In the ninth episode of the second season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Buffy’s isolation causes her to seek out to comfort of Angel, while Spike plans to heal Drusilla. Then the Holy Grail of all plot twists hits and nothing in our universe makes any sense at all. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Buffy The Vampire.
Okay, it’s no surprise at this point that any sort of fiction or popular media that deals with isolation and loneliness deeply speaks to my soul. I think I’ve made that clear many times over the last year, and a large part of “What’s My Line, Part One” certainly falls right into that. Until the final ten seconds of the episode, I thought this story was just nice. A whole lot wasn’t happening until the Order of Taraka got involved, but I was enjoying the chance to spend time with Angel and Buffy, to watch their characterization grow.
Truthfully, that’s the best part of this episode. When Buffy feels left out of Career Day because of her role as the Slayer, it’s rather clever to have Angel be the one there to comfort her. He also knows what that’s like, since his life is forever restricted, though certainly in more difficult ways. This episode, however, caused me to spend an unnatural time thinking about this parallel. If Buffy is always going to have trouble having a life outside of being the Slayer, then how does that work for Angel? He can’t even come out during the daytime, and I doubt he has any sort of overnight job that only exists during the night. If that’s the case, how the hell does he have such a nice apartment? I mean, seriously, aside from the gothic tinge to it, I would totally live there??? IT’S REALLY AWESOME. So he has to pay for it somehow. How does that work? WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT THE LOGISTICS OF VAMPIRES RENTING APARTMENTS?
Anyway, the two plots at work here in “What’s My Line, Part One” are…well, I can’t say I’m totally on board with Spike’s plot? I like him as a character, but I’m still just confused by Drusilla’s characterization. As far as I understand it, she acts the way she does because of the way Angel treated her as his….sire? Is that what that means? Okay, don’t answer that yet. The point I’m trying to make is that the attempt to portray any sort of mental illness on Drusilla’s part just feels lazy. It’s not that Juliet Landau is a bad actress; I think she’s doing the best she can with the material. I just feel like the writers have given us the bare minimum of her story, and because of that, she doesn’t feel like a whole character to me. At best, she exists to irritate Spike and make him angry towards Buffy. I don’t necessarily have a problem with the idea that Drusilla can be healed, either; it could be a really interesting plot if it was given more time, but the entire thing feels rushed.
It’s also a situation where the other main plot, concerning Buffy and Angel, is just a billion times more captivating to me. I mean, seriously, when Angel holding a stuffed pig makes me feel more than the entirety of the Spike plot, I think there’s something lacking. Well, to be fair, it is Angel holding a stuffed pig and being all cute. Everyone, I just love the scene in the bedroom with all of my heart. The dynamic between them there is what I’ve wanted the whole time. Hell, if I’d seen this before “Lie To Me,” I honestly don’t think I would have questioned Buffy telling Angel that she loves him. Just reading their body language in this scene speaks volumes to how much they enjoy one another’s company. It’s also one of the few times we’ve seen them on the same page. When Angel is asking her questions about her life, specifically about her childhood love for figure skating, you can tell he’s genuinely interested. And then, when he suggests they go on a date at a closed skating rink, I suddenly just get them. I wouldn’t say I ship them, but it makes sense to me how so many other people did the same thing!
I like to spend a lot of time poking fun at myself and saying I’m FOREVER ALONE or that I have a HEART OF ICE. While I’m certainly a picky, cynical asshole, sometimes my heart is just so full of feelings when characters are just nice to each other. There were certainly moments of gushing joy from me during both Avatar and Battlestar Galactica. (ROSLIN/ADAMA SHIPPER FOR LIFE Y’ALL.) What I came to enjoy about “What’s My Line Part, One” is that I spent large amounts of time just smiling at the screen. I don’t always need my plots to be all DOOM AND GLOOM for me to enjoy them. Sometimes, I just want Willow to be recruited by a major software company and end up on the couch next to Oz!
Actually, let me amend that: I did spend time smiling at this episode when Buffy was skating by herself. (I had no idea Sarah Michelle Gellar could ice skate!) But I wasn’t smiling because it was a touching, caring moment. I was smiling because for some reason, it was filmed like a music video. Was a Celine Dion song suddenly going to start playing? Yeah, that was really awkward. Why was that filmed so strangely?
At this point, I couldn’t really ignore that the “plot” of this episode was starting to be more important. There’s some more tension between Buffy and Giles about her “duty,” but it wasn’t anything we hadn’t covered before. Plus, I understood that the book stolen in “Lie To Me” would help Drusilla, but I didn’t really see the need to care about it. Okay, that sounds really heartless. I just mean that I don’t understand why it’s such a disaster. There’s always going to be vampires in Sunnydale, so who cares if there’s one more? Actually, it wouldn’t even be one more. It would just be one returned to full health. Is Drusilla particularly dangerous or something? Again, something feels like it’s missing from all of this.
The introduction of the Order of Taraka sort of bored me, too. I don’t get how it’s connected to Drusilla’s tarot reading, though that might have been just a red herring. I did think it was cool that Buffy killed the first one with an ice skate to the throat, though I laughed when I remembered this was on the WB in 1997, so that meant we couldn’t see any actual blood. However, I wasn’t surprised by their existence. The episode tries really hard to get me to fear them, and that’s part of the narrative, too. Giles goes beyond what is necessary to frighten Buffy into think she’s in real danger this time, a kind of danger she can’t handle.
I do admit that I don’t know how Buffy is going to handle a member of the Order of Taraka who is made of maggots. If it weren’t for the final line, that dude would easily be the best part of this episode. What the fuck is he? ALSO YOU BETTER LEAVE MY CORDELIA ALONE. SHE STILL HAS A WHOLE LOT MORE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TO GROW INTO OR I WILL BE VERY UPSET.
Then, we are introduced to assassin number three. Ah, finally, a woman of color! Oh, she doesn’t speak at all? Oh, great. So she’ll die in the next five minutes, right? Oh, wait, she’s kicking Angel’s ass. No, correction–she just kicked Angel’s ass and locked him in a cage. Oh, okay, I’m into this. She’s got an accent, you say? Oh, so that explains why she arrived in the belly of a plane. Three assassins for three tarot cards, and this one seems to be headed straight for Buffy. I started to like what very little characterization we got of her, but I knew she couldn’t last. When do they ever?
As this episode approached it’s end, I was satisfied, but I wasn’t blown away. I wasn’t sure why it was even a “part one” of two. What am I supposed to believe needs to carry over into a second episode? When the third assassin appeared in Angel’s apartment, where Buffy was sleeping, I figured that Buffy would take her out after a decent struggle. There was a great fight between the two, but I didn’t know where it was going.
“Who are you?”
“Who am I? You attacked me, who the hell are you?”
“I’m Kendra, the vampire Slayer.”
wha
what
what
what
what
what
what
WHAT
WHAT?!?!?!!??!?!?!
WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE. OH MY. THIS IS A JOKE, RIGHT? IT’S A BLUFF. IT’S A BLUFF TO TRICK BUFFY INTO LETTING DOWN HER GUARD SO THAT THIS ASSASSIN CAN KILL HER.
WAIT WHAT IF SHE’S NOT AN ASSASSIN
WHAT IF SHE IS TELLING THE TRUTH
HOW CAN THERE BE TWO
THIS IS SOME STRAIGHT HIGHLANDER BULLSHIT.
OH MY GOD I CAN’T HANDLE LIFE
Things Angel Does
1. Broods
2. Lurks
3. Mopes
4. Fights
5. Broods
6. Kisses
7. Lurks
8. Kills
9. Broods while lurking
10. Lurks while brooding
In other news, HURRAH WE CAN FINALLY CALL THEM THE SCOOBIES.
Scoobies refers to the gang of Xander, Willow and Cordy, right? Am i missing anyone? I assume Giles doesn't count.
I want to get my fandom terms right omg I am in a new fandom this is so beautiful
Giles is included in the Scooby Gang, though it's sort of tangentially.
Giles is tangential, yeah, and Buffy kind of counts? You can refer to the whole group as the Scooby Gang or Scoobies, anyway.
I've always considered anyone who helped the gang to be a Scoobie.
The general "group" – ie, the people who will expect to be joining in for all demon-stopping activities. Giles is definitely one of them.
I have to admit, I never really liked the term "Scoobies." They were the Slayerettes in my head based on random internet reading I did while watching the show, and thus the Slayerettes they shall remain.
I think I am gonna stick with Slayerettes as well. It sounds cooler and it avoids any confusion caused by SMG being in the actual Scooby Gang.
Oh geez, I'd managed to wipe that particular factoid out of my brain until just now.
Really? I find that term rather annoyingly twee, and at least "Scoobies" doesn't define them all by Buffy alone.
"Scoobies" is the term that sounds oddly twee to my ears. I think it's because both terms are somewhat infantalizing, but Scoobies is the only one that is an overt pop culture reference. Pop culture refs (Knaqre ersreevat gb Tvyrf nf "Ybphghf bs Obet" nfvqr) were never my favorite thing about BtVS.
11.Threatens
12.Bleeds
13.Breathes (for what ever reason)
14.Vanishes unnoticed
15. Grins happily
16. Vanishes while brooding.
16a. is Batman
Vampire Batman.
Naq gura tevaf rivyyl.
YESSSSSSS! It's been so had for me not to call them the Scoobies.
How is this not here yet?
<img src="http://content9.flixster.com/photo/72/31/88/7231887_gal.jpg" />
(YES THAT IS SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR IN THE SCOOBY-DOO MOVIE. BOTH OF THEM.)
Ack, how did I miss the scoobies reference? What was the scoobies reference?
Xander says, "C'mon, Cordelia. You wanna be a member of the Scooby Gang you gotta be willing to be inconvenienced every now and then."
<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/167rouo.gif" alt="Kendra saying 'I am Kendra, the Vampire Slayer!,' then cut to Buffy looking speechless, then cut to the words 'to be continued…'">
Hee hee hee. I love Kendra. Even the accent.
And her chola-girl makeup and eyebrows too.
(I remember looking it up online and finding the term for the first time, thank you Buffy for the inspiration)
More than 10 years since this aired, and Bianca Lawson is still getting roles as teenagers (I'm looking at you, Pretty Little Liars).
It's really more like 15 years, really. Amazing.
Oh shut up. No it's not. I refuse to believe that I've been out of high school for 15 years.
Wasn't she also a teen in The Vampire Diaries? That one completely threw me when I saw it. I honestly felt like I'd been transported back in time a decade because why is she still playing teenagers?
I don't know if they ever said how old Emily was but I'm sure it wasn't supposed to be anything more than early 20s at the absolute oldest.
Okay, that was her in Vampire Diaries. I kept thinking Emily looked familiar but couldn't place her.
OH MY STARS! THAT'S where I know Kendra–PLL fan here & I spent last season being too lazy to IMDb her, but I knew I'd seen her somewhere. So now I know Kendra's accent is fake. Dang. Wow, Bianca Lawson ages amazingly well. I hate her. (Love her.)
I love her, but wish I knew the secret to her astoundingly gorgeous skin (don't care if it's bats' blood or virgins' eyeballs either).
Aw see… you forgot the horrific "Joss Whedon" card. I purposely pause it on that screen to yell and shout at him.
That's a really good idea. I'll have to try that.
It's nice because you get your anger our and then you don't walk away from your buffy watching upset.
Buffy's face is priceless.
I love this "To be continued…". I was honestly so shocked at the end of the episode.
Also, this quote from Kendra, I just lol so much:
"Gung'f zr snibevgr fuveg. Gung'f zr bayl fuveg!"
rofl Naq Ze. Cbvagl.
lol yes love him/it.
I LOVE THIS EPISODE. <3
Okay, Xander's line about the DMV is genuinely hilarious to me. And conjures up memories of the DMV guy from Clueless.
"Debase… the beef… canoe. Why does that strike me as not right?" AHAHAHAHA.
I really just love watching James Marsters and Juliet Landau. They are such fantastic actors and light up every scene they're in.
Angel holding a stuffed pig will never not be amusing. Also, the line "I lurk" always makes me laugh. It's not quite up there with "really honed my brooding skills", but it's damn close.
Shallow note: I really really like Buffy's outfit as she and Willow discuss the impending ice skating date. Though, minus the leopard-print bag. WHY.
I am impressed by Giles managing to carry all those books. They would've toppled for me long before I got to the library, because I'm terribly uncoordinated. Or something.
Yeah, Giles is all "You'd be amazed by how pompous and long-winded some of these Watchers were!" and Buffy is all
<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/2gw9kl4.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
"It's worth nothing, Harris. Whatever comes out of your mouth is a meaningless waste of breath. An airborne toxic event."
<img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/2a77nk5.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
ILU, Snyder.
Oz! Yay! They finally get to meet!
Well, these guys look friendly and not at all creepy. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's why I never open your door to strangers selling things, you never know when that perfectly friendly salesperson will turn out to be an assassin MADE OF BUGS.
Two questions: if Angel has no breath, how can assassin guy be strangling him? And why doesn't Angel just un-vamp? It makes me point and lol at that scene, not swoon over how ~romantic~ it is.
Thank you, Giles. I don't know who wrote that, but Xander's bowling joke is painfully and memorably unfunny to me. Maybe that was the point? IDK. He gets some funny lines from time to time, but I just don't find him that amusing.
That bug guy really squicks me something powerful.
LOL poor Oz.
Poor Buffy. 🙁 How awful must it be to not feel safe going to your own house? She's right not to, of course, but… yeah, this is a horrible ordeal for her.
Love the gender stereotyping there, writers. Really. At sixteen I would've gladly unplugged the phone, if it hadn't been so wildly impractical to do so. Because I've always hated talking on the phone.
If Willow has frog fear, why was she playing with a stuffed frog a few episodes ago?
Fuck you, Xander. I have had it up to here with him slut-shaming Cordelia. God forbid she date a lot of guys. Is that a crime? Does it hurt anyone? More importantly, is it any of your business, Xander? No, no, and hell no. This is why I love that Snyder line so much.
NO CORDY NO DON'T LET THE FREAKY BUG DUDE IN NOOOOOOOOOOOO
<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2j2yz4y.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
KENDRA THE WHAT?!
Thank you, Giles. I don't know who wrote that, but Xander's bowling joke is painfully and memorably unfunny to me
YES. In this scene it's just so… extra-grating, the kid who doesn't know when to shut up. It kinda reminds me of how when I was little and watching ALF, I found that bugger high-larious, but on rewatch, I'm totally on team Kate.
Because I've always hated talking on the phone.
You're not alone there. I hate phones.
Just pitching in on the 'I hate phones' thing. I never talked on the phone to my friends as a kid (or even now). Email all the way. I find something very stressful about phone conversations.
Me too! Like, what am I supposed to do while I'm on the phone? I can't just sit there — I have to do something. So then I get to say, "Ok, well, thanks for calling, but I have to get back to X thing that I'm doing, so I'll talk to you later!" And then I get to hang up the phone.
I've explicitly told people before that if you want to get in touch with me, please email or text.
The thing for me is i can't go to the bathroom while I'm on the phone. If I'm texting or IMing I can just run to the bathroom and then come back, but if I'm talking on the phone I have to make up some excuse to get off the phone so I don't have to admit that I really have to pee.
I have no problem peeing when I'm on the phone with people. I just don't flush until after I hang up because my boyfriend called me on that once.
YEEEES. For me it's something about voices without corresponding faces, I think. Skyping is totes okay for me, but I just can't get comfortable talking on the phone.
Of course it doesn't help that most of my phone calls ever were with my grandparents who kept asking about my weight or my girlfriends (LULZ), both topics which made me super uncomfortable.
Phone conversations stress me out too.
Chiming in to say yeah, finding them stressful is part of why I hate talking on the phone. That + I would rather be doing something else BECAUSE WHAT CAN YOU DO WHILE ON THE PHONE like rabbitape said.
I'm chiming in here to go against the grain and say that I've never had trouble talking on the phone and I don't get it when people do. =( No offense or anything. There are few things better than chatting for hours with a good friend while you pace around the house.
No sarcasm.
Wow maybe I'm just like…a freak. =/
I love talking on the phone, but my best friend hates it. Which drives me crazy cause she only likes to IM and I just think that's too impersonal.
Please don't use 'crazy' on this site. It's ableist and against the site rules.
Oops, sorry! I'll be more careful.
I hate phones too. I'm okay if someone calls ME, but if I have to actually call someone else I sit there and need to psych myself up to actually make the call. I used to have to actually write out what I would say beforehand because I'd just freeze up once on the phone. D:
Unfortunately, some companies don't really do e-mail very well and I still have to deal with them on the phone.
I do that too, psych myself up. Also, I always end up remembering that I need to call a place at like 10pm, when it's no longer open, so yeah, I like companies that will deal with you by e-mail or website.
As a child I'd panic if I had to ring a house where there was any chance of somebody I didn't know picking up the phone. it's a peculiar thing, but I'd have to have the entire conversation mapped out similarly or I wouldn't be able to do it.
And when I say "as a child", what I in fact mean is now, and probably forever.
ALF. OMG I WATCHED ALF.
WE USED TO HAVE ALL THE EPISODES ON VHS omg willie/kate 80s otp
also, I HAVE AN ALF STUFFED TOY THAT'S OLDER THAN ME
I CUT HIS HAIR ONCE. Like my mom told me, it didn't grow back 🙁
Live frogs are different. I don't want to touch real ones or have them near me, but sometimes they look cute in photos and Kermit is awesome.
Have to disagree about the Bangel ice skating- it always makes me feel like others do in a nice hot bath.
But she was also perfectly fine dissecting a frog back in the third episode, "Witch". They clearly just came up with this fear in this episode without quite paying attention to what came before
That too, yeah.
Frog dissection is something I could never do. Too squeamish in general + I love frogs and think they're adorable. I used to have pet frogs.
Ugh, dissection in general is gross. I think I went green when we had to dissect…I don't remember, it was something big. I was glad I didn't vomit, but I felt like I would.
I had to sit outside on the fire escape during one dissection because I was so queasy. Luckily it was the teacher doing all the actual work. Wanting to avoid any further dissections was the main reason I chose Physics over Biology for my GCSEs
I only ever had to dissect a lambs heart for Biology Leaving Cert which I actually didn't mind at all. (And a flower but that doesn't count in the same way). I'm sure all the local butchers knew when it was dissection time by the number of teenagers coming in looking for hearts.
(Oppositely I chose Biology and Chemistry over Physics for my Leaving)
They made you acquire your own lamb heart? Yeah I wouldn't have passed that class.
Well in all fairness it's not like we had to do anything, just get one from the butchers. It probably helps that I'm not really all that squeamish about it since there were girls who could barely touch the plastic bag the heart was in while I was all yay, someone pass me the scalpel. Imagine having to get eyes before they stopped dissecting them in class for health concerns.
(I'm not sure if all schools made you buy your own since my school doesn't exactly have all the much money)
I got to dissect a lamb' heart once. That was lots of fun. And a lamb's brain.
We also did a chicken wings (since it was super cheap to get those for the class) and my lab partner quickly figured out how to squeeze the muscle to make the wing flail around. We didn't really get much done that day
Dog brain, fetal pig and calf heart. We were supposed to pour water into and massage the heart to make it "pump" the water through it.
The water thing was awesome. We also got to dissect buffalo testicles during our sex ed unit. I had a very dissection-happy school
I am so jealous of both of you right now.
I loved dissecting stuff in school. In tenth grade we dissected a ton of stuff, from tape worms and star fish to frogs and fetal pigs. My lab partner and I named our frog "Kermit" and our Pig "Hubert". That year was a ton of fun. And frogs have some serious abdominal muscles.
Yeah, but live is different from dead. Ron was afraid of live spiders but could use them as potion ingredients fine.
Yes,I like to look at frogs, they are rather pretty especially the little ones, but I'm really scared of them "in the wild" because one jumped on me in the dark while I was out for a walk and now I dislike woods even more. 🙁
Aw that sucks. When I went to college there was always this really loud chirping noise at the lake at night, and I found out later it was teeny-tiny little frogs doing their mating call, which I always thought was adorable. I don't know if I would have thought it was so cute if one had jumped out at me, though.
Awwwww. I think if a frog jumped out at me, I'd be startled at first, and then happy. THEY'RE JUST SO CUTE. <3
I really like Buffy's outfit in that scene, too. I kind of want it.
I figured Angel was too worked up and emotional to put his vampire face away. Vg fcrnxf gb uvf grahbhf pbageby bire uvf inzcver fvqr
Like in Angel, when he gets that way over Mrs. Summers' neck even though he doesn't want to hurt her.
Or when he vamps out the first time he kisses Buffy because emotions are running too high
And if we assume that vamping out is not-too-subtle metaphor, what does that say about his sexual self-control?
Constant boners.
I wish I was a man.
I'd kill Duncan in a second.
Then I'd get a boner.
Hahaha, well if you think of the vamp face as an erection, then Angel DOES have good sexual self-control–he gets aroused but doesn't do anything about it.
Oh God, the bug guy is totally squicky. *shudders*
And I'm chiming in on the "not a phone person" group. On the other hand, I think my sister would have died if her phone were turned off – my parents hit a point where they made her start paying for the part of phone bills that went over $100 a month. And it happened every month for years. So while the line is stereotyping, Buffy at least strikes me as a phone person – I'm sure she and Willow analyze everything Angel did at least once every couple of days, and also talk about boys Willow might find attractive.
LOL, my younger sister got herself into similar trouble where she ran up huge phone bills! Buffy does strike me as one of those people, yeah.
