In the eighteenth episode of the second season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, a flu virus puts Buffy in the hospital, where she must deal with her own phobia of the place while battling an invisible demon. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Buffy.
I really love single-setting thrillers and horror movies. There’s something about using every detail in a solitary place for maximum terror, so it was a pleasure to see Buffy have an episode that takes place in a hospital. It’s a common setting trope for horror because for a lot of us, it’s an inherently spooky place. I don’t have a fear of them like Buffy does in this episode, but I definitely don’t like them. I have some negative memories associated with them from when my mother had lung cancer, and when other friends spend extended lengths of time in them. But what “Killed By Death” does effectively is use the numerous corridors and the contrasting light and darkness to give us a story that is especially disturbing after “Passion.”
Death is on our minds. It’s on the minds of all the characters. And for an episode that’s only loosely serial when compared to the others, this story fits in well after the death of Jenny Calendar. It’s like a constant reminder to Buffy (as Giles points out) that death is the one thing that Buffy can’t really stop. (Ugh my heart shattered when he said that.) Like Giles, this story also has a very personal spin for herself. In this case, we learn in flashback that Buffy lost her cousin while she was in a hospital, and it’s a traumatizing moment for her. (Also: BUFFY AS A CHILD OMG!!!!) Of course, there’s another reason for Buffy to hate being confined to a bed: Angel is becoming desperate to kill her.
I just love how there are so many factors going into the motivations of the characters here and the episode never feels convoluted. Plus, for an episode about a demon who eats children’s souls, there are a lot of genuinely funny bits of dialogue from all the characters, Cordelia in particular. Still, this is an unsettling story, and I was 100% creeped out when that demon first walks by Buffy’s room. WHAT IS THAT THING. WHY IS ITS MOUTH SO HIDEOUS OH MY GOD. As we learn more about it, particularly the detail that only children can see it, I actually tried to figure this episode out. At first, I thought the security guard was actually the demon, that Dr. Backer was just a red herring. (Also, Willie Garson is in one of my favorite episodes of The X-Files, “The Goldberg Variation.”) Truthfully, I never suspected the doctor once. SEE I AM STARTING TO CATCH ON, I SWEAR.
While I did like the episode, some of it just wasn’t that interesting to me. The threat of Angel basically disappeared by about the halfway mark, though I did like Xander’s little face-to-face moment with Angel. See, Xander, this is how you defend Buffy and make me feel all fluffy inside at the same time. I didn’t really get the entire flirting scene with the security; it only really existed to set up the conversation Cordelia and Xander have about one another’s jealousy. Which, for the record, is actually the best part of the whole episode. Ugh, I just love character development between these two! It was nice to see Cordelia call out Xander for his creepy obsession, and it was nice that Xander could (sort of) get Cordelia to admit that she likes him enough to even be jealous. It’s a step forward, isn’t it?
I suppose I wasn’t really into the episode until Dr. Backer was attacked. It is a brilliant choice not to show us the demon at all, to give us Buffy’s perspective and have an “invisible” attacker go after him. It’s actually done really well, and it’s horrifying. Plus, it was nice to get all of the fringe theories out of the way: this thing is real, Buffy has proof, and now they just need to go after it. This gives us another one of my favorite scenes from “Killed by Death”: Cordelia doing research with Giles. She straddles this line of being utterly oblivious and then being more honest than anyone else in the room. The ongoing joke about Cordelia’s tact (and lack of it) is both funny and such an accurate depiction of her character. Yes, she can be rude, presumptive, and mean, but she has this biting sense of reality that she’s not afraid to vocalize.
Oh, right, and then Buffy realizes that the Kindestod killed her friend. Holy awkward. Also, the child actors are really good at screaming in this episode, just so you know. Also, Willow pretending to have frogs all over her is brilliant. Also, I love you Willow.
Even at this point of the episode though, I would have rated this episode probably a B-. It was solid enough to be above average, but it was never fully creepy. The humorous moments were done well, and a story about a demon who kills children is kind of disturbing. Having Buffy willingly get herself sick in order to see a demon is kind of neat, too. It honestly took the Kindestod trying to feed on Ryan for me to just LOSE MY SHIT. What are its eyes doing? YOU DIDN’T TELL ME THAT WAS HOW IT FED. I DID NOT FUCKING SIGN UP FOR THIS SHIT, GET THAT SHIT OUT OF HERE. Sweet baby Buffy, that is seriously one of the most awful things I can imagine. WHY DO ITS EYES COME OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS SO HELP ME RIGHT NOW.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about this episode. It’s fun. It’s got a fantastic ending, with Joyce waiting on the three Scoobies, and that hilarious drawing that Ryan drew her. I don’t think this is groundbreaking television (and anything that came after “Passion” would suffer from that distinction), but I had a good time.
FIRST-TIME WATCHER ROLL CALL
Yesterday’s post made me realize that there are more of you watching for the first time than I thought! Are you watching Buffy for the first time, deliciously unspoiled? Please identify yourself! I want to pay more attention to your posts and/or laugh at you.
Also, you know there’s a finale coming up, right?
The Rupert Giles Honorarium Question
What is the best possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
The Jenny Calendar Memorial Question
What is the worst possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
[edit: Theories Abound in the replies. Everyone, please remember to preface any speculation with that header. Thank you. – echinodermata]
HELLOOOOOO!!!!!
I suspect I have made it fairly clear by my constant flailing that I am watching for the first time.
What is the best possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
Jenny comes back from the dead, kicks Angel's ass, and they all go out for pizza with Spike and Drusilla. Or anything involving time travel.
What is the worst possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
PLEASE GOD DON'T KILL GILES.
PLEASE.
What if Jenny came back from the dead and killed Giles?
What…what…what…
You just…why…but….
Help.
Help.
I don't know how to feel.
You have broken me.
I’M SORRY! I couldn’t help it! They’d be together, though! Forever <3?
trying to make things better and unbreak youThis is the most hilarious thing I've read all day.
You know, on reflection, I think THIS is the worst possible thing that could happen.
And not just on the show, y'know, just…in life.
What if Jenny came back from the dead and Giles killed her, and then himself after realizing what he'd done?
Jenny comes back from the dead, kicks Angel's ass, and they all go out for pizza with Spike and Drusilla. Or anything involving time travel.
Seen everything, but THIS SO MUCH THIS, WHERE IS THE FIC, NOW.
Watched the whole series multiple times. Wrote and presented a paper on carnival theory, dialogism, and Buffy at an academic conference. Wrote and presented a course on Buffy and spirituality for my church. Other than that, a newbie.
Best possible thing that could happen in the finale? Joss doesn't work that way, you know.
Worse possible thing? You are not prepared.
What is the best possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
Angel dies for good (lol like that’s ever going to happen)
What is the worst possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
One of the Scoobies, or Joyce, or Dru’s puppy dies. I WILL HATE JOSS WHEDON FOREVER IF ANY OF THESE HAPPEN!
Come on, even Joss Whedon wouldn't kill a PUPPY.
…WOULD HE?
He would if he heard everyone loved the puppy and its death would cause maximum heartbreak
He would have if Willow's parents had let her get one.
I know you're thinking of Passions! After this quote:
Willow: "Although, for the first time, I'm glad my parents didn't let me have a puppy."
I found myself nodding and blessing the writers that Willow didn't have a puppy too.
(Although when I first saw it, the second half of that episode broke me anyway.)
Only if it's the fluffiest.
Jryy, ur xvyyrq n xvggra, bss-fperra, ohg fgvyy.
Gurer vf abguvat Wbff jbhyqa'g qb gb perngr nf znal grnef nf cbffvoyr.
Cbbe Zvff Xvggl Snagnfgvpb
abg gb zragvba nyy gur xvggraf gung trg rngra ol Pyrz naq bgure qrzbaf yvxr uvz…
Jub jvyy fnir gur xvggraf…
Ohg gurl'er qryvpvbhf!
V ybir Pyrz
Jura qvq fur qvr? BZT.
V arire abgvprq vg rvgure, ohg va "Raq bs Qnlf," Qnja fnlf, “Knaqre, zl pebffobj vf abg bhg urer. V gbyq lbh, V qba’g yrnir pebffobjf nebhaq nyy jvyyl-avyyl… Abg fvapr gung gvzr jvgu Zvff Xvggl Snagnfgvpb.”
AAAAAAAHHHH. Evil.
Gung'f gur bayl cynpr vg'f rire zragvbarq. Urapr gur bss-fperra xvggl qrnguf.
V nyjnlf znvagnva gung gung whfg zrnaf gung Zvff Xvggl Snagnfgvpb NYZBFG tbg uheg naq gurl qrpvqrq gb tvir ure njnl gb n fnsr ubzr. Gung be Zvff Xvggl Snagnfgvpb frg bss gur pebffobj urefrys ol fgrccvat ba vg jvgu gur fnzr erfhyg. FUR YVIRF!
Agreed.
V pubbfr gb oryvrir gung Zvff Xvggl bayl fhssrerq n syrfu jbhaq, nsgre juvpu Jvyybj naq Gnen sbhaq ure n fnsre ubzr.
Gung’f zl fgbel naq V’z fgvpxvat gb vg.
Agreed!
Va frnfba frira, Orarngu Lbh, ur gbgnyyl xvyyrq n chccl. Erzrzore Naln'f 'Bu, chccl?!'
Zvff Xvggl Snagnfgvpb: zheqrerq ol Qnja ivn ergpba. Whfg xrrc gung va zvaq…
Three words… Zvff Xvggl Snagnfgvpb.
I should've known I'd be like the 50th person to bring that up.
Didn't Giles say Angel nailed a puppy to something once?
I'd keep a close eye on it if I were Dru.
Natry qvrf sbe tbbq (yby yvxr gung’f rire tbvat gb unccra)
Vg pbhyq unir, vs jr qvqa’g xabj gung ur trgf svir frnfba bs uvf bja fubj. Xvaq bs n fcbvyre gurer.
It's a real pity I like the "dust Angel for good" (Angel dust?) option. Can't stand the broody wanker except when he's evil.
Hz, qb jr xabj ng guvf cbvag jura gur Natry frevrf vf gnxvat cynpr? Vg pbhyq or va gur cnfg. Ur vf n inzcver nsgre nyy.
I suppose that's true. Oops :/
okay I fixed it?
V whfg ybir zrffvat jvgu crbcyr'f urnqf. Naq V qb ubcr gung gung cnegvphyne gubhtug pbzrf hc jura lbh-xabj-jung unccraf. Vg'f n funzr rirelbar xabjf 'Natry' vf unccravat.
I'm also watching for the first time, although I can't claim to be totally unspoiled, since I've seen/read things on the internet about the show/characters throughout my years. I don't know exactly how all these things fit in though, or even if I've been completely wrong about what they mean.
What is the best possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
I really want to see how Giles interacts with Angel. I mean, I'm pretty sure Angel is somehow going to get a new soul/get redeemed or something (there's a tv show after all) and I'd kinda like Giles to be at the forefront? Maybe instead of killing/getting revenge, Giles wants to make ~love~ happen again? Idk, I'd just love to see their interaction, see how Angel would try and repent, and see Giles's reaction.
What is the worst possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
Xander and Cordelia break up? No, seriously though I enjoy their interaction a lot, and I want Xander to realize that he just loves Buffy as a friend. So if there's any kind of those two break up and Xander goes back to pandering after Buffy, I will not be happy.
As I was reading your comment, I saw “Giles wants to make love” and thought the next words would be “to Angel” and just what the hell is going on in my brain now.
haha that would be an interesting twist that I'm pretty sure noone would see coming. So in a Whedon show, it'll probably happen at some point.
anu, ur trgf fbzrguvat fb zhpu orggre, Fcvxr yvivat va uvf ongugho, V zrna frevbhfyl, jub jbhyqa'g jnag n punvarq hc Fcvxr va gurve ongugho?
V yvxr Ohssl'f vqrn bs ybpxvat Natry naq Fcvxr va n ebbz naq yrggvat gurz jenffyr vg bhg. V jvyy gnxr Fcvxr punvarq gb zl gho nf n pbafbyngvba cevmr, ab qbhog…
Well, let's be fair. Who could resist this smile?
<img src="http://genedoucette.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/buffys1_angelus-425×3401.jpg">
The same thing that's going on in my brain apparently, because yep that's totally what I read too.
Though I totally agree with all this – I am really interested to see how Giles interacts with Angel. I mean, out of everyone, he has the most right to be royally pissed off at the guy, but he also cares about Buffy's happiness so…IDK. I look forward to any and all scenes with the two of them in future.
Okay, how about this, Angel making love to Giles is the key to getting his soul back. Any takers?
You? Not prepared.
I read it that way too. Can't stop laughing.
"and just what the hell is going on in my brain now"
The plot of many a fanfic, I would guess.
Be right back, I gotta make a Giles/Angel fanvid set to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."
Fanfic again!! More pairing that anyone could dream of, or want to in some cases!
Okay, I've seen it, but…
Orfg guvat vf zr. Guvf znl or gur orfg zbzrag va gur ragver qnza fubj naq vs V pbhyq svther bhg ubj gb ghea vg vagb n ernfbanoyr gnggbb (lbh xabj, zber guna whfg gung bar jbeq) V jbhyq
Jbefg guvat vf vs lbh yrnir guvf ubhfr qba'g rira guvax bs pbzvat onpx
V pna'g jnvg sbe nyy gur TVSf bs gung zbzrag.
Orgjrra gung naq Xraqen'f qrngu… gurl ner nyy fb hacercnerq.
I am a Buffy newbie but I am sadly not completely unspoiled.
What is the best possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
Sunshine the Puppy.
Also Spike gets better and gives Angel his what-for.
What is the worst possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
Umm…bad stuff happening to Willow or Oz or Willow/Oz. You leave them alone Whedon.
*shyly raises hand* I'm not entirely unspoiled. (I was gonna say something about my unspoiledness not being as delicious, but still edible, but then that sounds really weird)
I think I'd seen maybe 5 episodes total before this, but they were out of context, in no particular order, and not entirely understood. I always wanted to watch Buffy, but it always seemed like something I needed to watch in order for it to make sense. (The ones I'm sure I've seen are this one, gur zhfvpny bar naq gur fvyrag bar)
What is the best possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
I don't know…Buffy kills Angel, and closes the Hellmouth. Dru and Spike get turned into human teenagers (with souls) and the rest of the series is a silly teenage soap opera with bonus (but not too threatening) supernatural hijinks?
What is the worst possible thing—for you, personally—that could happen in the finale?
