That’s a Little Darker Than I Like My Arts
I’ve been watching through all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer - yet again - and I realized a few things. I started watching in May and I’ve seen all 144 episodes (actually 145, cause I watched the unaired pilot, too) in just a few weeks, and I’ve come to the conclusion that we aren’t meant to watch too many eps in one day. Also, I learned something else.
Joss Whedon hates us. No, I mean it, he really, really hates us. He likes to smack us around, and rip our hearts out (with a spoon so it hurts more) and leave us bruised and bleeding on the ground. Then he likes to kick us in the head, just for fun. Like he’s an abusive boyfriend, and we keep going back for more.
Honestly, I think the great part of Joss’s appeal is his ability to really connect. To evoke feelings, good or bad, in all of us. He hates us and yet we love him. Joss can make us happy, sad, frightened, lonely, miserable, or, you know, feel like singing.
The reason I came to this conclusion, is cause while watching Season 6, the depressing, sex-filled season, I watched a string of shows, pretty much all within a day, that nearly made me suicidal.
The first ep (number 15 of the season) is “As You Were,” in which Riley comes back to Sunnydale to enlist Buffy’s help. Except, now he’s married to a wonderful woman and very happy. Buffy is working at a burger joint and has a cow on her hat. Plus, she’s sleeping with Spike. I never liked Riley that much, but it was hard to see him come back like that. It was also hard to see Buffy tell Spike she didn’t love him and never would.
The next ep is “Hell’s Bells.” Xander leaves Anya at the altar. It was just gut wrenchingly awful. I almost couldn’t believe it the first time I saw it. It still hurts to watch.
Then there’s “Normal Again,” where Buffy hallucinates between Sunnydale with her friends and being locked up in institution, except her parents are alive. She has quite a choice to make between which world she wants to be the “real” world. She tries to kill Dawn and all her friends. Plus, she cries a lot. Talk about depressing.
Following that are “Entropy” and “Seeing Red.” Anya tries to exact vengeance on Xander (that part is a little lighter), but then ends up seeking solace with Spike, and everyone sees them, hurting both Xander and Buffy. Then Spike tries to force Buffy to say she loves him and attempts to rape her. Also, Warren shoots Buffy and Tara, killing Tara.
Of course, then Willow turns evil and things really get bad.
So you see how I came to this conclusion and now, we never have to worry about feeling too cheerful ever again. Just watch Season 6.
By the way, if you’re interested in all things Joss Whedon, come on over to my other blog at FanaticSpace.com
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
[...] all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, again, and I wrote a little bit about it in my watchingcw.com blog, which you can go read, if you’re interested. I occasionally blog about Buffy-related [...]
November 15th, 2008 at 1:14 am
“I watched a string of shows, pretty much all within a day, that nearly made me suicidal.”
I did that,too. Watching 5 to 6 episodes at night (of season 6 no less). The last 5 episodes really made me so depressed. No other show or movie has ever had that effect on me.
Everything you wrote echoed my sentiments about season 6. It was brilliant, really.It doesn’t make it less sad, though. I quoted you in my blog; I hope you don’t mind.
November 15th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Hi Zarine! I don’t mind being quoted at all. In fact, you should link back here so everyone can read it.
Season 6 was the season of sad, for sure. But I still loved every minute of what Joss had for us.