Buffy ep by ep; rewatch and reviews

[saturn5]

Fear Itself
　
The Good;
Buffy does a Halloween ep once every couple of years and it's always special, this is no exception. The Scoobies face and overcome their fears and the final gag is fantastic. Also love the postmodern gag of Buffy hitting the demon only to find out it's a guy in a Halloween mask (presumably a student rather than a local who'd know better).
The Bad;
Would the Scoobies ever really watch horror films like Phantasm? Don't they get enough gore?
Best line;
Giles; "Actual size!"
Whedon Cliches;

Character death;
Only the guy who breaks his neck falling dow the stairs
Shot;
Tied up;
Knocked out;
Women good/men bad;
Jeez!;
What's the story with the girl in the tiara on the couch who appears dead then grins maniacally at the camera?
Kinky dinky;
The frat boys think Halloween is all about 'getting laid'. Interestingly Willow's crush Tina Fey in her film Mean Girls says it's all about allowing girls to dress up in slutty male-fantasy costumes whilst keeping their reputation intact. Buffy gets grabbed all over by the hands in the cellar (anyone else reminded of the Evil Dead series) and was I the only one to think 'Boy you can see up her skirt' when Buffy crushes the demon at the end?

Calling Captain Subtext;
Willow "What is college for if not experimentation?" Hmmmm? She also begs "Oz don't leave me"
Guantanamo Bay;

Scoobies to the ER;
Buffy cut but not too badly
Where's Dawn?
Adore the scene with Buffy and Joyce it's so precious. You wonder what costume Dawn wore trick or treating? Is Joyce taking her this year? Joyce comments that she's not the social butterfly she used to be in LA, as we see in Buffy; The Movie. She now knows that Ted was a robot (as Dawn does in IWMTLY).

Questions and observations;
The first sign of Anya's bunny phobia. The first encounter between the Scoobies and The Initiative (aside from Out of Sight, Out of Mind?). Anya comments that it's been a week since she and Xander had sex so we must assume that each ep in the Buffyverse is a week in real time. Uncle Rory mentioned again and Willow is still scared of spiders which she overcomes by the time of Selfless. The guiding spell that goes wrong for her is reminiscent of the one Tara uses successfully in Bargaining pt2. Xander uses the old 'Standing right here' Scooby line. At least Anya knocks on Gile's door which is progress. The ghouls at the frat party are very Evil Dead
Read an interesting fanfic once where Michael Myers from the Halloween series shows up in season 3 Sunnydale and kills Joyce and Faith. In the follow-up story however the Nerd Trio capture him and use his blood to bring them back to life, I think the author's point being that heroism and villainy is sometimes just a question of timing and circumstances (which you can certainly make the case for with characters such as Andrew, Amy, Faith etc?)
So cute it needs repeating; http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=107239
Marks out of 10; 8/10
　

 

[ToddKent]

I wish we would have seen more "Chainsaw Giles"

 

[WillsBabe]

I wish we would have seen more "Chainsaw Giles"

Me, too. He's hot. ASH is really very good at being crusty and/or urbane just when the moment calls for it.

I've been away so I'm doing all my commenting at once. When Maggie Walsh introduces herself as "bitch monster from hell" (or whatever the hell it is) I just want to throw something at the tv. Ridiculous woman.

Can't remember which episode it is, but one of the vamps comment that the guy they have chained to the wall tastes funny and they don't want to eat him. The victim is wearing army fatigues (possibly it's the halloween episode) and it's just a throw away line. But I noticed it this time around.

I don't really care for the first half of season four at all, but once The Initiative rolls around, it really starts to turn into a decent season for me.

Big revelation this viewing: Riley. I think I like him more than Angel....

 

[saturn5]

I wish we would have seen more "Chainsaw Giles"

Me, too. He's hot. ASH is really very good at being crusty and/or urbane just when the moment calls for it.

I've been away so I'm doing all my commenting at once. When Maggie Walsh introduces herself as "bitch monster from hell" (or whatever the hell it is) I just want to throw something at the tv. Ridiculous woman.

