Buffy Season Six...better than I remembered.

[Skywalker]

Man, I'm remembering why I love Season Three so much. I just got through the second disc (Homecoming, Band Candy, Revelations, Lover's Walk) and nearly every episode so far has been outstanding, with Dead Man's Party and Beauty and the Beasts being the weakest entries thus far. Then again, those two were both mostly standalone eps, and they usually are the show's weakest.

Lover's Walk, in particular, was great. I miss the old Spike. I still liked him in Seasons Four through Seven, but he was never quite the same after they neutered him in S4.

 

[Praetor]

I know exactly what you mean on all fronts, Skywalker.

Am I the only one who wished Spike had become, like, the new Master by the series end? Only, you know, funny. That would have been awesome.

 

[Forbin]

If you think too hard about Spike, and Angelus for that matter, you want to string Buffy up and set her on fire.

Spike killed how many hundreds of people in his unlife? But it's okay, 'cause he can't any more - not voluntarily, but because of a shock collar in his head, and, oh yeah, she wants to shag him. No point in making him answer for hundreds of murders, eh?

And after Angel turned evil in S2,Buffy "couldn't bring herself" to stake him. Well, far as I'm concerned, that makes her responsible for every single person he kills after that.

And what does it say about Buffy's self-esteem and stuff that she only falls for room-temperature guys that are hundreds of years old and mass murderers?

I try not to think about it too much and just let the show flow over me.

 

[Praetor]

Aw, crap, Forbin. I think you broke the show for me.

 

[Skywalker]

Not me. Hating on Buffy just makes watching the show even more fun for me.

Oh, I watched "The Zeppo" yesterday. Probably my favorite ep of the entire series.

 

[hyzmarca]

.
Spike killed how many hundreds of people in his unlife? But it's okay, 'cause he can't any more - not voluntarily, but because of a shock collar in his head, and, oh yeah, she wants to shag him. No point in making him answer for hundreds of murders, eh?

To be fair, most of those hundreds of people were Redshirts, who don't count as real people, and two were Slayers trying to kill him, with counts as self-defense. And his mother, of course, which was an understandable screw-up for a new vampire.

 

[Skywalker]

.
Spike killed how many hundreds of people in his unlife? But it's okay, 'cause he can't any more - not voluntarily, but because of a shock collar in his head, and, oh yeah, she wants to shag him. No point in making him answer for hundreds of murders, eh?

To be fair, most of those hundreds of people were Redshirts, who don't count as real people, and two were Slayers trying to kill him, with counts as self-defense.

Self-defense? He was an evil demon!

 

[Lindley]

Self-offense?

 

[Thrall]

Man, I'm remembering why I love Season Three so much. I just got through the second disc (Homecoming, Band Candy, Revelations, Lover's Walk) and nearly every episode so far has been outstanding, with Dead Man's Party and Beauty and the Beasts being the weakest entries thus far. Then again, those two were both mostly standalone eps, and they usually are the show's weakest.

Lover's Walk, in particular, was great. I miss the old Spike. I still liked him in Seasons Four through Seven, but he was never quite the same after they neutered him in S4.

Season 3 was when the show really should have ended. It was the limit and the end of Whedon's vision thematically. Every character arc seemed to wrap up. Every theme came to an end. Season's 4 and 5 tried to find new creative themes for the characters and their story, but simply brought stagnation. Seasons 6 and 7 failed miserably at it.

 

[Forbin]

Aw, crap, Forbin. I think you broke the show for me.

Oops, sorry, man.

 

[Praetor]

S'ok. I've recovered.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Season's 4 and 5 tried to find new creative themes for the characters and their story, but simply brought stagnation.

Really can't agree after just finishing watching season 4 again with "Restless". For the first time I'm quite sure that this deserves to be considered the high point or creative peak of the series. Joss Whedon never did anything as brilliantly deep, surreal, and creative as that. Season 4 is not as consistent as season 3, but it does have "Hush" and "Restless" which I think are landmark episodes both in the series and just TV history in general for how original, unique, impeccably written, and endlessly entertaining and fascinating they are.

Season 5 has two of my favourite episodes in "The Replacement" and "The Body" (another episode worthy of consideration as one of the most amazingly monumental TV episodes ever), so the show was far from dead creatively after season 3, which I agree is the best season overall. People call "Once More With Feeling" just as much a highlight of the series as those others, but I don't see it. Novelty? Yes. Important episode? No.

 

[Praetor]

I could have done without S4, personally. I liked S5, but not so much S4.

 

[Thrall]

Season's 4 and 5 tried to find new creative themes for the characters and their story, but simply brought stagnation.

Really can't agree after just finishing watching season 4 again with "Restless". For the first time I'm quite sure that this deserves to be considered the high point or creative peak of the series. Joss Whedon never did anything as brilliantly deep, surreal, and creative as that. Season 4 is not as consistent as season 3, but it does have "Hush" and "Restless" which I think are landmark episodes both in the series and just TV history in general for how original, unique, impeccably written, and endlessly entertaining and fascinating they are.

