her hair after Dru has said something along the lines of, "she's strong." I think that it perfectly demonstrates Buffy's character, sure she can fight vampires and whatever other beasts she faces, but when it comes to her hair and non-creamy rinses, she's in trouble.
– I love Spike and Dru's entrance, knocking over the Sunnydale sign in a battered car and swaggering out while rock music plays. Also he's smoking, not sure if smoking would have any effect on Vamps, my head-canon is that it doesn't and he just does it because he thinks that it looks cool 😀
– Drusilla is so delightfully creepy, I love how she maintains an aura of innocence and power at the same time.
– Spike is such a great villain! I love his unpredictability, it's so much more interesting than the vampires all following strict rituals and prophecies. He says that he's going to show up one day, then gets bored and just crashes Parent Teacher night. He says that he's going to 'play nice' with the Annoying One, and instead gets fed up and kills him.
– Once again, Joyce Summers is amazing. That is all.
I am SO EXCITED you finally got to Spike and Dru. I know you can't really prepare yourself for what's ahead, but just enjoy the ride.
Ohyesohyesohyes.
Lbh xabj, gur erq nk urer erzvaqf zr bs gur ERQ NK BS FYNLRE QRFGVAL.
OMG Mark, I COULD NOT HANDLE the suspense of waiting for you to get to this episode. ( I feel like that about a LOT of episodes) What made this one special however was that this is the VERY FIRST episode of "Buffy" that I REALLY enjoy. When I pick episodes for re-watch I never pick anything before this. It's a real turning point for a show that, from this point on, is constantly evolving and re-inventing itself.
With that said, you have SO MUCH to look forward too. I"M JEALOUS! I think my initial reaction to Spike was about the same as yours. I thought he was an interesting, dispensable villain. I don't feel that my first impression was too strong, especially since I was actually unspoiled for once.I didn't even know any BTVS fans at the time so I had no clue he was popular in the fandom and stuff. I always spoil stuff for myself. I admire your incredible resilience.
BTW, I'm new here so could someone PLEASE EXPLAIN to me the comments with all the random letters that look like "higduyg hudhejd jjsjsa". I assume they are some sort of code used to talk about spoilers? If so, someone please tell me so I can take part!
Love this ep, great comedy, AWESOME new character intros, a step up from everything that came before IMHO! Happy watching!
Also, I'm not totally clear on what counts as a spoiler would saying "Good stuff coming up this week!" count as a spoiler, hypothetically speaking?
http://rot13.com/index.php Plug your comments in there, and it makes them or unmakes them code. Copy paste ftw!
The code is Rot13, and yes, it's what we use to talk about spoilers. Just go to Rot13.com and paste the text into the box and cypher it. You can type in your own spoilery comments in there and have it translate into the Rot13 code too. And yeah, giving any indication as to what the quality of any upcoming episodes will be counts as a spoiler. You can read more here (http://markreads.net/reviews/about/).
Augh, coding fail. The link to the spoiler policy is this http://markreads.net/reviews/about/
To answer your last question, yes that would count as a spoiler. It's called an "expectation spoiler". The full spoiler policy can be read by clicking the link near the top of every Mark Watches page that says Site Rules / Spoiler Policy.
I particularly love the line that goes something like "It's about time there was a little less RITUAL and a little more FUN around here!"
Not only is it a great line on it's own, but does anyone else, looking back, see it as a sort of MISSION STATEMENT for the future of the show.
It's like, we're living behind the traditional vampires and more simplistic plots of Season 1 behind so that SHIT CAN GET REAL ( and be TOTALLY FUN)
Oh gosh, Season 2 is just REVOLUTIONARY for the show. So many twists and turns! Mark is NOT PREPARED. Then again, I don't think it's POSSIBLE to be prepared!
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hm, that didn't wrap. SSSSPPPPIIIKKKEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
Like almost everybody else I've been counting the days till you got to this episode, because IT IS AWESOMENESS PERSONIFIED. This episode ratchets the show into another level altogether, and not just because of Spike and Dru. So many quotable lines, so much comedy (Willow and Cordy in the closet! Sheila's boyfriend! Even the tiny bits are good.)