Um I'm afraid I'll jinx something. I guess any Scoobie death, but here they are in the order of most heartbreaking to least: Giles, Oz, Willow, Cordy, Xander
(The ones I'm sure I've seen are this one, gur zhfvpny bar naq gur fvyrag bar)
That is… a really fascinating combination. And even more hilarious if you didn't see them in order! (to be honest, I am kind of filled with glee at the idea of someone being introduced with those episodes and then watching them in opposite chronological order.)
I am new. I know a tad bit thanks to pop-culture osmosis, but otherwise I am unspoiled.
The Rupert Giles Honorarium Question
I have been complaining about this, but why can't Joyce find out how awesome her daughter is. I want her to see the finale with Buffy, and I do not want them to be able to explain their way out of it. BTW Your daughter is the slayer.
The Jenny Calendar Memorial Question
I do not want the Angel/Buffy couple again. I do not know how it could happen without the whole audience screaming bull. Because the floppy disk containing the files to restore Angel's souls still exists, him returning back is still an option. However, I do not know how their relationship can be the same, or how Buffy could ever look at him and not remember the emotional pain.
You are really not prepared. You just aren't at all.
Joyce does know how awesome her daughter is. She just doesn't know she's the Slayer.
Excellent point XD
Rephrase: "How awesome of a slayer her daughter is."
I do not want the Angel/Buffy couple again.
You're not alone in that, bb! I don't really like Joss's "star-crossed lovers for no rhyme or reason" couples in any of his shows, and Angel's broody tortured act annoys the fuck out of me.
I mean, Simon/Kaylee? Bring it on! Mal/Inara? I'm watching, and I'm interested. Willow/Oz? I LOVE THEM, and I even enjoy Xander/Cordy.
But Buffy and Angel……I don't want Buffy to be unhappy, but they manage the impossible task of being simultaneously boring AND squicky.
THEORIES ABOUND
The Rupert Giles Honorarium: Oz and Willow kiss, Giles and Joyce interact more
Jenny Calendar: well I'm spoiled for some of the series, and honestly I don't know
Tvyrf naq Wblpr qb fbzr engure frevbhf vagrenpgvat ba gur ubbq bs gung cbyvpr pne! V guvax gung'f arkg frnfba gubhtu, V pna'g erzrzore.
Lrf, va frnfba 3 rcvfbqr Onaq Pnaql.
Jung'f n fgrirqber?
Terng pnyyonpx be TERNGRFG PNYYONPX?
V unir gb tb jvgu Terng Pnyyonpx. Gur svefg gvzr Ohssl zragvbaf vg V yvxr orggre… V zrna, Tvyrf ehaf vagb n gerr!! Naq gur jnl ure gbar whfg tenqhnyyl punatrf, nu fb jryy qbar
I'm a little bit ahead of Mark — I literally just finished watching 3×02 — but I'm watching for the first time! Although not completely unspoiled. :/ I've just picked up on a handful of character names and stuff like that from things I've seen on tumblr or wherever, but I don't know when any of it is happening or… understand any of it.
lol. thank you for this. ALL OF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED. I'm not prepared and I've already seen it a few times…
Reading the first line in your post my first thought was "We are all Buffy's Watchers!"
*raises hand* Watching for the first time here, though I haven't been commenting much. Have also managed to remain pretty much completely unspoiled except for a few character names.
Best possible thing? I want to see Xander finally get over Buffy once and for all. I've really enjoyed the dynamic of his relationship with Cordelia (I adore the whole "bickering couple" trope) but I think his persistent Buffy-jealousy is going to wreck it if he keeps it up much longer. (Not to mention that so many of his nastier comments stem from it.) Also I'm going to shamelessly steal from enigmaticagentscully and add time travel.
Worst possible thing? Any of the main characters dying. (The main human characters that is.) Or Jenny coming back as something that Buffy has to slay. I was about to say "as a vampire", but the manner of her death kind of precludes that.
I am watching for the first time, but I've watched ahead to the end of the second season.
The best part for me – Gur rcvfbqr jnf fvzcyl irel tbbq, nyzbfg synjyrff. V fcrpvnyyl rawblrq Fcvxr fvggvat jvgu Wblpr.
Gur jbefg cneg: Wblpr'f cnegvat jbeqf – "Qba'g obgure pbzvat onpx".
Npghnyyl, gung vf n synj va zl rlrf. Vg frrzrq gb zr bhg bs punenpgre. Hc hagvy abj Wblpr jnf fhpu n terng zbgure, naq gura nyy bs n fhqqra fur pbzrf bhg jvgu na nyzbfg hasbetvinoyr fragrapr yvxr gung. V haqrefgnaq gung gur fubpx bs qvfpbirel vf fhccbfrq gb rkcynva guvf, ohg nf na vzcresrpg zbgure zlfrys gubfr ner jbeqf V pbhyq arire vzntvar fnlvat.
Ertneqvat Fcvxr/Wblpr… V xvaqn fuvc vg, V guvax?
V oynzr fubpx NAQ gur nypbuby. Wblpr qbrfa'g qevax zhpu, fb fur'f nyernql pyrneyl va bire ure urnq, naq gura ure qnhtugre abg gnxvat n yvggyr gvzr gb ernyyl fvg qbja naq rkcynva vg gb ure? Cyhf fur unq whfg fcrag n qnl guvaxvat ure qnhtugre chg Jvyybj va n pbzn naq xvyyrq Xraqen… Fgvyy nyzbfg hasbetvinoyr jbeqf, ohg crbcyr irel bsgra fnl guvatf gurl qba'g zrna. V zrna gur arkg qnl jura fur tbrf hcfgnvef fur rkcrpgf gb frr Ohssl gurer orpnhfr fur qvqa'g zrna vg naq ubcrq gung ure qnhtugre xarj gung…
I'm watching for the first time, as well (though I'm a few episodes ahead, I've seen up to the first one of season 3.
I'm almost entirely unspoiled, the only thing that I know is that Jvyybj jvyy nccneragyl or n yrfovna ng fbzr cbvag? V qba'g xabj ubj be jub be jul, whfg gung gung vf n guvat. Gur bayl ernfba V xabj guvf vf V pnaabg rira gryy lbh ubj znal gvzrf va gur cnfg V unir orra yrpgherq ol crbcyr (n uvynevbhf nzbhag bs gurz fgenvtug, gurzfryirf) nobhg ubj V nz "n onq yrfovna" sbe abg univat frra Ohssl. Yvxr, vg'f erdhverq ivrjvat BGUREJVFR V YBFR ZL YRFOVNA YVPRAFR, ubyl fuvg thlf.
But other than that, I KNOW NOTHING. 😀 I'm looking forward to the mind-blowing twists of the future.
Oooh, ooh! I'm a newbie! (I'm also late to answer roll call – if this was school, I'd be in detention) I'm not entirely unspoiled (I was reading a recap of another show and the author wrote, "This reminds me of the end of Season 2 in Buffy jura Fcvxr urycf Ohssl naq pb." I got sooo annoyed because I was so close to the end of the season and the writer pointed out exactly which season this happened in. Grrr.) but I'm still rather unprepared.
Best thing: Willow. That's all. Okay, and some Oz. Maybe some Spike backstory. Xander could get over Buffy already and realize how good he has it with Cordelia.
Worst thing: Angel to get his soul back. I know I was all distraught after Passion and the floppy disk, but that has more to do with Jenny's death being in vain than my desire to have Angel back. I much prefer Angelus. Angel is such a drag that he brings me down. There's so much brooding and mooning. Ick, do not want. Unless he's making self-aware comments about how much time he spends brooding and mooning – that would be okay for a while.
First time watcher, although I was spoiled for Fcvxr'f nccrnenapr naq Pbeqryvn'f vapyhfvba vagb gur jubyr ~frxevg inzcver fbpvrgl~ orpnhfr V jngpurq n srj rcvfbqrf bs Natry n srj lrnef onpx. V oneryl erzrzore nalguvat nobhg Natry abj bgure guna gur punenpgref gubhtu. V qba'g erzrzore vs Tvyrf jnf gur bar urycvat Natry be vg jnf nabgure Jngpure. (Qba'g fcbvy zr sbe gur ybir bs Tbq QBA'G)
So yeah. I don't comment much, just here and there, because when I get here most of the things I want to said have been said by someone or other 🙂 I enjoy reading the comments a lot, even though I'm itching to un-rot13 everything people have been saying lol.
Moffat is not the only king of nightmare fodder.
<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnzj6rEJIZ1qaimf2o1_500.gif">
NOT. OKAY. *shudder*
AUGH. I have serious respect for you for having the willpower to make that gif! I can't even look at it for too long…
ewewew
Thankfully I didn't have to make it (and sadly I do not possess any giffing skills), because that would mean I'd have to spend waaaay too much time looking at that footage. Tumblr kindly provided, as it always does. It's like a benevolent god.
Agreed. I totally covered my eyes with my arm both times the demon started doing that. Because EW. So much ew.
(ROT13 for a minor spoiler for Neil Gaiman's Sandman since it's on Mark's list)
Ubarfgyl, V jbhyq unir sbhaq guvf perrcvre rkprcg, jryy… Gb zr, Gur Pbevaguvna jvyy nyjnlf or gur svefg, naq perrcvrfg, guvat jvgu zbhguf-sbe-rlrf.
Oh boy, do I agree.
Bu zna, Gur Tragyrzra ner GBGNYYL Tnvzna-rfdhr, nera'g gurl?
SO. MUCH. FUCKING. EXCITE.
We should lobby on Neil Gaiman's blog to have him read Mark's Blogs live with us this time. I'm sure he'd be excited since he liked the American Gods posts so much! ~~/cannot get over this/ Neil Gaiman is basically like a deity in my pantheon of writers I sacrifice heads of stuffed animals to/ in the hopes that one day, I too, can run into them in an elevator somewhere, make a witty joke or clever observation, become friends with them, and then have one of their books dedicated to meeeee.
V jnf jbaqrevat ubj dhvpxyl fbzrbar jbhyq ersrerapr Gur Pbevaguvna. V jnf whfg gelvat gb svther bhg ubj gb qenj uvf rlr guvf nsgreabba – gurl ybbx fvyyl naq pybjavfu, abg ng nyy yvxr gurl jrer va gur pbzvp, v.r. cher avtugzner shry.
PBEVAGUVNA SHPX LRF. <3 V YBIR GUNG UBEEVOYR ONFGNEQ. V PNAABG JNVG GB FRR ZNEX NAQ NAL BGURE SVEFG GVZR ERNQREF SERNX GUR SHPX BHG NOBHG UVZ.
Nhhhhtu shpx, lrf, guvf. Ur sernxf zr bhg ovt gvzr *fuhqqre*
Relevant gif is relevant.
HAHAHAHA YES.
WHY!!!? Why would you post this!?
Ugh so wrong and creepy *hides under desk*
I screamed the first time this shot was in the episode.
I groaned the second time.
Silly lack of budget
My favorite shot recycling is the shot of spaghetti being piled onto a plate in "V bayl unir rlrf sbe lbh" naq gura ntnva va "Rnefubg." Ng yrnfg, V guvax vg'f va gur ynggre.
I don't know if episode titles are considered spoilers. Better safe than sorry?
Always better safe than sorry.
Also, there is a shot of three girls standing near a fountain that gets used so often it's been fanwanked that they're stuck in a time loop
well, it IS the Hellmouth 🙂
Yes, episode titles are considered spoilers. Thanks for ciphering!
NO. NO. NO NO NO SWEET GOD WHY.
Eyes are not supposed to do that!
Eating children, having freaky eyes, nightmare fuel, the Kindestod and the Pale Man (Pan's Labyrinth) are definitely BFFs.
<img src= "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_c5IXPEYvvsM/TO2Vs559cbI/AAAAAAAAAb0/Hji4JKqftGk/s1600/pale_man.jpg/" />
…now I feel bad for not being creeped out at all. It's rather… silly, innit?
I wasn't creeped out either. I love creepy villains, so I really liked Der Kindestod because he's so creepy. After all 7 seasons of Buffy the only villain/demon/bad guy to get under my skin is (Rot 13) Pnyro.
SWEER JESUS ON A BISCUIT
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Evil post is evil!!!!
Let’s get something straight…
I like this show. I really do. It’s been on my list of stuff to watch for a long time, and I’m glad I had this opportunity to watch it along with everyone here.
I like the characters – Willow, Oz, Giles, Cordelia…and everyone, really. I like the dialogue. I like the majority of the episodes. I’ve had fun watching it so far. It has exceeded my expectations by a mile.
And I do want to know what happens next. I want find out if Buffy ever gets Angel’s soul back. I want to find out what happens with Xander and Cordelia. I want to know where the heck Oz has gotten to recently. I want to see what happens to Spike and Drusilla, and what plans they’ll come up with next.
But there are two things I want to make absolutely, perfectly clear:
1)I reserve the right to spend every second of every episode from now on desperately missing Jenny Calendar, and wishing she were still alive. I will not get over this.
2)I will never forgive Angel for what he did. I don’t care that it wasn’t his fault, or that it wasn’t really him. I’m not interested in being rational.
I. Will. Never. Ever. Forgive. Him.
So this was a fairly good episode. It was kind of weirdly placed – I feel like I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it hadn’t come right after the arc-plot heavy and emotionally devastating ‘Passion’. As it was, it felt kind of strange jumping straight back into a monster of the week like this, even if the monster was creepy as fuck.
It didn’t help that it was a little unclear how much time has passed. A week? A month? Usually that doesn’t bother me so much, but in this case it made me weirdly detached from the whole thing because I was trying to figure out when this was all going on. Though there were a couple of mentions of Jenny and the previous events, it felt like a fair bit of time had gone by. In a way I was a little disappointed that we missed a huge chunk of these characters lives – we saw the direct aftermath of what happened in the last episode and then skipped straight to a time when they’re all basically over it (except arguably Giles), and onto dealing with the next problem.
It’s not that they didn’t care, it’s more that they didn’t care enough. Look, I just watched that last episode yesterday, so for me the shock and grief of Jenny’s death is still painfully fresh. I guess that’s why it felt kind of jarring – I’m still really upset, but we’ve moved right into an episode when the characters have all had time to deal with that.
IDK, I imagine it was a lot easier when the show as airing and you watched one episode per week, not per day.
it felt kind of strange jumping straight back into a monster of the week like this
The back half of the second season has gotten better about balancing MotW with the season arc, mostly by having Angel appear in every episode, but I agree that things are still a bit choppy on that front.
