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Date Posted: 16:21:38 01/20/06 Fri
Author: Kevin
Subject: Buffy Fest 06'-When Buffy Ruled the World (and when and why she didn't)

Buffy Fest 06 occurred during the first few weeks of 2006 when good fortune shone upon me and sprinkled me with ample amounts of time so I might watch all 144 episodes of BTVS in their entirety over that stretch. MMMMmm great gooey TV satisfaction whoo hooo.

I. When Buffy Ruled

First let me say that this is undoubtedly my favorite episodic television series ever. The
premise lacked nothing and the writers and acting were great throughout most of its run. Production and directing, especially when it counted, were unequaled in the television genre. It was rich in texture and complexity and the drama and comedy were first rate. In
total the first five seasons of BTVS were truly great as were the last 5 or 6 episodes from season 6 (to be noted as "Hells Bells On" henceforth). Now I could easily continue to praise the show forever but since I am preaching to the choir and knowing we could all sit around this thready little online campfire and chant Buff Baa Yaa forever I figure we just ought to get to right on to the critism. OK?
OK.

2. When and Why She Didn't Rule the World Forever

( I could spend some time here busting up the Adam Big Bad character but I have decided not too. I thought overall this came out ok mostly due to the close knit coming together of the Scoobies at Seasons 4 end. So this made up for the fairly weak (character wise) Big Bad Adam character.)

Due to a few unfortunate small missteps by its creator, seasons 6 and 7 are only margnally part of the BTVS series. Specifically, I believe the change in characters and the lack of their development , as well as certain technical changes in the way the show was produced actually created a new show (more on this later). Yes, the actors and writing for the most part are equal to the task (again Hells Bells On are real shining examples) to be
equivalent to the first 5. It really came down to just a few reasons why season 6 (and 7) were not the best Buffys ever.

First, yes, there was the darkness factor, this is well documented and was purposeful by those in the creative driver's seat. Life is the big bad blah blah blah. But that in itself was not it. The characters, Buffy and Willow, got so dark and detached that I found myself caring less for them as characters. The strength of any character is you have to like it and except it. I think both of these characters became less likeable as the season progressed until Hells Bells On. On top of this, the support characters used to explore this new darkness also became less likeable (Amy[6], Spike[6 and some 7], and the lameness of the Potentials[7] for instance). So not only were the new life circumstances were negative (which is basically motus operandi for BTVS - I know) but the large percentage of the characters fell from grace. I beleive any story can survive darkness but these seasons
were packed chock full. So the characters must stay grounded, to a certain extent, in the love zone.

Secondly, the series is called Buffy the Vampire Slayer, NOT "Slayer:Afterlife" or "Buffy A.D." or even "Willow the Dark Witch from Nantucket". My point here is maybe they should have chosen one of the latter names because that more closely resembled what the series was as it freshly starting out on UPN. Sometimes during this season the Scoobies wallowed around with no direction or were apart from each other so that made supporting characters
more important (the Trio etc). This show is not about supporting characters its about Buffy first then the Scoobies. Now, I know - I know that was the plan, their lives fall apart then the gang falls apart - ok I get it. But, in my opinion, it was too much too overcome and retain the same chemistry the series was successful with the first 5 seasons.This was - Action, Horror, Comedy, Drama. Yes, a strange and wonderful alchemy that is very volatile. If one of the ingredients is not mixed in the right ratio then BOOM! you get "Slayer:Afterlife" splattered all over the walls. Also the look of the show
changed some too. Not in the negative sense but just different. Something about the film
stock or cameras used it just looked less bright more grainy than Season 5. Darker and maybe with some different directors (Rick Rosenthal in Normal Again was terrific) that didn't have the same overall feel as before.

Third, I feel Buffys death in season 5 was a bad idea if it wasn't the end of the series. It set up the whole negative season 6 and man its hard to watch SMG with her "I want to be dead again" face for the first 5 episodes or so - it was just stoic. She could have simply
disappeared as she past through the dimensional portal or some other thing. Most of what we got in 6 could have still been done without the morose use of all those episodes to get over it. It got a little bland after a while - like I was watching the Hellmouths version
of the West Wing after the star burrows her way out of her grave. Speaking of which I thought the first 2 episodes of season 6 were really weak compared to other BTVS eps. The
opening teaser was pretty good (Cup of tea, cup of tea almost got shagged cup of tea) was pretty good but the rest of the jokes in the eps really didn't work. The directing wasn't the best either.

Fourth, the Trio just wasn't all that amusing. They, I believe, were meant to be the counter balance to the darkness and they for the most part, fell flat.

Fifth, the Potentials in season 7 were introduced in Buffys house way too early. It took screen time away from the Scoobies and their problems. Again, is this BTVS or Buffy A.D.?Also on season 7 Buffy just didn't seem to be the same person we saw late in season 6. I mean she had died and come back and if she died again she knew where she was probably going so whats the problem - why any problem physcologicallly with Buffy in season 7. Also
she exclaims at the end of season 6 to want to "show Dawn the world" - uh does that ever happen? She seemed more impersonal to her friends (see "Lack of Reaction to Xanders eye" thread for more). I still beleive her lack of reaction was inconsistant with the characters goals and acheivements to that point. You have to like Buffy to emerse yourself in this world and I just didn't like her as much.

Also, the writing in Season 7 took a turn for the worse and the arc was less of an arc and really more like a straight line. The characters (Scoobies) didn't really progress much at all.

