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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Out of Mind, Out of Sight and Prophecy Girl

“Out of Mind, Out of Sight”

This episode really sets the stage for season two. Cordelia finally shows a glimpse of humanity, and even saves a teacher’s life, though she’s still far from joining the Scooby gang (which hasn’t even been called that yet).

Cordelia: Hey! You think I’m never lonely because I’m so cute and popular? I can be surrounded by people and be completely alone. It’s not like any of them really know me. I don’t even know if they like me half the time. People just want to be in a popular zone. Sometimes when I talk, everyone’s so busy agreeing with me, they don’t hear a word I say.
Buffy: Well, if you feel so alone, then why do you work so hard at being popular?
Cordelia: Well, it beats being alone all by yourself.

Angel has his first real conversation with Giles, and later rescues him, Willow, and Xander. The rescue might have seemed a bit too convenient, but a) he had a reason for coming to the school, b) in future episodes Angel typically uses sewers and basements to get around during the day, so him being in the basement is logical, and c) vampires have a keen sense of smell, so noticing the gas would have been easy.

There’s also the first hint that the government is aware of things most people in Sunnydale ignore, foreshadowing nicely for the Initiative in season 4.

Giles: I’ve never actually heard of anyone attacked by a lone baseball bat before.
Xander: Maybe it’s a vampire bat.

“Prophecy Girl”

The season one finale is easily one of the best episodes of that year. And it’s not only that we finally get rid of the Master (I’m thinking he’s a big reason why it took me so long to get into the show). He’s easily my least favorite “Big Bad” on Buffy, though I hadn’t remembered he used hypnosis. I wonder why some vampires have this power (Drusilla and Dracula do as well later in the show) and some apparently don’t. It’s interesting that both Buffy and Kendra are killed because of this. Almost feels like the vampires are “cheating” (at least compared to Spike’s slayer kills).

Xander finally confesses his feelings for Buffy by inviting her to the dance, but she turns him down. I love it that Willow’s not willing to be his consolation date, though.

The scene where Buffy finds out that it’s prophesied she’ll be killed by the Master is one of the best in the season. I also like how they did the scene where Willow and Cordelia find the massacre in the A/V room – there’s so much death in this show that random killings are often overlooked or set aside with so the characters can handle the menace. It’s sad that (likely the first time) Cordelia likes a guy enough to put her wants on the back burner he ends up dead. And Willow’s pain over the incident pulls Buffy back into the fight.

I love that Buffy’s willing to punch Giles out to save his life. And I love Xander and Angel teaming up to save Buffy.

Xander: How can I say this clearly? I don’t like you. At the end of the day, I pretty much think you’re a vampire. But Buffy’s got this big old yen for you. She thinks you’re a real person. And right now I need you to prove her right.
Angel: You’re in love with her.
Xander: Aren’t you?

Xander: You were looking at my neck.
Angel: What?
Xander: You were checking out my neck! I saw that!
Angel: No, I wasn’t!
Xander: Just keep your distance, pal.
Angel: I wasn’t looking at your neck!
Xander: I told you to eat before we left.

The beast the comes out of the hellmouth is almost comical (reminds me of the creature in the pit from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, complete with vine-like grabbing things). But that lack in effects is made up for by the totally cool image of Cordelia driving her car through the school. And while the theme music seems a little out of place while Buffy, Angel, and Xander march to the school, I love it when Cordelia bites the vampire trying to get into the library: “See how you like it!”

What are your thoughts on the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Puppet Show and Nightmares

“The Puppet Show”

I was kind of hesitant to rewatch this episode. At first I thought I must have been bored with it the first time around, but when it started I remembered – this episode creeped me out. Part of it was that I agree with Buffy:

Willow: I think dummies are cute. You don’t?
Buffy: Uh-uh. They give me the wig. Ever since I was little.
Willow: What happened?
Buffy: I saw a dummy. It gave me the wig. There really wasn’t a story there.

This episode also introduces Principal Snyder (who doesn’t connect with Buffy, and therefore sticks around for two years), providing a possible suspect for this episode and an annoying despot for many others.

Snyder: There are things I will not tolerate: students loitering on campus after school, horrible murders with hearts being removed. And also smoking.

Another line while the “core four” are discussing the fact that the murderer could be human one line has an eerie foreshadowing edge:

Willow: The creep factor is also heightened. It could be anyone. It could be me! (gets looks from them all) It’s not, though.

And even though the dummy turned out to be on the good side, he still was creepy. But the epilogue at the end (during the credits) is hilarious.

