Why Journalists are Wrong: Best Buffy Episodes Part 2

Watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a daily ritual for me.  Some people sleep to white noise but to unwind each day I prefer the riff of a guitar and the poof of vampires being dusted.  Choosing the best episode was difficult because the episodes I watch the most are ones that I like to sleep to or for moments I need in my life.

There are some emotional days when I am angry at the world and need to watch episode 5 from season 6 titled “Family” just to get to the end and see Tara and Willow levitate as they embrace lovingly. Other days I feel so misunderstood I need to watch the twelfth episode of Buffy season four “A New Man” and watch Giles transformed into demon with magical boogers and huge horns that no one but one but Spike understands.  And I know its coming but I still cry every time I see Giles face go from a smile to horror when he finds Jennie Calendars body in the episode “Passions.”  But whether it is a moment or monster that draws me to episodes, I have a long list of episodes that keep me riveted to the screen even after dozens of views. Here are my top 6 with my favorite moment from the episodes explained.

Prophecy Girl

Season 1 Episode 12

Fav Moments: Had to pick a few. 

When Buffy walks in on Giles and Angel discussing her eminent death.  She has an long monologue but halfway through she says “does it say how I will die?” and a takes this breathe to hold back a sob and says after that “will it hurt?” Those last 3 words “will it hurt” is an amazing moment for such a young actress. 

The outfit: white dress, crossbow & leather jacket (nuff’ said).

The bloody handprint on the TV screen playing Saturday morning cartoons when Cordelia and Willlow find the vampires victims in the school recreation room. 

Amends (almost my topic pick)

Season 3 Episode 10

Fav Moment: When Angel tries to commit suicide by waiting for the sun to rise.  And then the sun never shows its face because instead in a southern California beach town it snows (uh I get a pang in my heart just typing about the moment)

Prom (almost my top pick)
Season 3 Episode 20

Fav Moment:  This episode restored my faith in humanity but that is not reflected by my favorite moment but is worth saying.  Even after all Angelus’s murdering and torturing people, I remember being devastated that Angel was walking away from Buffy in season 3. 

She is speaking to Giles about the wonderful surprise of her classmates honoring her with the sparkly umbrella/ class protector award and she says, “Sometimes people surprise you.”  The music starts and Giles replies and directs her attention to Angel in a tux approaching and says, “sometimes they do.”  And in the end she gets her perfect Angel and Buffy high school moment. 

A New Man

Season 4 Episode 12

Fav Moment: Giles jumping out of his “perfectly serviceable car” to chase Professor Walsh up the street after declaring he was not going to behave like a monster (Maggie so had it coming).

Once More with Feeling

Season 6 Episode 7

Fav Moments:

Show writer producer Marti Noxon singing about a parking ticket. "I'm not wearing underwear" 

Show writer & producer David Fury singing about getting out mustard.

Every part of the song “I have a theory” but in particular when Xander sings:

“It could be witches, some evil witches! Which is ridiculous 'cause witches they were persecuted. Wicca good and love the earth and women power and I'll be over here.”

I will Remember You

Angel Season 1 Episode 8

Fav Moments: Buffy and Angel eating ice cream like a normal couple in bed.  Angel sacrifices the chance to be human and with Buffy.  The moment when he reveals this to buffy and she weeps repeating the mantra, “I will never forget.”

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**I know this is a crossover episode and not technically a Buffy episode but as a fan that was on team angel and this day that the show creators gave the couple was a major moment of closure for me.

It was a tough choice to make the season 3 episode "Revelations" my top pick overall.  But ultimately it won because it was about the core group of Scoobies and Faith, not just the Bangel ship.  Season 2 made me almost hate Angel and Season 3 made me feel like Buffy's life would always be: wake up, shop, save the word, go to sleep, repeat. Instead the episodes of "Amends" and "Prom" gave her high school moments that every person should get and as a fan I so wanted for her.  I was a high school girl when I first saw these episodes and they so fully captured that heightened emotions of puberty/teenage years and how even though it seems like the end of the world everyday sometimes you get a beautiful moment.  

Journalists are Wrong: The Best Episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Explained

Since its the 20th anniversary people are actually interested in my favorite topic: Buffy. There are so many lists ranking best and worst episodes and thus far I have not agreed with a single one.

This blog post is different than any of the articles I have read this week naming the top Buffy episode because I don’t play it safe and just choose a random season finale.

It is insane to me that not every list of top Buffy episodes is not littered with season 3 picks.  Every person I know who watched season 3 was glued to the screen every week and completely invested.  Over time what draws me back to season 3 is all the tension and twists.  It was when the show deviated from its one theme that a tiny blonde girl can kill everything that goes bump in the night to being a drama about the complexities of coming of age.

The Best Buffy episode of all time is:

Season 3, Episode 7 “Revelations”

From the first time I watched “Revelations” to when I watch it again today it echoes so many themes that would re-occur season after season.  It has all the characters I love to hate and just love.  But it had a trademark that made a show with an already strange premise great, it was an episode filled with misdirection for the audience. 

