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Date Posted: 12:45:31 05/20/03 Tue
Author: sassette
Author Host/IP: 141.213.136.140
Subject: Definitely more excited than sad . . . the wildfeed gave me chills (spoilers)
I'm definitely more excited than sad about the finale tonight. For all/any of it's weaknesses, BtVS has had a terrific run. In fact, I don't think it would be a stretch to say that it has had one of the finest long runs of any television program in history (since TV history doesn't go back too far ;)). I'm glad to see it go out on a high note, so that we can look back on the series as a whole, and think it was great, without having to pretend the last few seasons never happened (and I'm looking at you, Chris Carter, as I say that).
I haven't seen the finale, but I'm spoiled, and I love it. Love it! Okay, mostly I love it because the reason I began watching BtVS is because I heard what a cool, *feminist* television show it was. That's what drew me in, the fact that, unlike most shows that have teenagers (particularly teenage girls), it didn't promote stereotypical ideas about gender. Which it never has, even if Buffy the character has at times acted in very stereotypical ways. (On a side note, I give huge props to the BtVS writers for having sexually active characters for 6 years without anyone ever being pregnant or having a pregnancy scare. Finally a show on which birth control works and sex can be enjoyed, for the most part, without regret. Yay!) And, the finale, for me, speaks to the reason I started watching. Of all of the possible ways I imagined the finale going, I never thought of activiting all of the potentials, but, once I heard they were doing that, it made perfect sense. Really, how else could they conclude the story?
In the past, I've wondered why the CoW didn't just flatline/revive-flatline/revive-flatline/revive Buffy and Faith again and again to create an army of Slayers. But, of course they couldn't; it makes total sense that it would have to be Buffy and Willow who do it. If the show is about female power, which, despite all of the criticisms people have of S6, it always has been, then it has to be the two main female characters who can bestow that gift on the potentials. I wish that a bit more about the Guardians had been brought up this season, because I think it would have provided a nice segway into the finale. But, even so, as someone who started watching the show because I wanted to see young women portrayed in a positive light and gender shown in more complicated ways than "Men are from mars, women are from venus" (which is why I get so irritated by talk about the "wussification" of Spike and Xander and the males on the show--hi, can we not respect any man who doesn't act in stereotypically macho ways all the time? Because, that's one of the reason I love BtVS so much; it has more nuanced male characters than just about any show I've ever watched, with AtS also doing a great job in that area), just reading about the finale gave me chills. I can't wait to watch it.
Because, in a way, the finale perfectly fulfills the premise of the show. There is no longer a chosen one. Now, that power is available to anyone who has it in them to accept it. Which, for me, seems like a way to give a little gift to the viewers; you've watched BtVS and Buffy for seven years, and felt for her and admired her and sometimes hated her, but the secret is that she is not unique, and all of the things we love about her as a character (as well as a lot of the things we hate about her, too) are in us--or at least potentially in us--too. Which, for me, is what the show has always been about, and what has always made it real, but I think it's very cool that they are literalizing that in the finale. I really can't imagine a better send-off for the series as a whole, even if the fate of individual characters might not be what we wanted.
Does the finale sound perfect? No. My main peeve is the very short send-off Anya seems to get, and only from Xander and Andrew. I would have liked for my favorite character to get killed with more fanfare. And, it does seem to me that there are several elements intended to placate certain factions of the fan population who've felt alienated lately (the B/A scenes, for B/A-ers, and the final "core four" moments, for those who have trouble dealing with the post-S3 Buffyverse), that don't flow very well with the plot as a whole. But, those are minor quibbles, and I do understand why ME would want to try to put in a little something for everyone.
I'm just not looking forward to the backlash. Someone very smart on the beta board the other day made me realize that a lot of the bitterness is really people upset about the show ending. It makes sense. In S5 I remember hearing people say the show should have ended with S3. In S6 people were saying it should have ended in S4. In S7 people are saying it should have ended with S5. The funny thing is, it's the same people saying this! I think a lot of people just hate that a show they got so emotionally invested in is ending, and are lashing out at the writers, the cast, the directors, anyone they can think of, so that they can vent that frustation. And it is hard to let go of something that meant a lot ot you. I just know that I don't want to be around for the "anger" stage of the grief process, which seems to have started early this season for some people. But, I will try to remember that those who rant the most are probably the ones who will miss the show the most, and they'd rather convince themselves it should have ended two years ago then admit they will miss it.
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In the shower I realized the succinct version of why "Chosen" is brilliant (spoilers) -- sassette *prone to shower-induced revelations*, 13:03:17 05/20/03 Tue (141.213.136.140)
Because we've been wondering since we knew the show was going to end whether or not it would/should end with Buffy becoming "a normal girl." But, Joss did us one better: rather than turning Buffy into a normal girl, he turned a bunch of normal girls into Buffy, with the result being that Buffy does become a "normal" girl without losing her power. Instead, her power becomes normal. Which is friggin' brilliant, if you ask me.
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Re: Anya, and... -- Peter Wiggin, 13:21:29 05/20/03 Tue (80.94.101.117)
Little "fanfare" for Anya's death seem appropriate. Xander isn't going to go all DMX (hah, that's funny, Dark Magic Xander as a rapper), and think about Anya's 'arc' this season. Selfless, the episode, was about her character giving selflessly of herself for others. These are the lessons she needed to remember, and though she hadn't exacly been like Aud in the final few eps, she gives selflessly of herself to save Andrew, despite the fact that Xander asks her directly to use him as a human shield, not vice versa. It's appropriate, I think. I mean, Anya and Dawn's arcs were definitely dropped for the ZITS, but oh well, can't be changed now.
