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fajrdrakoBuffy (3x04) - Beauty and the Beasts
~ ~ ~
I loved hearing Buffy reading from Call of the Wild. I'd be willing to turn into a werewolf to have her come and read to me. But then it's Willow, reading to Oz. I love how we learn at the very end who Buffy is reading to.
What do they feed Oz at 2 a.m.?
~ ~ ~
I loved hearing Buffy reading from Call of the Wild. I'd be willing to turn into a werewolf to have her come and read to me. But then it's Willow, reading to Oz. I love how we learn at the very end who Buffy is reading to.
What do they feed Oz at 2 a.m.?
- Why don't I trust Xander to watch Oz from the first moment he walked into the library?
- I liked Faith's line: "All men are beasts, Buffy." Again, says a lot about her.
- Wonderful lines from Oz:
Debbie: Hi, Oz. Hey, you're not doing jazz band this year?
Usually I don't like characters with a sense of whimsy, but Oz... love his dialogue. Don't much like him as a werewolf, though. (yes, I know I already said that.)
Oz: Oh, can't take the pressure. It's not the music that's hard, it's the marching.
Buffy: We have a marching jazz band?
Oz: Yeah, but, you know, since the best jazz is improvisational, we'd be going off in all directions, banging into floats... Scary. - And the follow-up lines are good for another reason:
Willow: He's just being Oz.
...Because of the nice double-meaning there. Yeah, talking like that is 'just being Oz', but on moonlit nights - it's time off.
Oz: Pretty much full-time. - Scott proves himself rather good with a line, too:
Pete: Yeah. Well, I'm sure Scott does that kind of stuff for you, too, Buffy.
So there's a point to Scott (possibly his first bonus point), but he doesn't seem to realize that flowers come before rings. Any kind of ring.
Scott: Oh, well, we're not up to flowers. Are we? Up to flowers? Did I miss flowers?
Buffy: No. We're pre-posy. Definitely. - So Oz might have killed someone and everyone is upset. Especially Oz. I have faith in him. But you never know. Xander really messed up. And seems a little more concerned about keeping himself out of trouble than in assessing the situation.
- I like Mr. Platt's dialogue with Buffy: "Buffy, any person -- grownup, shrink, pope -- any person who claims to be *totally* sane is either lying or not very bright. I mean, everyone has problems. Everybody has demons, right?"
- I also like:
Mr. Platt: Look, lots of people lose themselves in love. It's, it's no shame. They write songs about it. The hitch is, you can't stay lost. Sooner or later, you... you have to get back to yourself.
I like Mr. Platt, but he's a teacher at the school and we've never seen him before. Conclusion: he will be dead soon.
Buffy: And if you can't?
Mr. Platt: If you can't... Well, love becomes your master, and you're just its dog.
I take it that Buffy's comment here is a reference to her dreams about Angel, and her continuing love and obsession? - The conversation between Xander and Cordelia that starts "Oz eats people" while Xander argues that he just plays with them fatally reminds me a lot of the conversation where Cordelia tried to put herself in Buffy's shoes and it was a bad idea.
- Why could there not be another werewolf around? Is there any reason to think werewolves are rare? And there's only one moon. Maybe Oz's little cousin bit someone else.
- Then Buffy sees Angel. Good moment.
- So Buffy chains him up. Seems to me there ought to be something deeply symbolic there but I can't quite pin it down.
- Funny how CD players seem so old-fashioned now that everyone (especially teens) has an mp3 player.
- Buffy doesn't tell Giles about Angel's return, but she asks leading questions. What does he guess of the truth? Giles is very intuitive. He must know something is up - besides dreams. Though dreams are significant enough in this show.
- Good Willow line: "I've been at Mister Donut since the TV did that snowy thing." That sounds old-fashioned, too. But maybe they don't have cable or digital TV. (Can't remember when digital TV came in.)
- Love the jello nutrition discussion - "But there's fruit in it." "Those are marshmallows." "Oh."
- Good Buffy line re Mr. Pratt: "He definitely marches to the beat of his own drummer. Actually, I think he makes his own drums." In a marching jazz band? Lovely music metaphors in this one.)
- Good Scott line: "I hope you realize I don't actually know these people. I just... I thought you would like me better if I had friends, so I hired them."
- I note that Pete and Debbie become less likable as the episode continues. Uh-oh.
- I find the scenes with Buffy and Angel to be heartbreaking.
- Yup: Pete and Debbie are bad. And dysfunctional. And scary.
