Buffy - Season 6 impressions (episode 7)
Feb. 19th, 2006 10:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thalia_seawoodOnce More With Feeling
So far, I've watched this episode 4 times and it just gets better and better. I don't think my review can do it justice, but I'll try.
I rank this as my favorite Buffy episode. It's outstanding in so many ways:
It's a comedy ("The Parking Ticket Song" or "The Dry Cleaner Song" are absolute highlights), but also a tragedy. (The opener "Going Through the Motions" is a terrific blend of comedy and tragedy.)
It's a romance and an anti-romance.
You can enjoy it if you've never seen a single Buffy episode before and it's even better if you've seen all the previous episodes. Not only does it integrate what happened in previous episodes, it also moves the plot along considerably.
People who hate musicals can connect to it and so can people who love musicals.
The songs are lovely and an hommage to the many different styles used both in musicals and music movies.
All the actors have a part that gives them a chance to shine and you can feel that they all gave their best.
Since the episode focuses strongly on the relationships between the characters, I've decided to put these different relationships at the center of my review.
Romance & Anti-Romance
We see three different romantic couples. Each of them will get a love songs, however, these love songs all have a twist: They all reveal the problems of each relationship.
Willow and Tara
Tara's love song "I'm Under Your Spell" is deeply ironic considering that she is in fact under Willow's memory spell right now. Particularly these lines get a sinister meaning when we take this into account.
Something just isn't right
I'm under your spell
[...]
I'm under your spell
Nothing I can do
You just took my soul with you
You worked your charms so well
[...]
Finally, I knew
Everything I dreamed was true
You made me believe.
When I reread this line I had to wince:
It's magic, I can tell
How you set me free
Brought me out so easily.
In the early stages of their relationship, Willow is Tara's chance to connect to other people.
It's interesting, though, that in the very beginning Willow utters the wish to keep Tara all to herself. At the root of this wish is that Willow wants something just for herself, affection that she does not have to share with anyone else. When she becomes more secure of her relationship with Tara, she gradually introduces her to her friends and Tara starts to build other friendships.
At the point of All The Way, Willow slips back into her old pattern. Now that Tara has started to critizise her, she is afraid that Tara might leave her. This is something she cannot tolerate. If she can only make Tara happy and complacent by altering her memory, she will do it. Which means: She's doesn't put Tara free, she puts her in a cage.
Tara also brings a big problem into the relationship: She is extremely insecure as can been seen in this line or when she states that she's the tide to Willow's moon.
I'm under your spell
How else could it be
Anyone would notice me?
She doesn't realise her own self worth and instead believes her own accomplishments to be Willow's. In the beginning, she didn't mind being the passive partner in the relationship. She admired Willow so much that she hardly ever questioned her decisions. This has changed started with their fight in Tough Love, but due to Glory's intervention and Buffy's death the discussion they need to have (Willow *is* using too much magic) has been put off until it resurfaced in All The Way. Tara even assisted Willow in resurrecting Buffy which clearly shows how much Tara values Willow's decisions. So far, she has basically never doubted her. Her thoughts have gone along the lines of Willow is perfect and I'm very lucky she loves me.
Conclusion: The relationship of Tara and Willow is very imbalanced. Willow is the active one - which is also reflected in their sex scene - Tara is the passive follower. What's frightening is that Tara during Once More With Feeling is not passive by choice any longer, but because she has been put under a spell.
Interestingly enough, Tara and Willow do not have a duet. It's Tara who sings and dances with Willow observing and admiring her.
Xander and Anya
The song following "I'm Under Your Spell" is "I'll Never Tell" which gives us some insight into Xander's and Anya's relationship.
Unlike Tara and Willow, they are a well-balance couple. They are attracted equally by one another, they are annoyed equally by one another. Anya is slightly more dominant (she interrupts Xander during his verse, she starts the dance routine), but even then they make it work (Xander integrates her interruption into his song, he imitates her dance routine and they then start dancing together).
The problems they have with their relationship are also identical. They are both afraid that they are not good enough for the other or - to be more precise - that their partner will be disillusioned by them.
TOGETHER:I lied
I said it's easy
I've tried
But there's these fears I've can't quell
XANDER: Is she looking for a pot of gold?
ANYA: Will I look good when I've gotten old?
Not only do they share similar fears, they also both have decided to not let their partner know about them.