“Nightmares”

This episode got jumbled with a few other nightmarish ones in my head, so it was good to watch it again and straighten things out. I love the slow progression of story as the nightmares get more and more outlandish and sinister.

It’s interesting that a few of the nightmares do come true later on in the series – one of Giles’ and one of Buffy’s, both involving a certain grave. And yesterday I mentioned in my post about Bones that Xander and Booth had some similarities; this episode brings out another – they both hate clowns.

I do think Billy and Collin shouldn’t have looked so similar, unless the intent was to confuse viewers initially.

The season six episode “Once More, With Feeling” references this episode in one of the songs. Willow sings, “I’ve got a theory, some kid is dreaming, and we’re all stuck inside his wacky Broadway nightmare.” But “Nightmares” also has a hint at that future episode:

Giles: Dreams? That would be a musical comedy version of this.

The Master gets a lot of screen time in an episode that has little to do with him, but that’s understandable as the season finale is coming up. It’s kind of interesting that Angel has been absent for three episodes in a row, and not even mentioned for two (I guess I remembered him having a larger role than he actually did in season one). Did the nightmare world affect vampires too? It would have been interesting to see what they had nightmares about – 24-hour sunlight? Drowning in holy water? The Slayer?

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Angel and I, Robot . . . You, Jane

“Angel”

This is THE pivotal episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s season one. While it’s almost impossible now to start watching the show without knowing who Angel is, I can’t imagine the shock viewers felt when the episode first aired and they discovered Angel was a vampire.

Having watched season one of Angel first and read part of his character biography online, the episode held few surprises for me. It was nice to see Angel finally do some fighting. I also enjoyed the hidden backstory in exchanges like this:

Buffy: Well, what does your family think of your career choice?
Angel: They’re dead.
Buffy: Was it vampires?
Angel: I-it was.

Darla in this season doesn’t seem to quite mesh with her personality in flashbacks and later on Angel. But the idea of her bringing guns to the fight fit perfectly. And the whole thing with Joyce was kind of interesting.

Willow: Wow! And it is kinda novel how he’ll stay young and handsome forever, although you’ll still get wrinkly and die, and… Oh, and what about the children? (Buffy looks at her) I’ll be quiet now.

“I, Robot . . . You, Jane”

I’ve seen a few not-so-shining reviews of this episode, but for me, it’s one of my favorites in season one. Not only do we get the introduction of Jenny (and the added dimension her character brings to Giles), but it’s chock-full of great dialogue:

Ms. Calendar: Oh, I know, our ways are strange to you, but soon you will join us in the 20th century. With three whole years to spare!
Giles: Ms. Calendar, I’m sure your computer science class is fascinating, but I happen to believe that one can survive in modern society without being a slave to the, um, idiot box.
Ms. Calendar: That’s TV. The idiot box is TV. This (indicates a computer) is the *good* box!

I couldn’t help but think of the season four episode where the gang invades Giles’ house and Xander discovers his dark secret: “Whoa, Giles has a TV. Everybody, Giles has a TV! He’s shallow like us.”

Giles: I’m just gonna stay and clean up a little. I’ll be back in the middle ages.
Ms. Calendar: Did you ever leave?

Xander: Or who he really is. I mean, sure he says he’s a high school student, but I can say I’m a high school student.
Buffy: You are.
Xander: Okay, but I can also say that I’m an elderly Dutch woman. Get me? I mean, who’s to say I’m not if I’m in the elderly Dutch chat room?
Buffy: I get your point. Oh, this guy could be anybody. He could be weird, or crazy, or old, or… He could be a circus freak. He’s probably a circus freak!
Xander: Yeah. I mean, we read about it all the time. Y’know, people meet on the ‘Net, they talk, they get together, have dinner, a show, horrible axe murder.
Buffy: Willow axe-murdered by a circus freak…

Buffy: We’re literary!
Xander: To read makes our speaking English good.

The demon-in-the-internet aspect is different from typical episodes, which keeps the story interesting even though there are a few logic leaps (like how Buffy was able to follow Dave’s car on foot). The monks at the beginning of the episode reminded me of the ones who hide the key in season five. And it’s interesting to note that Willow becomes interested in robotics later on.

Plus Xander gets to punch someone. And Willow stands up for herself and hits Moloch with a fire extinguisher.

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Supernatural – Pilot

It was only recently that I’d even heard of the show Supernatural. It popped up a few times on TV blogs and articles, and I gathered that it had a strong fan base. Without probing too deeply (trying to avoid spoilers!), I learned that two brothers, trained by their dad after the death of their mom, hunt all sorts of supernatural baddies.