Can't remember which episode it is, but one of the vamps comment that the guy they have chained to the wall tastes funny and they don't want to eat him. The victim is wearing army fatigues (possibly it's the halloween episode) and it's just a throw away line. But I noticed it this time around.

I don't really care for the first half of season four at all, but once The Initiative rolls around, it really starts to turn into a decent season for me.

Big revelation this viewing: Riley. I think I like him more than Angel....

I think you're referring to The Harsh Light of Day and it's Harmony who says it.

If ASH has a chainsaw wouldn't he be more Ash?

 

[CorporalClegg]

Calling Captain Subtext;
Willow "What is college for if not experimentation?" Hmmmm? She also begs "Oz don't leave me"
Guantanamo Bay;

You forgot the Frankenstein's Monster hanging in Giles doorway.

I don't really care for the first half of season four at all, but once The Initiative rolls around, it really starts to turn into a decent season for me.

Really? For me it's exactly the other way around. The Initiative was poorly conceived and executed even worse. Whedon, Noxon, Fury and co have all said they didn't know anything about the military and it was blatantly obvious. Nor did they seem to care to do any homework are consult someone.

It was also clear they didn't know what to do with Adam. So the whole arc was one bumbling mess that snowballed into the disaster that was "Primal".

On the other hand, the first few episodes had a unique charm and wit that was really the "essence" of Buffy humor. It was nicely concentrated in away not seen in any other segment of the series.

 

[saturn5]

I wish we would have seen more "Chainsaw Giles"

Me, too. He's hot. ASH is really very good at being crusty and/or urbane just when the moment calls for it.

I've been away so I'm doing all my commenting at once. When Maggie Walsh introduces herself as "bitch monster from hell" (or whatever the hell it is) I just want to throw something at the tv. Ridiculous woman.

Can't remember which episode it is, but one of the vamps comment that the guy they have chained to the wall tastes funny and they don't want to eat him. The victim is wearing army fatigues (possibly it's the halloween episode) and it's just a throw away line. But I noticed it this time around.

I don't really care for the first half of season four at all, but once The Initiative rolls around, it really starts to turn into a decent season for me.

Big revelation this viewing: Riley. I think I like him more than Angel....

REALLY? A Briley fan? I've heard the legends but never really thought you existed....
Good call on the Frankenstein. I don't think it's the Intiative that ruin it so much as Adam himself, apparently Lindsay Crouse left early so he had a much bigger part than was intended

 

[saturn5]

BEER BAD

The Good;
Okay there is some, Willow's Jerry Springer style confession (anyone ever read the hilarious Buffy Springer Show fanfic? http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3015874/1/Buffyspringer). Much of the Xander the bartender stuff is funny. Giles describing caveBuffy as walking with a 'sideways limp'. Willow's confrontation with Parker. Buffy's great dream sequence (is that chocolate chip cookie dough fudge he's holding?)
The Bad;
Everything else, possibly the worst Buffy episode ever?

Best line;
Xander; "Nothing can defeat, THE PENIS!" (how true!)
Whedon Cliches;

