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Sigh, I think this is a nasty cold? At any rate, I cancelled tomorrow's PT, because they always ask if I've had a cough or fever recently, and I have the cough. Hopefully I can keep Friday's. And scheduled more into March.
Can't avoid work - they require a doctor's note and a form filled out. And that costs $25 or $30 - because the Doctor insists on a virtual. So, I'm going tomorrow - if it gets worse? I'll go to urgent care, pay the co-payment, and get the doctor's note/form signed. Also, they frown on taking a sick day next to a holiday. And we wonder why viruses spread?
***
After finishing the Buffy Re-watch - I want more Buffy (and all the other characters). But at least I get Season 5 - Angel, which I'm about five episodes into. It's worst episode is still better than many of the episodes in Angel's early seasons. They hit their stride in Season 5 and embraced the noir trope. It also handles the case of the week slightly better, and is less repetitive. Shame Angel didn't get more seasons. (It didn't because the WB decided to go with Dark Shadows (which failed), then merged with UPN to become the CW, and greenlight the far less enjoyable and far more formulaic series.
I re-watched the reunion specials, the Sci-Fi Panel Special after S6 and in 2002 (didn't make it very far), the Paley in 2008, and the 20th Reunion Photo Shoot in 2017. Also a few scattered Q&A's with Anya, Warren, Tara, and Cordy. And the Angel Reunion in 2018 (again didn't make it that far).
Take-aways?
It's very odd to watch this stuff after everything that has come out about Whedon and the writers room since then.
Marsters in the 2002 panel, does nothing but praise Whedon's musical ability and song-writing. (After that panel, when the series was long over - he states Whedon's songs were horrible, and he couldn't play the piano nor could Kai sing - and they all thought that the show had just jumped the shark or gone off the rails, and their careers were over. They even tried to talk Whedon out of it.) Also in 2002 - Trachenberg states that she kept trying to hang out in the writer's room or sit on the steps near the writers in S5-S6. (This may be why there was a conflict between MT and Whedon?)
2002 - they are all pandering to Joss.
2008 - they don't give a shit. And are basically cracking jokes to try to side-step uncomfortable questions. Amber side-steps the question about why she didn't return in S7. Making up something, then awkwardly stating she was busy preparing to direct something else. Green kind of helps her get out of it. Also, the folks who came out later against Whedon (with the exception of maybe Gellar), are all sitting near Greenwalt and as far from Whedon as they can get. Gellar appears throughout - to want to slug Brendan, as does Marsters, who at one point whispers under his breath to Brendan to move it along and stop being a pain (Brendan won't stop picking on Gellar). Gellar was noticeably absent at the 2002, while Hannigan was at the 2002 but absent from the 2008. When asked if they would be in a reboot of Buffy or a sequel - they state - hell no, unless Whedon was doing it - and even then, probably not. They are awkwardly polite and try to avoid saying too much. While Brendan keeps putting his foot in his mouth.
Whedon shocked everyone at this panel by informing them that the only time the network complained about losing advertisers, and the only time they actually lost advertisers and had to back away from a story - was Doublemeat Palace.
2017 - when asked if they'd be in the Buffy reboot? It's still no for all of the cast, even though Whedon at that stage is doing a reboot exploring the world, none of the original cast is invited, and they seem fine with that. They don't pander to Joss at all in this one. Or not really. They are all "awkwardly polite" and trying not to say too much.
Benson does explain that she had no issues with Tara being killed off, and that she'd been told a year in advance. Also Hannigan and Benson both explain how happy they were with their romance and storyline - and that they didn't know the writers were going in that direction at all. In fact they were surprised by it, even though the crew kept hinting at it. But the fact that it was handled as a normal ordinary relationship, and in some respects the most respectful and stable of the relationships - made them proud of it. The network did try to stop it - and even attempted to stop the kiss from being on screen, but backed off when Whedon threatened to leave.
Brendan is not at the Reunion in 2017 - just the photo shoot, and only with Emma on the couch, and seen with Whedon. He was given a different call time. According to Brendan - it was because Boreanze refused to come at the same time as Brendan. But considering everyone else showed up with David, and didn't stay to be with Nick separately....and considering Brendan's behavior at the last two panels...
