Buffy - Season 4 impressions (episode 1)
Nov. 7th, 2005 02:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thalia_seawoodFreshman
I notice a pattern: Every new season, Buffy has to cope with a big change and it's especially hard for her. In Season 2, she had to accept the new-found knowledge of her mortality, in season 3, she had to cope with the Angel aftermath and all the pain and guilt it brought with it. This time around, it's college that's hard for her in combination with having lost Angel again.
It was interesting to observe that at the moment, the roles between Buffy and Willow have been reversed. Willow is blissfully happy to be at college, she loves learning new things. Finding her way around campus and signing on for the right courses is just one exciting new thing along the way. She's also becoming more stylish as can be seen by her new haircut.
Buffy, on the other hand, is totally overwhelmed by the college experience.
When Buffy and Willow meet Riley, Buffy falls totally into the stereotype of the blonde brainless girl. When she later on meets Riley again, he hasn't remembered her name, but defines her in relationship to Willow ("Willow's friend).
This definitely has to be a new experience for Buffy. While she hasn't been popular for most of her Sunnydale high school days everyone did know her at least. She was Buffy and Willow was her friend who tagged along in her shadow.
The reference to "Modern Pop Culture" made me smile.
The Modern Pop Culture prof was unbelievable, however. He was so bad that I thought at first that this was one of Buffy's nightmare sequences. Poor Buffy.
A delightful little moment is Buffy and Eddie trying to find their way around campus:
They kind of know what buildings are around them, but "it's just us I can't find".
So true. You know where you started from and where you want to go, but where the heck are you right now? :-)
Sunday, the vampire girl, is fun to watch. She's really a queen holding court and has a lot in common with people like season 1 Cordelia or Harmony. She has style (or thinks she does); she also defines style, i.e. she decides if you have it or not.
The vampire gang keeping tag of Monet posters versus Klimt posters is a nice little moment.
Over the last episodes I noticed that we rarely see the human faces of vampires. Usually, we just see them with their demon faces. If we see the human face of a vampire, it usually means that this vampire will play a bigger part and we will come to care for him/her. So I had been quite confident that we would see more of Sunday. Well, I was wrong. :-) She damaged the umbrella Buffy had received as a gift from her fellow pupils - and in this moment there's no doubt Buffy will defeat her. :-)
Over the course of the episode, Buffy really feels adrift.
Seeing Giles with Olivia is a shock. She always has seen Giles as someone whose sole purpose in life is to be her watcher and a librarian. That he has a private life is something she rarely has considered. And now all of a sudden he's not there for her, but wants her to be independent and grown up.
Buffy: This is a bad time.
Giles: You keep saying that.
Buffy: Well it looks pretty bad! I think someone had just a little too much free time on their hands.
Giles: I'm not supposed to have a private life?
Buffy: No! (In a whiny voice.) 'Cause you're very, very old, and it's gross.
Giles: Well, before I succumb to the ravages of age, why don't you tell me what brings you here.
In addition to this she has to realise that while she misses her home and her mother, her mother gets on just fine without her.
The talk between Buffy and Xander is a highlight of the show, IMO. Xander really helps Buffy here. In this episode, he's the only one who pays attention to her and takes the time to listen.
When it becomes clear Buffy is danger, her friends rally together - and when all is over even Giles comes by. (The evil is this way? :-))
I notice a pattern: Every new season, Buffy has to cope with a big change and it's especially hard for her. In Season 2, she had to accept the new-found knowledge of her mortality, in season 3, she had to cope with the Angel aftermath and all the pain and guilt it brought with it. This time around, it's college that's hard for her in combination with having lost Angel again.
It was interesting to observe that at the moment, the roles between Buffy and Willow have been reversed. Willow is blissfully happy to be at college, she loves learning new things. Finding her way around campus and signing on for the right courses is just one exciting new thing along the way. She's also becoming more stylish as can be seen by her new haircut.
Buffy, on the other hand, is totally overwhelmed by the college experience.
When Buffy and Willow meet Riley, Buffy falls totally into the stereotype of the blonde brainless girl. When she later on meets Riley again, he hasn't remembered her name, but defines her in relationship to Willow ("Willow's friend).
This definitely has to be a new experience for Buffy. While she hasn't been popular for most of her Sunnydale high school days everyone did know her at least. She was Buffy and Willow was her friend who tagged along in her shadow.
The reference to "Modern Pop Culture" made me smile.
The Modern Pop Culture prof was unbelievable, however. He was so bad that I thought at first that this was one of Buffy's nightmare sequences. Poor Buffy.
A delightful little moment is Buffy and Eddie trying to find their way around campus:
They kind of know what buildings are around them, but "it's just us I can't find".
So true. You know where you started from and where you want to go, but where the heck are you right now? :-)
Sunday, the vampire girl, is fun to watch. She's really a queen holding court and has a lot in common with people like season 1 Cordelia or Harmony. She has style (or thinks she does); she also defines style, i.e. she decides if you have it or not.
The vampire gang keeping tag of Monet posters versus Klimt posters is a nice little moment.
Over the last episodes I noticed that we rarely see the human faces of vampires. Usually, we just see them with their demon faces. If we see the human face of a vampire, it usually means that this vampire will play a bigger part and we will come to care for him/her. So I had been quite confident that we would see more of Sunday. Well, I was wrong. :-) She damaged the umbrella Buffy had received as a gift from her fellow pupils - and in this moment there's no doubt Buffy will defeat her. :-)
Over the course of the episode, Buffy really feels adrift.