Character death;
Nope, no one dies at all
Shot;
Tied up;
Knocked out;
Yep, Willow, Xander (and Parker)
Women good/men bad;
The first thing the cavemen do is find a pair of pretty girls and drag them back to their 'cave'. Buffy's mooning after Parker does her no favours, he's treated her badly so she still wants him? When it comes to Parker and Buffy I always wonder what if the roles were reversed, if Buffy dumped Parker and then when she changes her mind and tries to apologise he knocks her out? What would we think then? And in fairness Parker does go to help Willow when the cavemen attack.
Jeez!;
Kinky dinky;
Is it just me or does anyone else deep down want Parker to succeed in 'jumping Willow's bones'? And then mid-coitus she should turn the tables on him American Pie style. "Say my name bitch!". Also Willow seems to think that Buffy had group sex with the 4 students, love the way her mind works! Buffy calls herself a slut, Veruca thinks Willow is a groupie.
Calling Captain Subtext;
Willow tells Parker she's 'Tired of you men and your manliness'. CaveBuffy thinks Xander smells nice
Guantanamo Bay;
Parker tries to apologise to Buffy so she bashes him over the head with a lump of wood
Scoobies to the ER;
Where's Dawn?
Apparently Joyce always said beer was evil which is weird when you see teenage Joyce in Band Candy and considering she wanted Buffy to be at a college with boys and keg parties?
Questions and observations;
Quite possibly the worst ever episode of Buffy although rewatching it is does have some quite good humour in it and SMG gives a tremendous performance as Cavegirl Buffy. Feels like an ep of Charmed. Again, not sure about Parker, he doesn't actually do anything wrong, he just doesn't want a relationship with her as he explains to Willow (in many ways he reminds me of Barney from 'How I Met Your Mother'). Willow compares Veruca to Faith (not a compliment in her book) Oz's growing attraction to her is clear to see.
Marks out of 10; 4/10

 

[Nick Ryder]

Yeah it may not be an Emmy winner of an episode, but you gotta admit, SMG plays drunk blonde a bit too well. LOL

I'm thinking ahead to that episode with her and Spike at the bar and she's drinking whiskey and going "Bleeeghh" after each sip and the infamous "You're playing for kittens?" line. Buffy does not quite learn her lesson from Beer Bad. Course, we don't really ever see her drink beer again...

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

If anyone's experience of this thread is spoiled by the size/quantity of the pictures, please let me know.

Screencaps good. Posts stretched to four feet wide, bad.

I'm glad you are posting non-stretchy-pagey pics now, thank you for that. Trying to scroll back and forth to read them made me seasick, so I ended up skipping about 5 thread pages entirely. Too bad, this is a great thread

 

[Skellington]

If anyone's experience of this thread is spoiled by the size/quantity of the pictures, please let me know.

Screencaps good. Posts stretched to four feet wide, bad.

I'm glad you are posting non-stretchy-pagey pics now, thank you for that. Trying to scroll back and forth to read them made me seasick, so I ended up skipping about 5 thread pages entirely. Too bad, this is a great thread

Oops!
This board seems to do funny things when a picture is too wide for a given machine, or possibly centring them is the problem. Well, ya live and learn. I'll endeavour to keep things manageable.

 

[WillsBabe]

REALLY? A Briley fan? I've heard the legends but never really thought you existed....

I know, I know! But I still enjoyed it! What can I say? Good taste bypass.

Really? For me it's exactly the other way around. The Initiative was poorly conceived and executed even worse. Whedon, Noxon, Fury and co have all said they didn't know anything about the military and it was blatantly obvious. Nor did they seem to care to do any homework are consult someone.

I know, I know! But I still enjoyed it! What can I say? Good taste bypass.

 

[I am not Spock]

I actually liked pretty much all of season four. Beer Bad notwithstanding. What can you say about that ep that hasn't already been said? It probably is the weakest episode of the entire series. But yes, it does have some good humour. Even the poorer eps of Buffy have at least some redeeming features about them (a funny moment, a nice line, a character revelation, etc)

 

[Lindley]

Hell's Bells?

 

[Skellington]

Hell's Bells?

SMG looks good in green. The episode probably works ok if you turn down the volume.

I'll see your Hell's Bells and raise you a Doublemeat Palace.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Hell's Bells?

SMG looks good in green. The episode probably works ok if you turn down the volume.

I'll see your Hell's Bells and raise you a Doublemeat Palace.

Soylent Green?

 

[I am not Spock]

I actually liked Doublemeat Palace, in a goofy kind of way. The episode works better if you have worked in a fast food company. It really is just as terrible as it is made out to be in the ep (no demons, though). And yes, I liked the Soylent Green homages.

 

[Nick Ryder]

Yeah it does ring true if you've ever even gotten near a fast food joint and heard their "Training" in the background. Although it's kinda funny - "the secret ingredient is beef?" that line just makes that episode too frakking funny.