It's ironic that they all state they'd never do a continuation or sequel of Buffy without Joss, yet here we are?
There's these Mini Megatron Q&A's from a Buffy Panel held over 15 years ago. Adam Busch, Amber Benson, Emma Caulfield, and Charisma are on it.
They asked some good questions on that one. Like how they all found out they were going to die.
Apparently Whedon was in the habit of calling an actor into his office or to take a walk with him - and informing them that he was going to kill them off. He didn't do it with everyone though - Charisma wasn't told. Emma asked to be killed off - but had hoped for a better death or at least to have her character be acknowledged. Amber was taken aside at the end of S4, informed they were killing off her character, and not to tell anyone. (She didn't except for Adam Busch - who was going to kill her. Their first interaction in fact - she tells him, "Hi, I'm Amber - you're going to kill my character!" Which made for an interesting and awkward conversation later between Adam (Warren) and Joss - Joss: Hi, you're going to kill someone. Adam nods thinking it's Tara. Joss: You are going to kill Katrina. Adam: Why would I want to kill Katrina? Joss: That's it, I'm not going to tell you stuff any longer. Amber said it was initially supposed to happen at the beginning of S6, but he kept pushing it back. She thinks he felt guilty about killing off her character or something, because he'd say, okay we'll do the musical first then do it, no lets do another episode then do it...
Oh when asked? They all state that they'd have no issue working with Whedon again, but don't see themselves on Dollhouse or other Whedon shows - they are too iconic. Someone makes a point that ED who played Faith is on Dollhouse, Angel, and Buffy. And Amber gets flustered.
Poor actors, they probably don't realize people are recording these things and saving them to youtube for posterity.
Off to bed. Hopefully this thing gets better and not worse.
Can't avoid work - they require a doctor's note and a form filled out. And that costs $25 or $30 - because the Doctor insists on a virtual. So, I'm going tomorrow - if it gets worse? I'll go to urgent care, pay the co-payment, and get the doctor's note/form signed. Also, they frown on taking a sick day next to a holiday. And we wonder why viruses spread?
***
After finishing the Buffy Re-watch - I want more Buffy (and all the other characters). But at least I get Season 5 - Angel, which I'm about five episodes into. It's worst episode is still better than many of the episodes in Angel's early seasons. They hit their stride in Season 5 and embraced the noir trope. It also handles the case of the week slightly better, and is less repetitive. Shame Angel didn't get more seasons. (It didn't because the WB decided to go with Dark Shadows (which failed), then merged with UPN to become the CW, and greenlight the far less enjoyable and far more formulaic series.
I re-watched the reunion specials, the Sci-Fi Panel Special after S6 and in 2002 (didn't make it very far), the Paley in 2008, and the 20th Reunion Photo Shoot in 2017. Also a few scattered Q&A's with Anya, Warren, Tara, and Cordy. And the Angel Reunion in 2018 (again didn't make it that far).
Take-aways?
It's very odd to watch this stuff after everything that has come out about Whedon and the writers room since then.
Marsters in the 2002 panel, does nothing but praise Whedon's musical ability and song-writing. (After that panel, when the series was long over - he states Whedon's songs were horrible, and he couldn't play the piano nor could Kai sing - and they all thought that the show had just jumped the shark or gone off the rails, and their careers were over. They even tried to talk Whedon out of it.) Also in 2002 - Trachenberg states that she kept trying to hang out in the writer's room or sit on the steps near the writers in S5-S6. (This may be why there was a conflict between MT and Whedon?)
2002 - they are all pandering to Joss.