I do like you "Revelation." Very true, and I think it's a great message (unless the smile at the end is an EVIL smile in which case Joss is just poking fun at us with a Twin Peaks reference).
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I really like the way you put it -- RJA, 16:29:15 05/20/03 Tue (195.93.33.11)
I totally agree, and while the finale has some weak points (I've seen it, really disliked much of the first 20 mins, loved the last 20 mins), the one thing I think it does brilliantly well is tie up Buffy's story. Makes perfect sense.
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I think a lot of the backlash is because this is the last chance -- ScarletNicky, 14:06:36 05/20/03 Tue (130.127.13.220)
for a lot of fans to get what they want, and almost none of them will get it. If you wanted B/A, B/X, a happy Spuffy ending or even a kiss, then you didn't get it. If you wanted that big Xander story arc or Dawn's 'keyness' explored, or a return to the original "core 4" Scooby dynamic of the first 3 years, you didn't get it. Even if your main thing is hating Spike, his death can give you little satisfaction, since he went out so gloriously.
Interesting that the mainstream press, such as Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, The New York Times, USA Today, etc. are giving "Chosen" stellar 'A+, 5-star' type reviews. I'm holding USA Today right now, and reviewer Robert Bianco says it "accomplishes most everything you could ask of a finale" and "brings the story to a satisfying conclusion," calling it a "rousing hour." Most every review has been this way.
I think this illustrates how much harder to please the dedicated fans are because, unlike the critics and casual viewers who only want to see a good and exciting story, we have wishes that we've wanted to see fulfilled. For myself, I always loved the Dawn/Spike friendship and hate that they never had that reconciliation I wanted to see. But that doesn't mean the show sucks. It just means I didn't get what I wanted.
One criticism I've heard that I think is valid (except for the 'cookie dough' speech, which is bad, but doesn't sink the entire hour) is that the characters seem a little shallow and uncaring by cracking jokes after Anya & Spike's deaths, especially considering the latter died saving a bunch of people who hated him and a woman he feels didn't love him back. They didn't laugh it up after Becoming and The Gift, and I don't think it quite fits for them to be so uncaring here, and doesn't present the survivors in the best light.
But overall I'm willing to say it's a mostly-good, mostly-satisfying, though not perfect script (haven't seen it yet), and that most of the bitterness can be attributed to fans who are now having to adjust to the unpleasant reality that many of the things they most wanted to see before the show ends will never come to pass. And no matter what Joss wrote in the last script, that was going to be the case.
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Not so much backlash, as just plain lash -- Eurydice, 14:46:49 05/20/03 Tue (141.154.26.96)
Those who are disappointed in the finale have been expressing that disappointment for quite some time - not just in the finale but in the entire season. Their opinions have been, for the most part, well reasoned and well expressed and are no more rooted in emotion and expectation that those who are enjoying the finale.
No need to worry about anybody else's views but your own - you like it, great. Others don't, that's fine too. The writers can take the heat - that's why they get paid the big bucks. :)
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I do understand, I just don't like it :) -- sassette, 15:03:01 05/20/03 Tue (141.213.136.140)
I've been away from fan boards for almost two years now, generally, because I've found that bitterness has become the expected response to any plot development, and that people who actually like the show or even discussion about aspects of the show are totally shut out by posts about how terrible the show is now. I'm just not seeing it, and I don't think it represents most fans, but a very small faction of the fan population who don't like the developments 1) with Spike and 2) that have separated the "Core Four" and are *extremely* vocal about their dissatisfaction.
Even when the Spike debates of S5 were at their peak, people at least expressed positive ideas about the show and positive voices weren't either dismissed or drowned out. But (and I think this is largely due to TWoP and the way the attitude over their, both towards the show and towards other posters, have infested other fan boards, but I could be wrong), now bitterness is the trend and, as a non-bitter viewer, I don't think it's a particularly welcome atmosphere. So, I do understand how you feel, but I feel a bit upset that so much bad feeling has infected the fan boards.
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I don't think I'm particularly bitter -- Eurydice, 15:49:57 05/20/03 Tue (141.154.26.96)
I was only pointing out that there shouldn't be a fear of backlash because the disappointment has always been there.
You're right that general bitterness has little value other than to create a poisonous atmosphere, but I don't think that it springs from nowhere. There've been some valid concerns this season about lack of coherence and continuity - maybe it's because I'm a writer, but I find that when something doesn't make sense to the audience, it's usually because it just plain doesn't make sense. And I believe that the general aura of dispair and negativity on the show itself for the past two years has also added to the fans' mood. Even the most polly among us has found it hard to keep smiling - and there are only so many "Why I love Buffy" threads that can be started before the whole thing is of no more value than bitterness.
Even so, we've figured out how to have some wonderful times on this board - we've got an angst-free place for shippiness, lots of silliness, and some great philosophical debates - most recently through Ramses' daily POC thread. Even those who've pretty much given up on the show cherish the friends and good times they have here.
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Re: Not so much backlash, as just plain lash -- JMH, 16:25:59 05/20/03 Tue (208.42.19.108)
Sassette -- was nice to see your name posting again & I just wanted to say that I SO agree w/everything you said. The pros of this show have so very much outweighed the cons -- hells-bells, with what passes for television programming nowadays, I'm thankful we got 7 seasons from a quality show now going out in style. Like I tell my kids, negativity exists everywhere at every level & many many people take it with them into adulthood. I'm going to miss this show terribly.
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