Haha, I don't think good grades factor into Homecoming all that much. Bad grades don't help, but really good grades probably don't matter all that much.
That's actually pretty un-cheerleader-ish of her. I actually would've thought it more realistic if Cordy weren't a cheerleader--just a rich, popular mean-girl (and then homecoming would've been totally fair game).
You mean they didn't vote for Homecoming Queen based on GPA at your high school? That's crazy. ;)
I just meant that it factors into the appearance of someone who cares about their high school experience, and by extension, about their school--while academic troubles make it appear like you don't.
I just meant that it factors into the appearance of someone who cares about their high school experience, and by extension, about their school--while academic troubles make it appear like you don't.
Yeah, I'd say that factors in more strongly in the first two seasons when it's clear everyone thinks Buffy's kinda weird. But by Season 3, they all know enough about her gig that they write her in for the Class Protector award. I think there'd be a number of people who'd consider her once they realized she was in the running. But she's not the person they'd first think of because she doesn't scream Homecoming Queen.
I wonder if this episode is supposed to actually drive home that Cordy doesn't win Homecoming Queen because of the way she culls popularity (i.e. bullying). Because that actually lines up with how Homecoming King and Queen won at my high school. Being popular didn't equate to being mean. That's Cordy's own special brand of insecurity. The popular people at my high school were the good looking, wealthy, most involved, and some of the nicest people. They were loved because, well, they were lovable.
Because that actually lines up with how Homecoming King and Queen won at my high school.
Yep. Mine too. That's kind of what I was saying above about Cordy not being very cheerleaderish. At my school, bullies didn't get nominated for prom or homecoming court or make cheerleader or even get to be student council officers. I kind of dislike how reductive of the high school experience those stereotypes are. I just don't think they're true for a pretty wide swath of the high school experiences out there.
I wonder if this episode is supposed to actually drive home that Cordy doesn't win Homecoming Queen because of the way she culls popularity (i.e. bullying).
I think maybe in a roundabout way it is. I sort of think this episode is commenting on trying to fulfill those teenage dream high school ideals. Especially ideals about teenage femininity. Because here are Buffy and Cordelia competing to be named this hyper-feminine ideal--and despite both of their best efforts--they fail (Cordelia perhaps fails because she's usually a bitch, and people recognize it; Buffy perhaps fails because she's beating up demons in the halls and getting suspended and expelled and doesn't participate in any activities).
And I love how, when they announce the winners--and they call the names of everyone BUT the two of them--Buffy and Cordy's reactions are priceless. They don't cry, and they don't pout, and they aren't gracious. They don't have any of the appropriate feminine responses. They say F this shit. Let's bounce.
And I kind of just like that. The simplicity of that message. They didn't fit the stupid fairy tale mold. Neither of them did. They tried. It didn't work. Screw it. Move on.
So, I don't know. Maybe it's not exactly a punishment for Cordy's bullying, so much as a punishment for not being the good cheerleader. And for Buffy not being the good classmate. I'm not saying it's fair to lump Buffy and Cordy together on that note (because Buffy's being punished for saving their lives, while Cordy's being punished for being mean)--but they both behave in ways that transgress the normal boundaries. So. I don't know. I'm not even sure what I'm saying any more.
Actually I think Cordelia fails to win because she and Buffy concentrated so hard on beating each other that the other two candidates slipped past them.
The other thing that's going on is that, in the past, Cordelia could win things like Homecoming because she was the leader of the popular crowd. Since she's been going out with Xander she's doesn't have the same sort of leadership with that crowd so she can't win the way she used to. But she has enough influence to keep them from uniting behind anyone else. So she instead campaigns one clique at a time.
That's actually pretty un-cheerleader-ish of her. I actually would've thought it more realistic if Cordy weren't a cheerleader--just a rich, popular mean-girl (and then homecoming would've been totally fair game).
Mean girl, you say?
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I just meant that it factors into the appearance of someone who cares about their high school experience, and by extension, about their school--while academic troubles make it appear like you don't.
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Yeah, I'd say that factors in more strongly in the first two seasons when it's clear everyone thinks Buffy's kinda weird. But by Season 3, they all know enough about her gig that they write her in for the Class Protector award. I think there'd be a number of people who'd consider her once they realized she was in the running. But she's not the person they'd first think of because she doesn't scream Homecoming Queen.
I wonder if this episode is supposed to actually drive home that Cordy doesn't win Homecoming Queen because of the way she culls popularity (i.e. bullying). Because that actually lines up with how Homecoming King and Queen won at my high school. Being popular didn't equate to being mean. That's Cordy's own special brand of insecurity. The popular people at my high school were the good looking, wealthy, most involved, and some of the nicest people. They were loved because, well, they were lovable.
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Yep. Mine too. That's kind of what I was saying above about Cordy not being very cheerleaderish. At my school, bullies didn't get nominated for prom or homecoming court or make cheerleader or even get to be student council officers. I kind of dislike how reductive of the high school experience those stereotypes are. I just don't think they're true for a pretty wide swath of the high school experiences out there.
I wonder if this episode is supposed to actually drive home that Cordy doesn't win Homecoming Queen because of the way she culls popularity (i.e. bullying).
I think maybe in a roundabout way it is. I sort of think this episode is commenting on trying to fulfill those teenage dream high school ideals. Especially ideals about teenage femininity. Because here are Buffy and Cordelia competing to be named this hyper-feminine ideal--and despite both of their best efforts--they fail (Cordelia perhaps fails because she's usually a bitch, and people recognize it; Buffy perhaps fails because she's beating up demons in the halls and getting suspended and expelled and doesn't participate in any activities).
And I love how, when they announce the winners--and they call the names of everyone BUT the two of them--Buffy and Cordy's reactions are priceless. They don't cry, and they don't pout, and they aren't gracious. They don't have any of the appropriate feminine responses. They say F this shit. Let's bounce.
And I kind of just like that. The simplicity of that message. They didn't fit the stupid fairy tale mold. Neither of them did. They tried. It didn't work. Screw it. Move on.
So, I don't know. Maybe it's not exactly a punishment for Cordy's bullying, so much as a punishment for not being the good cheerleader. And for Buffy not being the good classmate. I'm not saying it's fair to lump Buffy and Cordy together on that note (because Buffy's being punished for saving their lives, while Cordy's being punished for being mean)--but they both behave in ways that transgress the normal boundaries. So. I don't know. I'm not even sure what I'm saying any more.
Reply
The other thing that's going on is that, in the past, Cordelia could win things like Homecoming because she was the leader of the popular crowd. Since she's been going out with Xander she's doesn't have the same sort of leadership with that crowd so she can't win the way she used to. But she has enough influence to keep them from uniting behind anyone else. So she instead campaigns one clique at a time.
Reply
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