It's what happens when you make hour long long-distance phone calls EVERY DAY. She went to sleepaway camp and made some great friends who liked to talk on the phone just as much as her…so she'd be on the phone with friend A every night, then friend B, then sometimes friend C, and once in a while friend D…
Sometimes I boggle at the fact that she also managed to have, you know, a real life in our local town.
because I've always hated talking on the phone.
Yes, that's such a clichee.
I'm so glad I rarely have to use the phone at work, at home I don't even have one.
I've got a mobile phone but only use it for texting.
OZ I <3 U 🙂
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__BgIrAtMG2g/TLeMgKU79LI/AAAAAAAAAgM/JVeI-HFWc-w/s400/seth+green.jpg" />
Is this photo going to be a regular thing? Because it should be.
Yes! I'm ponybombing this place 🙂
I SUPPORT THIS.
It totally fits my mental image of Oz that he'd be an unabashed fan of Friendship is Magic.
The whole conversation between Xander, Willow, and Snyder at the career fair is flawless comedy. Flawless. I don't stop laughing from start to finish, and then I have to rewatch it because I couldn't hear half of it because I was laughing. But, well, almost anything degrading coming out of Snyder's mouth is kind of… wonderful? In a really scandalizing way. I say almost, because, well… ahem.
I am impressed by Giles managing to carry all those books. They would've toppled for me long before I got to the library, because I'm terribly uncoordinated. Or something.
Every time I watch this I think it's just a fake stack of books, because if a real stack of books that high is falling over, you can't just slap a hand on the top book to keep it from going–the books in the middle will go all over the place. At least, that's been my experience from working in a library.
Two questions: if Angel has no breath, how can assassin guy be strangling him? And why doesn't Angel just un-vamp? It makes me point and lol at that scene, not swoon over how ~romantic~ it is.
Yeah, that is weird, because he supposedly doesn't need oxygen. CONTINUITY, this show does not haz.
As for un-vamping, I always assumed the vamp thing is involuntary–it happens when vamps get emotional or angry or blood-lusty.
That's been my experience just from carrying books around at home. xD
I think the whole vamp-face thing falls under the shaky continuity too, because we've seen where they just put it on to get ready to fight (like Angel in Prophecy Girl, when Buffy tells him to put his "game face" on). Oh, show.
Fcvxr'f pubxrubyq ba Qehfvyyn jung
“I am Kendra, the Vampire Slayer.”
I’m sure that as I was watching this episode I had many thoughts about it that I was saving up to write about, but after that ending I only have two:
1)OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG
2)Kendra you are extremely beautiful and I kind of want to take you out for texting and scones.
Can I come?
I mean, yes mostly because of Kendra, but also partly because I really want to know what "take you out for texting" means.
Hee. "Texting and scones" is a Doctor Who reference.
Pretty much!
Get in line!
She is so beautiful.
Totally agree, and points for using 'texting and scones'.
Despite being as white as it is possible to be, there was a time in high school that I regularly wore my hair like Kendra's because I love her so much
+100000 for "texting and scones"
The amazing thing is that Bianca Lawson, who plays Kendra, has literally NOT AGED A DAY since 1997. She is literally still playing teenagers on currently airing shows because she's so pretty and youthful and gorgeous, and can get away with it despite being 32.
SHE IS CLEARLY A VAMPIRE. OH NOES.
She also hasn't been able to leave vampire shows behind 🙂 She had a minor role on The Vampire Diaries as a witch (and a slave, grrr)
Kendra seriously makes me question my asexuality, no lie.
TEXTING AND SCONES <333
I actually cannot imagine that without Matt Smith's accent now. Even though saying it like it rhymes with 'on' and not 'ice cream cones' still sounds weird to me.
Ah the Career Day personality test – that wonderful TV high school trope. My school never had anything like this and I wish they had because even as a 24 year old I have no idea what I want to do with my life. PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT MY FUTURE CAREER SHOULD BE. Buffy, however, isn’t super thrilled to be taking the test. What’s the point in dreaming of careers she might have had? Fate has determined that she is going to be the Slayer. She’s the Chosen One. That doesn’t exactly lead to a lot of free time for high powered careers. I like that Giles tries to be helpful, saying that he found a job in spite of also being a lawyer. And then he suggests law enforcement as a possible career for Buffy which is NOT what she wants to hear.
ALSO, she actually has an actual conversation with Angel about it. These two apparently actually talk about things! I wish that we’d seen more of this earlier, but I’m happy we’re getting it now. And they’re going to go on a real date! I can just about believe that these two actually have a relationship. Too bad that date gets interrupted by the assassins Spike and Dru have recruited.
SPEAKING OF THE DATE, when Angel vamps out and is all ~ashamed~ and then Buffy is all “oh, I didn’t even notice”. LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL SO CORNY.
On the topic of the assassins: OMG THE GUY WHO IS MADE UP OF WORMS.OOOOOOOOOOOMG. I WANT TO DIE. THAT IS SO UPSETTING TO ME. It’s like a real life Oogie-Boogie .
I can’t help drawing attention to this bit of dialogue.
CORDELIA: I can't even believe you. You dragged me out of bed for a ride? What am I, mass transportation?
XANDER: That's what a lot of the guys say, but it's just locker room talk. I wouldn't pay it any mind.
HAHAHA, XANDER. CORDELIA IS A SLUT AND THEREFORE A BAD PERSON. WE GET IT. Now stop it, Xander. It is gross. Like, seriously, STOP IT.
And finally let’s talk about the big reveal at the end of the episode… Kendra! (Not with a “qu”). She’s set up to be one of the assassins, but then there’s the wonderful twist at the end of the episode right before “TO BE CONTINUED…” pops up on our screen. She says she’s “Kendra the vampire slayer”. Whaaaaaaaaat?
I like that Giles tries to be helpful, saying that he found a job in spite of also being a lawyer.
Um…either I really missed something in Giles' backstory or this is kind of a hilarious typo. 😛
omg that is really an embarrassing typo.
Ten thousand points for the Nightmare Before Christmas reference.
I always close my eyes when Oogie-Boogie comes apart on screen. Eewwwwwww…
So you can imagine I was just THRILLED with this guy. *shudder*
Oh, I bet. I love insects (actually thought seriously about becoming an entomologist for a while) and Oogie Boogie still manages to squick me out a bit.
But Taraka Worm Boy is way, way worse.
IMO, neither hold a candle to the worm man from the original Fright Night.
We had that Career Day Test thing at my school! Taking the test was mandatory, but seeing your result was optional. I could have seriously used one halfway through college, though.
Is that really what Xander said in response to Cordelia’s mass transportation line? For some reason I thought he said something along the lines of “well, I really needed a ride”. My brain is censoring him?
But really, JUST STOP WITH THE SLUT SHAMING, PLEASE.
Just
Stop
"I spell kettle korn with a 'qu'."
"Well don't"
We had career personality tests. But there were eight really broad categories and I got "science". Um, thanks, that was helpful.
I don't remember having the test at school, but my parents took me to some lady in Shreveport to take a tricked-out version of a career personality test that was equally unhelpful. (I think my parents were at a loss after I resisted their suggested "accountant" career path; they did not have a backup idea.) On the plus side, part of the test was playing with puzzles.
TY FOR GETTING THE COMMUNITY REFERENCE.
My high school actually had a career aptitude test but the questions were so OBVIOUSLY geared towards certain things that I just picked the ones that would point me towards my (at the time) career goal of Famous Actress. I then used the results to convince my parents that applying to NYU was definitely going to net me fame and fortune.
Hah, I did the same thing with all the career tests in highschool. "Which answer will sound more artsy? Let's go with that."
Those career test have no point. Mine said I should be the proprietor of a halfway house or a body guard. I find this amusing as at the I was 4 foot 10. My mother took one many moons ago, and she was supposed to be a bricklayer. Yeah. Not especially useful.
Is she a doctor?
(I'm sorry. I had to.)
Damn it Jim!
<3 <3 <3
omg (Not with a “qu”) had me snorting Diet Coke out of my nose. Well done. Excellent reference. XD
Oh, the school careers advice things are rubbish anyway. Mine told me I should be a social worker or work for charity, but then that is what school careers advisors tell girls who don't know what they want, because we're female and supposed to be helpful and they can't actually tell us to just get married and have babies instead.
I now have a law degree that I have no intention of ever using (something in common with Giles!), and would kill to be a Watcher.
Well, mine didn't take gender into account at all, and it ended up telling me I should be a rabbi, which I'm I didn't take them up on because a.) I'm not Jewish and b.) I'm not a guy, which I think is requirement (Please someone correct me if I'm wrong!)
Female rabbis aren't an unheard-of thing in non-Orthodox communities, actually and afaik.
Or even uncommon, really. I've met a fair number.
Thanks for the info! For someone with a degree in religious studies I know surprisingly little about today's current climate (in my defense, I did emphasize in religious history).
I went to a girls' school, and we had some half-assed questionnaire and then an appointment with the careers advisor. Who tried REALLY hard to convince me that I must want to work for charity or a nonprofit/NGO because I was undecided about what I wanted to do.
Basically, after talking to classmates I got the sense that a lot of them had been advised to go for "soft" options (i.e. girls who wanted to pursue technical degrees like engineering were subtly told to consider non-science courses, girls who wanted to go to med school – which is an undergrad course here – told to go for a Bachelor's in Biology instead, that kind of thing). And all the slackers (me!) got told to work for NGOs, no matter what preference we expressed.
I don't mean any disrespect to people who pursue those careers or to suggest that they are less legitimate s careers, but it is fucked up when CAREERS ADVICE is basically tamping down on a teenage girl's ambition just because she is a girl or steering us towards traditionally "female" or "nurturing" less-rigorous career avenues.
I said I was considering law school, and the first thing I was told was "you would do well as a human rights lawyer" despite the fact that I was actually, at the time, interested in corporate law and tax law and clearly stated so (because human rights is a "girly" area of law, was the not-so-subtle implication. And I could use it to work for an NGO!!!). Now I have a law degree and am not practising, but I really, really resented my options being defined by my gender, and resent that it's done at all.
I didn't mean in slight. I'm sorry! I know how the being classified by gender hurts. If I never have to hear about how I'm such a unique girl because I'm good at math, because "only boys are good at math," that would be great. I was trying to make a joke, but failed. Sigh……
When did you take it? Reform Judaism has allowed female rabbis since the 1970s, iirc, and Conservative Judaism has since the early 1980s. Reconstructionist also has for a while, but don't ask me for a date there. Women still can't become rabbis in Orthodox Judaism, but, honestly, if you're the type of woman who wants to become a rabbi, you're not likely to want to be Orthodox (though I'm sure there are exceptions)
Admittedly, the "not Jewish" thing is still a problem. 😛
Back in 2000, I think we took them as high school freshmen. I wanted to be a math teacher at the time, but I probably confused the test because I have religious interests(but they are mostly personal–I have no interest in being a religious leader, teacher, etc.), love math and science (but can't stand needles or surgery), love to read, but hate to write. As it stands, I've got a job as a receptionist/in the accounting dept, while pursuing a job in acting, with voice work as an end goal.
Yay for being complex! The computers will never figure me out!
My school used a decent one. I don't remember if it asked for gender but if it did it didn't focus on that as I got some very un"girly" results. My top result was Explosive Specialist and just a few down from that was Engineering, which I had figured out was best for me in seventh grade and I went on to major in it. My friend also got math oriented results and her top result was exactly what she wanted to do.
I liked the treatment of Career Day in Joan of Arcadia. Even God thought it was "bogus."
We had an aptitude test which was meant to tell us what areas we'd be good in or should consider looking in to. I got told I was an all rounder and could do anything I wanted which was real helpful when I was trying to decide what to study in college and not at all a waste of a day. (Not that education and life choices matter much anymore given the state of the country right now.)
🙁
"HAHAHA, XANDER. CORDELIA IS A SLUT AND THEREFORE A BAD PERSON. WE GET IT. Now stop it, Xander. It is gross. Like, seriously, STOP IT."
Ugh, I HATE THAT PART SO MUCH! I just want to put an electric collar on him and zap him whenever he says something sexist so he'll just keep his mouth shut. And the way he said it was somehow more gross than usual.
Something that makes it all even more eye-rollingly stupid is that Xander pbzrf bhg bs uvf eryngviryl ybat naq frevbhf eryngvbafuvc jvgu Pbeqryvn n ivetva, juvpu ernyyl chgf cnvq gb nyy bs uvf anfgl pbzzragf vzcylvat gung fur ynaqf va orq jvgu rirel thl fur frrf. Seriously, dude, shut up.
I don't think Xander was saying those things because he really thought Cordelia was sleeping with a lot of guys. He was just looking for things to insult her with, because that was what the two of them were doing, trying to insult each other as much as possible. The episode started with Cordelia insulting Xander by mocking his looks and financial status, and he didn't have a retort. So the next time we see them together, he looks for the most cutting things he could say to her.
Two wrongs don't make a right, and it doesn't matter if he really thought she was doing that, he was still slut-shaming her and that's not acceptable.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but only one wrong deserves a mention?
It's especially nice considering she just did him a favour and gave him a ride.
I can't remember — were they still in the car at that point? Because if they were I would have loved seeing Cordelia let his ass out on the nearest corner. And if not, she could have told him good luck finding his own way home. But no, she has to put up with him being verbally abusive because plot. What a load of douchecanoe.
They were walking up to Buffy's house at the time. And hey by the way, Buffy's front door has flipped again, now it opens toward the dining room!
I'm 28 and I have no idea what I want to do with my life, either. Except have cats.
Of course it would help if there were actually any jobs to be found anywhere at all, let alone enough that I could pick between careers. Sigh.
Except have cats.
are you me
"Ah the Career Day personality test – that wonderful TV high school trope. My school never had anything like this and I wish they had because even as a 24 year old I have no idea what I want to do with my life. PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT MY FUTURE CAREER SHOULD BE"
Are you me?
1. i want spike to swing me around like he's doing dru. it looks like the most fun ever.
2. it's the lovely marti noxon's first script (as co-writer). v'ir ernq nobhg crbcyr ungvat ba ure sbe frnfba 6 (abg ba guvf oybt), ohg v zhfg erfcrpgshyyl qvfnterr (v ybir 6), naq nyfb erzvaq gur ungref gung guvf fubj vfa'g znqr ol bar crefba. vs nalguvat, v ybir ure whfg sbe gur snpg gung fur vagebqhprq gur zber xvaxl frk fghss gb gur fubj, nf rivqraprq ol gur natry/ qeh fprar va gur frpbaq cneg be guvf gjb-cnegre.
3. "just dropping in for some quality time with mister gordo?"
the image of angel standing there holding that stuffed pig amuses me to no end. i like that the show starts poking fun at the mysterious broody guy. it makes him more likable.
4. really, though. nine yards of what? i like when buffy goes off on those little rambly conversations with herself.
5. "they go together like chicken and…another chicken…"
guvf yvar orvat hfrq juvyr tvyrf naq ohssl ner gnyxvat nobhg tnvashy rzcyblzrag nyjnlf erzvaqf zr bs gur qbhoyrzrng cnynpr abj. "trg gur qbhoyr gerng/ gung'f gur qbhoyr fjrrg/ bu, vg'f uneq gb orng/ jura gur zrngf zrrg!"
6. "note to self- religion freaky."
btvs usually steers clear of the topic of religion, but they slip in little lines like this sometimes.
7. hey, it's the chick from true blood, jane bodehouse!
8. "slayed" and "slew". the more you know.
9. smg and julie benz were both ice skaters. angel certainly has a type, doesn't he?
10. angel: "you shouldn't have to touch me when i'm like this"
buffy: "oh. i didn't even notice."
this is a really nice moment for them as a couple that came out of something practical in terms of storytelling. the point was for kendra to see buffy kissing a vampire, but the writers realized what a lovely character moment it could be for buffy and angel, so they played it up. buffy accepts angel as he is and i go "AWWWWW!".
11. the teacher with the comb coming out of nowhere is bizarre and cracks me up.
12. KENDRA IS A VAMPIRE SLAYER WUT? *collective gasp*
V ybir frnfba fvk, gbb naq hfhnyyl yvxr Zngv abkba'f rcvfbqrf.
Ohg lbh ner evtug, gurer ner znal jevgref naq vg jnf zbfg yvxl abg whfg bar jevgre'f snhyg gung frnfba sbhe bs Natry ghearq bhg fb onq.
un! v npghnyyl dhvgr rawbl frnfba 4 bs natry ohg ORPNHFR vg'f fb sernxvat bire-gur-gbc naq zrybqenzngvp naq JGS!
Frnfba sbhe bs Natry jnf n ybg orggre gur frpbaq gvzr guebhtu, jura V jnf noyr gb fvg qbja jvgu gur QIQf naq whfg znenguba vg. Nf vg nverq V qvqa'g yvxr vg zhpu, ohg vg unf fvapr tebja ba zr
v vzntvar vg jbhyq or qvssvphyg gb jngpu ba n jrrx-gb-jrrx onfvf. gurl NYY raq va pyvssunatref, naq gurl NYY raq evtug jurer gur ynfg rcvfbqr yrsg bss. sbe gur zbfg cneg.
Lrnu, V guvax gung ragver frnfba ynfgf gjb jrrxf, va havirefr. Vg tbg byq gbjneqf gur raq.
V nyfb ybir frnfba fvk. V unir zvkrq srryvatf nobhg Znegv Abkba nf n jevgre gubhtu. Fur erfcbafvoyr sbe fbzr bs zl snibevgr naq yrnfg snibevgr rcvfbqrf bs guvf fubj
lrnu…"ohssl if. qenphyn" fcevatf gb zvaq.
V qba'g xabj, V dhvgr yvxr "Ohssl If Qenphyn." Lrnu, vg'f pbzcyrgryl bire-gur-gbc naq engure fvyyl, naq vg vfa'g gur terngrfg ubhe bs gryrivfvba, ohg V guvax vg'f n jryy cvgpurq nafjre gb raqvat n frnfba ba "Erfgyrff"!
Ohg lrf, sbe fbzr haxabja ernfba Znegv Abkba unf nyjnlf orra nffbpvngrq jvgu nyy gung jnf onq nobhg frnfba 6 va zl urnq, jurgure fur npghnyyl unq nal unaq va vg be abg.
Ohg lrf, sbe fbzr haxabja ernfba Znegv Abkba unf nyjnlf orra nffbpvngrq jvgu nyy gung jnf onq nobhg frnfba 6 va zl urnq, jurgure fur npghnyyl unq nal unaq va vg be abg.
V guvax vg'f zbfgyl orpnhfr fur jnf Rkrphgvir Cebqhpre sbe Frnfbaf 6 naq 7. Vs V erpnyy pbeerpgyl, gurer jrer n ybg bs snaf gung sryg yvxr Wbff unq "nonaqbarq" Ohssl sbe uvf arj onol (jnf vg Sversyl?) naq gurl gbbx vg bhg ba Znegv.
Yeah, Firefly season 1 aired at the same time as Buffy season 7.
V ernyyl yvxr "Ohssl if Qenphyn". V jnf guvaxvat zber bs "Orjvgpurq, Obgurerq naq Orjvyqrerq" naq "Onq Rttf".
v yvxr vg gbb! whfg abg nf zhpu nf bguref fur unf jevggra. v ernyyl qba'g bhgevtug qvfyvxr nal rcvfbqr bs ohssl.
Bu Onq Rttf. Htu. Gung naq "Grq". V ubcr Znex qbrfa'g dhvg jura ur trgf gb gubfr njshy rcvfbqrf!
V qba'g guvax Grq vf gung ubeevoyr. Gur npgbe cbegenlvat Grq qvq n terng wbo orvat perrcl naq V yvxr gung Ohssl vf fubja nf srryvat ubeevoyr thvyg sbe zheqrevat n uhzna.
V guvax Grq vf n jryy-qbar rcvfbqr, ohg vg fgvyy sernxf gur uryy bhg bs zr…orpnhfr ur'f fb uhzna. V'z nurnq va zl erjngpuvat (ab QIQ npprff gur erfg bs gur jrrx), fb V erjngpurq vg ynfg avtug, naq whfg…V pbhyqa'g jngpu gur Grq fprarf. Gur jnl ur gerngf ure vf fb nohfvir, V whfg pna'g fgnaq vg.
Juvpu vf cebonoyl jul Znex jvyy ybir vg. Gur ubeebe va vg vf fb zhpu zber ubeevslvat, rfcrpvnyyl orpnhfr vg'f fb erny naq fb uhzna.
Gur rc bayl fyvqrf fyvtugyl qbjajneq jura Grq'f gehr angher vf erirnyrq, ohg rira gura gur npgvat znxrf vg jbex.
Gehr. V fgvyy pbhyqa'g jngpu gur jubyr guvat, ohg hayvxr Znex, V nz qrsvavgryl abg n ubeebe sna va nal jnl, funcr, be sbez.
Vg qbrf xvaq bs vainyvqngr rirelguvat gung pnzr orsber, qbrfa'g vg? Vg'f fgvyy fpnel nf nalguvat jura ur xabpxf Wblpr bhg gb xvqanc ure, gubhtu. Naq V'yy nyjnlf ybir gur irel ynfg vzntr bs gur rcvfbqr, ng yrnfg.
Ubj pna nalbar abg yvxr 'Grq'?
Vg'f bar bs zl snibevgr frnfba 2 rcvfbqrf.(FZT'f npgvat va gung rc vf fhcreo)
Abj vs lbh fnvq Nzraqf, gura V'q nterr, gung rc fhpxf.
