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thalia_seawoodYesterday, I watched the last episodes of season 3. For now here's my impression for episode 20.
The Prom
Not one of my favorite episodes. It annoyed me in parts; I got the impression I was supposed to feel a lot, but somehow I just felt like "duh, whatever".
I think this was caused mostly by the on-off-on-off-on-off-... relationship between Buffy and Angel. I just wanted them to finally decide something and *stick* to that decision. Their break up scene in this episode didn't work at all for me. Some spark was lacking, IMO. Part of my irritation might also have been caused by the fact that Angel makes the decision. What is it with heroes in books, TV and movies? (I'm thinking of Harry Potter and Spiderman in the first movie.) How comes they get to decide that the relationship has to end for the good of the woman? Gah. And anyway, everybody in Buffy's life always behaves as if she will become Grandmother Slayer one day. I think in Buffy's case I'd investigate the general life expectancy of a slayer and then make my own decisions.
As always they are moments I liked:
What did work for me was Buffy's reactions afterwards when she tells what happened to Willow. Actually, I think it's the first time we see her cry. So yes, I felt bad for her here.
Cordelia's "I no longer have money speech!" to Xander is neat. Also that Xander secretly buys the dress for her. Sweet.
So Anya has fallen for Xander. This is something that works for me.
Anya's conversational skills during the prom are amazing. :-)
Had to smile at the scene where Buffy kills the hellhounds in front of a fellow pupil. As he's from Sunnydale, he's used to these things. So yeah, of course, he'd ask Buffy for the way to the bathroom.
I liked that Buffy's fellow pupils realised that she played a special role in the school. Made me smile.
It's nice to see Jonathon again.
Wesley taking advice from Giles was another moment I liked:
Wesley: Mr. Giles. I'd like your opinion. While the last thing I want to do is muddle bad behavior in front of impressionable youth, I wonder if asking Miss Chase to dance would...
Giles: For God's sake, man, she's eighteen. And you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Just have at it, would you, and stop fluttering about. (walks away)
Wesley: Right, then. Thanks for that.
Not because, Giles is nice to Wesley, but because it sums up Wesley in many ways. He always tries to do the right thing, but isn't sure any longer what the right thing is. So he asks for advice - but when he gets it he always gets it in a very rude way. (In fact I get the impression anyone apart from Cordelia has been friendly to him since he arrived to Sunnydale.) The thing that amazes me is that he doesn't go off in a sulk, but that he tries to see the advice despite the rude delivery.
The Prom
Not one of my favorite episodes. It annoyed me in parts; I got the impression I was supposed to feel a lot, but somehow I just felt like "duh, whatever".
I think this was caused mostly by the on-off-on-off-on-off-... relationship between Buffy and Angel. I just wanted them to finally decide something and *stick* to that decision. Their break up scene in this episode didn't work at all for me. Some spark was lacking, IMO. Part of my irritation might also have been caused by the fact that Angel makes the decision. What is it with heroes in books, TV and movies? (I'm thinking of Harry Potter and Spiderman in the first movie.) How comes they get to decide that the relationship has to end for the good of the woman? Gah. And anyway, everybody in Buffy's life always behaves as if she will become Grandmother Slayer one day. I think in Buffy's case I'd investigate the general life expectancy of a slayer and then make my own decisions.
As always they are moments I liked:
What did work for me was Buffy's reactions afterwards when she tells what happened to Willow. Actually, I think it's the first time we see her cry. So yes, I felt bad for her here.
Cordelia's "I no longer have money speech!" to Xander is neat. Also that Xander secretly buys the dress for her. Sweet.
So Anya has fallen for Xander. This is something that works for me.
Anya's conversational skills during the prom are amazing. :-)
Had to smile at the scene where Buffy kills the hellhounds in front of a fellow pupil. As he's from Sunnydale, he's used to these things. So yeah, of course, he'd ask Buffy for the way to the bathroom.
I liked that Buffy's fellow pupils realised that she played a special role in the school. Made me smile.
It's nice to see Jonathon again.
Wesley taking advice from Giles was another moment I liked:
Wesley: Mr. Giles. I'd like your opinion. While the last thing I want to do is muddle bad behavior in front of impressionable youth, I wonder if asking Miss Chase to dance would...
Giles: For God's sake, man, she's eighteen. And you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Just have at it, would you, and stop fluttering about. (walks away)
Wesley: Right, then. Thanks for that.
