Surely now it’s time for the world to wake up to Paula Frazer. Her new album Now It’s Time is out at the end of February and if the two tracks on her MySpace space are anything to go by it is is going to sound as majestic as ever. Her voice is quite simply gorgeous and Pretend is an instant classic.
The record is released on Birdman Records but it is not yet available for pre-order.
Lovers Walk (Dan Vebber)
“Well, I think this is great! Now you can leave and never come back!” “Well, I mean that in a positive way. Get out of Sunnydale. That’s a good thing. What kind of moron would ever wanna come back here?” and in one of BtVS’s frequent “ironic segue fairy” cuts Spike arrives in town which is a good thing (but only in single episode doses). (Actually, that cut isn’t ironic so let’s call it the clunky segue fairy.) As an aside, I have to confess to reading Television Without Pity’s recaps but only for the episodes that I don’t mind them being mean about.
Spike murders the magic shop woman and we still laugh at him. He’s threatening Willow with a bottle and a few minutes later he’s amusing us. I’m confused by this. The scene with Willow listening to Spike go on about Drusilla (as if we really care) is very odd; (a cold) Willow sits there looking awkward (rather than terrified), occasionally touching her mouth, and it must be the longest scene in which Willow is silenced (excluding Hush, of course) except for a hilarious “there, there”. Spike proceeds to bore Joyce but when Angel turns up, his gesturing behind Joyce is priceless.
Why is Willow attempting to keep the spell a secret? Reviewing season three has made me more aware of the less savoury aspects of Willow’s character: her cheating, lying and secrecy all build up to season six. And by not telling Xander, she is also behaving in a controlling way; she thinks it’s better for him not to know and it’s always better for Willow not to confront emotional difficulties.
Oz is able to locate Willow by smell: the smell of fear and not the smell of “hugs” this time. “It’s Willow. She’s nearby.” “What? You can smell her? She doesn’t even wear perfume.” “She’s afraid.” “Oh, my God. Is this some sort of residual werewolf thing? This is very disturbing.” “I really agree.”
Buffy doesn’t like what Angel has to say about her leaving to go to college though by the end of the episode with a little advice from the unlikely source of Spike she has to agree that she shouldn’t see Angel.
Here’s some things I really, really didn’t like:
Oh dear Lord: it’s season six “You’re not friends. You’ll never be friends. You’ll be in love ’til it kills you both. You’ll fight, and you’ll shag, and you’ll hate each other ’til it makes you quiver, but you’ll never be friends. Love isn’t brains, children, it’s blood, blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love’s bitch, but at least I’m man enough to admit it.”
Cordelia and Oz discover Willow and Xander kissing (though even during kissing, you’d think they’d hear the door open) and Cordelia’s character development is set to vanish after the conclusion of the next episode. Poor Cordelia, I had come to like her a lot and to appreciate Charisma Carpenter’s performance. It’s a shame that for the next few episodes she is reduced to caricature again.
The funeral-that-isn’t-Cordelia’s device is so cheesy and naff and used too often by Whedon and co (even in Firefly’s Serenity when we think Kaylee is dead in…)
Some things I did like:
“Well, I can see why you’d be upset. That was my sarcastic voice.” “You know, it sounds a lot like your regular voice.” “I’ve been told that.”
“They don’t stand a chance. I’m really good. Or I used to be, when they had the inflatable things in the gutters.”
“This is just so thoughtful.” ” Well, I think about you.” Oh, I don’t have anything to give you.” “Yeah, you do.” - the pez witch is just such a sweet gift
There is a delightful scene with the mayor and Allan - “Loose cannon. Rock the boat. Is that a mixed metaphor?”
While Buffy is highly amused by Giles’ preparations, she takes a compass and uses the mirror to look at herself.