And, if you hadn't realised yet, you are so very much not prepared.
That near-kiss is, according to Marsters, why he got the job. Juliet Landau did the screen test with him and they came up with the idea of turning to face the camera at the last moment together – not a directorial decision. Marsters had a lot of stage experience and it showed.
Spike just makes episodes light up for me. It's not just about those cheekbones, (though can I just mention, unggghh, how is that man so pretty?) – the acting always goes up a notch, whoever he is with.
Fb rkpvgrq sbe jung vf pbzvat. Znex'f qrqhpgvbaf ner FB PHGR! Ubj znal qnlf gb Natryhf?
"…the acting always goes up a notch, whoever he is with."
THIS. he brings out the best in everyone else. if you want to steal the scene from james, you better work.
SPIKE'S INTRODUCTION!!!!
Mark, you are Not Prepared.
More than the Star Wars reference, I love that Spike quotes Shakespeare within about five minutes of his introduction ("I'll chop her into messes" is from Othello), and that he manages to work it so well into his own conversation with Dru, as well. Good job with that, writers. The Shakespeare reference gives a nice, subtle rounding-out feeling to his character, especially so early in his (un)life on the series, that more recent pop culture references don't usually convey.
Aha! I remember noticing that he was literary – we have references to Uncle Tom as well as the Shakespeare, plus of course the more modern ones – Yoda and Anne Rice.
Okay, I love this episode so hard. Not just because of James fucking Marsters, but – Jesus, it's just good. It's like watching television gods come down from on high and kick some solid complacency ass. Snyder is part of a conspiracy! Joyce is a badass like her daughter! Willow is fiesty! Xander and Cordelia are funny people! And Spike! Spike, Spike, Spike! Best entrance ever, what with the hung lantern and the rock score and the leather duster. Everything I could say about Spike has already been said, but… yeesh. He is so goddamn compelling. And Druscilla – she's like, super creepy in this weird, sexy, beautiful way.
Nyfb, vf gurer n zrgn ba gur erq sver nkr gung Wblpr hfrf urer naq gur fplgur ng gur raq bs frnfba frira? Be nz V whfg snajnaxvat gb gur agu qrterr, orpnhfr V jnag gb oryvrir vg'f abg whfg pbvapvqrapr gung Wblpr vf ng ure zbfg svrepr jura fur'f fjvatvat guvf guvat yvxr Ohssl vf ng gur raq bs gur fubj, ohg… V zvtug or jvfushy guvaxvat.
Mark, you are so not prepared.
"THIS IS GOING TO BE A SUPER FUN, UPLIFTING SEASON."
Oh, Mark.
Ohhhh, Mark.
Bayl gb Natry'f cravf.
I super love this episode!! YAY JOYCE SUMMERS!!!
Spike and Drusilla are the best~ But I'm still waiting for you to get to Season 3.
Would it be considered a spoiler to say what a sire is? I believe it is a common word in vampire lore, but I am not sure and don't want to accidentally spoiler Mark.
Buffyverse in general fills me with conflicting emotions but ESPECIALLY Spike. You are just so not prepared.
*side note* I keep cheating and wiki'ing random plot lines. Seriously like ridiculously small things that I forget… I'm so excited for this entire process and I need to stop cheating.
I'm super late to this so I'll just reiterate a few things others said.
Spike and Dru's intro scene here is one of my favourite things on the entire run of the show.
Cordelia's helping!
Willows tights are phenomenal. Also I don't think I was offended by anybody's clothes this episode. The dancing was something else though.
Joyce is awesome and Jenny is hot but what else is new? Oh right apparently Snyder knows more than he lets on but he's still not giving Buffy the benefit of the doubt at all? Or maybe he thinks that delinquent teenagers are somehow responsible for demon activity? HMMM.
[This is Robin, I finally got around to getting an account so I could edit posts.]