Fbzrbar ryfr jub ybirf Frnfba 6! LNL!
Me three! <3
Marti Noxon trivia: Fur fnat/npgrq/qnaprq/jungrire gur cnexvat gvpxrg fbat va Bapr Zber Jvgu Srryvat. Qnivq Shel jnf gur zna jvgu gur zhfgneq ba uvf fuveg, gbb.
"v'z nfxvat lbh, cyrnfr ab! vg vfa'g evtug, vg vfa'g snve! gurer jnf ab cnexvat naljurer!" unun.
I love Marti Noxon's writing, she's my second favorite Buffyverse writers after Joss and tied with Tim Minear (with Espenson coming close). She was first hired to overhaul the script for Halloween, and fur ernyyl frrzrq gb or gur oernxbhg fgne bs frnfba 2, trggvat gb jevgr fb znal fpevcgf: Jung'f Zl Yvar 1/2, Onq Rttf, Fhecevfr, Orjvgpurq, Obgurerq naq Orjvyqrerq naq V Bayl Unir Rlrf Sbe Lbh (naq rcvfbqr V nqber, bar bs zl snibevgrf). Guvf jnf ubj gur yngre jevgvat fgnss fgnegrq gb funcr hc – Terrajnyg jbhyq yrnir gb eha NgF, bgure aba-Wbff jevgref jbhyq abg pbzr onpx, naq gur bgure znwbe jevgref jbhyq yngre wbva: Shel arne gur raq bs frnfba 2 (jvgu n orybj nirentr fpevcg, Tb Svfu, pb-jevggra jvgu uvf jvsr), Rfcrafba naq Crgevr va frnfba 3.
V ybir gur OQFZ fghss fur oebhtug ba (nygubhtu jr nyernql unq n uvag bs gung va 'Natry' jvgu Qneyn'f "Lbh'er uhegvat zr. Gung'f tbbq") naq fur'f nf terng va oernxvat lbhe urneg jvgu gur eryngvbafuvc cnva naq qlfshapgvba nf Wbff vf. Ohg V guvax fur qbrfa'g trg rabhtu perqvg sbe guvatf yvxr fanexl uhzbe naq n cbegenlny bs uvtu fpubby qlanzvp (V jnf erzvaqrq bs gung jura V jngpurq gur arj Sevtug Avtug, juvpu znqr zr guvax bs gur uvtu fpubby frnfbaf bs OgIF ohg nyfb gur Gevb). Fur'f nyfb tbbq ng jevgvat nagntbavfgvp naq fanexl eryngvbafuvc qlanzvp, whqtvat ol gur snpg gung fur tbg gb jevgr zbfg bs gur qrirybczrag bs gur Knaqre/Pbeql eryngvbafuvc va frnfbaf 2 naq 3 (naq sebz ure QIQ pbzzragnel gb JZY, vg frrzf yvxr fur jnf dhvgr n sna bs gung fuvc).
v ernyyl yvxrq "sevtug avtug". svefg v urneq qnivq graanag jnf va vg, gura v urneq fur jnf jevgvat vg. gung'f n pbzob gung v pbhyq arire ghea qbja.
nyy bs gubfr jevgref unir gurve oevtug fcbgf- crgevr'f "sbby sbe ybir" vf rcvpnyyl terng, sbe rknzcyr. gurl nyy frrzrq gb or noyr gb nqbcg wbff'f "ibvpr" juvyr fgvyy univat gurve bja fglyrf naq fgeratguf. v'ir urneq znegv fcrnx orsber ba ubj fur jnf zhpu zber pbzsbegnoyr qbvat gur natfgl qenzn fghss. v qba'g guvax fur tvirf urefrys rabhtu perqvg sbe gur pbzrql. v ybir knaqre naq pbeqryvn.
I love how I'm always here, just waiting for the review everyday! 😀
Same here! I'm glad I finally picked up on the official posting time so that I wouldn't just sit there and hit refresh all the time…
I MADE THAT HARD FOR A WHILE. After y'all broke the server, when I got the new one, I had to change the time every day so it wouldn't overload. From here on out, it'll probably stay at 1pm PST. I'll figure out a time for the Angel reviews to go up once we get there.
It's the Three again! Only three tarot cards.
They should have given Angel a liking for stuffed animals. Maybe even related it to Drusilla's love of dolls. Though I'd not want to link all her main personality traits to Angel.
Buffy already has brutality, and I assume donuts.
So, I'm gathering the Career Fair is also at night.
Bugman doesn't know Cordelia isn't Buffy? Do they all just get different types of information on her to compete with each other?
Bugman doesn't know Cordelia isn't Buffy? Do they all just get different types of information on her to compete with each other?
I always assumed he just wanted into the house, where he could lie in wait. But yeah, his info might not be complete – just "teenaged girl" or something.
Ohtzna qbrfa'g xabj Pbeqryvn vfa'g Ohssl?
Cbbe Pbeql xrrcf trggvat zvfgnxra sbe n Fynlre.
Cbbe Pbeql xrrcf trggvat zvfgnxra sbe n Fynlre.
Jryy jura vg pbzrf gb qngvat, FUR'F gur Fynlre!
Thoughts while re-watching:
-I could have used a career day at school; I had no idea what to do once I left.
-Abar bs gurz ernyyl unq n pnerre rkprcg sbe Knaqre, jryy Pbeql qvq gbb, ohg vg’f abg bar lbh pbhyq npghnyyl chg ba lbhe erfhzrr.
-Why does a vamp have glasses, shouldn’t his eyes be better now that he’s undead?
-""Debase the beef… canoe". Why does that strike me as not right?"
Who knows, rituals are weird after all. Yvxr "Lbh zhfg cresbez gur evghny… va n ghgh"
-Qbygba vf bar bs gur zbfg unezyrff inzcverf va gur fubj, rkprcg sbe Unezbal, ohg fur frrzf zhpu yrff cvgvshy.
-Mr. Gordo! I like plushies with funny names; I own vampire-bat named Frido.
-Angel and Buffy seem so happy, I like that and especially Angel’s constant grinning, even though I don’t usually ship them.
-Giles is not in the best mood; does it have something to do with Jenny?
-I love the interaction between Xander and Snyder, Xander’s nonsense is the best distraction.
-Oz the secret genius, perfect! Ur vf whfg nf fzneg nf Jvyybj ohg pubbfrf zhfvp bire fpubby be n uvtu pynff pnerre, sbe fbzr ernfba V yvxr gung n ybg.
-Xraqen! V jvfu jr unq frra zber bs ure, V yvxrq ure zhpu zber guna Snvgu
-“Lbh tb sbe fanpxf” vfa’g gung hfhnyyl Knaqre’f wbo?
-When Buffy forgets that Angel is in vamp-face I really started to love their relationship, the moment is so intimate.
-Way to go Buffy, attack poor Oz, what a great introduction. Naq yngre ur trgf fubg, jryy va n jnl vg’f n tbbq Fpbbol vavgvngvba
-Doesn’t Willy know that Angel has a soul, why is he so scared? *Bam!* Right, now I remember!
-Oh, her accent is so wrong; the actress hated it, too.
From what I read, it was a spur of the moment decision and not in the script, maybe that’s why it’s so bad.
-Fpbbol Tnat, ubj pbzr V gbgnyyl sbetbg gung ur zragvbaf guvf fb rneyl?
Qbrf gung zrna jr pna fubhg vg bhg ybhq abj be fubhyq jr jnvg?
-Why can’t Angel open that door? The lock is tiny, this is so unconvincing.
-“I’m Kendra the vampire slayer!” yes Joss is totally cackling now in his evil lair of fan-doom and he knows this melted your brain.
"Why does a vamp have glasses, shouldn’t his eyes be better now that he’s undead?"
This makes me think of Count Bloodcount from that Bugs Bunny cartoon. "You wouldn't hit a bat with glasses on, would you?" CLEARLY SPIKE WOULD.
It reminds me of Harry Potter. You guys have literal magic but you can't cure the kid's short sightedness?
well they probably can, but his guardians would have to take him to a magical hospital to do so. And I don't see the Dursleys willing to make the effort.
It's kinda like with Hermione's teeth. They could be fixed, but parents have to give permission first.
That was my FAVORITE LINE <3
Actually, on one of the special features, I'm pretty sure someone talks about how she spent forever taking dialect lessons from someone with that particular accent, but it just turned out weird.
On the commentary they go to great lengths to defend Kendra's accent.
From Wikipedia:
Bianca Lawson commented on her accent during her work on Buffy in an interview with SFX magazine:
I really hated that accent! I got the part, and I didn't originally have an accent. Then, literally the night before, they said, "What about a Jamaican accent?" So it's one of those things where, y'know, I just had to put it on tape, but I didn't have a chance to get comfortable with it. And the thing is, certain things – if you say it properly [in Jamaican patois], people don't really fully understand it, so they would change things. They'd say, "Well, say it like this" and it's like, "Would that be accurate in that accent though?" "It doesn't matter because no-one's going to understand you!" So different people were giving their interpretations of it. I was like "But everyone's going to think that I'm doing it wrong!" So personally, I wasn't happy with the accent!
That totally contradicts what Marti Noxon says on the DVD commentary about it. She says the actress worked with a dialect coach for a long time and that it's a specific dialect from a specific place in Jamaica. She even names the dialect coach and says he's a really big deal. So it doesn't sound like it could have been decided the night before, unless she's totally lying.
Hmmm….it appears someone must be fibbing…..
The two accounts don't seem that contradictory to me; it could be that she did have a dialect coach and that she was working on a specific dialect with him, but that every time a word was hard to understand someone on set would have her change it. And that by "for a long time" Marti Noxon is thinking of time spent while Kendra was on the show (however long that actually was), so having the accent could still have been decided the night before (the night before what ? I assume the shooting of her first scene).
I mean, someone is clearly (consciously or unconsciously) spinning or selectively remembering things here but I don't know that I'd get up in arms over it or assume someone is outright lying…
Yeah, I agree that the two accounts could both be right. It seems kind of shady for them to change so much of what was supposed to be an "authentic" accent, though. It's like "we want her to sound foreign, but not TOO foreign!" Blarg.
I remember it being a real Jamaican accent, but didn't know the details about her being asked to do it at the last minute and then getting conflicting feedback.
<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh30pqxAWG1qfyv11o1_500.jpg" />
OZ IS FLAWLESS (can Mark watch My Little Pony: FiM next after he's done with this show? Some pony needs to discover how AWESOME it is)
"Xraqen! V jvfu jr unq frra zber bs ure, V yvxrq ure zhpu zber guna Snvgu"
Zr gbb! Fur'f fb vagrerfgvat naq gurl pbhyq unir qbar tbbq cbgragvny Fynlre fgbevrf jvgu ure naq Ohssl. Ohg gurl unq gb tb gur fgrerbglcvpny tbbq tvey/onq tvey ebhgr va frnfba guerr, juvpu obguref zr qrfcvgr Snvgu gelvat gb erqrrz urefrys.
Snvgu hfhnyyl whfg oberf zr, fur vf orggre va "Natry", ohg Xraqen jnf fb snfpvangvat naq gurer jnf fb zhpu jnfgrq cbgragvny.
Bu jryy, Snvgu vf fgvyy orggre guna Xraarql, ubj V ungr gung tvey.
Aaaaaand THIS is why we protect Mark's innocence here. It's so much more FUN when he has no clue what's going on/coming up!
~The more you know~
Ur gnfgrf yvxr fgenjoreevrf.
Bx, V fgenvtug hc fuhqqrerq va ubeebe. Tbbq wbo.
~The more you don't know~
oh totally! it's so fun watching him squirm!
…after Jenny's squirm line last episode, that takes on a whole new meaning.
So I thought this one would give me less thoughts because there's not a lot of actual plot going on, but then I wanted to type a thousand snide comments, so here we go:
– Cordy, okay, the classist line was basically laid to your feet by Xander but still; i want to like you don’t make me not like you
– okay Spike, if you’re using a dictionnary that makes you translate deprimere ille bubula linter as ‘debase the beef canoe’ instead of ‘to push down, this, beef, barge’ then no wonder you’re not getting any results.
– but thankfully, Drusilla has ordered the Thematically Relevant To The Episode But Bogus Tarot deck, and can tell us that we need the Key
– jnvg vg’f abg gvzr sbe Qnja lrg
– I really like the short piece of music for their dance
– oh Buffy, why do you have to set up the cool line, you are really inefficient
– Mr Gordo!
– “…habit.” heeeeeee 😀
– aww look they’re actually talking about stuff instead of letting it fester. also, “I lurk.” also, TITLE DROP
– how saccharine, just fuck or something (yeah sorry, I was a movie today where people kept not fucking and it’s annoying at this point)
– how convenient that tomorrow is Tuesday! but aw, a date
– Knaqre naq Pbeql, shpx nyernql
– yeah Buffy, FUCK THE POLICE punk rock buffy forevaaah
– “have a cow”, seriously, Buffy?
– “gurer pna bayl or bar” yby sberfunqbjvat
– okay, so, either this is effectively a flashback cut or the Order of Taraka is really really superfast at getting people to Sunnydale. this BUGS me (foreshadowy pun!)
– ah, thank you again, Thematically Relevant To The Episode But Bogus Tarot deck
– he is tiny, that’s true
– hi Oz. I wish you were put in a room with Willow in a less ridiculous scene because what is this scene also if two students from one dinky high school meet your criteria those can not be very high criteria
– chicken and… another chicken… poor Buffy
– Archaic Latin? that… that’s not… writers, you disappoint me. Archaic Latin is not code, it’s … an older stage of the language. GOD THIS REALLY BUGS ME /BUTTRAGE
– Xander, you’re not one to talk about needing a life the worst way
– Willow, you’re the best friend
– so, if this guy was human, is Angel gonna play corpse disposer now?
– “I didn’t even notice” OKAY THAT IS REALLY ICKY actually
– so, um, how exactly does that maggoty guy kill people? Gross them out to death?
– fb tbbq guvat gurl unaqjnirq gur Beqre bs Gnenxn gb tb njnl nsgre gur arkg rcvfbqr, ru?
– Paranoid Buffy Cam seems kinda like Drunk And High Cam
– aww, Oz
– also, convenient that your mom’s buying art right now, isn’t it, Buffy?
– Willy, you’re so weasel-y
– hey Dru, that TRTTEBBT deck could’ve come in earlier now, couldn’t it?
– Xander, shut your slut-shaming face it is groce*
– V’ir frra gur fubj gbb bsgra gb chg ba zl fhecevfr snpr sbe N FRPBAQ FYNLRE ohg jryy, cvpgher zr fhecevfrq naljnlf
General observation: the internal timing of this ep seems really off somehow, with the quick arrival of the Taraka members and the bright day during the Willow/Giles library and Cordy/Xander visiting Buffy’s house scene and then rising sun for Angel scene. And stuff.
*BUT am I only imagining things or does Cordelia date less as she gets drawn into the hero group? What do you want to tell us, show?
German title: Die Rivalin – The Rival. Or [DEF[F] rival-F] (or something, it’s been a while since I did a gloss for German)
Anyways, which, wait, what? HOW DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE, rfcrpvnyyl sbe Cneg Bar.
– jnvg vg’f abg gvzr sbe Qnja lrg
Qrsvavgryl unq gur fnzr gubhtug! KQ
What has been seen, and all that.
Also I wish you were put in a room with Willow in a less ridiculous scene because what is this scene also if two students from one dinky high school meet your criteria those can not be very high criteria
YES THANK YOU same thoughts. I mean, what WAS that? Dudes in suits and earpieces and a roped-off area of the school and canapes? In what universe does this make any sense
Town is over a Hellmouth. All plot irregularities explained.
It's especially hilarious because the furniture within the roped off area is so…terrible. Like, the furniture clearly belongs to the high school, as do the walls, but then there's a waiter in gloves with a tray of canapes. So random.
BUT am I only imagining things or does Cordelia date less as she gets drawn into the hero group? What do you want to tell us, show?
V cerggl zhpu nyjnlf fnj gung nf n fvta bs Pbeqryvn orpbzvat yrff cbchyne orpnhfr gur jnf fgnegvat gb unat bhg zber jvgu gur bhgpnfgf naq “sernxf,” abg n pubvpr fur urefrys znqr. Fb gur zrffntr V gbbx bhg bs vg jnf gung gur grrantref bs Fhaalqnyr, ng yrnfg gur cbchyne barf, jrer pehry, onpxfgnoovat “snve-jrngure sevraqf.”
punk rock buffy forevaaah
Lrnu, fur zvtug jnag gb erguvax gung ebpx onaq pnerre jvgu Fcvxr.
yeah Buffy, FUCK THE POLICE punk rock buffy forevaaah
😀 😀 😀 punk rock buffy would be the best buffy
It may be because I'm watching series 3 of Doctor Who right now, but I totally heard this
"wha
what
what
what
what
what
what
WHAT
WHAT?!?!?!!??!?!?!"
In the doctor's voice.
this is the correct way for it to be interpreted.
agreed.
🙂
Oh yay, the Career Fair episode! I haven't done a compilation of my random disjointed thoughts in a while, so here we go!
I, personally, am not a huge fan of shrubs. I prefer trees, or flowerbeds.
***
I want a Mr. Gordo! So cute~
"Career Week?"
"How did you know?"
"I lurk."
Angel is best when he's self-aware and/or when he is clutching a stuffed pig.
****
Hahahaha, oh Willow, you genius you.
Willow's experience reminds me of a friend from college. She had some strange stories about her mysterious ex-military neighbor, who approached her wondering if she'd ever considered working for the government, and offered to recommend her to the school of her choice. He somehow knew her grades and SAT scores without her having told him. It was all very mysterious; we used to tell her that she should have rolled with it: if anime has taught me anything, it's that if the military approaches a talented teenager, they're going to end up flying a giant Mech.
***
THE DALEK CROSS????? Also, I love Dru's fake tarot cards. Did she just have all of them? Do they mystically display an appropriate picture? WHO KNOWS.
***
I love how Angel implies that the ring is SO SERIOUS and DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS??? and then… doesn't tell her what it means.
WTF, Angel, she's the Slayer, she kind of needs to know. Also, she just killed one of them with only a small amount of help.
***
Great, now you've all scared Buffy. I find it very "teenage romance" that she decides to sneak into her undead cradle-robbing boyfriend's place to sleep because she is terrified. SMG definitely sells the whole "sixteen year old girl madly in love with dreamy broody older guy" thing to me in this episode. The scene in her room is perfection, and her ice skating is just so darn cute (including the moment where she kills a guy with her ice skates. SO ROMANTIC~)
***
But really, let's get to the point: DAT CLIFFHANGER. Such a great cliffhanger. SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW I GUESS.
A few years ago, I saw a site that was selling Mr. Gordo replica stuffed pigs. Now, it is nowhere to be found. I wish I had bought one when I saw it! Any old stuffed pig just won't do!
You asked for a (slightly) less super-white show, and it delivered!
If only that trick worked more often :-(.
(P.S., Joss, it is possible to have non-white characters without flying them in from foreign countries, you know.)
Zoe and Book say hello!
(Seriously, though, I know what you mean and agree wholeheartedly.)
And Inara too!
(Morena Baccarin is Brazilian but moved to the US as a child)
And River!
Vs bayl fur yvirq sbe zber guna gjb naq n unys rcvfbqrf.
Fuuu, V'z gelvat gb cergraq V'z ng bar jvgu Znex. Gurer ner ab shgher rcvfbqrf, gurer vf bayl jung jr unir frra. Rirelobql yvirf. Rirelobql yvirf!
Lrnu, V'yy whfg xrrc gryyvat zlfrys gung.
(V'z nyjnlf xvaqn ohzzrq gung Byvivn bayl fubjf hc gjvpr–guevpr vs lbh pbhag Erfgyrff, V thrff–ohg znlor vg'f sbe gur orfg. Oynpx NAQ n ybir vagrerfg sbe Tvyrf? Fur cebonoyl jbhyqa'g unir fheivirq nabgure rcvfbqr. Naq V qb fb yvxr ure. Ng yrnfg guvf jnl V pna znxr hc unccl sna fgbevrf va zl urnq.
rgn Naq vg whfg bppheerq gb zr gung Byvivn vf NYFB sybja va sebz nabgure pbhagel. Net.)
Gung'f cebonoyl gehr. Gubhtu V jvfu fur'q tbggra zber qrirybczrag guna "shpxohqql, I mean, BETNFZ SEVRAQ sbe Tvyrf" orpnhfr, jrrrryy…
Yeah, I'm with you on that.
Jr nyfb unir Ebova Jbbq, ur qvqa'g arrq gb syl va naq vf abg xvyyrq bs.
Vg bayl gbbx gurz fvk frnfbaf gb vagebqhpr uvz, lnl.
V nz irel sbaq bs Ebova Jbbq!
Bs pbhefr, orsber gung jr trg Sbeerfg, juvpu, netu.
Gur qhqrf jub cynl Sbeerfg naq Tenunz ner yvxr gur JBEFG NPGBEF VA GUR JBEYQ (ng yrnfg jura gurl'er ba guvf fubj), htu. Frnfba sbhe fhssrerq sebz fbzr FREVBHF pnfgvat zvffgrcf.