The pilot introduces the Winchester brothers, Dean and Sam (played by Jared Padalecki, who I knew as Dean from Gilmore Girls, which made things a bit confusing). The entire episode was quite creepy, something I wasn’t expecting. Most of the speculative shows I watch involve vampires or superheroes, and fighting them means physical battles. As such, they tend to be more scary/suspenseful than creepy, but Supernatural’s pilot ranks right up there with the handful of episodes that were creepy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s “Hush” and Angel’s “Room w/a Vu” come to mind).

The pilot featured Life and Fairly Legal’s Sarah Shahi. The acting and effects were above par, and it contained enough of a hook to make me want to watch the second episode. The only thing that didn’t ring true was Dean’s comment to Sam that they made a great team. Their teamwork wasn’t impressive at all in this episode – they seemed to just stumble onto things individually. (A bunch of shows come to mind that have much better teamwork in the pilot episode that ultimately brings the characters together to form the show – Leverage, Bones, White Collar, Burn Notice . . .) But I’m guessing this improves with future episodes. I’m looking forward to what a regular episode will bring.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Never Kill a Boy on the First Date and The Pack

“Never Kill a Boy on the First Date”

This episode focuses on Buffy’s struggle to balance her “normal” life and her slaying, particularly in relation to dating sensitive guy Owen. While it’s a decent episode, it’s not really remarkable. We get the first “killed by fire” vamp, and the Anointed One comes on the scene. His identity is an interesting final twist, but I’m sure many viewers agree with Spike’s nickname for him: the Annoying One. He gets far too much screen time for the tiny role he eventually plays in the story.

Buffy: See, this is a school, and we have students, and they check out books, and then they learn things.
Giles: I was beginning to suspect that was a myth.

Giles: Alright, I’ll just jump in my time machine, go back to the twelfth century and ask the vampires to postpone their ancient prophecy for a few days while you take in dinner and a show.
Buffy: Okay, at this point you’re abusing sarcasm.

“The Pack”

I enjoyed this episode just as much the second time. It’s one of the standout episodes of the first season, if only to see Xander acting against type (parts of it reminded me of the Angel episode, “Billy”). The four “cool” kids seemed out of place right from the start, and it’s interesting that this is the only episode they appear in (is it weird that their demeanor and the way that the two guys and two girls hung out together made me thing of the Cullens?). They did look a little familiar, so I looked up the actors. One plays Ben Mercer on Covert Affairs, and another is in episodes of four crime dramas I watch.

And of course since Principal Flutie has one moment of connection with Buffy, you know something’s going to happen to him. Somehow I don’t think “eaten by hyena-possessed teenagers” was the way he wanted to go.

Willow: Why couldn’t Xander be possessed by a puppy or, or some ducks?

This is the first episode where Buffy admits she’s attracted to Angel – she seems to have quickly forgotten Owen. (I wonder if episodes 4 and 5 were supposed to be in reverse order?) Even Xander knows she likes Angel – it’s as if Owen is a distant memory. Willow reveals even more how deep of crush she has on Xander (and I could only think of Oz while she was watching over Xander locked in the book cage).

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Witch and Teacher’s Pet

“Witch”

This episode bored me this time around. It did have a few good aspects, like establishing Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Willow as the core group. It’s also full of awesome Xander quotes:

I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away.

For I am Xander, King of cretins. May all lesser cretins bow before me.

We’re right behind you, only further back.

I don’t think the writers intended for Giles’ statement of never doing spells before to be a boldface lie, as future episodes reveal, but he did seem to be awfully good at it for a complete novice. And who knew what Amy would become?

“Teacher’s Pet”

After rewatching the last episode was somewhat yawn-worthy, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The beginning dream/daydream sequence was fun. I’d forgotten how much Xander was crushing on Buffy in the first season. Two vamp dustings were implied but not shown – I wonder if the special effects budget all went toward the giant insect. Not that the giant insect was a great success, but at least they seemed to realize this and kept her in the shadows most of the time.

The main shortcoming to this episode was that things got overexplained and repeated, quite common for early episodes of shows until writers learn to trust their audience’s intelligence.

The episode did a great job of making you care about Dr. Gregory for the few short minutes of screen time he got. Poor Buffy. Everytime she seems to connect with someone employed by the school (other than Giles), they’re not long for the world.

But this episode is mostly about Xander. Not only do we see how his crush on Buffy is growing stronger, it’s also the first time we see him jealous of Angel. (And no, Xander, Buffy would not describe a guy as buff. Corny wordplay is more Willow’s forte.) We also learn his middle name, LaVelle.

