Angel - 1x07 (BtVS)

First aired: April 14, 1997

On the surface we have an episode on the infatuation between Buffy and Angel, while dealing with Angel’s more than complicated past and current situation. The story in itself does not do much for me, but the slices of backstory and vampire mythology we are handed in-between the kissing and emotional turmoil of a forbidden love, are very nice.

The episode starts off with Buffy moping around with Willow at the Bronze, expressing a wish for finding a guy, and more specifically to find someone to share a stable relationship with. Automatically their discussion ends up on her crush, Angel.

While being chased down by the Three, an especially vicious gang of vampires, Buffy also will have to deal with her first kiss with Angel, and subsequently finding out her loverboy is actually a vampire. To top it all off Joyce ends up at the hospital after having been bitten by Darla in an attempt at discrediting and seducing Angel.

Darla
For this episode she plays a very similar role to that of Ares in the previous XWP one. She is the temptress from the past who works to lure Angel back to his family and to fully embrace his dark side, the demon within.

The first time around I despised the character. I had problems with her throughout her appearance in Whedonverse. And even though I still have some problems with her as the temptress, the whore, I somewhere along the way managed to look past the message she sends and grew to love the actual character. However the message is very troublesome, especially in this episode and the contrast she offers to Buffy. By having Buffy and Darla as two opposites for Angel to be torn between, the good and the bad, the virgin and the whore, we are presented with a very old portrayal of the perceived dual nature of woman. Whedon et al do make their own take on it and thereby questioning, yet its foundation prevents it from being truly original or even thought-provoking.

La Familia
What fascinates me about this episode, and then later on Angel the Series, is the incredible complexity of the vampires. They might be ruthless and (literally) bloody-thirsty beasts, but they are also based on human emotions. They in many ways resemble the Gods of XWP, a physically superior being with rudimentary and super-charged emotions. They might not fully comprehend or feel empathy, but passion runs through them as blood runs through us mortals.

At the same time they cannot connect with the human world in which they are forced to live, so they have to and do create their own families. The closest bond is between the Sire (the vampire who transform a human) and their victim and later on apprentice. As we later will see in the series, they are everything from parent/god/lover/sibling/brother in arms/confessor/saviour/judge/executioner to the person they infect with their demon. They are everything to each other, and there are real emotions involved in this bond. As we see when Angel kills Darla, there are true feelings on his face as he does so, emotions I don‘t want to simply accredit to his soul. Same with the Master, he sincerely mourns the loss of Darla, his favourite, his child. He also feels regret and grief over not having Angelus at his side.

Vampires do feel, and what’s even more refreshing, but at the same time sets them further apart from both humanity and other demons, they are not afraid to show those feelings. I’m a little bit in love with Whedon’s vampire mythology and the stark contrast they offer to what we have decided is accepted behaviour for human beings. They are pushing all kinds of boundaries, social/physical/cultural/religious. Vampires do not simply exist to go poof as Buffy stakes them. Rather they are a carnival mirror of humanity, twisting and turning and re-shaping the familiar, making it more, making it less, making it different while never restructuring or truly changing.

Conclusion
In the same way I have been twisted and turned and reshaped since I first watched this show, and though I’ve never truly understood the greatness of Buffy and Angel’s love story I find that I have even less interest in it today. Their love affair is worth looking into, it probably even holds entertainment, but I simply cannot find the entertainment value in Buffy and Willow’s raving about the effects of love. Same goes for Xander’s petty jealousy, which is horribly human and gives the character a very relatable weakness, still I find it simply…annoying.

It is interesting that I can have an emotional distance from XWP, while completely succumbing to my own weaknesses and emotions when watching BtVS. Surely I would have thought it would be the other way around, especially seeing how much time I’ve spent away from BtVS while still being a very active part of the XWP fandom.

I know I might sound very critical, and I am, but at the same time I do love it. I am not as enamoured by the same elements (read characters) as I was when I watched it for the first time, but my passion for it has changed. I find new parts that flow more smoothly along the stream of my current ideology and I am more impressed by the consistency and intelligence of the storyline. And even though I know the story of both Angel(us) and Darla, this episode still makes me burn to find out, and despite the general themes not being fully compatible with my view of the world, that is a sign of pure and solid storytelling.

