The Buffy Re-Watch Club

I was just thinking that about Friends as I've been watching a few episodes lately. It doesn't seem that long ago in terms of when it aired, but the fashion, technology and hairstyles make it seem like a time I don't remember existing in.

I've said before on here that I wish Clea DuVall would have had a bigger career. The first time I remember seeing her was The Faculty but I must have seen her in Buffy first and just not remembered having seen her before. Too bad she doesn't seem to get many roles now.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind is awesome in its simplicity of the villain. The explanation of why she's invisible is hilarious (Whedon even laughs in the commentary that when they can't explain things, it's "because we're on a Hellmouth".

Count me in on the Clea Duvall love, but what's with the winkies?? lol

I like that Cordy starts to soften a little here, and we see that she's growing tired of the empty popularity she's been chasing.

A word of warning: if you are watching for the first time and using the discs in a box set, turn off the volume before you start this one. The little quote they put before starting the episode is a spoiler.

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Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

We were being silly, or at least I was. I was trying to clever with the you don't "see" much of her because she is invisible in the role.

Me too.

I'll come back and mention them all, but I love Cordy in this one. She gets all the best lines, but there's so many of them in this episode. It's also the start of Cordy being part of the crew.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

I think I enjoyed The Puppet Show more this time than I ever have before. It's not that I didn't like it before, I did, it just seemed like an episode that got lost in my mind. Well this time around it really stuck out. Firstly, as we all know, puppets are evil, so the basis of the episode has always been sound. Secondly, the dread that any normal person has of a talent show is wonderfully shown in this episode. From Giles pleading for a tuba player to come onstage after listening to Cordy sing the first verse of The Greatest Love of All ("Lisa. Please!"), to Xander's remark after being told by the new Principal, the wonderfully horrible Mr. Synder, that they have no school spirit and must take part in the talent show, "Whatever happened to corporal punishment?" the horror of this episode is much more real world than the supernatural. Which is good, because when you have possessed puppets it needs to be.

The real greatness in this episode though is the script and in that area Snyder and Xander get all the best lines, IMO.

When telling the Scoobs that there's a new sheriff in town. "Mr Flutie might've gone in for that touchy feely relating nonsense. But he was eaten. You're in my world now and Sunnydale has touched, felt for the last time."

As well as talking to Giles. " I know what Flutie would've said. Kids need understanding. Kids are human beings. That kind of thinking leads to getting eaten."

While Xander gives us "I have my pride. Not a lot of my pride, but enough not to do this." when coming to terms with having to do the show. As well as squealing "REDRUM! REDRUM!" with the doll. That line always makes me laugh. He gets my favourite line in the episode, too, when Sid does his impression of Basil Exposition, Xander chimes in -

"It makes a welcome change to hear someone else explain all these things."

One thing I did notice, I think for the first time, in the episode was how the music sounded like 'horror movie music' Quite reminiscent of A Nightmare On Elm Street at times, I thought. I don't really watch modern horror, but those I do don't seem to have that music anymore. Something else that places this firmly at the end of the C20th?

I've always loved the ending of this episode. Not the fight or anything, but the actual ending. The curtain going back and the ridiculous carnage being displayed on stage. They've killed the demon and saved the day, Giles almost died and they're all there, weapons in hand, standing over the vanquished.... And then they're fully displayed with an expectant audience. Snyder's "What is this? Avant-Garde?" is a great last line, too.

BTW, question for Americans. How dark are highschool locker rooms there? Ours had a lightswitch by the door which lit up the entire room is dazzlingly bright light. You'd think Sunnydale, of all places, would be exceedingly well lit.

LOL honeykid - I think in reality they're well lit, but are remembered with a layer of murk.

Glad to see someone else really likes The Puppet Show. It's really a fantastic episode.

I don't think I have much to say about Nightmares. It sounded as if you guys like it a lot more than I do and it appears to've been borne out. I've just never really enjoyed it very much. There's still goodness there, though. I love that Cordy's big fear is her hair and being a geek. Being dragged to a chess tournament by nerds while crying out "I'm not even on the chess team!" There's also a great exchange between Xander and Giles.

Xander = Why is this happening?
Giles - Billy.
Xander - Well, that explaination was shorter than usual. It's Billy!

Again, for the cineliterate there's a nod to The Wizard Of Oz at the end, when Billy wakes up with them all around his bed. "I had the strangest dream. You were in it, and you." But I hate that film, so it's just another reason not to like the episode.

So you dislike both Nightmares AND The Wizard of Oz?

*Bans Honeykid*

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TBF, I don't dislike Nightmares, I just don't like it like I do most other Buffy episodes. On the other hand, I truly hate The Wizard Of Oz.