This episode also gets the first somewhat cool vampire (other than you know who, of course, but shh – episode 7 isn’t here yet!), known simply as “Claw Guy.” He had to have been around for a while to make it into Giles’ books, and he both injured Angel and initially put up a decent fight with Buffy. His demise proved the interchangeability of stakes and fences (in the first episode, Xander’s explanation for Buffy’s stake is that she’s “building a really little fence”)

Buffy: So I’m an undead monster that can shave with my hand…How many things am I afraid of?

Giles: Um, this computer invasion that Willow’s performing on the coroner’s office, one, one assumes it is entirely legal?
Willow: Entirely!
Buffy: Of course!
Giles: Right. Wasn’t here, didn’t see it, couldn’t have stopped you.

This episode feels like it’s at least several weeks after the last one (except for the overexplaining). Both Buffy and Giles seem to accept that Willow and Xander will be helping out, research-wise at least, with the monster fighting. Everyone seems comfortable with the fact that they’re up against more than just vampires. Even though everyone freaks out a bit, they seem to have faced more than just the events of the past three episodes.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Welcome to the Hellmouth and The Harvest

Okay, I finally caved. As soon as I finished the final episode of Angel, I wanted to go back and rewatch Buffy the Vampire Slayer from the beginning. I managed to hold off for several months by rewatching some of my favorite episodes, reading many of the comics, and watching various shows featuring Buffy alums (Bones, Veronica Mars, Tru Calling). But after reading a fellow blogger’s review of season one, the allure grew too strong.

I’m going to take things a bit more slowly this time. I’m also not planning to watch the later seasons in tandem with Angel, except for perhaps a few key crossover episodes. I simply enjoy Buffy more, and all the flipping back and forth got to be annoying. Plus I’ve already seen the first season of Angel twice.

I’m also hoping to review each episode as I go through, most likely writing about several episodes in each post.

“Welcome to the Hellmouth” and “The Harvest”

What is widely considered the show’s weakest season opens with a two-part introduction to Sunnydale High, the main characters, and of course vampires. This was my third time watching the two episodes. The first time I thought it was decent but campy, and the vampires creeped me out. The second time I enjoyed seeing Alyson Hannigan from How I Met Your Mother and Anthony Stewart Head from Merlin in different roles, but it bored me a little.

I guess third time’s the charm, because this time around I loved it.

Oh, sure, I still thought the vampires were stupid and I still consider The Master one of the most unimaginative villains of all time, but I wasn’t watching the episodes for them. I was watching to see Buffy meet Xander and Willow and Giles and Angel for the very first time. Knowing now all they’d eventually go through together made the episodes amazing.

I hadn’t remember Angel seeming so much of a wimp. Knowing that his fighting skills are pretty much even with Buffy’s, his inaction in these episodes seems ludicrous, especially with what’s at stake. Of course, it could partly be him trying to keep his true nature a secret from Buffy, but the end of the world is a bit more important. Darla seemed too easily cowed as well, though she at least held her own in a fight.

Even this early on, the dialogue was snappy and distinct, a fitting beginning for what would eventually become known as “Slayer Slang.” A few choice bits:

“Gee, can you vague that up for me?”

“I didn’t say I’d never slay another vampire. It’s not like I have all these fluffy bunny feelings for them, I’m just not gonna get way extracurricular with it.”

Willow: Do you have Theories in Trig? You should check it out.
Xander: Check it out?
Willow: From the library. Where the books live.

It was also fun getting a brief glimpse of Harmony, knowing who she would become in later seasons. But in all the flashbacks we’ve gotten of main vampires, it seems weird that there’s no mention (at least that I remember) of Luke. You’d think a vampire that powerful and connected to The Master would have been around for a while. Trivia note: the same actor plays the Judge in season 2.

In all, not the best first episode for someone new to the show (unless you’ll be able to convince them to keep watching no matter how they feel about season one), but a must-see for fans. It makes me excited for the rest of the season.

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Being Human – Comparing Both Versions

Oddly enough, it was the American adaption of Being Human that caused me to watch the British version, even though I watched the British one first. Confused? I heard about SyFy’s version somewhere (most likely a Hulu ad, though I don’t remember specifically), and it intrigued me enough to do some looking into the show.

I found out pretty quickly that there was a BBC version of the show as well, and I was faced with a dilemma. Which one should I watch? I knew whichever one I watched first would color my perceptions of the other, and perhaps ruin it for me completely. I’d barely gotten through one episode of the British version of The Office after seeing several seasons of the US version. I hadn’t even made it through half of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie after watching the show. (Though to be fair, the movie is almost universally considered terrible. But if they ever reboot the show, I’m thinking a British version would be a pretty cool twist.) I finally decided to watch the British version of Being Human because a) it was there first, and b) it had more episodes out, so a greater loss if they were ruined.