Time passing was clearer when the show was airing, because it tended to line up with airdates. This episode aired a week after Passion, then there was a hiatus of about a month and a half before the final run of the season. The list of Buffy episodes on Wikipedia can help you keep this straight, if you're interested. Here is the link, it includes episode titles, writer, director, and airdate, none of which I consider spoilery but use your discretion.
My google skillz appear to be eluding me – I can't find the original BBC airdates, so I can't say whether we had a week between "Passion" and "Killed By Death," or whether BBC2, in their infinite wisdom, decided we needed a few weeks of darts, or golf, or snooker to fill our Buffy timeslot with (yes, watching terrestrial broadcasts of US shows on the BBC was always something of a gamble with the BBC's "entertaining" scheduling).
It's a well known fact in my household that any TV show you record left for over a week turns into snooker.
Hah! So true…
Zhpu yvxr nal gncr lbh yrnir va lbhe pne sbe gjb jrrxf gheaf vagb Orfg bs Dhrra.
Bit late I know, sorry. According to an unofficial tie-in guidebook I have ("Slayer" by Keith Topping) the BBC dates for "Passion" and "Killed by Death" were the 3rd and 17th of February 2000, so a week off between episodes for whatever reason.
Ahhhhh. NOO I would consider some of them spoilers. Example: "Ohssl if. Qenphyn"
But you can avoid going down farther than you actually are – since it goes in order.
And I think there are other titles that are more spoilery than that one – Gur Obql comes to mind. If you don't know it's coming…yeah.
Yeah I'm sorta you on this one. I don't care what happens next to make Angel different/better/worse/whatever (and I have no idea what the writers have in mind). He's a dick.
And I also agree that it's probably easier to accept time moving by when you wait a week between episodes and not watch them in rapid succession.
Yeah, in general I'm a big fan of serial story telling and so it bothers me too that Jenny's death wasn't dealt with more heavily for at least another episode before moving on. (I know Jesse was completely glossed over, but Buffy is our POV character and she didn't really know him at all and neither did we, so I was ok with that.)
2)I will never forgive Angel for what he did. I don’t care that it wasn’t his fault, or that it wasn’t really him. I’m not interested in being rational.
I. Will. Never. Ever. Forgive. Him.
Yvne. 😉
Frevbhfyl gubhtu, nf qrinfgngvat naq ubeevoyr nf gur jubyr nep vf, V ubarfgyl guvax gurl qvq n snagnfgvp wbo, bire gvzr, bs pbaivapvat gur nhqvrapr gb sbetvir Natry.
Cyhf, jngpuvat svir frnfbaf bs Natry vf ernyyl tbvat gb fhpx nff vs lbh pubbfr gb erznva fghoobea.
Agree 100% with your rot13.
Didn't they say Buffy got sick because she's been under too much emotional strain since Jenny's death?
I gotta say, it really warms my heart to see as much Angel hate as I do.
yes, well, I'm surprised there wasn't more of it before. If Xander is Nice Guy, Angel is Broody Wanker with a hefty dose of squick, and Angelus is just straight-up Bastard. I don't get why people overlook Angel's faults and just go "but he's so nice!/he just wants to help Buffy!". Angel's in his own way a Nice Guy too, just the vampire version.
(and lol at Mark thinking Spike was going to be the Big Bad, no one is prepared.
Oh yeah, I hated Angel from the start but I totally thought that this was going to be an unpopular opinion. I was quite pleasantly suprised that it isn't, at least round these parts. Also he's kind of a slacker at helping Buffy out.
see here is the thing, I'm not against the 'star-crossed lovers' thing in principle. I bought it (and fell hook, line and sinker for it) on Battlestar Galactica, where it worked because of the characters' own personalities and the way their relationship was set up, and more importantly they were equals within it so it worked for me.
Here, on the other hand, Buffy and good-Angel have no points of conflict other than the fact that he is (was) a vampire, albeit a good one, and she was the Slayer, and I seem to be in the minority that finds this excruciatingly dull. I hate to see Buffy unhappy, but I can't buy into the OTP mentality that shippers have about these two, because Angel manages the seemingly impossible task of being simultaneously boring AND squicky (nf jr jvyy frr va Orpbzvat, Cneg 2).
I perfectly well understand that she finds Hot Older Guy hot and can't get him out of her mind, but from there straight to "THIS IS TRUE LOVE" is way too short a trajectory. I can understand why they're attracted to each other, but true love? I wasn't convinced at 14, and I'm not convinced now either.
Failure of Secret Identity Count:
19 + 1 (Ryan… and the other kids…) = 20
Oh right, the episode with Freddy Kruger and horrible child actor-screaming. Well, that was okay, but not anything special!
On the other hand….
<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/11jolfd.jpg">
It's Surge! The drink I haven't thought of since the turn of the century!
This is literally the only thing I wanted to comment on in this episode. AYUP.
OMG SURGE. COME BACK TO ME. Twelve year old me LOVED Surge. And the local Six Flags theme park served Surge slushies and THEY WERE LIFE CHANGINGLY DELICIOUS.
The best substitute I've found for Surge is Vault. Except there is a terrifying amount of caffeine in it. I made the mistake of getting a Vault slushie after dinner once and was up ALL NIGHT. Kind of like Jolt, except it doesn't taste like death.
My little brother won a Surge alarm clock once. And by "alarm," I mean a recording of a guttural male voice bellowing "SUUUUUURRRRRRRGE" at the top of its lungs. Every morning. 7:30 am sharp.
To this day, the word "Surge" still evokes mind-melting terror in my brain.
I am fairly certain that Surge was the inspiration for Tantrum, the legendary (yeah I went there) drink on How I Met Your Mother… anyone care to confirm this?[youtube S6T0cM–aIA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6T0cM–aIA youtube]
Yeah, it's inspired by the super-caffeinated drinks from the 80's-90's: Surge, Jolt Cola, Mountain Dew etc. NGL, some of those have made me act more than a little insane.
Please don't use "insane" on this site. Thanks.
Out of sheer curiosity, since I intend to stay out of any debates on the matter and I apologise if this starts one, what is the terminology we're supposed to use if discussing the clinically insane? I mean, like, say, my mother who was hospitalised for thinking the Mafia were shrinking people and turning them invisible to invade our house?
No, this is not a joke, it really happened, but the whole story's too long to fit in a comment box. I know Mark's aversion to variants on the term, and I understand even if I don't necessarily agree with it, but we've got Drusilla on this show, and . . . well . . . if she were human, someone would have tried to treat the effects Angelus had on her. So . . . if it's being discussed, how?
"Insane" and "crazy" and blanket terms that are used to oppress people or write them off as not being worth listening to. They don't actually do much to describe the person in question. Words like "delusional" or "hallucinating" are better because they describe actual symptoms. And using an actual diagnosis (eg, PTSD, depressed, or multiple personalities) where possible is also good.
So to talk about Dru, we can talk about what Angel did to her, the fact that she's child-like and has some psychic ability. Part of the problem with her as a character is that her mental illness isn't ever developed beyond "she's kind of weird". If the writers had taken the time to say she has PTSD or to develop symptoms in line with a specific mental illness, then she wouldn't be as problematic as she is.
TAAANTRUUUUM
Surge and vodka was pretty good. But then I loved Surge.
When I was in college we had a drink called "Roller Coaster Ride to Hell", which was basically a rum'n'coke only it was made with Bacardi 151 and Jolt.
Sometimes I'm not sure why I remember as much of college as I do.
That's intense. I think everyone probably did some variation on the alcohol + caffeine. We had Captain Morgan's and Monster masked with Sobe
There's a …Swedish? Finnish? I'm not sure, but it's a European company that puts out a drink called Urge. Similar bottle, similar coloring, similar label, one letter off. Reportedly, it tastes exactly like Surge. Although Vault is pretty close too, and I can get it without dealing with international shipping. I do wish Coke would have just brought Surge back. I loved it so much!
Yeah, the bottle of Surge was going to be the only thing I commented on as well!
I loved Surge so much when I was 13-15. I still remember my first can of it. When it was first released they had someone standing outside of Walmart giving free cans to everyone. This was also my first Walmart experience, back when they were uncommon and every store was open 24 hours (at least that's how it was in California).
oh god. I was addicted to Surge and my pancreas still hates me.
This is one of my favorite MOTW episodes from the show's whole run. I don't know why it resonates with me so much, but I just love all of it. I think I caught it out-of-context when Buffy was first airing, because I didn't know of such things as "TiVo" back then (or it didn't exist) and so I could never watch all the episodes in order. Either way, it was just…it just stuck with me!
Watching it again, it still sticks, though for some reason I forgot that Willow & Xander were there helping. I thought Buffy was battling the demon all on her own – maybe I'm mixing it up with another show.
TiVo did not exist. Way back then we had to use good ol' VHS cassettes to record our favorite shows to watch later. My VCR was extra special because our remote was broken and we had to learn to set up the recording using only the play/stop/fastforward/rewind buttons.
I stopped watching Buffy partway through Season 4 primarily because I was in a play that rehearsed on Buffy nights and I never had the time to get through my VHS backlog. Oh, high school. GOOD TIMES.
Now that I think about it, Firefly aired during my Freshman year of college, and I remember busting out the VCR to record it every time it was on. And Buffy ended that same year (I think), so when I was living at home, I think I just caught Buffy whenever it was on, at least for the first few seasons, and then around season four started watching it religiously.
I had a tragic VCR mishap with the first episode of Firefly in which I failed at arithmetic and recorded the show from 6:58 to 7:02. I definitely learned that lesson
Yes! That happened to me during my General Hospital phase. It was the episode where my favorite character either died and/or came back from the dead and my VCR missed it and I CRIED.
Heh, I did that more than a couple times.
The only Whedon related VCR fail though was managing to not record Natry rc Ubyr Va Gur Jbeyq, naq gurer jnf ab jnl gb tb onpx naq pngpu vg. Arkg rcvfbqr Serq jnf nyy oyhr naq jr qvqa'g haqrefgnaq :o(
today we have words of wisdom from buffy and cordelia, respectively:
"my bed is better than any bed that's not my bed."
"tact is just not saying true stuff. i'll pass."
"No one told me about gifts. I was out of the loop on gifts."
"It's traditional among….. well, people."
i also particularly enjoy this little bit from willow.
"do you want me to go real fast? *pauses* not that i would."
I'm so glad to see Cordelia getting so much love. I always loved her character so much, especially when the writers started to give her a bit of depth and heart. Even though she's the stereotypical shallow, popular girl, they gave her so many layers.
Plus, she gets some of the greatest lines.
So, I really don’t like this episode. It really, really freaked me out the 2 times I’ve watched it. The idea of a monster that attacks sick children and no one does anything about it because the adults can’t see it is just terrifying to me. The only reason I have watched it more than once is because I watched every episode with a friend after I suggested she watch the show.
This episode is like the very definition of a filler episode. After everything that happened in the last episode, you’d think Buffy would just go after Angel, but the finale is several episodes away so… let’s take Buffy out of action by giving her the flu! And really the plot of the episode is not that great. Idk. There’s just not a lot for me to say about it. I mean there is some stuff about fear of hospitals and fear of death going on in here, but idk. Nothing about this episode inspires me to write a lot of words. Mostly, I end up spending this episode waiting to get back to the Angel fight.
Honestly, the highlight of the episode is Cordelia’s line, “Tact is just not saying true stuff. I’ll pass.” AND SUDDENLY CORDELIA MAKES COMPLETE SENSE AS A CHARACTER. Actually, anything involving Cordelia is my favorite part of this episode. I love it when she calls Buffy to tell her about Der Kinderstand or when she calls Xander out for still having a thing for Buffy and then tells him to watch her walk away. IDEK. I JUST LOVE YOU SO MUCH CORDELIA CHASE.
Cordelia was SO FANTABULOUS in this episode, it's true! I have to say, I really loved that after telling Xander to basically watch her ass as she walks away… she comes back with donuts and coffee. D'awwwww.
Ya know, as much as I'm cursing the heavens when I only get 7 episodes of Downton Abbey in a series, or Doctor Who, or whatever, at least it keeps things moving. American TV gets so bloated when they have to fill 22-24 episodes, even on the best shows.
This.
It's not even American TV. It's American network television. I'm cursing the same heavens now over the fact that I've been going through a season of The Wire per week and have less than a season and a half left. All of 18 episodes and then no more Wire forever. 🙁
WORD. British TV has it right with the shorter seasons.
V ybir gung gurl pbagvahr gb pnyy onpx gb guvf nfcrpg bs Pbeqryvn jura jr trg gb Rnefubg, naq Ohssl svaqf bhg gung Pbeqryvn dhvgr yvgrenyyl fnlf RKNPGYL jung fur vf guvaxvat.
V xarj rknpgyl jung lbh jrer gnyxvat nobhg jvgubhg ebg13, orpnhfr V jnf tbaan zragvba vg. Vg qbrf oevat n ybg bs pynevgl gb ure punenpgre, gung fur unf nofbyhgryl ab oenva-gb-zbhgu svygre naq qbrfa'g ernyyl pner. Vg'f abg yvxr fur'f hanjner bs vg, rvgure, fur fnlf va gur svefg frnfba bs Natry "V guvax vg, V fnl vg." Vg'f jul V pbhyq ernyyl trg oruvaq Pbeqryvn nf n punenpgre, orpnhfr gurer'f whfg ab negvsvpr jvgu ure.
Der Kinderstand
Yeah, I'm being a total German dick here, but hee, that means "children's stall", as in, a market stall for kids/by kids/where kids are sold 😀
Apart from that, yeah, this episode leaves me mostly meh, too, with similar reasoning.
A market stall where kids are sold could be the basis for a whole new episode!
V'z fher fhpu n fgnyy rkvfgf ba Clyrn. Qryvpvbhf pnyirf!
Random notes while watching:
It’s interesting that they bring up sickness, I hadn’t even considered that Slayers can get sick.
V jbaqre jung jbhyq unir unccrarq vs n Fynlre tbg creznaragyl vyy.
Jbhyq gur Jngpuref Pbhapvy unir ure xvyyrq?
That Angelus is fighting Buffy even though she is ill seems kind of cowardly.
Fcvxr jbhyq unir fgbccrq svtugvat jura ur sbhaq bhg Ohssl’f abg ba gbc ure tnzr, vg jbhyq unir gnxra nyy gur sha bhg bs vg sbe uvz
Look, Sunnydale got its own hospital! There is nothing that town doesn’t have, weird.
(Though my hometown is not bigger and has all the things Sunnydale has, except for the unnatural number of churches and cemeteries.)
Buffy’s scared of hospitals, I like that her fear is something so normal for once.
Oh god Joyce, don’t talk about Jenny, it’s way too soon!
