Commenter Lookup *Caution* Unless you see an ADMIN tag, the comments below may not all belong to the same person! "Touched" | View Comments2 | LeeluDec 17, 2009 Hey, I said I was being lazy, remember? haha I'm just going from what I can remember, and I don't remember what all exactly happened directly prior. 8P "Touched" | View Comments3 | LeeluDec 15, 2009 Oh no, I wasn't meaning to imply that his reactions to things, his behavior, wasn't his fault. I was merely mentioning external influences, or whatnot. How he reacts to that stuff is entirely on him; our choices are what makes us. Of course, he IS evil, so it's not SURPRISING when he does evil things, but again, that DOESN'T excuse him from DOING those evil things. He should NOT be held to a different standard, but it SHOULD be realized that he will do vile things because it's part of his demonic nature. No one should be disappointed, or surprised, or whatever, when he does those things. And for examples with Buffy, it's so much effort to go back and look for specific things! haha Laziness took over. 8P Um...I remember the "out for a walk, bitch" is in response to her snapping at him first. And she's not being bitchy to him first EVERY time, just a fair chunk of the time. 8P As for the Slayer killing stuff, he's got the blood lust going throughout all this. He finally gets to drink some (most likely awesome) blood, and his arousal gets to full tilt at that point. I still hold to my assumption that if it had been a man the same thing might likely have happened...it wasn't about the person, so much as the violence and the blood. "Touched" | View Comments4 | LeeluDec 14, 2009 Here's some views I hold on things Sam L. discussed recently: (in order of appearance in his post(s)) I always felt the reason he was so pissy to Drusilla, and in general, after he became crippled stems more from being seen as weak and pathetic by Angel. He has always felt like he was in competition with Angel for Dru's affections. He's also a very physical person, so being unable to do the simplest of tasks himself would make him feel worthless, and people who are feeling that low tend to not be the best company. Being a stalker does not mean you are a misogynist. Yes, he does creepy things, but those come from obsessive rather than misogynistic tendencies. A woman would stalk a man in similar ways. Putting women on a pedestal is something that William very much did, and it is a trait that carried over in to his vampiric state. As I said earlier, he's an incredibly physical person. He's a brawler that loves to prove himself with tough opponents. If you are a vampire, you really can't get much tougher than a Slayer. So of course, he would search out Slayers to fight and kill. This has nothing to do with the fact that they are women; his want to defeat them stems from the fact that they are strong, and defeating them bolsters his ego and reputation. As for his arousal after defeating one, I feel it's more related to the absolute violence and chaos that surrounds him (this was in the middle of the Boxer Rebellion, I believe), combined with the thrill of the hunt/battle/kill. He could have easily felt the same way had he just defeated a man. Yes, he calls women "bitches" a decent amount, but he also calls men names pretty frequently (git, wanker, ponce, berk, etc.). Also, a good portion of the time he's calling Buffy a bitch, she IS being a bitch. It's not necessarily misogynistic to call it as it is. He is evil, so of course he would want to turn Buffy dark, whether he loves her or not. He wants her to be more like him so that they could actually have some sort of life together. There's really no way for him to be "good," so the alternative is what he goes for. Often the times he's deliberately hurting her feelings are in retaliation to her hurting his. Not that this excuses that kind of behavior, but even humans often say or do spiteful little things to hurt the ones they love. I don't remember him trying to convince her she murdered Katrina. Both she and he thought she DID murder Katrina. He was just trying to help, albeit in a terrible way; that way the only way he really knew how to help, though. He IS evil, remember. As for her pummeling him in the alleyway, I always thought she was using him as a kind of cathartic release--all her frustrations, worries, anger, fears, etc., were being channeled from her to her fists to his face. And he realized this, and let her do it. As for Tara's family, he was impressed by the manipulation itself, not who it was done to. He "liked" her father because he was very good at doing a nasty bit of evil. ----------- I am not a Spike fangirl. Yeah, I like his character, but he's not one of my favorites. So I am not trying to defend him because of bias or anything. "Touched" | View Comments5 | LeeluDec 2, 2009 @Shannon: I couldn't agree with you more. The way folks have been throwing that word around lately has been bugging me a bit. "Villains" | View Comments6 | LeeluNov 17, 2009 @Cirrus: The writers were leading us to believe that he was getting his chip removed, yes, and then gave us a twist with it being the soul replaced. The only thing I'm not ever quite sure of is whether Spike was fully aware he was fighting for his soul or not. I wonder sometimes if perhaps he thought he was fighting for his chip, but the Powers That Be (or whoever it was) knew what he