Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel - First Time Viewer

[May 20]

Kendra is an interesting character with real potential, but... not the greatest actress in the world. And almost certainly the worst accent on tv.

I read somewhere that the actress had learned her lines without the accent, per the script, but right before filming the director wanted her to affect the accent (Jamaican?). So her lines sound rough and clumsy. If that's true, and she hadn't thoroughly rehearsed her accented lines, I think she did a good job, all things considered.

 

[Masiral]

Jessica Roethe from Happy Death Day would be my choice for a rebooted Buffy, but I don't think we're getting a reboot - more of a sequel series or a spin-off.

 

[tomalak301]

I read somewhere that the actress had learned her lines without the accent, per the script, but right before filming the director wanted her to affect the accent (Jamaican?). So her lines sound rough and clumsy. If that's true, and she hadn't thoroughly rehearsed her accented lines, I think she did a good job, all things considered.

That's unfortunate if true. It's hard to pull off an accent and to have to cram for it makes it even harder.

 

[tomalak301]

Season 2 has a couple of weak episodes up front which you've already got through, but it's really strong from Halloween on out, in my opinion (one or two exceptions you'll get to ). It's remarkable looking back how much crucial Buffyverse stuff comes from those fifteen or so episodes that close out the season.

So far the only episodes I haven't liked were Some Assembly Required and Inca Mummy Girl. Reptile Boy was close to being a clunker though. It seems like since the Halloween episode, this series turned a corner in a big way.

 

[OCD Geek]

I read somewhere that the actress had learned her lines without the accent, per the script, but right before filming the director wanted her to affect the accent (Jamaican?). So her lines sound rough and clumsy. If that's true, and she hadn't thoroughly rehearsed her accented lines, I think she did a good job, all things considered.

Turns out we're both right. I knew I heard it in one of the commentaries years ago, but I couldn't remember which one. Thank you Wikipedia.

"The addition of the Jamaican accent to the character was a last-minute decision, and a dialect coach was brought in; he taught Lawson a dialect that was supposedly from a very specific, obscure region of Jamaica, and while the accent may have sounded authentic to that region, to the rest of the cast and crew (and the majority of the viewing audience) it simply sounded like a very bad impersonation of a common Jamaican accent."

Source: Marti Noxon's audio commentary for "What's My Line?, Part I"

 

[Black Manta]

Jessica Roethe from Happy Death Day would be my choice for a rebooted Buffy, but I don't think we're getting a reboot - more of a sequel series or a spin-off.

That's a good choice.

 

[CorporalClegg]

They've already said they want a POC.

 

[Jayson1]

They've already said they want a POC.

I like the idea of the actor who plays Nora on "The Flash." She looks unasuming like she couldn't win in a fight and seems like someone who could play that California Valley Girl persona to really nail the character.

Jason

 

[Masiral]

They've already said they want a POC.

Yes, but I don't think that character will be Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer. It will be a new Slayer that we follow, which would allow for cameos from the original cast.

 

[tomalak301]

Ted was a very creepy, and quite uncomfortable, episode to watch. Watching it all the way through was like a gauntlet of emotions, mainly of anger and sadness. Anger because Ted was a creep and in this era of Me Too, how he talked down to his victims was where the uncomfort came in. There was also sadness because Buffy had every right to defend herself and when she things she kills Ted, watching those scenes after feel real and quite heartbreaking. Then we had the reveal of Ted being a serial Robot and it was like Buffy does Terminator.

I think if I had one qualm with this episode, it was I wanted more of a reaction from Joyce. Yeah I know she was drugged, but Joyce seemed to disregard her daughter and I wish there was something at the end to address that instead of picking a movie to see. We know Joyce is a strong mother and the relationship with Buffy is strong as well (As we saw from School Hard) so I guess I wanted something more between the two of them.

Other than that, I'm not really sure if I can call this one of the best episodes of the season, but it was one of the more contemplative episodes of the season. Also, RIP John Ritter. He was nightmarish-ly creepy in this episode.

 

[Jayson1]

Ted was a very creepy, and quite uncomfortable, episode to watch. Watching it all the way through was like a gauntlet of emotions, mainly of anger and sadness. Anger because Ted was a creep and in this era of Me Too, how he talked down to his victims was where the uncomfort came in. There was also sadness because Buffy had every right to defend herself and when she things she kills Ted, watching those scenes after feel real and quite heartbreaking. Then we had the reveal of Ted being a serial Robot and it was like Buffy does Terminator.