- Easy to spot the death of Mr. Platt, but again, like of... heartbreaking. And heart-twisting, as we hear Buffy say her piece to a dead man. "He's come back." And part of the emotional pressure for the viewer is knowing that Angel is as much as possible suspect to the maulings as Oz is. (Though by now we might as well suspect Pete and/or Debbie.)
- So then we get evidence of Pete's guilt. Good.
- Buffy asks Debbie: "So what, you two live out your Grimm fairy tale?" Yup.
- Pete and Oz fight because Pete is jealous of Oz because he's Debbie's friend. I didn't much like the werewolf fight, but the timing was good.
- I'm glad we see Faith, to be reminded of her presence, but she certainly doesn't get any character development here.
- "All the same! You're all the same!" says Pete - the sure sign of a bad guy. Not that we had any doubt.
Someone once said that to me - I was crossing the Laurier St. bridge talking to my friend Lisa, when this man barrelled across the sidewalk, and shouted at me: "You're all the same, all women are whores!" and pushed to me into the street as he rushed off. Luckily traffic wasn't heavy - plenty of time for the nearest car to stop as I staggered, recovered, and got back onto the sidewalk. But: weird. I wonder if this guy had taken the same drugs as Pete did. - Love it that Angel disposes of Pete. And recognizes Buffy.
- Conversation between Xander and Cordelia:
Cordelia: He didn't? Pete was a monster? Where have I been?
That sounds so insulting I could quite dislike him for it. Not much less sexist than Pete, though clearly less violent. But... mean. On several counts. I'm trying to convince myself it was affectionate and cute.
Xander: In your special place, Cor, which is why I adore you. - Love the ending, with Buffy reading from Call of the Wild, for Angel.
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no subject
Date: 2008-05-27 08:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 11:45 am (UTC)Hee! I've been watching more, too. Carrying right along here - !
I will be back to comment tomorrow.
Looking forward to it.
I absolutely love Buffy reading from "Call of the Wild" as bookends to the episode.
So do I.
1 of 2
Date: 2008-05-28 08:22 pm (UTC)One thing I like about this episode is they had got rid of the really, really bad werewolf costume and got one that isn't quite as ridiculous instead.
I liked Faith's line: "All men are beasts, Buffy." Again, says a lot about her
I like Buffy's description of Scott as a muffin, right down to the kind of topping. And you're right, it does say a lot about Faith and how she relates to people (and you said she had no development here at all, tsk).
Willow: He's just being Oz.
Oz: Pretty much full-time.
...Because of the nice double-meaning there. Yeah, talking like that is 'just being Oz', but on moonlit nights - it's time off.
Ooh, good catch. I never really noticed that had a double meaning.
I like Mr. Platt's dialogue with Buffy
Yeah, he was entertaining. Though his line about "A friend is a good thing. Likes you, agrees with you, tells you what you want to hear" just makes it clear he doesn't really know Buffy's friends! They haven't done much agreeing and telling her what she wants to hear lately.
Mr. Platt: If you can't... Well, love becomes your master, and you're just its dog.
This bit of dialogue struck me because of a line in an upcoming episode by a very different character. I think you've seen it (I seem to remember you saying before you were up to Amends?) but I'll try to remember to discuss it in that episode's post because it will make more sense to compare them there.
I like the moment where Oz explains that he has to bail "Kind of dramatic. But sometimes it's a necessary guy thing" but then he can't because the moon is going to rise, and that Willow is trying to support him bailing and remind him about that at the same time. I also like how she stays so calm in the morgue and only faints after she's done everything she needs to.
So Buffy chains him up
I though they did well at making him seem feral. And Buffy's reaction to him is just perfect.
Yup: Pete and Debbie are bad. And dysfunctional. And scary.
Oh yeah. Hello to the abusive relationship.
the death of Mr. Platt, but again, like of... heartbreaking. And heart-twisting, as we hear Buffy say her piece to a dead man
Mm, good scene. I'm not sure if Buffy could really have told him the whole entire story if he'd been alive though.
Oh, my favourite bit of dialogue from this is about here:
Giles: Clearly we're looking for a depraved, sadistic animal.
Oz: Present. (glances at Willow) Hey. I may be a cold blooded jelly donut - but my timing's impeccable.
And another little bit of Faith info is she apparently has no concept of people horsing around as friends and assumes Oz means sex.
Re: 1 of 2
Date: 2008-05-29 02:06 am (UTC)Yes. But still. I find their handling of the werewolf thing extremely hokey.
and you're right, it does say a lot about Faith and how she relates to people (and you said she had no development here at all, tsk).