really wanted deep down, and so gave him his soul instead. "The Body" | View Comments7 | LeeluNov 16, 2009 @Nathan.Taurus: I have to disagree with you a bit. This episode is extremely cathartic, which for many is enjoyable. Tons of people love to watch movies that move them, make them feel extreme emotion, whether it be good or bad. Think of all the ladies (and men) that enjoy watching tearjerkers, and they tend to watch them over and over. Basically, just because the episode is harsh emotionally doesn't mean it isn't enjoyable. The catharsis element is part of what makes it enjoyable. And yes, I personally can watch this episode over and over again. Frankly, I freaking love it. It is, in my opinion, a shining example of a pretty much darned perfect hour of television. "Showtime" | View Comments8 | LeeluOct 28, 2009 @Lucy: They have some older potentials in the Season Eight comic. Just none were shown in the television series. Not to mention that Fray was in her mid-twenties when she got called, I think. "Seeing Red" | View Comments9 | LeeluOct 27, 2009 @Elizabeth: I don't know what Victoria thinks, but I always assumed he was talking about draining someone. He knows how to leave just enough blood that she's still crying when he leaves her to die. You know, something along those lines. "Showtime" | View Comments10 | LeeluOct 19, 2009 The potentials they've gathered range in age from around 15 to 20, I think, and Kennedy is one of the older ones (which is also probably why she has more of a problem accepting authority from Buffy and the others than the rest of the potentials do). You can be a 40 year old potential if you weren't ever called. Since there's always a pool of potentials to select from, the younger ones usually get called, I guess because they are a more prime age or something. "End of Days" | View Comments11 | LeeluOct 15, 2009 @Anne: Another thing to bolster the thought that he had much more love for Buffy than Cordy, and was still just as in love with Buffy as ever, was when during the scene (please forgive me for not remembering which episode or season XS) where, though it ended up being just a fantasy, he and Cordelia had sex--when he climaxed, he called out Buffy's name. "Chosen" | View Comments12 | LeeluOct 15, 2009 About the "drowning in footwear"...if I remember correctly, it was a pure bit of ad lib on Marsters' part. So really, it has no meaning whatsoever. haha But I still liked your interpretation of it in the foreshadowing section. 8) Also, Whedon is aware that he made the ubervamps much easier to fight in the finale. He did it purposefully to make the scenes more cinematic or whatever. He mentions it in the commentary for that episode. He also mentions that Gellar and Marsters played that scene with the handholding and fire, etc., all wrong. haha He couldn't get them to do what he wanted, so he eventually just said fuck it and keep whatever he could get. I agree with you that this episode is far from perfect. But the end result is still fairly satisfying. And you are right about the piece "Chosen" that plays during the battle finale. That is a wonderful piece. Have you ever noticed they use it in commercials? haha I had a cow the first time I heard it in one. As good as this episode ended up being (despite its flaws), I still consider "The Body" to be the best episode out of the whole series. Really, I consider "The Body" to be the best hour of television I've ever seen. haha Seriously...it's freaking awesome. "End of Days" | View Comments13 | LeeluOct 9, 2009 I never found the kiss between Angel and Buffy out of place. They still love each other, and it's quite possible they were never going to see each other again. Just because she has some confusing feelings for Spike now doesn't mean she no longer has feelings for Angel. I also don't fee that Angel was particularly played out of character. And personally, I love it when he acts petty and childish. It's amusing. Much more so than when he's being brooding and boring. And yes, the scythe was a plot contrivance, but it's admittedly so, by Whedon himself. Plot contrivance or not, it doesn't change the fact that they managed some nifty stuff with it. As for the relationship mending between the Scoobies, I just assume they all figured: Fuck it, we are all probably about to die. There's no point in wasting what little time we most likely have left together finding or being awkward or whatever. Now, I'm not saying that I think there isn't anything wrong with the last chunk of episodes, because they are far from perfect. But they still managed to entertain, and culminate in a pretty nifty finale. "Inca Mummy Girl" | View Comments14 | LeeluSep 25, 2009 @Michelle: I believe he pretty much is only learned in dead/ancient languages, as that's what is most relevant to his line of work. "Witch" | View Comments15 | LeeluSep 8, 2009 @Emily: I am not really certain whether the comics (other than Season Eight, which really shouldn't be XS ) are considered canon or not, honestly. heh But regardless, I think it works well to explain away some of the problems you were having with the episode. 