Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[Euphoria]

There's definately been a Buffy thread, but it's about time we got a new one.

Everyone's heard of Buffy, that vampire show with the kickass theme-tune, more action than you can throw a stick at and enough cheese to top a pizza. In here you can basically just talk about anything relating to Buffy. What series do you have? Who's your favourite character? Which season is your favourite? Anything.

I for one can't remember when, how, or why I started watching Buffy. All I know is that I was hooked. My first episode was when Anya (evil Anya, by the way) wanted her necklace back to go medieval on men's asses. I was instantly enthralled, and followed the rest of Series Three faithfully after that.

I fast became addicted to Willow, and then Tara. It comes as no surprise then that my favourite few episodes of anything is bad Willow. Series Six is amazing - best by far. I was distraught when Tara died, but even more so when Anya croaked.

I haven't actually watched Buffy in over a year; two of my friends borrowed Series Five and Six (the ones I own). Today though, I really started craving it again, so I bought every single episode of Amazon for £70 xD. They should be coming on Saturday or Monday, I just don't know how I'll survive until then.

[Galedeep]

I'm a Buffy-freak. Actually, I'm a Joss Whedon freak, and that just so happens to include Buffy. But still.

I decided to watch the show over last summer because I had fallen in love with Joss' show Firefly, and wanted more. With that show canned and the movie already made, I decided to try out his other shows, starting with Buffy, and now however many months later, here I am, completely obsessed, owning all seven seasons on DVD.

Originally Posted by Euphoria

Who's your favourite character?

All of them. Anya is probably my favourite, followed by Spike, then Xander and Oz, but I love all of them. Joss doesn't create bad characters. Its against the laws of nature.

Which season is your favourite?

That's hard to say for me. I'm actually currently working through the whole series at one episode per night (actually, I'm going through all his series, watching them as they aired originally) and am just starting the third disc of the fourth season. I think that my favourite seasons are three and five, then two and six, then one and four and seven.

[quote]My first episode was when Anya (evil Anya, by the way) wanted her necklace back to go medieval on men's asses.[/quote
Season three episode...sixteen I believe. "Dopplegangland." See? Obsessed.

Fun fact: Just a few days ago the Paley Centre for Media hosted a panel for the tenth anniversarry of Buffy that included Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt (Exec. Producer/writer), Marti Noxon (Exec. Producer/writer/showrunner), Sarah Michelle Geller (Buffy, Duh), Seth Green (Oz), Nicholas Brenden (Xander), Amber Benson (Tara), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) and James Marsters (Spike). I wish I was there, and I still have hopes that it'll be released on DVD as Paley sometimes does.

Fun Fact Dos: Eliza Dushku (Faith) is starring in Joss' newest show Dollhouse, which has six episodes ordered for the fall season and starts shooting next month.

[Euphoria]

Originally Posted by Galedeep

I'm a Buffy-freak. Actually, I'm a Joss Whedon freak, and that just so happens to include Buffy. But still.

You should have seen me a couple of years ago. I probably could have stated all the weird and wonderful facts that you know. I'll be back and more obsessive than ever, Tuesday by the latest.

I decided to watch the show over last summer because I had fallen in love with Joss' show Firefly, and wanted more. With that show canned and the movie already made, I decided to try out his other shows, starting with Buffy, and now however many months later, here I am, completely obsessed, owning all seven seasons on DVD.


All of them. Anya is probably my favourite, followed by Spike, then Xander and Oz, but I love all of them. Joss doesn't create bad characters. Its against the laws of nature.

Anya is definately my favourite, though Spike is down somewhere near the bottom.

That's hard to say for me. I'm actually currently working through the whole series at one episode per night (actually, I'm going through all his series, watching them as they aired originally) and am just starting the third disc of the fourth season. I think that my favourite seasons are three and five, then two and six, then one and four and seven.

Oh! Season Five was amazing. Glory was without a doubt the best baddie in the entire thing.

Season three episode...sixteen I believe. "Dopplegangland." See? Obsessed.

I knew it had something to do with Dopplegangers!