I kinda think that every Buffy episode, even the crappy ones had something to offer and STILL were better than most episodic tv. It really was almost a serial, not that there were a lot of arcs, but every episode even goofy ones from Season 1 make sense 2-3-5 years down the line

 

[Skellington]

Bad Buffy, or at least relatively mediocre Buffy, does indeed compare well to most TV fiction. It's when you watch an episode and think "That's not even good TV!" that you know that you're in the lower echelons. Also, nothing with both SMG and AH (not to mention ASH) in it can be all bad.

 

[saturn5]

If anyone's experience of this thread is spoiled by the size/quantity of the pictures, please let me know.

Screencaps good. Posts stretched to four feet wide, bad.

I'm glad you are posting non-stretchy-pagey pics now, thank you for that. Trying to scroll back and forth to read them made me seasick, so I ended up skipping about 5 thread pages entirely. Too bad, this is a great thread

Thanks you're too kind.
Yeah, even the weakest Buffy/Angel eps have something to redeem them, much as I love Xena I do skip King Con and the India trilogy when I rewatch

Wild at Heart
The Good;
If you have tears in your heart please prepare to shed them now, terrific performances from AH and SG. Spike is also fantastic.
The Bad;
The werewolf makeup hasn't any got any better.

Best line;
Willow; "Oz don't you love me?"
Oz; "My whole life I've never loved anything else"
Whedon Cliches;

Character death;
Buffy nails another vamp. Oz kills Veruca
Shot;
Oz tranqulised again whilst Spike get's zapped by the Initiative.
Tied up;
No but Oz and Veruca have cage sex.
Knocked out;
Oz and Spike although he's not a Scooby for another couple of seasons.
Women good/men bad;
Actually here we actually have 2 females fighting over their man. Note Willow can't go through with her spell. Willow asks Xander for some advice from the Y side of things but may regret it as he defines love as either 'Wild-monkey-love' or 'Tender-Sarah Machachlan love' (who provides some of the musisc for the series).
Jeez!;
Kinky dinky;
Werewolf sex! Plenty of backscratching there! Veruca even says 'I like it rough'. Also Veruca parading around in a black lace bra and Willow attempting to dress more rock chick. Xander's mum won't let him put a lock on the door in case he starts having 'The sex'. Too late! Even Giles considers Veruca 'Quite striking' as indeed does Xander to judge by his expression. Xander thinks there are only 7 minutes a year where a guy isn't thinking about sex. Buffy is sure that Oz is 'flogging and punishing himself'. Oz blushes behind the ears when he's attracted to someone.
Calling Captain Subtext;
The scene with the speaker discussion is so laden with subtext, it might as well be Jane Austen, Willow feeling she's being frozen out. Buffy later tells Willow she loves her.
Guantanamo Bay;
Scoobies to the ER;
Where's Dawn?
You wonder what Dawn's attitude to Oz was?
Questions and observations;
Goodbye to Oz as a regular character which is a shame as he was terrific, he's sorely missed. But it does leave room for Tara. Buffy seems to be doing well in class, once again she's more than some superpowered bimbo. Is the stuff in Xander's basement salvaged from the vamp's house from 'The Freshman'? Oddly Prof Walsh doesn't recognise werewolves when she sees them. Giles' watches gameshows rather than PBS. All the Scoobies at one time or another have walked in on their beloved whilst they were cheating except for Giles who walked in on Jenny when she was dead. Buffy has often been accused of constantly falling for diversionary tactics but here she figures out Veruca's ruse.
Marks out of 10; 8/10

 

[AJBryant]

I actually liked Doublemeat Palace, in a goofy kind of way. The episode works better if you have worked in a fast food company. It really is just as terrible as it is made out to be in the ep (no demons, though). And yes, I liked the Soylent Green homages.

The thing that blows me away, though, is that this is the ep that lost Buffy its fast food sponsors on TV.

Unreal.