Whereas Tara's song cements the illusion of happiness and harmony, the duet of Anya and Xander reveals to their partner what they've been thinking all along. I love the end of their song when they are still high about performing so well together and fall into the chair giggling - only to then realise that their well-kept secrets have finally got out.
Based on the knowledge that there are no happy relationships for any of the Scoobies and this verse, my guess is that Anya will get cold feet before the wedding.
ANYA:
I've read this tale
There's wedding, than betrayal
I know there'll come the day I'll want to run and hide.
I've seen Hell's Bells in the meantime, so I know how the wedding really turns out...
Buffy and Spike
There are two songs that deal with their relationship. Spike's "Let Me Rest in Peace" and the refrain of "Walk Through The Fire".
The dynamic of "Let Me Rest in Peace" reminds me of Tara's love song in as far as it's a solo piece that's performed for the benefit of the love interest. In both relationships one partner is the dominant one and the other partner ultimately tries to please.
Spike's feelings for Buffy are much more ambivalent and complex, though. He wants to be with her, but still holds on to his pride. He's willing to go along with everything she wants under the one condition that she does let herself go, that she actually starts misbehaving:
You know
You've got a willing slave [goes to his knees]
And you just love to play the thought
That you might misbehave.
But till you do I'm telling you,
Stop visiting my grave.
One thing that is clear is that he understands more than any other character what Buffy really feels:
You're scared.
Ashamed of what you feel
And you can't tell the ones you love
You know they couldn't deal
Since it's clear that people can't lie when they are under the spell of the song, I consider this song as proof that he does have deep feelings for her.
'Cause being with you touches me
More than I can say.
Regarding the imagery, I love the moment when Buffy and Spike fall into the grave together. I have a hunch that this is quite symbolic. When they fall, they both fall. I guess it's also significant that Buffy gets out of the grave before Spike does which suggests that she will get over her issues before he has a chance to leave death behind. There's no doubt for me, though, that he will ultimately follow her when she becomes connected to life again.
Beyond this song, Spike and Buffy have some other significant scenes.
Spike offers to help Buffy find her sister and gets pushed back. At this Buffy feels deserted by all her friends and takes it out on Spike. If her friends don't want to help her, she doesn't want Spike's assistance either, especially after he sang she should stay away from him.
SPIKE: (to Buffy) Look, forget them, Slayer. I've got your back.
BUFFY: I thought you wanted me to stay away from you. Isn't that what you sang?
SPIKE: (to Buffy, angrily) Fine. I hope you dance till you burn. You and the little bit.
During "Walk Through The Fire", Spike has several lines showing his ambivalence. He's resentful that Buffy didn't accept his help, his angry - and despite this decides to help her out.
His lines are the mirror image of Buffy's lines. Where Buffy can't feel any longer and desperately wants to feel again, he feels too much and would prefer to feel less.
Buffy: I touch the fire and it freezes me
Why can't I feel? [looking at her hand]
My skin should crack and peel
I want the fire back!
Spike: The torch I bear is scorching me
When Buffy despairs of her existence and nearly dances herself to death, Spike's the one who stops her. Love the irony that a dead man tells Buffy what life is about:
Life's not a song
Life isn't bliss
Life is just this
It's living
In the refrain of "Walk Through The Fire" it becomes clear that this won't be a happy romance. Whereas Spike states once more how strong his feelings for Buffy are, Buffy declares that what she has with Spike isn't real, but that she finally wants to feel something again. So you could say that Buffy is using Spike at this point.
BUFFY: I touch the fire and it freezes me.
I look into it and it's black
This isn't real
But I just want to feel
SPIKE (at the same time): I died...
So many years ago.
But you can make me
Feel
Apart from the three romances, Once More With Feeling illuminates that bonds of family and friendship Buffy has.
Buffy and her relationship to Dawn and Giles
Ever since Buffy has been resurrected she has just "been going through the motions". Living itself is an enormous effort to her, so all her responsibilities (taking care of her sister, her duties as a Slayer) weigh all the more on her.
Since she cannot deal with this, she has started to move many of her responsibilities over to Giles. While he sees himself in the role of a father, Buffy has assigned him the role of her mother as her true father has turned out to be so unreliable. Giles is the one constant in Buffy's life, he's her anchor to sanity, IMO. He didn't take part in the ressurection scheme, unlike Dawn, he doesn't expect open affection and unlike Spike he isn't a creature with ties to darkness.
