Tara vid
Saturday, June 30th, 2007A cool video of Tara (Amber Benson) made cooler with a song by Mirah:
Made and uploaded by nullasalus.
Archive for June, 2007
Right, then. We fought. I won. The end. Pay up.
Thursday, June 28th, 2007Fool For Love (Doug Petrie)
There is a thread on TWOP called I love Kennedy!: Unpopular Opinions about Buffy in which, well, people voice unpopular opinions of a controversial nature such as Dawn wasn’t that annoying, Beer Bad and Where the Wild Things Are are really not that terrible (and they really weren’t) and Hush isn’t that great because it has a whole section without dialogue (!?). It’s currently at 119 pages and I presume somewhere in there is a person or two who thinks Fool For Love is not that great.
It’s 13th at GEOS, it is 9.3 on TV.com, 9.0 at IMDb: you get the picture but I don’t.
Buffy is off her game and Riley saves her. He is not content until he has wiped out the nest. These two things were interesting. Buffy’s need to know more about former slayers is believable (but Watchers don’t keep records?) and much of Spike’s past is amusing (if humiliation is funny) but otherwise, shrug.
Willow, Xander and, to a lesser degree, Anya’s behaviour is appalling. Not just in itself, which is disrespectful and rude, but in the terrible things done to the characters: four seasons of Scooby responsibility thrown away for cheap laughs.
It’s clear that many people love back story and care about Darla, Angel, Drusilla and Spike’s past but I don’t. I really don’t. I’m certainly affected by the laughable nature of the historical scenes with their poor wigs, inauthentic dialogue (“bloody” in polite society?, railroad spike and purse) and poor attention to detail but even if that was great I’d still be bored (I feel I’m a bad BtVS fan for saying that b word).
And have a strong apathy to slow motion (in most cases it is an annoying gimmick e.g. the shootout in Road to Perdition and that bloody pram down the steps in The Untouchables) particularly if all it does is highlight the bad wigs.
Good things: the fight with the New York Slayer and the look of absolute confusion on Buffy’s face as Spike comforts her.
“I do see you. That’s the problem. You’re nothing to me, William. You’re beneath me.”
“You ever hear them saying the blood of a Slayer is a powerful aphrodisiac?”
“Every Slayer has a death wish. Even you. The only reason you’ve lasted as long as you have is you’ve got ties to the world. Your mum, your brat kid sister, the Scoobies. They all tie you here but you’re just putting off the inevitable. Sooner or later, you’re gonna want it. And the second…the second…that happens. You know I’ll be there. I’ll slip in. Have myself a real good day.” - a touch of foreshadowing
Cool
Thursday, June 28th, 2007
Based on these words:
* sex (17x)
* dead (13x)
* hell (6x)
* kill (5x)
* bitch (4x)
* pain (3x)
* gay (2x)
* fucking (1x)
Not everything is about your friends and stuff
Tuesday, June 26th, 2007Family (Joss Whedon)
A Tara episode. I should be delighted but unfortunately this more Amends than Doppelgangland. And it is also signals the end of any interest the programme makers had in Tara as a character for the rest of the season until The Body and Tough Love (and that was only to kick off Dark Willow).
The opening scene between the two is sickly though we do get the joy of “vixen” and, gasp!, snuggling.
No! No! You can write a feminist text without making men such bad guys and it is particularly galling when the man in this case (Buffy’s father) has been rewritten so that all older men are bad except Giles and even he leaves…
Xander and Riley play fighting is so cute: “…and are a complete dork.” “Oh, then how come Xander didn’t laugh?” “I don’t know that Taglarin stuff.”
My heart aches for anyone who is insecure and makes a bad joke or a stupid remark - I’ve been there. “Stupid.”
The conversation between Buffy and Xander about Tara seems mean but does make sense: she’s shy, she’s hiding a huge secret, she’s getting to know her new girlfriend: they don’t know her at all and she’s a lesbian Wiccan. It really won’t be “the most thrilling social event of the season.”
