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shadowkatI've been re-watching Buffy, which I hadn't watched since roughly 2012? And I've picked up on various things that I didn't previously. Also, I'm astonished at how well it holds up for a series that aired between 1997-2003.
I've finished S2, and am into S3, which is a lot better than I remembered.
It doesn't have as many dud episodes, or skippable ones like S1 and 2 did.
S1 - the stand-a-lones were better, and S2 - the arc episodes were better. S3 - manages to hit the perfect balance between the two or it appears to, only six episodes in, but no duds yet. It also manages to do the same thing S2 did - which is bring in entertaining and creepy villains in Trick and the Mayor. I think they finally gathered together a good writing team - that gelled. With the additions of Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie to the mix.
Takeaways?
Beauty and the Beasts weirdly echoes Beneathe Me in S7. In both episodes, we have Buffy discover that the wicked vampire she was having an affair with, has returned somewhat crazy but with a soul. (Just differently.) And in both episodes there's a side story about a couple that is similar to Buffy's relationship to that vampire, but worse.
In Beasts - Buffy's toxic relationship with Angel/Angelus is paralleled with Debbie's toxic relationship with Peter/Monster Pete. Pete is Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, until the potion that made him Alpha Male or the Toxic Male, is no longer needed and he succumbs to it. Pete is the mask, the monster is real. And he ends up killing Debbie, and destroying himself in the process.
Angelus almost destroyed Buffy and the world, until Buffy sent him to hell - but it was Angel she sent. Who is the mask? Angelus clearly is always lurking beneath the surface. And Buffy's relationship with Angel is unfortunately toxic - in that she can't be open about it, it takes her away from her friends and family, and puts others in danger - also if she sleeps with him, he may change and become evil again. It's a nice metaphor for domestic violence. It can't work. So many romantic relationships just can't work - once you get past the endorphin's of love and physical chemistry...
real life sets in.
In Beneath Me - Buffy's toxic relationship with Spike (pre-soul) - is examined with Nancy and her ex-boyfriend, who has been stalking her and won't leave her alone. Spike stalked Buffy, helped her, and then she began to rely on him, and let him in. That ended badly. And he got a soul. Now, he's not really stalking her anymore. He's hiding in the basement, lost. (Not stalking is a vampire thing in the Buffyverse - since Angel also stalked Buffy. It's not just Spike.) But the writers are showing the difficulty with obsessive romantic love - not letting the person go, of giving them space. It's not all that different than Debbie/Pete in Beasts, except in Beneath Me, we get a happier ending, Nancy isn't killed, just her boyfriend. And just like Beasts, Spike kills the monster, as Angel did in Beasts. The difference is Buffy is a bit more wary of helping Spike and more careful of her heart than she'd been previously.
I like how the show evolves and looks at similar issues but from different angles, and doesn't romanticize romantic love. The Happy Ending in Buffy is often Buffy being able to survive along with her friends, and the world.
It's not a romance. But has romantic elements.
Xander, can you be a bigger jerk? Apparently so. I hadn't realized how committed the writers were to exploring the incel theme with Xander until this rewatch. People mentioned it over the years, but I just wasn't that focused on Xander or handwaved it? Also, I didn't like Cordelia previously, now, I kind of do. If you really dislike Cordelia - it's hard to see how abusive Xander truly is.
There's a heavy theme in Buffy about toxic masculainity that has been written about numerous times. What's comforting to me about Buffy - is that Buffy conquers this. And Buffy saves a lot of boys from themselves in the story. And the series does a good job of showing the complexity and that the characters all have their own demons.
In S3 - Xander reams Buffy for leaving town (he'd expected Buffy to kill Angel and see him, instead she left town). Xander holds off with Cordy, until she shows him affection. He treats her as if she's an idiot, and continues to criticize and put her down in order to build himself up. Their relationship is highly toxic. Then he cheats on her with Willow - because he finally notices that Willow is a woman and sexy. While with Cordy - he flirts heavily with Faith, and would pursue Faith, but Faith wants nothing to do with him. He reminds me of so many boys that I've interacted with in school, college, and far beyond college - who think their penis is the most important thing on the planet. Seriously, he should have taken up track or running or a sport. That boy clearly didn't have enough to do.