Spike and Dru!!! <3 <3 <3
I had all of these comments from rewatching the episode last night and then my computer restarted WITHOUT MY PERMISSION and I lost them. Oh well, such is life.
So I just I'll just say that I love the inclusion of Spike. The addition of Spike is important not just because his character is very fun to watch, but because he's such a PERSON. Here's a vampire who isn't just a growling monster to be staked or a string of prophesy and traditional villain monologues. He displays emotions towards his girlfriend and he seems like you could have actual conversations with him.
He's smart and crafty, and the reason he seems like such an immediate threat is that he wields some of Buffy's power as his own. In season 1 we had Buffy's humor, irreverence, and unconventionality vs The Master's ancient traditionalism. He and his minions didn't understand her quips and couldn't predict her behavior, because they were basically from different planets. But now… if Spike is unlike any vampire that Buffy has seen before, it's likewise true that Buffy seems to be unlike any slayer Spike has heard of.
Gung'f jul V svaq vg irel irel svggvat gung Natry raqf hc orvat gur hygvzngr zranpr bs Frnfba 2 vafgrnq bs Fcvxr. Rira jura svefg jngpuvat guvf frnfba nf vg nverq, V nyjnlf jnagrq Fcvxr naq Ohssl jrer gb rfgnoyvfu fbzr xvaq bs haqrefgnaqvat, srryvat yvxr gurl jrer fbzrubj bs gur fnzr xvaq. Obgu bs gurve jrnxarff' orvat gurve nggnpuzragf gb bguref, ohg gung nyfb orvat gurve fgeratgu – jung yraqf gurz gurve cnffvba, hacerqvpgnoyl, naq qrgrezvangvba. Obgu qnevat gb or qvssrerag, abg znqr sbe gurve erfcrpgvir ebyrf ohg univat gb qrny jvgu gurz naljnl naq qbvat guvatf gurve bja jnl.
Lrf! V srry gung hygvzngryl gubfr pber fvzvynevgvrf ner jul gurl pna arire dhvgr xvyy rnpu bgure. V qba'g fuvc gurz, ohg V qb ernyyl rawbl gurve qlanzvp jura gurl'er nyyvrf. Vg'f rira zber vagrerfgvat, orpnhfr uhzna!Jvyyvnz naq Ohssl cer-Pnyyvat ner cerggl zhpu cbyne bccbfvgrf, ohg jura gurl tnva fhcreangheny cbjre, gur jnl gurl qrny jvgu vg punatrf gurz naq znxrf gurz gurfr shaqnzragnyyl fvzvyne crbcyr.
I love what you say there. I felt the same way even when first watching season 2. I always thought they kind of had so much in common, as well as really great chemistry.
Rule 34. That's all I have to say.
I have been waiting for days for Mark to post on one of my favorite episodes in the complete series……SPIKE AND DRU…..oh you are so not ready……the best part of this whole effort is sharing it with someone who sees it fresh….at times when I have not see an episode of BTVS for a while, I wonder if it was as good as I remembered…It is every time. A slayer with family and friends…….WTH…….Joyce best mom ever and Willow being snarky to Cordy…..so much fun.
SPIKE! Honestly, this is one of the few things I already knew about this show: there is a vampire named Spike with bleached hair and he does…. stuff. That's it. Though I thought he started at the beginning in season one. So I've been WAITING for Spike. Cause he's played by James Marsters, who I love because he is the voice of Harry Dresden.
But now, on to more important things: WHY DID HE KILL THE KID?!! FUCK THIS SHOW! I liked baby vampire! He isn't really dead? Right?He'll come back, right? *cries*
And did Principal Quark seem to KNOW about the vampires and cover it up? Hrmm….
They kind of had to kill the kid. The child actor grew a lot during the hiatus between filming seasons one and two, and vampires can't grow older, so they killed him off quickly this season and had him sit down for most of the scenes he did have to draw attention away from the change in his height.
Yeah… I know. They always have to step lightly around child actors or make up random strange plot holes for them: i.e. Walt.
But I liked the kid! 🙁
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALT!