Spike and Harmony having sex: poor Adam will have his eyes closed for quite a bit this season (I’m kinda hoping he’ll have lost interest by the middle of season six).
The metaphor couldn’t be clearer: “It, it doesn’t feel evil, sir.” “Evil never does.”
One scene doesn’t sit right with me and that is Willow leaving Tara alone. Tara is clearly upset and snaps at Willow and Willow doesn’t put up much of a fight as she buggers off. It feels contrived just so Tara can cast as spell on all the Scoobies. (And she seems to get to the Magic Box really quickly.)
Future Oscar nominee sighting: the scene between Tara and Beth is superb and I still wince when Beth calls Tara a bitch. And this doesn’t seem that unreasonable: “Don’t you see how out of control you are? You’ve been lying to these people for a year, and now you’ve put a spell on them, is that right? Is that a human thing to do? Now I’m telling your father. If he doesn’t force you to come home, and I think he should, I know he’s going to tell your friends the truth. If I were you, I’d tell them first. And then I’d tell them good-bye.”
The fight in the Magic Box is well done. “I’ve already been injured once this month!” But why does Mr Maclay fall over?
“You want her, Mr. Maclay? You can go ahead and take her…You just gotta go through me.” “What?” “You heard me…You wanna take Tara out of here against her will? You gotta come through me.” “And me!” “Is this a joke? I’m not gonna be threatened by two little girls.” “You don’t wanna mess with us.” “She’s a hair-puller.”
“We’re family.”
I usually have a heart of stone over scenes like the following but what the hell: “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me about your family and all that.” “I was just afraid if you saw the kind of people I came from, you wouldn’t wanna be anywhere near me.” “See that’s where you’re a dummy. I think about what you grew up with, and then I look at what you are. It makes me proud. It makes me love you more.” “Every time I…even when I’m at my worst…you always make me feel special.” “How do you do that?” “Magic.”
Some complain that Tara’s family is one dimensional but I think they are painted rather richly in such a short time on screen. And let’s face it, Tara wouldn’t be Tara without a one dimensional family to beat her down and make her so. Cousin Beth is appalled by Tara’s actions and who can blame her? Tara gets to escape and do what she wants, live how she wants while Beth has to conform and be stifled and that hurts.
Alyson Hannigan/Willow has been annoying me this season being unconvincing and irritating. She is better in this episode because she has a bit more to do: her disappointment when Tara doesn’t introduce her to her family and her angry “I know that!” are two highlights.
Amber Benson is gorgeous throughout even in that skirt and top at the end. But that’s irrelevant. She gives a rather wonderful performance (Joss really really gets the best out of her): her embarrassment at being a dork, her stutter returning, her tears, her cringing, her delight and her new found courage.
I’m unhappy with what Tara did in Goodbye Iowa because she could have been responsible for people’s deaths. Ditto in this and the gang are awfully forgiving of such reckless behaviour, family or not. Considering how she is later portrayed as being the moral centre of the gang it is strange that such uncharacteristic and foolish behaviour is whitewashed. It can be argued that she was scared and wasn’t thinking straight but I feel her morality should have overridden her selfishness. It’s also a problem that Willow doesn’t seem to mind at all that Tara lied to her for so long. I would be less forgiving and I certainly would have brought it up later in any argument…(I’m looking at you Tough Love). It should be a real difficulty for fan fiction writers but most of them ignore it. So if you know a good fiction which explores this sticky moment then let me know.
Glastonbury 2007
Sunday, June 24th, 2007Here is a list of artists that I caught at least twenty seconds of who performed over the past couple of days: John Fogerty, Björk, Amy Winehouse, Babyshambles, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Bat for Lashes, The Killers, The Kooks, Klaxons, Iggy Pop, Dirty Pretty Things, The Fratellis, Maxïmo Park, The Pigeon Detectives, Buffy Biffy Clyro, Lily Allen, Editors, Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly.
With the notable exceptions of Björk, Bat for Lashes (who are is now my new favourite band artist) and that one song by Lily Allen (because the one after Smile sounded, as Andy said, like Chas and Dave) there were all boring.
