BUFFYVERSE

Just finished watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the first time

POSTED BY: MUDD
UPDATED: Monday, October 31, 2016 23:08
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VIEWED: 9204
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Monday, April 18, 2016 9:54 PM

MUDD


I was in middle school and high school when it first aired. If I caught it while flipping channels, I watched it happily, but I wasn't following it enough to know the major story arcs. I think it was January when I started watching it straight through for the first time, and I just finished on Saturday. I've been watching Angel at the same time, trying to watch episodes of both in the order they were originally aired. I haven't seen/read anything after the last episode of Buffy, so please don't spoil anything from the last season of Angel or the comic books. Here are some of my initial thoughts.

I loved the girl power message of how it ended. It wraps up a conflict that I didn't think we'd ever get resolution for - Buffy having to bear the burden of responsibility unwillingly. I loved Spike's arc in the last season, love making a demon quest to get his soul back, but his sacrifice was unsatisfying for me. But I understand I'll be seeing more of him in Angel somehow (don't tell me how!). The Kennedy/Willow relationship cheapened Tara's death for me. Willow should have needed more time single. The last season was too busy to do a new side relationship justice. I get why Joss needed to kill someone in the final battle, to have a real sense of danger and risk, but Anya dies so late that the battle is mostly over anyhow, and we never really get to deal the consequences. If the show wasn't about to end, we'd have seen Xander deal with so much regret. To a lesser extent, the same goes for Xander's eye. I love the idea of someone with no powers still feeling the need to do everything he can do help the side of good in these epic battles, and I appreciate why that should have consequences, but if it's going to happen, give us more time to play with that theme.

I would have loved to see Oz benefit from Season 5+ special effects, turning into an actual wolf instead of a dude in a wolf suit.

I miss Tara.

Too many thoughts to type them all out.

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Monday, April 18, 2016 10:45 PM

WISHIMAY


I've never actually seen Buffy, more than bits and pieces of shows. I think me and the kiddo will do that and Angel this summer, mostly because we've watched everything else. It's funny the things I was so into as a kid I can't even bring myself to watch now, so I guess it's good I didn't watch some things....

Can you recommend any "Do Not Miss" episodes?

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Monday, April 18, 2016 11:07 PM

MOOSE


Hush, The Body, and Once More with Feeling are the ones that immediately come to mind as must see.

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Monday, April 18, 2016 11:07 PM

MOOSE


Hush, The Body, and Once More with Feeling are the ones that immediately come to mind as must see.

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Tuesday, April 19, 2016 8:43 AM

MUDD


Quote:

Originally posted by Moose:
Hush, The Body, and Once More with Feeling are the ones that immediately come to mind as must see.



This seems to be the general consensus. Those are the three episodes with the highest ratings on IMDB. You can check out others here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/eprate?ref_=tt_eps_rhs_sm

"Once More With Feeling" is so wildly impressive. It's just so different from anything I've ever seen on TV.
"Hush" didn't leave the same impression on me as it did on most people, but I plan to rewatch.
I think "The Body" is the only time I've ever cried watching television, but I don't think it would've had the same impact without the rest of the season leading up to it.


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Tuesday, April 19, 2016 12:58 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Quote:

Originally posted by Mudd:
I think "The Body" is the only time I've ever cried watching television, but I don't think it would've had the same impact without the rest of the season leading up to it.



"The Body" is hands down the best episode of the series, and one of the best hours of TV ever, in my opinion. But I agree that you definitely need most everything that came before to get the full impact of it.

All of the seasons have some weak episodes, but I would suggest you not worry about the ones that don't work, just persevere and go on to the next one, because it might be the one to convince you it's a great series even if you had been contemplating giving up on it before.



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Tuesday, April 19, 2016 8:42 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by Mudd:
I was in middle school and high school when it first aired. If I caught it while flipping channels, I watched it happily, but I wasn't following it enough to know the major story arcs. I think it was January when I started watching it straight through for the first time, and I just finished on Saturday. I've been watching Angel at the same time, trying to watch episodes of both in the order they were originally aired. I haven't seen/read anything after the last episode of Buffy, so please don't spoil anything from the last season of Angel or the comic books. Here are some of my initial thoughts.

I loved the girl power message of how it ended. It wraps up a conflict that I didn't think we'd ever get resolution for - Buffy having to bear the burden of responsibility unwillingly. I loved Spike's arc in the last season, love making a demon quest to get his soul back, but his sacrifice was unsatisfying for me. But I understand I'll be seeing more of him in Angel somehow (don't tell me how!). The Kennedy/Willow relationship cheapened Tara's death for me. Willow should have needed more time single. The last season was too busy to do a new side relationship justice. I get why Joss needed to kill someone in the final battle, to have a real sense of danger and risk, but Anya dies so late that the battle is mostly over anyhow, and we never really get to deal the consequences. If the show wasn't about to end, we'd have seen Xander deal with so much regret. To a lesser extent, the same goes for Xander's eye. I love the idea of someone with no powers still feeling the need to do everything he can do help the side of good in these epic battles, and I appreciate why that should have consequences, but if it's going to happen, give us more time to play with that theme.