8P "Witch" | View Comments16 | LeeluSep 2, 2009 @Dave C. & Emily: It was mentioned in one of the comics in a Buffy Omnibus. Honestly can't remember which one, though, and I'm too lazy to look it up. haha And yes, Dawn was worked into their memories, meaning that all their existing memories were tweaked to include her. But that also means that there had to be completely new memories fabricated. There's memories Dawn has of stuff she's done without the others; as babied and spoiled as Dawn was there also must be plenty of memories that are Dawn-centric for Joyce, Hank, and Buffy, as well. All of this also happens with Connor later on in Angel. "Witch" | View Comments17 | LeeluSep 1, 2009 @Emily: It's possible that Buffy going into an asylum is only part of the Post-Dawn past. She was apparently sent there after Dawn read her diary, saw all the vampire stuff in it, and showed it to their mother. "Blood Ties" | View Comments18 | LeeluAug 17, 2009 About the blood thing: the monks made her human form using Buffy's blood--she was made of Buffy. That's the connection. I always thought they were fairly clear on the matter. "Superstar" | View Comments19 | LeeluAug 13, 2009 @Craig: They also deal with this (with Connor) later on in Angel. "Empty Places" | View Comments20 | LeeluAug 13, 2009 I don't think the "revolt" is quite as out-of-character as everyone else does, it seems. Buffy really hasn't done a good job at all so far. The Potentials hate her, and she just got done leading them into a terrible loss. Everyone is terrified for their lives, and their faith in Buffy has been slowly waning the whole season. After losing a Potential or two in that last battle and Xander getting seriously, irreparably hurt, of course they are going lose whatever little bit of faith they had left. Before Faith arrived, they had no choice but to accept Buffy as the leader--she was the only Slayer available. But with Faith--a newer, more sane, etc., Faith--they see another choice, especially after Buffy's constant bungling. I'm not trying to Buffy-bash here. I feel for the girl this whole season, I do. But you have to admit that she goes about her leadership role completely wrong. She just ends up driving everyone away. I think the problem with the scene is that it's not necessarily out-of-character at this point, but it IS poorly executed. "Empty Places" | View Comments21 | LeeluAug 13, 2009 Oh, about something not terribly important--I don't get Spike liking onion flowers. They weren't around when he was human (not that I know of, anyway), and he can eat them now, but he can't really taste them...so how can he go on about how much he likes them in this episode? It doesn't really make sense. I can understand the booze and cigarettes he consumes, because that's more about their effect rather than their taste. Though I think it takes more to affect vamps, doesn't it? I don't think they've ever been quite clear on that matter. And the Wheatabix is added to his blood for texture rather than taste. The writers have specifically said before that vampires can eat human food, but they just can't really taste it. Granted this was mostly pointed out in Angel, but still...both shows exist in the same universe, so the rules should apply in both. "Dirty Girls" | View Comments22 | LeeluAug 11, 2009 @Wilpy: I agree with you about the trap stuff...I didn't think she was stupidly walking into a trap. It's not really a trap if you know about it, for one thing. And often the best way to beat a trap is to know about it and spring it purposefully. And like you said, she thought if Caleb really did have something of hers, great, she could go and get it...if he didn't, at least the girls would take part in some real combat. As for Caleb's goading, I think it was mostly had to do with his general feelings towards women...he thinks they are stupid, rash, etc. I'm also fairly certain he didn't expect her to actually win that battle (which she very much didn't), and he wanted to possibly cripple her forces both physically and mentally with the loss. Curiosity as to what she would do at all also probably played a part. And I liked your thoughts on the objectifying of women. Honestly never thought about it before. Don't quite know how I missed it, now--after you spelled it out, it seems kind of obvious. haha "Dirty Girls" | View Comments23 | LeeluAug 11, 2009 @llinae: I believe we see a reversion in Buffy because of the horrible consequences of it all. She tried something different, and it turned out horribly, so she fearfully reverted. "Dirty Girls" | View Comments24 | LeeluAug 9, 2009 I never knew Whedon had planned originally to kill Xander...he should have carried through with it! He's never refrained from killing people off in his other shows, so why this one? As effective as maiming Xander was, his death would have been much more so. It would have made us all fear much more for the rest of the core four, because we would have known for certain that absolutely no one is assured survival. Also, it would have been a death that didn't involve someone that I freaking loved! (Anya, Wash, Cordy, Fred) 8( The only loved character that hasn't croaked yet is Giles. And Lorn. But he may as well be dead, seeing as the actor died. 8( Curse you, Joss Whedon! And curse heart problems! "Reptile Boy" | View Comments25 | LeeluAug 6, 2009 @Lucy: I was always under the impression that she said it spitefully to hurt him. But it's been so long since I've seen that episode that I can't remember the scene in which she says it to back up my opinion. 