Buffy's "Once More With Feeling" Appreciation

[cj3]

Fuse is having a marathon of the one episode until the early hours and I know I can not be the only one who fully Stans everything about it

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

Dec 31, 2023 22:00:09 GMT -5 cj3 said:

Fuse is having a marathon of the one episode until the early hours and I know I can not be the only one who fully Stans everything about it

Walk Through the Fire is

……

Fire

[ace]

In a cultural impact way it reminds me a lot of Scream. A masterpiece of its genre at a time when such a thing was completely unexpected…and then it inspired so many lesser quality attempts to recreate its magic that its legacy becomes complicated through no fault of its own. Like how Secretariat is the greatest race horse ever…but it didn’t sire anything at the level of other winners. …. That’s two strange analogies in one!  Happy new year!

[thechase]

I still think this is Buffy's 'official' finale. I know it's not the most conclusive for obvious reasons and comes super early in the season, but it just felt a lot like the characters had nowhere else to go and were naturally drifting apart by this point, Buffy 'going through the motions' and turning to Spike out of emotional desperation felt is one hell of a lousy ending if you're super dark about it, but you could also interpret it as Spike being the level-headed one at this point and 'saving' her, which is why I don't look at as a downer. If only the rape stuff didn't happen later. God, season six was the absolute worst after this.

[schma]

I had a thread about musical episodes in general a while back and listed this as probably the best example. There was a month in university where my roommate and I watched it every day and kept discovering more things each time.

It's truly the gold standard of musical episodes and managed to advance so many plots seamlessly while including genuinely awesome songs that regularly make it into some of my random playlists.

[karl100589]

Dec 31, 2023 23:41:54 GMT -5 ace said:

In a cultural impact way it reminds me a lot of Scream. A masterpiece of its genre at a time when such a thing was completely unexpected…and then it inspired so many lesser quality attempts to recreate its magic that its legacy becomes complicated through no fault of its own. Like how Secretariat is the greatest race horse ever…but it didn’t sire anything at the level of other winners. …. That’s two strange analogies in one!  Happy new year!

Desert Orchid and Red Rum say hello

[yokohamacpfc]

James Marsters has been in bands just as long as he's been acting and Anthony Stewart Head did West End musicals pre-Buffy. I guess the rest of them learned how to sing during their drama/theater school studies apart from Alyson Hannigan who must have skipped school those days as she was the only one not to sing a word.

[schma]

If I recall correctly Joss Whedon claimed in an interview way back that the crew had gotten together for a dinner or party or something and at some point he or someone else was playing piano and people were just kind of having a good time singing and he realized he had a cast that could sing well.

As for Alyson Hannigan, I remember she had a very small part in a musical number in HIMYM and...we are quite fortunate that she did not sing in Buffy.

[thechase]

Jan 1, 2024 5:13:55 GMT -5 schma said:

If I recall correctly Joss Whedon claimed in an interview way back that the crew had gotten together for a dinner or party or something and at some point he or someone else was playing piano and people were just kind of having a good time singing and he realized he had a cast that could sing well.

As for Alyson Hannigan, I remember she had a very small part in a musical number in HIMYM and...we are quite fortunate that she did not sing in Buffy.

The way they worked around Alyson's lack of ability in the episode is great, first her theory being cut out by Anya's BUNNIES and then in Through the Fire, "I think this line is mostly filler"

[Dr. T is an alien]

Jan 1, 2024 5:07:34 GMT -5 yokohamacpfc said:

James Marsters has been in bands just as long as he's been acting and Anthony Stewart Head did West End musicals pre-Buffy. I guess the rest of them learned how to sing during their drama/theater school studies apart from Alyson Hannigan who must have skipped school those days as she was the only one not to sing a word.

Anthony Stewart Head is the little brother of Murray Head, who first had a charted hit with “Jesus Christ Superstar” (from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical) but later had a legit mega hit with “One Night in Bangcock”.

[Dr. T is an alien]

Jan 1, 2024 5:13:55 GMT -5 schma said:

If I recall correctly Joss Whedon claimed in an interview way back that the crew had gotten together for a dinner or party or something and at some point he or someone else was playing piano and people were just kind of having a good time singing and he realized he had a cast that could sing well.

As for Alyson Hannigan, I remember she had a very small part in a musical number in HIMYM and...we are quite fortunate that she did not sing in Buffy.

To be fair, Hannigan was more than aware she lacked that particular talent. She threatened to “come down with laryngitis” if they gave her much to sing.

[the2ndevil]

Jan 1, 2024 9:07:37 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Jan 1, 2024 5:07:34 GMT -5 yokohamacpfc said:

James Marsters has been in bands just as long as he's been acting and Anthony Stewart Head did West End musicals pre-Buffy. I guess the rest of them learned how to sing during their drama/theater school studies apart from Alyson Hannigan who must have skipped school those days as she was the only one not to sing a word.

Anthony Stewart Head is the little brother of Murray Head, who first had a charted hit with “Jesus Christ Superstar” (from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical) but later had a legit mega hit with “One Night in Bangcock”.

I didn't know that. That's neat!

[Feyrhausen]

Jan 1, 2024 5:07:34 GMT -5 yokohamacpfc said:

James Marsters has been in bands just as long as he's been acting and Anthony Stewart Head did West End musicals pre-Buffy. I guess the rest of them learned how to sing during their drama/theater school studies apart from Alyson Hannigan who must have skipped school those days as she was the only one not to sing a word.

Tony played Frank N Furter in a Rocky Horror revival as well.

["Magic" Mark Hurr]

To go from watching the movie to getting that series, then Angel is one of those thing that is hella hard to beat considering what contributed to that style of TV.

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

I'm in the middle of a Buffy/Angel subsequent rewatch right now and I can't wait to get to that episode.