Buffy S7
I didn't like Season 7 anywhere near as much as Season 6, for the following reasons:
1. I thought Spike went through the trials at the end of Season 6 to become a fully functioning vampire again, not to get a soul, so I kept waiting for that to come out in Season 7. For a long time I was thinking how interesting it was going to be when he finally admitted to Buffy that he didn't intend to have his soul reinstated at all!
2. I wanted some real explanation of what having a soul means, particularly as Warren, Jonathan etc presumably had souls. (I don't think anyone has a soul, and as far as I know Joss Whedon doesn't either, but in the context of the show I'd've been happy to go along with any kind of explanation beyond having one is good and not having one is bad.) Dawn asks Buffy in "Him" what it means that Spike now had a soul and Buffy says she doesn't know.
3. I thought it was a real cop-out that Buffy just kept saying about Spike, "He's different, I can feel it." What exactly could she feel? Or was it her who was different, and just admitting to things she felt before?
4. ::shallow alert:: I liked the way Spike looked much better in S6. Either they did something with makeup and camera angles to soften the planes of his face in S7, or he put on enough weight to cover his bone structure, but either way it seriously detracted from his appeal for me.
5. I liked the potential slayers, but I was confused by them - Buffy didn't know she was in line to become a slayer before she became one, did she? At least it explains why there are so many Watchers.
6. It seemed totally crazy to me that Buffy would take a bunch of largely untrained 15 year old girls against the very dangerous priest.
7. There was so little focus on Willow and Xander. I guess it makes sense that Willow's actions in S6 destroyed a lot of Buffy and Xander's confidence in her. emma_in_oz, there might not have been legal consequences, but there were consequences!
8. Even Xander didn't react much to Anya's death.
That said, there was some stuff I really liked:
1. The antagonism between Principal Robin Wood and Spike. Wood had good reason, Spike was just jealous of anyone who could get close to Buffy!
2. The fact that Spike and Buffy found their way to a non-violent, supportive relationship.
Favourite episodes or parts of episodes:
Beneath You for the scene at the Bronze where Anya realises Spike now has a soul.
Help, for the fact that Cassie was right that she was going to die, and her "She'll tell you. Someday she'll tell you" to Spike.
Selfless, for Anya's history and willingness to sacrifice herself to undo what she did, and for Buffy saying, "I have to kill Anya," and when Xander protests that she thinks she's the law and does whatever she wants, "I killed Angel! Do you even remember that? I would have given up everything I had to be with-I loved him more than I will ever love anything in this life. And I put a sword through his heart because I had to."
Conversations with Dead People, for Buffy's conversation and fight with new vampire Holden Webster.
Sleeper, for Anya telling Spike she wants sex when he discovers her going through his things while he sleeps, and for Spike telling Buffy, "God help me Buffy, it's still all about you."
Never Leave Me, for the Buffy-Spike conversations, especially Spike's "I have come to redefine the words pain and suffering since I fell in love with you" and "The people in the cellar got off easy. ... You have never met the real me." I'm left wanting more than Buffy's "I saw you change. I believe in you", though.
Bring On The Night, for the appearance of the potential slayers and the explanation for all the scenes in previous episodes of girls being chased and killed. Xander says about Buffy "She's my best friend", which startled me - previously it's always been Willow who's been Xander's best friend.
Show Time, for Buffy defeating the Turok-Han in front of the potential slayers and for her staging the fight as a demonstration to them, and for the scene in which she rescues Spike at the end.
Potential, for Buffy and Spike training the potentials and the beautiful scene where she's sitting astride him and he takes her hand. I really like the way Buffy can verbalise what fighting vampires requires: "Know your environment. Know what's around you, and know how to use it. In the hands of a slayer, everything is a potential weapon. If you know how to see it." She may not be very intellectual, but she knows her job. Also, for Amanda and not Dawn being the potential slayer and for Xander's conversation with Dawn about how hard it is to be the one not chosen.
First Date for Buffy and Giles' conversation about her decision to have Spike de-chipped, Buffy saying to Willow, "Why does everybody think I'm still in love with Spike?" (since when was she ever, at least officially?), Spike gate-crashing Buffy's date with Principal Wood, and his possessive, challenging "she likes me better and you don't have a chance" look at Wood after the fight in the high school basement. It hadn't even crossed my mind that Wood could be the son of the New York slayer.
Get It Done, for the Spike-Wood conversation/confrontation, for Buffy telling Spike she liked him better when he was dangerous, and for Spike's enjoyment of killing the demon.
Lies My Parents Told Me for the Spike flashbacks, for Wood trying to kill Spike in his shed decorated with crosses, and for Buffy at the end echoing Woods' mother at the beginning: "The mission is what matters."
Dirty Girls: I can't really say I like this one, but it deserves a mention. Xander gives the lovely speech about Buffy and how she's stopped everything that's gone up against her, and then gets an eye squashed out!
Touched for Spike telling Buffy, "When I say, "I love you," it's not because I want you or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try." The beautiful scenes of Buffy and Spike holding each other fully clothed on the bed while everyone else is having sex. I want to know what Buffy's note to Spike said!!
End of Days, for Spike's "It was the best night of my life." That conversation didn't quite hit the mark for me, but some important things got said. Also, Anya telling Andrew why she's staying to help the humans fight.
Chosen, for Buffy talking to Angel about Spike and admitting he is the one for her for now, Buffy giving Spike the amulet Angel gave her, Spike's "I don't know what I'd've done if you'd gone up those stairs", the later scene where Buffy walks down the stairs to the basement, Spike stands up and they look at each other (and? and?), Buffy, Willow and Xander walking down the hall at the school, Willow's hair turning white as she works the spell, Buffy's "I love you" to Spike and his "No you don't, but thanks for saying it", and the shot of Buffy looking forward to the future right at the end.