2008 - they don't give a shit. And are basically cracking jokes to try to side-step uncomfortable questions. Amber side-steps the question about why she didn't return in S7. Making up something, then awkwardly stating she was busy preparing to direct something else. Green kind of helps her get out of it. Also, the folks who came out later against Whedon (with the exception of maybe Gellar), are all sitting near Greenwalt and as far from Whedon as they can get. Gellar appears throughout - to want to slug Brendan, as does Marsters, who at one point whispers under his breath to Brendan to move it along and stop being a pain (Brendan won't stop picking on Gellar). Gellar was noticeably absent at the 2002, while Hannigan was at the 2002 but absent from the 2008. When asked if they would be in a reboot of Buffy or a sequel - they state - hell no, unless Whedon was doing it - and even then, probably not. They are awkwardly polite and try to avoid saying too much. While Brendan keeps putting his foot in his mouth.
Whedon shocked everyone at this panel by informing them that the only time the network complained about losing advertisers, and the only time they actually lost advertisers and had to back away from a story - was Doublemeat Palace.
2017 - when asked if they'd be in the Buffy reboot? It's still no for all of the cast, even though Whedon at that stage is doing a reboot exploring the world, none of the original cast is invited, and they seem fine with that. They don't pander to Joss at all in this one. Or not really. They are all "awkwardly polite" and trying not to say too much.
Benson does explain that she had no issues with Tara being killed off, and that she'd been told a year in advance. Also Hannigan and Benson both explain how happy they were with their romance and storyline - and that they didn't know the writers were going in that direction at all. In fact they were surprised by it, even though the crew kept hinting at it. But the fact that it was handled as a normal ordinary relationship, and in some respects the most respectful and stable of the relationships - made them proud of it. The network did try to stop it - and even attempted to stop the kiss from being on screen, but backed off when Whedon threatened to leave.
Brendan is not at the Reunion in 2017 - just the photo shoot, and only with Emma on the couch, and seen with Whedon. He was given a different call time. According to Brendan - it was because Boreanze refused to come at the same time as Brendan. But considering everyone else showed up with David, and didn't stay to be with Nick separately....and considering Brendan's behavior at the last two panels...
It's ironic that they all state they'd never do a continuation or sequel of Buffy without Joss, yet here we are?
There's these Mini Megatron Q&A's from a Buffy Panel held over 15 years ago. Adam Busch, Amber Benson, Emma Caulfield, and Charisma are on it.
They asked some good questions on that one. Like how they all found out they were going to die.
Apparently Whedon was in the habit of calling an actor into his office or to take a walk with him - and informing them that he was going to kill them off. He didn't do it with everyone though - Charisma wasn't told. Emma asked to be killed off - but had hoped for a better death or at least to have her character be acknowledged. Amber was taken aside at the end of S4, informed they were killing off her character, and not to tell anyone. (She didn't except for Adam Busch - who was going to kill her. Their first interaction in fact - she tells him, "Hi, I'm Amber - you're going to kill my character!" Which made for an interesting and awkward conversation later between Adam (Warren) and Joss - Joss: Hi, you're going to kill someone. Adam nods thinking it's Tara. Joss: You are going to kill Katrina. Adam: Why would I want to kill Katrina? Joss: That's it, I'm not going to tell you stuff any longer. Amber said it was initially supposed to happen at the beginning of S6, but he kept pushing it back. She thinks he felt guilty about killing off her character or something, because he'd say, okay we'll do the musical first then do it, no lets do another episode then do it...
Oh when asked? They all state that they'd have no issue working with Whedon again, but don't see themselves on Dollhouse or other Whedon shows - they are too iconic. Someone makes a point that ED who played Faith is on Dollhouse, Angel, and Buffy. And Amber gets flustered.
Poor actors, they probably don't realize people are recording these things and saving them to youtube for posterity.
Off to bed. Hopefully this thing gets better and not worse.
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But yes, the reunion specials (also for the most part paid for) are kind of cringe. The Q&A's aren't so much and they appear to enjoy those more. It's just them and the fans. But in the reunion panels, Whedon and Greenwalt and Noxon are sitting with them. Imagine sitting on a panel discussion with your former boss or current boss, who has power and you don't? You are going to be REALLY careful about what you say for the most part. But it is interesting that by roughly 2008 and 2017, some of the actors no longer cared what Whedon thought of them, while others were being really really careful.
Also things are often taken out of context? I don't blame them for their responses? I just find them rather interesting?