Andy said you aren’t being fair all you are doing is looking at the stage band to see if there any women there and dismissing the band if there aren’t. I was silent for a moment and then said but that’s maybe the point: they are all men. (I know, not Amy Winehouse.)
Obviously, not all music made by men is boring (duh) but the vast majority of music they show from Glastonbury is dull guitar rock with dreary vocals: 6 Music come alive (if that isn’t a tautology).
I’m being unfair and showing my prejudices but it is so boring.
Sirens’ Muse is a corrective that really made me feel that there is a heaven: Paula Frazer, Baird, Espvall & Kraus, Neko Case, Juliet Turner, Aimee Mann, Coach Said Not To, Shannon Wright, Joan as Police Woman, Tori Amos, Throwing Muses, Mirah, etc
Out - for - a - walk - - bitch
Wednesday, June 20th, 2007No Place Like Home (Doug Petrie)
No Giles, you can’t hide from it: they are wearing those outfits.
I try not to use words like hate (sorry for being so unsuccessful) but I hate what they are doing to Riley and, by extension, to Buffy. He is coming across as an arse who can’t handle being the “weaker ” half in a relationship and Buffy is whiny and self-centred.
I get quite (utterly irrationally) upset when I read criticism of a certain actress when people have the temerity to suggest that she isn’t that good - which may be true but they don’t get to say that - so, on that note: Ben and Glory*.
Glory’s entrance is wonderfully flat: did they view the rushes and think bugger why did we waste Katharine Towne as Sunday in one episode only?
The wordless exchange between Giles and Buffy is an almost perfect BtVS moment.
“It appears to be paranormal in origin.” “How can you tell?” “Well, it’s so shiny.” - Giles looks so sweet when he says this.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay! The stutter’s sexy. Keep it coming.” - oo, they should’ve kept that line for later in the series.
The trance sequence is unnerving and watching Dawn fade in and out is spooky. And discovering that Joyce’s health problems are not supernatural is painful.
“Out…for…a…walk…bitch.” - hilarious - but I pray (again and again and rather in vain) that Buffy would just stop hitting Spike without provocation: just kill him already.
“Satisfied? You know, I really hope so because God knows you need some satisfaction in life besides shagging Captain Cardboard and I never really liked you anyway and…and you have stupid hair.” - poor Spike, he is so confused.
“Would someone please rip that bloody bell off its hinges?” - I love the bell especially in Life Serial.
“I didn’t ask for this! I don’t even know…what is she?” “Human…now human. And helpless. Please…she’s an innocent in this. She needs you.” “She’s not my sister.” “She doesn’t know that.” - maybe it’s the monk’s accent but I actually feel quite weepy when I watch this.
Let the hair stroking begin!
*Apparently Clare Kramer is a sweetheart in real life and I think it shows.
I taught you teeny Tinkerbell light
Friday, June 8th, 2007Out of My Mind (Rebecca Rand Kirshner)
Uh oh, a sign that Tara won’t be one of the dynamic characters in the future: “I just keep thinking how cool it would be, if we got a real psychic to sit up here and read fortunes and stuff.” “You should do it.” “Not me. But, but I’d love to, to watch and learn. From someone who’s really good, you know?”
Harmony in small doses is funny: “Taking up smoking, are you?” “I am a villain, Spike, hellooooo.” (she starts coughing) but later in the episode I’m all “please make it stop, now”. The scenes in the college operating theatre (or whatever the hell it is) are just stupid and annoying and let’s face it, totally implausible (Spike even moves his head at one time) and Harmony’s smoking is just not funny: entirely lame scenes.
Joyce faints: “Who are you?”
I’m not happy with the way Buffy and Riley’s relationship is going because I get the vibe (and we get hit over the head with it eventually) that it’s all Buffy’s fault. She’s apparently unreachable, untouchable and doesn’t love him. He can’t deal with that so what is she supposed to do? Run after him? (I do concede that maybe she shouldn’t have left him quite so soon after his life saving operation).