One thing that’s scarier than a child-demon: a demon only children can see.
It’s sweet that the kids seek Buffy out and she is quite good with them.
Qrngu naq qvfrnfr ner gur bayl guvatf n Fynlre pna’g svtug. Bu, jr xabj. :’(
Finally more Cordy, she is a lot of fun when she is at her most tactless.
Poor Buffy, the monsters wouldn’t even leave her alone before she became the Slayer.
Would that medicine really have worked when Buffy drank it instead of injecting it?
They have improved on the monster department. That thing is scary as hell.
The Scoobies have become better at the undercover work and distraction.
“Frogs” Frogs” a beautiful Willow moment.
Again, Joyce is the best TV-mom! (Sbe nyy gur Fpbbovrf npghnyyl. V thrff gung’f jul gurl gbbx ure qrngu fb uneq)
They have to have a lot of churches because some people must have caught on because of the Hellmouth.
They also have to have a lot of cemeteries because they live on a Hellmouth.
Yea, I know. It's good that my hometwon doesn't have a hellmouth.
"Fcvxr jbhyq unir fgbccrq svtugvat jura ur sbhaq bhg Ohssl’f abg ba gbc ure tnzr, vg jbhyq unir gnxra nyy gur sha bhg bs vg sbe uvz."
Hagehr. Fcvxr fbhtug ure bhg va Unyybjrra, xabjvat fur jbhyq or jrnxrarq ol fbzrguvat, naq pbagvahrq vg nsgre ur bireurneq Natry fnlvat fur jnf urycyrff.
Ohg V qbhog ur jbhyq unir xvyyrq ure, ng yrnfg yngre ba jura ur sbhaq gur cresrpg bccbarag va ure.
V guvax bs gung nf n ergpba vs V oryvrir vg'f gehr. Gur Fcvxr bs guvf frnfba jbhyq unir xvyyrq ure va Unyybjrra, fubjrq hc n qnl rneyl va Fpubby Uneq naq pnhtug Ohssl bssthneq, naq jnf unccl gb unir Natry ba uvf fvqr orpnhfr ur yvxrq gur ahzoref. Va nqqvgvba gb tebhfvat rire fvapr Vaabprapr nobhg Natry abg xvyyvat Ohssl qrfcvgr univat fhpu tbbq bccbeghavgvrf.
Gura jura ur jnagrq ure gb ybir uvz, ur pregnvayl hfrq farnxl zrgubqf vafgrnq bs ubarfgyl cebpynvzvat uvf srryvatf naq gnxvat gur erwrpgvba. Ur gevrq trggvat va tbbq jvgu ure snzvyl – V'z abg fnlvat ur qvqa'g pner sbe gurz, ohg ur qvq trg va tbbq jvgu gurz nsgre uvf ernyvmngvba hayrff V'z zvferzrzorevat. Jura fur pnzr gb uvz arrqvat fbzrbar gb gnyx gb va frnfba fvk, ur erwrpgrq ure, juvpu gevttrerq ure gb xvff uvz, naq nsgre gung ur gbbx nqinagntr bs ure ybaryvarff gb znxr ure srry fur jnf onq naq shegure frcnengr ure sebz ure sevraqf.
V'z abg fnlvat ur jbhyq abg unir xvyyrq ure va guvf rcvfbqr orpnhfr ur ybirq ure nyernql, ohg orpnhfr ur unq sha jvgu ure.
Jr frr gung ur fvzcyl yrnirf gur nyyl nsgre naabhapvat ur jbhyq xvyy ure ba fngheqnl, ur gheaf hc va ure fpubby rira gubhtu gung evharq gur uvf rneyvre cynaf. Jung ur qbrf jvgu Ohssl vf n tnzr, ohg V qba'g xabj vs ur jnagrq ure qrnq fb zhpu nf gb svtug jvgu ure.
Nsgre Natryhf'f cebybatrq fgnyxvat bs Ohssl naq ure sevraqf ur cebonoyl jbhyq unir cersrerq gb xvyy ure naq or qbar jvgu vg gubhtu. V guvax ur jnf cerggl srq hc jvgu tnzrf ng gung cbvag.
Bu lrf V pna frr uvz cebybatvat gur tnzr, ohg abg gbb zhpu. Ol Jung'f Zl Yvar ur jnf qrsvavgryl gverq bs vg naq qvqa'g pner gung zhpu jurgure vg jnf uvz be fbzrbar ryfr jub qvq ure va, naq zber fb ol Fhecevfr nsgre fur pevccyrq uvz.
Ohg trarenyyl V guvax ur qvq zrna gb xvyy ure ol Unyybjrra, naq rira onpx va Fpubby Uneq, jura ur jnf sehfgengrq jvgu ure zbz fubjvat hc.
Nu, ohg Fpubby Uneq JNF n snve svtug. Fb vg jbhyqa'g fhecevfr zr ng nyy gb frr uvz xvyy ure gura. Unyybjrra…ur'f urfvgngvat gurer. Fb V'z vapyvarq gb nterr jvgu Frggyvatsbeuvfgbel ba guvf bar.
V fgvyy guvax ur zrnag gb xvyy ure naq jnf bayl gnyxvat fb zhpu gb fjrrgra gur zbzrag, nf ivyynvaf qb, ohg V pna frr jul tvira yngre vasbezngvba gur fprar pna or erfrra.
Ur qvq trg gverq bs univat ure va gur jnl gubhtu, jvgu Qeh gb pner sbe naq nyy, naq gura Natry znxvat ure natel.
V guvax ol yngre frnfbaf ur qrpvqrf gb xrrc pbzvat onpx orpnhfr ur unq abguvat orggre gb qb guna oynzr Ohssl sbe nyy gur haunccl punatrf ur jrag guebhtu.
jung'f farnxl nobhg ernyvmvat gung lbh pna'g or pybfr gb Ohssl jvgubhg orvat pybfr gb ure sevraqf naq ybirq barf?
Nf sbe gur gheavat ure njnl jura fur whfg jnagrq gb gnyx…
gur bayl gvzr ur qvq gung jnf va BZJS, jura gurer jnf n gehgu fcryy ehaavat guebhtu gur gbja. N gehgu fcryy gung Fcvxr xarj jbhyq znxr uvz gryy Ohssl nobhg ubj ur fgvyy sryg nobhg ure, naq ubj vg'f grnevat uvz ncneg gung fur jba'g frr uvz gung jnl?
Fbeel, ohg f6 jnf nyy nobhg Ohssl orvat n qbzrfgvp nohfre jub hfrq naq nohfrq Fcvxr. Fcvxr nf n fbhyyrff inzcver whfg qvqa'g unir gur zbeny haqrefgnaqvat gb ernyvmr gung jung fur jnf qbvat, jnf uhegvat ure nf jryy nf uvz.
"Fbeel, ohg f6 jnf nyy nobhg Ohssl orvat n qbzrfgvp nohfre jub hfrq naq nohfrq Fcvxr. "
Hz, fbeel, ab, vg ernyyl jnfa'g, rkprcg sbe bar cbegvba bs gur nhqvrapr gung jbbovsvrf naq juvgrjnfurf Fcvxr naq ungrf Ohssl.
Fb, vg znl unir orra "nyy nobhg" sbe lbh, whfg yvxr vg jnf "nyy nobhg" "znavchyngvir wrex/encvfg Fcvxr hfvat Ohssl'f vyyarff gb trg vagb ure cnagf naq nohfvat ure".
Naq gura gurer jnf n zhpu zber pbzcyrk fgbel gung frnfba 6 jnf sbe fbzr bgure snaf, yvxr zr.
Vg vf n yvggyr pybfre gb gur frpbaq bcgvba sbe zr, ohg lrf. Gunax lbh.
Ur xabjf Ohssl qbrfa'g yvxr uvz, fb ur'f trggvat va tbbq jvgu ure snzvyl orpnhfr vg chgf ure va na njxjneq cbfvgvba vs gurl yvxr uvz. Cyhf vg'f n jnl gb trg cnfg ure abg jnagvat uvz va uvf yvsr. Vg jbhyq or qvfthfgvatyl znavchyngvir vs n thl jub xarj V qvqa'g yvxr uvz gevrq gb trg sevraqyl jvgu zl snzvyl va beqre gb unir na rkphfr gb or nebhaq jurer V yvir be xabj guvatf nobhg zr. Naq perrcl nf fuvg. Vg'f abg erfcrpgvat obhaqnevrf, juvpu vg pna or nethrq Natry qvqa'g nf jryy (ohg V qb abg jnag gb trg vagb gung be pbzcner gur gjb inzcverf), ohg qbrfa'g zrna fur fubhyq unir gb gbyrengr vg sebz nalobql, yrg nybar fbzrbar fur qbrfa'g yvxr.
V jnf ersreevat gb BZJS, naq juvyr V qba'g guvax vg'f jebat sbe Fcvxr gb abg jnag Ohssl gb pbzr frr uvz vs vg uhegf uvz onqyl, V guvax gung'f jul fur xvffrq uvz. Fur jnf gelvat gb tvir uvz jung ur jnagrq naq gelvat gb znxr urefrys srry fbzrguvat jvgu gur bayl crefba fur pbhyq gnyx gb. Vg jnf jebat bs ure, ohg ur rapbhentrq vg qrfcvgr xabjvat jung fur jnf qbvat. Va fbzr jnlf ur'f irel zhpu gur Avpr Thl.
V guvax gur orfg guvat jr pna obgu qb jvgu lbhe ynfg fgngrzrag vf gb nterr gb qvfnterr pbzcyrgryl naq hggreyl naq arire oevat vg hc jvgu rnpu bgure ntnva.
Lrnu, V jnf tbvat gb pbzzrag ba guvf nf jryy. Jura Fcvxr tvirf Ohssl gung jubyr fcrrpu nobhg ubj gb xvyy n fynlre va sbby sbe ybir, ur onfvpnyyl fnlf gung nf n inzcver ur'f whfg jnvgvat sbe gung bar qnl jura n fynlre vf bss ure tnzr, naq gura ur pna zbir va sbe gur xvyy.
Vg pna or pnyyrq pbjneqvpr ohg crefbanyyl V qba'g pnfg vg gung jnl, ng yrnfg jvgu inzcverf. Fvapr jura qb cerqngbef, vapyhqvat uhzna barf, abg tb nsgre jrnx cerl? Vg frrzf angheny gb zr gung n cerqngbe tbrf va sbe gur xvyy jura gur cerl vf jrnx. Natry vf jrveq naq fnqvfgvp va gung ur yvxrf gb znxr uvf cerl jrnx uvzfrys, nygubhtu ur arire tbrf nsgre cerl gung'f yvxryl gb xvyy uvz nfvqr sebz Ohssl, naq Fcvxr vf jrveq va gung ur qbrf tb nsgre cerl gung'f n cerqngbe gbb.
Bs pbhefr va Natry'f pnfr ur'f dhvpxyl ernyvmrq gung ur pna'g jrnxra Ohssl naq fb unf gb gnxr nqinagntr bs nal bccbeghavgl ur pna trg be fur jvyy xvyy uvz. Gung zvtug or n tbbq jnl gb snajnax uvf fybj gbegher bs Ohssl jvgu fb srj nggrzcgf ba ure sevraqf – znlor grfgvat bhg ubj sne ur pbhyq tb. Ohg xvyyvat Zvff Pnyraqne fdhnfurq gubfr cynaf.
V jbaqre jung jbhyq unir unccrarq vs n Fynlre tbg creznaragyl vyy.
Jbhyq gur Jngpuref Pbhapvy unir ure xvyyrq?
Pbafvqrevat ba gurve 18gu oveguqnl gurl cerggl zhpu gel gb trg gurz xvyyrq, V'q fnl lrf. Gur Pbhapvy yvxrf 'rz lbhat naq borqvrag, naq hfrshy. Nz V rivy sbe purrevat jura Geniref trgf oybja hc?
Nz V rivy sbe purrevat jura Geniref trgf oybja hc?
Ab, bs pbhefr abg. V sryg cerggl terng jura xnezn unq svanyyl pnhtug hc jvgu gurz.
Nterrq. Gurl gbgnyyl jbhyq unir n qvfborqvrag Fynlre xvyyrq – naq vs Ohssl unqa'g orra nebhaq, V guvax gurl jbhyq unir unq Snvgu xvyyrq juvyr fur jnf va gur pbzn, engure guna jnvgvat hagvy fur pnzr bhg bs vg.
Would that medicine really have worked when Buffy drank it instead of injecting it?
I was wondering that too (although it was kind of the opposite of medicine). And if it would have really killed her instantly if Willow hadn't diluted it.
I was wondering if giving herself the same virus she already had would have been that effective. I mean, once your body develops antibodies to the virus, you don't get sick from it again, right? Or do I just not know how viruses work?
That's how they work! I just assumed that Dr. Backer was using a different strain of the virus because they were re-infecting the kids so they could get a fever to burn the original virus out. Now that I'm typing that out it seems like maybe it doesn't make sense.
I wasn’t too interested in this episode for some reason. It’s not that the episode was bad, it just didn’t hold my attention very well. However, I did spend most of my time giggling over how Der Kindestod looked like a mix between Freddy Krueger, The Hitcher, and an angler fish, until shit got real AND HE SUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF A KID WITH HIS EYES! AHHHHHHH!
Willow and her frog fear were adorable, as always <3 And I loved Joyce at the end, waiting on the Scoobies. I don’t think my mom would have stood for being bossed around by either me or my friends.
"Killed By Death" isn't terrible, and it isn't wonderful. It's just sort of there. I get why Buffy would be afraid of hospitals and sickness, because she can't fight these things. The writing and the storyline just weren't that interesting, to me.
Things I did like:
1) Xander is incredibly brave to stand up to Angelus like that. He knows what Angelus is truly capable of now, and he doesn't back down. Go Xander!
2) I like Cordelia calling Xander out on his Buffy-crush. I like that they each (pretty much) admit to being jealous of the other. Even though jealousy is a creepy, proprietary kind of emotion, at least now they're admitting they have actual feelings for one another.
3) Love the Scoobies bugging Joyce to keep getting them stuff at the end. I know it's selfish and childish, but I remember doing this as a kid with my friends. "Moooooom, bring us another bag of corn chips!" "And more Surge!" "OOooh, Mrs. G, bring us some more dip too!" God, my poor mother. She put up with us so beautifully.
4) I like how concerned and sympathetic Joyce is towards Giles. 🙁 Even though just thinking about Jenny still makes my heart hurt, it's nice to see her acknowledge his loss.