I really don't agree with Giles' decision to leave Buffy to make her more independent. Buffy isn't a normal 20 year old at this point, she has been deeply traumatised by what happened and she needs a steady anchor. Yes, she's shifting all her responsibilities to Giles, but I believe that with time she would start to take them back.
Buffy relies on him and is deeply wounded when he refuses (at first) to go on the rescue mission.
WILLOW: We're not just gonna stay here.
GILES: Yes we are. (looks intently at Buffy) Buffy's going alone.
[...]
BUFFY: You're really not coming.
GILES: (walks up to her) It's up to you, Buffy.
BUFFY: (upset) What do you expect me to do?
GILES: Your best.
Buffy stares at him.
And the worst is yet to come: Buffy doesn't know yet that Giles plans to leave Sunnydale permanently.
Dawn is suffering deeply under her sister's perceived indifference. She has wanted Buffy back so much and now that her wish has been fulfilled, she has to realize that things are very different. Buffy simply cannot give her the affection she craves. To make up for the loss of affection, Dawn has started to steal things and hide them in her room. Sadly enough, neither Buffy nor the Scoobies notice this. (Does anybody even notice? Does anybody even care?) It seems that Dawn seeks the love she doesn't get from her sister from Tara who has a very motherly vibe.
It's a fascinating parallel that in this episode it becomes clear that Giles will leave Buffy and Tara will leave Willow and as a consequence also Dawn. Both Buffy and Dawn will lose their mother substitute very soon.
Buffy and the Scoobies
In the beginning of the episode, we see that while Buffy's subconscious resents the Scoobies for resurrecting her, she also needs their friendship and support to go on with her life at all.
BUFFY: I've got a theory. It doesn't matter.
Giles pauses, turns back. Everyone looks at Buffy.
BUFFY: What can't we face if we're together?
What's in this place that we can't weather?
Apocalypse?
We've all been there.
The same old trips
Why should we care?
As long as she has her friends to help her, she will be able to live. So it hits her hard, when they all seem to desert her when she sets out to rescue Dawn. To Buffy it seems that her friends believe she has become cold and indifferent for no reason and that she only would need to pull herself together. And she can't tell them that it's their fault that she is behaving the way she is...
BUFFY:
So one by one, they turn from me
I guess my friends can't face the cold
But why I froze, not one among them knows
And never can be told.
Buffy's life seems to pointless to her that she offers herself to Sweet in exchange for Dawn. It doesn't matter to her anymore if she ends up in Heaven or Hell - as long as she can stop living.
Deal's this. I can't kill you? You take me to Hellsville in her place.
In the final scenes, the truth gets out. When singing and dancing Buffy can't disguise the truth any longer and her friends learn that they tore Buffy from heaven.
There was no pain
No fear, no doubt
Till they pulled me out
Of Heaven.
[looks back at the others. Giles and Xander looking surprised]
So that's my refrain.
[Willow looking horrified]
I live in Hell
[Xander looking horrified]
'Cause I've been expelled
From Heaven
I think I was in Heaven
[Willow looking horrified]
So give me something to sing about.
[whirls around to look at Sweet]
Please
Give me something...
In the end of Once More With Feeling there's the question: Where do we go from here? Everybody's certainties have been upended. They all hope that things will work out fine, but as the music demon Sweet says there's not a one who can say this ended well. So despite the happy group song, all the characters will have to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Here's a status overview regarding which episodes I've seen and/or commented on. If you are new to my LJ, please check this info so you don't post any big spoilers when you leave comments. Thanks!
So far, I've watched this episode 4 times and it just gets better and better. I don't think my review can do it justice, but I'll try.
I rank this as my favorite Buffy episode. It's outstanding in so many ways:
It's a comedy ("The Parking Ticket Song" or "The Dry Cleaner Song" are absolute highlights), but also a tragedy. (The opener "Going Through the Motions" is a terrific blend of comedy and tragedy.)
It's a romance and an anti-romance.
You can enjoy it if you've never seen a single Buffy episode before and it's even better if you've seen all the previous episodes. Not only does it integrate what happened in previous episodes, it also moves the plot along considerably.
People who hate musicals can connect to it and so can people who love musicals.
The songs are lovely and an hommage to the many different styles used both in musicals and music movies.
All the actors have a part that gives them a chance to shine and you can feel that they all gave their best.
Since the episode focuses strongly on the relationships between the characters, I've decided to put these different relationships at the center of my review.
