BtVS Season 7 surprises
I've been watching Season 7 on dvd- and yes, I know it is roundly hated, and there are purists who refuse to watch it even in reruns, let alone shell out for the boxed set (and you KNOW who you are...). But to my surprise, there are several darn good episodes that are completely fresh to my eyes. Guess I must have been out a lot on Tuesdays that year, though I can't presently imagine why.
The Anya episode- Selfless. Never saw it before. Adored the Norse village scenes with Anya so pretty in her long curly dark wig, and very correct costuming. Also great to see Abraham Benrubi. The actors really sold the foreign language; I wondered if it might be real Icelandic they were speaking, which- if memory serves- is very close to Old Norse. And then D'Hoffryn showing up with his casually anachronistic turns of phrase- strangely perfect, as indeed he unfailingly is in every scene he's ever played.
I didn't know there was an extra OMWF song in that episode. I didn't know that's where Hallie bought it. Didn't even know that Anya was banished from demonkind and made human. Her scenes in the frat house- run through with a sword, the interaction with Xander- heartbreaking. Anya was never my favourite character, nor Emma my favourite actor, but she- both versions- really knocked this one out of the park for me.
The Killer in Me: Willow morphs into Warren?? Amy's still around? (Wow, that actress must have been damn happy to get The Call!) Spike/chip/Initiative?? And... Kennedy? Yep, missed all that first date nonsense. And the saving Willow with love bit, which was a pretty pallid after-shadowing of the comparable scene with Xander in Grave.
First Date. Was it a slip of the tongue when an exasperated Buffy says to Willow, "why does everyone think I'm still in love with Spike?" I don't think she ever said she was, to him or anyone else. That said, their interaction this season is so sweet and subtle, and so much more affecting than all the naked!Spuffy of Season 6. It's rich and textured and has an undercurrent of a very grown-up sadness. I like it very much.
Xander making the bondage jokes at the hardware store- mama like. And man, this show was on at 8pm? And again with the bondage-over-the-Hellseal on the big ol' Wagon Wheel o' Doom; "does the rope hurt?" "Yes." "Good!" *shiver*
Poor Nick, stripped to the waist, not looking his very best as the Wheel hoists him horizontal; his puffy belly actually starts to pooch out with gravity. Oh, honey. I'm so, so glad you got back to the gym and look so fiiiiine in your new show's promos.
Where was I? Oh, right- Xander in bondage being rescued by Spike; and thus a thousand fanfics were launched.
Buffy joking about some dessert being the best thing that had ever been in her mouth- hey, I thought she loved Sp-? Oh never mind. Xander's "gay me up!" rant, whee!
And... Spike has no chip? Hmm. Having missed this ep the first time round, I probably sat out the rest of the season in blissful ignorance of this rather salient fact.
And by the way, where's the damn duster?
The Anya episode- Selfless. Never saw it before. Adored the Norse village scenes with Anya so pretty in her long curly dark wig, and very correct costuming. Also great to see Abraham Benrubi. The actors really sold the foreign language; I wondered if it might be real Icelandic they were speaking, which- if memory serves- is very close to Old Norse. And then D'Hoffryn showing up with his casually anachronistic turns of phrase- strangely perfect, as indeed he unfailingly is in every scene he's ever played.
I didn't know there was an extra OMWF song in that episode. I didn't know that's where Hallie bought it. Didn't even know that Anya was banished from demonkind and made human. Her scenes in the frat house- run through with a sword, the interaction with Xander- heartbreaking. Anya was never my favourite character, nor Emma my favourite actor, but she- both versions- really knocked this one out of the park for me.
The Killer in Me: Willow morphs into Warren?? Amy's still around? (Wow, that actress must have been damn happy to get The Call!) Spike/chip/Initiative?? And... Kennedy? Yep, missed all that first date nonsense. And the saving Willow with love bit, which was a pretty pallid after-shadowing of the comparable scene with Xander in Grave.
First Date. Was it a slip of the tongue when an exasperated Buffy says to Willow, "why does everyone think I'm still in love with Spike?" I don't think she ever said she was, to him or anyone else. That said, their interaction this season is so sweet and subtle, and so much more affecting than all the naked!Spuffy of Season 6. It's rich and textured and has an undercurrent of a very grown-up sadness. I like it very much.
Xander making the bondage jokes at the hardware store- mama like. And man, this show was on at 8pm? And again with the bondage-over-the-Hellseal on the big ol' Wagon Wheel o' Doom; "does the rope hurt?" "Yes." "Good!" *shiver*
Poor Nick, stripped to the waist, not looking his very best as the Wheel hoists him horizontal; his puffy belly actually starts to pooch out with gravity. Oh, honey. I'm so, so glad you got back to the gym and look so fiiiiine in your new show's promos.
Where was I? Oh, right- Xander in bondage being rescued by Spike; and thus a thousand fanfics were launched.
Buffy joking about some dessert being the best thing that had ever been in her mouth- hey, I thought she loved Sp-? Oh never mind. Xander's "gay me up!" rant, whee!
And... Spike has no chip? Hmm. Having missed this ep the first time round, I probably sat out the rest of the season in blissful ignorance of this rather salient fact.
And by the way, where's the damn duster?