…ng yrnfg gurl ybbx cerggl? Vqrx, V guvax gung'f gur onfvf sbe nyy gur Evyrl/Sbeerfg naq Evyrl/Tenunz naq Sbeerfg/Tenunz naq Evyrl/Sbeerfg/Tenunz svp V'ir ernq :C
Uhu, qvqa'g xabj gubfr jrer fuvcf. V qvq ernq n Jvyybj/Tenunz fgbel bapr gung znqr nofbyhgryl ab frafr ng nyy
Znlor yrff "fuvc" naq zber "crbcyr lbh'q yvxr gb jngpu shpx".
Naq Ze Gevpx. "Fhaalqnyr. Abg rknpgyl n unira sbe gur oehgunf." Ur ynfgf, jung, guerr rcvfbqrf?
with imperfect english and an unplaceable accent! 😉
– So does Buffy get a cover-up job or does she get paid to be the Slayer? Is there some Slayer fund that will provide the necessities once she leaves home? And you brought up a good point about Angel- how does he make rent?
– Why is this episode full of people being creepy and violating other people’s personal space? Buffy comes home to find Angel in her room, Willow is tracked by some company, Xander breaks into Buffy’s house- ALL CREEPY. And then the school publicly posts the results to their tests! I know it’s not a real test and the results don’t matter, but shouldn’t that be private? Or maybe I’m just really into having my personal space
– Willow, as usual, was absolutely adorable!! HER FROG FEAR!! “Don’t warn the tadpoles!!” I love how she’s gone through so much weird and scary shit but she has nightmares about tadpoles xD
– MAN MADE OF MEALWORMS WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT, JOSS WHEDON? Right, because you’re Joss Whedon and you can.
– THERE’S ANOTHER SLAYER WHAT.
Since Giles recommends she think about long-term employment, I'm guessing that she doesn't get paid for being a slayer. At least not a living wage.
1) Gur Pbhapvy fubhyq ernyyl trg ba gung naq cnl ure fbzrguvat, fefyl
2) Honestly, it always struck me as a bit odd that Buffy didn’t seriously think about some kind of job– particularly with the suggestion of law enforcement. I mean honestly, she WILL need money at some point and she has all kinds of physical combat skills, she would do really well as a cop or bodyguard. Particularly well as people wouldn’t expect her to be dangerous. Being a cop would also give her a great reason to be prowling around late at night and confronting people. Also you get to carry a gun which would certainly be helpful when fighting supernatural monsters. Seriously it’s a great plan Buffy just think about it for two seconds.
1. Yes. No arguing here.
2. I don't know that law enforcement would work. "Sorry, calling in sick, have to save the world!" It's a problem with any job, really.
Would a gun be helpful? The only person we've seen use guns is Darla, iirc, and doesn't she say that they won't kill vampires? Whether they'll kill other demons or not, I don't know, but they're clearly not as useful against vampires as they otherwise might be.
And as much as Buffy did get resurrected last season, she's still thinking in terms of having a short timeline. She's going to die one day, because something stronger or smarter or sneakier will take her out. How long has she got? She knows she could die at any moment, so the future isn't nearly as important as the now…which is only magnified by her being a teenager. She's not thinking of consequences, not really, she's thinking of getting through the next day and not dying when a vampire attacks her at night. And when she's not in that mode, she's in the teenage "future? who cares?" mode. So I can't blame her for her thoughts here, just…be all sadfaced about it.
Had to rot13 your first part for a minor spoiler of gur Jngpure'f Pbhapvy, juvpu unfa'g dhvgr lrg orra zragvbarq.
Bu, gung'f evtug. Gura lbh fubhyq punatr gb zvar gb fnl "gur Jngpuref".
Fghpx-hc cbaprf. Gurl jbhyqa'g cnl ure naljnl orpnhfr orvat n Fynlre "vf n Pnyyvat, abg n wbo". Zrnajuvyr gurl frr svg gb tvir ure beqref, naq xrrc gurzfryirf evpu guebhtu nypurzl.
Good point. On the one hand, it'd be nice if Giles paid her. On the other, that'd mean she worked for him, and I don't think she'd like that.
Oh man, I wish I had had the time to learn to make gifs this week because I would have done so many this episode.
Oz and Willow in the same shot.
Buffy dropkicking the Taraka dude with ice-skates on.
Everything Kendra! Nobody make fun of her outfit, I do not even care if it is pretty unorthodox, even for this time period, she totally works it.
So there's one more part to go so there's not much more I can say about this plot. Bangel still bores me. I did think it was kind of funny that Angel and Kendra had a whole conversation before she locked him into his imminent death.
Everything Kendra!
Yes! She should be giffed FOR ETERNITY
Ohg er: ure bhgsvg, V npghnyyl ybir vg, ohg vs ure jngpure'f nyy vagb genqvgvbany fynlre nhfgrevgl, whfg jul qbrf ur yrg ure unir gubfr ovt, onqnff ubbcf?
Ohg er: ure bhgsvg, V npghnyyl ybir vg, ohg vs ure jngpure'f nyy vagb genqvgvbany fynlre nhfgrevgl, whfg jul qbrf ur yrg ure unir gubfr ovt, onqnff ubbcf?
V'z tbvat gb tb jvgu 'bu url, Uvfcnavp naq Nsevpna-Nzrevpna jbzra va gur yngr 90f gbgnyyl jrne ovt by' ubbcf, gurersber gurl ner rguavp!'
Nf n srznyr jub jnf qbvat znegvny negf va gur yngr 90f, gubfr rneevatf jbhyq or bar bs gur guvatf V lryyrq ng gur GI nobhg. TBBQOLR RNEYBOR!
Znlor ure Jngpure tnir ure guvf bhgsvg gb oyrag va, juvpu jbhyq zrna ur bayl xabjf gur fgrerbglcrf, gbb.
Lbh envfr n tbbq cbvag.
:|, fubj, 😐
V'ir abg qbar nal fcbegf be fghss yvxr gung rire naq vg znxrf zr lryy ng gur GI orpnhfr frevbhfyl, vs V xabj gubfr guvatf, rirelobql fubhyq xabj gubfr guvatf.
N sevraq bs zvar qbrf xnengr naq vg frevbhfyl yvzvgf uvf novyvgl gb trg zber fghss cvreprq, juvpu znxrf uvz tb nyy *fnqsnpr*. V flzcnguvfr gurer.
Nu, lbh whfg urneq gur ubeebe fgbevrf. Jrne ubbcf, gurl'yy pngpu ba fbzrguvat, evc lbhe ybor bss. Yborf sylvat rireljurer.
Fznpx lbhefrys va gur arjyl-cvreprq abfr jvgu n cnqqrq fjbeq bapr ba n fvzcyr fnyhgr, naq lbh'yy arire sbetrg gung cnva.
Naq V erzrzore trggvat n fghq rneevat pnhtug va fbzr frdhvaf bapr, gbb, va zl pbzcrgvgvir qnapvat qhqf. Sbeghangryl, vg bayl gber n yvggyr ovg orsber gur frdhvaf qrpvqrq gb yrg tb, ohg fbzrjurer gurer'f njrfbzr cvpgherf bs zr, fjrngvat bss fgntr znxrhc, fzvyvat nf jvqr nf cbffvoyr sbe gur whqtrf, jvgu oybbq ehaavat qbja gur fvqr bs zl snpr naq arpx.
Naq gur znxrhc. GUR ZNXRHC. Jurer gur urpx qvq Xraqen yrnea gb nccyl znxrhc?
(Bxnl, V haqrefgnaq gur arrq sbe n ovg sbe gur GI pnzrenf, ohg ABG YVCFGVPX GUNG QNEX.)
I was wondering for a second what you had against bracelets before I realized that was spelt bangle and Bangel is the ship name.
Gur pntrf va Fhaalqnyr zhfg or irel fgebat. Gur yvoenel bar raqf hc ubyqvat na nffbegzrag bs "zbafgref". Naq nccneragyl n Znfgreybpx vf fgebat rabhtu gb pbagnva Natry. Jul jnf Natry fb jrnx? Orpnhfr ur jnf arkg gb qverpg fhayvtug? Ng yrnfg fhayvtug vf fgvyy pbafvqrerq gb or unezshy gb inzcverf ng guvf cbvag. Riraghnyyl nyy lbh arrq gb qb vf guebj n oynaxvr ba lbh naq lbh ner tbbq gb tb!
I know right!
Well, to be fair, it is Angel holding a stuffed pig and being all cute
Mr Gordo! That the stuffed pig has such a formal name makes me smile so much.
Really, an airport? Yeah that whole "Sunnydale is tiny" thing has been completely thrown out the window.
It's only a couple of seconds but OZ AND WILLOW! His reaction when he looks over, that he really looks to make sure that it's Her, it's a tiny moment but so well played. I do have to question the large area the software company has set up for TWO students, and apparently the boss is flying in to speak to them? Seems like overkill. Yes this the Minor Detail I'm Fixating On for this episode.
I can’t recall what this airport was like, but tiny towns have airports too! Especially in states which are far away from major hubs of transportation, they have to have tiny airports here and there. I’m not saying that it’s plausible for Sunnydale, just that it is plausible in general.
I'm clearly experiencing some US/UK culture shock, it seems really big compared to what I'm used to over here. The fact that my hometown is on the seriously tiny side, and several miles from an airport, is probably throwing me off too.
I used to clean the Chico International Airport (population at that time was about 57,000) and it had five gates.
College station (or maybe it was Bryan…can’t remember where the city lines are) has an airport…and we’re only an hour and a half away from Bush Intercontinental and Hobby in Houston. Naq vg jnf n pbyyrtr gbja (nf Fhaalqnyr vf)
rot13'd your last sentence because jr qba'g lrg xabj gung Fhaalqnyr vf n pbyyrtr gbja – naq gung xabjyrqtr pbhyq vzcyvpngr dhvgr n ovg va grezf bs gur shgher bs gur fubj.
Ohg gur seng ubhfr rcvfbqr…V gubhtug gurl zragvbarq gurl jrag gb HP Fhaalqnyr?
Gurl nccneragyl jrag gb n fpubby pnyyrq "Perfgjbbq Pbyyrtr," juvpu vf nzovthbhf. V jnf jbaqrevat guvf zlfrys naq znantrq gb svaq n fvgr gung yvfgf rirel Fhaalqnyr ybpngvba naq jura gurl'er svefg zragvbarq. Gunax lbh, bofrffvir snasvp jevgref!
Ack…and I thought I was being so careful! Good thing you're around to catch accidental spoilers 🙂
Well, "gordo" is Spanish for fat, so I'm not sure how formal it is 🙂
Qnja Guernq!
Bxnl, fb Ohssl pna’g ona Qnja sebz nalguvat lrg (nygubhtu nsgre gbzbeebj, fur’yy qrsvavgryl or onaavat ure sebz bcravat gur qbbe gb fnyrfzra naq cbffvoyl znxrhc.) Ubjrire, V guvax gung jura Qnja fnj Ohssl teno gur fxngrf, fur orttrq gb tb jvgu, naq Ohssl fuehttrq ure bss.
Svefg bs nyy, nf fbba nf gurl zragvbarq "gur xrl", zl svefg gubhtug jnf "BZT OHSSL TRG UBZR SVAQ LBHE FVFGRE CEBGRPG GUR XRL" naq gura V jnf yvxr…bu. Arire zvaq. Nygubhtu qba'g nyy gur crbcyr jub pna frr Qnja nf fur ernyyl vf va F5 zragvba ure "uhzzvat" naq "tybjvat"? V thrff gur uhz vf whfg n trareny srngher bs nyy Ohsslirefr xrlf bs nal glcr. Nyfb vagrerfgvat ubj GUVF xrl vf hfrq nf n genafyngvba xrl, tvira gung Qnja orpbzrf Zf. Bofpher Ynathntr Genafyngbe va gur friragu frnfba. KQ
Naljub, lbh xabj Qnja frrf byq cvpgherf naq znxrf sha bs Ohssl sbe ure Qbebgul Unzvyy cunfr, naq va ergnyvngvba Ohssl cbvagf bhg fbzr rdhnyyl rzoneenffvat cunfr bs Qnja'f gung V pnaabg pbzr hc jvgu orpnhfr V nz abg nf hc gb qngr ba zl phygheny gbhpufgbarf bs gur yngr rvtugvrf/rneyl avargvrf nf V fubhyq or. Nal vqrnf?
(V guvax V'z ortvaavat gb jngpu rcvfbqrf gbb sne nurnq bs gvzr; V unir fbzr cuenfrf ba zl "Qnja Abgrf" fgvpxl abgr (frcrengr sebz zl fgvpxl abgr sbe gur rcvfbqr nf n jubyr) gung ner yvgrenyyl vapbzcerurafvoyr gb zr. Fbzrguvat nobhg Ohssl'f ubhfr naq gvpxyvat. VQRX.)
V qba'g xabj. V guvax Qnja fcrag guvf rcvfbqr bhg bs gbja jvgu Wblpr. Be ng yrnfg fgnlvat jvgu n sevraq. Bgurejvfr, ubj jbhyq Knaqre naq Pbeqryvn raq hc genccrq va gur onfrzrag? Naq jul jbhyq Ohssl or pbzsbegnoyr fyrrcvat ryfrjurer?
Ohg jbhyqa'g Qnja cbffvoyl or bhg bs gbja gbb? Be qvq Wblpr yrnir ure ng ubzr jvgu Ohssl? Jbhyqa'g gung nssrpg Ohssl tbvat gb Natry'f cynpr vs fur unq na 11 lrne byq fvfgre gb onolfvg? Jbhyq fur or va gur ubhfr jura Ohtzna pnzr?
Qnja qbrfa'g svg fb arngyl vagb guvf rcvfbqr vs fur'f npghnyyl va Fhaalqnyr, fb V'z tbvat gb unir gb tb jvgu "Wblpr gbbx ure ba gur neg ohlvat gevc" whfg sbe ybtvp.
Ubjrire, V nterr jvgu lbh ba Ohssl onaavat ure sebz nafjrevat gur qbbe gb fnyrfzra.
Jvgu Wblpr bhg bs gbja, jbhyqa'g Qnja unir tbar jvgu ure? Yrnivat Ohssl gb onolfvg frrzf hayvxryl ng gur ntrf gurl ner sbe n cebybatrq crevbq…
Kendraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Best entrance.
Upon reflection, Dru is problematic… but I love her all the same. She's so refreshing, and cool, and creepy.
Another edit – Nyfb: bar zber jrrx hagvy Fhecevfr/Vaabprapr. Znex vf abg cercnerq.
Fbzrgvzrf V jvfu Xraqen unq yvirq whfg fb jr pbhyq frr jung Naqerj jbhyq unir gb fnl nobhg ure.
"Naq gura gurer jnf Xraqen, gur GUVEQ Fynlre… bs gur inzCLER."
nygubhtu, vs xraqen unqa'g qvrq, snvgu jbhyq abg unir orra pnyyrq. ab…jnvg…v'z bx jvgu gung.
Fb abg cercnerq.
Ur'f tbvat gb or yhyyrq ol gur aba-fgryyne angher bs gur arkg gjb rcvfbqrf – "Onq Rttf" vf va zl obggbz gra – naq gura, FYNZ, arkg jrrx ur jvyy abg xabj jung unf uvg uvz.
Zrnajuvyr ur unf n genhzngvp puncgre va YbgE pbzvat hc gbb. Ur jvyy or n jerpx, V gryy lbh.
Vg'f abg avpr gb tybng.
V'z abg ybbxvat sbejneq gb "Onq Rttf" rvgure, rkprcg znlor gb frr gur yvggyr Nyvra-snpruhttre-ubzntr rtt onovrf. Naq "Grq" vf whfg jrveq naq hapbzsbegnoyr gb jngpu ba n crefbany yriry.
Bu, V yvxr "Grq". Ybgf bs vagrerfgvat traqre pbzzragnel (naq ybgf bs perrcl cnenyyryf) va gung bar.
One thing I've always believed, even in previous rewatches where I really didn't care for Buffy/Angel, is that Sarah and David have a very nice chemistry between them. This episode showcases that really well.
Also: is no one gonna mention Willy? I find him so amusing and I don't know why. I just do.
Lastly, it saddens me that you're not into Spike and Drusilla but that's okay, I shall love them more to compensate.
I mentioned Willy 😛
V xvaqn yvxr ubj ur vf, nsgre gur inzc fgnaf va Yvr Gb Zr, bar bs gur svefg vaqvpngbef bs "pvivyvnaf" orvat njner bs gur fhcreangheny naq qrnyvat jvgu vg va fbzr jnl.
Ah, sorry, when I opened the page to read the review/comment, no one had mentioned him. My apologies!
And I agree with what you said in your rot13'd part!
Fun fact: the DVD commentary says that they originally wanted Willy to shapeshift into a weasel.
How can there be two slayers!!!!! It's great.
But you ignored the part where Oz and Willow not only meet but are more or less alone in a room together! THIS IS BRILLIANT.
No, Mark mentioned that.
Oz is the most important part of this episode. The way he looks at Willow when she sits down next to him, like he can't believe he's finally meeting this girl is amazing. And his opening line of "canape?" is perfect.
Drusilla's issues are two-fold. She has a mental illness from when Angel tortured and turned her into a vampire which is very poorly developed. It's just sort of an ambiguous strangeness. She's also physically weakened thanks to the mob in Prague nearly killing her. This was mentioned in Lie To Me. Spike is seeking a cure for her physical ailments, not her mental ones.
I always figured Angel was just squatting in that basement. Like he found an abandoned cellar and filled it up with stuff he'd stolen over the years.
The Order of Taraka is meant to be an endless string of assassins. Giles tries to explain this, but the fact that Dru only turns over three tarot cards confuses the issue a bit. Basically, they're just gonna keep coming and wear Buffy down until one of them finally kills her.
I love when Buffy kisses Angel while he's in full vampire face. It's such a great moment for their relationship.
And finally, Kendra!
Super excited for tomorrow.
"Spike is seeking a cure for her physical ailments, not her mental ones. "
Oh weird, somehow this never even occurred to me. Interesting.
Agreed about Oz!
"She has a mental illness from when Angel tortured and turned her into a vampire which is very poorly developed."
V qhaab, V nyjnlf gubhtug gurl qvq n cerggl tbbq wbo frggvat hc whfg ubj onqyl Natryhf gbegherq ure vagb vafnavgl – nygubhtu jr qba'g ernyyl trg gb vg hagvy "Orpbzvat." Gung fprar va gur pbasrffvbany vf bar bs gur zbfg unhagvat va gur frevrf, gb zr. Nf n sbezre crefba bs snvgu, V pna rnfvyl haqrefgnaq ubj orvat gbyq jung Qehfvyyn vf gbyq, ol fbzrbar bar oryvrirf gb unir n qverpg yvar gb Nyzvtugl Tbq, jbhyq fraq bar pnerravat bss gur qrrc raq.
Lrnu, ohg n fvzcyr "fur unf CGFQ" jbhyq unir tbar n ybg snegure guna "fur vf jrveq naq zlfgrevbhfyl naq inthryl cflpuvp naq ernyyl qnatrebhf"
Nterrq. Vg'f bar bs gubfr onpxfgbel guvatf juvpu jr hasbeghangryl unira'g tbggra gb frr rabhtu bs gb shyyl rkcynva lrg. Fb V trg jurer Znex vf pbzvat sebz – Qehfvyyn unfa'g unq nyy gung znal fprarf lrg, naq gur barf fur unf unq unir orra zber rrevr guna rkcynval – ohg…V ybir Qeh. Nf n punenpgre, V zrna. V guvax V'q sernx bhg vs V npghnyyl zrg ure va erny yvsr.
Agreed with your assessment of what Spike is trying to cure–it seemed like Mark was unclear on that, but Spike is only seeking to cure her physical ailments. After all, she's been the way she is mentally since she was turned, so why wait all this time before seeking a cure to her mental illness if that was what Spike actually wanted? Doesn't even make sense. If he wanted to cure her mental illness, he'd have sought it long before now. This cure-seeking is a direct result of her injuries in Prague.
Yeah, this is an important point. Spike is very specifically trying to cure Drusilla's physical weakness.
Agreed, yes. Spike is looking to cure Drusilla's physical injuries and weakness from being attacked, as mentioned.
I don't find her childlike-ness ambiguous.
The sound effect makes me flash back to the dude in the Black Hole Sun video combing his hair with a knife.
in other news, i love that song! 🙂
Me too! 😀
And like who just combs their hair as they walk down a hall?
Seeing as how I was brushing my hair as I was running down the street yesterday (which was really counter-productive–the running made it way more messy than the brushing fixed), I can't really judge.
someone with no time?
Says the person who often finishes up her hairdo as she's going down the stairs to start working.
Quick comment:
In the ninth episode of the second season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Buffy’s isolation causes her to seek out to comfort of Angel, while Spike plans to heal Drusilla. Then the Holy Grail of all plot twists hits and nothing in our universe makes any sense at all. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Buffy The Vampire.
…Buffy the Vampire would be an entirely different show. Possibly an awesome one? It sounds intriguing now anyway!
I bet there is fanfiction of this. Who am I kidding of course there is, there is fanfiction for anything you can think of. There is probably also something like "A day in the life of Mr. Gordo!", there should be at least.
Oh, I've seen both. If it exists, SOMEONE will write fic of it.
He has tea with Miss Edith
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/627691/1/Tea_and_Comp… (Spoilers for most of the show)
Awesome!
Fic = win, and Mr. Gordo = even more win.
This is awesome! Just when I thought I've read everything buffy.