Both shows center on three supernatural beings who share a house. Two unlikely best friends, a vampire and a werewolf, rent a house to try and live a more normal human life, only to find out the place is haunted by the ghost of the former occupant.

The British version is more raw, bloody, and gruesome. It’s probably the least family-friendly show I watch, and I almost stopped watching it after the first episode. In contrast, the American version seemed sanitized and slick. The special effects were better, the minor characters were prettier, but the trio of stars didn’t have the same connection and chemistry.

The American version succeeded best when it differed from the UK one, so I’m really looking forward to season two, when the storyline will completely diverge. Josh’s sister was a great addition, and it was fun seeing some plot points from later on in the British version make it into the first season of the American one (whether intentionally or not). With knowing how most of the season would go, I loved that they changed things up in the finale and actually surprised me.

As far as the main characters go, I prefer Mitchell to Aidan. I enjoy both George and Josh, but I think George is an easier character to connect to (however, I think the actor Russell Tovey looks far more like a Mitchell than a George, so I confused the names in my mind for a series and a half). And while Annie got on my nerves a lot, she does make Sally look a bit bland. I hope Sally will get more to do in season two, and Nora as well (Nina has her beat so far).

I really don’t see the deep friendship and camaraderie among the characters in the American version, though it appears they tried to amp up the situational drama, especially with Josh’s character (with four distinct occurrences, all but one from later in the UK show). The British version, however, lives on emotional drama. There are more tears in a single episode of the British show than the entire season of the American version. Are the British just more comfortable with men crying in front of other people?

It’s no surprise that I like the original Being Human more than the remake, but the latter showed enough glimpses of brilliance for me to keep watching.

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Bones vs. Smallville – Initial Thoughts

I know two episodes isn’t always enough to find out whether you’ll like a show, but since pilots often differ from typical episodes, I think most shows should be given at least two chances to hook a viewer’s interest (of course, some shows are so terrible they don’t deserve even one full episode, but I’m more talking about a “meh” reaction to a pilot). I know I wish I’d given Buffy more episodes to grow on me, though the fact that I sought out other Joss Whedon shows right afterward hints that it simply was vampires creeping me out.

With my supernaturally-inclined shows all over for good or for the season (The Cape, Merlin, V, No Ordinary Family, and Being Human), and having finished my Buffy/Angel marathon, it seemed like a good time to try out Smallville. So I watched the first two episodes. And yawned.

To be fair, it probably wasn’t a good idea to watch Smallville so soon after falling in love with the Buffyverse. Smallville had big shoes to fill, and true to its name, it didn’t measure up. It didn’t have humor. Or suspense. The dialog was stilted and predictable. Good characters had no flaws and bad ones, no virtues. The country setting didn’t appeal to me either.

Since I’d watched one Superman movie, I was able to pick up on the hints of mythic origin, and thought they were rather well done – until they decided to paint them bolder as if screaming “Get it?” at me. And since I didn’t really care about the elements that would make up Superman’s future (unlike the elements in the Star Wars prequels that made me enjoy them – R2D2, C-3PO, Palpatine’s rise to power, meeting Lars and Beru), I lacked a sense of wonder at their arrival.

I liked the music. Lex and Chloe seemed like they could become interesting characters. But that was it. I may try to make it to a third episode, if only for the fact that James Marsters (aka Spike) will eventually show up on the show. But considering that won’t happen until season 5, and he’s only in there for 14 episodes, I doubt it. Maybe if I’m really, really bored.

To make up for the disappointment of Smallville, I decided to try watching Bones instead. Yes, I already was watching eight other crime dramas, but only one of them focused on the FBI. I’d heard Bones was good several times. It starred David Boreanaz (aka Angel). And Netflix had every past season on watch instantly.

A few minutes into the pilot, I knew I had found a gem. The chemistry and arguments between Brennan and Booth reminded me of Castle and Beckett. The humor and camaraderie of Brennan’s team made me think of NCIS. (And Castle and NCIS just happen to be my two favorite crime dramas.) I watched the second episode just to make sure this show wasn’t too good to be true.

Already, with her brilliance, beauty, and social awkwardness, Dr. Temperance Brennan seems to have so many layers waiting to be uncovered. I love her “I don’t know what that means” line. And she’s a writer!

Seeing David Boreanaz in a different role is nice (since as Angel he tended to live in a perpetual state of angst, with brief periods of dorkiness and pure evil). Many shows tend to paint FBI agents as “by the book,” so it’s refreshing to have the cop being the one who goes by gut instinct.

