Alllright. I know I’m more than a week late with this, but I’ve not been all that well and I can’t sleep now, so here it is.
Just what in the name of God???
Was Joss Whedon smoking crask one night and justy decide it would be cool to turn his show into a joke?
It’s his right, and all-in-all was probably a nice change of pace for the actors and enjoyed by a bunch of stinkin’ tasteless musical-weinies (my wife included), but if I don’t get my angst-riddled dose of slayage every week I’m not a happy boy.
I love the show for the moments of real sorrow and character development. It’s about growth as a person and facing responsibilities to self and friends, and even good vs. bad in its way.
Quite honestly, I’m really not that bothered by it, but I don’t have all the time in the world and now I have a wasted evening. Dammit.
Now that I think about it, this really was pathetic as Pit rants go and probably doesn’t even deserve responses.
There’s already a thread on this episode. Apologies if you’ve already seen it.
I don’t get how these are supposed to be incompatible with a musical. See, I’m a sucker for musicals. I find them to be more emotionally effective than straight up drama. I thought the musical episode was genius because Joss Whedon could use the musical format to really turn the emotional screws. It was a brillant climax to the tensions that have been building all season.
Songs were good too, although I was disappointed in Spike’s lackluster voice on what otherwise would have been the best song in the show.
Actually it was SMG’s voice on that last number that really made me want to pound my head against a wall ( Marsters was only marginally superior ) .
In general I’m NOT a fan of musicals and I didn’t wholeheartedly enjoy this one. BUT - Looking at it objectively, I think it was very well-done. Well-scripted, well-constructed, clever, and appropriately angsty.
Emmy caliber? Maybe not. But a worthy and at least partially successful experiment. At least IMHO.
Were you facing the tube, or did you completely miss the show?
You want real sorrow?
[list]
[li]Willow’s expression of horror when she heard that she had pulled Buffy out of Heaven[/li][li]Tara’s song of angger and hurt when she discovered Willow had been playing with her memory[/li]
You want angst?
[li]Spike singing about how much it hurts him to be around Buffy, knowing that she will never love him[/li][li]Giles singing about how he wishes he could stay with Buffy, but knows he has to go to enable her to be an independent adult.[/li]
I thought the episode was brilliant, and I loved the songs, both for just musical enjoyment and how they developed the plot. ASH and Amber Benson were standouts, but I gotta give props to the entire cast for having the guts to risk looking foolish.
I’m with gobear, I thought it was pure genius. But that’s an objective point. I figured people would either really love it or hate it. I’ve been with the show since the beginning, and I have a degree in music, so it was a double treat for me. Hell, I’ve watched it 3 times now, and wouldn’t mind owning the soundtrack. I wouldn’t rank it above Hush or The Body, but it was the best episode I’ve seen so far this season.
It sets the stage as so many things were revealed.
All in all I thought it was a clever way of really shaking up the crew.
Ripping Buffy from heaven. Spike’s anguish with seeing Buffy and getting nothing in return. Giles knowing he has to leave or they won’t grow as people. Tara finally figuring out that she’s been sleeping with Darth-Willow.
Ok, so Willow gives such mindbending oral pleasure that her lover friggin’ levitates. Anyone picture Willow, having passed through her experimental college phase, fellating her man such that he soars, tethered above her head, like the Underdog float in the Macy’s Day parade? Guess it’s just me then. But I bet you’re picturing it now, you degenerate.
Xander: “Didn’t you notice the getaroominess of them?”
Giles: “I’m sure Willow and Tara are making every effort.”
Xander: “Oh yeah!!”
Buffy: “Xander!”
As for the OP, this episode was very different, but some of the best parts of this series come when Joss takes chances. I had my doubts about this one from the previews, but I ended up liking it a lot, for all the reasons already mentioned.
Anybody else really want to see the outtakes from this episode?
I am looking at the repeat of the musical tonight (which is a duet with Iron Chef USA). So far, they editied out:
The entire first scene, where Tara found Willow’s spell component to make her forget about the argument and wore the flower.
Buffy walking in to the magic shop to Xander’s “respect the donut”–edited out.
“I Got A Theory” song–it ends with Anya’s “Bunnies” rant. You won’t hear that Buffy died twice. May or may not be the best edit, cause they revived the choral second part in “Walk Through the Fire”.
And, as expected, Dawn’s dance sequence–now after the mid break, they just show her being thrown to Sweet’s feet.
Just posted this edit list to the Cafe Society thread:
The opening morning montage
Buffy’s entering the Magic Box
The second half of “Theory” with dialogue
Dawn’s line re birthing a pterodactyl and Anya’s reaponse
Part of “Under Your Spell” I think (it seemed shorter)
Xander’s line about Willow and Tara’s “singing”
Xander and Anya in bed shortened
A verse of “Rest in Peace”
Part of Tara and Dawn’s exchange
Bits of Dawn looking at her stolen jewelry
Dawn’s dance at The Bronze
Willow suggesting a confusion spell and Tara objecting
A verse from “Through the Fire”
Dialogue just prior to “Life’s a Show”
Bits of Buffy’s dance (looked out of synch with the music)
Dawn’s lines at the end of “Life’s a Show”
Xander’s asking if he has to be a queen
Bits of Spike leaving The Bronze
Some are repeats from posts here, I think most aren’t.
.