Well, I think I could level that complaint at most of the S1 episodes, with a couple of exceptions. Nightmares is pretty over-the-top, but I just think it is a ton of fun!

Sorry, I meant the first season. I think it's one of my least liked episodes of season one.

So.... Prophecy Girl.... I don't care how many times I see SMG say "I'm 16 years old. I don't want to die." it will bring a tear to my eye. This was the episode where I started to love Sarah Michelle Gellar in this role.

Well, we are on the last episode of the season, Prophecy Girl. I still have to watch the previous episode but I'm planning on watching a double feature tomorrow.

Does anyone need time to catch up before we start the next season?

I'll catch up over the next two nights and post. I'm good.

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Letterboxd

More great Cordy stuff in Now You See Me, Now You Don't. She's my favourite character and often gets the best lines. This episode isn't any different, but it's now that she starts to move towards the Scoobs. While you get some great lines and a nice parallel of the hell of the teenage/high school years, with the invisible girl literally becoming invisible, there's still the goofiness of a floating bat. Which, in turn, leads to the vampire bat joke which, given the shows title, was screaming to be made, yet might not've been in another show. I like that these guys have enough confidence in their ability that they're able to do things like that without thinking it'll derail what they're trying to do or that they're above that or will be thought of poorly.

Whilst Cordy becomes more of a character in this episode and starts to show how things might go in season 2, she's still fabulously selfish, which is illustrated no better than when she comes into the library. I can't remember the whole thing, but despite looking for help, she can't help but slight them.

"Buffy, I know we've had our differences, with you being so weird and all and hanging out with these total losers."

Before ending

"This is all about me. Me, me, me, me, me, me"

Then, of course, there's her reply to Giles when he remarks not seeing her in the library before.

I don't recall ever seeing you in here before.
Oh, no, I have a life.

We've already spoken quite a bit about Clea DuVall, but she's great as usual. It's a shame we only see her in flashback

I like the ending, too. I'd noticed it before, but only individually without ever putting them all together, but there's a few episodes in season one which end in a way which make you think/could've lead to follow up episodes.

I'll end... Whatever this is, with a line which, I feel, perfectly sums up Giles. Especially the early seasons.

"Once again I teeter at the precipiece of the generation gap."

Last three episodes will keep me rolling into the next season. Nightmares was probably my favorite of the first season. I like the balance they struck between the creepy and light hearted. Nothing cringe worthy for me in that episode either which was a first for my time with Buffy.

I like the themes in the invisible girl episode, sorry I don't remember the name. HK pointing out that this is when we start to see more of Cordelia makes me happy, I like her character. Hated the FBI showing up at the end of this episode. Can anyone do Buffy dialogue and not appear cheesy the first time around. Don't know if anymore will come of all that but it was pretty lame so I am fine if it does not.

The finale was good but not great for me. Really liked Xander in this one. I feel for the guy but at the same time my heart breaks for Willow. She is a cool chick, what is wrong with us guys? My problem with the episode is the same problem I have with countless TV shows and movies, no stakes. If I don't believe the danger is real I have a very hard time being invested in the action.

I am glad I am going on this journey with all of you. I am not loving it as of yet but I am hopeful to get there. It is an entertaining show and the characters have grown on me quite a bit over the first season. Bring on season 2.

What do you mean by this?

I think this will start to be remedied in season 2. I agree with you about Willow. I used to get pelters for finding her attractive... Until season 2-3, when everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Of course, by then, I had Faith.

It's so good having someone who's not seen it before coming along for the ride. I think I enjoy it more when it's like that. A bit like watching horror films with someone who gets scared by them. It always makes the viewing experience better.

The first few episodes I thought the writing for this show was garbage. Then it felt like the main players settled into their roles. Whether this is the actors getting used to the writing or the writers getting used to the characters I don't know. What I do know is that I don't think it is my imagination because every time there is a new character they come across as terribly cheesy to me. The FBI agents are just the latest example of this but I feel this way almost universally. Surely they can't all be bad actors.

That's interesting, Sean. I wonder if this is a style thing. It's never sounded cheesy to me, but then, I wasn't watching it nearly 20 years after it was written. That style was quite new and, to use a word I hate in this context, fresh at the time. Whilie it certainly drew on films like Clueless and Bill & Ted, it's style was all its own. Maybe it sounds hackneyed now? I remember watching Double Indemnity in film class and everytime Neff delivered a line which he end "baby" or "doll", a good few people in the class just started laughing. I didn't think it sounded funny, but by the end of the film I did, just because it was as if each time he said it it'd been underscored.

Anyway, I'll find it interesting to see if you feel it continues into Season 2. Especially with one character in particular.