Fun fact: Just a few days ago the Paley Centre for Media hosted a panel for the tenth anniversarry of Buffy that included Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt (Exec. Producer/writer), Marti Noxon (Exec. Producer/writer/showrunner), Sarah Michelle Geller (Buffy, Duh), Seth Green (Oz), Nicholas Brenden (Xander), Amber Benson (Tara), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) and James Marsters (Spike). I wish I was there, and I still have hopes that it'll be released on DVD as Paley sometimes does.

Fun Fact Dos: Eliza Dushku (Faith) is starring in Joss' newest show Dollhouse, which has six episodes ordered for the fall season and starts shooting next month.

I love the way I know all their names. I've memorised the songs, and used to sing them every day. What did you think of the musical episode? I'm a big fan of musicals, by the way xD.

[Galedeep]

Originally Posted by Euphoria

You should have seen me a couple of years ago. I probably could have stated all the weird and wonderful facts that you know. I'll be back and more obsessive than ever, Tuesday by the latest.

Then we can duke it out, trivia-style!

Anya is definately my favourite, though Spike is down somewhere near the bottom.

Why Spike so low? I know I tend to like the characters that had a lot of development, and Anya and Spike are probably the two who aren't the main four (Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles) who developed the most throughout the run of the show. Oh, and they're funny.

Oh! Season Five was amazing. Glory was without a doubt the best baddie in the entire thing.

Probably the best Big Bad, though Angel can give her a run for her money I think.

I love the way I know all their names. I've memorised the songs, and used to sing them every day. What did you think of the musical episode? I'm a big fan of musicals, by the way xD.

In getting obsessed with the show I also became obssessed with the amazing cast, so that'll explain that. I like to keep updated on their current projects, because a lot of them are really amazing performers.

I do love "Once More, With Feeling" and actually own the soundtrack. I think it's mighty impressive that Joss managed to write the songs and music after learning how to play guitar and piano so quickly beforehand. It's probably it my top five, at least top ten episodes of the show. It's just a lot of fun while also keeping the momentum of the show and plot going so that it isn't just a throwaway.

[Euphoria]

Originally Posted by Galedeep

Then we can duke it out, trivia-style!

Rejoice, for Buffy has arrived! I've only watched one episode so far since I have oodles of homework and an orchestra rehearsal this evening, but I'm gonna watch another before bed. I <3 Buffy.

Why Spike so low? I know I tend to like the characters that had a lot of development, and Anya and Spike are probably the two who aren't the main four (Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles) who developed the most throughout the run of the show. Oh, and they're funny.

I like the funniest characters, although in that one episode I laughed quite a lot. It's all so quirky and cheesy xD.

Spike just...didn't do anything for me. I don't really know why. He just couldn't compete with the picture of awesomeness who is Xander.

Probably the best Big Bad, though Angel can give her a run for her money I think.

I've only watched bits and pieces of Series Two on television. I'll watch it completely then claim my verdict on best captain evil.

In getting obsessed with the show I also became obssessed with the amazing cast, so that'll explain that. I like to keep updated on their current projects, because a lot of them are really amazing performers.

Yay! Do you by any chance watch Angel as well? I might start watching it (because my cousin owns the giant boxset) after Series Five. Isn't it after Series Five that the split occurs?

I do love "Once More, With Feeling" and actually own the soundtrack. I think it's mighty impressive that Joss managed to write the songs and music after learning how to play guitar and piano so quickly beforehand. It's probably it my top five, at least top ten episodes of the show. It's just a lot of fun while also keeping the momentum of the show and plot going so that it isn't just a throwaway.

I didn't really like the whole 'dancing demon' idea they had going, but I loved the way they included stuff like Buffy's proclamation that Earth sucks. Mostly though, the songs are just kick-ass xD.

[Galedeep]

Originally Posted by Euphoria

Rejoice, for Buffy has arrived! I've only watched one episode so far since I have oodles of homework and an orchestra rehearsal this evening, but I'm gonna watch another before bed. I <3 Buffy.

Good stuff. I'm still chugging along with my viewings, just a bit over halfway through season four.

I like the funniest characters, although in that one episode I laughed quite a lot. It's all so quirky and cheesy xD.

Spike just...didn't do anything for me. I don't really know why. He just couldn't compete with the picture of awesomeness who is Xander.