8S "Once More, with Feeling" | View Comments26 | LeeluAug 6, 2009 @thefloodrules: But generally, other girls, i.e. non-Slayers, still don't go through most of the shit she goes through. Also, people often don't follow/listen to their own advice. "Fear, Itself" | View Comments27 | LeeluJul 18, 2009 @Selene: Pretty much everything Giles does is sexy. haha "Wrecked" | View Comments28 | LeeluJul 14, 2009 @Emily: Sticking with the mental addiction to power that the use of magic gave her would have led to Dark Willow just as, if not more, easily. I feel that even her relationship with Tara was at least partially about power--with Tara, Willow was powerful by being the dominant in the relationship (which was new to Willow), and she was also Tara's superior in raw magical power/prowess. I don't believe Willow was ever physically or mentally addicted to magic itself. That is why I really hate what they did to her magic arc in this season. The writers spent the previous seasons slowly, subtly, and sometimes not-so-subtly building this arc based on her growing mental need for the feeling of power she gained from using magic, only to completely trash all that work in a few episodes this season. "Wrecked" | View Comments29 | LeeluJul 14, 2009 @Emily: As to how the power aspect would have gotten her to go dark, it's quite simple...power always corrupts. Even Buffy will probably eventually become corrupted. No one is good enough not to get corrupted, especially when they have access to the potentially unbridled power that Willow is privy to through her magic use. She has some fairly extreme innate magical ability, and a mental need to not be "weak, pathetic, and nerdy Willow." We'd already seen evidence of this through many of her actions. She has no qualms with performing taboo magics; she seems to be developing a lack of care for where the ethical lines are for her magic use. "Fool for Love" | View Comments30 | LeeluJul 11, 2009 @Selene: I don't think it's completely out of character for them. Perhaps a bit on the boneheaded side, yes, but they've never been exactly stealthy in their patrolling. I think examples of their patrolling from previous seasons actually lend a bit of credence to the scene, personally. But yes, I do agree they should have learned by now to not have been quite THAT bad. Also, I'm sure they felt relatively safe around Riley in that situation. They've never seemed to really doubt his monster-hunting/fighting abilities on the show, that I ever noticed, anyway. "Conversations with Dead People" | View Comments31 | LeeluJul 11, 2009 @Sam: That's just something you've got to take in stride. ALL stuff that has incorporeal characters contradicts itself to a degree...if ghosts can't touch anything, then why are they always able to sit down at tables, or walk on the ground, etc.? There's just only so much the crew and writers can do. If you've ever noticed, you can occasionally find reflections of the vampire characters in the show, too. It's just something that we've got to ignore. "Family" | View Comments32 | LeeluJul 10, 2009 @Selene: Yes, it does pertain to Beth, as well, but she's been brainwashed her whole life by her family's beliefs. That isn't going to change in an instant just because someone told her once that there is no demon in the women in her family. She's more than likely going to be permanently messed up. "Homecoming" | View Comments33 | LeeluJul 8, 2009 I don't necessarily think it's out of character for them, but the timing, etc., is. It was much more natural and believable in the first episode of season two (with the ice cream nose, etc.). "Amends" | View Comments34 | LeeluJul 8, 2009 @Matthew: That could be a valid theory, but I doubt they had thought THAT far ahead. I mean, Angel wasn't even on the air yet. They were more than likely just focusing on the first, perhaps second at most, seasons, rather than the fourth season. But who knows. "Villains" | View Comments35 | LeeluJul 2, 2009 @wagdog: She was thrown off by the robot because Rack had put about a bajilliondy enchantments, etc., on it, and on Warren himself. She eventually saw through those spells, just like Rack assumed she would, but they were really just intended to buy Warren some time to get away. "Older and Far Away" | View Comments36 | LeeluJun 23, 2009 @Emily: Buffy definitely acted out due to the all the crap she dealt with. The only difference is that she acted like a straight-up bitch, instead of just being whiney. They are different people with different personalities, and so they are going to react differently. That's perfectly normal. "Gone" | View Comments37 | LeeluJun 17, 2009 Most people seem to think that Buffy behaves out of character this episode, but I have to I disagree. She's always had a much more aggressive, darker, bitchy side to her. And it's a generally well-accepted notion that if one were to become invisible, they would begin to lose sense of right and wrong. Even on the internet, anonymous people are much more likely to behave like total assholes. Now, I do agree that they make poor choices with the humor. Dark humor can be done quite well, but it just did not work in this episode. "Older and Far Away" | View Comments38 | LeeluJun 15, 2009 I actually like Dawn. I think she's spunky, though I agree that she does whine too much. But her over-reaction to some things is very understandable. She's got some major abandonment fears, and she has a confused sense of self. It's also quite realistic that she'd have