Season 5 has two of my favourite episodes in "The Replacement" and "The Body" (another episode worthy of consideration as one of the most amazingly monumental TV episodes ever), so the show was far from dead creatively after season 3, which I agree is the best season overall. People call "Once More With Feeling" just as much a highlight of the series as those others, but I don't see it. Novelty? Yes. Important episode? No.

But the character really don't grow all that much. Willow, ok sure. They just kind of do their thing and float through life not really making anything out of themselves. They never really become true adults. After season 3 they all become emotionally stunted. Buffy, even in the later seasons, still can't get over the guy she dated in HIGH SCHOOL.

 

[RoJoHen]

I definitely think Season 4 has some really awesome episodes, such as "Restless" and "Hush." But overall, the arc of Season 4 is just underwhelming and uninteresting.

 

[Lindley]

Buffy, even in the later seasons, still can't get over the guy she dated in HIGH SCHOOL.

Considering I've only recently taken steps towards getting over the girl I didn't date in high school, I can't really hold that against her too much. The "ideal" person you can't have is a lot easier to pine over than someone you see every day.

 

[Forbin]

Buffy, even in the later seasons, still can't get over the guy she dated in HIGH SCHOOL.

Considering I've only recently taken steps towards getting over the girl I didn't date in high school, I can't really hold that against her too much. The "ideal" person you can't have is a lot easier to pine over than someone you see every day.

TELL me about it! My 30th wedding anniversary is coming up, and I'm only recently to the point where I don't think about "the one that got away" in HS very often. Hey, the teens are the formative years. Things that happen make life-long-lasting impressions.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Considering I've only recently taken steps towards getting over the girl I didn't date in high school, I can't really hold that against her too much. The "ideal" person you can't have is a lot easier to pine over than someone you see every day.

TELL me about it! My 30th wedding anniversary is coming up, and I'm only recently to the point where I don't think about "the one that got away" in HS very often. Hey, the teens are the formative years. Things that happen make life-long-lasting impressions.

Wow! Kinda off-topic, but I really appreciate you guys confessing such personal issues. I can relate to what's being said here and it makes me feel better to know that others have been through something similar. Knowing others know that same trauma makes me feel a little less crazy for having it. Online hugs (and/or high fives) for all.

And I disagree with thrall's comments that the characters never grow after season 3. Xander, who started out as an awkward slacker nerd with a pathetic crush on Buffy and repressed feelings for Willow learns how to work hard and succeed in the working world (as he blossoms into an excellent carpenter) and appreciate a real relationship with Anya.

Watch his confession to her at the end of "Into The Woods". It not only shows how much Xander has matured, it teaches an important life lesson. There is a deep insight into relationships provided by contrasting Buffy/Riley with Xander/Anya. Buffy learns from she and Riley 'imploding' how self-involved she is, and how she needs to be more open and honest about her feelings in a relationship. Xander learns from Buffy's mistakes and finally tells Anya how he feels about her, not wanting to take her for granted as Buffy took Riley for granted.

 

[Forbin]

Watch his confession to her at the end of "Into The Woods". It not only shows how much Xander has matured, it teaches an important life lesson. There is a deep insight into relationships provided by contrasting Buffy/Riley with Xander/Anya. Buffy learns from she and Riley 'imploding' how self-involved she is, and how she needs to be more open and honest about her feelings in a relationship. Xander learns from Buffy's mistakes and finally tells Anya how he feels about her, not wanting to take her for granted as Buffy took Riley for granted.

That's an awesomely well-written and well-acted scene, isn't it?
That just aint't the same Xander that leaves Anya at the altar later.

 

[Kelthaz]

Season's 4 and 5 tried to find new creative themes for the characters and their story, but simply brought stagnation.

Really can't agree after just finishing watching season 4 again with "Restless". For the first time I'm quite sure that this deserves to be considered the high point or creative peak of the series. Joss Whedon never did anything as brilliantly deep, surreal, and creative as that. Season 4 is not as consistent as season 3, but it does have "Hush" and "Restless" which I think are landmark episodes both in the series and just TV history in general for how original, unique, impeccably written, and endlessly entertaining and fascinating they are.

Season 5 has two of my favourite episodes in "The Replacement" and "The Body" (another episode worthy of consideration as one of the most amazingly monumental TV episodes ever), so the show was far from dead creatively after season 3, which I agree is the best season overall. People call "Once More With Feeling" just as much a highlight of the series as those others, but I don't see it. Novelty? Yes. Important episode? No.

But the character really don't grow all that much. Willow, ok sure. They just kind of do their thing and float through life not really making anything out of themselves. They never really become true adults. After season 3 they all become emotionally stunted. Buffy, even in the later seasons, still can't get over the guy she dated in HIGH SCHOOL.

The characters are only what, 22 years old at the end of the series? Most people would barely be out of college at that point. A little young to be expecting the characters to mature into true adults.