As regards number 3 on your list, I love that Joyce is all, "Anything for my daughter," and then Xander gets obnoxious and you can see she's an inch from telling him to get his own damn chips.
This is an underrated episode for me. Not one of the best for sure, but it's a solid neat episode with a fairytaleish villain, which I like. I also love the drawing, and how now Angel's retreated from trying to torture Buffy, while Buffy will hunt him with a passion.
Buffy's slightly delirious ramblings when she's being admitted to hospital are strangely adorable to me, the "Are we taking me home?" and "Hospital zone, no singing" in particular.
"No but while she's in here she might as well get that Thing done. You know that Thing on her face?" Oh Cordelia, I can't help but wonder what it is you think is on Buffy's face. Such a good Cordelia episode, her lack of tact never ceases to be amusing. Love that she gets to get back at Giles for the tact comment though.
"Guvf vf lbhe jbex?" Yvxr lbhe negjbex vf nal orggre Tvyrf.
It is a brilliant choice not to show us the demon at all, to give us Buffy’s perspective and have an “invisible” attacker go after him. It’s actually done really well, and it’s horrifying.
It really is, especially when he gets dragged down the hall at the end and we can't see what's doing it, just, mnrgh.
Hehehehehe.
BZT, gur fyvqrfubj cerfragngvba va Uhfu.
I know a lot of people who don't particularly care for this episode (rightfully so – the plot is weak-ish and the child acting leaves something to be desired), but I do have sort of a soft spot for it.
For one, I very much enjoy the development between Cordelia and Xander… they're really growing into becoming a (at least slightly more) functional couple, and Cordelia is showing a softer, more supportive side – like when she brings Xander the coffee and doughnuts after their spat – that makes me like her more.
For another, it has some wonderful dialogue. The scene where everyone brings Buffy gifts is so cleverly written!
Xander: "Some flowers for m'lady"
Buffy: "I think they call those balloons"
Xander: "Yeah, stick them in water, maybe they'll grow"
and
Buffy: Homework.
Willow: It's my way of saying get well soon.
Buffy: You know, chocolate says that even better.
Willow: I did all your assignments. All you have to do is sign your name.
Buffy: Chocolate means nothing to me.
and also Cordelia's insistance that she was "out of the loop on gifts".
Then there's Buffy's feverish "My bed is better than any bed that's… not my bed."
Giles: Cordelia, have you actually ever heard of tact?
Cordelia: Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass.
…later followed up by…
Xander: Cordy, you should go with Giles.
Giles: Why do I have to have…? Good thinking, I could do with a research assistant.
Cordelia: Let's go, Tact-Guy.
And Willow's frog fear callback! <3
As much as I'm not a fan of the "Xander's still in love with Buffy" angle of it, I do love the confrontation scene with Angel in the hospital.
Angelus: If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
Xander: Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops… or the orderlies… But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?
Lastly, I have a weak spot for this episode because I happened to have a class in high school the kid who played Ryan (Andrew Ducote: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0239967/). I'm not sure how he managed to end up at my school – my area of the country isn't exactly known as a haven for working actors – but he and I both took a World History class together. He was a freshman and I was the lone senior taking the freshman World History class (because somehow I'd managed not to take it yet and apparently it was a requirement for graduation). He was rather… immature at the time, but in a somewhat endearing way? I don't know if that was partially colored by my love of Buffy or not (he revealed his acting credit partway through the school year, after we were friendly). But we were friendly enough that we'd often chat during classes. He wrote me this at the end of the year: http://imgur.com/7rYCa. I haven't heard from him since but it always triggers my memory when I watch this episode, for sure.
It's the little moments that make these episodes. I can take or leave the plot, but there are so many great characters moments and bits of dialogue that I can't skip this (or really any) episode.
That's awesome that you got to meet one of the actors.
Agreed. It's actually sort of frustrating in a way, because some of the episodes really are rather mediocre but I can't justify skipping ANY because there's always some brilliant moment or line that makes watching it worthwhile.
Re: meeting Andrew Ducote – it was definitely interesting. I'm pretty sure at some point he told me some things about his experience on set but it's buried pretty deep in my memory. Though oddly I can vividly remember some of the less mature things that he did in that class. :/
Angelus: If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
Xander: Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops… or the orderlies… But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?
Every time I watch this part, the only thing running through my mind is: "Yes, Xander, I'm pretty sure Angelus could kill you, a weakened Buffy, every single other person in the hospital, and Der Kindestod with both hands tied behind his back. But you go on and bluster away bravely, you adorable little man you!"
And then the next thing running through my mind is: "Wait, seriously? THAT was enough to scare Angelus away?"
I don't know, I think enough people all at once would be enough to at least make Angelus have a pretty bad day. Granted they wouldn't know he was a vamp so they wouldn't have crosses the way the Scoobies did, but 3 Scoobies were enough to drive him off at the beginning of the episode.
Yes, Angelus may be an extraordinary vampire in the sense that he was incredibly, highly sadistic and tactical, and yes he has had centuries to hone his fighting skills, but he does only have every day vampire strength. At the end of the day, he clearly focuses more on the hurt than the kill. In a group fight situation with him against many humans at once, that might actually put him at a disadvantage.
Just my take.
I don't think he was scared. I think he was impressed, but also took that to another level directly: How can I use this (Xander) to hurt and humiliate Buffy? I mean, I think I can see his little brain wheels working there.
I just always kind of figured that in the end Angel didn't want to draw that much attention to himself.
OK, I remember reading some trivia about the demon of this episode. I cannot verify the authenticity of it! However, I do believe I read that the Kindestod demon doesn't exist in any mythology. They basically took root words to mean something in particular (I don't know what "stod" means, but "kinde" is for children) and smushed them together for this idea of a demon that eats sick kids.
You can't beat death. I think that's something that people in everyday American society tend to ignore and constantly and frequently treat death as an enemy. It's something that really infuriates me because every time there's something to do with the Greek Gods, Hades is always the bad guy because he's from the Underworld. REALLY? REALLY? If any Greek God was gonna be evil it would be Ares or Apollo, let's be real. Death happens. Death always happens. It's just the manner of death that should frighten people.
Apollo? Ares, I understand, but isn't Apollo the god of art?
(I blame Disney for Hades' bad representation in western media.)
Apollo is kind of a major jerk. I mean, a nymph turned herself into a tree to get away from him, he killed his sister's hunting buddy because he was jealous, and he attacked Zeus for killing Ascelpius even though he was totally breaking the natural order.
Also, I really don't like Apollo.
Apollo really is a giant dickwad.
I think the "old gods who AREN'T dickwads" list is a lot shorter than the "old gods who are dickwads" list.
Is there an "old gods who aren't dickwads" list? I'm drawing blanks.
Hestia was pretty laid back. Sure she's a goddess, but most of the goddesses weren't much better than the gods.
Um…
Yeah, I think that's about it.
Hades is no innocent good guy either, though, to be fair. I mean, hello, what he did to Persephone…
I think we'd have to go pretty far to find any male figure from myth who hasn't acted in some way to perpetuate and uphold the appalling misogyny of the patriarchy in ancient Greece/the world. And by go pretty far I mean never stop looking because we're never gonna find one.
No, but at least that was pretty much the worst thing. Everything else is him dealing with adventurers wandering into the Underworld looking for stuff. There is a reason why Hephaestus is my favorite Greek God.
It's Kindes-Tod, not Kinde-Stod. "Kind" is in the genitive (possessive) case here, if memory serves me right. So "children's death."
Ugh, obviously. Curse my lack of knowledge!
Your memory is right. It means The Child-Death.
This is one of two buffy episodes i didn't watch (because the monster was too creepy and because i'm not a fan of monster of the week episodes in general). But beeing german i always liked the name of the monster. They even got the grammar right (although it would be the shorter "Kindstod" not "Kindestod")
Naq gurve Trezna jnf ubeevslvat va frnfba 3, "Tvatreoernq", fb pbatengf.
'Tod' is death and 'Kindes' is children's. So basically children's death; death of children.
"Plötzlicher Kindstod" is the German name for SIDS or crib death.
That name alone made the monster scary to me, I didn't need these eyes. No one needs these eyes. *shudder*
Really? Damn. Why does it sound so menacing in German?
Possibly because we don't have all those clever acronyms.
STD sounds way more harmless then "Geschlechtskrankheit".
😀 agree on that one.
It's because our language allows us to make up words for everything, and everything sounds eviler when it has a name, not just a description.
Hermes always struck me as the slimiest little fuck of them all.
Apollo has a bad habit of getting his lovers killed, but then again, so do ALL THE GODS THAT DABBLE IN HUMAN GENETALIA USUALLY WHILE DISGUISED AS AN ANIMAL OR OTHER NON-HUMANOID ENTITY WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THAT ANYWAY
Humans that catch the eye of a god are doomed, no matter the god.
Actually, it breaks up into kindes / tod so it does literally mean 'child death'.
Reminds me of a great poem by Goethe called Der Erlkönig- the idea may have come a little from that. A father desperately carrying his sick child through the woods on horseback while the child sees and hears 'the Erlking' tempting the boy to come with him. Eventually he just takes him and the father raches home with his son dead in his arms. So there.
Spoilers!
Mark, if you like one-setting situations, have you seen Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope?" All the creepy suspense you could ask for in one room!
I didn't watch this one as a kid and thank God for that cos it probably would have creeped me out big time! The idea that there is a monster that adults can't see is an interesting concept and watching Celia die like that must have been horrible. 🙁
Oh, your response to eye thing was the same as mine! I was like who thinks of this?!?!?!? Actually, that reminds me that the makeup guy on Buffy was Glenn Hetrick who is now a judge on the SyFy show "Face Off". He's kinda a scary looking guy himself (something about his eyes) so I now I know who would think up something like that (or at least help execute it).
This is one of the episodes I usually skip on rewatches, partly because of the fillery nature of it (yay for Buffy speak :D) but also as those eye stalk things creep me out. It's been a while since I've actually watched it so I didn't really have much of an opinion about it either, like Bad Eggs earlier in the series.
I simply LOVE this monster and how it is based on a folklore trope you see in so many cultures. The idea of a monster that sits or crouches on your chest while you sleep has been around for ages as an explanation for sleep paralysis and the vivid hallucinations that often accompany it.
…I just have a lot of feelings about modern usages of old myths.
That makes sense. Because I experience sleep paralysis, the first thing I thought when I saw him sitting on the girl's chest was that I hope I do not experience it tonight, and if I do, please don't let me see this! Recently, many people who claim to have been abducted and operated on by aliens have had sleep paralysis. We're always looking for supernatural explanations for stuff we cannot explain.
Yes! Apparently, before people got abducted by aliens, they were kidnapped by witches and molested by demons and all the symptoms pointed to sleep paralysis. It probably also explains "astral travel" experiences (after witches and demons but before aliens, iirc — Victorians loved them some spiritualism.)
Oh, how neat! I didn't know that. I also love modern usages of old myths. V qb ybir "Tvatreoernq."
V hfrq gb ungr Tvatreoernq bhg bs gur sehfgengvatarff bs vg. Fnzr jvgu Urycyrff. Yhpxvyl vg frrzf gung ba gur ynfg erjngpu, be gur bar orsber vg, V terj bhg bs gung naq ybir gurz abj, rzoenpr gur sehfgengvba :oD
Cyhf, lbh'ir tbggn ybir "Qvq V trg vg? Qvq V trg vg?"
I agree, I love when shows like BtVS use folklore and myths for their monster of the week, I find it really fascinating and it can make a nice change from the classics. Especially when the myth is based on real things that happen, such as sleep paralysis and hallucinations, it just makes everything creepier!
On a completely unrelated note, I LOVE your profile picture. Pinkie Pie is the best!
Yeah, I like how it's rooted in folklore, too. In particular, it reminded me of the superstition that cats "steal" babies breath.
I seem to mention this book a lot when talking about Buffy, but Scott Westerfeld's Peeps has vampirism as a parasite, and cats are one of the carriers of the parasite. So when a cat sits on your chest when you're asleep… watch out.
This episode… kind of bores me? Aside from Cordelia being marvelous. So I don't really have a whole lot to say about it, because I just really don't care about it. It's filler, and not even entertaining filler for me. I always kind of forget it's here when I look back on season two.
Uhfu vf n terng ubeebe rcvfbqr. gbb.
Gur tragyrzra ernyyl fpner zr unys gb qrngu rirel gvzr.
Bu, gbgnyyl, ohg VBURSL vf fhpu n terng fvatyr-ybpngvba ubeebe rcvfbqr, gur xvaq bs guvat gung srryf yvxr n zvav-ubeebe zbivr.
VBURSL vf jbaqreshy, ohg nyy vg yrnirf zr jvgu vf n ybg bs grnef.
So, this one is pretty much a filler episode, although I will say it's one of the better done ones of Buffy (*cough* Bad Eggs *cough*). Two major gems that I loved though-
Cordelia: "Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass." OMG I LOVE YOU CORDY YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH (too bad I'm not awesome enough to live by that most of the time lol)
This one I only noticed this time around, and actually had to go back and put on closed captions to make sure I understood what had just happened. Giles brought Buffy GRAPES as her 'Get Well' present. I'm sorry… what??? I mean, I love grapes, but I have never once heard someone was in the hospital and thought 'ooh I better bring them some nice grapes that are weirdly wrapped up to make them feel better.' Chocolate, Giles. Chocolate is where it's at, lack of health benefits be damned.
Grapes are a very English thing to bring to hospital. Perfect for Giles.
Wow, really? I guess you learn something new every day lol (assuming the writers/ASH knew that, which I'm sure they did). Thanks for clearing that one up 🙂
The writers I don't know about, but ASH and probably Joss, since he did a couple years of university in England.
This! I didn't realise that would be seen as unusual to an American audience, it's just so much the done thing here!
I am reliably informed that my mother was brought grapes when she was in the hospital after giving birth to me, but my older sister ate them all and couldn't understand why our mum was getting all the attention.
Personally, all I know I got from being in the hospital was a huge cuddly toy when I was two and had pneumonia (not that I remember that) and pokemon cards when I was 9, which was the best thing ever at the time, and almost made the asthma attack worth it X) Nowadays I would prefer the cookies over grapes (or both would be good) k thx, but basically your UK-hospital-related mileage may vary 😛
Also, Giles is adorbs and, IIRC, this was one of the (if not THE) first episode of Buffy I ever saw, whilst at a friend's house. Good times…
My roommate said the same thing! Why grapes??
yes! i have seen this episode….too many times to count, and i never noticed the grapes until i put on the captions last night. LOL WUT?
