I adore 'School Hard' too - Spike was mesmerizing from second one.
Truly. From what I understand, JM's a little embarrassed by the "theatricality" of his performance in "School Hard," and although I can sort of see what he's talking about, I think it actually adds to the sort of "now this is a vampire to be reckoned with" impact of the first impression we get of him.
I, too, still had some sympathy for her during her S2 return, and absolutely zero during S6.
I never fully lost sympathy with Buffy, but I can certainly understand why some people did. I think what remained of my sympathy for her through the end of S7 has more to do with the theory of Buffy than with a lot of what I saw in the actual episodes, if that makes sense.
I have no doubt that Joss was oblivious to the deconstruction of Buffy in S6 (and to this day, hearing any of the writers defend it is pathetic beyond belief) since he was immersed in FireFlop.
I read recently that Joss made a remark about what he learned doing Buffy to the effect of "don't tear down your
( ... )
Congratulations on finding tenants - that is excellent, excellent news. And don't worry about the dog; the rule as I see it now is that pets are not quite as EVOL as they used to be for landlords, as long as they're done with puppyhood.
I love your notes about "School Hard." ;) Especially that Spike has pretty eyes. He does doesn't he? He's much lankier in Season 2, also.
And I always thought it was interesting that Buffy never came out and told her friends how much that first death/resurrection bothered her. The show wasn't as mature then so they may not even have thought about it, honestly, but it also is the start of Buffy subsuming everything Slayer because she felt like they couldn't handle it, or didn't want to. She took the Slayer is Always Alone legacy quite to heart.
And don't worry about the dog; the rule as I see it now is that pets are not quite as EVOL as they used to be for landlords, as long as they're done with puppyhood.
I'm not so much worried about the dog as I am worried that I'm not worried about the dog. :) The dog is waaaaay mellow, actually. I'm used to D.'s dog, who is the same age but has that lab/border collie energy thing going on.
She took the Slayer is Always Alone legacy quite to heart.
Yes, despite her unusual (for a slayer) social and family life, there's a definite turning inward on her part that I think starts here. I think her death in "Prophecy Girl" was an experience that separated her from her friends, who, after all, hadn't died, and hadn't had their lives be part of some big impersonal prophecy. They can all fight demons together, but Buffy's the one with the destiny. It was an isolating experience.
My understanding of her motivations has increased since I started writing her, but when I go back and watch the shows, I'm still overwhelmed by my sympathy for Spike rather than my sympathy for her plight.
As I said in another comment, I think I have more sympathy for the theory of Buffy than I do for what I saw in the actual episodes. Which is actually pretty similar to my feelings about Spike/Buffy, which I love reading about in fanfiction because of the interesting possibilities of the relationship, but am perfectly willing to acknowledge was a dysfunctional trainwreck on the actual show.
(But what do I know? I am that most disgusting of all creatures, an SMG apologist!)
Yeah, still a little bitter about BAPS, but mostly over it. I like to think that the people I interact with in forums like that are all reasonable adults, and when reality intrudes, it bums me out. Damn reality!
Yay you for finding tenants! Financial solvency is such a good thing!
he promised me that he was going to be making a lot of money really soon writing Buffy novels. The shrieking violins of horror started up on the soundtrack at that point, as I screamed, "Noooooooooooo! Those novels are all crap! And Simon & Schuster isn't going to publish any more anyway!"
Heeeeee! That's hilarious! The BTVS novels don't sell too badly though, so maybe Cletus could pay his rent by writing them. But the embarrassment of having a tenant who wrote that crap might be too much to bear.
They seem to consist mostly of things like "Spike!" and "Boy does Spike know how to make an entrance" and "Spike has pretty, pretty eyes"
It looks to me like you picked up on all the important parts of School Hard in your initial viewing.
The BTVS novels don't sell too badly though, so maybe Cletus could pay his rent by writing them. But the embarrassment of having a tenant who wrote that crap might be too much to bear.
I don't know where that came from. My subconscious is a scary, scary place. But yes, embarrassment was my first reaction.
I get the impression you're in the book trade. :)
It looks to me like you picked up on all the important parts of School Hard in your initial viewing.
Oh yes. But, unfortunately, I'm not telling anyone anything they hadn't already figured out on their own. :)
I've never, ever read the forums at BAPS. I heard the horror stories and I was upset enough by the tone of the board I was on at the time so why compound my headaches? What kills me is that the show has been over for over a year and people are still bitching about the same old arguments. If folks hate the show, the characters, and actors that much, why the hell spend so much time discussing it? Move on people!
I know ME didn't plan things out years in advance, but it once again strikes me how well later developments were rooted in the early episodes.I've noticed that too. While I usually hate James' comments regarding Spike's motivations and actions, one thing I am grateful for is how he chose to react to Buffy when he first saw her. When Spike sees Buffy across the room he definitely wants to f*** her as well as kill her. ;) It's amazing to go back to that scene now knowing where everythng is headed
( ... )
If folks hate the show, the characters, and actors that much, why the hell spend so much time discussing it? Move on people!
Seriously! And while some people have genuine critiques of actors' performances, which I think is legitimate discussion, a lot of the actor-bashing seems to come from people who are irrationally unable to separate the actor from the character. It's really strange.
one thing I am grateful for is how he chose to react to Buffy when he first saw her.