I've written fanfic starring Mr Gordo and Ze Cbvagl…
Ng bar fgntr gurer jnf na ragver YW pbzzhavgl pnyyrq "Qnexre Ze Tbeqb", rkcybevat gur frrqvre fvqr bs gur fghssrq cvt jbeyq.
I love fandom
Gura, jr ner vagebqhprq gb nffnffva ahzore guerr.
Nalbar ryfr svaq vg gerzraqbhfyl njrfbzr gung Znex sryy evtug vagb gur jevgref' genc? Fb hacercnerq!
Orpnhfr V erzrzore jura V svefg fnj guvf, nf fbba nf Xraqen ghearq bhg abg gb or gur guveq nffnffva va gur arkg rcvfbqr, zl oenva pbzcyrgryl sbetbg gung jr unq npghnyyl bayl frra gjb nffnffvaf. "Jnvg, jul vf gur pbc fubbgvat ng Ohssl? JUNG?"
Nofbyhgryl oevyyvnag jevgvat. Guvf frnfba ernyyl vf nyy nobhg gur onvg naq fjvgpu, vfa'g vg?
Vg'f njrfbzr orpnhfr va Znex'f erivrj bs Cebcurpl Tvey ur jnf jbaqrevat jung unccrarq abj gung Ohssl unq qvrq, vs fur jnf ab ybatre gur Fynlre be fbzrguvat. FB HACERCNERQ. V jbaqre vs ur sbetbg nobhg gung.
I love the moment in this episode when Willow turns around and there's Oz on the couch and she sits and he looks at her and there's this really lovely look of wonderment and amazed delight on his face as he realizes that he recognizes her and then catches himself because he's been staring a little too long and then "canape?"
SO MUCH ADORABLENESS.
Also, I want a stuffed pig named Mr. Gordo.
My thoughts are limited this week. I was about to get to the end of the episode last night and then I got an email notification about a very rude comment that I felt compelled to respond to immediately. So my thoughts got somewhat derailed.
Latin translating Spike is extra—special sexy
As is dancing Spike
MR GORDO!!!
Poor Buffy having to experience career week knowing her future is already set in stone and will probably end quickly and bloodily
Dear Buffy. Please listen to Angel. He is *not* a kid.
I had a Dorothy Hamill haircut as well. It was not flattering and I was often mistaken for a boy. Dorothy Hamill is a child traumatizing hag.
So cute that they worked SMG’s figure skating background into the show.
Scary Men in Black have kidnapped our Willow and forced her to eat suspect canapés! And…OZ!!!
The look on his face when he recognizes her makes me feel all squishy in the chest region.
Lots of scary people maneuvering their way into SunnyD!
Research Party! Who’s bringing the jelly doughnuts!?! Obviously it was the severe shortage of HoHos at this particular meeting that is causing Hostess’s current bankruptcy problems. Buffy killed HoHos!
Skatey Buffy is pretty.
It’s always a good idea to attack a Slayer when she has blades attached to her feet.
Exactly what deck of cards is Dru working from? I have never seen one that had a bug on it.
Angel’s “Don’t look at me! I’m hideous!” always produces extensive eyerolling from me.
Lurking young lady is lurking! I wonder who she could be! Hee!
Bowling *is* a vicious game and there is always time for jokes, Giles.
I wonder. Is spike paying the Oder of Taraka by check, or credit card. Invoice? These things trouble me!
Oz! Yes. I yell Oz at the screen every time he appears and have for a dozen years.
How cute! Phones with plugs! Next thing you know they’ll use a floppy disk!
Yes, Buffy. When you have to disappear from the grid your vampire boyfriend’s curiously well decorated apartment is always the stealthiest place to choose. And really. When did Angel get a chance to collect knick knacks while sticking to his strict brooding regimen?
Willy!
“I have frog fear!”
Xander/Cordelia bickering has always been one of my favorite things about this show.
I have always wondered just what the hell that wire cage could have been made of that Angel couldn’t seem to break out of it.
Chick fighting 4ever!
I am Kendra! The vampire slayer! WOOT! And I have always felt that that was an incredibly cruel place to leave this episode.
Please don't call a woman a "hag" on this site. The word has sexist connotations and sexist comments are not allowed here.
Noted. I will make a decided effort to refrain from using words like it in the future.
I had this very bad habit of unbridled rage when faced with a TBC… especially when it's a cliffhanger.
So, um, yeah, I had the exact same reaction to Kendra as Mark did, except with a whole lot more throwing things at the TV.
I didn't put anything through the wall for this episode, though. THIS EPISODE.
(I'm very proficient at spackling holes in walls, by the way. Which my best friend in the whole wide world found out when I was reading HP6 and Snape killed Dumbledore and that book went THROUGH THE WALL into the next bedroom.)
If cackling in delight to your reaction is wrong, I don't want to be right.
Also: "THIS IS SOME STRAIGHT HIGHLANDER BULLSHIT."
I feel like this is the time to confess that one of my biggest fanfiction guilty pleasures? Was Buffy/Highlander crossover fanfic. There you go.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS.
…Says the person who got introduced to Buffy via Buffy/HP crossover fic. Whatever, crossovers are awesome, even when somewhat nonsensical…and even better when the author makes the nonsensicalness WORK.
I discovered Sandman because of a Buffy/Sandman crossover fic
HIGHLANDER IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER. IT WON THE OSCAR.
I MEAN, SEAN CONNERY AND CLANCY BROWN SWORDFIGHTING WITH A SOUNDTRACK BY QUEEN! HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG WITH THAT?
HEEEERE WE ARE, BORN TO BE KINGS
WE'RE THE PRINCES OF THE UNIVERSE!
-We had internet tests for career options. My top result was an Explosive Specialist.
-Cordelia gets that point.
-…Shrubs?
-The poor DMV gets such a bad rap. They were nice to me.
-You gotta be careful with those beef canoes.
-Cure?
-Buffy has quite a collection of cross necklaces.
-Angel needs a pet pig.
-Wishes for normalcy are best when they lead to fun dream/alternate reality times.
-Xander had the last word but Cordy had the last laugh, a point for each.
-Prison Guard and Law Enforcement actually make sense to me.
-Poor Willow, that is never fun.
-If Giles thinks they are pompous then they must be bad.
-Is that safe Spike? It's a giant cross.
-There are vampire bounty hunters? And one is a leopard?
-Uh-Oh, Run Willow! They are men in suits!
-Well that sounds suspicious but OZ!!! I guess I can't complain.
-Welcome to du Lac, such a perfect town.
-Willow is so good at convincing people.
-See what happens when you are late Angel?
-If they aren't vampires then what are they? The one on the ice didn't bleed.
-Eww, meal worms.
-To the Angel Cave! But Leopard Hunter saw her with him.
-At least the breaking in goes both ways in this relationship.
-Angel keeps getting whupped.
-Frog Fear + “Don't warn the tadpoles” sounds like a plan of violence.
-Oh no! Angel!
-Xander gets -1 for the round outside (sparring with Cordelia) but +1 for inside (convincing Cordelia)
-Answering the door of someone else's house after you just broke in?
-Does that mean the Leopard assassin is still out there?
-Hi there 2-parter.
To be honest the slayer reveal didn't surprise me much (in the general scheme of things, not the episode; I had wondered why she was going to stake Angel (that seems to be against the Demon-Code) but I dismissed it). This isn't because of any foreknowledge (that I know of) but because it seems like there had to be others. The Powers That Be in fiction aren't always that useful but they are usually practical and there is nothing practical about having only one teenage girl protect the WHOLE WORLD from hordes of vampires and demons. Especially when she might never leave her own country.
-Welcome to du Lac, such a perfect town.
I somehow never made that connection, and now the song is in my head.
Mwahahahaha!
The Powers That Be in fiction aren't always that useful but they are usually practical and there is nothing practical about having only one teenage girl protect the WHOLE WORLD from hordes of vampires and demons. Especially when she might never leave her own country.
Yeah I think that is a little impractical, but it might point towards a huge understatement in the understanding of the 'powers that be' have for how many bad guys there are, or how big the world is. How long has there been slayers?
Good point.
"there is nothing practical about having only one teenage girl protect the WHOLE WORLD from hordes of vampires and demons."
Not practical at all. But… doesn't the opening say that there's only one slayer?
(*I have no way to rewatch BtVS. So sad!)
It's soooo hard for me to comment on two-parters! The temptation…spoilers…it's so strong…. I just won't comment at all.
I'm stuffing my face with mini peanut butter cups as a preventative measure. I can't type if I'm unwrapping tiny foil packages.
she exists to irritate Spike
Um… wha? Spike loves Drusilla. While people in love do irritate one another on occasion, I'd say that he'd hardly regard her existence as primarily an irritation, especially since he's, you know, trying to save her life?
Yeah, she stops him from doing things he wants to do, but she's usually right when she does – like with not killing Ford immediately in Lie to Me.
Yeah, I think that Spike's love and more-patient-than-not attitude towards Drusilla being really, especially neuro-atypical is an important part of his characterization.
I agree with this entirely. It actually always really touched me how sweet Spike is with Drusilla, especially considering his vampiric nature.
Um… wha?
My reaction exactly. They might be having a tough time here and she might be particularly trying Spike's patience, but I'd have to be REALLY oblivious to miss the love and concern underneath it all. Even if they are vampires.
Kendra = best worst accent ever
Weirdly, my doctor was born in the Caribbean and bears a truly bizarre resemblance to Kendra. I have had to restrain myself from calling her Dr. Kendra on occasion.
I'm kind of fond of it myself. Though here are some of the actress's comments on it:
Ovnapn Ynjfba pbzzragrq ba ure npprag qhevat ure fgvag ba Ohssl va na vagreivrj jvgu FSK zntnmvar:
V ernyyl ungrq gung npprag! V tbg gur cneg, naq V qvqa'g bevtvanyyl unir na npprag. Gura, yvgrenyyl gur avtug orsber, gurl fnvq, "Jung nobhg n Wnznvpna npprag?" Fb vg'f bar bs gubfr guvatf jurer, l'xabj, V whfg unq gb chg vg ba gncr, ohg V qvqa'g unir n punapr gb trg pbzsbegnoyr jvgu vg. Naq gur guvat vf, pregnva guvatf – vs lbh fnl vg cebcreyl [va Wnznvpna cngbvf], crbcyr qba'g ernyyl shyyl haqrefgnaq vg, fb gurl jbhyq punatr guvatf. Gurl'q fnl, "Jryy, fnl vg yvxr guvf" naq vg'f yvxr, "Jbhyq gung or npphengr va gung npprag gubhtu?" "Vg qbrfa'g znggre orpnhfr ab-bar'f tbvat gb haqrefgnaq lbh!" Fb qvssrerag crbcyr jrer tvivat gurve vagrecergngvbaf bs vg. V jnf yvxr "Ohg rirelbar'f tbvat gb guvax gung V'z qbvat vg jebat!" Fb crefbanyyl, V jnfa'g unccl jvgu gur npprag!
she really does give it her all. bless her.
Kendra = best worst accent ever
Vs fur unf gur 'orfg jbefg npprag rire', gura V abzvangr synfuonpx Natry sbe univat gur jbefg jbefg npprag rire.
Bu ybeql, Qnivq Obernanm'f "Vevfu npprag" vf gehyl njshy.
Abbbbbbbb! V ybir Vevfu Obernanm. Vg'f fb onq, vg'f jbaqreshy.
(V cbfgrq guvf va na rneyvre guernq, ohg zl urnq pnaba ba Yvnz vf gung ur jnf fhpu n shpx-hc gung ur arire yrnearq gb fcrnx cebcreyl.)
Am enjoying following this blog because I never got to watch BtVS linearly, and I never got to be really surprised by the plot twists that are upcoming. (And it isn't a spoiler to say plot twists are coming, because this is Joss Whedon). I enjoy watching your freak-outs, and especially enjoy anticipating your future freak-outs. Invest in a defibrillator.
The following is not a spoiler, but only a reflection based on what you've seen of the show so far:
You should go easy on Xander. He's a horny teenage boy. And I don't know how old you are, or how far away your teenage years were, but–teenagers are frequently driven to do stupid and selfish things by their hormones. They are not defined by their hormones, however. Xander, when he's not thinking with his penis, is a brave, loyal, caring human being. He's just deeply, deeply flawed. As is everyone. Just because you haven't seen those flaws in other characters doesn't mean they don't exist. This is a spoiler for LIFE. Maybe Xander's flaws are magnified because of his male privilege, but at the end of the day, he's no better or worse than any human being fighting his or her own weaknesses.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I am most certainly not going to give Xander a pass on doing and saying extremely gross and sexist things just because he's a teenage boy. Boys like him grow up to be sexist adults precisely because no one calls them out on their bad behavior at this age and then people wonder why the cycle of sexism continues. You mention male privilege, but you want us to go easy on him BECAUSE he's male and supposedly not in control of his hormones? What??? That is exactly how his privilege works, people say "boys will be boys" and they get away with all sorts of bullshit. If a character on this show or any show behaves in an awful way, people here WILL call them out on it, and I am fucking sick and tired of people like you telling us to ease up on this sexist character, be more nice, giving us the "boys will be boys" excuse, telling us we're not focusing enough on his good points, and trying to stop us from discussing the sexism present in his actions and words. We will not be silenced, so deal with the criticism of Xander.
I teach my daughter that being judgmental about other human beings speaks more about the judge than it does the judged.
Plus, the criticism is getting old and boring. He's a fictional character and can not amend his behavior because you chastise him on the internet 12 years after he first aired. Things were different in the 90s. Slut shaming wasn't even a phrase yet. Applying current values to dated art does not work. Just be glad it's recognized now and stop attacking a decade old celloid fake person over it.
Just because it wasn't recognised then doesn't mean it's not still kind of gross, though. :/
You're more than welcome to point out things you like about Xander, and nobody would deny that, but everyone else is equally allowed to express their views.
I mean, it's not like he's going to be hurt – as you say, he's a fictional character. 🙂
Nobody said it wasn't wrong, but when you're the 50th person making the same exact point then maybe the point has been made.
That's not a reason to not talk about it.
Evidently not.
Either way, we won't stop making it just because some people don't like it. That would be a hell of a reason to stop talking about anything.
Once a point has been made it's unnecessary to continually make it over and over and over. Xander says a lot of stupid sexist stuff. Yep. He really does. I don't think anyone disagrees with that. He's deliberately characterized that way, though. Something I really haven't seen addressed in the comments in the past couple of weeks. He's the typical example of a male 90s high school student character. He's Dawson, and Brandon Walsh, and Dylan McKAy, and Jordan Catalano, and Cory Matthews, and Jess Mariano, and Pacey Whitter, and Bailey Salinger, and Ben Covington, and Wayne Arnold all rolled up into one character and set there on purpose to act as contrast to Buffy, the unconventional female hero and protagonist.
So it's repeatedly being pointed out that Xander is exactly who he is supposed to be.
Which in my lowly and singular opinion, gets a little old after a couple weeks.
Even if he's meant to be unpleasant (which is murky and frankly intent doesn't matter to me as much as what's onscreen), that doesn't make him any more fun to watch when he's being that way. And if it's getting old, well, don't read those comments. Easy solution.
Okay, I have no business wading into a conversation about feminism, so let me instead make this point:
I say things because I feel them while watching them. I am aware that nothing I say will change a show that's done and gone. That's not why I point them out. It's more for the sake of critically engaging a show. Now, that's not the real issue at hand here. I think people are forgetting that the comments to these posts are not as if we are all standing in a room, talking with one another, and repeating the same thing 40 times in a row. Most people (and I'm speaking from experience of being a community manager for six years and from running this site) do NOT read other comments before starting their own thread. Because of this, there end up being a lot of repetitious themes or thoughts that pop up.
No one is orchestrating this sort of thing, and because this doesn't operate exactly like a message board, it's very easy for it to seem like we're all banding together to make one point.
We're not. It's the nature of the IntenseDebate layout, combined with the dynamic of the people who post here.
This is one of the best posts I've ever seen about anything on the internet. Seriously. The fact that discussion forums and comment threads do not equate to a "real life" conversation is incredibly difficult to internalize (I know that I struggle with it constantly when reading shit on the internet), but understanding that is SO FUNDAMENTAL to having a civil discussion online.
So SUPER KUDOS MARK for explaining this in such a clear way! It should go on a FAQ somewhere. 😀
(in the spirit of discussion and carefully worded to not include spoilers)
I do understand that, but it's been the same exact comments every day by dozens of people since the viewing started. I'm definitely *not* saying that this is a not a problem of Xander's. It is. He's falwed. but every character in the show is flawed. The one thing (NOT a spoiler) that you can expect from a Whedon show is flawed characters and character growth.
The same comments day after day gets repetitive and smacks of dog-piling on a character that is really no more flawed than the other characters on the show.
Let's face it. Cordelia is holding her own in her arguments with Xander. She also says some really hateful things back to him. The things she says are rooted in a history, we were told, of bullying and debasement of Xander and Willow so they're more painful than they appear on the surface. In fact, we've been, that Cordelia is most likely responsible for Xander and Willows bottom of the heap "loser" status in the school social structure. But the things she says are being ignored and she's even been cheered on. It stymies me because I can't ignore it because of a history of being bullied in school myself. I'm not the only person here who has that history, but I seem to be alone in thinking that what she says back to Xander, and often says to Willow unprompted, are just as bad as what Xander says to her.
As far as Buffy goes, she sees Xander's attitude towards her and, aside from the one time she explains to him that she's not interested ,she doesn't seem to be upset by his actions. Instead, in Inca Mummy Girl, she seemed a little put out when he wasn't showing interest in her, so we can only assume that she's flattered by his attitude. It's not bothering her, so even though we *all* find it to be very Nice Guy of him (a term invented after this season of the show aired) and it's annoying to us, (and it *is* annoying to all of us. I'm not hand-waving it. It bothers me as well) it doesn't seem to actually be a problem at this point of his relationship with Buffy.
We have been given glimpses of Xander's home life that show us that all is not quiet and peaceful in House Harris so we can only assume that Xander is the way he is deliberately. The writers are aware of his flaws. They put them there intentionally. His purpose is to be an example of the traditional teenaged boy that appeared in all the other high school based shows that were on television at the time. He's there as a contrast for BtVS's unconventional female hero. So being annoying and rooted in patriarchy is his job and he's doing it very well.
I like this comment! I don't even necessarily disagree with it. I think the main reason I see this differently is that I lack scope: I don't know Xander's full story, you do. I know it may seem like I am hosting some sort of Anti-Xander Convention 2012, but I swear I am not.
All I ask is that:
1) People allow me to see Xander as he grows and allow me to form whatever opinions on him that I want.
2) That the Xander fans and anti-fans hug and please stop fighting omg WHY ARE MOM AND DAD FIGHTING OMG.
While I'll agree that Xander's behaviour and comments are understandable, that doesn't make them excusable and I think the fact that the characters on the show rarely call him out on it doesn't help. Cordelia was originally set up to be an antagonistic figure to the Scoobies (so glad I can say that now), but her character is developing and she is beginning to help them as well as scorn them. Xander was set up as one of the heroes from the start, but I think he's probably had the least development of the main characters so far: we're a season and a half in and he doesn't seem to haved learned much yet (not saying he won't in future) and that can be exasperating. If it's boring reading the same comments about him everyday, perhaps that means some people find it boring to see him behaving in the same, often unlikeable way in every episode. If he starts to grow and change, or at least if his behaviour receives some more on screen consequences, maybe the comments will change.
Xander never bothered me that much, I just didn't care about him enough to get particularly irritated by him and sometimes I'll skim over the comments on Xander to get to the comments on characters I am interested in. However, there's a difference between saying you like/dislike a character and saying what other people are allowed to think about that character. Different people respond to different things. Some people like Xander, some can dislike him, some might just not care, but the part of the point of this blog is allowing different views (particularly views from people who are ignored in other places) to be heard. If people want to criticise Xander's sexism, they can do that, just like people who like Xander can say why they like him, but one set of views doesn't invalidate the other.
This is a good comment and I like it.
/articulate.
PS: This whole time I have been reading your twitter name as
LETTUCEPREYTON
what
It may not have been a phrase yet, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't a gross as hell thing to do. Wow, great job at missing the point entirely, I congratulate you! It doesn't matter if it's a fictional character who can't change his behavior – his behavior onscreen nevertheless reflects societal attitudes that are still very much alive today. They continue to exist precisely BECAUSE people don't challenge them when they come up. That's why I, and Mark, and so many other people here, continue to call out this kind of bullshit wherever we see it in fiction.
I didn't miss the point. I am old enough to have direct experience with first wave feminism and chances are I was a feminist long before you were born. I am also the mother of a pre-teen girl. I understand completely the importance of stopping slut shaming. I also understand from first person experience the limits that people will be willing to listen to "angry feminists" and the importance of being interesting on the internet. You can yell a point from the highest mountains at the top of your lungs for an eternity and it won't matter if people have decided to tune you out.
I don't care how old you are. And is that the tone argument I see you pulling out on me? Don't do that.
I see you didn't address any of my points and experience is a valuable thing that shouldn't be ignored.
I didn't see any points worth addressing.
I can tell you that no matter how loudly you yell atop the highest mountains of THIS site, we're never going to stop calling characters (and writers) out on their sexism.
What does this have to do with people listening or not, anyway? It's our own private discussion. We're not trying to "convert" anyone here (if that happens anyway it's just icing). All we're doing is expressing our feelings about these episodes.
And no one is saying that Xander is not being sexist. He is. It's deliberate. His typical male high school character, a character that was reflected in dozens of other shows at the time, is there as a contrast for Buffy, our unconventional hero.