This was an episode that in itself is rather weak, but brims with potential, just like the current versions of Buffy and Angel.

Randomness & Memorable
- The look on Angel’s face as he kills Darla.
- Joyce and Giles interactions at the hospital.

Next Up:
The Titans (XWP)

The Pack - 1x06 (BtVS)

First aired: April 07, 1997

This is yet another episode looking into the psyche of Xander and giving him some more complexity and development. This time by standing up to bullies and in turn becoming one himself. Very interesting series of events and because of recent occurrences I can’t help draw parallels to the police force. Not sure that was the message they were going for, but it is interesting to note how often those who stand up for the underdog and proclaim to bring justice themselves become nothing but culturally condoned bullies.

During a fieldtrip to the local Zoo, Xander and four bullies are infected by the predator spirit of a bunch of especially cruel hyenas. The infection grows and the five of them form a pack and end up wreaking both emotional and material havoc back at Sunnydale High. At the beginning of the episode Xander is part of the outcasts, but at the same time he stands up to the bullies. As they are then hyena-ised the rest of the pack looks to Xander as their leader. The entire episode is basically another grand metaphor of teenage life and the workings of peer pressure and the collective, as well as touching upon the workings of a clique.

As I remembered things I did enjoy Xander, he had his moments of weakness and selfishness, but as a whole I enjoyed the character. This re-watching is making me dislike him more. It’s probably because of my preconceived notions of BtVS being about the female empowerment, which does clash somewhat with the character complexity given to Xander while Willow is kept a victim. And Willow truly is treated like a victim in this episode. She is passive and completely at the mercy of those around her, both emotionally (her feelings towards Xander) and physically (being saved by Xander at the end). It is not pleasant to watch, but at the same time it is a very frank portrayal of many teenage girls.

To add to my Xander dislike is his rape attempt on Buffy. Just like in the previous episode a very serious and all too common occurrence is made into light-hearted fun. What is especially distressing is that Buffy allows him to forget about the event at the end. When Xander in many ways end up taking the cowards’ way out by claiming amnesia, she allows him the peace of mind by not reminding him. I can’t decide whether that is a sign of her admirable compassion or if it’s a horrible message about how women should/do act towards their abusers. I guess it’s a bit of both.

However I do have a favourite part of the episode and it is most definitely the one where the Pack (sans their leader) eats the principal. They literally destroy authority by gobbling it up. It’s a representation of both the fear and adoration the writers have for the younger generations (and people in general). Authority stands no chance against the collective, but at the same time the collective can be vicious and downright brutal. It’s also a brilliant metaphor for the clash of the generations and how one absorbs the previous.

I shouldn’t be too hard on the episode and its messages, because Buffy does stand up to both bullies and predators. In fact the Pack does not even want to challenge her, in true predator logic they understand that they are not a threat to her (which could be argued puts the rape-attempt into a new light). Neither is Buffy particularly affected by the bullies attempts to get to her at the beginning (pre-hyena jinx), she might not enjoy, but does appear to take it all in stride. In many ways highlighting that they’re not playing on the same level, something that I can’t decide if it’s a good or a bad thing. It detracts from Buffy’s humanity, but at the same time perhaps Buffy does work best as an ideal to which the rest of us can strive.

Conclusion
It’s a strange mixture of behavioural utopia and stark and gloomy reality, all rolled up into one show, one episode even. Not a personal favourite, but very interesting to watch and to take apart.

Randomness & Memorable
- Jennifer Sky (Amarice) as a Pack-member - XWP cross-geeking
- Sunnydale High Razorbacks -really?!
- Buffy hitting Xander with a desk.
- “Boys can be cruel” - Giles the daddy

Next Up:
The Reckoning (XWP)

Never Kill A Boy On the First Date - 1x05 (BtVS)

First aired: March 31, 1997

Ah, an episode tentatively dealing with my favourite relationship of the show, Buffy and Giles. Sweet.

