"Buffy" as I re-watch...

2125 Views 21 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Agatha Mystery, Jun 19, 2011

mrdazzo7

Discussion Starter · Jun 13, 2011

Since I don't have a ton of summer viewing going on, I figured I'd fill any down time with a Buffy re-watch. It's been year since I"ve season 2 so I figured I'd start w/ the season 1 finale and go from from there... I'm up to the Halloween episode...

I was the same age as teh characters when the show aired and I have to say that watching it as an adult gives me a very different perspective of it. There are definitely times when it teeters on "tween soap opera" and I have to remember what's going on behind all that to remind myself that it's much deeper. But on the surface it's much more "teen" than I remember.

The other thing that I never really thought about until now was just how weird it was that the central love story involved a 200 year old vampire and a barely-16 year old girl... That never struck me as weird before but now that I'm a grown up, it's definitely wierd, lol. It's straight up statatory. no one seems to care though so whatevs. Just seems weird now when it didn't before.

I love when you re-watch something and you see little details that you didn't pick up on but now that you know the end game you see just how many hints were dropped. One thing I always loved about this show was the fact that they genuinely had a plan--especially in the early seasons there was never a finale that ended with me going "they totally just made that up at the last seasond"--all of their stories are crafted, foreshadowed, and executed perfectly, which is why Joss Whedon remains my #1 producer.

I'm excited to watch season two in a short period of time, especially the back half which is just one big ass story arc. So good.

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LoadStar

· #2 · Jun 13, 2011

I've been catching Buffy on the various cable networks it airs on (Chiller and TeenNick particularly).

One thing that struck me was earlier appearances by Angel. It really was surprising how "vamp" even his normal makeup was early on. I often make fun of Twilight and how silly that movie series is... but looking back, Angel really would look right at home in the Twilight universe.

(Of course, dialogue on Buffy is so, so much better written than anything in the Twilight universe.)

aadam101

· #3 · Jun 13, 2011

There was definitely a huge change in makeup from when he was on Buffy to the time when he was on Angel.

I had the same thing happen to me with Dawson's Creek. I tried to re-watch as an adult and it was just awful. I was the same age as them when it aired. Getting old sure sucks.

retrodog

· #4 · Jun 14, 2011

LoadStar said:
I've been catching Buffy on the various cable networks it airs on (Chiller and TeenNick particularly).

One thing that struck me was earlier appearances by Angel. It really was surprising how "vamp" even his normal makeup was early on. I often make fun of Twilight and how silly that movie series is... but looking back, Angel really would look right at home in the Twilight universe.

(Of course, dialogue on Buffy is so, so much better written than anything in the Twilight universe.)

Almost everything has better writing than anything in the twilight universe. I used to make fun of Harry Potterites until Twilight showed up. At least HP is written well.

Buffy was an ok series but I just watched it off and on. I pretty much stuck with the Angel series all the way through. I liked Buffy, just couldn't stay with the show as well. Maybe a timing thing. I really liked some of the episodes, but ad the OP stated...it just got a little too soap opera like.

aadam101

· #5 · Jun 14, 2011

retrodog said:
t just got a little too soap opera like.

I guess I always though of it like that. Buffy is not a show about vampires. It's a show about a girl trying to make it through the hell that is high school (and later college and post college).

Cainebj

· #6 · Jun 14, 2011

Funny - I am rewatching the series also (probably thanks to CHILLER airing it in order).

I'll try not to comment past where you are - although I'm at the tail end of Season 4 already. It's amazing how much I forgot

I do recall that when Buffy started they had a very low budget for make-up and special effects. I remember seeing something somewhere about the "dusting" of vampires and how it evolved from Season 1 until after it was a hit.

mrdazzo7

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 14, 2011

Cainebj said:
Funny - I am rewatching the series also (probably thanks to CHILLER airing it in order).

I'll try not to comment past where you are - although I'm at the tail end of Season 4 already. It's amazing how much I forgot

I do recall that when Buffy started they had a very low budget for make-up and special effects. I remember seeing something somewhere about the "dusting" of vampires and how it evolved from Season 1 until after it was a hit.