So the way I see it (to keep things in "I" statements) calling something out that is there deliberately to make a point kind of misses the point.
How do you know it was deliberate? Are you one of the writers?
Peyton, stop it. I've seen you do this in multiple places all over, and your greatest weakness is your inability to walk away from an internet argument. Please walk away now.
I find it interesting that you express knowledge of me but don't identify yourself so I have no idea what the context is that you seem to know me.
Rufinia on LJ and on the EK list. I'm not that hard to suss out, my name means the same thing everywhere.
I am old enough to have direct experience with first wave feminism
Really? Hey, thanks for the right to vote!
Well duh. I always do that for some reason. Of course I meant the second wave feminism of Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem.
Of course. But I found it more than a little bit ironic that while telling someone else that your feminism is better because you're older, you accidentally invoked the name of an entire wave of feminism that happened (probably) before you were born.
Applying current values to dated art allows us to acknowledge how to move forward and what needs to be changed. Buffy wasn't long ago at all by art's standards; looking at its problems after we've given it enough time to settle down into its place in pop culture lets us say 'well, perhaps we should take some of its messages with a grain of salt'. Here's a question: why so defensive of a decade old celluloid fake person?
And being judgmental sometimes says nothing more or less than, 'you have the right to pass judgment on gross behavior'. I'd really hate to be a person who never judged; I'm fairly sure I'd be a doormat.
And being judgmental sometimes says nothing more or less than, 'you have the right to pass judgment on gross behavior'. I'd really hate to be a person who never judged; I'm fairly sure I'd be a doormat.
I was reading a really interesting article (actually I was sent there by a commenter here) on education in Canada (I'm a USian) and how they spent so much time teaching tolerance and non-judgment that some of the kids didn't think it was okay to intervene when they saw a woman being horrifically abused in another country because "over there it's okay." Sometimes judgment is necessary.
Realizing now that I posted this comment in a hurry and it's kind of incoherent, so here is the link to the place where I read about this:
Moments of Startling Clarity
The actual article explains it better than I can.
"Buffy wasn't long ago at all by art's standards; looking at its problems after we've given it enough time to settle down into its place in pop culture lets us say 'well, perhaps we should take some of its messages with a grain of salt'. "
Or maybe it allows us to see how good writers let the characters act like realistic human beings who have flaws and say and do stupid and nasty things, rather than like idealized politically correct angels that exist solely to be role models? Maybe it allows us to understand that not everything that a fictional character say – even one of the 'good guys' – is not supposed to be taken as gospel truth and a message that we should emulate them?
I am in 100% agreement with this.
Flawed protagonists – who sometimes say and do shitty things as a result of those flaws- are far more interesting to watch than ones who never make mistakes, or have the wrong attitude, or occasionally do bad things. (for one, Mad Men would be dull as paint if people weren't horrible)
Okay, I agree with both of these statements, so let me then just say (without wading into any sort of posturing about feminism) that I think perhaps myself and others are not being clear on some point.
I don't want perfect characters ever. EVER. They should be flawed. THE MORE DEEPLY FLAWED THE MORE I FLOCK TO THEM HELLO MS. COULTER HELLO. I don't want nor expect anyone to be a "role model" in any sense that you seem to be putting forth, Ivana2804. (oh god how douche-y do i look referring to you that way GOD.) When I point out problematic stuff, I am not expecting change WITHIN the show, especially since that's impossible. I am merely trying to engage with the writing in a critical sense.
Actually, that's the most important part: There's a writer behind every character who purposely did this sort of stuff that I dislike, and I suppose what I'm saying is more for them. The only time this stuff truly bothers me is when there's no internal narrative of any sort to paint actions as wrong. Willow a lot of the time IS that person, and in this episode, Giles is that role. Sometimes it's not a character; sometimes it is the plot itself.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you are taking some of these opinions in the opposite direction I am aiming for. That means I should be more clear on that sort of stuff! I'll work on that in the future.
thanks for the response, Mark. I can't speak for anyone else, but on my own part, sometimes I'm a bit murky on the idea of "messages" from pop culture protagonists at all.
The implication I read off some of the comments was that a character's (in this case, Xander's) flaws are certainly things to dislike, especially when they are presented as a protagonist. I'm pretty indifferent to Xander, and fully aware of the grossness of his behaviour – disliking it is an absolutely justified response, not that anyone needs me to say so. And I do not think that it's pointless to make criticisms of a show for failing with the isms, I just…….like characters with flaws – I may dislike the flaw, but that doesn't automatically ———> hating the character for it, as long as there is some acknowledgment – explicit or implicit – that it IS a flaw. I used to read Xander's 'loser' status in high school as being the implicit punishment from the narrative for being a slut-shaming idiot who does not know when to back off, but I might revise that opinion.
Wait, so let me get this straight.
Xander is deliberately flawed and unlikeable in many ways. So you're pissed off people dislike his flaws?
If a character is deliberately flawed, then people will sometimes dislike them for those flaws. That's the way writing WORKS.
More to the point, I don't buy the 'deliberate' thing 100%. Xander is presented as a guy to feel sympathy for because he's tragically in unrequited love with his best friend! Xander is also a sexist dick about that fact. Xander is so funny! And loads of his jokes are sexist and slut-shaming. And so on, and so on. It just feels, to me, like the show does not ACKNOWLEDGE Xander's flaws. And therefore is not critical of them *as* flaws.
Let me put it this way: Spike is a terrible person, and I love his character. Why? Because his character is presented as a terrible person. But Xander? Feels like I'm supposed to ignore his many flaws. So despite being, really, a FAR better *person* than Spike… I dislike his character.
This. I wish I had more upvotes to give you.
I'll give 'em one of mine, then.
oh drat, you probably won't be notified, but I responded to this below!
"being judgmental sometimes says nothing more or less than, 'you have the right to pass judgment on gross behavior'. "
THANK you. The whole "ooooohhhh judging me says more about you than it does about me" business is just a fantastic way to avoid critically thinking about one's own behavior when someone points out that it might be a problem.
Clearly, pointing out that you don't like it when I punch you is just about how ~oversensitive to being punched~ you are and how you ~can't handle~ knowing my punching skills are better than yours!
Are people seriously going to bring this shit up again????
sigh.
I just wish people would let me experience Xander my own way. I have over a hundred more episodes with him! I swear I will critically engage with him like any other character, but his writing so far is not that great.
I think it's fantastic how you can both passionately love something and also critically engage with it at the same time. And I respect so much how you never let yourself be silenced.
I don't need to always agree with your interpretations of something — I'm still interested because they're YOUR interpretations and they're personal and authentic.
<3
If it makes you feel any better, Mark, I think what you wrote above about the nature of internet threads and IntenseDebate sometimes making it feel like you're being hammered by an endless stream of repetitious comments applies here as well. Just in the other direction. 🙂
On behalf of "Xander fans," let me apologize if we're coming off too strongly as a group. I promise it's not because we're orchestrating our posting in any way! And more importantly, I promise that at least some of us understand where you're coming from and would never sully the Mark Does Stuff experience by forcing you into a particular opinion. It's your site, after all, we're just visitors. 🙂 🙂 🙂
omg no! No one is coming off too strongly! This isn't like ZUTARA SHIPPERS. Omg THEY came off rather strong during the first season of Avatar when I was writing about that, so much so that I had to POST A WARNING. Actually, the anti-Ginny brigade was probably the worst.
I am totally hearing you, Xander fans, and I know there's a reason you all like him, but I just want to get there myself. I still have five and a half seasons to go!
(From what I remember, it was actually anti-Zutara shippers that were coming off too strong and being wank-baity.)
Was it? I only sort of engaged those comments because they were RIFE with spoilers.
Did the mods miss the porn that was posted that I saw that made me want to die? It was Aang/Zuko fanart and I never want to see it again. 🙁
Spectralbovine and I were made mods partway through ATLA, and while arctic_hare was a mod, she was also newly watching ATLA with you and was probably skipping the reports. And I don't remember Karen in the ATLA comments much.
So…presumably most if not all current mods missed that. You are perhaps alone in your misery.
Man, you know what? Fuck you on the teenager thing. My teenage years aren't done yet and I can remember the earlier ones just fine, and let me tell you: plenty of teenagers manage to be respectful. Plenty of teenagers manage to keep their horniness to a level that doesn't involve screwing people over, can keep it out of sight. Plenty of people can control themselves. Being a teenager does not make one incapable of making judgement calls on how you treat others, and know what? I am actually getting to the point where the assumption it does pisses me off.
If it was about age, we wouldn't talk about how teenage BOYS can't help being inappropriate; but it's always teenage boys, isn't it, never teenage girls harrassing and so on. I never hear about how 'girls will be girls' (and I should damn well hope I never do). And last I checked, boys were not any less capable of the control that comes with being a mature human being than girls are.
Hormones don't work the way people think they do. Know why boys really do this shit? Because we tell them it's normal and never let them believe otherwise. Why check your behaviour when nobody ever makes you feel it's a problem, after all?
Amen.
My little brother is fifteen, having a hell of a time with his hormones and growing pains and so on, and you know what? He checks himself, listens if someone is upset, apologises afterwards if he is rude in a moment of anger. And I'm damn proud of him for being so nice to his Mum and Dad and uncool big sisters, but at the same time, it's what I expect of him. Because teenagers are not a mindless horde.
There need to be more teenage boys like your brother in the world. Good for him. 🙂
🙂
Now if only I could improve his typing for when we talk on Facebook…
I don't think anyone is saying that all teenagers are incapable of controlling their urges. But I think it's also overstating things to say that the only reason boys [or anyone else] "really do this shit" is just because society is inadequately providing them with social conditioning otherwise. There is real pressure, both internal and external, that drives people of all ages to do things that they probably shouldn't, and teenagers absolutely do undergo a set of pressures that is unique to that particular phase of life. Doesn't mean every teenager will respond in the same way, nor that all teenagers are incapable of handling those pressures.
I think the show is very intentionally exploring those underlying pressures (again, internal and external) that push teenagers, specifically, towards doing things that are unhealthy or counterproductive. And the way it does so is by showing us our protagonists experiencing those pressures, and responding to them in a variety of ways. Willow is pressured by a combination of her personality and social standing to be meek and quiet and dutiful. Sometimes she reacts to those pressures by giving into them, putting on ghost costumes to hide from attention. And sometimes, she rises to the occasion, taking charge of the Scooby Gang when everyone else has forgotten who they are, while dressed in a way that she never would under normal circumstances. The fact that both of these particular examples occurred in the same episode, I think, illustrates the nuanced way that Joss and his crew are able to explore these sorts of issues.
Put another way: BtVS is not intended to promote a particular ideal, the way series like "Star Trek: The Next Generation" were. If there's one thing Joss is consistent on, it's that he isn't interested in having his protagonists exemplify his view of the perfect human being. He explores human frailty by having his protagonists be frail.
That pressure IS a part of social conditioning, you realise?
And there is a very big difference between depicting shitty behaviour as shitty, and depicting shitty behaviour uncritically. You're apparently much more optimistic about the concept Joss is doing the former as opposed to the latter; personally, the show seems to feel that Xander's behaviour is very 'boys will be boys' to me and as someobody who has experienced that it makes me wildly uncomfortable.
"BtVS is not intended to promote a particular ideal"- until, of course, it's in Joss' interests to promote it as an ideal of feminism, which he has definitely been guilty of doing. More to the point, this isn't about ideals or whatever, it's about whether un-idealized characters are presented *critically*.
Anyway, none of that's even relevant to the comment I made, which was directed at somebody going 'oh, but he's a teenager, don't you remember what that's like, cut him some slack!'
I loved Buffy's WTF moment at the introduction of Kendra. It was exactly the same expression I had on my face.
I remember when Kendra climbed out of the airplane cockpit and it seemed like she was one of the assassins; I thought it seemed cliche and stereotypical to have the assassin that is associated with the Leopard tarot card to be a WOC.
I cringed when Cordelia responds to the wormy guy at the front door. DON'T LET HIM IN CORDY!!!
No update of the Secret Identity Failure today, but on that subject…
(slight movie spoilers) Bevtvanyyl, Zreevpx gbyq Ohssl fur unq gb xrrc ure vqragvgl frperg fb gung gur inzcverf jbhyqa'g svther bhg jub fur jnf naq nggnpx ure ng ubzr be xvyy ure snzvyl be fb sbegu.
…abj, gurer ner inzcverf uvevat nffnffvaf naq fraqvat gurz gb ure ubzr nqqerff. Naq crbcyr jub xabj cerpvfryl juvpu pnerref snve guvatf fur'f fvtarq hc sbe.
Jryy, gung'f jung fur trgf sbe yrggvat n inzcver vagb ure orqebbz!
The following ROT13 is all about the Buffy movie.
V unir na rynobengr zragny snaba jurer gur Ohssl zbivr naq gur GI fubj rkvfg va gur fnzr havirefr, ubjrire gurer jrer npghnyyl gjb Fynlref (cbffvoyl pbafrphgvir?) anzrq Ohssl.
Gurer vf nyfb gur cbffvovyvgl gung Ohssl punatrf orpnhfr bs ure hasbeghangr fgnl ng gur zragny nflyhz nsgre fur gbyq ure cneragf nobhg inzcverf be Qnja'f neeviny punatrq fbzr bs gur zber ybhtunoyr cybg cnegf bs gur zbivr.
Ohg gjb Ohsslf vf n avpr vqrn.
Jryy, gung jbexf ba fbzr guvatf ohg abg ba bguref – Ohssl'f zbgure va gur zbivr vf engure, hz, nofrag. Abguvat yvxr Wblpr, naljnl. Naq Zreevpx orvat Gur Jngpure nyfb qbrfa'g jbex.
Fb gur zbivr vf xvaq bs pnaba, ohg abg ernyyl, sbe zr? Gur trareny fgbelyvar vf, ohg abg gur qrgnvyf.
Movie is not canon. The script mostly is, other than Buffy's age being changed and a few other very minor things.
The comic book Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Origin is probably the closest you can get to including the movie story in the tv show canon.
Nyfb, V guvax Wblpr jnf vaqrrq gung nofrag bs n zbgure orsber Ohssl unq nyy gubfr ceboyrzf. Vg fubbx ure hc, jbxr ure hc, naq znqr ure n orggre zbgure.
Oh, I agree that the movie's not canon. There's too much difference, and yeah, Buffy being a senior in the movie =/= a sophomore in the TV show. On the other hand, there are parts of the storyline that are canon, and the comic book is definitely more in line with the TV show.
Naq V pna frr gung. Fur qbrfa'g fgevxr zr nf dhvgr nf bhg bs vg nf Ohssl'f zbgure va gur zbivr, gubhtu.
OMG I had forgotten that this is the episode where Willow mentions her fear of frogs. I have terrible frog phobia DOES THAT MEAN I AM WILLOW (and if so where are my jvgpul cbjref naq ubg ybiref bs rvgure frk)
Hahaha Mark you are a Bangel shipper just give in 😀
Kendra's accent is just… IDEK, what is that??? And why does she look like an 80s reject? OTOH love Buffy's so-90s oversized checked shirt.
That cage that Angel's locked in seems way too flimsy to hold him, doesn't it?
Love Giles' tenderness with Willow in this episode. And Oz's double take when he realizes who's on the couch next to him.
Jurer ner zl jvgpul cbjref naq ubg ybiref bs rvgure frk?
Gung'f n dhrfgvba V nyfb junag na nafjre gb.
Pbzr ba jbeyq, V jbhyq rira or unccl jvgu bs bs gur nobir.
Randoms:
I once read an adorable fanfic that paired Mr. Gordo and Miss. Edith (it's a Hellmouth. Toys coming to life is totally plausible)
Bianca Lawson (who plays Kendra), initially auditioned for the role of Buffy and nearly got it. Think of what a different show that would have been.
Charisma Carpenter was almost Buffy too! Or was it just that Sarah Michelle Gellar was almost Cordelia?
SMG was almost Cordelia. And Nathan Fillion was almost Angel!
All sorts of cross-casting going on
SMG was almost Cordelia, but Charisma also auditioned for Buffy.
In fact, SMG WAS cast as Cordy before being brought back to audition for Buffy.
Elisabeth Anne Allen (Amy in Witch) and Julie Benz (Darla from the first season) were also both people who auditioned for Buffy.
That sounds like a wonderful fic. <3 (Says the Toy Story mega-fan.)
And I posted a link to it in another comment. Didn't quite think that one through. Anyway, if you're interested (spoilers for the whole show): http://www.fanfiction.net/s/627691/1/Tea_and_Comp…
THAT IS SO CUTE I CAN'T EVEN <3
There is also Fanfic out there where Count Von Count comes to sunnydale, and is absolutely terrifying. Count Von Count and The Master are a freaking singularity of HAM.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3224332/1/Counts_of_B…
Ah, there it is.
That's brilliant, I wish there were about a hundred other crossovers like that!
I thought Bianca Lawson was almost Cordelia, not Buffy? And wasn't, um, Elizabeth Anne Allen also in contention for Buffy?
What a different show it would have been, with the original Willow, the Amy character as Buffy, and the Kendra character as Cordelia.
I heard that Bianca was actually offered the role of Cordelia, but turned it down due to other commitments, so it went to Charisma Carpenter instead.
That's possible. The real point is that the more or less wrote this role for her. Also, the whiteness of Sunnydale doesn't reflect the casting calls, which is nice to know. I remember Jane Espenson noting that they even kept side roles gender neutral as often as possible, at least in the scripting phase. So things like "minion" and "victim" and such could mostly go to anyone.
That's what her IMDb page says, although it's not always very reliable.
Yeah, Bianca Lawson was nearly Cordelia, not Buffy. Elizabeth Anne Allen was nearly Buffy.
Angel/Mr. Gordo the stuffed pig is my new OTP.
that is all.
I've actually seen a fanfic pairing them.
(Well, actually, it was pairing chccrg-jrerjbys-Natry naq Ze Tbeqb – but it made sense at the time.)
Spoilers for Angel in the ROT13
Fb, gurer'f guvf snasvp bhg gurer fbzrjurer jurer Ze. Tbeqb rfpncrq Fhaalqnyr naq tbg n wbo nf gur znvyobl (znvycvt?) sbe Jbysenz naq Uneg orpnhfr jurer ryfr jbhyq n fghssrq cvt trg n wbo naq vg'f npghnyyl nqbenoyr naq fjrrg naq V pna erzrzore gung svp ohg abg zl 8gu tenqr uvfgbel grnpure'f anzr fb lnl snaqbz naq V'ir unq n ybg bs fhtne gbqnl?
I agree that Drusilla's mental illness is portrayed in a flawed manner, but it's way more than just mental illness so that's why it comes off so strange.
We've seen that she has certain extra-sensory abilities that haven't been observed in other vampires, having the ability to sense and predict things… ("Don't worry. Everything's switching. Outside to inside. It makes her weak " "Did my pet have a vision?…"It hums. I can hear it.") And this probably endows her with a very unique perception of the world. Add that to all of the psychological damage that Angel inflicted + the influence of the demon and you have one complicated vampire.
I believe that this is supposed to be the factor that makes Drusilla getting back her strength a scary prospect. She's NOT just another vampire. Her mental illness doesn't weaken her and her extra abilities are a threat. She's written about in the Watcher diaries, which is a lot more than you can say for the random vamps that Buffy stakes every night. (However, I do really have to agree that this episode goes a bit overblown in emphasizing the stakes and exaggerating them to create drama.)
What I love is that Spike tries to engage with her on HER wave length instead of trying to force her to operate on his own. He understands her multiple challenges, how she's been damaged and gifted, and he curbs himself every time he gets too impatient with her. I think that Drusilla does take advantage of this, because she's crafty and especially insightful, regardless of her mental challenges. But I think it tells us a lot about Spike that he understands that the way she reacts to things often really isn't her fault.
It's a nice juxtaposition to Buffy's growing acceptance of Angel. We've gone from a place where Buffy would allegedly bring up Angel's vampirism in every argument to where she'll kiss him in "vampire face" without flinching or being repulsed.
oh Dalton and the big brain! I love that we have a sort of meek, brainy vampire who isn't just an animal.
plus Willy! A human who knows all about vampires without being connected to the slayer and tries to play neutral party. FASCINATING.
I'll wait for Part II before I get into Kendra and the plot.
great insights on spike and dru. very well said.
I like your analysis of Spike/Dru
I agree that it's more than just mental illness with Dru orpnhfr fur jnf cflpuvp orsber fur jnf ghearq and that contributes to her overall otherworldly persona. So yeah, I think your analysis of Drusilla is spot on.
and that contributes to her overall otherworldly persona
oh yeah, imagine if objects hummed with stories and secrets for you, and your brain was all timey-whimey… how little words could help you verbalize the feelings you get from people and things, and the future possibilities filling your head. And then someone purposely torn down your mental stability ON TOP OF THAT.
When I see Drucilla's otherworldly persona now I think of how it's kind of like how the human Tardis didn't always appear to make too much sense except she obviously made perfect sense to herself.
Totally agree. Honestly, I don't even usually think of Drusilla as being mentally ill (aside from the fact that fur frrzf gb unir n urnil qbfr bs fheivibe thvyg ng gvzrf nybat jvgu jung'f cebonoyl n sbez bs cbfg-genhzngvp fgerff qvfbeqre). She knows more than all the other characters. If anything, they're the ones who are lagging.
I've come to think that Drusilla is far more rational than people give her credit for. She says some weird things – but it's largely because she really has psychic powers and sees things others don't, so her mind operates differently.