Yeah, it seemed really odd to me, although apparently that's an English thing to do. I was kinda surprised Buffy didn't say anything about it, but they probably just had to keep the story going and couldn't talk about everyone's gift.
i can't believe i have never heard of this! i mean, grapes are great and all…ha!
That's really fascinating. I had no idea that grapes were not a universal 'get well' present.
In the UK if someone is in hospital then flowers or a card are a possibility, but grapes are what you always always take, or the first thing you consider taking when visiting them.
I have no idea why. It's not like we're particularly grape-obsessed in any other way as a society.
But yeah, I never even thought that other countries might not take grapes … you do indeed learn something every day!
Lol well i'm glad other people are commenting saying they thought it was weird too. I would have been a little embarrassed to be the only one who didn't know about it 🙂 It makes a lot more sense health-wise than chocolate, but is it pretty much only grapes? Or other types of fruits too? Just wondering where that whole tradition would have come from…
Mostly it's just grapes, though fruit in general is not an unusual hospital gift.
I had thought that was what he said but I didn't get confirmation until I saw the grape stems on a plate by buffy's bed later in the episode.
Could it be because England doesn't have the most … Mediterranean climate? I would imagine grapes are not a crop that grows in abundance there, so historically they probably had to be imported or hothouse-grown, and that would make them a luxury gift, especially because ripe grapes are delicate.
And/or, maybe they had a purported special building-up-strength benefit for the convalescent.
Why not citrus, then? I mean, those stories about kids getting oranges in their Christmas stockings and so forth.
Hm. Citrus isn't quite as delicate to ship as grapes and was therefore a less luxurious gift? Citrus had some perceived characteristic that made it "not for ill people"? Grapes had a perceived characteristic that made them especially desirable for ill people?
I actually went a-Googling and found no clear explanation. One person did claim that the ancient Romans thought alcohol (for winemaking) was present in the grapes themselves, so they reasoned grapes would give you the same fuzzy sense of wellness wine can, so they prescribed them for sick people and the tradition stuck. I have no idea if this is true. Ditto the hypothesis that grapes were said to keep you from getting constipated, and Brits had a horror of constipation that eclipsed many other horrors.
In a modern practical sense at least, grapes don't need to be peeled or cut to serve them, they're soft and easy to eat, and if you eat 5 grapes off a stem the rest of the grapes stay good, as opposed to a banana or pear that someone might not finish.
On Doctor Who, Rose tells Ten they should "go buy some grapes" in New Earth, before they visit the hospital 🙂
Today's Badly Translated episode name:
Original text:
"Killed By Death"
…35 translations later Bing gives us:
"Stay at the hotel."
…Idek.
I was too busy to do a re-watch of this one, and pretty much all I remember from the first time I saw it is HOLY SHIT THAT DEMON. I honestly was worried I'd have nightmares after watching it. And by the way, this was about a month ago. Not when I was a kid. 😐
The Overlook would agree with that translation 🙂
I just had a moment of terrible realisation.
As well as this, I’m also watching Buffy with my sister and my father. Separately, I mean. And though each time we started after I did for Mark Watches, they’ve both almost caught up to where we are now. In fact, they are now coincidentally both at the same place, having just seen ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’.
See where I’m going with this?
Tomorrow – well now, tomorrow I have the day off work so I’ll be watching some episodes with my dad, who is retired. It’s also coincidentally the day I go to visit my sister in the evening, to watch some Buffy.
Guys, tomorrow I’m going to have to watch ‘Passion’ again.
Twice.
Uhm, SO MANY HUGS.
Maybe find excuses to walk out of the room without pausing?
…..the universe is so not your friend right now.
Tell them no Buffy while you're there.
Tell them they have to get you get you a bottle of wine, a plate of cookies, and a cuddly puppy. Then just curl up with all of those things, and try to block out the TV with the puppy.
How are they liking the show?
They're both really loving it, I think? Oh hey, my dad's just downstairs….ok, I just went and asked him and he says (and I quote):
"It's extremely silly but very enjoyable and well written."
My sister spends half of the time covering her eyes with her hands because she finds the weirdest things scary (she refused to even watch 'The Puppet Show') BUT despite this not really being her thing, she admitted to me that she's really getting into it.
Though…my sister sometimes cries at TV commercials, so I don't know how she's going to handle the next episode at all.
I'd love to find out their reactions to Passion after they see that!
You mentioned yesterday that hugged your Dad and cried after watching Passion the first time (Wow.. that sounds really mean to bring up… I'm sorry… there's no shame or mockery intended! I just need to mention it to ask the following question.) Did you tell him why you were crying, and thus spoil him?
You're watching the same episodes of a show three times over close together? I'd find that… boring.
Yeah, I'm kind of weird like that?
Like, I don't know if it's just a personal thing, but I find watching a show with different people gives me a very different experience each time. I've done this with a couple of other shows before as well, though usually with not as much overlap. For example, I recently watched a certain anime by myself…then with my sister…then with my sister and her fiancé…then with my dad. But consecutively that time. Though it says something about how good it was that my sister was also willing to see it twice.
I suppose it's the reason why Mark Watches is so fantastic to me; I thrive on other people watching the stuff I love! Nothing gives me greater joy than to recommend a show to a friend and see them love it too. Watching it with them means I can get their reactions and thoughts first hand, and look forward to them getting to the best episodes…just as I do with Mark Watches. Really I guess it's me enjoying it for the first time vicariously.
It is a little strange I guess, but I don't get bored by any means.
You are not alone!! I did this with Avatar: The Last Airbender because my brothers and sisters would catch part of an episode around the beginning of season 2 and we would start all over again. I think, at this point, in the last 5 years, I've watched the show with at least 8 different people, and with many of them I watched the whole show.
I don't think it's unusual, the only problem I find with introducing people to stuff I already love is I often watch to see their reaction to bits I LOVE and then feel disappointed or embarrassed when they don't seem to get or like it as much as I do. Especially when I've been going on and on about it, hyping it up just so they'll watch it in the first place. Clearly I need family and friends with better taste -.-'
I've made a ton of people watch Buffy with me just so I could see their reactions in real-time. It's quality entertainment.
Watching the reactions is the best part! There are definitely bits of Buffy where I've watched the person I'm watching with rather than the episode itself (gur Tybel/Ora erirny pbzrf gb zvaq). I think that's part of why Mark Watches is so great – because we're all watching him have those reactions. Maybe not in real time, and maybe not with the expressions, but…the words alone do it. And all the rest of you unprepared people as well! It's totally awesome to watch reactions.
Jnvg, ner lbh fnlvat gurer'f fbzr xvaq bs pbaarpgvba orgjrra Ora naq Tybel?
Ora? Ng Tybel’f!?
nooo you didn't rot13
Noooooo! I'm an idiot! Thankyou so much for the fix!
(it's ok I fixed it for you)
Neat.
Last episode effected me more than I thought it had. I can't say that I was traumatized because that would be a disservice to those that were but I seem to have a wall now. Except for where Angel is concerned (I didnt like using caplocks much before yesterday) I didn't feel much during this episode. Some parts made me smile and Freddy wigged me out but that's it. I don't know if I am all feeled out atm or if I am saving all my feels for later but emotion-wise this episode I just felt disconnected.
-Aww, Buffy is sick.
-WHY ARE Y'ALL NOT HELPING. Don't stake him or anything but get him off her!
-I am at a point where I am just waiting for the bad to happen.
-Creepy hospital kid. We have been here before.
-Freddy Kruger!? Why are you wearing a bowler hat?
-That hospital staff is pretty bad, letting patients wander around at night.
-I am glad someone is guarding Buffy.
-Oh Cordelia. 🙂 Tact is over-rated.
-Cordy and Xander. <3 I doubt it will last but I will enjoy this ship til the end.
-Freddy Kruger, you go back to your own story this instant!
-Drinking the vaccine? Really?
-A basement access door in the child's wing?
-So Buffy is allowed to wander around the hospital alone at night but when she is clearly with her friend the doctor tries to stop her?
-My emotional wall is apparently a wall of cynicism.
-I like the tag-team Buffy support.
-I was never allowed to have friends over when I was sick. In my house if you miss school you miss out on fun too.
Question: Speaking of feels, is Friday's episode going to break me? (Cneg Bar bs gur Frnfba Svanyr) If so I would like to watch ahead today as I already have plans for being broken on Friday. (Rot13 answers if necessary but let me know that I can translate it).
Aswer to Friday's episode: Cneg Bar qvqa'g oernx zr, Cneg Gjb ba gur bgure unaq…
Repling to settlingforhistory – DO NOT un-rot13, t09yavosaur.
Qrcraqf ba ubj nggnpurq gurl ner gb Xraqen.
V npghnyyl sbetbg gung guvf unccraf va gur svefg cneg, ohg fgvyy gung qvq abg oernx zr. Cneg gjb unq zr va grnef gubhtu.
Thanks. 🙂
Vg jvyy raq lbh.
Thanks 😛
You can translate this t09yavosaur:
Cneg Bar unf fbzr terng zbzragf naq fbzr cnvashy barf. Vg zvtug or jbegu jngpuvat nurnq. Gubhtu ubjrire zhpu Cneg Bar zvtug oernx lbh, lbh jvyy or BU FB HACERCNERQ sbe Cneg Gjb'f ghea.
Also (at least in my opinion)
Vs lbh jngpu Cneg Bar rneyl vg zvtug or ernyyl ernyyl uneq gb abg tb nurnq naq jngpu Cneg Gjb rneyl
Thanks. 🙂 I will keep that in mind.
This episode title reminds me of Motörhead. I haven’t really got anything else to add.
I have such a fond for this episode. I first saw it out of order, actually, and I've definitely seen it in isolation since then (ahhh, SyFy and FX repeats, I love you) and as a stand-alone Monster of the Week episode, it's really great. I can see why some people view it as filler or feel it's slightly jarring right after Passon, though.
Obligatory "I love Cordelia" comment. Because HER FACE <3
This was a creepy episode. However, I found the beginning more creepy with Buffy almost out of it and uncertain of what we saw. We have certain expectations for Buffy. She finds monsters. She beats up monsters. What did she see? A non-corporeal manifestation of death that she cannot control? A product of her own abstract fears? Also, I always get choked up when Buffy acts vulnerable. She does not allow herself to do that often. When with her mom and pleading her to get out of the hospital, I felt choked up. I am having a hard time getting over "Passion," and was hoping for a non-monster-of-the-week episode because if I am still dealing with last episode, the characters should have to deal with it too! Jenny's death had some effect on characters, especially Buffy's actions. She runs herself ragged trying to save every last person. I don't know, if Jenny hadn't died, maybe she wouldn't have gotten sick. She would have had more defenses against illness, as she hardly ever gets sick otherwise.
Oh, and I caught a sinus infection today. Damn Irony.
This was the most fun I've had rewatching this episode ever, if only because every time the Kindestod thing came on my roommate absolutely FLIPPED OUT and I loved every second of it.
It's definitely fillery, but one of the better fillers. I just had a problem where for years I confused it with Nightmares and thought they were one and the same, so whenever I got to this one I would get really confused. I think it was during my last rewatch 2 years ago that I finally finished the clear separation.
Ah, Cordy, always saying everything you think. Uru, V pna'g jnvg gb trg gb Rnefubg naq unir guvf cebira dhvgr yvgrenyyl
V Bayl Unir Rlrf Sbe Lbh gbzbeebj!!! LNL Vg'f xvaq bs svyyrel, ohg vg vf shyy bs njrfbzr. Nyfb sbe nalbar jub vf jngpuvat Pbireg Nssnvef – NHTTVR!!! V pbhyqa'g oryvrir vg jura V fnj uvf anzr va gur perqvgf…
BZT, V qvqa'g erpbtavmr uvz naq gura V unq gb tb ybbx vg hc. Ubj qvq V abg erpbtavmr uvz? Jryy, znlor vg jnf gur svsgrra lrne vagrevz. V arrq gb tb erjngpu gung rcvfbqr evtug abj.
EVTUG?! Ur ybbxf dhvgr n ovg qvssrerag, ernyyl unir gb sbphf ba gur rlrf gb frr uvz.
Anything would suffer in the wake of Passion, but also it's nice to have a breather. I don't think I could have handled another emotionally traumatizing episode in a row.
A straight MOTW episode with a creepy monster, plenty of snark and one liners, and an ending that closes on a warm, happy scene with our core three and Buffy's mom — this is what I needed after Passion!
Backstory: I have a horrible phobia of things happening to eyes and/or eyes doing things they're not supposed to do. Like, I have visceral reactions to empty sockets or people having their eyes damaged or removed or you know, whatever. So this monster?
NO. NO. NO THANK YOU FOREVER.
Other then that, yeah, meh. This episode's okay. I don't really have hospital phobia, having grown up around them (parents in medical professions). I can totally understand WHY people find them disturbing/terrifying, but it's not something that's ever bothered me. I do really like the insight into Buffy's past and how these supernatural things have always happened around her, compiled with more fuel for her MUST SAVE EVERYONE ALWAYS guilt fire.
Oh, something else I forgot to mention. I find it curious that Buffy can see the monster. I'm pretty sure she's seventeen or so this season and while legally she is a child, physically she's mostly an adult. I mean, I know that our frontal lobes don't fully mature until 25 and that even as recently as 60 years ago girls were marrying in their teens, not to mention that old classic of "you are now no longer a virgin and therefore an adult" sort of thing…
I dunno, is it the combination of the sickness and her being a Slayer? I'm not rewatching the episodes, so I don't know if that was explained.
It's not her age, it's the fever.
Ah, great. I figured, but I didn't actually rewatch it.
I think, if IIRC, that it was a symptom of her being sick and her rational brain not being entirely functional. Anybody who was brave enough to rewatch this episode know?
You're right. She couldn't see it when her fever broke, which is why she had to make herself sick again.
Though I do think that there's a bit of commentary about her being on the cusp between childhood and adulthood. She's growing up, but she's not grown up yet.
she's seventeen, her birthday was when the shit hit the fan (or the day after, anyway).
Definitely a filler episode, but what else is to be expected? I did love Xander standing up to Angelus, but I hate that Angelus's response to Xander's protectiveness is oh you must still be in love with her. I know the past between them/Xander's crush makes the assumption that it's romantic love more valid, but why couldn't he be like, yea, I love her because she's one of my best friends. It just annoys me that Angelus just assumes he's protecting her out of romantic love – all Buffy's friends want to protect her!
One question running through my mind after last episode: (I had forgotten it in the aftermath of the Jenny death:( ) Can vampires see in the dark? If they're only out at night, they must have some kind of special eye function or whatever that allows them to see? I just kept thinking when Jenny was running through the school what an advantage that would be for Angelus, he wouldn't have to worry about running into things and could easily catch up with her.