She is very vivid; it's clear what she's like. But when I said 'no development', I meant that we only get one note - the same one note. She's tough and angry, with a dash of vulnerability. I don't see much else.
Though his line about "A friend is a good thing. Likes you, agrees with you, tells you what you want to hear" just makes it clear he doesn't really know Buffy's friends!
Or most people's, I think. Mine certainly don't tell me what I want to hear. They don't even tell me what they think I want to hear!
Buffy's reaction to him is just perfect.
Absolutely wonderful. I love that part.
I'm not sure if Buffy could really have told him the whole entire story if he'd been alive though.
I don't think she would have, but we'll never know.
another little bit of Faith info is she apparently has no concept of people horsing around as friends and assumes Oz means sex.
She seems to sexualize everything.
2 of 2
Date: 2008-05-28 08:22 pm (UTC)I like Willow's line later where she says "I think we broke her" and Buffy's response that she was broken before this. I think it's good as well that she still tries to protect Pete and runs back to him. More realistic in a way, though obviously a bad move for her.
I didn't much like the werewolf fight, but the timing was good.
I liked Oz's reaction to seeing Pete transform: "Something happens, which you probably won't believe -" Pete changes "- or you might."
Giles getting hit by the tranquliser and his "Right. Bloody priceless" reaction is lovely, and I like Willow pulling Oz-wolf's tail to get him off Faith.
"You're all the same, all women are whores!" and pushed to me into the street as he rushed off.
Good grief! I'm glad you were okay. Some people are just nutters.
Love it that Angel disposes of Pete. And recognizes Buffy.
*happy sigh* He is redeemable, just very messed up currently. I love that what brings him back to himself is protecting Buffy, especially because it's such a reversal from when he was Angelus.
I also like the different theories in the school about Pete losing it. They're funny.
That sounds so insulting I could quite dislike him for it. Not much less sexist than Pete, though clearly less violent. But... mean. On several counts.
Huh. I never saw it that way. I always see it as part of their banter - they do tend to communicate with insults a lot, and that is actually relatively tender for them.
I feel bad for Scott at the end of this episode. You just know Buffy is going to have all her attention on Angel and he's just lost his friends as well and won't ever get the true story. Poor guy.
Love the ending, with Buffy reading from Call of the Wild
God, yes. It gives such an absolutely killer last line: "And from the depths of the forest - the call still sounded."
True for Angel - he may have devotion and faithfulness, but he is still a vampire after all and still dangerous.
Re: 2 of 2
Date: 2008-05-29 02:09 am (UTC)Definitely realistic. And in literary terms, the difference between a heroic protagonist and a disposable bit character.
"Right. Bloody priceless" reaction is lovely
Love it!
Some people are just nutters.
So true. Shouldn't be allowed loose on the street. Still - one wonders at the background of that story.
I always see it as part of their banter - they do tend to communicate with insults a lot, and that is actually relatively tender for them.
In other cases, I really like their banter. That just struck me as 'off', maybe because of the theme of the episode.
It gives such an absolutely killer last line: "And from the depths of the forest - the call still sounded."
Love the implications. Beautiful image.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-27 08:41 pm (UTC);<} One that I don't expect to get answered later on is how he managed to show up there at the right time to fight Pete. Unconsciously looking for Buffy? Because he didn't seem to be all there. Except as a fighting machine.
re: Xander - he is rather sexist. It is hard for a straight teenager not to be - however reasonable one's intellect is, we're on drugs that make balance difficult to maintain. That's presented as an observation, not an excuse. And I'm not sure Xander's trying all that hard. But in his defense, Cordelia is presented in this show as often being in her own special place. (As is Xander.) So we can accuse him of rudeness, but I'm tempted to acquit him of insulting. There was one show back when I was trying to catch up - the hospital one? - where Xander and Cordelia were out trying to get records from the file room and a security guard walks in. Now, normally, when anything particular is asked of Cordelia, we get gripes. Here we get 100% with the program of distracting the guard, immediately. (I suppose if Joss could have figured out a way to insert some gripes in there without completely destroying one's suspension of disbelief, he would have, but, anyway, I enjoyed that positive Cordelia moment for its rarity.)
So, if we compare 2 and 27, does that tell us anything about Faith?
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 11:53 am (UTC)As it so often is!
One that I don't expect to get answered later on is how he managed to show up there at the right time to fight Pete. Unconsciously looking for Buffy?
That's a good answer. There are hints that he spends a lot of time lurking, and a lot of time, when he can, watching Buffy. (Presumably not in daylight, though it's clear vampires can and do sometimes lurk in daylight in cars with tinted glass and the like.)
he didn't seem to be all there. Except as a fighting machine.