Seeing Giles with Olivia is a shock. She always has seen Giles as someone whose sole purpose in life is to be her watcher and a librarian. That he has a private life is something she rarely has considered. And now all of a sudden he's not there for her, but wants her to be independent and grown up.
Buffy: This is a bad time.
Giles: You keep saying that.
Buffy: Well it looks pretty bad! I think someone had just a little too much free time on their hands.
Giles: I'm not supposed to have a private life?
Buffy: No! (In a whiny voice.) 'Cause you're very, very old, and it's gross.
Giles: Well, before I succumb to the ravages of age, why don't you tell me what brings you here.
In addition to this she has to realise that while she misses her home and her mother, her mother gets on just fine without her.
The talk between Buffy and Xander is a highlight of the show, IMO. Xander really helps Buffy here. In this episode, he's the only one who pays attention to her and takes the time to listen.
When it becomes clear Buffy is danger, her friends rally together - and when all is over even Giles comes by. (The evil is this way? :-))
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-11-07 02:17 pm (UTC)Every new season, Buffy has to cope with a big change and it's especially hard for her.
*nods* I recall from the DVD commentary on season 5 that every season premiere more or less is about Buffy reclaiming her Slayer mantle, reasserting her place. (In this case, overcoming her uncertainties by defeating the big bad vamp on campus.) I hadn't really thought about it, but it's true.
Season 4 gets a lot of flack, but it really is fun, especially in the beginning. No, it's not my favorite season, but it's definitely not as horrific as one might gather from the general fan reactions.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 05:45 pm (UTC)You have to keep in mind that season 1 only had 11 episodes.
And I had 2 weeks of holidays were I had about 2 hours of time for watching Buffy every day.
*nods* I recall from the DVD commentary on season 5 that every season premiere more or less is about Buffy reclaiming her Slayer mantle, reasserting her place. (In this case, overcoming her uncertainties by defeating the big bad vamp on campus.) I hadn't really thought about it, but it's true.
It's much easier to notice things like this when you watch the episodes back to back and one season plays over about a year.
Season 4 gets a lot of flack, but it really is fun, especially in the beginning. No, it's not my favorite season, but it's definitely not as horrific as one might gather from the general fan reactions.
Another huge advantage I have:
I come to Buffy and Angel (just watched the first episode yesterday)with zero expectations. I also don't have to pass the wait between episodes/seasons by hanging out on discussion boards and speculating wildly. This means that it will be hard to disappoint me, because I don't have many preformed ideas on how things should be.
E.g. I think many Star Wars fans dislike the prequel series simply because it's not exactly what they wanted. They can't appreciate it at all, because their preconceptions are so strong that anything that's different automatically sucks. Which actually makes me kind of sad.
I also can make up my own minds about the characters. There aren't 50000 fans telling me that Wesley sucks or Spike is cool. I can like Wesley because I sympathize with him. And I can find Spike most entertaining and still see that he's not flawless. :-) Because even as someone who has been passed by by the Buffy phenomen I've noticed the fanatic Spike love (or alternatively fanatic Spike hate) that floats through the web. :-)
no subject
Date: 2005-11-07 02:19 pm (UTC)The vampire gang keeping tag of Monet posters versus Klimt posters is a nice little moment.
Obviously, I never attended an American college, but all my American friends who did assure me this is quite true (i.e. all the new students either going for Monet or Klimt).
She damaged the umbrella Buffy had received as a gift from her fellow pupils - and in this moment there's no doubt Buffy will defeat her. :-)
There will be no touching of the class award! Sunday is going down. He.
Giles: Buffy's "Giles + sex = ew!" reaction is such a daughter thing and one big reason why I find B/G as a romantic pairing completely unbelievable. (When Giles isn't paired with Ethan, he's paired up with Buffy, which just, no. No.) It does make me smile, though.
The talk between Buffy and Xander is a highlight of the show, IMO. Xander really helps Buffy here. In this episode, he's the only one who pays attention to her and takes the time to listen.
I told you the Xander love would come back. Honestly, it's a big "hug Xander now" moment for me, and shows that whatever his faults, he's a great friend to have. And his pep talk is a treat for Star Wars fans.*g*
no subject
Date: 2005-11-08 06:14 pm (UTC)Giles/Buffy doesn't work for me at all. Just feels wrong.
(Now if they were both vampires, I could see it happening as vampire bonds seem to equal family with an addition of sexual intimacy and they would then be a formidable vampire team. But that's really the only way it would work for me.)
I've also seen Giles/Willow and it squicks me. My view on it might change when Willow gets older, but so far it would feel really wrong.
I told you the Xander love would come back. Honestly, it's a big "hug Xander now" moment for me, and shows that whatever his faults, he's a great friend to have. And his pep talk is a treat for Star Wars fans.*g*
When not around Angel (or any vampire) Xander is great. He's quite observant and has a way of putting his observations into words. He's also a very generous person who never praises his own generosity.
And when he was done with the SW quote I was unable to quote Yoda correctly myself. Thanks, Xander. :-)))
And since I have no cool Xander icon so far, I proudly present my new icon starring Drusilla and Miss Edith. Yay!
no subject
Date: 2005-11-09 11:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 09:22 pm (UTC)If we have already been introduced to this character, my money is on Spike. One of his first comments is after all "You were my sire, man, my Yoda." when he talks to Angel. :-)