The three reasons I love this episode are:

1.  The dichotomy between Faith & Buffy

2. The Scoobies challenging Buffy to choose between them and Angel

3. Giles struggling with his choice to be more of a father than traditional watcher

First: Faith Versus Buffy

Buffy is the all American blonde valley girl archetype.  She is a girlie girl that sleeps with a stuffed pig (Mr. Gordo), pouts when she doesn’t get her way and is often costumed in soft colors to accentuate the perception of female fragility.  In contrast, her slayer counterpart Faith is clade in red lipstick and black leather with her bra straps always showing and that lives in a pretty gross hotel room.  The virgin/whore dichotomy seems personified by the two slayers who have nothing but their roles as “chosen ones” in common.

In the last season Faith jokingly asks if she is “the good slayer now?”  But fans first asked this question four seasons prior when Buffy was lying to everyone and having a secret affair with Angel. 

In this episode Faith has a new watcher arrive named Gwendolyn Post.  Before this point the audience never sees anyone who is dedicated to mentoring Faith.  As a fan meeting this new watcher helped me see Faith’s “Spartan lifestyle” as a badge of honor and question what it means to be “the good slayer.”  20 years ago I was sure the show was going to turn its attention to Faith and move towards Buffy as the villain but by the end of the episode I would learn I was completely wrong.

 

Forever after the episode aired I resented Buffy’s privilege.  She got the watcher father figure.  She had a mom who cleaned her room and washed blood out of her clothes and an absentee father that bought her any pair of shoes she desired. Faith had no one until the evil mayor would later adopt her and she would move further away from the idea of being a hero.  This is the only episode, until the comics that Buffy seems like a brat who does what she wants while Faith makes hard ethical choices in the face of adversity. 

Second: Friends vs. Angel

Buffy is a special slayer because instead of embracing her secret identity she has both a quasi-normal high school existence and slayer support network via her friends.  But this episode is when everything goes to shit because her friends think she is bionking her previously-homicidal boyfriend.    

Many fans, myself included were on “team Angel” and drawn into the dysfunctional love story of an underage girl and her ex sadistic serial killing hundred year old boyfriend. This episode gave me some perspective that even in spite of the  beautifully framed stolen moments that maybe Buffy and Angel finding their way back to one another was a bad idea.

In the episode, Xander comes across Buffy secretly kissing her vampire ex-boyfriend that hurt everyone only months before; until that moment all the Scoobies thought Angel dead.  The next scene is a classic intervention where Cordelia, Willow, Oz, Xander, and Giles confront Buffy about her lies.  Unlike normal quipy exchanges this was one of the first episodes where the Scoobies all turn on Buffy.  Throughout the show run there is tension in the Scoobie ranks but this is the first time it is so pronounced and justifiably against Buffy.

Thirdly: Watcher versus Father

This episode was key to challenging Giles as a successful watcher.  Yes I know a young watcher named Wesley would later come along and unsuccessfully try to usurp Giles but ended up mostly being comic relief

To the dismay of the stuffy ole’ British watchers council, Giles loves Buffy like a daughter.  When a new watcher appears on the scene in this episode Giles seems genuinely threatened.  And as a fan, I feel like Gwendolyn Post is a pretentious powerful British woman who reminded me a lot of “M” from James Bond.  The female watcher successfully shows up Giles at every turn until we find out her evil intentions and she knocks Giles unconscious.

Previously I mentioned an intervention scene in regards to Buffy’s poor dating choices.  That scene ends when Giles abruptly stops the attacks on Buffy and sends her friends away.  Like a good father, Giles was always the one who always stood up for Buffy.  But when they leave and she thanks him, he curtly reminds her that "Angel tortured me for hours, with pleasure. You have no respect for me or the job I perform."   This was one of least fatherly moments of the show for me, in that moment Giles was all watcher and the look on Buffy’s face echoed my own shock as an at home viewer.

Good Slayer versus Bad Slayer 

Friends versus Lover 

Council Way versus Fatherly Way

This episode was not business as usual in Sunnydale.  “Revelations” is the best episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because it was the one that converted so many of us into lifelong fans.

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Why I love James Marsters and You Should Too

While traveling from Orlando, Florida back to my home in Bakersfield California I had a serendipitous event that has left me forever changed.

But before I tell you what occurred, I need to provide some context.  My love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer runs deep; though some might claim that I am a “fan-girl” or “geek” those labels do not do justice to my passion for Joss Whedons’ storytelling and the artists who bring it to life. 

My love for Buffy transcends re-runs and spans decades. There are many dimensions to my relationship with the BtVS franchise that include comics, video games, novels, scholarly articles and books, board games, clothing and home décor.  I am loyal not just to BtVS franchise but enjoy new dimensions of the lore and projects by associated artists (I can’t wait for Amber Bensons next book!!!!).