few friends, considering all the crazy crap that happens in her life. Most kids would probably steer clear of her and her "insane" family. Really, Dawn's turned out pretty damned normal considering how screwed up her life COULD have made her, especially the bit when she found out she wasn't "real." "Wrecked" | View Comments39 | LeeluJun 13, 2009 @Emily: Yes, Willow's been getting addicted since season 5, but it was an addiction to the POWER that she felt from using it. "Gone" | View Comments40 | LeeluJun 13, 2009 @Emily: Well, she did say at some point that being with Spike was the only time she felt ANYthing. "Gone" | View Comments41 | LeeluJun 13, 2009 I meant at some point in this season, not this episode, just to be clearer. "Lies My Parents Told Me" | View Comments42 | LeeluJun 12, 2009 @Farah: The scene where she almost kills Xander is more an example of how they don't have history. He thought because they had sex once that he could get through to her. She tried to kill him to prove to him that she didn't give a shit that they had sex, that he meant nothing to her. So basically, what you are wanting was already addressed in this episode, and there would be no point in bringing it up years later. Also, if an attempted killing constitutes as history, then she's got just as much history with Willow as she does Xander. On a slightly related sidenote, my only praise for the season eight comics so far (I'm only up to "Wolves at the Gate") is the Faith arc they had. It was well written and well executed. Both Faith and Giles were completely believable, and in a lot of ways Faith is a bit more of a match for Giles than Buffy. Buffy is more the Slayer for his idealistic side, while Faith is more in tune with his "get it done" side. "Lies My Parents Told Me" | View Comments43 | LeeluJun 11, 2009 @Farah: Xander didn't have more history with Faith just because of their one night stand...it didn't mean a damned thing to Faith. He was there, convenient. That's it. --- Honestly, I'm not a fan of Xander. It's cool he was starting to get his life together and was no longer completely useless, but he was always kind of a douche... That being said, I must admit his scene with Dawn in...(can't remember the title--the one where she thinks she's chosen, but isn't) is so sweet, and it makes me actually like Xander for a bit. Also, I can see how you could view the Scoobies & Co.'s actions later on in the season as traitorous, but they've never been in a situation where they are almost guaranteed to fail. They didn't even have this level of fear with Glory, and she was a friggin' god. They are all more terrified than they've ever been, and Buffy's performance as a leader has been less than reassuring. Their fear drives them to overthrow her, and it's a very understandable, relatable fear. They don't have evil or dishonorable intentions. And I think this makes them NOT traitors. They still love Buffy--they just don't trust her to get the job done for once. Not that they entirely trust Faith, either, but for once Faith is seeming to be the rational, cautious one. And she's pretty much the only alternative. All that being said, the execution of the overthrow was less than stellar. I can easily see it happening, but the didn't quite build up to it or execute it well. "Lies My Parents Told Me" | View Comments45 | LeeluJun 8, 2009 @Nix: The whole purpose of her living on the Hellmouth is to make there be a reason for demons swarming to her, but even if she didn't live there, I'm pretty sure she would be a demon magnet, anyway. That's probably just one of the great "perks" of the job--she constantly attracts mystical demony things. Even if they weren't attracted to her mystically, a bunch of them straight out hunt her, so regardless, she'd be having them at her door every damned day. And I agree that her morality has played a great part in her inability to "quit." Also, people forget...yes, Kendra was called, but then she died. Then they ended up with rogue Slayer Faith, so Buffy was, for all intents and purposes, the only Slayer again. "Bargaining Pt. 1" | View Comments46 | LeeluMay 21, 2009 I think a large part of his decision to leave had to do with grief over Buffy. Sure, he stayed for a few months after she died, but he's constantly surrounded by people, places, and things that remind him of her. I think he just wants to get away from it all, to try to find some peace. And I also believe, because of his grief, he's not exactly thinking clearly about the possible consequences his leaving might have. "Flooded" | View Comments47 | LeeluMay 21, 2009 @Stilicho: Though I am not a Buffy/Giles shipper, I have always regarded his love for her as more than fatherly. Though perhaps not romantic, either. But I definitely think it's powerful and unique. She is the most important person in his world, and NOT just because she is the/a Slayer. And I think that his strong, indefinable love for her is what makes that scene so touching. 8) "Something Blue" | View Comments48 | LeeluMay 3, 2009 Yes, the "Timmy down a well" was a real storyline on Passions, if I remember correctly. (I would watch it off and on...it was so bad that it was hilariously good. haha) "First Date" | View Comments49 | LeeluApr 30, 2009 I'm thinking darthmarion means the titles he has for his news posts, when he announces that he's got a new review? "The Killer in Me" | View Comments50 | LeeluApr 24, 2009 Just a note: gender is the role one plays, while sex is their physical setup. 