Revelations (Douglas Petrie)
“I wouldn’t use the word “dating”, but I am going out with somebody. Tonight, as a matter of fact.” “Really? Who?” “Yo, what’s up? Hey, time to motorvate.” “Really, we’re just good friends.” and with that, “hoyay” and fan fiction writers get scribbling. Another fight between Faith and Buffy: we could get to like this. It’s interesting how much damage they cause to each other because it shows how much they can hurt each other in every meaning of the word. I think Faith took this comment: “Faith! A word of advice: you’re an idiot.” too literally and the episode ends with Faith rejecting Buffy’s friendship and that makes me sad because I like “good” Faith.
“The fact is, there is talk in the council that you have become a bit too…American.” “Me?” “Him?”
Cool, more T’ai Chi, wake me up when Angel gets his new series. Giles’s kettle is not the sort that whistles.
Aw, a cute Willow that has been absent for a while
Xander and Willow kissing in the stacks: I didn’t remember the fluke as not actually being fluky: this isn’t a mistake; it’s full-on cheating aka unfaithfulness aka betrayal. I’m debating whether Willow’s behaviour here is worse than her Lethe’s Bramble spell on Tara. In this case, she is giving in to temptation and in the latter, she was attempting to evade something uncomfortable that she didn’t want to face. Willow is starting to feel very guilty (just because she thinks she was caught?) and there are two good scenes with her and Buffy because of this. Buffy (and the other Scoobies) are always oblivious to the others’ worries and this just gets worse as the seasons progress. “Okay. This will make me feel better, right? You know, I always consider myself a good person. Floss, do my homework, never cheat. But lately, and please don’t judge me on this, but I want you to be the first to know that, that…” which is quicker said as “I’m very seldom naughty” but actually not true because as she tells Buffy she never cheats, she is cheating on Oz.
The intervention: not quite as awfully self righteous and infuriating as Dead Man’s Party but… It is notable that the two men who matter most to Buffy in this scene are both standing while conciliatory (and guilt ridden) Willow is seated. Xander is well out of order as usual and my hatred of his character is rising. I can’t help thinking the writers made a real mistake making him so horrible because in this case he isn’t actually in the wrong but the way he is stating his case (”…for Angel to go psycho again the next time you give him a happy?”, “you would stop him. Like you did last time with Ms Calendar”) is hateful. Thankfully, this scene isn’t interrupted by zombies but by a marvellous scene when Giles tells Buffy how much she has disrespected him which is powerful because it’s true, well stated and well acted. Later, Xander has no right to tell Faith about Angel and, although he presumably he knows that Willow’s spell worked, he’s still happy to help Faith kill Angel. “Your boyfriend’s not as cured as you thought.” “Only what everyone knows. She’s a big girl. Came to her own conclusions.”: he knows this just isn’t true and that if it was Angelus, Giles would be dead (like Ms Calendar, you arse) and why are TPTB doing this to Xander? “Are we cool?” “Yeah. Just seeing the two of you kissing after everything that happened, I leaned toward the postal. But I trust you.” - Buffy, just tell him to eff off.
Band Candy (Jane Espenson)
I enjoyed this episode but I’ve found it hard to find a lot of quotable dialogue. It builds up nicely as the behaviour of the adults deteriorates. It is very well done and they have so much fun: Tony Head and, perhaps, Armin Shimerman the most.
Buffy and her SATs are so annoying. She clearly couldn’t have possibly got the scores she did get: “B. I’m going with B. We haven’t had B in forever.”
“Actually, I’m looking forward to it. I do well on standardized tests. What? I can’t have layers?” – well no Cordy, not after you split up from Xander
Giles being hit on the head by a ball is funny but Buffy lying to her mum and Giles isn’t. And the scenes with Angel, snore.
Willow and Xander playing footsie under the table is plain wrong.
I had forgotten how naff the Dingoes were.
“They’re acting like a bunch…” “They’re acting like a bunch of us.” “I don’t act like this.” (flash to All the Way: “It’s where I’d be if I were fifteen and on the lam.” “Really?” “Well, not me at fifteen, ’cause, hello, spaz.” “You?” “Yeah. Hard to believe such a hot mama-yama came from humble, geek-infested roots”)
“You are sooo cool. You’re like Burt Reynolds.”
Homecoming (David Greenwalt)
I can barely remember the plot of this but what is important is the fluke and the interactions between Buffy and Cordelia.
