I think this is why I preferred the Faith episodes in S3 and S4 Buffy in some respects - particularly WAY. In WAY - which is a Faith centric episode, in part, because Gellar is portraying Faith pretending to be Buffy, we finally see why Faith is the way she is, finally dig deep beneath the bravado. It's amongst my favorite and most brilliant written of the series - because it really digs into the psychology of Faith and Buffy, using the slayer mythology to further play with that.
Faith's interaction with Riley - is a good example. Where she attempts to just have "sex" with Riley, but Riley "makes love" to her - and she's thrown by it.And wants to know what he expects from her? Does he want something from Buffy? Does he see her as more than - well an object? Clearly Faith has never been seen as anything more than a weapon, a tool or an object.
Five By Five is more about Angel - or the male need to save the broken female. Typical in a noir universe - with Faith playing femme fatal with the heart of gold. It's a great trope - but nothing new is said in the episode, and it doesn't tell us anything about Faith or Angel which we didn't already know from Enemies and Consequences - which were somewhat better written. (It does however tell us a few interesting things about Wesley. But that's about it.) Buffy is portrayed as the bad guy here - wanting Faith to pay (understandable considering), while Angel is working to redeem her - a somewhat predictable take. I liked the episode and it is amongst the few I enjoyed in S1 Angel, but it is overrated.
Also, Bad Girls through Enemies - really provides some interesting information on Faith and Angel, and their relationship. Angel clearly understands Faith on a level that Buffy doesn't. At first he's worried that Buffy has fallen, then when he figures out it is Faith - he charges to her rescue, attempting to reach her - unfortunately Wes and the Watcher's interrupt him screwing things up.
In Angel - Wes redeems himself with Faith - but again the focus is more on Wes and Angel than Faith herself. It's a very male view of the character. In Orpheus Faith attempts to save Angel and learns from Angelus that while Angel could help and save Faith - she can't really save him. Buffy is a wee bit less chauvinistic, but again that is the genre. Noir isn't the most feminist or female empowering of genres. I love the genre, but I am aware of that issue. I admit to being a bit disappointed that they didn't go a bit more in depth with the Wes/Faith relationship - but there really wasn't much time. We do however get a neat bookend with him saving Faith.
no subject
It's amongst my favorite and most brilliant written of the series - because it really digs into the psychology of Faith and Buffy, using the slayer mythology to further play with that.
Faith's interaction with Riley - is a good example. Where she attempts to just have "sex" with Riley, but Riley "makes love" to her - and she's thrown by it.And wants to know what he expects from her? Does he want something from Buffy? Does he see her as more than - well an object? Clearly Faith has never been seen as anything more than a weapon, a tool or an object.
Five By Five is more about Angel - or the male need to save the broken female.
Typical in a noir universe - with Faith playing femme fatal with the heart of gold. It's a great trope - but nothing new is said in the episode, and it doesn't tell us anything about Faith or Angel which we didn't already know from Enemies and Consequences - which were somewhat better written. (It does however tell us a few interesting things about Wesley. But that's about it.)
Buffy is portrayed as the bad guy here - wanting Faith to pay (understandable considering), while Angel is working to redeem her - a somewhat predictable take. I liked the episode and it is amongst the few I enjoyed in S1 Angel, but it is overrated.
Also, Bad Girls through Enemies - really provides some interesting information on Faith and Angel, and their relationship. Angel clearly understands Faith on a level that Buffy doesn't. At first he's worried that Buffy has fallen, then when he figures out it is Faith - he charges to her rescue, attempting to reach her - unfortunately Wes and the Watcher's interrupt him screwing things up.
In Angel - Wes redeems himself with Faith - but again the focus is more on Wes and Angel than Faith herself. It's a very male view of the character.
In Orpheus Faith attempts to save Angel and learns from Angelus that while Angel could help and save Faith - she can't really save him. Buffy is a wee bit less chauvinistic, but again that is the genre. Noir isn't the most feminist or female empowering of genres. I love the genre, but I am aware of that issue. I admit to being a bit disappointed that they didn't go a bit more in depth with the Wes/Faith relationship - but there really wasn't much time. We do however get a neat bookend with him saving Faith.