Deus by the Sugarcubes (and not Coldsweat because that video contains bacon).
While we were on holiday, Andy and I got to thinking about our Desert Island Discs, which is a pointless but intriguing exercise. It is difficult to cut down the many songs you love to a mere eight. I could easily have eight songs by The Beatles or Kate Bush or Aimee Mann or Paula Frazer/Tarnation, never mind just one.
I would definitely include Goin’ Back by Dusty Springfield (because you get Dusty and Goffin & King in a oner) and Simple Game by the Four Tops and most likely Save Me by Aimee Mann (the lyrics aren’t really relevant to me now but I have hardly forgotten what those 24 years were like) but otherwise it’s tough.
On the way home, we were listening to the Great Crossover Potential and I realised that Coldsweat or Deus had to be a DI disc because it was the Sugarcubes in 1988 that make me realise that I could like and did like alternative/different music (The Dreaming by Kate Bush was as radical as I got). Alison had bought Life’s Too Good because of Birthday but like its effect on so many others the overwhelming Einar factor put her off and I appropriated the album. I remember listening to a tape of it in the dark in my room (on a knackered old machine that needed a wedge of cardboard to keep the heads engaged on the tape properly or it sounded faint) and being amazed by the outlandish noise of astonishing vocals, rude lyrics, and mesmerising music; it was like nothing I had ever heard.
It didn’t completely change my life because I still like pop and my favourite record that year was Circle in the Sand by Belinda Carlisle.
We saw plenty of this lighthouse while holidaying on the Isle of Portland. We did the west and the east coast walks culminating in cake or scones or pie in the Lobster Pot cafe.
Kendra is a marvellous contrast to Buffy (as much as Faith to come) for despite her heavy make up and revealing clothes, she’s conservative, dedicated, hardworking and obedient, all summed up in the exchange: “I don’t take orders. I do things my way.” “No wonder you died.”.
It’s corny but the swelling music as the mismatched of Xander and Cordelia kiss is amusing. The Rosa Klebbish villainess was great partly because there was no need for a stunt person. Drusilla was driving me mad so it was a treat to see her looking strong and dominant by the end. For a show not known for its beauty ( I mean in its look not in the actors…) there is a nice moment when vamp dust lands on a pool of water. Buffy wears an extraordinarily unflattering outfit when she visits the crypt with Giles which makes her short and (wait for it) dumpy. I wonder if Alyson Hannigan is ambidextrous, her mouse is situated on the left in this episode while (much later!) in All the Way she opens a bottle left-handed.
There were a few lovely Bangel moments including one that shouldn’t have worked: when she tells him she didn’t notice his game face in the rink, plus Angel holding Mr Gordo and Buffy sleeping in Angel’s bed.
Unsurprisingly for this Willow and Giles fan, some of the nicest moments involved the two: Giles’ tender concern over Willow’s tadpoles outburst is sweet; Oz offering Willow canapés; and this:
“You have the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen.” “So, I’m wondering, do the other cookie animals feel sort of ripped? Like, is the hippo going “Hey, man, where are my pants? I have my hippo dignity”” “And you know the monkey’s just “I mock you with my monkey pants”” is just gorgeous.
The timing and continuity was all over the place with an endless career fair, long days, short days, an assassin with two guns in the same holster, etc. And the usual puzzlements: why did by-the-book Kendra arrive in the cargo hold (undercover my arse)? why didn’t Kendra spike Angel? why didn’t they check Spike and Dru were dead, bearing in mind the ways vampires are disposed of?
Dialogue ahoy:
“We’re having this thing at school.” “Career week?” “How did you know?” “I lurk”
“I’ve been, uh, indexing the Watcher diaries covering the last couple of centuries. You would be amazed at how numbingly pompous and long-winded some of these Watchers were” “Colour me stunned”
“It hums. I can hear it” – like your acting
“Principal Snyder! Great career fair, sir! Really! In fact, I’m so inspired by your leadership, I’m thinking principal school. I wanna walk in your shoes. Not your actual shoes, of course, because you’re a tiny person. Not tiny in the small sense, of course. Okay, I’m done now”.
“Note to self – religion – freaky”
“C’mon, Cordelia. You wanna be a member of the Scooby Gang you gotta be willing to be inconvenienced every now and then.” – the first mention! the legend begins.
“Is that even possible? I mean, two Slayers at the same time?” “Not to my knowledge. Um, the new Slayer is only called after the previous Slayer has died. Oh, good Lord! You were dead, Buffy” “I was only gone for a minute” – she is sweetly petulant here
“Buffy would never do that! Oh. Except for that sometimes you do that. But only with Angel. Right?” - adorable
“There’s a Slayer handbook?” “Wait. Handbook? What handbook? How come I don’t have a handbook?” “Is there a T-shirt, too? Cause that would be cool” “After meeting you, Buffy, I realized that, uh, the handbook would be of no use in your case”
“Maybe. I mean, maybe after this thing with Spike and the assassins is over, I could say, ““Kendra, you slay, I’m going to Disneyland” ” “But not forever, right?” “No, Disneyland would get boring after a few months.”
“I, I’m shot! Y’know. Wow! It’s odd! And painful”
“When this is over I’m thinking pineapple pizza and teen video movie fest. Possibly something from the Ringwaldoeuvre”
“Shhh…grr! Bad dog” - Andy is a fan and this is his favourite Drusilla moment which I admit has a certain charm
“First we must return to de Watcher” “Excuse me? While we run to Giles, this whole thing could go down!” “But it is procedure” “It’s brainless, you mean! If we don’t go now, Angel could die.” “Is dat all you’re worried about? Your boyfriend?” “No, it’s not all, but it’s enough.” “It’s as I feared. He clouds your judgment. We can’t stop dis ritual alone!” “Are you listening to me? He could die!” “He’s a vampire. He should die. Why am I de only person who sees it?” – Kendra is totally in the right here and is proved so five minutes later
“Dat’s me favrit shirt! Dat’s me only shirt!” – many think this is a dumb line but I love it