I think Angelus assumes that because it's the only way he can rationalize it. He's from a different era, and never really got over the paternalistic, protective form of love. He usually demonstrated his love for Buffy in a similar manner, even when she didn't need protecting.
I figure vampire's eyes work a bit like cat's eyes. But with a supernatural boost to sharpen the eyesight. In the early episodes their eyes glow in the dark, much like a cat's. But it's a special effect that they got rid of pretty quickly.
I haven't watched this episode.
I don't know. A monster that attacs sick children, and nobody else can even see it? That's really mean. And kind of.. easy? I mean, of course it's scary, you go for the weakest of the weak here and let them be without any protection.
I just couldn't think that I would enjoy this, and since I'm not a fan of monster of the week episodes in general, this will remain an episode to skip for me.
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybnwfc5yN1qz5stv.png">
OOOOOH NURSING STUFF I KNOW THIS ONE.
PERRLA (Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light and Accommodation) is what you want to see. If they're unequal and unresponsive that means there's oculomotor nerve damage.
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybo20Qn9r1qz5stv.png">
Angel's got a big dick.
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybo2huAHt1qz5stv.png">
I really love this entire exchange.
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybo89lAjo1qz5stv.png">
Cordy wins.
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybodpij5p1qz5stv.png">
Cordy wins again.
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybog7wJNb1qz5stv.png">
DON'T WARN THE TADPOLES!!!!!!!!!!
<img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybogo5dXw1qz5stv.png">
Coming right after Passion I can't help but see the Angel/Buffy neck snapping parallel.
All in all a fluffy, character fleshing out but no forward plot momentum kind of episode.
Transcript by Buffy vs. Angel
The "[CRUNCH]" is cracking me up. Oh closed captioning, I love you.
Angel's got a big dick.
Let me amend that for you: Angel IS a big dick.
Your first picture makes me think of "Patients were cyanotic and not responsive and we were unable to resuscitate them."
(Also, "We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural response from either patient.")
Aww, hell, I dunno, if I'd'a wanted schoolin' I'd've gone to school!
-The Scoobies saved her!
-Is it a magical sickness?! Oh I would love that so much. So so much.
-Uh oh creepy child
-That's the music from the DVD menu. Complete with that stupid laugh. I was wondering why it sounded so familiar right now.
-Death? Oh creepy children this is not good.
-Xander vs Angel. not gonna go well for Xander
-Did Death get her cousin?
-Tact is just not saying true stuff. I…sometimes agree with that statement.
-Yipe that doctor startled me too
-The cut from Cordy walk away to the nurse walking away made me giggle
-Loved Giles' petulant "Why do I have to have [Cordy]…"
I thought the plot was seeming really predictable, but I think I've just seen this one before. I know I've seen that monster before. Wow, I didn't think this would happen so early in the series.
-The disease lets her see him. That's pretty cool (but still not as cool as a magical disease…)
-Would drinking that really kill her in an instant? Anybody know?
-The doctor doesn't notice that all the kids are missing?
-Whoa I guess I didn't see all of this one before, because I do not remember those eye sucker things.
-Wow I get that Buffy's sick and milking it, but Willow and Xander were kinda rude to Joyce there (especially Xander). No pleases? Get outta my house.
DVD menu music in an episode always distracts me
One word I can say about this episode:
Xangelus!!!!
<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/Arrohy/Xangelus1aaa.jpg">
<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/Arrohy/Xangelus1aa.jpg"> by Heather
<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/Arrohy/xangel4b.jpg">
OMG THANK YOU.
Oh, ship of my torrid teen years. There was so much bad fanfiction for this ship and I'm pretty sure I read all of it. No shame!
I think the first fic I wrote was Xander/Angel PWP. At 13, I think?
…I was never a writer of plot.
Oh, God! There has never been a good PWP written by a 13-year-old. Ever. And now I'm kind of curious to read it. Does that make me a masochist?
Maybe? It was in German though. And pretty much obligatory dialogue – mutual masturbation – FIN
I didn't start to write about fucking until I was 14.
I'm thankful that I did not start writing fanfic until I was 25. At least I didn't embarrass myself *too* badly. Some of my early stuff still makes me cringe. Good for you, being all precocious and stuff, though.
lol, most fanfic writers start out young – my first fic was a Mary-Sue-filled Star Wars AU that I wrote when I was 13. The memory makes me cringe, as does that of the many, many Spike-centric fics I wrote when I was 16 and 17, thank god geocities is dead so I will never have to be confronted with them again
I'm now very, VERY thankful that my current main fandom seems to consist of 20/30somethings who have an excellent handle on fic-writing.
I wasn't aware of fanfic as a teenager, since that was in the pre-widespread-internet-access days of the mid-90's. I never even accessed the internet until after I graduated from high school in 1997. Not to say I didn't write crappy MarySueish fiction as a teen; it was just crappy MarySueish *original* fiction, and it stayed between the covers of my notebook.
I've been writing Harry Potter fic for eight years now, and I love the sense of community in the fandom. Especially now that all the books and movies are out of the way, and most of sort of teens who will just jump onto whatever is the latest fad have moved on to something else, leaving just the hardcore, older fans behind to continue blowing on the embers.
EEEEEEEEEE you write HP fic? I CAN HAZ LINKS PLEASE? (I can handle anything as long as it's not adult/child pairing). It was one of my very first fandoms apart from Buffy, though I haven't been as regular a participant over the last couple of years – I agree with you that there are some really fantastic people in it, and I've been lucky to know some of them.
Always glad to share! Most of it is Remus/Sirius (my OTP going on eight years now), but I occasionally write other stuff as well.
http://picascribit.noseyhedgehog.co.uk/fanfic.htm…
No, I believe my exact words were: "Don't worry…it's just…the TV…"
I didn't tell him what show. In fact he asked me the next day if it was Buffy and I said no. Because…I am a lying mclyerson and I didn't want him to be expecting something awful!
I'm ok with any episode named after a Motörhead song. That is honestly all I have to say about this episode.
FUN PARTS FROM THE SHOOTING SCRIPT ( http://www.buffyworld.com/buffy/scripts/030_scri…. )
INT. BUFFY'S HOSPITAL ROOM – LATER THAT NIGHT
An IV DRIP courses through a tube connected to Buffy's arm. She TOSSES and TURNS, sleeping fitfully. She MOANS occasionally, drifting in and out of consciousness.
She OPENS HER EYES with a start and sees a little boy standing in the doorway, staring at her. His name is RYAN. He's still, expressionless, Stepfordian. Think Christopher Walken at age ten.
And then later: Ryan, the Christopher Walken boy, stands there, holding the hand of a LITTLE GIRL.
And Willow's rant in the script was originally Bats! Arrghh! Get them off me! Horrible, horrible bats! until they remembered she didn't like frogs and did that instead.
Ha ha, that is hilarious! I can see the director saying to the little boy "Be more Christopher Walken!".
I'm not a medical professional or anything, but I've been around a few IVs and I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to "course." Pretty sure that would be a sign something is VERY WRONG. Bad writer!
I was never a fan of hospitals and have frankly gone out of my way to avoid them. This ep did not help my waryness of hospitals. Though I do sort of love that the monster kind of looks like Freddy Kruger.
Daily Buffy Quotable:
"My whole life flashed before my eyes. I've got to get me a life."-Xander
"Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass."-Cordelia
"Have I told you how attractive that's not?"-Cordelia
"Research beckons."-Giles
"Let's go tact guy."-Cordelia
"Boy there's a demon for everything."-Cordelia
"Hanging on every ew."-Buffy
"Tact is just saying not true stuff"
So Cordelia wins this episode easily. Also I don't even know why but "that thing on her face. you know that thing? am I the only one that's noticed that thing?" always sticks in my head. What was this comment about?
And I still hate the Xander jealousy plotline but at least it's written a little bit better this time and he actually is confronted about it. I do like this episode as a monster of the week deal and the thing is sufficiently creepy but mostly this episode suffers from its placement in the season and a lack of Jenny and Oz. It's not like I'm going to go and admit to recognizing an actor from sex and the city cause I have definitely never ever seen that show so that's it for today.
This episode seems to be all about Cordelia's superior existence and redeeming Xander's Buffy-obsession. There are so many shots of him looking VERY CONCERNED. And you can tell he MEANS IT. And then Cordelia checks him with her superior ass and he's like, "hmmmmm…… maybe I am a tool." I do love the scene where she brings him coffee and doughnuts and he smiles like he actually appreciates what he's got in front of him for one moment in his life. Buffy's character advancement is negligible, though we learn she's been feeling guilty about "allowing" people she loves die since she was a small child! 🙁 And we get to see Giles and Joyce do their flirty thing, which is nice. For the most part in this episode I ignore the monster plot and go straight for the shipping.
ALSO thank you for placing the security guard actor for me!
Interesting points. I don't know what you mean for superior though, I just think Cordy's awesome. She's in character and it just shows that she's really observant and not just mean for the sake of being mean.
Awesome is a suitable substitute. She's easily my favorite character in the second season (Naq ure punenpgre nep vf zl snibevgr bs gur frevrf.) It's an interesting combination with her… because she's obviously not oblivious, but she's also really gullible (when she says "there's a demon for everything"). Anyway, Go #TeamCordelia!
ahaha, Willie Garson has been in EVERYTHING though. Just pretend you watch White Collar. Or better yet, actually watch White Collar.
I don't know what that is but now I watch it!
Oh, it's a lot of fun. It's one of those shows where the good guys con the bad guys, sort of like Leverage if you've seen that, only instead of a team of criminals you have one criminal and one FBI agent. Willie Garson gets a fairly major role that becomes even more major in the second season, and his character is just so lovable.
Some fun facts about this episode:
The monster was influenced by Freddy Krueger, something mark as a horror buff might appreciate.
Secondly when first broadcast in the UK, this was cut. Heavily. In fact his method of feeding was cut. It was disturbing enough though, we'd see him straddle the child and a shot of his face… giving the impression he fed by sitting on them… disturbing in a whole different way.
Of course, imagine my first viewing of the uncut video release… utter nightmare fuel.
We got the same/a similar cut in Germany (as it aired Saturday afternoons originally); I think the first time I saw the full version was only when I got the DVDs, actually.
When I watched this episode the first time I think that it was the first monster on Buffy to have truly terrified me. Something about it creeping by the doorway. Besides that there's not much else for me to say about this episode. It's okay. Though when Angel and Xander had their confrontation I was curious about why Angel chose white roses to bring to Buffy… Apparently white roses symbolize innocence, purity, young love, etc. Not sure if it was intentional but I like to read into things xD
V nz JNL zber rkpvgrq sbe gbzbeebj'f svyyre-l rcvfbqr!! Ybir vg!
Quick random, and fairly ridiculous question:
Qbrf nalbar xabj jung negvfg naq va jung rcvfbqr n zhfvpvna fnlf "V ungr cynlvat inzcver gbjaf…" nsgre n frg ng gur Oebamr?
nvzrr znaa
Vg'f "Fyrrcre," frnfba frira.
Xander: Visiting hours are over.
Angelus: Well, I'm pretty much family.
Xander: Yeah. Why don't you come back during the day? Oh, gee, no, I guess you can't.
Angelus: If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
Xander: Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops… or the orderlies… But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?
Angelus: Buffy's White Knight. You still love her. It must just eat you up that I got there first.
Xander: You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there.
XANDER FUCKING HARRIS! Crowning moment of awesome. Jryy, uvf svefg pebjavat zbzrag bs njrfbzr. Zber gb pbzr, yvxr "V yvxr gur dhvrg" naq gur "V'z va ybir jvgu lbh" fcrrpu gb Naln naq gur "Lbh'er abg fcrpvny. Lbh'er rkgenbeqvanel" fcrrpu gb Qnja.
Lbh'er rkgenbeqvanel" fcrrpu gb Qnja.
Bar bs zl snibevgr zbzragf bs F7, unaqf qbja.
Ab, ab, ab. Uvf pebjavat zbzrag bs njrfbzr vf pyrneyl jura ur FNIRF GUR SVPXVA' JBEYQ! Va "Tenir".
KNAQRE: Gur svefg qnl bs xvaqretnegra lbh pevrq 'pnhfr lbh oebxr gur lryybj penlba naq lbh jrer gbb nsenvq gb gryy nalbar. Lbh'ir pbzr cerggl sne, raqvat gur jbeyq, abg n greevsvp abgvba… ohg gur guvat vf, lrnu. V ybir lbh. V ybir penlba-oernxl Jvyybj naq V ybir fpnel irval Jvyybj. Fb vs V'z tbvat bhg, vg'f urer. Vs lbh jnaan xvyy gur jbeyq, jryy gura fgneg jvgu zr. V'ir rnearq gung.
obb ln..
Fuck, how did I forget that one?
German title: Der unsichtbare Tod – 'The Invisible Death', which I may actually prefer to its English title. You win this round, German dub team.
…somehow I can't be arsed to write a comment on this episode. It falls into the filler-I-don't-rewatch category. So let's turn this into a mini-linguistic corner and let me point out that unsichtbar is literally un-sight-able (with un- and sight/sicht- being related, obviously, although English -able is, like invisible as well, from Latin), and one of the many examples of German's tendency of preferring to use native derivations instead of Latinisms.
AND NOW YOU KNOW
I loved the scene between Giles and Joyce. You can see that he still relly misses Jenny. 🙁
This episode seriously creeps me out. I know that fandom isn't too fond of it, but when I watched it, I couldn't tell why. I think it's a good MOTW episode. Of course for a long time I was really scared of hospitals. (Didn't help that my mom worked at them. I finally got over that fear when I had to spend a lot of time at the hospital for my job as a mental health worker. )
"Jung ner vgf rlrf qbvat? LBH QVQA’G GRYY ZR GUNG JNF UBJ VG SRQ. V QVQ ABG SHPXVAT FVTA HC SBE GUVF FUVG, TRG GUNG FUVG BHG BS URER. Fjrrg onol Ohssl, gung vf frevbhfyl bar bs gur zbfg njshy guvatf V pna vzntvar. JUL QB VGF RLRF PBZR BHG BS GURVE FBPXRGF FB URYC ZR EVTUG ABJ."
Bu, Znex vf tbvat gb unir fb zhpu sha jura ur trgf gb Gur Fnaqzna.
