"Once More With Feeling"

[rm]

So, let me make sure I'm clear about this: the Scoobies were able to defeat evil because the demon didn't want to bang Xander?

Right, now that we've gotten that out of the way --

You know, I've heard about this episode for years what with the whole sing-along thing, and you know, that sort of gave me a false impression of this thing, because when I hear sing-along, I think happy! funny! Rocky Horror! Instead we got depressing, weird and often atonal. HOW GREAT IS THIS SHIT?

I certainly didn't think it would be the most important part of multiple narratives (Tara/Willow, Buffy's resurrection, Giles and Buffy, Spike/Buffy and possibly Anya/Xander), and yet!

Seriously, why do you people do sing-alongs of this? It's so not designed for that, well, with the exception of the "We will walk through the fire" song which is awesome, and it must have been SO AMAZING to be in fandom at that moment. I mean, Torchwood is the only experience I've ever had of being in TV fandom as the show was airing and that's been... well, the way it's been, although I wouldn't trade going through the Ianto thing as it happened for anything. But this! I can't imagine getting to burn up the Internet with your friends after this episode and see each other at school or work the next day and bursting into one of those songs! I'm so jealous of you all. What a remarkable thing!

*Random Baz Luhrmann-related noise* (it's late, I'll be thinky tomorrow) and wow, so many references to so many classic (and not so classic) musicals -- especially in the dance. And really great work with the all the random facial expressions and random stage business to create the right vibe of the whole thing. Wow wow wow. Also, this TOTALLY made me want to watch one of my favorite inexplicable movie musicals -- Absolute Beginners.

Also, Spike/Buffy totally. TOTALLY. Although, to be frank, I think I like it uneasy and impossible more than anything.

Also, how glad am I that the info about Buffy not having been in Hell is finally out there? Because that matters. Also, a part of me wants to point at this plotline and jump up and down when people are all "bring Ianto back."

Anyway! People! No one told me this episode MATTERED.

Comments

If my heart could beat it would break my chest...

[laura47.livejournal.com]

No one told you it mattered? OMG.

At the time we were SO WORRIED it would suck. SO WORRIED. And at the same time, there was so much stuff building, especially with Buffy's intense depression after her resurrection, that I just didn't know how they could deal with it. I don't know if you ever watched Xena, but before their first musical episode, things were just about as bad as possible between Xena and Gabrielle, I won't spoil it but gods damn, and I just didn't know how they could possibly resolve it, and... sometimes breaking into song is the right answer. I can't imagine Buffy dropping the "I was in Heaven" bombshell any other way and it being as effective.

I go to sing alongs (join us at dragon*con this year!) and I've even been to a live full musical theatre version, and... I was in a really messed place in my own life during this season of Buffy, and there was tons of projection and identification and I don't know what going on, so going and singing those songs was very cathartic for me. I probably have the whole thing memorized still. It's still emotional the way that all music I listened to while an angsty college student is emotional for me.

I think as a huge musical theatre geek I was always able to have fun with it. The opening song is SUCH A DISNEY PRINCESS SONG and the idea of Buffy as a Disney Princess just makes me happy. And I always found Spike's number sexy.

Do you know what happens with the Buffy/Spike storyline?

Re: If my heart could beat it would break my chest...

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

The musical episode of Xena blew me away, mostly because of all the tarot symbolism. And the combined hotness of Lucy Lawless and the late Kevin Smith, not to mention Hudson Leick *obligatory happyshiver at the very thought of her*

Re: If my heart could beat it would break my chest...

[ophymirage.livejournal.com]

It's one of the few epis of Xena I have hung onto, almost (though not quite) to the point of scotch-taping the original vhs tape. :D that one, the Lao Ma (Xena in China) episodes (for oh-god-so-close-to-out lesbianism on TV), and one or two of the comedy epis with Aphrodite and Cupid. "Gabrielle awoke with a jerk.."

Re: If my heart could beat it would break my chest...

[rarelylynne.livejournal.com]

THIS. Xena did it first, Buffy did it just as well. As you know (Bob), the notion of having musicals tell important story points actually comes from musical theatre. Most musicals (and much opera) put the most important emotional/story moments into the songs, not the script. :-)

Re: If my heart could beat it would break my chest...

[heron61.livejournal.com]

Agreed on all counts. I was shocked that this ep was good, but it was exceptionally good.

Re: If my heart could beat it would break my chest...

[miep.livejournal.com]

opening song = Bonjour! from Beauty and the Beast! =)