That is such a sexually loaded moment, and all to the tune of a song called "Stupid Thing." It's really wonderful unintentional foreshadowing. Even setting aside their eventual relationship, I think JM's instinct to play sexually to SMG was right on the money as it added layers to even the simple adversarial relationship they had in early-to-mid S2, and I think that's one of the reasons we ended up having Spike on our televisions for six more years instead of a handful of episodes.
Her previous actions being viewed as 'wrong' would have caused her to view
( ... )
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Truly. From what I understand, JM's a little embarrassed by the "theatricality" of his performance in "School Hard," and although I can sort of see what he's talking about, I think it actually adds to the sort of "now this is a vampire to be reckoned with" impact of the first impression we get of him.
I, too, still had some sympathy for her during her S2 return, and absolutely zero during S6.
I never fully lost sympathy with Buffy, but I can certainly understand why some people did. I think what remained of my sympathy for her through the end of S7 has more to do with the theory of Buffy than with a lot of what I saw in the actual episodes, if that makes sense.
I have no doubt that Joss was oblivious to the deconstruction of Buffy in S6 (and to this day, hearing any of the writers defend it is pathetic beyond belief) since he was immersed in FireFlop.
I read recently that Joss made a remark about what he learned doing Buffy to the effect of "don't tear down your ( ... )
Reply
I love your notes about "School Hard." ;) Especially that Spike has pretty eyes. He does doesn't he? He's much lankier in Season 2, also.
And I always thought it was interesting that Buffy never came out and told her friends how much that first death/resurrection bothered her. The show wasn't as mature then so they may not even have thought about it, honestly, but it also is the start of Buffy subsuming everything Slayer because she felt like they couldn't handle it, or didn't want to. She took the Slayer is Always Alone legacy quite to heart.
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I'm not so much worried about the dog as I am worried that I'm not worried about the dog. :) The dog is waaaaay mellow, actually. I'm used to D.'s dog, who is the same age but has that lab/border collie energy thing going on.
She took the Slayer is Always Alone legacy quite to heart.
Yes, despite her unusual (for a slayer) social and family life, there's a definite turning inward on her part that I think starts here. I think her death in "Prophecy Girl" was an experience that separated her from her friends, who, after all, hadn't died, and hadn't had their lives be part of some big impersonal prophecy. They can all fight demons together, but Buffy's the one with the destiny. It was an isolating experience.
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(The comment has been removed)
As I said in another comment, I think I have more sympathy for the theory of Buffy than I do for what I saw in the actual episodes. Which is actually pretty similar to my feelings about Spike/Buffy, which I love reading about in fanfiction because of the interesting possibilities of the relationship, but am perfectly willing to acknowledge was a dysfunctional trainwreck on the actual show.
(But what do I know? I am that most disgusting of all creatures, an SMG apologist!)
Yeah, still a little bitter about BAPS, but mostly over it. I like to think that the people I interact with in forums like that are all reasonable adults, and when reality intrudes, it bums me out. Damn reality!
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he promised me that he was going to be making a lot of money really soon writing Buffy novels. The shrieking violins of horror started up on the soundtrack at that point, as I screamed, "Noooooooooooo! Those novels are all crap! And Simon & Schuster isn't going to publish any more anyway!"
Heeeeee! That's hilarious! The BTVS novels don't sell too badly though, so maybe Cletus could pay his rent by writing them. But the embarrassment of having a tenant who wrote that crap might be too much to bear.
They seem to consist mostly of things like "Spike!" and "Boy does Spike know how to make an entrance" and "Spike has pretty, pretty eyes"
It looks to me like you picked up on all the important parts of School Hard in your initial viewing.
Reply
I don't know where that came from. My subconscious is a scary, scary place. But yes, embarrassment was my first reaction.
I get the impression you're in the book trade. :)
It looks to me like you picked up on all the important parts of School Hard in your initial viewing.
Oh yes. But, unfortunately, I'm not telling anyone anything they hadn't already figured out on their own. :)
Reply
I know ME didn't plan things out years in advance, but it once again strikes me how well later developments were rooted in the early episodes.I've noticed that too. While I usually hate James' comments regarding Spike's motivations and actions, one thing I am grateful for is how he chose to react to Buffy when he first saw her. When Spike sees Buffy across the room he definitely wants to f*** her as well as kill her. ;) It's amazing to go back to that scene now knowing where everythng is headed ( ... )
Reply
Seriously! And while some people have genuine critiques of actors' performances, which I think is legitimate discussion, a lot of the actor-bashing seems to come from people who are irrationally unable to separate the actor from the character. It's really strange.
one thing I am grateful for is how he chose to react to Buffy when he first saw her.
That is such a sexually loaded moment, and all to the tune of a song called "Stupid Thing." It's really wonderful unintentional foreshadowing. Even setting aside their eventual relationship, I think JM's instinct to play sexually to SMG was right on the money as it added layers to even the simple adversarial relationship they had in early-to-mid S2, and I think that's one of the reasons we ended up having Spike on our televisions for six more years instead of a handful of episodes.
Her previous actions being viewed as 'wrong' would have caused her to view ( ... )
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