Oh don't worry about it--i've seen every episode at least twice. I used to run a Buffy fan site so the episodes of 4, 5, and 6 are burned my head. I stopped doing it for 7 and it shows because that's the only season where I don't even recognize half the episode titles, let alone what that episode was about. But yeah I've see the whole series so you can talk about whatever. I just wanted to give my opinions with a fresh perspective now that it's been awhile.

ETA: Whoa, the site I made is still up... pretty funny. I had considered going into web design when I graduated HS and this site was my practice grounds...

http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/buffycentral/

betts4

· #8 · Jun 14, 2011

I have yet to be able to get into Buffy. I mean I like it, I watch it but I have not seen every episode. I did however love Angel and have all of that on dvd. Love Firefly, liked Dollhouse. I guess I am not a tried and true Whedon fan, just a picky one.

Cainebj

· #9 · Jun 14, 2011

OK thanks for license to talk about season 4

- HUSH has got to still be one of the best episodes of television ever... I eagerly await getting to my other favorite Buffy episode THE BODY...

- I found it interesting before Faith comes out of her coma and she is dreaming about Buffy - she says something to Buffy about them waiting for her sister to arrive - I am sure I had no idea what that meant the first time I watched it.

- I remember really not liking the character of Maggie Walsh as the villian the first time around and thinking Lindsay Crouse was miserably miscast - but felt quite differently this time.

- OK the season finale episode RESTLESS with the first getting into their dreams is such a WTF? episode with clear odes to Twin Peaks. I wonder what Joss was smokin when he came up with that idea...?

mrdazzo7

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 14, 2011

Cainebj said:
OK thanks for license to talk about season 4

- HUSH has got to still be one of the best episodes of television ever... I eagerly await getting to my other favorite Buffy episode THE BODY...

- I found it interesting before Faith comes out of her coma and she is dreaming about Buffy - she says something to Buffy about them waiting for her sister to arrive - I am sure I had no idea what that meant the first time I watched it.

- I remember really not liking the character of Maggie Walsh as the villian the first time around and thinking Lindsay Crouse was miserably miscast - but felt quite differently this time.

- OK the season finale episode RESTLESS with the first getting into their dreams is such a WTF? episode with clear odes to Twin Peaks. I wonder what Joss was smokin when he came up with that idea...?

The Body = one of the best episodes of any show I've ever seen. Joss Whedon definitely never got his due for that episode (although I see now that SMG was nominated for a Globe that year). Maybe it was because my mother died from the same thing (and kind of looked like Joyce) but that episode was phenomenal. If they removed the vampire from the end then there's no way anyone could have any reason to not like it. Just sayin. HUSH ruled too.

Also, let's give them their due for that musical episode. Like musicals or not, what they pulled off with that is incredible, especially from Joss because he wrote and directed it and you could tell he did it from the heart. It folded into the season's storylines perfectly and every character's arc was spot on. Big fan.

aadam101

· #11 · Jun 15, 2011

mrdazzo7 said:
It folded into the season's storylines perfectly and every character's arc was spot on. Big fan.

To me, that was the most amazing part. When I heard they were doing a musical I figured it would be some generic vampire of the week standalone episode. Instead, it was contained major plot points and fit right in with current story arcs.

Buffy's announcement that she was puled out of heaven, breakup of Tara and Willow and Giles departure.

Peter000

· #12 · Jun 15, 2011

The musical was in season 6.

mtnagel

· #13 · Jun 15, 2011

mrdazzo7 said:
Oh don't worry about it--i've seen every episode at least twice. I used to run a Buffy fan site so the episodes of 4, 5, and 6 are burned my head. I stopped doing it for 7 and it shows because that's the only season where I don't even recognize half the episode titles, let alone what that episode was about. But yeah I've see the whole series so you can talk about whatever. I just wanted to give my opinions with a fresh perspective now that it's been awhile.

ETA: Whoa, the site I made is still up... pretty funny. I had considered going into web design when I graduated HS and this site was my practice grounds...

http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/buffycentral/

Can you fix the broken image?

I watched some Buffy when it was on, but not every episode since I was in college and it was pre-DVR. I enjoyed what I saw, but not enough to go back and watch every episode.