I’m not sure what to make of the fluke. Is it organic? Is Xander like a child who wants what someone else has just because he doesn’t have it (note his “half Monty” jealousy). Is it easy not to blame Willow? She is after all getting attention from the one that she has had a huge crush on. Is this because she is unsure about her relationship with Oz? We have Cordelia (once again) showing how much she loves Xander and, because of her character development, we care that she is going to get hurt. Willow stops mooning at Oz, which is one good thing.
Buffy and Cordelia together are a mix of outright nastiness with an edge of jealousy on both sides. The writers can’t help putting Cordelia on the wrong side of meanness (more of that later in the season). The scene in the library when Cordy confronts Gorch is awesome: I hope she’s like this in Angel: “I hear you, you redneck moron. You got a dress that goes with that hat?” “I’m gonna…” “Rip out my innards, play with my eyeballs, boil my brain and eat it for brunch? Listen up, needle-brain. Buffy and I have taken out four of your cronies, not to mention your girlfriend.” “Wife!” “Whatever. The point is, I haven’t even broken a sweat. See, in the end, Buffy’s just the runner-up. I’m the Queen. You get me mad, what do you think I’m gonna do to you?”
Oddities: Would Faith even be allowed to attend a high school dance? Xander should help Cordelia but why can’t Willow work for both of them (above board and not via blackmail: “And I’m sure they’re more important than all we’ve been through together, or the number of times that I’ve saved your life”)? And this joke: “Oh, God! What did you two do to each other?” “Long story.” “Got hunted.” “Apparently not that long.” (good gag - the first time - two episodes ago).
“I’m gonna show you how it’s done. I’m gonna run for Homecoming Queen, and I’m going to win.” “This is starting to be sad.” “Sorry, Cordy, but you have no idea who you’re messing with.” “What? The Slayer?” “I’m not talking about the Slayer. I’m talking about Buffy. You’ve awakened the Prom Queen within. And that crown is going to be mine.”
“That didn’t just happen!” “No! I mean, it did, but it didn’t!” 
“Because I respect you. And Oz. And I would never…” “I would never, either! I-it must be the clothes. I-it’s a fluke.” “It’s a clothes fluke, that’s what it is. And there’ll be no more fluking.” “Not ever.” “We gotta get out of these clothes!” “Right now!” “Oh, I didn’t mean…” “I didn’t… me, either!”
“I’m never gonna be crowned Homecoming Queen. I’m never gonna graduate from high school. I’m never gonna know if it’s real between me and Xander, or if it’s just… some temporary insanity that made me think… I loved him. And now I’m never gonna get the chance to tell him.”
Beauty and the Beasts (Marti Noxon)
I would rather watch a poor monster of the week episode than one as preachy as this. In a mainly dour episode that is the definition of anvilicious the best moments include Willow whispering “rabbits” only to have werewolf Oz get cross, Giles being very angry with Xander, Willow being cool in the morgue (Cordelia’s “God, I’m just saying” is so like my son), Oz’s “I may be a cold-blooded jelly doughnut, but my timing is impeccable”, Giles getting tranquillised, and a couple of dialogue exchanges:
“Yeah? Bet you and Scott have been up there kicking the gearshift.” “Hardly. Only been on a few dates.” “But you like him. And when you think about him, you get that good, down-low tickle, right?” “Yeah, I guess, but…how low?” “You tell me.” (oo, that Faith is so saucy)
“No worries. I can handle the Oz full Monty. I mean, not handle handle, like hands to flesh handle.” “Okay. Well, it’s not for you. It’s for me, cause I’m still getting used to half a Monty.” “Oh. Good. Half? You and Oz? Which half?” “Wouldn’t you like to know?” (poor Xander, he can’t handle that Willow and Oz may be getting more than he is with Cordelia)
Hard to take moments include Oz rejecting Willow’s concern, Angel wearing trousers, Buffy talking to Giles about a “vivid. Really vivid. Three-dimensional, sensurround, the hills are alive “dream” (wearing a most unflattering vest), Pete and Debbie, the scene in the toilets where I think Buffy is too harsh on Debbie (maybe she’s right but who is she to say “Great. So what, you two live out your Grimm fairy tale? Two people are dead”?).