"Walt, you grew 3 feet and a beard! Good thing it's like 4 years in the future!"
THAT'S WHY HE'S ALWAYS SITTING DOWN! I wondered!
SCHOOL HARD! We've been waiting for you to get to this one, Mark.
Xander jinxed it! Something bad is going to happen! LOL Xander your Hawaiian shirt is amazingly bad.
SPIKE OMG he drives over the sign and then has combat books and he's SMOKING so you know he's a bad guy. He's such a rock star. He's just like "LOL YOU WEREN'T AT THE CRUCIFIXION."
I'm not British so I can't speak to the accuracy, but I adore James Marsters's British accent, and whenever I see/hear him speaking in real life I'm all unsettled because he's American.
"Everything I put in the ground withers and dies." Way to lighten the mood, Drusilla.
I love the little scene with Xander looking through Buffy's bag for a stake. Random moment of comedy in the middle of a tense scene.
Sheila is "crazy about a Cad"? I'm sorry, that cracked me up. It just doesn't seem like something ANYONE would say, let alone a late-90s high-schooler.
"A little unorthodox isn't it?" "Maybe he's Reform!" I JUST GOT THAT
I do love how much Spike LOVES Drusilla. He's so tender towards her. Unlike other vamps, he seems to have actual, unselfish feelings for another person. It adds an interesting dimension to his character and to the show's vampire mythos in general.
Hey, Cordelia is whittling stakes with them! She's totally part of the group now!
"Even slaves get minimum wage!" LOL Cordelia.
"Cordelia! Have some lemonade." I love Willow.
"I'm beginning to see a certain mother-daughter resemblance." Me too–in that they're both AWESOME.
"People still fall for that Anne Rice routine?" That's why I love Spike–he's genre-savvy.
My roommate pointed out that Spike choosing to act on Parent-Teacher Night instead of the Feast of St Vigeous shows how smart he is. The Feast night will make HIM strong, but he knows the important thing is to attack when Buffy's at HER most vulnerable. The dude HAS killed two Slayers before–he knows his stuff.
"Do we really need weapons for this?" "I just like them. They make me feel all manly." Hee.
["Ab, Fcvxr. Vg'f tbaan uheg n ybg." Vf vg whfg gur fuvccre va zr, be vf gurer n ybg bs purzvfgel tbvat ba orgjrra gurz va guvf fprar? Gurl cynl bss rnpu bgure fb jryy.]
"You get the hell away from my daughter." YEAH JOYCE! <3333 BEST MOM EVER
"I told him not to go through that window." You suck, Snyder.
"Gang-related, PCP?" SNYDER KNOWS, YOU GUYS. SNYDER KNOWS.
"Oh, at least a week and a half!" "Very cool!" I LOVE THEM.
"A slayer with family and friends. That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure." And this is why Buffy is awesomer than other Slayers.
Since THE MOMENT THE DUDE SHOWED UP I have been holding back from calling him The Annoying One, Mark, you have no idea. I hate that kid. And then Spike gives him a glorious nickname, but we will never get a chance to use it again because HE KILLED THE KID. THANK YOU SPIKE.
Mark I LOL'd when you predicted that the Anointed One was going to be the major villain for this season. YOU WERE SO UNPREPARED. 😀
"he drives over the sign and then has combat books"
This just makes me hella sad that I do not possess combat books.
(Sorry. Had to.)
Also the required generic "hard" guitar music to signal that a badass is coming.
Yes that cadillac line is so bloody weird. Also Cad? what is that word why is it there?
I totally forgot about that hawaiian shirt. Which is so Xander like and not good.
Spike is def smarter than he gets credit for.
LOL, now that you've pointed that out, I WANT COMBAT BOOKS AS WELL.