Romance & Anti-Romance
We see three different romantic couples. Each of them will get a love songs, however, these love songs all have a twist: They all reveal the problems of each relationship.
Willow and Tara
Tara's love song "I'm Under Your Spell" is deeply ironic considering that she is in fact under Willow's memory spell right now. Particularly these lines get a sinister meaning when we take this into account.
Something just isn't right
I'm under your spell
[...]
I'm under your spell
Nothing I can do
You just took my soul with you
You worked your charms so well
[...]
Finally, I knew
Everything I dreamed was true
You made me believe.
When I reread this line I had to wince:
It's magic, I can tell
How you set me free
Brought me out so easily.
In the early stages of their relationship, Willow is Tara's chance to connect to other people.
It's interesting, though, that in the very beginning Willow utters the wish to keep Tara all to herself. At the root of this wish is that Willow wants something just for herself, affection that she does not have to share with anyone else. When she becomes more secure of her relationship with Tara, she gradually introduces her to her friends and Tara starts to build other friendships.
At the point of All The Way, Willow slips back into her old pattern. Now that Tara has started to critizise her, she is afraid that Tara might leave her. This is something she cannot tolerate. If she can only make Tara happy and complacent by altering her memory, she will do it. Which means: She's doesn't put Tara free, she puts her in a cage.
Tara also brings a big problem into the relationship: She is extremely insecure as can been seen in this line or when she states that she's the tide to Willow's moon.
I'm under your spell
How else could it be
Anyone would notice me?
She doesn't realise her own self worth and instead believes her own accomplishments to be Willow's. In the beginning, she didn't mind being the passive partner in the relationship. She admired Willow so much that she hardly ever questioned her decisions. This has changed started with their fight in Tough Love, but due to Glory's intervention and Buffy's death the discussion they need to have (Willow *is* using too much magic) has been put off until it resurfaced in All The Way. Tara even assisted Willow in resurrecting Buffy which clearly shows how much Tara values Willow's decisions. So far, she has basically never doubted her. Her thoughts have gone along the lines of Willow is perfect and I'm very lucky she loves me.
Conclusion: The relationship of Tara and Willow is very imbalanced. Willow is the active one - which is also reflected in their sex scene - Tara is the passive follower. What's frightening is that Tara during Once More With Feeling is not passive by choice any longer, but because she has been put under a spell.
Interestingly enough, Tara and Willow do not have a duet. It's Tara who sings and dances with Willow observing and admiring her.
Xander and Anya
The song following "I'm Under Your Spell" is "I'll Never Tell" which gives us some insight into Xander's and Anya's relationship.
Unlike Tara and Willow, they are a well-balance couple. They are attracted equally by one another, they are annoyed equally by one another. Anya is slightly more dominant (she interrupts Xander during his verse, she starts the dance routine), but even then they make it work (Xander integrates her interruption into his song, he imitates her dance routine and they then start dancing together).
The problems they have with their relationship are also identical. They are both afraid that they are not good enough for the other or - to be more precise - that their partner will be disillusioned by them.
TOGETHER:I lied
I said it's easy
I've tried
But there's these fears I've can't quell
XANDER: Is she looking for a pot of gold?
ANYA: Will I look good when I've gotten old?
Not only do they share similar fears, they also both have decided to not let their partner know about them.
Whereas Tara's song cements the illusion of happiness and harmony, the duet of Anya and Xander reveals to their partner what they've been thinking all along. I love the end of their song when they are still high about performing so well together and fall into the chair giggling - only to then realise that their well-kept secrets have finally got out.
Based on the knowledge that there are no happy relationships for any of the Scoobies and this verse, my guess is that Anya will get cold feet before the wedding.
ANYA:
I've read this tale
There's wedding, than betrayal
I know there'll come the day I'll want to run and hide.
I've seen Hell's Bells in the meantime, so I know how the wedding really turns out...
Buffy and Spike
There are two songs that deal with their relationship. Spike's "Let Me Rest in Peace" and the refrain of "Walk Through The Fire".
The dynamic of "Let Me Rest in Peace" reminds me of Tara's love song in as far as it's a solo piece that's performed for the benefit of the love interest. In both relationships one partner is the dominant one and the other partner ultimately tries to please.