Four episodes. Two shows. One clear winner.

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No Ordinary Family – Superheroes

I can say with honesty that I began watching No Ordinary Family last fall because I was bored. I was caught up on the regular shows I watched, summer shows had ended, and I was looking for something different than crime drama (the two other new shows I picked up that season were both crime dramas – Blue Bloods and Detroit 1-8-7).

I’m only a casual fan of superhero stories. I’d enjoyed movies like Spider-Man (1 & 2) and Hancock, but I hadn’t been overwhelmingly pulled into the mythos of any of them (I haven’t even made it past the pilot of Heroes). No Ordinary Family seemed like a pleasant enough mix of The Incredibles and the Fantastic Four (and even starred Michael Chiklis from the latter). I figured I would give it a try.

The show was decent, but didn’t grab my attention. I left it in the “wait and see” category, as something to watch when I didn’t feel like watching anything else. It had plot holes and cheesiness, but good acting and visual effects. Gradually the show began to shift focus, from the family dynamics of dealing with superpowers to the wider story of others with powers and where they came from.

This focus change improved my opinion of the show. While Blue Bloods succeeded as a show because they blended family drama with crime drama, No Ordinary Family put too much emphasis on family drama at the beginning of the season, alienating many viewers who tuned in for the supernatural aspect. Once the balance improved, I began liking the show more, and eventually watched the entire season.

The side characters’ stories also increased my interest in the show, especially since they seemed to demonstrate more character growth. Joshua’s character was the first to emerge as neither all good or all bad, and the effects of his relationship with Katie changed the show from a may-watch to a will-watch. And I identified with the character of Katie on many levels (plus, she shared my name!).

Unfortunately, a second season seems unlikely for No Ordinary Family. But the first season is still well worth watching, especially after you make it past the first cheesy episodes.

Bonus for Joss Whedon fans: the show stars Julie Benz (Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) and has a brief appearance of Amy Acker (Fred on Angel and Dr. Claire Saunders on Dollhouse). And I didn’t realize it until I looked it up, but Kay Panabaker (who stars as Daphne) played the creepy girl in the white room on Angel too. (I could keep going, the show has 20 or more cast and crew in common with Buffy, Angel, and Dollhouse according to IMDB.)

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Merlin – Magic and Anthony Stewart Head

A friend of mine linked to an interview about the upcoming season four of Merlin, which gives a few hints about what’s to come (and mentioned news I hadn’t heard yet – season four will have a full 13-episode run instead of the 10 originally slated). It got me thinking about how much that show influenced my diving into the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

For one thing, it made me more comfortable watching a show about magic. I grew up in a house where The Chronicles of Narnia were just barely on the side of good, and videos were stopped or gotten rid of if the magic got too black (sometimes even if it was just the bad guys). I realize everyone has their limits and convictions (and even my parents have gotten less restrictive over the years), but it wasn’t until lately that I discovered how slow I was to try out shows with speculative elements.

Much in the way the first season of Angel and the show Being Human sparked my interest in redemptive stories about vampires (too bad Twilight doused that interest for a time), Merlin showed me how magic could up the stakes of stories since it could be a powerful force for good or evil. Big, scary monsters and spells mixed with comedy and growing up – it worked for Buffy and it’s working for Merlin.

The other push Merlin gave me towards watching Buffy was the actor Anthony Stewart Head (who plays King Uther on Merlin and Giles on BTVS). I still find it hard to believe he’s the only common denominator between the two shows. It’s kind of funny to contrast his anti-magic stance on Merlin with him owning a magic shop and doing spells on Buffy. But on both shows he’s a respected father figure. Giles’ dry wit and exasperated looks are missed, though, as Head has to be a far more stoic king (and almost a villain at times). I’m looking forward to what Merlin’s writers will do with his character in season four, after the traumatic events at the end of season three.

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Angel – Outlasting Buffy

Season five of Angel is a bit of an oddity. Since Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s end (at least on TV) coincided with the end of Angel season 4, the show finds itself in the awkward place of trying to wrap up two shows at once. This is heightened by the appearance of Spike, arguably the most popular character of Buffy’s final seasons.

While most viewers seem to enjoy both shows, from reviews I’ve gathered that many Angel-only fans really resent Spike stealing the limelight. It doesn’t help that Spike is given more of the interesting character development in the early half of the season, while Angel just seems grumpy – all the time.

