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Post by thechase on May 20, 2023 13:00:56 GMT -5
I still remember recording the last ever episode on SKY, it was a blistering sunny day outside, there was a documentary right after it which I also taped.
It was such an important show at the time, and many wondered what prevented it from being rebooted/remade over the years...and, well we eventually found it out why, it's lead star was sickened at the sight of Joss Whedon.
Thoughts on this landmark show? What do you make of Geller's recent return to the spotlight? Did any of you read the 'canonical' comic book-exclusive seasons? Do you think it should never have came back after the fifth season?
My ideal ending for it was always the musical "Once More, With Feeling", it's a decent enough freak of the week epilogue to all that goes on in "The Gift", a bit bittersweet but it leaves the core cast in the same spot they're left in with "Chosen", where the cast are left adrift not knowing what to do, Spike declared his love for Buffy in both, and Buffy reciprocated in both (once out of spite for herself, and the other being genuine about it)
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Post by Mighty Attack Tribble on May 20, 2023 13:33:24 GMT -5
It could have ended after the fourth season for me. While it didn't fall off a cliff, it really didn't feel like it had any real direction in the last three seasons, and a lot of the Whedonspeak dialogue has aged like milk.
All in all, I found Angel to be a better show, in spite of the title character often being downright unlikeable.
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Kalmia
King Koopa
Happy to be here
Posts: 11,707
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Post by Kalmia on May 20, 2023 13:41:41 GMT -5
I grew up with Buffy. I'm roughly the same age as the character so when she was going through major life events I was basically going through them at the same time (just with less vampires and demons, thankfully!)
I didn't enjoy some of the later seasons as much but overall, it's still an amazing show. Some of the episodes are still really vivid in my mind. Ever since I lost my mother 12 years ago I can't watch the couple of episodes surrounding Joyce's death though.
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Post by Feyrhausen on May 20, 2023 13:52:11 GMT -5
I quit on it towards the end of the sixth season. Too depressing. Didnt watch the seventh for years. Better but it had been ruined for me. Still have never went back and binged it.
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The Ichi
Patti Mayonnaise
AGGRESSIVE Executive Janitor of the Third Floor Manager's Bathroom
Posts: 37,304
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Post by The Ichi on May 20, 2023 15:00:52 GMT -5
One of my favourite shows, but very hard to rewatch now knowing what a POS Joss Whedon was.
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Post by grunt on May 20, 2023 15:22:53 GMT -5
Random thoughts : - I still think season 5 would have been a perfecty fine ending for the show. - The canonical comic books seasons supervised by Whedon were just mostly bad nonsense, that, at the time, kinda killed a lot of goodwill I had for the Buffy franchise. - Angel >>> Buffy for me, especially towards the end, when they kinda were able to do their stuff.
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Post by BorneAgain on May 20, 2023 16:59:06 GMT -5
I'd love to see something post series (definitely AU from what Whedon did with the comics) done via audio drama. The Big Finish Doctor Who ranges have really demonstrated that format's potential and given that the Buffy and Angel cast all sound pretty much the same, I think it could work.
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Post by Lizuka #BLM on May 20, 2023 19:17:34 GMT -5
I've only ever seen bits and pieces. Generally enjoyed what I've seen but knowing how hard it fell off has always kind of turned me off of ever looking further into it.
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Post by Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!! on May 20, 2023 19:27:48 GMT -5
Still love the show but it really should have ended with season 5. Season 6 was trying too hard to be depressing and season 7 went too far in the opposite direction while also introducing a dozen new and horrible characters.
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Post by Mr PONYMANIA Mr Jenzie on May 20, 2023 19:57:54 GMT -5
okay i started watching from the beginning, then realised it was gonna be a monster of da week type thing, and stopped ... after three episodes!
i then started watching angel and bloody loved it, so that got me back into the buff ... season 5 ... for the reasons ... and stayed til the end of both series
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CMWaters
Ozymandius
Rolled a Seven, Beat the Ads.
Bald and busy
Posts: 63,089
Member is Online
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Post by CMWaters on May 20, 2023 20:37:36 GMT -5
I only know 4 things really about Buffy: 1)The series is more serious than the movie was. 2)There was a musical episode (older sister had the soundtrack) 3)The comic continuation had one of Buffy's friends turn into a giant woman. 4)Apparently the last episode had a Homestar Runner reference.
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Zone Was Wrong
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Currently living off the high that AEW brings every Wednesday and Friday
Posts: 16,200
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Post by Zone Was Wrong on May 20, 2023 21:12:33 GMT -5
Still in my top five shows of all time, with it's spin off show Angel also in there. It fell off towards the end but there were still quality episodes regardless.
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Post by Ryback on a Pole! on May 20, 2023 21:37:05 GMT -5
Got off to a very rough start with Season 1, but became a brilliant show, with some pacing issues. I gave it a rewatch last year, and there are a lot of filler episodes--many of them terrible, which could have been removed.
But when it was good, it was brilliant. Very memorable cast of characters.