Spike's feelings for Buffy are much more ambivalent and complex, though. He wants to be with her, but still holds on to his pride. He's willing to go along with everything she wants under the one condition that she does let herself go, that she actually starts misbehaving:
You know
You've got a willing slave [goes to his knees]
And you just love to play the thought
That you might misbehave.
But till you do I'm telling you,
Stop visiting my grave.
One thing that is clear is that he understands more than any other character what Buffy really feels:
You're scared.
Ashamed of what you feel
And you can't tell the ones you love
You know they couldn't deal
Since it's clear that people can't lie when they are under the spell of the song, I consider this song as proof that he does have deep feelings for her.
'Cause being with you touches me
More than I can say.
Regarding the imagery, I love the moment when Buffy and Spike fall into the grave together. I have a hunch that this is quite symbolic. When they fall, they both fall. I guess it's also significant that Buffy gets out of the grave before Spike does which suggests that she will get over her issues before he has a chance to leave death behind. There's no doubt for me, though, that he will ultimately follow her when she becomes connected to life again.
Beyond this song, Spike and Buffy have some other significant scenes.
Spike offers to help Buffy find her sister and gets pushed back. At this Buffy feels deserted by all her friends and takes it out on Spike. If her friends don't want to help her, she doesn't want Spike's assistance either, especially after he sang she should stay away from him.
SPIKE: (to Buffy) Look, forget them, Slayer. I've got your back.
BUFFY: I thought you wanted me to stay away from you. Isn't that what you sang?
SPIKE: (to Buffy, angrily) Fine. I hope you dance till you burn. You and the little bit.
During "Walk Through The Fire", Spike has several lines showing his ambivalence. He's resentful that Buffy didn't accept his help, his angry - and despite this decides to help her out.
His lines are the mirror image of Buffy's lines. Where Buffy can't feel any longer and desperately wants to feel again, he feels too much and would prefer to feel less.
Buffy: I touch the fire and it freezes me
Why can't I feel? [looking at her hand]
My skin should crack and peel
I want the fire back!
Spike: The torch I bear is scorching me
When Buffy despairs of her existence and nearly dances herself to death, Spike's the one who stops her. Love the irony that a dead man tells Buffy what life is about:
Life's not a song
Life isn't bliss
Life is just this
It's living
In the refrain of "Walk Through The Fire" it becomes clear that this won't be a happy romance. Whereas Spike states once more how strong his feelings for Buffy are, Buffy declares that what she has with Spike isn't real, but that she finally wants to feel something again. So you could say that Buffy is using Spike at this point.
BUFFY: I touch the fire and it freezes me.
I look into it and it's black
This isn't real
But I just want to feel
SPIKE (at the same time): I died...
So many years ago.
But you can make me
Feel
Apart from the three romances, Once More With Feeling illuminates that bonds of family and friendship Buffy has.
Buffy and her relationship to Dawn and Giles
Ever since Buffy has been resurrected she has just "been going through the motions". Living itself is an enormous effort to her, so all her responsibilities (taking care of her sister, her duties as a Slayer) weigh all the more on her.
Since she cannot deal with this, she has started to move many of her responsibilities over to Giles. While he sees himself in the role of a father, Buffy has assigned him the role of her mother as her true father has turned out to be so unreliable. Giles is the one constant in Buffy's life, he's her anchor to sanity, IMO. He didn't take part in the ressurection scheme, unlike Dawn, he doesn't expect open affection and unlike Spike he isn't a creature with ties to darkness.
I really don't agree with Giles' decision to leave Buffy to make her more independent. Buffy isn't a normal 20 year old at this point, she has been deeply traumatised by what happened and she needs a steady anchor. Yes, she's shifting all her responsibilities to Giles, but I believe that with time she would start to take them back.
Buffy relies on him and is deeply wounded when he refuses (at first) to go on the rescue mission.
WILLOW: We're not just gonna stay here.
GILES: Yes we are. (looks intently at Buffy) Buffy's going alone.
[...]
BUFFY: You're really not coming.
GILES: (walks up to her) It's up to you, Buffy.
BUFFY: (upset) What do you expect me to do?
GILES: Your best.
Buffy stares at him.
And the worst is yet to come: Buffy doesn't know yet that Giles plans to leave Sunnydale permanently.
Dawn is suffering deeply under her sister's perceived indifference. She has wanted Buffy back so much and now that her wish has been fulfilled, she has to realize that things are very different. Buffy simply cannot give her the affection she craves. To make up for the loss of affection, Dawn has started to steal things and hide them in her room. Sadly enough, neither Buffy nor the Scoobies notice this. (Does anybody even notice? Does anybody even care?) It seems that Dawn seeks the love she doesn't get from her sister from Tara who has a very motherly vibe.