Though Angel captured my interest as a show far more quickly than Buffy did, for quite some time I’ve preferred Sunnydale to LA. So every allusion to BTVS on Angel brings a wave of sweet nostalgia. I only wish they could have incorporated more characters and storylines, or better yet, simply merged the two shows. As entertaining as Angel and Spike’s arguments over Buffy’s affections are, wouldn’t they have been more fun if Buffy was actually there? But since BTVS’s end seemed to be a mutual decision with the cast (especially Sarah Michelle Gellar) and crew wanting to end on a high note, I can see why more Sunnydale characters didn’t migrate to Los Angeles.

I didn’t realize how much I missed the whole Scooby gang until Andrew showed up in episode 11, “Damages.” I hadn’t been fond of Andrew’s character in BTVS, though by the end of the show his geeky ways had grown on me a bit. But as soon as he appeared on Angel I realized that I’d actually missed his character. And I loved that he shared what everyone from Sunnydale was up to. The best part was his weeping, hugging, Lord-of-the-Rings-quoting reaction to Spike being alive. That was really needed. Everyone on Angel either didn’t know Spike before he showed up or didn’t want him alive. Andrew managed to sum up all the feelings of the certain Scoobies who would have loved the news, plus all the fans’ joy at Spike’s return.

Episode 12, “You’re Welcome,” continues the walk down memory lane, this time focusing on the early days of Angel with Cordelia’s reappearance. Again, this was a character I hadn’t been fond of but had grown to like, and having her show up for one episode brought a warm feeling of homecoming.

The episode also addressed Connor’s removal from the memory of Wesley, Fred, Gunn, and Lorne, which had really been bugging me. In a way, it’s the opposite of Dawn’s appearance in Buffy season five. But while the addition of a side character didn’t change past events much in Buffy, the removal of a central character in Angel leaves way too many dangling plot threads. For example, why was Wesley with Lilah? If Connor hadn’t been there, Wesley would have stayed with Team Angel and never gotten all dark and broody. Episode 18, “Origin,” did clear up a bit of the confusion, but that aspect still bothers me.

I really would have hated “The Girl in Question” (episode 20) if I didn’t find out from the comic that it wasn’t even really Buffy in Rome and dating The Immortal. It seemed out of character for her (unless she was getting close to him for a mission). She’s already kind of in love with both Angel and Spike – throwing in an odd character who happens to be the nemesis of both would be way too melodramatic. But it just adds to the hilarity of the episode to find out the whole cover story was Andrew’s idea.

What I’d really like to know is when does Buffy discover Spike’s alive? I’d thought Andrew might have spilled the beans after “Damages,” but since Buffy’s not even in Rome with him it’s unlikely. Giles might have overheard Spike when he was on the phone with Angel in episode 15 – at least, at that point it didn’t seem like Spike or Angel was trying to keep the info secret. And in “The Girl in Question” there is no mention of the fact that Buffy doesn’t know yet, and if she didn’t, wouldn’t Spike still be dealing with the awkwardness of all of it? Maybe the comics have the answer – I’ve only read the first so far.

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Angel – Brooding Older Sibling

Even though I’ve unintentionally seen quite a few spoilers regarding the Buffyverse (and watching season one of Angel first didn’t help), I am still trying to watch both series “in order” as I progress. I’m following the Buffyfest episode order list, which has proved very helpful. I even watched season one of Angel again. (And in case you’re wondering, I highly recommend watching “Fool for Love” before “Darla,” to better get the full impact of Spike’s backstory.)

Near the end of the list, you can start watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel without having to worry about crossovers for a season and a half. When episodes ended on cliffhangers or with a bunch of unresolved questions, I tended to stick with that show for another episode or two. Or dozen.

The end result was that I was a full season ahead watching Buffy versus watching Angel. It surprised me. After all, I’d given up on Buffy after only two episodes the first time I tried watching, while for Angel I’d watched every episode I could at the time on Hulu.

Why did Buffy grip me when Angel didn’t? I’m not sure, but I have a few ideas. Yes, it was seasons 6 and 7 of Buffy versus seasons 3 and 4 of Angel, but I’d “known” the core characters (Angel and Cordelia) of Angel for the same amount of time as the core characters of Buffy.

Spike’s story arc was one aspect that pulled my interest toward Buffy. I never expected to like his character so much. I was a huge Buffy/Angel fan, so I expected to hate Spike. But his humor, British accent, and hopeless romanticism won me over.

Connected to that is the type of humor found in each of the shows. I laugh far more often watching Buffy than watching Angel. Angel isn’t a lighthearted spin-off show – it’s a brooding older brother to the more carefree younger sister that is Buffy.