Ah, right on. I can get behind that. Gotta love Xander, goofy at all the right times, but he's also the one who seems to be the most willing to go against the group and question Buffy's tactics some of the time. Especially in Seasons two and three.

I've only watched bits and pieces of Series Two on television. I'll watch it completely then claim my verdict on best captain evil.

You're in for a treat. It doesn't have real stand-out episodes (ie no "Hush" or "Restless" or "Once More, With Feeling") but overall as a season it is really good.

Yay! Do you by any chance watch Angel as well? I might start watching it (because my cousin owns the giant boxset) after Series Five. Isn't it after Series Five that the split occurs?

I do watch Angel, I'm actually watching it as I watch Buffy right now, so I go back and forth each day. I have that giant box set as well, it is damn sexy. Angel is actually a bit different from Buffy in tone, a little more dark at times and a little more mature overall, but it's similar enough that it's just as enjoyable. It's also interesting because while Buffy is seen to have grown weaker as a show over time, Angel is said to have started off weaker, but by the end was probably just as good, if not better, than the best season of Buffy. It's a real shame it was cancelled.

The split actually occurs at the end of Buffy season three. So season four of Buffy was running the same time as Angel season one. Then Angel was on for one year after Buffy ended.

I didn't really like the whole 'dancing demon' idea they had going, but I loved the way they included stuff like Buffy's proclamation that Earth sucks. Mostly though, the songs are just kick-ass xD.

Sweet (the Demon) was a little hokey, but I feel like he fit with the whole musical theme of the episode. Kind of like the little dance sequence that goes with the mustard song (sung by writer/producer David Fury) or how Anya and Xander collapse into giggles at the end of their song. Plus he being summoned forth by Xander because of his wedding jitters works on that level. I don't know, I just really dig the episode and don't have much criticism for it.

[Vega]

Hmm, I thought Lioness might have popped in here by now.

I'm going to put this whole post in a spoiler, because I'm really rusty on Buffy, and I don't want to spoil anybody by accident.

Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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I love Buffy... up until a point. By the end, the term 'jump the shark' doesn't even BEGIN to cover it. They had made at least five laps of *that* pool. Honestly, Buffy dies like Cher goes on 'farewell' (she's doing Las Vegas now! XDDD) tours, Dawn is the most annoying character ever conceived, and Willow the Teenage Witch was horribly judged IMHO. Maybe if they had hooked her up with Harvey Kinkle I'd have understood - but Tara?

In the final two series I thought the quality of writing took a real nose dive, and what had been relatively well-rounded characters became functional archetypes. Buffy was great in the first five series because it was character driven, although by series six the characters had become subservient to the plot.

Spike really should have left earlier as well. I've never really been to fond of that character, although when I think back to when he was with Drusilla, there was actually a really interesting dynamic to that relationship. They had a strange relationship in that although they were sleeping with one another, they were in many ways mother and son. And then when Angel arrives (who could easily be considered a father to Drusilla; at the least a dominant male) there's a classic Oedipal conflict between the three of them.

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[Galedeep]

I'll follow your lead and keep things in spoiler tags, even if they don't really need to be.

Originally Posted by Vega

Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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I love Buffy... up until a point. By the end, the term 'jump the shark' doesn't even BEGIN to cover it. They had made at least five laps of *that* pool. Honestly, Buffy dies like Cher goes on 'farewell' (she's doing Las Vegas now! XDDD) tours, Dawn is the most annoying character ever conceived, and Willow the Teenage Witch was horribly judged IMHO. Maybe if they had hooked her up with Harvey Kinkle I'd have understood - but Tara?

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Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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I don't quite get what you are saying about Willow and Tara. Elaborate?

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Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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In the final two series I thought the quality of writing took a real nose dive, and what had been relatively well-rounded characters became functional archetypes. Buffy was great in the first five series because it was character driven, although by series six the characters had become subservient to the plot.

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Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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I would disagree a bit about season six having the characters be subservient to the plot. Season six isn't as strong as many of the other seasons, but it was mostly about taking Buffy to a darker place, trying to deal with being brought back from heaven as a metaphor for the confusion people feel when they are entering their twenties and don't know what they are really doing.