Beyond Slayer & Watcher
On the surface this is an episode about Buffy once again aiming for normality, this time in the form of a proper date. However beneath all of this it is a study in the slow blurring of boundaries between Buffy and Giles. The episode starts off with Giles critiquing Buffy’s slaying technique clearly stressing their Watcher/Slayer relationship. As the episode progresses that notion is tampered with and blurred. Officially Giles is playing the role of librarian, unofficially he is her Watcher. Both roles are slowly pushed to the side by something else, something more. In the pilot Giles already stepped over the boundary for physical proximity by invading Buffy’s personal sphere twice. In this episode he steps beyond yet another boundary by coming to her house.

At the end of the episode Giles uses a story from his own childhood referring to his relationship with his own father in order to comfort, but also show Buffy that he can relate to her. It is especially interesting that he uses the story containing his father, thereby ever so tentatively establishing a similar father/daughter relation between them. Rather than to take the teacher’s/Watcher’s role of guided improvement, her offers her unconditional support and comfort.

Buffy the Teenage Girl
So, Buffy and the boy. The boy of this week is a morbid brooder (apparently she has a type) by the name of Owen. Her reaction to him are equal parts adorable, predictable and painful. She becomes the bubbly blonde who fakes interests and rambles pointlessly in Owen’s proximity. There’s not much to say about Owen himself, or her reaction to him, other than they’re both rather typical. What else is typical, but more interesting is Cordelia’s strange reaction. For some reason after having spotted Buffy’s interest and approach to the silent brooder, Cordelia throws herself on the poor unsuspecting boy. Why, is a very good question, but feels strangely accurate to “female” behaviour, as a type of alpha-female squabbling and “outdoing”.

While an age old prophecy speaking of the Masters ascension is being fulfilled, Buffy tries to juggle “normal” teenage life with slaying. Thereby ending up taking her boy for a nice tour of the Funeral Home (and the autopsy room looks strangely similar to the science lab from The Witch). As the morbid little fella Owen is, he gets a total kick out of it until the dead turn undead. A lot of running and chasing results in the Armageddon spouting vamp catching and smashing Owen into the wall causing Buffy to believe he’s killed him. This sets Buffy off and she goes on to pummel the vamp. This is actually quite interesting, there seems to be a possible enjoyment in the violence for her. And Giles critique from the teaser of this episode, where he scolds her for lingering to long before going in for the kill, only works to emphasis this. It is also interesting to point out that she appears to prefer to fight without weapons, the weapons only show up at the end when it‘s time to dust. If this is a matter of inexperience or simply a personal preference I shall eager wait and see.

The episode ends on a very mixed note. Buffy having to sacrifice the normality she seeks, but meanwhile believing she succeeded “professionally”. Unfortunately she failed without realising it, which only helps to make her so much more human. You do not always beat the evil, and more importantly, you don’t always know you’ve failed. This also highlights the incredible consistency of storytelling this show has. From the first to the last episode with stops during the season we are told one story. It is one story-arch containing both success and failure. It is very good.

Conclusion
Once again the show’s themes as well as overall feel is firmly established. A wild ride between the mundane ponderings of the pubertal teenager mixed up with demons and all other types of devil spawn. Human timeless emotions mixed up with ancient prophecies regarding ultimate destruction and the demise of the human race.

Buffy herself gets to enjoy smashing demon ass while being allowed to throw pubertal temper tantrums and fawn over the boy-crush of the week. Meanwhile her relationship with Giles takes on a slightly more emotional side.

It was actually a quite enjoyable episode. Even though the characters of Xander and Willow felt somewhat overlooked, and Angel’s random appearance with a superfluous warning and a look of jealousy of Buffy’s date, felt both conspicuous and unnecessary.

Randomness & Memorable
- “At this point you’re abusing sarcasm.”
- Xander’s Tweety Bird watch.
- Sunnydale Airport Shuttle.
- Cordelia’s reaction to seeing Angel for the first time, “Hello, Salty Goodness”.
- Discussing the cafeteria’s “mystery green” and slaying all within the span of two sentences.
- Buffy & Giles looking through body boxes at the morgue, “Eww, parts”.
- The vamp with euphemism-Tourettes, “Pork and Beans”.
- The incredibly dated fashion.