Spike could leave Sunnydale to get the Slayer out of his hair but he can’t do that when he’s in the title credits.
But, despite the general ineptitude of this episode (including the embarrassing conversation that Willow and Buffy have at the beginning) it has a jaw dropping ending: “Oh, god, no. Please, no.”
What? Why isn’t he firing me? … Him?
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007The Replacement (Jane Espenson)
This is Xander’s Dopplegangland. And while it is not the classic that DGL is, it is certainly a well made episode with great performances from Nicholas Brendon (and his twin brother, Kelly). It takes a while to get up to steam but the last ten minutes are hilarious.
“Good work, Dawn. You gave her a headache.” “I did not! Did I give you a headache, Mom? I’m sure part of it is Buffy’s.” “But part of it is Dawn’s.” “It’s so nice you’ve learned to share. You girls, sort this out yourselves. It’s good for you.” (sob)
Spike and the mannequin. It was funny when I first saw it but I was innocent then.
“Right. There comes a point where you either have to move on, or just buy yourself a Klingon costume and…go with it.”
Anya’s pyjamas. Just…no way.
And in the same episode that Buffy’s hair looks this nice.
She wears a Neapolitan ice cream inspired top and these (shudder) trousers.
The Snoopy dance: forever imprinted as the sweetest Xander moment.
“But I never help. I get in trouble and Buffy saves me.” “That’s not true! Sometimes we all helped save you. And sometimes you’re not in trouble.” (examples please!)
“Hey, wait till you have an evil twin. See how you handle it.” “I handled it fine.”
Xander’s conversation with Anya makes me very cross, even though Hell’s Bells is a long way off.
I was moaning to Andy (after Out of My Mind) about the evidence to prove that that Buffy doesn’t love Riley and, oops, here it is:
“Riley, do you wish” “No.” “No? You don’t even know what I was gonna say.” “Yes, I do. You wanted to know if I wished you got hit by the ferula-gemina, got split in two.” “Well, you have been kind of rankly about the whole slayer gig. Instead of having slayer Buffy, you could have Buffy Buffy.” “Hey. I have Buffy Buffy. Being the slayer’s part of who you are. You keep thinking I don’t get that, but…” “It’s just … I know how … un-fun it can be. The bad hours, frequent bruising, cranky monsters…” “Buffy… if you led a perfectly normal life, you wouldn’t be half as crazy as you are. I gotta have that. I gotta have it all. I’m talkin’ toes, elbows, the whole bad-ice-skating-movie obsession, everything. There’s no part of you I’m not in love with.”
I’m with Riley, Anya owns a gun?
“No, I …huh. It is kinda cool. Washington’s still there, but he’s all smushy. And he may be Jefferson.”
This joke is done again and again (I mean, the Giles’ distaste) but funny:
“Well, maybe we shouldn’t do this reintegration thing right away. See, I can take the boys home, and … we can all have sex together, and … you know, just slap ‘em back together in the morning.” “She’s joking.” “No she’s not! She entirely wants to have sex with us together. Which is …wrong, and, and it would be very confusing.” “Uh, uh, we just need to light the candles. Also, we should continue to pretend we heard none of the disturbing sex talk.”
“What’ll we do if this doesn’t work?” “Kill us both, Spock!” “They’re…kinda the same now.” “Yes, he’s clearly a bad influence on himself.” The look on “their” faces as they realise what they said is priceless.
The Culture Show
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007The Culture Show used to be presented by a different presenter each week from a different location like Verity Sharp in Blackpool or Andrew Graham Dixon in Cullercoats or Charles Hazlewood in Skateraw in East Lothian. Now it is presented by Lauren Laverne (who I like) from London’s South Bank each and every week. And the last series was presented by LL from the same bar (or whatever) each and every week. The Now Show was produced from Birmingham but when it comes on air again it will be broadcast from London.
How can the BBC ever escape claims of London-bias if it carries on doing things like this? Moving the Children’s and Sport’s departments to Manchester will never change public perception of bias unless what it sees on screen is clearly diverse. And Lauren Laverne’s accent isn’t enough.