"["Ab, Fcvxr. Vg'f tbaan uheg n ybg." Vf vg whfg gur fuvccre va zr, be vf gurer n ybg bs purzvfgel tbvat ba orgjrra gurz va guvf fprar? Gurl cynl bss rnpu bgure fb jryy.] "
Nyfb gur orfg havagragvbany sberfunqbjvat RIRE
["Ab, Fcvxr. Vg'f tbaan uheg n ybg." Vf vg whfg gur fuvccre va zr, be vf gurer n ybg bs purzvfgel tbvat ba orgjrra gurz va guvf fprar? Gurl cynl bss rnpu bgure fb jryy.] "
Vg'f abg whfg lbh, V nyjnlf gubhtug gurl unq ybgf bs purzvfgel rira gubhtu V jnfa'g fuvccvat gurz onpx gura (lrg), fvzcyl orpnhfr vg qvqa'g pebff zl zvaq fbzrguvat pbhyq npghnyyl pbzr bhg bs vg. V hfrq gb fuvc Onatry onpx gura ohg V fgvyy gubhtug Ohssl unq zber purzvfgel jvgu Fcvxr. V ybirq, be jnagrq gb yibr Onatry orpnhfr vg jnf n 'sbeovqqra ebznapr' naq nyy, ohg Ohssl'f naq Natry'f crefbanyvgl arire dhvgr frrzrq gb zngpu, jung jvgu uvz nyy oebbql naq zlfgrevbhf naq ure nyy dhvccl naq svrel naq veerirerag.
Jryy, Wbff znexrq gurz jvgu n Fcrpvny Fchssl Znex va guvf rcvfbqr!
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/MoscowWatcher/Avatars2/school.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
🙂
Spike. Dru. Joyce. Angel doing the "Anne Rice routine". Spike. Dru. Joyce.
These are my key thoughts on this episode. Love this one.
V nofbyhgryl pnaabg jnvg sbe Znex gb trg gb gur raq bs Frnfba Gjb. Bu zl tbq. V nz npghnyyl jnvgvat jvgu ongrq oerngu GUVF VF FB UNEQ LBH THLF. V ybir Wblpr Fhzzref gbb, ohg gur zbzrag jurer fur xvpxf Ohssl bhg bs ure ubhfr? Bu, zl URNEG.
I've been waiting for you to get to this episode since it introduces my favorite character in any fandom. Yes, of course I'm speaking of Spike!
What's not to love? He's snarky and speaks in an English accent 🙂
Just as I anxiously awaited your reviews of "Firefly" and "Avatar: The Last Airbender" I'm looking forward to your journey through this show….BECAUSE YOU ARE SO NOT PREPARED!
xD That is most definitely not an English accent. It sounds like he has a mouthful of marbles xD
Oh god, I can't even TELL you how fucking prepared you aren't. I'm really excited about this because this is the first time since I found your site that you're watching a series I've already seen in full so that I can speak from authority regarding your lack of preparedness. I cannot wait to read your reactions to a long list of That One Episodes and the various brain explosions within them.
Joyce Summers is so, so wonderful. I adore her.
More composed now. Spike is my single favorite character in the history of…. Well, anything. And the awesome starts from the very first moment he is on screen.
A lot of the BTVS community point to this episode as a sign that Spike has ADD rushes into fights and doesn't think at all.
I personally think that Spike spent the entire episode positioning himself for one thing and one thing only. To kill the annointed one and become the local head vampire. He marched in confronted his rivals, sent the one that could be a challenge up against the slayer to die, went chanting with the boys as appropiate and then launched a plan that was different to the annointed ones plan which got the minions used to following his orders.
Like you, Mark, I had heard a LOT about Spike before I even started watching Buffy, and he was one of the few characters I definitely knew would be in the show, along with Buffy and Angel. So I was pretty excited about this episode too when I realised it would be about him. But you know what really bothers me about his character? His accent. What the hell is that supposed to be? It sounds like no country on Earth. And if it's true what my friend said and it's meant to be an English accent… rofl. Complete and utter accent fail. Cx
He's a wonderful character of course, but whenever he opens his mouth I just can't stop thinking, "What the hell is that?!" xD
Spike's accent is based on Anthony Stewart Head's real accent. I honestly haven't heard ASH speak in his native accent enough to know how accurate James Marsters' imitation is, haha.
It's meant to be cockney.