I think if I had one qualm with this episode, it was I wanted more of a reaction from Joyce. Yeah I know she was drugged, but Joyce seemed to disregard her daughter and I wish there was something at the end to address that instead of picking a movie to see. We know Joyce is a strong mother and the relationship with Buffy is strong as well (As we saw from School Hard) so I guess I wanted something more between the two of them.

Other than that, I'm not really sure if I can call this one of the best episodes of the season, but it was one of the more contemplative episodes of the season. Also, RIP John Ritter. He was nightmarish-ly creepy in this episode.

It's easy though to see how Joyce could have those reactions. She also has to be lonely. She is divorced and I am guessing not dating much and also getting old so the idea of being alone for the rest of your life can influence your judgment.

Also I think John Ritter at this time might have also been the biggest name guess star they had up until this point. Which to me sort of stuck out like a sore thumb.

Jason

 

[tomalak301]

What the hell was Bad Egg. They make Eggs the monster of the week? Seriously. This is the same show where they came up with an amazing villain in Spike and we just had an evil mysogynistic robot serial killer and we get an episode about evil Eggs and lots and lots of smooching? By the way, this episode reminded me too much of TNG's Conspiracy, and TNG did it so much better. Also what was up with the Vampires? They might be the dumbest portrayed vampires so far.

This is the worst episode of the season, and maybe of the series so far.

@Jayson1

I get what you're saying about Joyce, but I was mainly talking about the end. I wanted more from that scene than picking a movie to see. Maybe it was just me though, and I do understand that she wasn't all there because of the drugs.

 

[OCD Geek]

Also I think John Ritter at this time might have also been the biggest name guess star they had up until this point. Which to me sort of stuck out like a sore thumb.

Oh, it was blatant stunt casting (made possible by Ritter's daughter being a huge fan of the show), but Ritter also really wanted to play against type for once. And he knocked it out of the goddamn park.

He was creepy as fuck. And he managed to remain creepy after the reveal instead of devolving into camp, which I suspect is the route most genre TV guest stars circa 1998 would have gone with it.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Bad Eggs is like the second lowest rated show of the whole series, and the only one rated lower isn't so much 'bad' as it is notorious.

So you're not wrong.

That said, it's the season's "metaphor episode" - that is the one episode that beats you over the head with the season theme. Each season has one.

 

[tomalak301]

Bad Eggs is like the second lowest rated show of the whole series, and the only one rated lower isn't so much 'bad' as it is notorious.

So you're not wrong.

That said, it's the season's "metaphor episode" - that is the one episode that beats you over the head with the season theme. Each season has one.

What was the metaphor in this episode, Parenting? Sex? Something else? It was kinda all over the place.

Don't tell me what the episode is, but what season is that most nortorious episode?

By the way, I found out Buffy the Musical comes in season 6. Man I remember how big a deal that was back in the day. I'm actually looking forward to that episode, but that is way down the line yet.

 

[CorporalClegg]

The season theme revolves around growing up too fast and making adult choices - and having to deal with the consequences - before you're really mature enough. I can't really say more without completely spoiling upcoming events.

And the 'notorious' episode is in season 4. It was a product of network (And Washington, even) politics. It's very roll-your-eyesish. Though once you get past the stupid, it's actually pretty funny.

 

[USS Firefly]

Jessica Roethe from Happy Death Day would be my choice for a rebooted Buffy, but I don't think we're getting a reboot - more of a sequel series or a spin-off.

She would be perfect for a Slayer, I love her in HDD 1 and 2.

 

[theenglish]

It's easy though to see how Joyce could have those reactions. She also has to be lonely. She is divorced and I am guessing not dating much and also getting old so the idea of being alone for the rest of your life can influence your judgment.

Also I think John Ritter at this time might have also been the biggest name guess star they had up until this point. Which to me sort of stuck out like a sore thumb.

Jason

At the time though, he was considered to have been a has been. A shame considering his incredible talent. It was before the 10 Rules Series.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Ritter's performance seemed so much like a domineering stepfather it was viscerally uncomfortable.

I was a little disappointed at the end when they copped out of Buffy facing responsibility for using her super strength against a human.

 

[tomalak301]

Ritter's performance seemed so much like a domineering stepfather it was viscerally uncomfortable.

I was a little disappointed at the end when they copped out of Buffy facing responsibility for using her super strength against a human.

I chalk that up to using self defense. She was well within her right to do what she did, to protect herself and her mother.