Gb fnl abgvat bs Uhfu – ab qvnybthr naq gur Tragyrzra
This thing is like the opposite of the Specters from HDM, except even scarier because at least the adults could try and run. These are sick kids in a hospital; they can't escape. This is why I stay away from the horror genre; if things like this and Moffat!Who can be so goddamn scary then I don't think I could stand anything made exclusively of the stuff >_<
Okay whoa wait. Are there any Disneyland face character fans here? Or Brianna Garcia fans?
I did not notice this when I watched this episode, but etherealclarity mentioned the kid who played Ryan and I knew I recognized his name, and he was, er… friends with Peter Pan!
[youtube KcHDQx5cFlo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcHDQx5cFlo youtube]
OMG. DID NOT REALISE.
I am so sad that Andrew isn't, um, "friends" with Peter any more. I never got a chance to meet his friend Peter, because the one or two times I saw him he was playing with kids and it seemed rude to interrupt.
And noooow I want to go to Disneyland.
Me tooooooo! I mean, I live on the other side of the country and the chances of me getting out there to meet him were slim to none anyway, but I'm sad that there won't be new videos of his friend Peter on YouTube anymore. 🙁
OH MY GOD. (this comment has inspired me to comment for the first time)
I heart Bri and i never knew this and my mind is officially blown by fandom interaction (as tho it wasn't already)
Buffy actors are in like… everything everywhere~
Jung'f gur org Qnja pnhtug gur syh gur fnzr gvzr nf Ohssl, naq raqrq hc orvat bar bs gur xvqf va ubfcvgny?
Lvxrf! Fpnel gubhtug.
Rvgure jnl, V'z fher Ohssl (engure ceboyrzngvpnyyl) gevrq gb ona Qnja sebz ubfcvgnyf… KQ
V guvax Qnja jnf zber yvxryl gur pneevre sbe vg- znlor tbg fyvtugyl fvpx, ohg vg jnfa'g gbb onq. Ohssl'f vzzhar flfgrz qvqa'g ernpg yvxr vg abeznyyl qbrf orpnhfr fur'f haqre n ybg bs fgerff (ubzvpvqny znavnp oblsevraq, qrnq grnpure/sevraq, rg prgren) naq fb V vzntvar Ohssl'f gur bayl bar jub jnf ubfcvgnyvmrq. Bar bs gur Fpbbovrf cebonoyl jnf frg gb xrrc na rlr ba ure, orpnhfr bs jung jnf tbvat ba jvgu Natry naq Qeh naq gur yvxr. Cebonoyl rvgure Jvyybj be Knaqre. (Be obgu, va gheaf.)
This is another one of those episodes that I could do without… but you have to love the last 5 minutes. I want Joyce to take care of me when I'm sick…
I loved this episode. I liked the Scoobies working so well as a team and backing up Buffy when she was sick. I loved the Angelus/Xander confrontation, the Cordelia tact gag, Xander/Cordy relationship, FROGS!, and hanging out in Buffy's bed watching TV.
My thoughts when watching this episode – "Killed by Death is a silly name, I don't even remember this one. Buffy hunting in a graveyard, and she's sick? Almost kills Xander, Angelus shows up, they're in a…hospital? What? I've never seen this episode…OMG HOW COULD I NOT HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE!?"
I bought my BtVS season 2 second hand and some of the disks are a little damaged and so this episode doesn't work! I thought that I'd watched all of the ones that were scratched with my friend who also owns Buffy, but apparently not! So this was a very exciting experience for me, I haven't had a new Buffy episode in years!
This episode was nothing special, but I really like it. I love bottle episodes and this was…sort of one, it was mostly in the hospital. I also love when folklore and myths are used for monster of the week situations. That demon was extremely cool looking, and the way that it's eyes came out of it's head was awesome! I think that it was a really creative way to, uh, drain people.
Also I love every line that has already been posted in the comments, Cordelia was especially amazing this episode. I love Cordelia, she is possibly my favourite character in the entire Buffyverse rfcrpvnyyl va Natry…rkprcg gur ubeevoyr naq yvsr qrfgeblvat frnfba 4.
-I have not seen this one since I first watched the show and remember nothing about it, so this should be fun.
-LOL, Xander. “I gotta get me a life!”
-FUCK, GO AWAY ANGELUS.
-Go Scoobies!
-This has to be more than the flu if it made Buffy collapse.
-Oh yeah, this backstory. 🙁
-Joyce, you are so sweet. But please, I'm still re-recovering.
-What….thing, Cordy?
-WHAT WAS THAT. KJADSKLJSABJK THE FACE. TEETH.
-So this is where the DVD title menu music is from, and why there are medical beepy sounds in the background.
-So the grownups can't see this guy, but Buffy did. Hm.
-Also what is going on with those nurses?
-Please. Just once. Go. Away.
-I'll give it to Xander. He seems to be doing a good job standing less than a foot away from Angelus' face without fleeing in terror, which is what I would be doing.
-So Buffy played superhero as a little kid. Corny, but adorable.
-”Chocolate means nothing to me.” hee
-”Tact is just not saying true stuf.”
-”This is what happens when you have compassion for sick people.” Cordelia, please
-Uuuh, this security guy is creepy.
-She wasn't touching and she wasn't gropey, Xander.
-”Have I told you how attractive that's not?” Be my friend, Cordelia.
-Well this kid is just doom and gloom.
-Product placement donuts!
-Whoa, so malpractice guy isn't in on this thing?
-IT'S GOT THIS FREDDY KRUEGER THING GOING ON. I DON'T LIKE IT.
-”Wrong? How did you play doctor?” Oh, Willow.
-Wouldn't they lock the office of a dead employee?
-I would be like Cordy in this situation, looking at all the demons and pestering Giles with questions.
-Eeeeuuuugh, I have a fear of fairytale monsters who suck the life out of children. D8
-That child actress doesn't even look like SMG…
-Okay bad child acting aside, STILL HORRIFYING!
-Oh man, that would be traumatizing. 🙁
-I think I would have diluted that more.
-NO that thing is creepy! Stop looking at the camera!
-OH MY GOD NO NOT THE EYE THING NO.
-Ow, bad pun.
-Thank god that abomination is dead.
-Aaaww, sick sleepover!
-LOL, nice picture.
Not too much to say about this episode, other than the fact I did not appreciate being frightened right after crying about Jenny 🙁
-What….thing, Cordy?
Right? I was like "nobody else sees anything wrong with Buffy's face, Cordelia." One of those "funny" bits that just kind of fell flat because I had no idea what she was talking about.
The title "Killed by Death" ultimately comes from the biblical book of Revelation, I imagine, which seems to use the phrase in all seriousness a few times. The Horseman of Famine kills people by starving them to death, the Horseman of Pestilence by sickness, and the Horseman of Death kills people by…death.
More appropriately for this episode, perhaps, is Revelation 2:21-23:
21“And I gave her time for repentance, and she did not choose to turn from her fornication.” 22“Behold, I shall cast her into a coffin, and those who commit adultery with her into great suffering, unless they repent of their deeds.” 23“And I shall kill her children by Death, and all the assemblies will know that I search the kidneys and the hearts, and I shall give to everyone of you according to your works.”
That's right, if you have premarital sex God will kill your children with death and punish you for all the guilt in your kidneys.
Sounds like God does support abortion. In some cases anyway
Oh hey! You know what I just realized? The music during Buffy's first seeing of the monster and her flashback is the music that plays during the dvd menus of season two.
Also, that Mrs. Summers makes a reference to Buffy's father. I didn't remember that.
This episode scares the shit out of me. I can't really put my finger on why, it just does.
I really like X/C, and the Giles/Cordelia interaction.
I love everyone in this episode, and how they work together despite their flaws and go along as Buffy asks. It's really everyone at their best -except for Angel of course.
v bayl unir rlrf sbe lbh vf fbzr fcrpgnphyne ohssl / natry zbzragf
znex unf ab vqrn jung'f va fgber sbe uvz naq uvf urneg va orpbzvat 1 & 11. v fgvyy pna'g jngpu jvgubhg onjyvat zl rlrf bhg. (cyhf YBIR BS FCVXR!!)
ur'f fb abg cercnerq. naq v pna'g jnvg
zjunununununun 🙂
Killed By Death is not one of my favorite episodes. It just kind of bores me? I feel like we've done this plot before.
– The thing I always forget about the flu is that IT CAN KILL YOU. Usually not, but for people who are immunocompromised / really old / really young / etc, it can be really harmful. (Or, you know, are overdoing themselves fighting their evil super-strong ex-boyfriend. That too.)
– Joyce suggests that Buffy got sick BECAUSE she was stressed out about Jenny's death. I'm always getting physically sick when I'm stressed out or upset. Either my stomach hurts or I get weird allergy/cold-type symptoms and I don't know whether I'm getting sick or not. I've actually called into work feeling like I had a really bad cold or flu (complete with an actual fever), only to feel fine by the next day. It's weird. Stupid… bodies.
– AGH I hate it when people rip IVs out of their arms.
– ["Lbh'er tbaan qvr. Naq V'z tbaan or gurer." Arvgure bs gurfr guvatf ner gehr. Fbeel, Knaqre.]
– A black person works at the hospital! Is she gonna die?
– "If he asks you to play chess, don't even do it." Hee hee hee
– "Tact is just not saying true stuff!" CORDELIA ILU. I saw this phrase done in cross-stitch on Etsy once.
– OMG IT'S MOZZIE! HI MOZZIE
– Kids see adults' true faces. I like that. I like that Giles thinks of it, too.
– Mozzie, where are your huge glasses? You look weird.
– "Well, I was using the phrase 'watch her back' as a euphemism for 'looking at her butt.'" 😀
– "This is your work?" LOL Giles yes, it's Buffy's masterpiece.
– Boring stuff, boring stuff… frogs…
– OH GOD IT SUCKS LIFE OUT WITH ITS EYES JESUS CHRIST
– Fighting, fighting… killing… neck-snapping…
– Aw, Buffy likes peanut butter and jelly with no crust.
– So the entire point of this ending is that Buffy's friends are selfish jerks? Heh. I like the drawing, though.
I know what's with the ending they all turn so inconsiderate!!!!!! Like sure Buffy's mom is her mom so she can milk being sick because that's what teens do but what's with Xander and Willow?! They're usually so very polite!
Also, Willie Garson is in one of my favorite episodes of The X-Files, “The Goldberg Variation.”
I knew he looked familiar, but I couldn't place hime
It's funny as I look through the comments, especially about whether or not to ever forgive Angel. I think that ultimately as you look through Joss' work there are always characters who are questionable to redeeming. Mal as an instance. As I'm sure Hulk will be in Avengers.
Ohg nf lbh ybbx ng Fcvxr va yngre frnfbaf yvgrenyyl gelvat gb encr Ohssl… naq Natry ybbxvat sbe erqrzcgvba guebhtubhg uvf bja gvgyr (naq orlbaq vs lbh ernq gur pbzvpf) Vg frrzf Wbff oryvrirf vs lbh fhssre rabhtu erqrzcgvba pna or sbhaq.
I don't think I've seen this episode since the series ended, mostly because it's one of the more forgettable MOTWs, IMO. But I did find it interesting recontextualized in the face of jung jr xabj sebz "Abezny Ntnva" nobhg Ohssl univat bapr orra vafgvghgvbanyvmrq ol ure cneragf sbe gryyvat gurz gur gehgu nobhg inzcverf. Vg pregnvayl znxrf Ohssl'f rkvfgvat ubfcvgny nakvrgl rira zber ivfpreny naq haqrefgnaqnoyr. Naq xabjvat gung cvrpr bs ure uvfgbel znqr gur fprar jvgu ure cnavp hcba jnxvat hc gb svaq urefrys fgenccrq qbja rkgerzryl urnegoernxvat.
Hasbeghangryl, gur ergpba qbrfa'g ernyyl svg jvgu Wblpr'f pbzcyrgr aba-ernpgvba gb Ohssl'f qryvevbhf zhggrevatf nobhg arrqvat gb svtug gur inzcverf. Lbh'q guvax fur jbhyq or ivfvoyl pbaprearq nobhg gung tvira fur jnf bapr gebhoyrq rabhtu gb unir Ohssl ubfcvgnyvmrq ntnvafg ure jvyy sbe gnyxvat nobhg inzcverf… V fhccbfr lbh pna snajnax vg ol fnlvat fur jbhyqa'g jnag gb funer gung uvfgbel jvgu Tvyrf naq gur bguref, ohg va zl urnq, V vzntvar fur naq Ohssl unq fbzr fbeg bs oevrs naq njxjneq pbairefngvba nobhg vg nsgre jurer Ohssl jbhyq unir unq gb ernffher ure.
(Bs pbhefr, gur ergpba ernyyl qbrfa'g svg jvgu gur riragf bs Orpbzvat, rvgure, jurer lbh jbhyq guvax Wblpr zvtug unir ng yrnfg unq n rherxn! zbzrag bs ernyvmvat ure qnhtugre jnf arire yvivat va n snagnfl jbeyq nsgre nyy, ohg gung'f gur qnatre jvgu ergpbaf…)
V onfvpnyyl nffhzr gung gung ergpba bayl unccrarq va gur Qnja-havirefr. Fb nyy rirelguvat va guvf rcvfbqr jbhyq unir orra fyvtugyl qvssreragyl naljnl. Gurer ner cerdhry pbzvp obbxf gung erjevgr gur zbivr fpevcg gb svg jvgu gur GI pnaba naq gura oevqtr gur tnc orgjrra GI naq zbivr. Va gubfr, Ohssl raqf hc va gur zragny vafgvghgvba orpnhfr Qnja fubjrq ure qvnel gb gurve cneragf. Vg'f nyy fgvyy snajnax, ohg vg urycf zr znxr frafr bs guvatf.
Bu, V yvxr gung, npghnyyl! Vg znl or n snajnax, ohg ng yrnfg vg'f bar gung znxrf frafr — obgu ol qbvat njnl jvgu gur qvfpercnapvrf naq orpnhfr Ohssl qrpvqvat gb gryy ure cneragf nobhg inzcverf bhg bs gur oyhr jnf arire greevoyl oryvrinoyr gb zr. (Gurl'er sernx bhg ernpgvba nyfb znxrf zber frafr va gur pbagrkg bs jnagvat gb cebgrpg Qnja sebz Ohssl'f "snagnfvrf.")
Ba gur bgure unaq, vg cebivqrf n pbapergr rknzcyr bs na vafgnapr jurer Qnja'f cerfrapr va gur aneengvir qrzbafgenoyl punatrq Ohssl'f zrzbevrf/eryngvbafuvc jvgu ure cneragf sbe gur jbefr, juvpu vf vagrerfgvat.
Pna'g jnvg sbe Znex gb trg gb Uhfu nsgre guvf