Next Up:
The Path Not Taken (XWP)

Teacher’s Pet - 1x04 (BtVS)

First aired: March 25, 1997

This was definitely not what I had been expecting. An episode about male sexuality and ego was not something that fit into my preconceived notion of what a show that has become known for its female empowerment would deal with. But it did.

This was an episode that portrayed women from a male perspective. I highly doubt it was a coincident that in those scene were Xander was present Buffy and Willow always communicate silently (inaudible for the audience) and kept close physical contact. Nope, this episode dealt with Xander, his masculinity, sexuality and the ways it set him apart from the female population. There was never any disrespect towards women and one could even say the way in which the episode portrayed the female as powerful and aggressive sexually is part of the empowerment previously mentioned. Still the focus was on the male.

The main theme was obviously that of the somewhat ridiculous nature of some expressions of male sexuality, but there is also a much darker interpretation. Because this is also a story about a Predator and a child. It is surprising not more discomfort is felt when a young boy is tricked into his much older teacher’s home, drugged and then about to be taken advantage of. In one way you almost have to wonder if such a painful and serious matter should be transformed into television entertainment.

With this episode we are also shown that despite his goofy nature, Xander is not the comic relief, Cordelia is. She merely exists as a tool to be used for plot advancement (in the previous episode to be spell cast, in this to find the body) while her foreign perspective and lack of empathy are used as laughter inducers. Then again it’s the first season so she is allowed to be a cardboard cutout, it’s just strange thinking this is (supposed to be) the same character that got me teary eyed during her goodbye appearance on Angel (the Series).

One of the scenes that stand out to me is the one between Dr Gregory and Buffy. Both showcasing that Buffy might not be the typical smarty, but does have a great amount of potential. Also the fastest way to Buffy’s heart is through placing faith in her (no pun intended). She seeks recognition, but she is also an incredibly loyal character.

Conclusion
Not one of the stronger episodes, but does display a wider emotional perspective than I had originally thought the series presented. Even though Xander is not one of my favourite characters, it's good to see that the show does allow his perspective as well.

Randomness & Memorable
- Buffy vamped-out being attacked by vamps.
- Alexander LaVelle Harris
- Symbol of Kali Ma on Giles’ desk.
- Buffy killing a vamp with a white picket fence. Talk about symbolism.
- “Destructo-girl. That’s me.” Said by Buffy with a grain of painful honesty.
- “There are too many guys in your life.”

Next up:
Cradle of Hope (XWP)

Witch - 1x03 (BtVS)

First aired: 17.03.97

Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Is it possible to fall in love after the second watch? Cause I think I have.

Once again we see Buffy seeking normality and acceptance. This time in the form of cheerleading. She is determined to recapture the simplicity of life before becoming a slayer, a time in her life with which she associated cheerleading.

This episode sets the norm for what to come. Whereas the previous episode set the verse, this shows how the show deals with messages and social issues through storytelling. The paranormal world Buffy lives and fights in becomes one big metaphor for puberty and teenage life, but also contemporary life and problems in general. Emotional fact and fantasy fiction are spun into an television hour of entertainment (something that is true of both shows I‘m watching).

As the initial paragraph might reveal, what I love about the episode is Buffy. Willow is non-existent and not even the streaks of jealousy over Xander’s attraction to Buffy can bring her to life. Xander on the other hand I unfortunately do notice, but only to be annoyed at. I remembered him as at least rather cute in his blind devotion to his crush on Buffy. That is not something I can feel and at the moment he is as entertaining as the fly that spends all night buzzing around your room. However this episode does offer some interesting characters and interactions besides our hero. Both Giles and Joyce are allowed to stretch their wings and begin to establish likeable and realistic portrayals of people in their 30-40s. Then again it is largely because of Buffy and their positions as parental figures that they are allowed this interest and depth. Amy’s mother is also a very interesting character and played brilliantly by Elizabeth Anne Allen who more than enough deserves her position as a re-occurring character. It’s a little surprising we haven’t seen her in something else after this.