1. I thought Spike went through the trials at the end of Season 6 to become a fully functioning vampire again, not to get a soul, so I kept waiting for that to come out in Season 7. For a long time I was thinking how interesting it was going to be when he finally admitted to Buffy that he didn't intend to have his soul reinstated at all!
2. I wanted some real explanation of what having a soul means, particularly as Warren, Jonathan etc presumably had souls. (I don't think anyone has a soul, and as far as I know Joss Whedon doesn't either, but in the context of the show I'd've been happy to go along with any kind of explanation beyond having one is good and not having one is bad.) Dawn asks Buffy in "Him" what it means that Spike now had a soul and Buffy says she doesn't know.
3. I thought it was a real cop-out that Buffy just kept saying about Spike, "He's different, I can feel it." What exactly could she feel? Or was it her who was different, and just admitting to things she felt before?
4. ::shallow alert:: I liked the way Spike looked much better in S6. Either they did something with makeup and camera angles to soften the planes of his face in S7, or he put on enough weight to cover his bone structure, but either way it seriously detracted from his appeal for me.
5. I liked the potential slayers, but I was confused by them - Buffy didn't know she was in line to become a slayer before she became one, did she? At least it explains why there are so many Watchers.
6. It seemed totally crazy to me that Buffy would take a bunch of largely untrained 15 year old girls against the very dangerous priest.
7. There was so little focus on Willow and Xander. I guess it makes sense that Willow's actions in S6 destroyed a lot of Buffy and Xander's confidence in her. emma_in_oz, there might not have been legal consequences, but there were consequences!
8. Even Xander didn't react much to Anya's death.
That said, there was some stuff I really liked:
1. The antagonism between Principal Robin Wood and Spike. Wood had good reason, Spike was just jealous of anyone who could get close to Buffy!
2. The fact that Spike and Buffy found their way to a non-violent, supportive relationship.
Favourite episodes or parts of episodes:
Beneath You for the scene at the Bronze where Anya realises Spike now has a soul.
Help, for the fact that Cassie was right that she was going to die, and her "She'll tell you. Someday she'll tell you" to Spike.
Selfless, for Anya's history and willingness to sacrifice herself to undo what she did, and for Buffy saying, "I have to kill Anya," and when Xander protests that she thinks she's the law and does whatever she wants, "I killed Angel! Do you even remember that? I would have given up everything I had to be with-I loved him more than I will ever love anything in this life. And I put a sword through his heart because I had to."
Conversations with Dead People, for Buffy's conversation and fight with new vampire Holden Webster.
Sleeper, for Anya telling Spike she wants sex when he discovers her going through his things while he sleeps, and for Spike telling Buffy, "God help me Buffy, it's still all about you."
Never Leave Me, for the Buffy-Spike conversations, especially Spike's "I have come to redefine the words pain and suffering since I fell in love with you" and "The people in the cellar got off easy. ... You have never met the real me." I'm left wanting more than Buffy's "I saw you change. I believe in you", though.
Bring On The Night, for the appearance of the potential slayers and the explanation for all the scenes in previous episodes of girls being chased and killed. Xander says about Buffy "She's my best friend", which startled me - previously it's always been Willow who's been Xander's best friend.
Show Time, for Buffy defeating the Turok-Han in front of the potential slayers and for her staging the fight as a demonstration to them, and for the scene in which she rescues Spike at the end.
Potential, for Buffy and Spike training the potentials and the beautiful scene where she's sitting astride him and he takes her hand. I really like the way Buffy can verbalise what fighting vampires requires: "Know your environment. Know what's around you, and know how to use it. In the hands of a slayer, everything is a potential weapon. If you know how to see it." She may not be very intellectual, but she knows her job. Also, for Amanda and not Dawn being the potential slayer and for Xander's conversation with Dawn about how hard it is to be the one not chosen.
First Date for Buffy and Giles' conversation about her decision to have Spike de-chipped, Buffy saying to Willow, "Why does everybody think I'm still in love with Spike?" (since when was she ever, at least officially?), Spike gate-crashing Buffy's date with Principal Wood, and his possessive, challenging "she likes me better and you don't have a chance" look at Wood after the fight in the high school basement. It hadn't even crossed my mind that Wood could be the son of the New York slayer.
Get It Done, for the Spike-Wood conversation/confrontation, for Buffy telling Spike she liked him better when he was dangerous, and for Spike's enjoyment of killing the demon.
Lies My Parents Told Me for the Spike flashbacks, for Wood trying to kill Spike in his shed decorated with crosses, and for Buffy at the end echoing Woods' mother at the beginning: "The mission is what matters."
Dirty Girls: I can't really say I like this one, but it deserves a mention. Xander gives the lovely speech about Buffy and how she's stopped everything that's gone up against her, and then gets an eye squashed out!
Touched for Spike telling Buffy, "When I say, "I love you," it's not because I want you or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try." The beautiful scenes of Buffy and Spike holding each other fully clothed on the bed while everyone else is having sex. I want to know what Buffy's note to Spike said!!
End of Days, for Spike's "It was the best night of my life." That conversation didn't quite hit the mark for me, but some important things got said. Also, Anya telling Andrew why she's staying to help the humans fight.
Chosen, for Buffy talking to Angel about Spike and admitting he is the one for her for now, Buffy giving Spike the amulet Angel gave her, Spike's "I don't know what I'd've done if you'd gone up those stairs", the later scene where Buffy walks down the stairs to the basement, Spike stands up and they look at each other (and? and?), Buffy, Willow and Xander walking down the hall at the school, Willow's hair turning white as she works the spell, Buffy's "I love you" to Spike and his "No you don't, but thanks for saying it", and the shot of Buffy looking forward to the future right at the end.