I would have loved to see Oz benefit from Season 5+ special effects, turning into an actual wolf instead of a dude in a wolf suit.

I miss Tara.

Too many thoughts to type them all out.


Did you watch the original movie first?

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Wednesday, April 20, 2016 10:27 PM

MUDD


I didn't rewatch the movie, but maybe I should. I haven't seen it since some time in the 90s, probably before I was even in high school. Joss doesn't talk about it very favorably, but I'm sure I'd find something to enjoy in it.

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Thursday, April 21, 2016 8:19 AM

MOOSE


It's a fun movie. Worth a rewatch every once in a while.

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Saturday, April 23, 2016 1:09 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by Mudd:
I didn't rewatch the movie, but maybe I should. I haven't seen it since some time in the 90s, probably before I was even in high school. Joss doesn't talk about it very favorably, but I'm sure I'd find something to enjoy in it.


If that cast had been in the TV show, I would have started watching it.

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Sunday, June 5, 2016 1:43 AM

WISHIMAY


Holy Hell.

Ok, Angel losing his soul, lesbian relationships, that's fine, My kid is old enough to deal with this stuff now, I'm not gonna be the prude my mom was....

WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE WARN ME ABOUT SPIKE AND BUFFY GETTING TOGETHER???????

I actually scan a couple ahead, so I saw it first, but wowza that's seven shades of FUCKED UP. Not sure I can wrap MY head around that scene.
*whistles*




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Sunday, October 30, 2016 12:27 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by Wishimay:
Holy Hell.

Ok, Angel losing his soul, lesbian relationships, that's fine, My kid is old enough to deal with this stuff now, I'm not gonna be the prude my mom was....

WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE WARN ME ABOUT SPIKE AND BUFFY GETTING TOGETHER???????

I actually scan a couple ahead, so I saw it first, but wowza that's seven shades of FUCKED UP. Not sure I can wrap MY head around that scene.
*whistles*





The whole Buffy / Spike thing is interesting. Then there's the carry over , in Angel, where he and Spike have a running feud over her, as can be expected.

And I really like how they explore the history between Spike, Angel, Drusilla and Darla. Great fun.

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Sunday, October 30, 2016 2:46 PM

WISHIMAY


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

And I really like how they explore the history between Spike, Angel, Drusilla and Darla. Great fun.



I think I enjoyed the series more now than I would have if I watched them THEN. It was fabulous to skip through some slow bits on Netflix, so I didn't get as bored as normally do.



Here's a recent down under interview with James. Seems he's mellowed into a mature man, I think he would be great on a quirky family show. His natural voice is soothing...

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Sunday, October 30, 2016 3:03 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:

Originally posted by Wishimay:
Holy Hell.

Ok, Angel losing his soul, lesbian relationships, that's fine, My kid is old enough to deal with this stuff now, I'm not gonna be the prude my mom was....

WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE WARN ME ABOUT SPIKE AND BUFFY GETTING TOGETHER???????

I actually scan a couple ahead, so I saw it first, but wowza that's seven shades of FUCKED UP. Not sure I can wrap MY head around that scene.
*whistles*





The whole Buffy / Spike thing is interesting. Then there's the carry over , in Angel, where he and Spike have a running feud over her, as can be expected.

And I really like how they explore the history between Spike, Angel, Drusilla and Darla. Great fun.


Can you explain to me how this is significantly different from General Peyton Hospital World Turns?

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Sunday, October 30, 2016 3:21 PM

WISHIMAY


Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:

Can you explain to me how this is significantly different from General Peyton Hospital World Turns?



You are asking how this is different from Soaps? Well, for one thing...

Coolness, yo.

Soaps are baby mama drama just for the sake of it's own malevolent suckitude.

Over-acting with under-whelming action, for people who feed on causing personal conflicts and emotionally draining other people with their narcissistic drama. Buffy and Angel is about the classic struggle between good and evil, both outside and inside ourselves. Soaps are about people blathering and being petty for a half-hour.....Clear enough?

Someone was playing soaps in a waiting room the other day, and half the women in there (myself included) led a revolt. Just because we have boobs, doesn't mean we wanna watch that.

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Monday, October 31, 2016 10:36 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


James is great. I really did come around to liking his character more and more through Buffy then Angel. He really was awesome in Angel. Nice interview, Wish. Thanks for posting.

And wouldn't you know it, I had half a mind to flip over to PIVOT and see if MAYBE they were running the Halloween episode of Buffy, and the whole damn channel is GONE !!! No more PIVOT. Freaking cease operations ! WTH is that ?

Grrr.

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Monday, October 31, 2016 11:08 PM

WISHIMAY


Btw, I totally blame you and ECGordon for me being addicted to Black Mirror.

There's more thought and plot in there than 95% of the stuff in the last ten years. Wish they had toned down the "fuck" every five minutes, so my kid could watch, so I think she'll have to wait a couple more years for that.

I think that the "Sea of Tranquility" sci-fi- show they keep referencing is kind of a play at US too, yanno...Serenity...Tranquility. I'll give it points for that alone.


BBC is really kicking the USA's ass in TV Land lately. Sad. And yet, I'm grateful.

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