Buffy: season four...

[fajrdrako]

I have now installed wallpaper on my new Aspire, a sort of baptismal rite I hadn't got around to yet. The subject? A beautiful portrait of Spike.

So I should make a few comments on my reactions to Buffy the Vampire Slayer season four, while it's still fresh in my mind. Ahh,

1. Spike, Spike, Spike. It's easy to say which were my favourite bits of the season: every scene in which Spike appeared, every time he had a line, every bit of action relating to him.
   
   
2. The season as a whole seemed to have less structure and form than most, though of course the Institute was the theme holding it all together. I liked the way the Institute became more and more sinister as the season progressed. Sinister government overlords are among the themes I love.
   
   
3. Riley Finn. Oh, what a letdown after Angel. I didn't hate Riley. But at the middle of each episode, when Riley was imperilled, I thought hopefully, "Maybe this will be the end of him." And every episode, when he remained alive in the end, I was just a little disappointed. He wasn't awful, he was just... bland. There was nothing I could get my mind into there. Nice body, no personality. I liked his hair, which reminded me of Captain Jack's.
   
   
4. I liked Adam's speech patterns, but as villains go, he didn't have much that made him striking. A pastiche of monsters, cyborgs and villains from any number of places.
   
   
5. Willow really came into her own. I loved Willow throughout this season: finding her way as a peson.
   
   
6. The romance between Willow and Tara was very sweet. Touching. A little too discreet, maybe: would it have killed them to have had a scene showing them kissing? Best moment was:

   Willow: I wanted something that was mine.
   Tara: I am, you know.
   Willow: What?
   Tara: Yours.

7. That being said, I don't like Tara even a fraction as much as I liked Oz, which is a pity. Not that I wanted Willow to choose Oz instead of Tara in "New Moon Rising": I wanted her to be able to keep both of them.
   
   
8. Interesting reactions from the others, especially Buffy, to the Willow/Tara romance. I liked Xander's dream about them.
   
   
9. Xander. I have in the past been outspoken about my dislike of Xander. In season four, he was fine. Can't say he's my favourite character, but he was unobjectionable, and mainly sympathetic. I liked that.
   
   
10. I like Anya. I like Anya much, much more than Cordelia. I will go so far as to say I love Anya.
    
    
11. Best episode by far was "Hush".
    
    
12. Though every appearance of Spike was a joy, I wish he'd had more of a role in the ongoing storylines. More interaction with Buffy (though the touches of UST we got were wonderful) and with Giles and the scoobies.
    
    
13. When Angel came back at the end, he was like a splash of colour in a monochrome picture. When did I start to love Angel so much? And how could Buffy even look at Riley when Angel is around? Easy answer: denial. Fear of pain. Lack of hope. But still. Riley?
    
    
14. I like the mini-theme of Xander lusting after Joyce.
    
    
15. Giles. How wonderful he is. I liked him in all aspects and my only complaint about him would have to be that we didn't see enough of him - he wasn't central enough.
    
    
16. The best moment of the whole series was, surprisingly, one with Faith. And the fact that it took me by surprise was part of what made it wonderful. It was when Faith in Buffy's body was fighting Buffy in Faith's body, and she started ranting at Buffy, attacking her verbally, saying that she was a killer and no good, and you realize suddenly that Faith is fighting herself.
    
    
17. Do characters ever really go away on Buffy? We see everyone again... even, in flashbacks and dreams, the Mayor, and Snyder. Not Drusilla, but she's mentioned - I liked that, too.
    
    
18. I love the relationship between Spike and Giles. Can't call it friendship and love/hate isn't quite it... Snide/snide?
    

Comments

[beccaelizabeth]

I can't find a word of Joss to quote but reports had it that WB fought Willow/Tara kissing every step of the way, that it got to the point in season 5 where Joss Whedon was fully prepared to walk out if they didn't keep a kiss in a particular crucial episode; and that was what it took, the creator threatening to quit. (I chased Google to quote this but I can only find other people saying JW said this on the Bronze Beta board. I can't find the Bronze Beta board.)

[fajrdrako]

That's extremely interesting - though, I suppose, not surprising. (At least, i shoudln't be surprised.) Because there have been so many moments begtween them where any het couple would have been shown as kissing, that I found myself thinking "Is something wrong there?" - looking fot subtext that doesn't exist. So instead they touch hands or smile at each other, which almost works, but isn't quite as appropriate sometimes.

I like to think the TV networks would handle it better now, now I'm not sure that's true.

[toraks]

Personally, I don't think Buffy ever has another romance as great as the Angel one. They had a chemistry that never gets repeated. However, you may disagree when you get to later episodes. ;-p

Riley's definitely boring.

I loved the Willow and Tara romance, but again, there was something better about the Willow and Oz one. Don't know why. Maybe it was all first lovieness for those ones.

Anya is not bad. I found her annoying quite a lot of the time, but looking back on it, she did end up being one of the better characters and may, by the end, redeem Xander quite a lot more.

There is a Willow and Tara kiss, but maybe that's next season? I don't remember the latter seasons quite as well, didn't enjoy them as much.

by the way, they're playing the Doctor Whos on BBC3 here - one a day, starting from the new seasons. I started halfway through season 1 with Christopher Eccleston & Billie Piper (didn't realize it was happening)-watching for the first time through. I'm up to the beginning of Season 2 now (they're further, I"m just watching on TIVO equivalent when I get the chance). Really loving it!

[fajrdrako]

So glad to hear you're enjoying Doctor Who!

The Buffy/Angel romance was truly wonderful, except for its ending. Part of my annoyance (but only part) is how she appears to have forgotten Angel entirely. Yes, I know that makes sense to a lot of fans - not so much to me.

[toraks]

do you get that impression? I don't think she really gets past Angel at that point, maybe later. But mostly she's trying hard to get over him and not quite getting there. but then, I haven't watched it in a long time. :-)

I'm really loving Doctor Who. Watched the ep with David Tennant & Billie Piper with Queen Victoria last night. Tom & I agreed that it was great! :-D

Quwe

[fajrdrako]

I'm sure we get back to Angel eventually, but for a long time in season 4 he is simply ignored and not mentioned, while Buffy talks about how much she loves Riley as her boyfriend. In season 5, there's a rift between Riley and Buffy and things aren't so smooth, but there's still a great big silence where Angel is concerned. (Alluded to only in Riley's implied worry that Buffy only really likes bad types.) I'd like to think Buffy is struggling to get over Angel, but there's really nothing I can see in the text to support it.

The Queen Victoria episode - yes! There you see the origins of Torchwood.