It's a fascinating parallel that in this episode it becomes clear that Giles will leave Buffy and Tara will leave Willow and as a consequence also Dawn. Both Buffy and Dawn will lose their mother substitute very soon.
Buffy and the Scoobies
In the beginning of the episode, we see that while Buffy's subconscious resents the Scoobies for resurrecting her, she also needs their friendship and support to go on with her life at all.
BUFFY: I've got a theory. It doesn't matter.
Giles pauses, turns back. Everyone looks at Buffy.
BUFFY: What can't we face if we're together?
What's in this place that we can't weather?
Apocalypse?
We've all been there.
The same old trips
Why should we care?
As long as she has her friends to help her, she will be able to live. So it hits her hard, when they all seem to desert her when she sets out to rescue Dawn. To Buffy it seems that her friends believe she has become cold and indifferent for no reason and that she only would need to pull herself together. And she can't tell them that it's their fault that she is behaving the way she is...
BUFFY:
So one by one, they turn from me
I guess my friends can't face the cold
But why I froze, not one among them knows
And never can be told.
Buffy's life seems to pointless to her that she offers herself to Sweet in exchange for Dawn. It doesn't matter to her anymore if she ends up in Heaven or Hell - as long as she can stop living.
Deal's this. I can't kill you? You take me to Hellsville in her place.
In the final scenes, the truth gets out. When singing and dancing Buffy can't disguise the truth any longer and her friends learn that they tore Buffy from heaven.
There was no pain
No fear, no doubt
Till they pulled me out
Of Heaven.
[looks back at the others. Giles and Xander looking surprised]
So that's my refrain.
[Willow looking horrified]
I live in Hell
[Xander looking horrified]
'Cause I've been expelled
From Heaven
I think I was in Heaven
[Willow looking horrified]
So give me something to sing about.
[whirls around to look at Sweet]
Please
Give me something...
In the end of Once More With Feeling there's the question: Where do we go from here? Everybody's certainties have been upended. They all hope that things will work out fine, but as the music demon Sweet says there's not a one who can say this ended well. So despite the happy group song, all the characters will have to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Here's a status overview regarding which episodes I've seen and/or commented on. If you are new to my LJ, please check this info so you don't post any big spoilers when you leave comments. Thanks!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-02-19 12:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-19 02:03 pm (UTC)I always see this episode as a bookend with the final episode of BTVS (CHOSEN), particularly with Buffy/Spike, and that's all I'm going to say.
I'll have to think on this a bit but I do love your thoughts on them falling into the grave together, because as you have seen (since you are on episode 16) this is exactly what happened, since BOTH seemed to be faring better BEFORE they started the kissies..
Things to note: In the group sing, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE, Spike/Buffy are the only ones with hands entwined.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-20 07:23 am (UTC)since BOTH seemed to be faring better BEFORE they started the kissies..
Yes, up till that point they could be "just friends" and then move slowly into romance when Buffy has resolved her issues. But when they start with the kisses for real, passion takes over. Which would not be a problem if Buffy wasn't so ashamed of herself...
Buffy and Spike remind me of Darla and Angel. In both cases we see relationships where the characters are alike in their core, they connect even against their will.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-19 03:39 pm (UTC)(The opener "Going Through the Motions" is a terrific blend of comedy and tragedy.)
Someone, it might even have been Joss himself, called it "Disney on acid", because it parodies the song a typical Disney heroine (or sometimes hero) gets early in a Disney film, stating her/his frustration with her/his life and the dream he/she wants to follow.
The vampire backup chorus for Buffy cracks me up each time, too.*g*
The deep irony of Under Your Spell: yes indeed. Anyone not familiar with the situation would just think "what a romantic love song", but if you're familiar with the situation, you get bitchslapped with the secondary meaning.
(On another note, and speaking of secondary meanings: the lyrics are also deeply erotic, with "spread beneath my willow tree" and "I break with every swell" and the song fading away with Tara singing "you make me come" (-plete) getting cut off.*g*)
Let Me Rest In Peace: one of the many ironies here is that Spike keeps singing Buffy should either stay away from him or commit to him and her feelings, but of course each time she attempts to leave he stops her or follows her. Which is also foreshadowing, as....