8P I agree with you about Willow and Kennedy being not a great match, as well as the whole relationship feeling rushed. There really wasn't any time passed since Tara's death. Certainly not the amount of time you'd think Willow would need, seeing as she was so upset she almost destroyed the world. 8S I don't wholly agree with your assessment of this episode, though. Yes, it certainly has its many faults, but I actually find it to be kind of interesting. I would have at least given it a solid D, rather than a D-. haha Besides, it awesome compared to "Where the Wild Things Are". ugh 8S "The Killer in Me" | View Comments51 | LeeluApr 24, 2009 I love Giles. He's my favorite character. But honestly, I don't think they COULD have done much with him (as himself) this season. He was getting old, worn down, physically and mentally--he was way past his prime. After seven years of all this crap all the time, it's no wonder he's finally at a loss of ideas, etc. Now, this being said, that doesn't mean the writers couldn't have handled the whole Giles situation better. He was kind of manhandled a bit this season. 8S As much as it pains me to say, I would have been okay if they HAD killed him, if it were well written and all that. It actually has kind of always bothered me that the core four never REALLY have anything happen to them. Emotionally, sure. Eventually, there's some minor physical loss. Sure Buffy died twice, but she bounced back from both. But you never REALLY fear for them, because it's been pretty well established from the past 6 years of show that nothing final will happen to them. 8S "The Killer in Me" | View Comments52 | LeeluApr 24, 2009 Well, that really just gives MORE reason for Giles to not be "the hero" in this season. 8P "Sleeper" | View Comments53 | LeeluApr 22, 2009 @Wilpy: Yes, Gellar is a very pretty woman, but at this point in the show, she was looking pretty darn emaciated. Still is, really. 8S Also, about all the people: She doesn't live in a tiny town...I've always gotten the gist that she lives in a city of about 100k or so. Roughly the same size as mine, I'm thinking. If you go to the main "going out" areas at the peak times, there will be a lot of people out and about, so that scene wasn't unusual at all. I will concede that they do warp facts about Sunnydale to suit their needs, though. @Sam: Yes, Spike wanted to have a sexual relationship with Buffy again, but that was not the sole reason for him to get his soul back. He wanted to prove to her that he could be a better man, be a man period, because in his own twisted soulless way, he did have intense feelings for her that went beyond just the physical. Whether you could consider those feelings to be love, whether you consider a soulless vampire to really be capable of love, is irrelevant, because HE believed his feelings were love. @Jarppu: While Anya's constant bluntness about sex may annoy you, I think it perfectly consistent character-wise. That's just part of who she is as a character. For her NOT to say or do something like that would be strange and out of character. And honestly, there are shows that are much worse with the sex-related jokes, etc. Like "That 70s Show." My god, the entire, what...7?...seasons is nothing but a giant sex joke. ugh. Now THAT is when it gets tired. haha --Okay, there was more I wanted to say about various things, but I've forgotten what they were now, and I've got to head to bed, anyway. haha 8S "Never Leave Me" | View Comments54 | LeeluApr 22, 2009 I always found how Spike bounced back from gaining his soul interesting. In comparison to Angel, I mean. Angel moped and whined for, like, 90 years before he got his act together. And he still feels horrible about all the things he did when he was soulless. Spike moped for a bit, but soon realized "Hey, I was soulless and evil when I did those things." The things he did were terrible, but what's done is done. Nothing was going to change that, so why dwell on it? He was no longer that person, anyway. I wonder if their different approaches to handling the return of their souls is purely based on their differences in character/personality, or perhaps whether having Buffy and some semblance of friends surrounding him enabled Spike to come to terms much faster than Angel, who had no one. "Never Leave Me" | View Comments55 | LeeluApr 22, 2009 Oh, and I didn't mean to imply that Angel shouldn't feel horrible for the things he had done as Angelus, or that Spike doesn't feel bad for things he'd done. "Never Leave Me" | View Comments56 | LeeluApr 22, 2009 Oh, I don't think either one is more "soulful" than the other, either. haha I've just always been interested in how differently they handled their situations. 8) "Bring on the Night" | View Comments57 | LeeluApr 22, 2009 I, also, do not hate Kennedy as a Potential. However, I hate how she hones in on Willow. How the hell does she even know she's gay? They knew each other for all of two seconds. Now, it could be she just hits on girls regardless whether she knows they swing that way or not, but it's awfully convenient she decided to hit on the one that does. Which brings me to the fact that I still think Willow should have been made bi or something. You don't just go from totally being straight to gay. But whatever, I've already expressed my feelings on all this before. 