Maybe it's like being a socially awkward genius physicist and talking to people who don't understand what you're talking about when you occasionally bring up something that's obvious to you but that makes others go "wha…?" until they just get used to this being your way of talking so they just ignore it.
"That's a tense person." -Oz
Nznmvatyl, guvf qbrf abg fpner uvz bss. Oz, you are awesome!
I know that Cordy likes to date and talk about boys, whatever, but Xander's attacks are so unfounded. I don't think she has displayed any slutty behavior; I mean we've seen her date like maybe 2 guys (I only remember 2, am I wrong?)? 2 guys in 2 years =/= slutty. Someone needs to tell Xander to stop his slanderous jokes about her, it's really not cool. If I had a friend who talked that way I would tell them that it's inappropriate and it makes me uncomfortable. If she annoys you so much, find something else to make fun of her for.
"slutty" is not a term to use as an insult, ever, though, whether it's two guys in two years or two guys a day.
<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/4ju6ug.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
THIS.
Oh, you are right, but I mean this coming from Xander's point of view. I want someone to tell him it's not ok to think that way about someone, let alone vocalize those thoughts to the whole world so everyone else starts thinking that way too.
I do still want them to bicker amongst themselves, cuz it's fun when it's not so contemptuous.
I think Xander is projecting onto Cordelia and calls her a slut because he feels undesirable and she is one of the girls out there who don't want him. So instead he attacks her for her sexuality. I am doing a terrible job of expressing myself here, but uh yeah. I think that the reason Xander specifically attacks Cordy for her sexuality is because Xander is so insecure about his own and he sees Cordy as representative of all those girls out there who don't want him.
I completely agree with this.
It's much the same as Ron calling Ginny names because she got herself a boyfriend or two before he started dating or had even kissed someone (well, in that case they were siblings, but a similar principle applies – the insult is pretty obviously a sign of jealousy).
She's dated more than two guys, and had crushes on others – in Season One there were at least Mitchell and Kevin (I could be forgetting others), and she kind of sort of dated Richard in Reptile Boy – plus don't forget her clearly liking Angel. On the other hand, that's not "displaying slutty behavior", that's high school. At that age, teenagers either a) don't have relationships at all, b) flit through relationships like they're speeddating, not in it for the long term, or c) date forever and ever and ever and are all "true loooooooooooooooooooove". Cordelia's in group b, yes, but that's not abnormal.
Then the Holy Grail of all plot twists hits
So not prepared.
Just wanted to note that Bianca Lawson can't be blamed for the sometime off-sounding accent. They brought in a dialect coach at the very last minute, and he apparently wanted her to sound like she was from a very specific, obscure part of Jamaica.
I caved and watched both episodes so CAREFULLY watching my review today.
Mark the fact that you think about the logistics regarding vampires renting apts is one of the many reasons that I love you soooo much.
Actually. That's all I have to say. OH WAIT NO IT ISN'T. I forgot to mention this the other day.
I think part of the reason that "love" comes so easy is that they are both saving each other's lives. On a regular basis. If someone saved my life once I could easily tell them I love them. I'm not trying to lesson there relationship at all. BUFFY AND ANGEL FOREVER. I just think that helps to solidify their feelings.
And this deserves it's own separate post!
MARK let me introduce you to the SCOOBY GANG. How I have waited to say that!
and I don't care what you say I will love Xander and his one-liners forever.
Best part is, Sarah Michelle Gellar later went on to star in this movie:
<img src="http://content9.flixster.com/photo/72/31/88/7231887_gal.jpg" />
Finally caught up! (what is this "school" and "class" business I have to attend? So frustrating). Anyway, I was not expecting that twist – I wonder if somehow Kendra was brainwashed to think that she was a slayer (or maybe is from a different time….)
I wish we had seen more of Willow and Oz talking – what did they say to each other, did Oz figure out she was the girl in the parka? This was the first time they've actually interacted and we didn't get to see it! 🙁 So many unanswered questions.
I think so! He definitely seemed to recognise her when she wandered past his van in Halloween.
All I have to say is OH OZ.
Best first word to a crush ever.
"…Canapé?"
Haha, wow did I have different shipping opinions first time I watched this show! I couldn't stand Buffy/Angel and I didn't get truly into the show until the arrival of Spike & Dru, at which point I became so intrigued with their relationship I started over-analysing everything about them 😛 But I get that Drusilla and even Spike/Dru comes of as not fully developed here, V qba'g guvax V gehyl 'tbg' gurve eryngvbafuvc hagvy gur tnzr-punatvat "Sbby sbe Ybir".
And ewwwwwww the maggot guy D: D: D: GROSSEST THING EVER THOUGH D:
Right, I only have one thing to say about this episode: How does Angel JUST HAPPEN to know the schedule for the local skating rink? Is he a secret skating groupie? Or did he set this whole "I happen to be in your room and looking at your skating photo" thing up?
He lurks.
I'm sure he has like the entire Sunnydale social scene memorized. He's had nothing else to do with his 500 years of existence!
V'z gnatrag-vat rire fb fyvtugyl ohg lbhe pbzzrag qvq znxr zr guvax bs fbzrguvat V'q arire pbafvqrerq orsber. Vs Qnja naq Qehfvyyn unq rire zrg snpr gb snpr, jbhyq Qeh unir erpbtavfrq gung gurer jnf fbzrguvat jebat nobhg ure? Abg gung fur'q arprffnevyl unir ernyvfrq Qnja jnf Gur Xrl, Fcvxr qvqa'g frrz gb xabj nalguvat nobhg vg fb Qeh zvtug arire unir urneq bs vg rvgure, ohg whfg ernyvfrq gung Qnja jnfa'g erny. Znlor yvxr ubj Ohssl fnj ure snqvat va naq bhg bs rkvfgrapr qhevat ure genapr va "Ab Cynpr Yvxr Ubzr"?
V jbhyq nffhzr fb. Erzrzore, gur Xavtug bs Olmnagvhz qhqr unq uvf fnavgl fhpxrq bhg ol Tybel naq pbhyq frr jung Qnja jnf – nf pbhyq Gnen naq gur erfg bs gurz. Qehfvyyn jnfa'g srq ba ol Tybel, ohg fur nyfb vf abg nyy gurer. Fb V jbhyq guvax gur nafjre jbhyq or lrf.
Lbh xabj, vg'f vagrerfgvat–Qehfvyyn orvat Qehfvyyn, fur cebonoyl jbhyq unir orra noyr gb frafr Qnja'f cerfrapr orsber fur rira neevirq. Fb va n fvghngvba va juvpu Qnja jbhyq unir orra gurer nppbeqvat gb rirelbar'f zrzbevrf, Qehfvyyn cebonoyl jbhyq unir npghnyyl frra Qnja nf orvat gurer jura vg unccrarq. Fb fur fgnegf gnyxvat gb/nobhg "gur Fynlre'f cerggl yvggyr fvfgre" be fbzrguvat va gung bzvabhf perrcl pbby jnl fur unf, naq rirelbar ryfr vf yvxr, JGS? Jung fvfgre? Jul ner lbh gnyxvat gb gur nve? Cfu, jungrire, vg'f Qehfvyyn.
I love the maggot guy, he's such a creepy enemy.
And yay, Kendra! I like her, she's cool, even if she has such an atrocious accent (which I like anyway). But admittedly, I'm the sort of audience member who pretty much likes every character. The writers have to really fuck up a character for me to dislike them.
I like everybody too!
…Well, as characters. Like Principal Snyder is awesome, in the I-would-hate-him-IRL-but-he's-so-much-fun-to-WATCH way. The only characters I dislike are the ones who bore me. (One shot characters obviously don't count – because they're in and out so quickly and only exist for a purpose.)
SNORF. Ubj qb lbh srry nobhg Xraarql?
Just to reiterate my amazment at Bianca Lawson's lack of aging
<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_leviiaYSIm1qb1ao6o1_r1_500.png"/>
On the left you have Buffy 1997/98ish, on the right you have Pretty Little Liars, 2010.
Yeah.
Oh, and if anyone is thinking she looks familiar but you can't place it, you may also know her as Nikki, or That Girl Julia Styles Got Into A Fight With In Save The Last Dance.
Personally, I know her as The Intrepid Filmmaker Who Snarked At Dawson Leery…
My god, I think she's actually aging backwards.
It's like magic!
…She looks YOUNGER in 2010. Which is probably the makeup and the eyebrow shape and the expression, but STILL.
Maybe she's a Sassafranian from The Neverending Story.
I know! When I saw her on Pretty Little Liars she looked familiar but I couldn't place her so I had to look her up on imdb. I can't believe she's still playing a teenager!
wait, is some sort of time travel involved here?
With lighter make-up, she looks amazing!
i have a lot of thoughts of kendra but i'll wait until later so all i'll say is: no matter how many times i see this episode, her accent always throws me off.
Apparently, the Jamaican accent was a last second change and she didn't have much time at all to practice it…which obviously shows.
What's My Line Pt. 1
-First of all I already hate that this says Part 1
-I wish I had had a career fair in high school. or at least something to give me some direction…
-Is Drusilla all bruised? Can vampires get bruises? Does this have something to do with her being so weak?
-Aww he's got her Teddy! Mr. Gordo? Aww.
-Are there like demon diseases? Cure from what. Symptoms: weakness, bruises easily, fatigue? is that why they put her in bed. Bruising easily sounds like anemia to me, does that just mean she's not eating? need more information
-Is willow in trouble? or are they from a 3 letter organization? software companies recruit high school students? doubtful
One other student? is it oz? please let it be oz.
-OZ!
-What's wrong with law enforcement?
-This guy. And the music. Seems like it's gonna be a bad thing.
-the business is more suprising to me as a baddie, but that was probably the point.
-Oh bleach tippled airplane guy, this is not going to go well for you…
-who are you? I'd like to know
-sliced him with her skate. I'd expect so much more blood if you want me to believe he's dead.
-He's made of mealy worms?! Yuck!
-Where's a 16 year-old supposed to go?
-What the fuck! Who is she? Don't stake Angel!
-Don't go to her house! Mealy WOrm guy is there@ Get Cordy to drive you@?
-I have frog fear. How adorable
-HOw can a vampire be in poor health? Is it something like a curse like angel has?
-Oh no Cordy, xander, mealyworm guy! And they're gonna leave this because its TBC arch!
-Kendra the Vampire Slayer?! What? How? But I thought there was only one born in every generation? Something about Buffy dying? Ugh I have to wait until tomorrow.
Qnja pyrneyl unq n Oevgarl Fcrnef cunfr. Onfrq ba gvzryvarf, fur'q or "obea" va 1986vfu, juvpu znxrf ure nobhg gur fnzr ntr nf zl fvfgre. Gung'f jung jnf va ng gung cbvag.
Nyfb, fur jnf vagb A Flap naq gur Onpxfgerrg Oblf…be vagb bar bs gurz naq nofbyhgryl ungrq gur bgure.
Angel lurking around high schools, spying on the kids' activities, and then creeping into a teenager's bedroom, touching her stuffed pig, is all kinds of wrong. Nqq gb gung gur snpg gung ur 'sryy va ybir jvgu gur fbhy' bs n ybyyvcbc-fhpxvat 15-lrne-byq, naq V'ir fhqqrayl tbg gur hetr gb guebj uvz vagb cevfba, sberire. Ur'f jbefr guna Rqjneq Phyyra.
Gung fprar sberire fbherq zr ba Ohssl/Natry.
Jryy, yrg'f or snve…tvira rirelguvat gung Natry unf qbar, vapyhqvat xvyyvat uvf bja snzvyl? Farnxvat vagb Ohssl'f orqebbz vf xvaq bs zvyq. Rfcrpvnyyl tvira gung ur vf abg ovt jvgu gur fbpvny fxvyyf.
Naljnl, V nyjnlf ybir lbhe pbzzragf 🙂
Oh, thanks :)) *blushes*
About what you said – yeah, I know, but there are some crefbany fdhvpxf gung whfg uvg zr, naq gura fpernz JEBAT! naq LHPX! naq ABBB! gb zr. Abg irel ybtvpny, ohg gurer lbh tb.
Gubhtu V pbhyq snajnax vg ol genafyngvat va vagb erny jbeyq qlanzvpf – n inzcver xvyyvat naq gbeghevat znal vf fbzrguvat jr pna sbetvir, pnhfr vg'f svezyl jvguva gur ernyz bs snagnfl. N 28-l-b (be ubjrire byq Natry jnf jura ur orpnzr n inzcver) frqhpvat n 16-l-b vf, hasbeghangryl, na rirelqnl bppheerapr naq jr ner evtugyl chg bss ol vg. Fnzr jvgu Fcvxr – nyy gur xvyyvatf nfvqr, na rk-oblsevraq gelvat gb encr n jbzna va ure bja ubhfr? Fbhaqf zber ubeevoyr orpnhfr vg unccraf rirel qnl…
No, no, I see your point!
"Gubhtu V pbhyq snajnax vg ol genafyngvat va vagb erny jbeyq qlanzvpf – n inzcver xvyyvat naq gbeghevat znal vf fbzrguvat jr pna sbetvir, pnhfr vg'f svezyl jvguva gur ernyz bs snagnfl. "
N frevny xvyyre xvyyvat naq gbeghevat znal crbcyr vf irel zhpu n cneg bs erny yvsr.
Lbh pna fbeg bs whfgvsl vg ol fnlvat gung Natry vf n cebqhpg bs uvf gvzr crevbq– va gur 1750'f be jurarire ur jnf ghearq, vg jnf fgvyy irel pbzzba sbe jbzra gb zneel nf lbhat nf 14, bsgra gb fbzrbar zhpu, zhpu byqre guna gurl jrer. Fvkgl naq Friragl lrne byqf, rira. Va yvtug bs gung V'z fher vg qbrfa'g frrz gung fgenatr gb Natry gb or va ybir jvgu Ohssl qrfcvgr gur ntr qvssrerapr. Ol bhe pheerag fgnaqneqf, gubhtu, lrf, qrsvavgryl tebff.
I have thoughts on Dru 🙂
SVEFG, UNF VG ABG ORRA ERIRNYRQ GUR ERNFBA QEH VF FVPX VF ORPNHFR FUR JNF ORNGRA OL N ZBO? FREVBHFYL, FUR GBBX BA N ZBO NAQ BAYL JNF JRNXRARQ…GUNG FUBHYQ OR NA VAQVPNGBE GUNG VS ERGHEARQ GB SHYY URNYGU FUR'Q CEBONOYL OR N OVG ZBER SRNEFBZR GUNA LBHE NIRENTR INZCVER.
FRPBAQ, V QBA'G XABJ VS VG'F PNHFR V'IR JNGPURQ GUR JUBYR FREVRF, OHG V PBHYQ ARIRE YBBX NG QEH NAQ GUVAX FUR BAYL RKVFGF GB VEEVGNGR FCVXR. URYY, FUR EHAF GUR FUBJ ZBFG BS GUR GVZR. FCVXR CERGRAQF UR'F GUR OBFF OHG VS QEH FNVQ WHZC, UR'Q NFX UBJ UVTU NAQ PNA V TRG LBH NALGUVAT JUVYR V'Z HC URER. UR YBIRF URE.
GUVEQ, V NYJNLF GUBHTUG GURL UNAQYRQ QEH'F ZRAGNY VAFGNOVYVGL ENGURE JRYY. FUR'F PYRIRE NAQ VAQRCRAQRAG NAQ V ARIRE GUBHTUG GUNG URE YBBXVAT NG GUR JBEYQ QVSSRERAGYL JNF RIRE N ARTNGVIR.
NYY VA NYY FUR'F BAR BS ZL SNIBEVGR PUNENPGREF NAQ V QBA'G XABJ VS VG'F WHFG ABG SNE RABHTU VAGB GUR FUBJ LRG SBE ZNEX GB FRR UBJ TERNG FUR VF BE JUNG :\
Why is my Rot-13 yelling? hmmmm…might need to find a new translator that doesn't auto-all-caps but I'm in a rush so I apologize for the yelling.
V, nyfb, qba'g frr ubj nalbar — rira guvf rneyl ba — pna guvax gung fur rkvfgf bayl gb veevgngr Fcvxr. Ur ybirf ure! Znqyl!
Try rot13.com
Naq lrf, Qehfvyyn gbgnyyl ehaf gur fubj. Fcvxr qbrf rirelguvat sbe ure, abg gur bgure jnl nebhaq. Bu, ur qbrf guvatf gung ur svaqf vagrerfgvat, ohg vs fur vagreehcgrq…ur'q pbzr ehaavat.
…Juvpu, hasbeghangryl, nyfb rpubrf Qehfvyyn'f eryngvbafuvc jvgu Natryhf. Naq gung'f cneg bs jul Fcvxr vf yrsg fb va gur qhfg yngre va Frnfba Gjb.
Naq V guvax ure zragny vafgnovyvgl unf obgu cbfvgvir naq artngvir fvqrf, ohg gur artngvir vf ernyyl jul vg unccrarq zber guna nalguvat ryfr. Vg'f…zrnag gb fubj jung Natryhf qvq naq jul ur jnf fb greevoyr, ernyyl.
V ybir gung jr nyfb trg n ovg bs ure orvat UOVP ba Natry nf jryy. Fur whfg fgebyyf va yvxr URL V'Z URER GB SHPX RIRELGUVAT HC SBE LBH ABJ. ORPNHFR V PNA.
V nterr, V'ir nyjnlf yvxrq Qeh. Ubcrshyyl gur hcpbzvat rcvfbqrf jvyy pyrne hc fbzr bs Znex'f hapregnvagvrf nobhg ure…
Oh mark you are so unprepared! LOL.
Yay, I get to use my notes!
-We never had these career fairs at school. Maybe no one could be bothered to come and promote their careers where I went. It wasn't exactly the best school in town. We do have companies trying to lure people into internships in college though.
-Aaww, Angel looks so sweet holding Mr. Gordo.
-YAY! Willow and Oz get the chance to talk! But we don't get to see it. Boo.
-OUCH! Ugh, that scene with the ice skate to the throat still squicks me out. It just looks like that really, reallly hurt. I'm glad they weren't able to show a ton of blood, because throat wounds freak me out at is it without a realistic portrayal thank you.
-Aaaawwww, Buffy and Angel are really cute in this scene. Naq V fnl guvf nf n uneqpber Natry/Pbeql fuvccre.
-Dammit, Bug Guy is offering free cosmetics to Cordelia. Why couldn't it have been cookies???? Don't fall for it, Cordy!
-Xander refers to the group as "Scooby Gang". Sbe fbzr ernfba V gubhtug gurl qvqa'g fgneg hfvat gur grez hagvy zhpu yngre.
– KENDRA THE WHAT!??
<img src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab351/Mad_icons/watcat.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
IF YOU WANT COOKIES, LBH TBGGN JNVG HAGVY GRQ.
Fvqrabgr: V whfg jngpurq "Grq" naq vg'f jnl orggre guna V erzrzore vg orvat. N pregnva cybg gjvfg xvaq bs fbherq zr ba gur rcvfbqr, ohg jura V xabj vg'f pbzvat, vg obguref zr yrff, naq gurer'f n ybg gb ybir nobhg vg.
I believe the technical term for Kendra's accent is "Jamaicish". When she was getting accent lessons for the character, they wanted it to be unclear where she was from, so she ended up with a mix of Jamaican and Irish accents.
I don't understand the confusion about Dru?
V zrna, vg'f nyernql orra pbirerq gung: fur'f n inzcver, Natry gbegherq ure vagb vafnavgl naq gura ghearq ure, fur'f culfvpnyyl jrnx orpnhfr bs n zbo nggnpx fbzr gvzr ntb, gur obbx jvyy erfgber ure, naq gung'f guerngravat orpnhfr fur'f gbgnyyl vafnar naq bar-unys bs na vasnzbhf inzcver Obaavr & Pylqr qhb (ure naq Fcvxr).
Evtug? Gung'f nyernql nyy orra erirnyrq, juvpu ohvyqf n cerggl pyrne cbegenvg, fb…jul gur pbzcyrgr aba-haqrefgnaqvat bs ure be ure fgbelyvar? V qba'g trg vg.
Seconding this? I thought that all of this had been covered by this point in the series. But I haven't watched it in a while, so maybe I'm remembering wrong. But I do remember having a pretty decent understanding of Dru's situation at this point.
I do remember when I first watched that I was a bit confused because I assumed that her insanity was part of what Spike was trying to cure, when in fact it's a result of Angel's torture and she's always – as a vampire – been like that, and the illness in question is more physical than mental.
And maybe it's hard to really "get" her as a character because the 'weirdness' sort of overshadows all other characteristics? idk.
Yup, that's all been covered. She's physically ill because of the mob attack in Prague, Spike said so.
Bar bs gur fgbevrf va Wbff'f "Gnyrf bs gur Inzcverf" pbzvp fubjf gung fur nyfb unq gur pbaqvgvba vasyvpgrq ba ure ol n cevrfg va Centhr jvgu n zlfgvpny punve hfrq ol gur Vadhvfvgvba.
Mark – I like your (assumed) typo: "Then it’s time for Mark to watch Buffy The Vampire." Ha ha!
First of all… ZE CBVAGL!!!! (juvpu vf fbzrguvat V nqber nobhg gur abg-ybat-yvirq Xraqen.)
I was really looking forward to Mark's reaction to this episode. Both because of the 2nd Slayer moment, and because it shows what had previously been off-screen or implied about Buffy and Angel's relationship. Though I do agree that showing some of this before the on-screen "I love you" would have made more sense.