Not because, Giles is nice to Wesley, but because it sums up Wesley in many ways. He always tries to do the right thing, but isn't sure any longer what the right thing is. So he asks for advice - but when he gets it he always gets it in a very rude way. (In fact I get the impression anyone apart from Cordelia has been friendly to him since he arrived to Sunnydale.) The thing that amazes me is that he doesn't go off in a sulk, but that he tries to see the advice despite the rude delivery.
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Date: 2005-11-05 09:50 am (UTC)We saw Buffy cry in Prophecy Girl (during the "Giles, I don't want to die" speech), but I think that's only other onscreen opportunity prior to this, on other occasions it's just a hint that she did, as in Innocence when she buries her face in the bed.
Cordelia's "I no longer have money speech!" to Xander is neat. Also that Xander secretly buys the dress for her. Sweet.
Wasn't it? It was a tender, mellow and reconciliatory note for their relationship to end on, and made finish the season with much Xander love.
So Anya has fallen for Xander. This is something that works for me.
Also, consider the irony: Xander was why she was summoned (unintentionally on Cordelia's part) to begin with. He truly is her reason for being human.
Buffy's protector award: is that one perfect High School moment she longed to have and one big reason why I'm fond of this episode.
He always tries to do the right thing, but isn't sure any longer what the right thing is. So he asks for advice.
And with one perceptive sentence, you've summed up Wesley Wyndham-Pryce for the next five years. I'm not kidding, though the roads where his attempt to do the right thing will lead im to will surprise you. Ah, Wesley.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-06 11:11 am (UTC)Oh, what he does makes perfect sense for his character. He's after all a 18th century male which means he will always have patriarchal tendencies. I.e. "I am the man and I will do what's best for the woman I love. I have to be strong where she's weak." This just vexes me, because in Buffy's case I'd have hit him over the head and told him I make my own decisions, thank you very much. :-)
Also, consider the irony: Xander was why she was summoned (unintentionally on Cordelia's part) to begin with. He truly is her reason for being human.
What's also interesting: Usually Anyanka gets the job to hurt the unfaithful lover. However, Cordelia doesn't wish anything evil for *Xander*, she just wants Buffy gone. (Actually, the wish is very tame. Cordy doesn't wish for anyone to suffer directly. She just wants someone gone and that someone isn't even Willow. :-)) As we hear Anya recollecting her past acts of revenge this seems to be very unusual.
Buffy's protector award: is that one perfect High School moment she longed to have and one big reason why I'm fond of this episode.
Yes, and I liked this moment, too.
What I didn't like about The Prom was the hellhound plot and the Angel-Buffy on/off switch. Ending the relationship, then coming to the ball, then stating that it's over anyway. *sigh*
And with one perceptive sentence, you've summed up Wesley Wyndham-Pryce for the next five years. I'm not kidding, though the roads where his attempt to do the right thing will lead im to will surprise you. Ah, Wesley.
Cool.
In a way, I'm glad Buffy and Angel are already over. I stumbled over some LJ comments on the internet and it seems there were bitter fandom wars between Angel lovers/haters, Spike lovers/haters, etc. There's even a website dedicated to writing lots of mails and letters to the creators of the show so Spike gets his redemption. Huh.
Seems I missed all the insanity and I'm glad about it. Because I get the chance to make up my own mind: I don't have to write lengthy entries to defend a character I love or love him even though everyone hates him. In a way, it's very refreshing. Like walking over a wide plain where fandom has already stampeded through. But the stampede happened some years ago so grass is growing again and the wildlife is recovering. :-))
no subject
Date: 2005-11-06 03:33 pm (UTC)Oh quite. In the big Anya flashback episode, Selfless in season 7, we see some gruesome details of her vengeance demon past. Mind you, though Cordelia's actual wish was harmless (way more than Xander's wish in "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" which was to make her suffer), the results were anything but, and Anyanka, taking pride in her work, usually does tweak the more harmless wishes this way.
I stumbled over some LJ comments on the internet and it seems there were bitter fandom wars between Angel lovers/haters, Spike lovers/haters, etc.
Oh God yes. I like the image of the stampede being over. Those wars were bloody. There were and still are bashing sites for both writers and characterse, and you wouldn't believe some of the truly nasty stuff fans of character X said about writer Y when writer Y in a chat or interview didn't share their views - the HP fandom reaction after each JKR interview has nothing on it.