For Xander - it's all about Xander. He's not concerned at all that Cordelia and Buffy were almost killed - or competing for Prom, all he can think about is making out with Willow - the latest conquest.
Very unlikable character. I've not seen one episode in which I don't want to smack him upside the head. I'm kind of looking forward to the episodes in which Faith, Angel, Spike and Cordelia do just that.
* Cordelia is actually interesting? I'm surprised. But she is. And realistic. She's self-absorbed like well most people. And very much what Buffy might have been without the slayage - which the show always kind of got across.
She doesn't really have friends, but I'm not sure anyone truly does? Which is also interesting.
* Faith - I like better than I remembered. They are smart to not overuse the character, and go with less is more. I feel for Faith - Faith seems to care more about Buffy than Buffy cares about Faith. And genuinely wants to be friends with Buffy - but Buffy is distracted by Angel. It's an interesting writer choice that Cordy and Buffy fight off the people during slayerfest, while Faith goes to the prom by herself.
I can see why Faith eventually turns against Buffy and envies Buffy, part of this is on Buffy, Giles and the others. They cut Faith out in various ways. And are far too obsessed with their own romantic entanglements to see her or anyone else for that matter.
Romantic love (which I think is highly overrated) can often isolate, and alienate others - pushing people out of one's life. Romantic love that survives and becomes something greater such as friendship and companionship - brings people into one's life, as opposed to shutting them out. I think that is the test of a good relationship - does it bring in people or shut them out?
**
Not doing much today, outside of recovering from an illness. Back to work on Monday. It's sunny and windy outside, and in the low 80s. I may work on my book a bit, and maybe a little on my painting.
I've finished S2, and am into S3, which is a lot better than I remembered.
It doesn't have as many dud episodes, or skippable ones like S1 and 2 did.
S1 - the stand-a-lones were better, and S2 - the arc episodes were better. S3 - manages to hit the perfect balance between the two or it appears to, only six episodes in, but no duds yet. It also manages to do the same thing S2 did - which is bring in entertaining and creepy villains in Trick and the Mayor. I think they finally gathered together a good writing team - that gelled. With the additions of Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie to the mix.
Takeaways?
Beauty and the Beasts weirdly echoes Beneathe Me in S7. In both episodes, we have Buffy discover that the wicked vampire she was having an affair with, has returned somewhat crazy but with a soul. (Just differently.) And in both episodes there's a side story about a couple that is similar to Buffy's relationship to that vampire, but worse.
In Beasts - Buffy's toxic relationship with Angel/Angelus is paralleled with Debbie's toxic relationship with Peter/Monster Pete. Pete is Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, until the potion that made him Alpha Male or the Toxic Male, is no longer needed and he succumbs to it. Pete is the mask, the monster is real. And he ends up killing Debbie, and destroying himself in the process.
Angelus almost destroyed Buffy and the world, until Buffy sent him to hell - but it was Angel she sent. Who is the mask? Angelus clearly is always lurking beneath the surface. And Buffy's relationship with Angel is unfortunately toxic - in that she can't be open about it, it takes her away from her friends and family, and puts others in danger - also if she sleeps with him, he may change and become evil again. It's a nice metaphor for domestic violence. It can't work. So many romantic relationships just can't work - once you get past the endorphin's of love and physical chemistry...
real life sets in.
In Beneath Me - Buffy's toxic relationship with Spike (pre-soul) - is examined with Nancy and her ex-boyfriend, who has been stalking her and won't leave her alone. Spike stalked Buffy, helped her, and then she began to rely on him, and let him in. That ended badly. And he got a soul. Now, he's not really stalking her anymore. He's hiding in the basement, lost. (Not stalking is a vampire thing in the Buffyverse - since Angel also stalked Buffy. It's not just Spike.) But the writers are showing the difficulty with obsessive romantic love - not letting the person go, of giving them space. It's not all that different than Debbie/Pete in Beasts, except in Beneath Me, we get a happier ending, Nancy isn't killed, just her boyfriend. And just like Beasts, Spike kills the monster, as Angel did in Beasts. The difference is Buffy is a bit more wary of helping Spike and more careful of her heart than she'd been previously.
I like how the show evolves and looks at similar issues but from different angles, and doesn't romanticize romantic love. The Happy Ending in Buffy is often Buffy being able to survive along with her friends, and the world.
It's not a romance. But has romantic elements.