I am glad it came out when it did, today's producers expect instant success, and Season 1 of Buffy was pretty bad. If it was produced today, it would likely be canned after the one season.
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Ultimo Gallos
Grimlock
Dreams SUCK!Nightmares live FOREVER!
Posts: 14,467
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Post by Ultimo Gallos on May 20, 2023 22:04:10 GMT -5
Never got the network it was airing on when it was airing. When it was WB we only got UPN. Then Buffy Moves to UPN and our cable drops UPN and switches to WB.
So until FX started airing it in reruns I never watched it.
Loved all teh high school seasons. LOve the seasons after college. But those college seasons are rough.
Tried the Dark Horse contiuation. Half way thru the first season of that was some fan service that felt like it was there just to shut up a portion of the fandom.
Gave up and never read anymore of the comic.
IIRC it was Dawn that became a giant and a centaur in the comic. I think it was a side effect of having sex with a halfling or some crap.
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Post by yokohamacpfc on May 20, 2023 23:06:01 GMT -5
Season 3 (Faith & Mayor as baddies) is perfect storytelling at times, haven't seen it for ages and am a little reluctant in case the editing and CGI have aged it badly.
A season 4 episode called Hush (everyone loses their ability to speak) is smashing and one you don't need to be a fan of the show or familiar with storylines and characters to enjoy. Check it out!
Fool for Love (Buffy S5) and Darla (Angel S2) aired on the same night and gave flashbacks explaining the past of Angelus' gang of vampires its cool to watch them back to back.
Angel was darker, edgier and a sign the Buffy audience was aging which might be why its more fondly remembered, four very well wrapped up seasons. Season 5 was a mess but it got cancelled before it could sully its legacy.
Whedon was a stereotypical redditor in his social media behavior so I wasn't particularly surprised by his fall.
James Marsters (Spike) is the first American actor I can remember nailing a good British accent, JM is a Texan and away from the camera really sounds like it. Spike and Anya are the two best characters. Spike vs Dracula and Spike: Old Times are comics worth checking out if a fan of the character.
Rewatches show now household names getting their first bit parts in the shows. Pedro Pascal, Amy Adams, Daniel Dae Kim (Angel) and loads more so each episode gets a "Isn't that thingy from Prison Break/Walking Dead/Two and a Half Men etc etc" call from me.
Bernard from Lost (Sam Anderson) plays a semi-major villain in the first few seasons of Angel and the actor's IMDB page is long - guy has been in everything and starred in nothing. Must have one hell of an agent.
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schma
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 6,805
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Post by schma on May 21, 2023 2:37:37 GMT -5
I really enjoyed the series when it aired. I remember watching the premiere of season 6 or 7 with several other people in the lounge of our residence in my first year of university. I hated the first season at college, however that was a point where Angel was really good so I kept watching. It's funny there was a point where Angel was a slog but it was right as Buffy got good which also kept me watching.
I have the first two seasons of comics that continued the show and even some of the original post Angel comics, though I think they've since been rendered non-canon.
I've been tempted multiple times to go back and watch both shows but for some reason I haven't. I should at least try it at some point even if I am far less enamoured with Joss Whedon these days.
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,123
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Post by Mozenrath on May 21, 2023 2:50:13 GMT -5
I remember watching the premier. I actually remember specifically that I had grape jelly sandwiches to eat while watching it.
It is a show with a strong cast generally, some real highs, and some serious flaws, not the least of which being some real awkward decisions, like inserting Dawn in the most clumsy way that they could just about manage. Still, it'd be really tough to overstate how influential a show it was, both for the careers and advanced and the metric ton of shows that cribbed from it in one way or another, or had to pivot due to trends it influenced.
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Mainia
Trap-Jaw
Cowabunga!
Posts: 468
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Post by Mainia on May 21, 2023 3:20:44 GMT -5
One of my favourite series back in the day. I know the final season takes a lot of flack, but I love what they did with the Andrew character in that season. He became one of my favourites.
Boom studios started a reimagined/rebooted/whatever Buffy comic series a few years ago that is still running. I'm not fully caught up, but I've been enjoying what I've read so far.
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pinja
Unicron
Posts: 3,007
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Post by pinja on May 21, 2023 3:36:31 GMT -5
Loved it and holds up rather well due to charming characters and some good monster action. While I watched "Angel", I never got into it that much. When I tried rewatching "Angel" a few years ago, it felt outdated and hokey. So I wonder if I'd feel the same about "Buffy" if not for nostalgia.
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Post by Jedi-El of Tomorrow on May 21, 2023 3:36:31 GMT -5
Whedon was a stereotypical redditor in his social media behavior so I wasn't particularly surprised by his fall. His treatment of Charisma Carpenter was why I wasn't shocked. I loved Buffy, and I loved Angel, I maintain that Angel was the better show. It's highest highs weren't as good as Buffy's highest highs, but it's lowest lows were much better than Buffy's. And the Normies are reacting to both shows currently. Angel they're only doing live reactions for, but Buffy's are uploaded to YouTube. Sorry, had to show some Normies love.
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