Season seven was definately lacking, but still had some redeeming bits. Spike dealing with having a soul (voluntarily) and trying to reconsile that with his natural affinity for fighthing and violence. Xander realizing his place in the gang when surrounded by women (something that looks like is being followed up on in the comics) and Dawn trying to live up to her big sister's shadow and have a place where all the girls her age were being trained to fight. Really, if season seven has one redeeming quality its that Dawn became much more tolerable.

In any case, in the last two seasons of Buffy the writing may have been somewhat weaker (though with Steve DeKnight and Drew Goddard joining the staff I think that it's not as weak as some may think) because Joss' attention was divided between three shows during Season six.

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Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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Spike really should have left earlier as well. I've never really been to fond of that character, although when I think back to when he was with Drusilla, there was actually a really interesting dynamic to that relationship. They had a strange relationship in that although they were sleeping with one another, they were in many ways mother and son. And then when Angel arrives (who could easily be considered a father to Drusilla; at the least a dominant male) there's a classic Oedipal conflict between the three of them.

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Spoiler (Highlight to read):

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The relationships between Spike and Dru and Angel was one of the things that made Season three one of the best. But James Marsters was such a strong performer and really made Spike a character that fans, including myself, wanted to see more of. I dunno, I'm a big fan of Spike, and think he probably only got to be a stronger character when he went over the Angel.

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[Euphoria]

So I'm eight episodes into Season One, and loving every minute of it. I had forgotten how fantastic Buffy really is.

The odd thing is, I think I've become more of a coward since I started watching it. In the olden days I never got frightened, but now I'm constantly jittering and on edge. During "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date", for example, I was just always fretting about Owen. Damn those expendable supporting characters >>;;

Drusilla was, for me, hands down the best guest character in the whole thing. She was so maniacal, so hilarious, so insane; she never failed to send a shiver up my spine. I especially remember feeling so sad for her when we found out about her terrible past; Angel sort of tortured and killed her family. There are lines that came from that mad woman that I will never forget: "I can see the stars!", "I'm ringing, ringing, ringing all over!"

She is simply unforgettable. Oh! I also loved Darla in the...seven episodes she lived to see.

[Galedeep]

Originally Posted by Euphoria

So I'm eight episodes into Season One, and loving every minute of it. I had forgotten how fantastic Buffy really is.

The odd thing is, I think I've become more of a coward since I started watching it. In the olden days I never got frightened, but now I'm constantly jittering and on edge. During "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date", for example, I was just always fretting about Owen. Damn those expendable supporting characters >>;;

Always have to worry for the expendable, and sometimes not-so-expendable characters in Joss' shows. I was actually pretty creeped out by a lot of the monsters they used, especially Der Kindestod, the Gnarl, and The Gentlemen.

Drusilla was, for me, hands down the best guest character in the whole thing. She was so maniacal, so hilarious, so insane; she never failed to send a shiver up my spine. I especially remember feeling so sad for her when we found out about her terrible past; Angel sort of tortured and killed her family. There are lines that came from that mad woman that I will never forget: "I can see the stars!", "I'm ringing, ringing, ringing all over!"

My favourite line of Dru's has always been "The King of Cups expects a party, but it is not his birthday!"

She is simply unforgettable. Oh! I also loved Darla in the...seven episodes she lived to see.

I'm not going to say anything here, other than watch Angel if you enjoy Darla. You see her in a lot of flashbacks.

[Euphoria]

Originally Posted by Galedeep

Always have to worry for the expendable, and sometimes not-so-expendable characters in Joss' shows. I was actually pretty creeped out by a lot of the monsters they used, especially Der Kindestod and The Gentlemen.

I'm really worrying about The Gentlemen. They were the pale evil floating baddies in "Hush", no? Yeah, they're terrifying. Another that was the absolute most terrifying episode of Buffy I've ever seen was in hospital (excuse the vagueness), and there was some sort of evil freak-man stalking a child. Thre was something about body parts too...

My favourite line of Dru's has always been "The King of Cups expects a party, but it is not his birthday!"

I remember that! Oh, she was such a freak.

You'll really enjoy seasons two and three of Angel, then.

I'm sure I will. I've seen bits and pieces of Angel on TV, and it is brilliant stuff. There was an episode where some guy talked about teacups or something o.O