Regarding the imagery, I love the moment when Buffy and Spike fall into the grave together. I have a hunch that this is quite symbolic. When they fall, they both fall. I guess it's also significant that Buffy gets out of the grave before Spike does which suggests that she will get over her issues before he has a chance to leave death behind. There's no doubt for me, though, that he will ultimately follow her when she becomes connected to life again.
Yes. They're on a downward spiral after OMWF, and Buffy will have to be the one to stop it, because Spike is quite frankly unable to, which is the disadvantage of being ruled by one's emotions only. See above. However, he can rise again.
The fire imagery and Buffy and Spike and their state of being: there is a stunning visualisation at the very end of the show, and I shall say no more.
I really don't agree with Giles' decision to leave Buffy to make her more independent. Buffy isn't a normal 20 year old at this point, she has been deeply traumatised by what happened and she needs a steady anchor. Yes, she's shifting all her responsibilities to Giles, but I believe that with time she would start to take them back.
Agreed. This isn't comparable to Giles almost leaving at the start of season 5, when Buffy was in a good place, emotionally, and indeed ready to shoulder her life.
Regarding the big revelation scene: I think Giles gets it a few seconds before the rest of them do, i.e. he gets it when Buffy sings "well that depends on if they let you go..."
"The curtain closes on a kiss" is also both following a musical convention and twisting it around, because this is so obviously not a happily ever after.
Completely frivolous and vain: did you read my and
no subject
Date: 2006-02-20 07:41 am (UTC)Yes! Also how she rescues this manly man and isn't interested in him in the least.
the lyrics are also deeply erotic
Tara's song is definitely the one with the deepest erotic subtext. Xander and Anya get the more overt sexual puns.
one of the many ironies here is that Spike keeps singing Buffy should either stay away from him or commit to him and her feelings, but of course each time she attempts to leave he stops her or follows her.
In theory, Spike knows that this would be the safest option for him. But then love never can be held back by reason. His behaviour is actually very typical. *g*
Agreed. This isn't comparable to Giles almost leaving at the start of season 5, when Buffy was in a good place, emotionally, and indeed ready to shoulder her life.
He also tries to make Buffy more independent in the beginning of season 4 when she starts going to college. What these two situations have in common is that in both cases Giles expects too much considering the circumstances. Buffy needs to get used to a new situation (of course being resurrected is more traumatic than going to college *g*) and she needs his support for it. In both cases, Giles thinks that leaving her alone will force her to do better - and it doesn't work that way.
"The curtain closes on a kiss" is also both following a musical convention and twisting it around, because this is so obviously not a happily ever after.
Oh yes, I *love* that twist.
And yes, I read your and
(Also noticed a heavy dose of Andrew/Warren subtext, something I hadn't paid attention to yet - probably because Warren creeps me out. Been hoping though for some Andrew & Spike interaction after they had this one shared scene in the ep whose name I can't remember right now. *g*)
no subject
Date: 2006-02-20 10:13 am (UTC)Glad you like our musical extravaganza. The Starfleet Captain Song was actually the start of it all, the first thing I wrote after 'Draste and I joked on what was going on with the Trio during that time.
Andrew/Warren: this actually goes from subtext to main text as far as Andrew's feelings are concerned in the last third of season 6, isn't as obvious before, so no wonder you didn't notice. (But will when you see the rest of the season.)
Andrew and Spike interaction: they talk in Smashed (aka The One Where Buffy And Spike Bring The House Down), and that's it for the season, but they will share future scenes.
Warren in general: is oddly fascinating for me because he's such a realistic portrait (he's actually my favourite season villain after the Mayor). Hence a quite lengthy Five Things Which Never Happened To Warren, four of which you could theoretically read now but not the fifth because that would spoil you for something major. It was the first time I experimented with the "Five Things..." format, and it was quite enlightening - five points in canon where things go differently, sometimes better, sometimes darker.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-21 04:28 pm (UTC)Although quite some time ago, I can't remember that I had noticed all this you mentioned when watching that outstanding episode. All your arguments and observations are very convincing, though, and guess which CD I'd plan to listen to later... ;-)
no subject
Date: 2006-02-23 07:13 pm (UTC)Since I read your thesis I'm not amazed you made the same observations.
I've also made the experience that a couple of days after I've posted my reviews, I have more ideas. But if I went back and typed them down again, I would never move on to new episodes...