Qeh, V guvax, jvyy or fpnevre gb Znex yngre va guvf frnfba. Yvxr nsgre fur trg'f orggre naq vf gnxvat pner bs Fcvxr. Be fnl, jura fur xvyyf Xraqen (jub pna svtug Ohssl gb n fgnaq-fgvyy) naq gbegherf Tvyrf ol gnxvat ba gur thvfr bs Wraal naq frqhpvat uvz… Lrnu. Gung cneg.
Ybbxvat sbejneq gb cneg 2- Knaqre naq Pbeql'f svefg xvff…. naq Znex'f varivgnoyr ernpgvba.
🙂
My entire response to this episode is: Kendra, you badass!
That's it. That is all I feel the need to say.
OZ! They finally meet! Kendra! Oh I'm sorry, did other stuff happen in this ep? I really don't remember.
Daily Buffy Quotable:
Buffy: Do I like shrubs? Xander: I think that's between you and your god.
Buffy: How'd you know? Angel: I lurk.
"I'm glad you feel in a comfortable enough position to be so honest with me. I only hope that some day I'm in a position to be as honest with you."-Xander
"Note to self: religion. Freaky."-Buffy
"You totally contribute, Buffy. You go for snacks."-Xander
"But Ho Hos are vital part of my cognatuitive process!"-Xander (I am aware that I am most likely spelling that word wrong, I'm going by memory)
"Don't warn the tadpoles!"-Willow
OMG WHAT'S MY LINE THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF MY MOST FAVORITEST SEASON. LET US OBSERVE THE AWESOME:
– The gang talking about what they're going to do with the rest of their lives is kind of depressing. And Buffy adds a whole other dimension of depressing by having her fate as the slayer already picked for her.
– "Do I like shrubs?" "That's between you and your god."
– The DMV is a horrible, horrible place, no matter which DMV in which city it is. Why is this? Is the DMV one of the circles of hell?
– I never got the reference in the title when I first watched Buffy because I had no idea that "What's My Line" was an old show about guessing someone's career. Which is weird because it's also referenced in my favorite Disney movie of all time, One Hundred and One Dalmatians. But at least that one came out in the sixties, so it has an excuse.
– Mr. Gordo hee hee
– "You have a something face."
– "Then… why'd you come in through the window?" "Habit." Hee hee, I love Buffy's expression here.
– "How did you know?" "I lurk." LOL Angel
– The Dorothy Hamill thing is another anachronism for this show. Buffy wouldn't have been born yet when she had her big Olympic victory. I suppose she could still have become a fan somehow, but I mean, they didn't even have YouTube back then.
– Buffy is kind of the police of the underworld, isn't she? I don't think she should join real-life law enforcement, though–they have too many rules and would ask all sorts of questions like "where did this dead body go" and "why are you carrying a stake in your gun holster."
– "I used a number two pencil!" I love this. It's exactly the kind of test anxiety Willow would have. How much do you want to bet she brings a backup pencil?
– "No, I think it's just enough kill."
– "Canapé?" OZ OZ OZ – other people have mentioned this but I just have to talk about his expression here. It's very subtle but you can see him look at Willow, realize she is THAT GIRL, try to figure out what to say, and eventually land on the canapé thing. I love him.
– Seriously, what IS the Slayer supposed to do for money? This seems like a poorly thought-out ancient destiny.
– "Note to self: Religion: freaky."
– The bug guy reminds me of John Hodgman. Only evil and made of bugs.
– Bianca Lawson so pretty.
– Buffy kissing Angel when he's in vamp-face is a nice call-back to what Darla said to him in "Angel": "Did you think she would look at your face, your true face, and give you a kiss?" And she does. It's cheesy, yeah, but I like it in the context of that line.
– Buffy, stop attacking Oz!
– "That is a tense person." <3333
– Willy! [(Ner jr nyybjrq gb pnyy uvz Jvyyl gur Favgpu lrg?)] I kind of like Angel going all badass and threaten-y on him, probably because I know he would never kill him.
– Willow's red overalls and stripey shirt are ADORABLE. Whoever did the costuming for these episodes did a great job.
– And now we have Xander referring to the group as the "Scooby gang," which spawned a fan nickname that we have all been diligently keeping ourselves from using in order not to spoil you, Mark.
– Buffy and Kendra fight! "Don't make me do the chick fight thing." "Cheek fite?"
– "I am Kendra! The vampire slayer!" BAM! TO BE CONTINUED!
Re: Buffy as a cop. Gurl qb fbeg bs fubj jung na hggre snvyher bs n pnerre gung jbhyq unir orra jvgu Xngr va Natry. Fur fgnegf vairfgvtngvat jrveq guvatf naq crbcyr abgvpr naq gura vg vagresrerf jvgu jbex fb fur trgf sverq. V vzntvar vg jbhyq or engure fvzvyne sbe Ohssl. so, yeah, I agree with your assessment.
Is the DMV one of the circles of hell?
It was on Reaper, or at least a portal to hell.
Marti Noxon, you rock my world in so many brilliant ways…
WILLOW/OZ WILLOW/OZ WILLOW/OZ. CAN I JUST SAY THAT AS SOON AS HE OFFERED HER A CANAPE I WAS LIKE OMG CAN YOU GET TOGETHER IMMEDIATELY KTHXBYE
Hi, my name is "Epiphany", and I am a Slayer too! You know, chosen one?
I took a week long training course on high kicks and chiseling stakes, went through my holy water initiation, and I totally signed up for an account here…, I mean, I passed the course and got my own 'Slayer' badge. You can find them at the nearest Barnes and Nobles.
Seriously, I should not have been surprised that the username 'epiphany' was already taken. Also, it was at the end of this episode that I realized that I would not stop watching Buffy, and that it will be harder to only watch one episode a day.
I have so much love for this episode!
– The career week. Another awful school activity devised by Snyder. Does anyone really know at 16 what they want to do in their life? And how is one test going to tell them? Though it makes sense that the result of Buffy’s test is that her perfect career is to be a cop, since she's already a cop of the supernatural world. (Her second result – environmental architect?? – is, well, random.) Xander isn’t happy to get prison guard – another low paid, unglamorous job (but also another law enforcement job). It's funny how the corporate or government representatives are always "men in black". So Oz is another computer genius, eh? Kind of obvious that it's just a way to get him and Willow to finally meet, but I'm not complaining.
– OZ! He has a really awesome moment in this episode. His nonplussed reaction when paranoid Buffy attacks Oz in the school hallway is my favorite scene in this episode: "Try what?" "Still not clear what I'm supposed to try." "Tense person." A lot of other high school students would have badmouthed her to the school and called her nasty names that I'm not allowed to use on this site, but Oz isn't perturbed at all and just thinks she's a bit tense.
– Too bad you don't enjoy Drusilla's character, Mark. I actually didn't like her that much the first time I watched the show, outside of her relationship with Spike (who I LOVED from the start), but now I think she's a really fascinating and complex character. I really can't think of a similar character in fiction, she's really unusual. She can be childlike, creepy, funny and really disturbing.
– I want to mention Dalton, the bookish vampire, as another unusual vampire character. We only see him in vampface (it seems that only major vampire stars of the show get to be seen in human face most of the time), but he seems very human, and very meek and shy. He even wears glasses (yeah, it’s a part of the cliché of what a bookish person looks like) – shouldn’t enhanced vampire strength and abilities include better eyesight?
– I love the noir atmosphere introduced with the human weasel Willy the Snitch and his demon bar frequented by both shady humans and shady demons, and Angel acting more violent and morally ambiguous than he is around Buffy. Vg srryf yvxr cebgb-NgF.
– I agree with you that this episode has the sweetest Buffy/Angel scenes to date – tIt’s nice to see them finally having a functional relationship, and acting like two people who are dating, instead of having awkward conversations in the graveyard and uttering weird OTT lines like “When you kiss me, I wanna die“. Whfg va n srj rcvfbqrf, rirelguvat vf tbvat gb tb ubeevoyl jebat, ohg Natry tbvat rivy jbhyqa'g unir fhpu vzcnpg vs ur naq Ohssl qvqa'g unir nalguvat tbbq orsber gung. We rarely see Angel's perspective on their relationship in S2, since he's mostly the mysterious brooding love interest, and we get a glimpse of it when Buffy gets back home through the window (which she actually didn't have to do, since her mother is out of town, but it's out of habit) and, in a reversal of their usual dynamics, startles him (usually it's him who comes and goes unexpectedly) while he's in her room, looking at her things and holding her childhood toy, Mr. Gordo the stuffed pig. (Ng guvf cbvag vg'f fgvyy gur raqrnevat, vs inthryl fgnyxrevfu, orunivbe bs fbzrbar va ybir, ohg fbba rabhtu nsgre ur ybfrf uvf fbhy, Natry pbzvat vagb Ohssl'f ebbz jvyy orpbzr hygen-perrcl.) She reassures Angel's insecurity about his vampirity, telling him he is „the one freaky thing in my freaky life that still makes sense to me“. She's found a way to have something „normal“ in her life (having a boyfriend) in a „freaky“ way (boyfriend is a vampire). Later on the ice, after Angel vamps out while helping her in a fight, she kisses him in his vampface for the first time and tries to reassure him „I haven't even noticed“. Their kiss on the ice is their first onscreen kiss since Angel in season 1 and their first really romantic scene since that episode. It seems to show Buffy has accepted him as a vampire (contrary to Darla's words to Angel in season 1 that Buffy will never kiss his vampface). But on the other hand, one could question if she has really accepted all of him – since she doesn't really know how bad Angel used to be, she knows he used to do awful things but has never seen it – or if she's just choosing to overlook things. Earlier in her room she told him she just wished they could be „normal kids“, before he reminded her that he can't ever be one. Buffy's idea of normalcy, interestingly, can include a vampire boyfriend. When the camera focuses on her reflection in the mirror where it looks like Buffy is alone, this might be a reminder of that there is a gap between them, because he's a vampire, despite their love for each other, nf jevgre Znegv Abkba fnvq va ure QIQ pbzzragnel.But, znlor orpnhfr gur fprar erzvaqf zr bs gur fprar va F6 jura fur gryyf Fcvxr „V pna or nybar jvgu lbh urer“, I feel it could as well be seen as a sign that one of the reasons why she feels like finding comfort with Angel (later in the seasons she'll say that she still feels like running to him when things are tough and that she feels he's the only one she can talk to) – he's on the outside, not one of her circle of friends, not one of the „normal“ people from school and her everyday life, and at the same time, not one of the monsters she has to fight. (Abg lrg…).
– This is also the first time we learn that – contrary to Buffy's fears she was the reason for her father leaving – Buffy's parents used to argue all the time for years before their divorce, while she was a child, and that ice skating was her way of escaping that.
– The "Scooby gang" name is used for our heroes for the first time!
– The fight between Kendra and Buffy is good, but the best part is when Buffy, about to lose to Kendra, says „Don't make me do the chick fight thing“ and then digs her nails into Kendra's hand. It's a nice parody of the way that women fight on TV but also a sign that Buffy is the better fighter because she's imaginative and resourceful.
– Some of the favorite lines:
Cordelia: Oh, here I am. “Personal shopper or motivational speaker.†Neato!
Xander: Motivational speaker? On what? Ten ways to a more annoying you?
Dalton: The Order of Taraka? Isn’t that overkill?
Spike: No, it’s just enough kill.
Buffy: Note to self: religion – freaky.
– Something I didn’t like: I think that the extended, gratuitous scene of Buffy ice skating was the worst scene in the episode. I know that SMG wanted to show off her skills, but for a moment I was under the impression that I was watching some other TV programme.
Natry’f cynpr vf ernyyl avpr, jnl gbb avpr sbe fbzrbar jvgubhg n wbo, jub jnf yvivat va gur nyyrl naq rngvat engf whfg n lrne ntb, naq vg’f sheavfurq jvgu jnl gbb znal ornhgvshy,byq negrsnpgf. Ur frrzf yvxr n pbyyrpgbe, ohg ubj qvq ur nssbeq gurz? Gur zbfg yvxryl thrff vf, fgrnyvat. Qbrf ur fryy be cnja gurz bppnfvbanyyl gb trg zbarl?
As for Xander’s slut-shaming: in this episode I have no problems with it since it’s just a part of the dynamic of Xander and Cordelia looking for ways to insult each other, whether they really mean what they say or not. Cordelia insulted his looks and financial status at the beginning of the episode, so he tries to get back at her. A lot of ugly things get said between them, but it’s rather like the trash-talking you see on sports court: it tells you more about the ugly stereotypes that exist in this environment (here, high school) that the participants are willing to use to mess with the opponent’s head, than about what those people really think about each other.
—————————–
So, Buffy thinks of her Slayerhood as a burden and says she didn’t choose to be a Slayer, she was chosen. How will she react to finding out there’s apparently another Slayer, and she isn’t the only one?
Put some of your comment in rot13 since vg unfa'g orra erirnyrq ng guvf cbvag gung Natry jnf ubzryrff naq rngvat engf, rgp. hagvy nobhg n lrne ntb.
Cordelia insulted his looks and financial status at the beginning of the episode, so he tries to get back at her.
It's really not equivalent, though. Slut-shaming is never cool or excusable, and unfortunately it's part of a pattern with Xander's behavior.
Not equivalent? How so? How is it cool and excusable to insult people for not being "rich" and "pretty"? And that's a part of a pattern with Cordelia's behavior from the beginning.
Xander used to be my least favorite character when I first watched the show, but Cordelia was right up there. (Nowadays I have a less visceral reaction to them and just see them as flawed people jub jvyy riraghnyyl tebj bhg bs gurve naablvat orunivbe. ) She's a bully who's been constantly belittling and insulting people for years, including Willow and Xander. Xander annoys me a lot of times, but it just seems odd to single him out as if Cordelia isn't as bad as he is.
Cordelia is indeed a bully, but that's the point: she's not set up as being meant to be completely sympathetic. Other characters and indeed the show itself paint her statements as being as awful as they are. Xander, meanwhile, is supposed to be sympathetic, and his ugly comments are almost never called out or treated as being terrible things to say. Moreover, his slut-shaming came later, and was not a response to her riffing off the setup he gave her. The conversation at the beginning of the episode I'd qualify as their usual banter, but later on, she objects to being dragged out of bed to play chauffeur for him, and he responds by slut-shaming her. The pattern thus far has been that he resorts to slut-shaming when she's said things like calling him a loser, and while that's not exactly nice, it is NOT remotely on the same level as shaming her for her clothing choices or her choice to date a lot of guys. Neither of which are his business.
I don't think that Xander insulting Cordelia is supposed to look more "sympathetic" the other way round. It's not like the show is telling us that Xander is cool and we should "root" for him against Cordelia or that he's morally above her or anything like that. Xander being Buffy's friend doesn't mean that we're supposed to see him as a perfect role model.
Naq sbe gung znggre, abg rirelguvat gung pbzrf bhg bs Ohssl'f naq Jvyybj'f zbhguf vf gb or rzhyngrq, rvgure: V'z jbaqrevat jung gur pbzzragf jvyy or gb zbzragf yvxr Cunfrf jura Ohssl naq Jvyybj hfr fyhg-funzvat ynoryf ntnvafg Pbeqryvn.
"The conversation at the beginning of the episode I'd qualify as their usual banter, but later on, she objects to being dragged out of bed to play chauffeur for him, and he responds by slut-shaming her."
Both seem like their usual banter to me, just nastier than usual. Xander didn't have a retort when she said he was neither rich or pretty and that this excludes him as someone she'd give the time of day to, and he seemed more hurt than usual. The later conversation is a continuation of the same dynamic of the two of them looking for ways to insult each other, I'm sure he was all the more eager to insult her since she got the last word the last time.
I didn't say anything about perfect role model, but he's supposed to be one of Buffy's best friends and thus someone we should root for. The show doesn't seem to view his behavior critically at all. Whereas Cordelia was set up from the getgo as an antagonistic force towards Buffy and her friends. There's a world of difference there.
V pna'g cerqvpg nalbar ryfr'f pbzzragf, ohg V cyna gb pnyy gurz bhg ba vg gbb jura Znex trgf gurer.
He probably was more eager to insult her, but I just don't think there's ever a justification for slut-shaming. Ever.
I think the difference is that we're shown that Xander is hurt by Cordy's classist comments, so we know that it's a sore spot for him and (maybe) we feel bad for him. We then see him go after Cordelia by slut-shaming her, but we don't see that comment hurt her, so we are free to take it lightly if we wish. That's problematic. I don't think we need to rank the "isms" in terms of what's worse – they're both gross to each other at this point – but so far, the audience isn't being shown as much of Cordy's inner life to feel the impact that kind of comment might have on her, so in that context, it appears that Xander's slut-shaming remark is given more of a pass than Cordy's classist remark.
But I think things are getting murkier as we go along. Cordelia's still a bully for sure, but at this point, I was definitely rooting for her to become a part of the team. That's why I think maybe the show doesn't support Xander's gross behavior as much as it sometimes appears on the surface. We start liking Cordy, by design, and then get defensive when Xander says awful things to her, then start realizing that he's being an ass too.
"She's a bully who's been constantly belittling and insulting people for years"
Using slut-shaming tropes to hurt her back — perpetuating slut-shaming ideas — harms lots of girls/women who aren't Cordelia and who haven't picked on Xander, Willow or anyone else. This is true both in-fictional-universe and as a critique of the writing — Xander is perpetuating misogynistic ideas that will harm other girls and women in Sunnydale, and the writing of Xander saying those things while being portrayed as a sympathetic character is perpetuating those ideas to the show's real-life viewers.
Being against misogyny and slut-shaming means being against misogyny and slut-shaming, not being okay with it as long as it's happening to someone who's maybe not very nice.
"Put some of your comment in rot13 since vg unfa'g orra erirnyrq ng guvf cbvag gung Natry jnf ubzryrff naq rngvat engf, rgp. hagvy nobhg n lrne ntb. "
Oops! I copy pasted parts of my old review with some changes, rot13ing everything I noticed as spoilery. That one seems to have slipped my attention.
This is the episode that turned me into a spoilerphobe. For some idiotic reason, the WB released a press release weeks before the episode aired showing Kendra and Buffy and announcing that they were both slayers! Way to spoil your own show!
After that, I avoided spoilers like the plague (which made the ride so much more fun!)
Haven't read the review yet (I'm in rush), but I'll read it later at school (they don't block this site there, hee). However, IntenseDebate doesn't work there, so I'll quickly post my notes from this episode:
– Spike, don't be so mean to that other dude, he's just trying to help 🙁
– "I'll dance with you… on the Slayer's grave!" Love that line for some reason.
– "I lurk." At least Angel's okay with admitting it, right?
– Guvf jnf gur cneg bs gur fubj jurer V npghnyyl yvxrq Natry.
– Giles' polka-dot tie keeps distracting me!
– "Not your actual shoes, because you're a tiny person. Uh, not tiny in the small sense…" Oh Xander.
– OZ!!!! I love Oz omg
– Abbbb gur fnyrfzna
– Npghnyyl V xvaq bs ybir uvz sbe genccvat Knaqre naq Pbeql va gur pryyne gbtrgure…
– KENDRAAAA
– It's really sweet when Buffy kisses Angel in his vampire form.
– Bugdude, you are creepy.
– OZ! I'm sorry, that's basically my reaction every time he appears on screen. I LOVE SETH GREEN OKAY.
– PBEQL QBA'G YRG UVZ VAAAAA
"Sire" is a generic vampire-mythos term, not a Buffy term; at this point, it's been used enough that I doubt they'll explain, so if it's confusing you you may want to google. I won't define it here, though, in case you'd rather pick it up from context.
(Hope that doesn't count as a spoiler)
It's really not a spoiler since they've already established what the link between Angel and Drusilla is, in Lie to Me.
"Sire" isn't just a vampire term, either, it's a real-world term, generally meaning "the father of". Mostly it's used in horse breeding and such now, but the archaic use can refer to any father or forefather.
Yes, but generally a vampire who sires another vampire is not that vampire's father in the traditional sense, only the metaphorical. And you never hear the matching term "dam" used for female vampires.
"The point I’m trying to make is that the attempt to portray any sort of mental illness on Drusilla’s part just feels lazy. It’s not that Juliet Landau is a bad actress; I think she’s doing the best she can with the material. I just feel like the writers have given us the bare minimum of her story, and because of that, she doesn’t feel like a whole character to me. At best, she exists to irritate Spike and make him angry towards Buffy."
Hmm, your reaction is unusual. Most viewers are enthralled by Drusilla's various mannerisms.
OMG Buffy/Angel forever. It was my first SERIOUS ship. 🙂 The chemistry between them was always amazing.
V fgnegrq gb yvxr jung irel yvggyr punenpgrevmngvba jr tbg bs ure, ohg V xarj fur pbhyqa’g ynfg. Jura qb gurl rire?
Guvf vf jurer jr hfhnyyl cbvag naq ynhtu ng ubj hacercnerq Znex vf, ohg guvf gvzr fbzrubj V'z whfg abg svaqvat vg irel shaal.
No worries, I question the logistics of vampires using touch screen technology. How do they, their hands are cold?! It bothers me.
(By the way, I'm the girl you called at the harry potter convention last year. My friend, the one who had you call me, kept on telling me to watch Buffy, and I finally gave in. I'd never watched anything Buffy before either, so I'm watching it for the first time, too. I'm completely addicted!)