Restless Revisited

[selenak]

Thalia_seawood last week reached Restless in her BTVS watching, and wrote some insightful reviews about it, which reminded me once more why this is my favourite BTVS episode, so I rewatched it, and am all aglow anew with the Restless love, and the BTVS love. merrymaia, who is also watching BTVS for the first time and is in early season 2, recently asked me which I

Comments

[anonymous]

Oh, Gosh... this made me miss Buffy all over again. But I love your shiny brain too, now I'm longing to watch Restless all over again and it's completely your fault! ;)

[grimorie]

*headdesk* that's me up there, stupid browser.

[selenak]

*in reference to your icon*

"And on land!" (Xander, re: sharks in Restless.) I feel not guilty at all for making people rewatch shiny episodes.*g*

[likeadeuce]

just a drive-by before I go tend to company, but I read the intro and I'm bookmarking your analyses to read later -- thanks for the Sunday morning boost of fandom love.

[selenak]

You're welcome.

[callmesandy]

My favorite line in Restless was always Adam's "not a man among us can remember" - after Angel s4, that always made me think of Darla (and Jasmine) and how Darla's name before is forgotten, along with Adam that was.

[selenak]

The importance of names, yes, that has a strong echo. Of course, the First Slayer doesn't have one, either, or if she had it has been forgotten.

[thalia_seawood]

The importance of names and naming things is mentioned at least two times during Restless. In the first dream - Willow and Tara talking - and in the last dream. Here I think Riley brings it up.

This seems also to tie in with vampires selecting a new name to remake themselves. I'm also wondering if Dawn comes into being by being given a name.

[selenak]

I'm also wondering if Dawn comes into being by being given a name.

Let's say something existed for a very long time, but it wasn't Dawn, and naming might have had something to do with it. You'll get the explanation about Dawn's origins, and why everyone assumes she has always existed (a la Super!Jonathan) a few episodes into season 5, though.

[kakodaimon]

Good lord. I can only imagine what it's like to read your grad word; my head's exploding just from that.

[selenak]

My grad work deals with Lion Feuchtwanger, and so far everyone has survived reading it.*g*

[sockkpuppett]

This was just beautiful, saying so much of what I've felt about the episode and have been unable to articulate. I used Restless and Get It Done as the opening salvos in Scooby Road because the Meta, which is practically anvil-like in its heaviness, is also so beautifully realized.

Early on, I compared Buffy's desert to Jesus's 40 days--that its barren desolation was where she found her strength, but it would also be where she discovered (and ultimately understood) the knowledge that she already had within her, which allowed her to break the chains that the Elders had placed upon her. When I watched Get It Done for the first time, I knew that Buffy was going to redefine what a Slayer was because I saw her break the chains. Also, the meta! Oh the meta! "We know who you are, and we know why you're here." That was a message to *us*, not to Buffy. Now, I'm all in love again.

I'd love to link to this on Mutant_Allies. May I?

[selenak]

This reminds me that the only reason I haven't ordered Scooby Road is the regional problem - i.e. I'm a Region 2 DVD person.

Yes, the meta is fantastic. And of course you may!

[sockkpuppett]

The DVD is region-free; however, I plan to upload an ISO file and a complete album DIVX, probably before Christmas. :) Watch this space!

Thank you!

[selenak]

This, of course, is music to my ears. *dances the dance of joy*