He's still recovering from Hell. Presumably Buffy's presence is helping him. She's an Angel-magnet.
Xander - he is rather sexist.
Yeah. Sometimes he seems just fine. Other times - I flinch.
however reasonable one's intellect is, we're on drugs that make balance difficult to maintain
I don't mind that he's oversexed (I can relate! - and my hero Captain Jack Harkness is oversexed as well, it's part of his appeal), or that he has various odd obsessions. And a tendency to want what he shouldn't have. It's when he seems to be undervaluing others that I'm unhappy with him.
Cordelia is presented in this show as often being in her own special place. (As is Xander.)
Maybe it's the sense that they are two of a kind that made me cringe here. He's no one to judge her. They are very alike - hormone-driven, over-conscious of how they appear to others, prone to bragging without good cause. Both tend to be rude (uncosciously) or sulky (consciously).
I enjoyed that positive Cordelia moment for its rarity.
I did too. I really like Cordelia when she's not being rude or sulky.
I enjoyed that positive Cordelia moment for its rarity.
I'm sure it does. She's sexist, if nothing else. Aggressive. Not a monster like Pete, but possibly not much better when it comes to conscience and aggression.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-27 08:49 pm (UTC)Xander: In your special place, Cor, which is why I adore you.
-----------
I always took that as rather affectionate. Just him saying that she gets lost to the big things of the world while being distracted by the unimportant things. Like cloths, and the other cheerleaders, and the like.
I rather liked their banter, it made me smile.
As for Oz the werewolf, I could've gone without, but its a wonderful plot device, and seeing Willow trying to handle it is even better.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 11:54 am (UTC)I'd like to. Generally I like their banter.
its a wonderful plot device, and seeing Willow trying to handle it is even better.
It certainly has its moments. I love the way Oz doesn't brood about it.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-29 04:42 am (UTC)Like someone who's blonde. I like that.
And the dirty boy is Greg Sanders from CSI. The actor is Eric Szmanda. :) He's purdy, and I've went all smitten on him.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-29 11:08 am (UTC)Thanks for explaining - I've heard of the show, but not of him. Cool!
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 12:45 am (UTC)Xander does put down the women he loves. Patronizing. Funny because men have no time for him, but I guess that's why he hangs around with women and speaks patronizingly to them. It's a pattern-- he makes himself feel big and manly.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 11:58 am (UTC)True!
We're all bowling alone, or dancing alone.
Hmm, is that a philosophical statement on the ultimate individuality of mankind? In some circumstances - concerts, dance clubs - people share music together as much as ever. But you're right: there's a different balance. In some cases it's good - fewer blaring boom boxes on the street to drive us nuts. In other ways, maybe not so much. Saying, "here, listen to this" and handing a friend your earbuds just isn't the same.
Patronizing.
It seemed so to me, even though I try to read it otherwise.
It's a pattern-- he makes himself feel big and manly.
That would explain it. Or maybe it's that he can and does feel smarter than Cordelia, when he's well aware that Buffy and Willow and Giles are much smarter than he is?
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 01:46 am (UTC)I wish I had that deft a touch as a writer.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 11:58 am (UTC)Yes! It was so beautifully done. And so sympathetic to two of the three beasts.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 05:56 pm (UTC)Cordelia: He didn't? Pete was a monster? Where have I been?
Xander: In your special place, Cor, which is why I adore you.
That sounds so insulting I could quite dislike him for it. Not much less sexist than Pete, though clearly less violent. But... mean. On several counts. I'm trying to convince myself it was affectionate and cute.
He does patronise his girlfriends a bit - almost as if, if they are crazy enough to fall for him they have to be substandard in some way. It's affectionate and partly I think because he is so often put firmly in his place by the women around him. And he has a very long track record of insulting Cordy
no subject
Date: 2008-05-28 07:35 pm (UTC)The costume is bad enough, but I'm equally disappointed that they didn't do more with Oz-as-werewolf. Perhaps showing human traits when he's in wolf form - playing him as a wolf with personality - or have references to it when he's human. Most of the time you'd think he was perfectly normal (albeit talented and laconic). This isn't really a complaint because I like Oz as he is, but so much more could have been done with him. Heck: I want a spin-off show called Oz.
almost as if, if they are crazy enough to fall for him they have to be substandard in some way
Yes, and I think a lot of his relationship with Cordelia is based on this kind of thinking. I don't like it. But Xander is a mixed bag anyway, and very entertaining.