30 days of TV meme: Day 06 // "Restless", Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4x22
Whenever I talk about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I have a tendency to call it the Angel of the Trekverse. I came to DS9 during first year university, before Angel had even aired, but as I was in Buffyverse fandom and didn't know Trek fandom at all, this is how I usually compare the two shows. Interestingly, last night while looking up DS9 quotes I found a Joss Whedon quote re Angel:
"I'm working on Buffy: Deep Space Nine. It will be dark and badly received." ~ Entertainment Weekly Angel TV Preview (published in issue #727-728 Sep 12, 2003)
How perfect is that??? *g*
Day 06 - Favourite episode of your favourite TV show
I have many favourite shows and many favourite episodes, but unlike my waffling in previous posts it was actually quite easy to choose my absolute favourite episode, the one episode that is everything clever and deep and beautiful and magical: Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 4 finale, "Restless". Despite my disappointment with certain elements of Season 6 and 7, I still hold the Buffyverse close to my heart, and of the many brilliant episodes, "Restless" remains the most captivating 42 minutes of television I've ever seen. It's utterly gorgeous and surreal and very nearly perfect.
Honestly, I cannot imagine we will ever run out of things to say about "Restless". It's an episode that rewards close readings and continual analysis. There have been hundreds of discussions on "Restless" over on the All Things Philosophical on BtVS & Angel discussion board, though unfortunately I can't find any "Restless"-specific threads (
masqthephlsphr, do we have archives from May 2000?), though one particular examination of "Restless" that I love, which didn't come from ATPo, is A Restless Exegesis by Kip Manley (June 2000).
I suspect one shallow reason A Restless Exegesis had such an impact on me was in fact its presentation. Back in 2000, I had never before seen such an essay, what looked like (to me, at the time) a website dedicated entirely to analysing one episode of a television show, with screencaps and quotes and lovely formatting. I didn't know people could be so serious and professional about a TV show! And what Kip had to say about "Restless" was clever and insightful and referential (Rob, I mourn for your Buffy footnotes website. I mourn.) that I've read it again and again over the years, to wallow in my love for both the essay and for the episode itself.
For those of you who have never experienced "Restless", well, I can't in good conscience recommend that you go watch it immediately. It makes little sense unless you have context--you actually need to watch the entirety of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (really, you should watch all of Buffy and Angel anyway, IMHO) to fully appreciate Joss Whedon's genius. *fangirls*
Day 01 - A show that should have never been cancelled: Stargate SG-1
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching: Bruce Timm's DC Animated Universe
Day 03 - Your favourite new show (aired this TV season): White Collar
Day 04 - Your favourite show ever: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Day 05 - A show you hate: Seinfeld
Day 06 - Favourite episode of your favourite TV show: "Restless", Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4x22
Day 07 - Least favourite episode of your favourite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favourite childhood show
Day 14 - Favourite male character
Day 15 - Favourite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favourite mini series
Day 18 - Favourite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favourite kiss
Day 21 - Favourite ship
Day 22 - Favourite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death
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"I'm working on Buffy: Deep Space Nine. It will be dark and badly received." ~ Entertainment Weekly Angel TV Preview (published in issue #727-728 Sep 12, 2003)
How perfect is that??? *g*
Day 06 - Favourite episode of your favourite TV show
I have many favourite shows and many favourite episodes, but unlike my waffling in previous posts it was actually quite easy to choose my absolute favourite episode, the one episode that is everything clever and deep and beautiful and magical: Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 4 finale, "Restless". Despite my disappointment with certain elements of Season 6 and 7, I still hold the Buffyverse close to my heart, and of the many brilliant episodes, "Restless" remains the most captivating 42 minutes of television I've ever seen. It's utterly gorgeous and surreal and very nearly perfect.
Honestly, I cannot imagine we will ever run out of things to say about "Restless". It's an episode that rewards close readings and continual analysis. There have been hundreds of discussions on "Restless" over on the All Things Philosophical on BtVS & Angel discussion board, though unfortunately I can't find any "Restless"-specific threads (
masqthephlsphr, do we have archives from May 2000?), though one particular examination of "Restless" that I love, which didn't come from ATPo, is A Restless Exegesis by Kip Manley (June 2000).
I suspect one shallow reason A Restless Exegesis had such an impact on me was in fact its presentation. Back in 2000, I had never before seen such an essay, what looked like (to me, at the time) a website dedicated entirely to analysing one episode of a television show, with screencaps and quotes and lovely formatting. I didn't know people could be so serious and professional about a TV show! And what Kip had to say about "Restless" was clever and insightful and referential (Rob, I mourn for your Buffy footnotes website. I mourn.) that I've read it again and again over the years, to wallow in my love for both the essay and for the episode itself.
For those of you who have never experienced "Restless", well, I can't in good conscience recommend that you go watch it immediately. It makes little sense unless you have context--you actually need to watch the entirety of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (really, you should watch all of Buffy and Angel anyway, IMHO) to fully appreciate Joss Whedon's genius. *fangirls*
Day 01 - A show that should have never been cancelled: Stargate SG-1
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching: Bruce Timm's DC Animated Universe
Day 03 - Your favourite new show (aired this TV season): White Collar
Day 04 - Your favourite show ever: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Day 05 - A show you hate: Seinfeld
Day 06 - Favourite episode of your favourite TV show: "Restless", Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4x22
Day 07 - Least favourite episode of your favourite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favourite childhood show
Day 14 - Favourite male character
Day 15 - Favourite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favourite mini series
Day 18 - Favourite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favourite kiss
Day 21 - Favourite ship
Day 22 - Favourite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death
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