Consider two similar episodes – “Tabula Rasa” on Buffy and “Spin the Bottle” on Angel. In both, the memories of most of main characters are wiped away for a good portion of the episode. “Tabula Rasa” is hilarious, with everyone screaming at the sight of vampires and Spike thinking he’s Giles’ son. While “Spin the Bottle” does have a few lighter moments, such as Fred thinking aliens caused the confusion, I didn’t laugh once.

Since I’m so far behind on Angel, I have to watch a bunch of episodes before I have the luxury of watching another Buffy episode. And the dark angst can get so overwhelming that I long for one of Buffy’s witty retorts, Xander’s jests during awkward or dangerous moments, or Spike’s cutting repartees.

In relation to Joss Whedon’s other works, I’d have to say that Buffy is more like Firefly with its blend of varied senses of humor, while Angel echoes the darker edge of Dollhouse.

Would Angel have been a lighter, more humor-filled show if Doyle had been able to stick around? I believe so. While I love Wesley’s character, most of his laughable moments were in his early incompetent days. Gunn is stoic. Angel broods a lot. Even Lorne, who seems to be put in as a “lighter” character, has a dismal outlook far too much of the time. Fred is more cute than funny, and Cordelia lost most of her ditzy ways early in the show.

I am looking forward to watching season five of Angel, and finding out how Spike’s addition to the cast will change things. Hopefully he’ll bring some of the humor from Buffy with him.

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The Cape – Farewell

When a show is cut from 13 episodes to 10, and then the final episode is only aired online, it’s pretty safe to say that the show will be canceled. While it’s a sad ending for The Cape, I’m glad NBC at least gave fans the opportunity to watch the last episode.

I first remember the extremely vague teasers for the show. They were frustrating. I wanted to know what kind of show it was – historical? speculative? action? Then I found out Summer Glau (best known as River from Firefly) was going to be on it, and I knew I’d at least be watching the pilot.

The pilot was engaging enough for me to keep watching. A cop is framed and presumably killed, but is rescued by a criminal carnival troupe. With their help, he becomes The Cape, a superhero without supernatural abilities, who fights crime, looks out for his wife and son, and plans to bring down the man who framed him.

The visual effects and soundtrack for the show are stunning. The cast is a mix of decent to exceptional actors, and the overall story arc was pretty good. The intrigue built with each episode, but a few plot holes and unclear motivations marred the story. And it was full of dichotomies – a dark, gritty feel with very few actual deaths, a superhero without any powers, a dad putting his family through emotional hell to avoid possible physical danger.

Like No Ordinary Family, The Cape seems to be trying to blend a family show with the superhero genre, with mixed results. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t a “must watch.” I mostly liked the fact that it fit nicely between Chuck and Castle for my Monday night Firefly trifecta (Jayne from Firefly is Casey on Chuck; Mal from Firefly is Castle on Castle). I was hoping they’d explore more of Glau’s character Orwell, but the most they gave was in dream sequences during the two-part “The Lich.”

I feel the show would have succeeded better if they’d decided to lean one way or the other – making the show darker and delve more into characters and motivations, or give it a lighter spin and inject some humor.

In all, it’s worth watching, but I don’t plan to get it on DVD. But if the soundtrack ever comes out, I’ll definitely buy it. It would make great writing music.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Changes

As I get further into the Buffyverse, I’m not liking some of the new things that are cropping up. The first three seasons were awesome, but season four was a bit of a letdown (I’ve read that it’s the worst season of the seven so I’m not alone in this). I suppose since I watched season one of Angel first that I grew attached to his character, so his absence in the later seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is something I’m still getting used to.

Not that I mind Riley – I’ve enjoyed Marc Blucas’ acting in several movies (and even an episode of Castle). And I enjoyed Spike being in the story more – he’s hilarious.

I miss Oz. I feel they could have done a lot more with his character. And Willow went from being one of my favorite characters in the first three seasons to someone I could barely relate to, and from spoilers I’ve caught it sounds like it will only get worse.

The science vs. supernatural worked well for the plot arc of season four, and Adam as a combination of the two was a truly creepy “big bad.” I also enjoyed catching the crossovers with season one of Angel as I rewatched it.

Now with the start of season five of Buffy we have another big change – the addition of Buffy’s little sister Dawn. I knew she was coming in later seasons, so I noticed the two or three times Buffy is mentioned as an only child in earlier seasons. But I didn’t expect Dawn to be so awkwardly dropped into the show. Seriously, Buffy’s parents are divorced – couldn’t they have made it that Dawn was living with her father in Los Angeles up until this point instead of pretending that she’d been in Sunnydale this whole time? And I think it would have been far more interesting for Dawn not to know that Buffy was the Slayer at first and have to figure it out. Her initial reaction would have be much more compelling than the whiny intro she is given instead.

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