The main thing that have me worshipping Buffy is her perception and ability to act. Not in the sense of her slayer abilities in killing demons, but as a young human being. For example in the beginning when the cheerleader is set aflame Buffy is the only one to take action, immediate action. This was not a situation that required superhuman strength, thereby Buffy shows us that being a hero is more about a frame of mind than physical abilities. Later on we see a highly perceptive Buffy who, when no one else pays attention, directly notices that there is something wrong with Cordelia. She was also the first one to figure out the body switch that transferred Amy into her mother’s body and vice versa. This is what truly makes her not only a hero, but an impressive role model as well. However one cannot help wonder if her authority and hero quality is another consequence of her slayer powers or if this is what sets Buffy apart from other slayers. Personally I would rather the second alternative be true, because to me that makes her a lot more powerful both as a character and a symbol.

This episode also begins to play and make the tension between the sexes into an integral part of the show. While at the same time pointing out the ridiculous nature of it by having Xander referred to as one of the girls, and Willow as “one of the guys”.

The show paints a very complex and realistic picture of many contemporary broken families despite the paranormal disguise. It is a very vivid portrayal, but it is also a specific one in both culture and time. At the same time as it deals with more generic parent/child issues and philosophy through Amy’s mother’s attempts at transforming her daughter into a carbon copy as well as the general problems with finding a common ground between each other, across generations, to relate.

Conclusion
I had assumed that BtVS would deal more or less exclusively with teenage issues and that this re-watch might have left me unable to relate to the show. Which is both true and untrue. It does deal with life in general, but at the same time the setting is giving me shivers. It is not too long ago since I left puberty behind myself and the flashbacks into hormonal crazed insecuria are definitely not pleasant. However this can be overlooked because of the strength of Buffy as a human being and the beauty in her relationships with 'family'.

I definitely enjoyed this episode and the issues it raised. I’ve also always been a big fan of the relationship between Giles and Buffy which to me have always been more of a father/daughter one than a mentor/student one. It feels real and is very beautiful to watch.

Randomness & Memorable
- The introduction of the term “Slayerettes”.
- Barbie dolls used to cast spells.
- Buffy high on life (or well the spell) singing “I’m a macho man” while skipping around the kitchen.
- Joyce line “I don’t get it,” on how to relate to Buffy.
- “I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away.”

Welcome to the Hellmouth/The Harvest - 1x01/2 (BtVS)

First aired: 10.03.97

This show starts with some modesty and self-doubt with Darla’s line; “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Right from this very first scene we are shown what would make BtVS and Whedon especially (see Dr. Horrible for most recent example) famous. He never once lies to the viewers, but he uses our own assumptions in order to surprise and shock us. He gives us the expected (which we don’t expect, because it is expected), but in an unexpected fashion. Buffy herself is a brilliant example of that.

I had almost forgotten how dark this show is from a purely visual point of view. In this 40+40 minutes episode we only have a handful of scenes with actual daylight in them. Most of the show takes place during the dark hours and the main source of light is artificial. In this introductory episode we are also shown some of the sets which will be heavily used throughout both this and later seasons, all of them indoors.

The musical score and sound effects in this episode had me scrunching my nose in dislike. The score felt cheap, dated and intrusive. I had to shake my head at some of the stupid background noise/voices added. Personally I could definitely have survived without the random obnoxious “Kill him!” during Buffy’s final fight with Luke. The music selection when it comes to songs on the other hand is excellent. Just like with Nerf Herder’s opening theme they are a mixture of young attitude and action, and fit the show perfectly.

I was almost a little surprised at the amount of exposition involved. I know Giles became know as the King of Exposition, but I had forgotten that almost each line serves an informative purpose. Few lines exists in themselves, but rather set the table for future events. It almost made me feel a little overwhelmed.

Buffy
Our first meeting with the lead character of Buffy is through her dreams, or in this case nightmares. I find the intimacy of this “first contact” very interesting. There are no secrets between us and the hero of this show.