Agatha Mystery

· #14 · Jun 16, 2011

I'm rewatching them while I'm out sick from work this week. I found a repeat scene in Season 2 and Season 3. It's rather funny. The crew is in the cafeteria, chatting about whatever. At the opening of the scene, we see food being served in the cafeteria line. It's sauerkraut, hot dogs, and spaghetti. I was rather surprised to see it twice.

I also found it funny that 2 actors on Covert Affairs each did an episode of Buffy. The guy who plays Ben Mercer (Eion Bailey) got his start on Buffy (he was in the hyena episode). The guy who plays Auggie (Christopher Gorham) played the ghost who kept killing his teacher/love. Boy were they young then.

Maui

· #15 · Jun 17, 2011

I may have to rewatch again soon. The last time I tried I got bogged down somewhat and never finished. If I choose to rewatch I may just have to skip large chunks of season 4. It had it moments and some of those were brilliant (Hush) but the whole Initiative storyline was blech.

LoadStar

· #16 · Jun 17, 2011

Hmm. I never minded the initiative storyline... in fact, there were very few moments that I really didn't care for with Buffy until season 6 and 7. Other than a few standout episodes (OMWF, particularly) those two seasons were really, really rough for me... still better than most other series, but not by much. You could definitely feel the lack of Joss' attention during those seasons.

aadam101

· #17 · Jun 17, 2011

LoadStar said:
Hmm. I never minded the initiative storyline... in fact, there were very few moments that I really didn't care for with Buffy until season 6 and 7. Other than a few standout episodes (OMWF, particularly) those two seasons were really, really rough for me... still better than most other series, but not by much. You could definitely feel the lack of Joss' attention during those seasons.

I didn't mind the initiative storyline either. Riley was the reason Season 4 is my least favorite season.

Cainebj

· #18 · Jun 17, 2011

Maui said:
I may just have to skip large chunks of season 4. It had it moments and some of those were brilliant (Hush) but the whole Initiative storyline was blech.

I gotta tell you - I remember thinking the same thing when it aired originally but having just re-watched season 4 again for the first time probably since it aired -
I didn't mind the whole Initiative storyline the second time around - which kind of surprised me.

I am about to start on season 5 and I also remember feeling like they got stuck with Riley and he was pointless without the initiative but let's see what I think this time

mrdazzo7

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jun 17, 2011

Cainebj said:
I gotta tell you - I remember thinking the same thing when it aired originally but having just re-watched season 4 again for the first time probably since it aired -
I didn't mind the whole Initiative storyline the second time around - which kind of surprised me.

I am about to start on season 5 and I also remember feeling like they got stuck with Riley and he was pointless without the initiative but let's see what I think this time

I felt the same way when I re-watched most of season six. The first time around I was astounded by how depressing/poorly done it was. I think for me personally, a lot of that had to do with how awesome the fifth season was. Compared to that, season six was bad. But when I rewatched it marathon-style I think I "got it" more and it wasn't as bad. Once I got passed the lack of a solid villain and the absurdity of the "trio of evil", I was able to appreciate the character stuff more. And I think they made up for a lot with the awesome season-ending four-parter. Those episodes were great.

I think season 7 was definitely the weakest, at least the first half Four had it's moments but by season 7 it was really just "meh" at that point. The back half of the final season was pretty good though because it was just one big ass story arc and as it got more towards the end, s*** got real. But there were some before that where I was just like "man, it's time".

LoadStar

· #20 · Jun 18, 2011

Season 7 was the biggest disappointment, by far. It seemed like there was a pretty good plan for a season arc that was thrown out the window by about episode 3 or 4. They had talked about a "back to season one" theme, and the first few episodes reflected that. They brought the school back, and even started to build a "Scrappy gang" around Dawn, plans which to me felt like they were just abruptly dropped.

Plus, the concept of the First being the big bad was a really big, bad idea, because how do you really conceive of fighting evil itself? It's very vague and ill-defined, plus frankly impossible. Then, much as I love Nate Fillion, his character was very, very corny here... plus he just seemed like he was crammed in as a favor after Firefly got canned.

Add in all the Slayerettes running around, Faith, Dawn, Giles coming back, the original Scooby gang, and you just had way too many characters running about.

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