This takes me to a couple more of my previous threads "The Vanishing of the Xander Character" and "Loss of the Straight Man". Most of season 6 and 7 were dramatically
effected by the lack of a pronounced male characters of some substance. Now, I was wrong in saying that the Xanders (and Giles really) characters development disappears after the first few seasons. Happily it happened later at the end of Season 4 and beginning of
season 5. I do agree with the conclusion reached by Celebaelin in this thread tht this is basically where the Xander arc ended. However there 3 specific references to be made regarding this. The end occurs over a three ep period starting at the final of Season 4, continuing with Drac then Replacement in Season 5. THrough this period he learns Buffy thinks of him as a "big brother", then exclaims "not going to be everybodys butt monkey in
Drac ep then the Replacement. Xander arc then glides to the tarmac for the next nearly 3 seasons.

Giles loss was just as dramatic. The character (see "Loss of the Straight Man" thread) really brought presence and anchored the show. (Mr. Whedon himself mentioned this - I was surprised - on one of the special features from season 6). ASH really added some sorely needed testosterone.
Ooops. Did I say that - yeah and season 6 and 7 needed all it could get.

Also, I just don't beleive Marti Noxon was up to the task of leading this series in its latter stages. I don't know if anyone could have filled Mr Whedons shoes so theres no
shame in falling a little short. I am not taking anything away from her abilities but Josh was the heart and comedic soul of this universe. Once that departed (even slightly) things got worse. But I do salute her effort.


In the final episode Mr. Whedon does address the Ubervamp inconsistency (See the S7 Ubervamp Inconsistancy Thread for more) and he does indeed say it was a matter of convenience that the Ubervamps died easily. Their dust puffed easier than bellows from a Cuban Cigar. However, "shambleau" from that same thread may have a point and I wish to expand on it. These ubervamps, most anyway, WERE CARRYING WEAPONS. Now, if one were
desperate for the proverbial loophole regardless of what the creator said then it could easily be that these were lesser Ubervamps. The one Buffy fought didn't need weapons, it already had them, in the form of razor sharp flesh slicing fingernails. Therefore, maybe,
the Ubervamps may well have had a sub order of society that included fighters and leaders as well as, uh um - waiters who happened to have to fight. And just for the record I thought, once again, the final episode could have had more Scoobies and less everything else except that last 15 minutes of glorious and triumphant fighting.

3. Some Suprises Observed

I found that I liked seasons 6 and 7 better when I watched them one episode right after the other. What I mean is this. I remember watching many of the eps on their original airdates. The problem with this is that many episodes aren't followed by new episodes the next week so a fan will have to wait as much as a 2 weeks to a month for a fresh splash of Buff Wash to rinse out the previous episodes negative vibrato. It seemed as if, during
season 7, buffy fought the Supervamp for what seemed like 7 episodes or something. When it was really only like 3. This is important point I believe for episodic TV. If you are going to challenge the audience to darkness (in this case) don't prolong it over an unnecessary period of time. Control it if you can and - yeah - maybe it couldn't be but I beleive this should still be a point of concern. During my most recent sittings of Season 7 the mood seemed lighter and I believe it was because I progressed through the eps as an arc as oppossed to a nightmare laced squiggly line.


(I am going to admit being a Christian here, up front before the next paragraph, but I don't believe this has influenced my powers of observation - I am also a tech guy who gets paid to observe)

Another interesting observation, and this is a much more controversial one, was the devalued treatment of the Christian subtext and power in Vampire Lore. I could clearly understand why the creators of the show might avoid this subject altogether - actually that would make the most sense, but they don't. If God or Satan were never mentioned at all then, again, that would be perfectly understandable. Its funny but I began to pick up on this after about season three and then, soon after, I read that Mr. Whedon was an atheist. Now I don't now if he really is or not but some of the puzzle pieces I had in my head regerding some of the oddities I observed seemed to come together after I read this. About 1 episode per season there would be a reference or circumstance that diminished any "power" associated with the Cross/Christian link and its ower over Vampires. The anguish (physical and mental) caused by the Cross was explained to be "psychological" in one early episode. Also, throughout these episodes, the Church or its parishoners were frequently destroyed, befuddled and belittled by Vamps at every turn. Then, in season six, Willow raises a "satanic church" of great power and in another episode Buffy claims to have been in Heaven but this is later revised to "one of many Heavenly dimensions". In season 4 the old woman that looked after the kids in the orphanage that was to plug into the "Buffy and Riley Sex Generator" years later and produce the poltergeist (or whatever) seemed to spout
stereotypical evil evangelical rants. In season 7 Caleb was shown as a Catholic preacher and seemingly may have been a fallen preacher. Now there are a few more examples from the earlier seasons I could give but the general gist I believe is clear. Again, this is subtle, and it is only a TV show, and I am not interested in starting some kind of conspiracy theory but I believe that there is some interesting circumstantial evidence here to support the theory.

3. Nope - Not Ending on a Negative Note

My favorite seasons in order:

1. 2
2. 5,3 (cheating I know)
3. 4,1 (cheating again)
4. 6
5. 7

Favorite Big Bads

1. Mayor, Glory
2. Angel, Dark Willow
3. Adam, uh 1st season bad Vamp(duh lost his name)
4. 1st

Favorite Buffy Loves:

1. Spike
2. Angel
3. Riley
4. I don't count the one nighter from Season 4

Three cheers to Mr. Whedon and all involved in the Buffyverse for such a great show. Although I believe the final two seasons were weaker than the rest it was still the only show I cared to watch week after week and it was still the best show on TV. I don't know if Buffy will be as regarded as shows like Star Trek or the Twilight Zone but I feel that all the parts are there for this to happen. All you you need is syndicated runs, in lets say 2010, and a still loyal fan base ready for the call, if interest once again rises, and you and I could be part of a new adventure, action, comedy, horror romp that we could call ...

Buffypalooza 2010.

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