Buffy exists in a social setting. She has her mother’s support behind her and actively seeks out friendships. It becomes clear from the start that the social safety nets these relations provide are very important to her. Something we see further evidence of in her need to save Jessie whom she sees as a potential friend. In addition we have the scene between her and Angel in the crypt where she asks him “Do you know what it‘s like to have a friend?”, the tone and way she said this indicates the importance of friendships and friends in her life. She identifies herself through her existence in a social group. What then becomes interesting is that twice she seeks out Willow, both times knowing she is not part of the popular kids and therefore not a ticket to easy acceptance. This deliberate drift towards outsidership is fascinating in contrast to the importance she puts on social acceptance. Then again perhaps all she truly wanted was acceptance, something the outsiders would be quicker to give than the otherwise socially prominent group lead by Cordelia?

The character of Buffy is an intriguing mixture of experience and a quest for oblivion. It makes for a very sad picture; the 16 year old desperately wanting to erase her experience of the dark side of life. Despite her need to regain her innocence and leave this part of the world behind her (no matter the positive influence she can have) she is forced to stay. Because she is special and at this point not because she has made herself so. No, the “specialness” was forced upon her by an outside power.

Furthermore she might posses great physical powers, but otherwise this is a powerless young girl (as powerless as most teenage girls). Her life is controlled by others. The only thing she has ultimate control over is her body, and what 16 year old has true control of that!? No, her life is controlled by those in authoritative positions such as her mother, her Watcher (Giles), the school system personified through the patriarch of principal Flutie and the powerful amoeba that is social acceptance at a High School.

All of this makes for a very interesting hero and I can’t wait to see how she develops.

The Rest
Buffy the Vampire Slayer usually is placed in the category of an ensemble show, that means it is built around a display of characters all relevant and important to the plot and development. Despite this, this episode was all about Buffy. Not one of the other characters made me take notice and look forward to what they could have to offer.

Willow came the closest with two moments of importance, both took place during the second part of the episode (The Harvest). First she was able to provide Buffy with help through her computer knowledge. Then later on she stood up to Cordelia who in the first part had tormented her. Potential yes, but no true emotional complexity. Angel had one moment of interest when Buffy asks him about friends, otherwise he was flat. Giles provided exposition and served as a reminder of the patriarchy Buffy is supposed to oppose. Xander…what exactly was Xander’s purpose in this?

What I especially disliked was the lack of emotional response to Jessie’s death. Xander kicked a bin around, but that seemed to be born out of anger and failure rather than upset of having lost a close friend.

The Dialogue
The amount of lines I scribbled down as I watched is impressive. With the exception of the scene in the locker room;

Aura: Well, the chatter in the caf is that she got kicked out, and that's why her mom had to get a new job.
Aphrodisia: Neg!
Aura: Pos! She was starting fights!
Aphrodisia: Neg-ly!

Which according to me was an abysmal attempt at writing contemporary slang. Otherwise this episode provided some brilliant lines. However it should be pointed out that none of the younger generations (Buffy, Cordelia, Willow, Xander and Jesse) voices’ were particularly distinguishable. But this is not necessarily a bad thing, rather it works as a “living” example of how different "language groups" create their own versions of a language.

Conclusion
This was a good introduction to the verse and a very interesting look at the main character. Buffy is a fascinating combination of ultimate power and complete lack thereof, and this episode gives us a complex portrait of a vivid and ambivalent character. Mucho gusto. What I don’t like is the lack of depth from the rest of the characters on the show. This episode didn’t really spark my interest in anything besides Buffy herself, but her I’m greatly interested in.

Randomness & Memorable
-“The fun part of the Black Plague is, what…?”
- “Morbid much.”
- Buffy’s fascination with James Spader.
- Buffy and Angel’s first meeting where she literally knocks him on his butt and would have left him breathless if he had been breathing.
- The Brit-bashing; “They’ve got that royal family and all kinds of problems.”
- Harmony in a pink unicorn t-shirt.
- The scene where the vamps advance on the Bronze with Darla in the lead while the perfect song is playing.
- Darla getting holy water burn courtesy of Willow.
- Final line; “The earth is doomed.”

Next up;
Chariots of War (XWP)