The best moment by far is Faith clocking Buffy: a moment for rewinding and replaying several times.
Faith, Hope and Trick (David Greenwalt)
Faith is a totally five-by-five welcome addition to the show. She’s dynamic, complex, violent and insecure and manages to create tension with Buffy and Xander (who really doesn’t know which side his bread is buttered on).
Cordy is looking very tanned in this series so far. Not “just been on holiday tanned” but “not been on holiday but supposed to have been tanned”.
Willow is always gazing at Oz, which seems to be the show’s shorthand for infatuation and insecurity. Cordy doesn’t gaze at Xander even after she falls in love with him because she is neither infatuated or insecure.
Scott is sweet and cute but not very interesting.
Old slouchy is back to meander rather listlessly through the rest of the season.
“So let me get this straight. I’m really back in school because the school board overruled you. Wow. That’s like having your whole ability to do this job called into question, when you think about it.” “I think what my daughter’s trying to say is…nyah, nyah-nyah-nyah, nyah.”
“Mm, sage. I love that smell. And marnox root. You know, a smidge of this mixed with a virgin’s saliva…does something I know nothing about.” (Marnox root? very clever)
“Nothing…much. Well, you know, I tried this spell to cure Angel, and I guess that was a bust. But since then, you know, small stuff: floating feather, fire out of ice, which next time I won’t do on the bedspread. Are you mad at me?” “No, of course not, no. If I were, I would be making a strange clucking sound with my tongue.” (Willow is trying so much magic off camera, it would have been good to see more of that in action – but it isn’t her show so we get Bangel interludes instead)
“Check out Slut-O-Rama and her Disco Dave.” (Cordelia succinctly introduces Faith)
“God, I could eat a horse. Isn’t it crazy how slaying just always makes you hungry and horny?” “Well, sometimes I-I crave a non-fat yoghurt afterwards.” (Buffy’s face is a picture)
“Oz is a werewolf.” “It’s a long story.” “I got bit.” “Apparently not that long.”
“Hey, as long as you don’t go scratching at me or humping my leg, we’re five-by-five, you know?” (snort)
“This is Sunnydale, home of the big brewin’ evil.” (this was going to be my title but there is an even better line)
“You really do need to find the fun, B. Uffy” (Willow is cute again)
“She’s very personable. She gets along with my friends, my Watcher, my mom. Look, now she’s getting along with my fries.” “Now, Buffy…” “Plus, at school today, she was making eyes at my not-boyfriend. This is creepy.” “Does anybody else think Faith is creepy?” “No, but I’m the one getting single-white-femaled here.” “It’s probably good you were an only child.” (well, Buffy was right about Ted and Joyce’s attitude changes when Faith has her tied up in This Year’s Girl, and Buffy learns just how hard it is to have a sibling)
“Mom, the only way you get a new Slayer is when the old Slayer dies.” “Then that means you, when did you die? You never told me you died!” “No, it was just for a few minutes.” “Oh, I hate this. I hate your life. Look, I know you didn’t choose this, I know it chose you. I have tried to march in the Slayer Pride parade, but…I don’t want you to die.” “I’m not gonna die. I know how to do my job. Besides, like you said, I’ve got help now.” (this is a lovely scene between mother and daughter – I like the gay pride reference (see also the coming out scene in X-Men 2) and Joyce articulating the fear of every parent that their child dies before them)
“I’m five-by-five, B, living entirely large, actually wondering about your problem.” “Well, I may not sleep in the nude and wrassle alligators…” “Maybe it’s time you started, ’cause obviously something in your bottle needs uncorking. What is it, the Angel thing?” “What do you know about Angel?” “Just what your friends tell me: big love, big loss. You oughta deal and move on, but you’re not. “I got an idea: how about from now on, we don’t hear from you on Angel or anything else in my life. Which, by the way, is my life.” “What are you getting so strung out for, B?” “Why are your lips still moving, F?” “Did I just hear a threat?” “Would you like to?” “Wow. Think you can take me?” “Yeah…” (oh, tension already, Kendra was too uptight for Buffy while Faith is way too loose, or at least it seems that way for the moment. It is amazing how much feeling can be expressed in the initials B and F)
Originally uploaded by ~Misty~.