8P I just really can't stand them as a couple. And it's not as though I'm a huge Willow-Tara fan, but at least they were kind of cute together, and not just reeeaaalllly annoying. As for horrid English accents...couldn't they have gotten Anthony Head to coach them or something? Honestly, though, I never thought they were that terrible. haha I mean, I've heard worse. Eve was the Southerner, right? I'm thinking she was meant to have a Georgian accent. It was a kind of genteel Southern drawl. Which they don't really have here in Mississippi--our accents are baaaaaaad here. 8S haha Really, they don't have that accent much of anywhere in the South, anymore, I don't think. But that's the one that everyone tries to use when they play a Southerner. "Potential" | View Comments58 | LeeluApr 22, 2009 During Xander's speech to Dawn, it's always so painful to watch her face that second he says "You aren't special." Her face just kind of crashes down. And then he says "You're extraordinary." and it's so sweet! 8) "After Life" | View Comments59 | LeeluMar 13, 2009 It pretty much is poor continuity, but I suppose there wasn't any reason his corpse couldn't have been discovered and buried, while unknown to his mother. Or perhaps Dru buried him. She is bonkers. She'd probably do it. We'll never really know. They've never gone into the bit of time between Dru killing him and him rising. 8S "After Life" | View Comments60 | LeeluMar 13, 2009 Oh, I just remembered Dru DID bury Darla, in Angel, so she probably buried Spike, too. "Him" | View Comments61 | LeeluMar 10, 2009 @Darthbunny: I completely agree with you about Willow's inconsistency regarding her sexuality. You don't go from obviously being attracted to men to one day and then "oops I don't like guys anymore. Only girls for me." the next. I could easily see her being bisexual, or perhaps that Tara was kind of a "fluke" of sorts, but Willow really shouldn't be unattracted to men at all, now. That's just not really how it works. 8S On another subject, I've forgotten what it was that Anya almost did. They did let the audience know, didn't they? arg. I obviously haven't watched this season often enough. I keep forgetting details. "Ted" | View Comments62 | LeeluMar 7, 2009 I've got that Omnibus, and I thought they mentioned Dawn in the asylum story, but I could be confusing it with bits of "Normal Again." I'll have to re-read it. "Selfless" | View Comments63 | LeeluMar 6, 2009 I always kind of took the "happy ending" line of Xander's to be more sexual in nature. haha I guess it's a complex line, since it's probably to do with Sweet, their marriage, AND sex all at once. "Beneath You" | View Comments64 | LeeluMar 2, 2009 Has anyone else noticed that Spike seems much heavier/softer this season? Normally, he's all lean, compact muscle. But in this season, his face is much fleshier, as is his torso. It's hard to see any muscle definition at all. I wonder if this was intentional, a subtle visual way of making him seem more human, or if maybe James just got "fat." I personally, think the former. "Same Time, Same Place" | View Comments65 | LeeluMar 2, 2009 Ha! Someone else besides me thinks Gnarl was reminiscent of Smeagol! And yes, I must agree with you on his creep factor. Most of the baddies are a bit lackluster on this show, but Gnarl, The First, Caleb, and The Gentlemen are all deliciously creepy. "Lessons" | View Comments66 | LeeluFeb 18, 2009 @Alejandro: From what I can remember, when Wood takes her out on that "date," he told her he wasn't sure if she was a demon or a Slayer or what. That's what the "date" was supposed to find out. But I suppose I could be remembering things incorrectly. But I swear he said something along those lines. I'll just have to re-watch that episode so I can know for sure, now. 8P "Lessons" | View Comments67 | LeeluFeb 18, 2009 Oh, and in regards to no follow-up on the talisman thingie, just because there wasn't an investigation on-screen, that doesn't mean there wasn't one at all. Really, it wasn't THAT important who used it, anyway, so the writer's didn't really cover it. Although, I agree that it was most likely Spike, via The First. "Lessons" | View Comments68 | LeeluFeb 16, 2009 @Nix: Actually, Wood doesn't know she's the Slayer. He thought she might be some sort of demon, which is why he offered her a job, etc...to keep a close eye on her. "What's My Line? Pt. 1" | View Comments69 | LeeluFeb 12, 2009 My issue with Kendra is, if she was never allowed to be around boys and have a normal-ish life at all, then why did she wear so much damned make-up, and why were her clothes not plainer and more practical? And just because she supposedly lives a spartan life, she should have more than one damn shirt (she says at some point "that was my favorite shirt; that was my ONLY shirt"). Also, her Watcher could have easily obtained a fake passport or whatever they needed to get her to Sunnydale. There was absolutely no need for her to hide in the wheel area, which is impossible, anyway. They don't make room in there for anything other than the damned wheel. I understand they wrote her hiding in there to make her look like a sinister bad guy, but please, there are other, better, ways of doing that. "What's My Line? Pt. 2" | View Comments70 | LeeluFeb 12, 2009 @spateswife: Nah, that's just part of being in the South. haha