While I am on the subjects of books, “The Last Bookstore” in Downtown Los Angeles has a great selection of my paranormal romance and fantasy and there are several shelves dedicated to Buffy/BtVS related lore.  On a recent visit to TLB the hubs found a “Spike and Drusilla” novel by my favorite author Christopher Golden, that by some miracle I had yet to read.  To maintain some semblance of sanity I brought the book along to read on my cross-country flight.

OK NOW HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED

A few months ago, my real life converged with my favorite fantasy when in a TSA line at the Orlando Airport I spot James Marsters.  I started panicking and one of the TSA screeners actually turned to me and asked if I was “feeling okay?”  Thankfully, I was not pulled aside for a cavity search and after a few moments I remembered that I need to keep track of my children.

I walked up to James Marsters and asked if he would sign my book (I am not sure how unsettled he was that I happened to have a Spike novel on my person). He did not let on any duress, and personally addressed the autograph to me, aka“ Dr. CCB.” And if that was not generous enough he took time out to take a photo with me and the fam.  He remarked that he appreciates that “educated people love the show.” 

I almost died of embarrassment when my 8-year old chimed in to tell him that “my mom is totally obsessed with you and we have pictures of you on the walls at our house.” If you know me in real life, you know it takes a lot to shake me, but I am still blushing as I write this blog about my chance encounter with a gifted and gracious artist I have admired for a long time.

The best part of this experience is that I met someone I admire greatly and he was a nice person.  He was under no obligation to hug me, pose for a photo, chat with my kids, or take the time to talk with me: but he did and was sincere during every moment of our encounter.  It just goes to show that all famous people are not soulless and sometimes the universe rewards patience during the long security checkpoints at the airport.  

The only downside to this encounter is now my 8-year-old daughter is convinced she is going to meet Shawn Mendez at the airport but who knows, it could happen. 

Helldivers

Day 61: Marriage is about surviving the monsters 

If you read this blog you know that First Person Shooters (FPS) are my least favorite video games.  There is plenty to get excited about in the gaming world during PAX East and by some twist of fate I was most excited about a co-op shooter.  I read an IGN review of Helldivers for the PS4 and the description of the plot had me at satirical riff on US imperialism and the write up mentioned playing with a romantic partner.  I included a quick video to give you an idea of what the game is like instead of writing an overview because I am being lazy. 

Stop Shooting your Wife

Co-op games are great for couples because you have to work together and stay out of one another’s way simultaneously.  We have only beaten one planet over the last few days.  I have had zero incidentals whereas the hubs has killed me 5 times.  In his defense, some of the fatalities were due to calling in air strikes and me not fleeing quickly enough.  Yesterday the kiddos watched us play and they actually think it is hilarious that their dad keeps shooting me, which is starting to bother me.  But I keep reminding myself that I play shooter games like a noob, and I haven't killed him yet, which brings me some comfort. 

Touch me gentle, push me hard.

For a lot of reasons I normally hate shooters.  One reason I actually sometimes like to play shooter games is for the ability to hold a trigger and spray bullets into monsters --it is so cathartic.  However, because the reload time is so long in this game, I try to be more conservative with my bullets.  Instead of my normal guns blazing strategy I have to tap R2 gently to only release one bullet at a time. 

Conversely, the left toggle has to be pushed and held hard to run.  Since my partner favors using a flame-thrower and keeps killing me, I had to learn to run in game.  I feel like pushing on my toggle so hard is going to break my controller but it seems fine.  The juxtaposition between a light right trigger finger and hard left thumb is hard to reconcile in my brain. 

Aspiring to be a Mec

Though I have detoured into the Buffy Board Game and Diablo, I am hoping to keep playing Helldivers until I can play as a mec.  This weekend gaming reminded me, never say never, when it comes to choosing a game title.  I still play PvZ daily but hated Garden Warfare; Normally I will never pick up an FPS but I am loving this one.  Each day we just drop in and try to make it out through the swarms of monsters, in this way, this game simulates our RL marriage.

Hubs on the Bugs 

I love this game, I love that the levels are short, that it's easy enough to play with Nate (the 6 year old), that it's hard enough we can't just breeze through it and that it's hilarious and goofy.  It's a fantastic dual stick shooter I love that they made it have friendly fire, it forces us to communicate with what we are planning. I can't just spray because I inevitably will shoot you in the back, I haven't in the last couple levels though! So now we have to say hey back up I will clear these guys, or hey call the drop ship I'll cover you! Or when you call in a turret we both have to run and hit the ground so we don't get shot up like the bugs.

Helldivers is just like a troubled marriage because sometimes you will see a bug and if you don't take it out immediately then more spring up out of the ground and it all turns to chaos as you start scrambling to survive.  To survive the swarm you have to communicate and work together and you will never succeed if one person is carrying the other and doing all the work.

I love the blog. I love the game. And I love my wife. Elbows.