Mark – Did you tell your friend what happens to Willow’s…ummm…tendencies…in the later seasons? That kidna ruined an overall great show for me! C’mon Joss!
Yeah, I picked up on that through a few different channels. Too bad. I’m debating over whether I should tell Janelle ahead of time or just let her find out by watching. Early on, Willow is by far the most endearing character of the bunch.
We finished season two last night and we might take a “Buffy break” before getting out seasons three and four.
Wayne, the soft porn scenes don’t really happen until seasons 6 and 7, and only briefly in 6. You got the same sort of thing in one episode of Firefly.
One option is to go from Season 3 to Angel season 1 and take it from there….
Willow is the most endearing, but watch for clues as to what is going to happen. I don’t mean the sexual issue, but magic and power. You saw how naturally and easily she almost got possessed by a spell in the season finale. She is a tragic character because we find that she despises the edearing character–herself. There is a dream sequence in the last show of season four (which I sometimes think is better than “hush”) which shows her ambivalence about herself (and for reasons I can’t fathom C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is mentioned with it).
Fascinating analysis Mark. It always did seem so twisted to me, Willow’s fall from grace that is. I became more and more disappointed as the series went on, though I never missed an episode. There were moments of magic towards the end; but I dunno, when Joss stopped writing most of the episodes things seemed to go down hill. I thought this was true for Angel too.
Anyway, it was comforting to find out I’m not the only PCA minister who loved “the Buff” (as Zander would say). I’m almost ashamed now at the number of friends at seminary forced to sit down with my wife and I and watch “Once More with Feeling” (and the orginal 1 hour 10 minute version at that, not the lame short version for repeats!).
I’m looking forward to getting into Firefly this Summer. From what I’ve seen on your blog and Joel’s (I think), I’m in for a treat.
By the way, thanks for everything else you write too. I don’t comment much, but I always find your thoughts stimulating and encouraging.
Mark, I’m commenting re: your comment on Wayne’s blog. If Buffy jumped the shark, it was either when Willow decided she was irrevocably gay and not just in love with Tara (the whole point was that Willow falls in love with people, as you said in your analysis, not that she’s locked into a lesbian orientation…it would have been entirely more believable for Oz to have returned and their relationship reignited than for her to get involved with Kennedy, even outside of the whole moral issue. Ugh….), or when Spike got a soul and his character got almost completely neutered. So, I guess that would be Season 7, wouldn’t it? 🙂 The thing is, S7 started off extremely strong, all the way through Conversations With Dead People, and then, just when it should’ve been picking up even more, it stalled completely and never got going again (outside of one-off good eps like Storyteller). So I wouldn’t want to lose S7, either, but I definitely would’ve written it differently.
Oh, and Normal Again? The mental institution one? Rocked. That’s one of my top ten favorite episodes. So no hating on it! :p (I’m kidding, you’ve a right to dislike whichever episodes you want, but that is one I really liked.)
Congrats on your convert 😉
Mark – Did you tell your friend what happens to Willow’s…ummm…tendencies…in the later seasons? That kidna ruined an overall great show for me! C’mon Joss!
I thought I had mentioned it.
Here’s my analysis for what it’s worth.
Yeah, I picked up on that through a few different channels. Too bad. I’m debating over whether I should tell Janelle ahead of time or just let her find out by watching. Early on, Willow is by far the most endearing character of the bunch.
We finished season two last night and we might take a “Buffy break” before getting out seasons three and four.
Wayne, the soft porn scenes don’t really happen until seasons 6 and 7, and only briefly in 6. You got the same sort of thing in one episode of Firefly.
One option is to go from Season 3 to Angel season 1 and take it from there….
Willow is the most endearing, but watch for clues as to what is going to happen. I don’t mean the sexual issue, but magic and power. You saw how naturally and easily she almost got possessed by a spell in the season finale. She is a tragic character because we find that she despises the edearing character–herself. There is a dream sequence in the last show of season four (which I sometimes think is better than “hush”) which shows her ambivalence about herself (and for reasons I can’t fathom C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is mentioned with it).
Fascinating analysis Mark. It always did seem so twisted to me, Willow’s fall from grace that is. I became more and more disappointed as the series went on, though I never missed an episode. There were moments of magic towards the end; but I dunno, when Joss stopped writing most of the episodes things seemed to go down hill. I thought this was true for Angel too.
Anyway, it was comforting to find out I’m not the only PCA minister who loved “the Buff” (as Zander would say). I’m almost ashamed now at the number of friends at seminary forced to sit down with my wife and I and watch “Once More with Feeling” (and the orginal 1 hour 10 minute version at that, not the lame short version for repeats!).
I’m looking forward to getting into Firefly this Summer. From what I’ve seen on your blog and Joel’s (I think), I’m in for a treat.
By the way, thanks for everything else you write too. I don’t comment much, but I always find your thoughts stimulating and encouraging.
Blessings to you and your family.
-Ken, New Life Pres., Va Beach, VA.
Only PCA minister? Hah! I keep expecting RUF to open up a Institute of Buffy Worldview Apologetic Studies.
I fear I would be denied membership due to my horrible butchering of Xander’s name in my last comment.
Mark, I’m commenting re: your comment on Wayne’s blog. If Buffy jumped the shark, it was either when Willow decided she was irrevocably gay and not just in love with Tara (the whole point was that Willow falls in love with people, as you said in your analysis, not that she’s locked into a lesbian orientation…it would have been entirely more believable for Oz to have returned and their relationship reignited than for her to get involved with Kennedy, even outside of the whole moral issue. Ugh….), or when Spike got a soul and his character got almost completely neutered. So, I guess that would be Season 7, wouldn’t it? 🙂 The thing is, S7 started off extremely strong, all the way through Conversations With Dead People, and then, just when it should’ve been picking up even more, it stalled completely and never got going again (outside of one-off good eps like Storyteller). So I wouldn’t want to lose S7, either, but I definitely would’ve written it differently.
Oh, and Normal Again? The mental institution one? Rocked. That’s one of my top ten favorite episodes. So no hating on it! :p (I’m kidding, you’ve a right to dislike whichever episodes you want, but that is one I really liked.)