I know, I'm from the Coast in Mississippi. There is a damned church on every freaking block, pretty much. And the Coast is on the outskirts of the Bible Belt. It's much worse when you get deeper into the Bible Belt a little more north, like around Hattiesburg, etc. "Ted" | View Comments71 | LeeluFeb 12, 2009 @Latoya: I don't think, at this point, that Buffy HAD been in an asylum. That is something I believe only happened after Dawn. All of her memories after Dawn were either tweaked to include Dawn, or made up completely. And, personally, I think the asylum thing was one that was one of the latter... (seeing how long ago Latoya made that comment, she probably won't ever read this, but meh. I wanted to say it. haha) "Once More, with Feeling" | View Comments72 | LeeluFeb 7, 2009 Oh, I just thought of the face that Joss may not have even written the musical numbers in this episode, which would definitely account for why "Dr. Horrible's" music is immensely better. "Season 6 Review" | View Comments74 | LeeluFeb 7, 2009 Hey, you aren't alone in your affinity for Dawn. I always liked her, too. She's bright, energetic, spunky, and fun. Yes, she whines and bitches a bit, but that's what normal teenage girls do. No one seemed to mind much when Buffy would act like a bitch, etc., so why all the complaining about Dawn? Oh, just on a quick side note: does anyone else feel that "Real Me" reminded them of "Harriet the Spy"? Not that that's a bad thing. I thoroughly enjoyed that episode. It just really made me think of that movie (and yes, I know she was Harriet). I also firmly agree with you about the handling of Willow's "addiction." It never really felt right to me. I know they've been heavily foreshadowing serious trouble for her in this area for quite some time now, but the way they finally carried it out was kind of a surprise to me (not the Dark Willow stuff, but the "Wrecked" type stuff, I mean). Honestly, it kind of felt a bit heavy-handed, preachy, and cliched to me. I'm very glad we both agree on how awesome Anya is. She absolutely tickles me pink. I actually like Cordelia, as well, though she's much more intentionally mean, etc. I think both kind of remind me of myself. haha I don't really always have much of a "filter" when I speak. I often end up being more blunt, and perhaps callous, than I mean to be. "Once More, with Feeling" | View Comments75 | LeeluFeb 6, 2009 It's been specifically mentioned in interviews, etc., that Allison Hannigan's "filler" line really does not have any meaning. She did not want to sing, so she asked for as few lines as possible. So they gave her a silly "filler" line. While I do love this episode, I find that the music is a little lacking. Whedon's compositions become much better later, in "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." This could be due to the fact he co-wrote them with his brother and his brother's fiance, though. Or perhaps he just used the experience from this episode to hone his compositional skills a bit. Or maybe a bit of both. (I used to be a music major, so perhaps I am just over-critical when it comes to stuff like this.) Also, does anyone with the Region1 DVDs have problems playing this episode? I've never been able to get any DVD player to play this one. And I've even tried DVD sets that weren't mine, just in case maybe mine was messed up. But anyway, I do have to admit that your analyzations are very interesting to read. They sum up a lot of what I feel about many of these episodes, but have trouble relaying. You also see some things that I never would have thought of, those some of those I do think might be a bit far fetched. haha But again, it really is a pleasure to read your assessments. 8) |
Latest News  Delays... MikeJer - Feb 24, 2013 Hey all!I just wanted to let you all know that I'm looking forward to getting going on my Season 2 review updates. I recently started a new job, so life has been extra bu... View Full Post Latest Comments Ryan ONeil [Consequences] *in reply to James (#30) Probably public property View CommentMay 19, 2013 Waverley [Family] This episode makes me cry like a big girly man every time. That bit where Buffy says 'Take h... View CommentMay 18, 2013 Waverly [Season 6 Review] This is a difficult season to rate for me. It's among my least favourite but I admire, and a... View CommentMay 18, 2013 Latest Forum Posts buffyholic [Supernatural Rewatch] Season three has started. And I gotta say that this is my number one, my favorite season. A ... View PostMay 20, 2013 Iguana-on-a-stick [Xander Harris] The problem with DMP isn't the argument. It's A] the party being over the top and out of cha... View PostMay 20, 2013 MikeJer [Critically Touched Reviews: Frea] w00t w00t! View PostMay 19, 2013 |
@Baunger1: About the "eyes" versus "heart"...originally, Xander had been slated to be killed, not just injured, in this season. So, I'm thinking perhaps Whedon meant for Xander's heart to be ripped out, rather than his eye. But he ended up changing it to keep Xander alive for some reason or other. Which is probably why the show ended up with the not-so-well-handled "eyes/seeing" stuff, even though it had been established in prior seasons that Xander was the "heart" of the group.
Of course, I also still contend that Xander is, in fact, the "douche" of the group. haha Seriously, the more I watch the show, the less and less I like Xander. XS