Episode Poll: 5.09 Listening to Fear

[gabrielleabelle]

We're in the thick of Joyce's illness now! Let's do Listening to Fear!

Okay, so not a hugely exciting episode. I'm afraid the poll is on the short side this week, but let's squeeze it for what it has...

Comments

[beer_good_foamy]

1. It's a KILLER SNOT MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE! There is nothing about that that's not awesome.

2. Perfectly in character. Ben likes to think of himself as a good guy, but he likes to think of himself as a good guy. Somehow, it's always about him and how hard his life is because of Glory. I may be in the minority here, but I could never see him as the completely innocent bystander others apparently do.

3. It's a pretty solid 3 for the most part, but the dishwashing scene pushes it up to a 4 for me. That's one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the whole series IMO. Also, frisky spacelamb! <3 Anya.

Also: Yay for The Knife!

[local_max]

2. I agree on that -- though I still have a lot of sympathy for him. He's in a difficult situation, but he can make choices. He is partly a contrast to Buffy, who is handed similarly constraining, impossible situations but chooses differently.

[beer_good_foamy]

Absolutely. His situation sucks. But he picks a side long before Glory convinces him to admit it.

Not unlike Ford, in a way.

[rahirah]

I have heard vague rumors that originally the plan was for Ben to be one of the hellgods who kicked Glory out of her home dimension, and I wonder if this episode was written with that in mind...

[molly_may]

I don't care what anyone else thinks, that snot monster is CREEPY. When it's hanging over Joyce's bed? Aarrgggghhh. I voted for "I thought it was great", but I don't actually think it is "great", I think it is gross and scary and therefore effective.

This is one of those episodes that makes me so sad for Buffy. She's trying so hard to be strong for her mother and Dawn, and to take care of everybody, and when she breaks down over the dishes it's just heartbreaking.

This episode also has a great Spike/Buffy teamwork scene, which is always delightful. And for X-Files fans there's an appearance by serial-killing death fetishist Donnie Pfaster as the Initiative commander, proving once and for all that the Initiative is most definitely evil.;) I only gave it three stars because the pieces don't come together quite enough for me to give it four, but it's a solidly entertaining episode in my opinion.

[frelling_tralk]

Yeah I like this episode. I think it's a pretty typical of season 5 in not being a particularly outstanding episode in itself, but being good at moving the arc along, as well as some nice family moments with Buffy/Dawn/Joyce

I found that monster terrifying with all of the teeth in close-up, and when the camera suddenly cuts to it when Joyce is talking :shudders:

[gabrielleabelle]

I don't care what anyone else thinks, that snot monster is CREEPY.

No, you're correct. It's creepy as fuck.

This episode also has a great Spike/Buffy teamwork scene, which is always delightful.

THEY HOLD HANDS!!!

*draws hearts around your icon*

[gillo]

The monster is justified if only because it makes Giles talk about the killer snot monster from outer space. There is nothing bad in that line!

Ben is ruthlessly self-centred at core, and it's Glory's impact on himself he fears, not what she will do to the world - it fits absolutely with what we see of him towards the end. He's nice to the others only up to the point where he sees his own interests are threatened. Dawn is right about him.

A solid 3*** episode for me - it progresses the story and has a few awesome lines, but it's not the best of the season by some way.

[gabrielleabelle]

The monster is justified if only because it makes Giles talk about the killer snot monster from outer space. There is nothing bad in that line!

Haha! True, indeed.

[ckbasket]

Another solid 2 ep. And the monster, oh dear. I think it's ridiculous, and I start laughing when I see it. Not an appropriate reaction. And the sadness of the episode combined with this Stephen King version of a Teletubbie just... it gets weird.

[gabrielleabelle]

Stephen King version of a Teletubbie

...

Well, thanks, now I can't unsee it!

[kikimay]

The monster was the grossest thing ever. Eeeew, disguisting and scary! I voted the second option, it was good and I accepted it, but I believe that a monster from outer dimension would be more Buffyverse.
SMG has shiny shiny hair! So beautiful!

[gabrielleabelle]

I am always so enamored of SMG's hair.

...except during some parts of S2 and S3. She had some bad hair then.

But S4 on? It's so purty.

[kikimay]

Oh, absolutetly true!
I don't like S2 and S3 hair, expecially when they are all platinum.