This has been hand-drawn by Hanwell resident Misty and, apart from the fact that we’re not on it, it is just wonderful, quirky and funny.
Dead Man’s Party (Marti Noxon)
What a disaster this episode is and it has replaced “Bad Eggs” as my new worst episode of BtVS ever. At least “Bad Eggs” was just a poor monster of the week episode while this fails spectacularly at being serious because everyone except Buffy and Giles is just an arse.
The first mistake is treating Buffy as if she was a shirker (“just because you ran away and abandoned your post”) rather than someone who was traumatised. Obviously, only Buffy knows she killed a be-souled Angel but adding together Buffy’s burdens since the moment Angel lost his soul, it should be clear to her friends (and to a degree her mother) that she was under enormous stress. Her friends knew she had killed an Angel who she still had strong feelings for and that she felt terribly guilty and responsible. Her mother had thrown her out, she had been expelled, she thought that her friends had been unable or at the least unwilling to help her (“kick his ass”) and she thought that she was alone. Give her a break.
When she does return (to rescue the Scoobies who appear collectively to be useless in a fight) she isn’t given a genuine chance to explain. The behaviour of her oldest friends is scandalous and a mite implausible (early seasons Willow standing Buffy up? I could believe that of addled season six Willow but not this one), making out in front of her (followed by their concern in the next episode not to be too coupley) and turning up at dinner parties with a band and loads of uninvited mates.
And yet…are we supposed to think that anything they say to her at 1630 Revello Drive is in any way valid?
Willow’s “I didn’t have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff” is just selfish and anything Xander says is just, just, bloody, bloody horrible with this just being the worst: “Look. I’m sorry that your honey was a demon, but most girls don’t hop a Greyhound over boy troubles”. “Boy troubles”! I hated Xander at that point and I don’t think he ever really recovers in my eyes.
The second mistake is the zombie secondary plot which just gets in the way of maybe allowing the painful complaints from the Scoobies develop and make sense.
I hate the hootenanny speech, we should have seen some unlikely Cordelia and Oz bonding while they hide in the cupboard under the stairs and, by missing a joke that already been set up earlier, the whole utter crapness of this episode is exposed. Cordelia: “I’m the dip”, later Buffy: “Great. Thanks. Anybody else want to weigh in here? How about you by the dip?” cut to Jonathon with no Cordelia in sight.
Everything is resolved by the team work and team spirit involved in defeating demons. Or it isn’t and we see estrangement and lack of communications stretch into season seven. Oh good.
The highlight of this nightmare episode is Sarah Michelle Gellar’s performance which is tremendous; under attack in the lounge she is awesome. And I admit that our glimpse of Ripper Giles (“Like riding a bloody bicycle!” and threatening Snyder) is always nice.
Dialogue:
“I have not only the right, but also a nearly physical sensation of pleasure at the thought of keeping her out of school. I’d describe myself as tingly.”
“Private school? You mean, like jackets and kilts? You want me to get field hockey knees?” “What about home schooling? You know, it’s not just for scary religious people anymore.”
“Do you wanna see my mom?” “Please.” “MOM!”
“Unbelievable. “Do you like my mask? Isn’t it pretty? It raises the dead!” Americans!”
“You’re really enjoying this whole moral superiority thing, aren’t you?” “It’s like a drug!” “Fine! Okay. I’m the bad. I can take my lumps…for a while.” “All right. I’ll stop giving you a hard time…runaway.” “Will!” “I’m sorry! Quitter.” “Whiner.” “Bailer.” “Harpy.” “Delinquent.” “Tramp.” “Bad seed.” “Witch.” “Freak.”
(what moral superiority? I wish it had been Willow’s only drug though)
