Passion
Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Is it wrong that I view this episode as one of the most beautiful in all the seasons of Buffy? Murder of a beloved character really shouldn't leave me describing it as beautiful. But that's what happens here. The dance scene at the beginning in slow motion as Angelus speaks of the beauty of passion. Just pause for a moment at the actual point where Angelus breaks Jenny's neck and note the window placement and the moonlight. And then there is the scene where Giles finds Jenny's body in his bed. It's downright gorgeous. The flowers and the music and the smile on Giles face as he goes up the stairs. And the scene where Angelus watches Buffy and Willow cry through the curtains is so pretty - SMG even manages to cry beautifully. It's episodes like this that make me so curious to know who actually caused this to happen. Was it the writer, the director, the set department?? Was it just one person's vision or was it something everyone got into that week?
So much happens in this episode that it is hard to know what to concentrate on. Angelus' voiceover carries so much intensity that you immediately wonder whether he is speaking of his life right now - ie. Buffy or whether he is also speaking of his entire life and unlife. After all, his unlife wasn't exactly lived without passion and, when he was turned, he was obviously passionate about Darla and killing people! But, in this time and place, Angelus is very passionate about Buffy and NOT getting that pesky soul back, in that order. Oh - and he has enough passion left over to be taking care of Spike's "responsibilities" with Drusilla. It's awfully sad that Buffy's earlier suspicions about Angel and Dru have now turned out to be entirely true. Anyone else wish that Buffy hadn't been a PG show so that we could know what Angelus would really have done when he was in Buffy's room or with Dru?? Oh well, that's what fanfic is for, I guess!
Can we speak for a few moments about the excruciating moments in here between Buffy and her mother? They manage to bond over the idea that Buffy's boyfriend has not turned out to be the man she thought he was. But this momentary understanding is shattered by Angelus' diabolical act of dropping the bombshell on Joyce that he has slept with Buffy. Actually quite diabolical when you think on it. What was Angelus going to do when he came in the house anyway? I always wondered. I mean, he was in the house the night before and didn't do anything to anyone. Anyway - it's really satisfying to see Buffy slam the door in Angelus' face.
One of the few amusing scenes in this episode is when Giles really wants to help Buffy with her Mom and the whole "not a virgin anymore" conversation. Willow is just hilarious as she helps Giles see that this definately not part of the Watcher job description! But it sure is heartbreaking in the last scene as Buffy states that she now understand "Nothings ever going to bring him back" and the scene cuts to the disk falling between the desks.
This episode is just a wonderful piece of writing. The only down side is the stupid fish thing but at least that led to the line about it still being "all about Buffy". This whole episode is really a testamant to how to kill a major character off and have everyone get that, as Joss said, "no one is safe on this show"!
PS - This episode also has one of my favorite meta moments in Buffy when Jonathon comes in to get a book and Xander is astounded by this!! It's true - why weren't there ever any kids in the library??
PPS - "You feel betrayed" "One of the unfortunate side effects of actually being betrayed."
This is really very true, isn't it? Don't you hate it when people betray you and then come around afterwards, act like nothing every happened, and are all shocked at you when you feel hurt????
Is it wrong that I view this episode as one of the most beautiful in all the seasons of Buffy? Murder of a beloved character really shouldn't leave me describing it as beautiful. But that's what happens here. The dance scene at the beginning in slow motion as Angelus speaks of the beauty of passion. Just pause for a moment at the actual point where Angelus breaks Jenny's neck and note the window placement and the moonlight. And then there is the scene where Giles finds Jenny's body in his bed. It's downright gorgeous. The flowers and the music and the smile on Giles face as he goes up the stairs. And the scene where Angelus watches Buffy and Willow cry through the curtains is so pretty - SMG even manages to cry beautifully. It's episodes like this that make me so curious to know who actually caused this to happen. Was it the writer, the director, the set department?? Was it just one person's vision or was it something everyone got into that week?
So much happens in this episode that it is hard to know what to concentrate on. Angelus' voiceover carries so much intensity that you immediately wonder whether he is speaking of his life right now - ie. Buffy or whether he is also speaking of his entire life and unlife. After all, his unlife wasn't exactly lived without passion and, when he was turned, he was obviously passionate about Darla and killing people! But, in this time and place, Angelus is very passionate about Buffy and NOT getting that pesky soul back, in that order. Oh - and he has enough passion left over to be taking care of Spike's "responsibilities" with Drusilla. It's awfully sad that Buffy's earlier suspicions about Angel and Dru have now turned out to be entirely true. Anyone else wish that Buffy hadn't been a PG show so that we could know what Angelus would really have done when he was in Buffy's room or with Dru?? Oh well, that's what fanfic is for, I guess!
Can we speak for a few moments about the excruciating moments in here between Buffy and her mother? They manage to bond over the idea that Buffy's boyfriend has not turned out to be the man she thought he was. But this momentary understanding is shattered by Angelus' diabolical act of dropping the bombshell on Joyce that he has slept with Buffy. Actually quite diabolical when you think on it. What was Angelus going to do when he came in the house anyway? I always wondered. I mean, he was in the house the night before and didn't do anything to anyone. Anyway - it's really satisfying to see Buffy slam the door in Angelus' face.
One of the few amusing scenes in this episode is when Giles really wants to help Buffy with her Mom and the whole "not a virgin anymore" conversation. Willow is just hilarious as she helps Giles see that this definately not part of the Watcher job description! But it sure is heartbreaking in the last scene as Buffy states that she now understand "Nothings ever going to bring him back" and the scene cuts to the disk falling between the desks.
This episode is just a wonderful piece of writing. The only down side is the stupid fish thing but at least that led to the line about it still being "all about Buffy". This whole episode is really a testamant to how to kill a major character off and have everyone get that, as Joss said, "no one is safe on this show"!
PS - This episode also has one of my favorite meta moments in Buffy when Jonathon comes in to get a book and Xander is astounded by this!! It's true - why weren't there ever any kids in the library??
PPS - "You feel betrayed" "One of the unfortunate side effects of actually being betrayed."
This is really very true, isn't it? Don't you hate it when people betray you and then come around afterwards, act like nothing every happened, and are all shocked at you when you feel hurt????