Xander, can you be a bigger jerk? Apparently so. I hadn't realized how committed the writers were to exploring the incel theme with Xander until this rewatch. People mentioned it over the years, but I just wasn't that focused on Xander or handwaved it? Also, I didn't like Cordelia previously, now, I kind of do. If you really dislike Cordelia - it's hard to see how abusive Xander truly is.
There's a heavy theme in Buffy about toxic masculainity that has been written about numerous times. What's comforting to me about Buffy - is that Buffy conquers this. And Buffy saves a lot of boys from themselves in the story. And the series does a good job of showing the complexity and that the characters all have their own demons.
In S3 - Xander reams Buffy for leaving town (he'd expected Buffy to kill Angel and see him, instead she left town). Xander holds off with Cordy, until she shows him affection. He treats her as if she's an idiot, and continues to criticize and put her down in order to build himself up. Their relationship is highly toxic. Then he cheats on her with Willow - because he finally notices that Willow is a woman and sexy. While with Cordy - he flirts heavily with Faith, and would pursue Faith, but Faith wants nothing to do with him. He reminds me of so many boys that I've interacted with in school, college, and far beyond college - who think their penis is the most important thing on the planet. Seriously, he should have taken up track or running or a sport. That boy clearly didn't have enough to do.
For Xander - it's all about Xander. He's not concerned at all that Cordelia and Buffy were almost killed - or competing for Prom, all he can think about is making out with Willow - the latest conquest.
Very unlikable character. I've not seen one episode in which I don't want to smack him upside the head. I'm kind of looking forward to the episodes in which Faith, Angel, Spike and Cordelia do just that.
* Cordelia is actually interesting? I'm surprised. But she is. And realistic. She's self-absorbed like well most people. And very much what Buffy might have been without the slayage - which the show always kind of got across.
She doesn't really have friends, but I'm not sure anyone truly does? Which is also interesting.
* Faith - I like better than I remembered. They are smart to not overuse the character, and go with less is more. I feel for Faith - Faith seems to care more about Buffy than Buffy cares about Faith. And genuinely wants to be friends with Buffy - but Buffy is distracted by Angel. It's an interesting writer choice that Cordy and Buffy fight off the people during slayerfest, while Faith goes to the prom by herself.
I can see why Faith eventually turns against Buffy and envies Buffy, part of this is on Buffy, Giles and the others. They cut Faith out in various ways. And are far too obsessed with their own romantic entanglements to see her or anyone else for that matter.
Romantic love (which I think is highly overrated) can often isolate, and alienate others - pushing people out of one's life. Romantic love that survives and becomes something greater such as friendship and companionship - brings people into one's life, as opposed to shutting them out. I think that is the test of a good relationship - does it bring in people or shut them out?
**
Not doing much today, outside of recovering from an illness. Back to work on Monday. It's sunny and windy outside, and in the low 80s. I may work on my book a bit, and maybe a little on my painting.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-20 10:15 pm (UTC)It really is. One of the most basic questions is why is Faith not living with Giles as she has no home? Why is an underage girl put in a shitty motel, and who is paying for it?
no subject
Date: 2025-06-21 01:46 am (UTC)We're introduced to Faith in episode 3 - a reluctant Buffy is forced to take her home for dinner. Faith is clearly starving and has no one. Buffy is too busy being jealous of everyone's attention on Faith, to notice. And Buffy's mother is too focused on Faith taking over for Buffy to notice.
Then we learn that she's living alone in a shitty motel room, and an evil vampire is after Faith - that vampire had killed her Watcher, and possibly her family. Faith goes insane on the evil vampires - and you'd think Buffy would get it? Does Buffy or Giles take Faith in after this? No. Faith patrols with Buffy, Faith even gets even with Scott Hope on Buffy's behalf - but Buffy is busy with Angel, and hides Angel from everyone including Faith. (Having learned not to share that information from her experiences with Kendra.) As much as I like Buffy? She can be incredibly clueless at times.
I feel so sorry for Faith. No wonder the Mayor is able to get his hooks into her or fangs into her?
She has no one. And the Mayor steps in, gives her a home, a purpose, and kindness.
The show does a good job of getting across how all the characters self-absorption is their own worst enemy, and often makes them oblivious to others. Each character's romantic inclinations - tends to blind them to other things going on.