Buffy/Angel update

[rm]

Angel 1.10 "Parting Gifts" - I new that demon was bad news when he showed up, but I actually thought he was leading someone to Angel; especially when we first saw that cross boy. Oh Wesley! You fucking dork. And you can't weather leather pants _and_ a leather jacket. Fabulous suit though when that reappeared on the scene. I also got the first glimmer of why people say I will identify with this character, but gee, I hope there's more to it than the self-hatred defense mechanism thing. Also the eye stuff was really hard to watch.

So did Doyle really give his gift to Cordelia or was this just one of those things that TPTB decided on and everyone is being romantic and making it about Doyle? That all was handled in a really lovely way.

Once again: we may be pissed at Whedon for who he kills, but he walks us through the aftermath process. On one hand, we can argue that that's both good, and responsible, TV. On the other hand, I feel like it does keep us at a distance. Whedon deaths are never deaths that happen to us, because we watch the aftermath for those who get left behind. Not us. I'll need to watch this episode again for my paper even though it wasn't all that -- because Doyle had no possessions to leave behind, and that gets discussed that all that is tangible in his death is his absence.

Angel/Cordelia/Wesley is my new OT3.

Also, I thought Angel's initial confrontation with the Oracles at the beginning was interesting, because jeez, that's one of the conversations we've been having about Ianto in Torchwood fandom, isn't it?

Buffy 4.10 "Hush" - I'd actually seen this episode randomly long ago and far away. I'm not even sure I knew it was Buffy. It's creepy and well done, and I imagine it was a PitA to film, in terms of getting people to remain quiet and move their mouths clearly enough that non lip-readers could get it. Also the camera work and effects for the Gentlemen was probably a big hassle too. Great TV, and I loved that Buffy's scream was a girl's scream and it was powerful, but ultimately, this wasn't necessarily about the themes that move me.

But I did like that Giles's girlfriend was back, but wow I was surprised she wasn't in some way connected to the occult/the Watchers or SOMETHING. I didn't expect her to be a mundane sort of bad girl (because she does give off the vibe of totally being able to keep up with Ripper's ways).

Buffy 4.11 "Doomed" - While this episode advances the larger arcs in a meaningful way, it's just not very good. Especially at the end there where we know the demons are the sacrifices, and Buffy jumps into the hellmouth and then whatever happens happens off-screen and all we get it a shot of Riley pulling on some rope. It's really a TERRIBLE episode, and only isn't widely regarded as TERRIBLE because it's not "Inca Mummy Girl" which will live in infamy FOREVER.

Buffy 4.12 "A New Man" - I love when random people know random demon languages on these shows! I also love Spike leaning against walls and smoking cigarettes and pouting like he's a rent-boy. And no matter how many times I"ve almost decided I like Buffy's psych teacher, no, no I actually hate her. When demon!GIles chased her, I literally exclaimed "go paunchy middle-aged demon Giles!"

Also, Ethan Rayne, what the fuck?

1. You never have more than half a plan.
2. You never have more than half a reason for your plan.
3. You can actually throw a decent punch, but won't at Giles.
4. THAT SHIRT.
5. Dude, you're like John Hart if John Hart was a pathetic washed-up impotent drunk.

Also, interesting to see we have a potential Gitmo narrative long before 9/11 actually happened.

Comments

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

apparently, it was always joss whedon's plan to give cordy the visions, therefore doyle was always slated to die when and how he did - i think JW is a master of planning and foreshadowing, and his character deaths, while gut-wrenching, have never incited the kind of anger (in me) that i've seen over... a certain other death

'hush' is srsly one of my all-time favorite tv episodes ever - i can't remember who said it, but i read it once in one of my film texts: (inexact quote is inexact) "the quickest way to ruin a film is to add dialogue."
i think 'hush' made use of the silences and visual very well (even though there was LOTS of dialogue, we just couldn't hear it) - not that i believe dialogue ruins films (i LOVE dialogue), but it's one thing to have a well-written script and another to have a well-made film

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yes...and no.

What the producers were not prepared for was that they were going to have to fire Glenn Quinn so quickly into the series, and thus do the whole CordyVision thing that much faster.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

oh? i wasn't "in fandom" then, and didn't really follow anything other than watching the show on a weekly basis, so i only have info i gathered later, but i didn't think his problems really came to a head until later

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

He was fired because of the drug addiction.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

and i thought that, too, when i read about it later
but then i read that that wasn't the case and his character was already written to die then (tho, the places i read it were all from ppl who had no ties to the production, so it was all speculation anyway)
but yeah... it's sad :(

[ithinkitisayit.livejournal.com]

Ditto. I read he was always scheduled to die. But I think betnoir is probably right about him dying so early. I didn't really get a chance to get attached to Doyle, and actually found him rather obnoxious the first time around. When I watched S1 again, I got a bit more fond of him. But all the same? I still prefer Wesley. There's more funnier story lines with Wesley.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

i really loved doyle, but then i really liked the actor, too
agree that wesley had much funnier story, and his character arc is one of my faves

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I suspect his death had to be hastily written when the producers realized Quinn was not going to work out (It just had that "CRAP! We gotta find some way to get rid of this character" feel to it). And the whole "we planned it, just not this fast" may have been part of a deal they struck with Quinn and his people to help him save face.

For almost a year after Quinn left the show, there were local LA radio PSA anti-drug spots he was doing, so I suspect that may have been part of some sort of court order thing.

Note that I'm not faulting the producers. Quinn was clearly a liability and needed to be cut loose, from their perspective. Just that the stories they told about why might not be completely true.