OK, let me say first off that I’m not going to be posting a review of every Buffy episode superplin and I happen to watch. And they aren’t going to be particularly deep and in-depth unless something interesting spontaneously bites me in the ass. As much as I’ve always toyed with the idea of doing reviews of BtVS episodes like I did for AtS episodes, there are a bit more BtVS episodes than AtS episodes, and I don’t have the same level of fandom energy I did after they *cancelled my show right from under me*.
Second off, I suppose some of my flist will be wondering why I don’t get a new theme (i.e., fandom), but as superplin put it so well last night, “I’m not a fannish person in search of a show, I’m a one-show fan.” Well, in my case, a one-‘verse fan, since there were two shows and I loved both. I have deeply loved many TV shows/book series/film series over the years, but turning that appreciation into a social thing, i.e., joining “fandom” is a step beyond that and I’m really not the type. BtVS/AtS was unique in that way, for me.
Third off, I told my origin story on the podcast and in this blog before, so I’ll skip that bit.
Now on to my short, but sweet, review:
OK, I lied. There is one aspect of my origin story I wanted to talk about, because Plin was bringing up reasons why we were drawn to the show, and I remember thinking when she asked that, “What I felt about the show was so strong, and so intangible. I don’t think I can articulate it.” But I’ll try. Shortly after the two-part premiere of BtVS aired in March of 1997, I went on an on-campus interview at the University of Nebraska Omaha. I was in my hotel room the night before my big day surfing cable TV for something to watch when I came across a re-play of the two-parter. I was thrilled. I’d seen it before at home, and I realized in that couple hours of rewatching that this new show really hit the spot of craving I had had for the supernatural painted on a broad canvas in a nevertheless intimate, accessible way. You had likable characters living a life that was completely recognizable to the average (white, middle class American) person, and yet the show promised to explore all the supernatural tropes (vampires! demons! witches! superheroes!) I loved that were most assuredly not a normal part of that everyday life in the real world. It made it easy and fun to imagine that they were, though, because they were on Buffy. It was dark and Gothic and yet at the same time funny and non-nihilistic. In short, it was Very Cool.
And there were other things that hit my “kinks” as we say nowadays: the fact that Buffy had to keep her identity a secret, the fact that she was a bit of a social outcast and had social outcast friends to share her life, the fact that the supernatural was unknown to the population at large, a mysterious stranger who was both helpful and yet seemed dangerous, and a strong, kick-ass female character (who also happened to be the lead).
There had been nothing on television quite like it, and though it would have many imitators subsequently, none of them quite matched up.
Author Nancy E. Shaffer 
Psst. How come you’re posting this here, and not there?
This was my individual post, that we talked about, i.e., doing our own posts. Were they supposed to go on the comm?
That was my idea, yeah. By posting to the community, anyone watching the comm. will see all our posts on the topic.
Of course, there’s no law against posting it in both places…
Oh. Well, and yet this is so personal and self-indulgent and not at all the sort of analytical “meta” we are going for on CM. Should I post it anyway? I don’t consider it typical of the kind of stuff we are aiming to do over there.
Oh, whatever you feel comfortable with. I should warn you that I have some very babbly, unworthy posts planned, though, so don’t be scandalized. ;>
I like analytical, but babbly works for me too! Oooh, new comm. I didn’t even notice! *goes off to join*
Really looking forward to everything you two will come up with!
I want to start off on an impressive foot. Maybe I should return to the drawing board…..
You’re so much more methodical than I am. If I let myself worry about being impressive, I’ll freeze and never post! And since I don’t want my giggly babbling in the podcast to be my only contribution to this project, I have to dive in without thinking too much.
I may have deep thoughts latter. Like I said, takes time for this stuff to percolate in the clump of fuzz I call my brain. How would you feel if a sudden explosive insight into WttH/TH came out, say, next month?
LOL
I say: world domination knows no deadlines.
Deadlines are an evil conspiracy concocted between dissertation advisors and egglants!
::eyes eggplants suspiciously::
(whispering) Don’t say that too loudly, or they’ll know we’ve caught on!
I just got an email from a guy who does “mental patient t-shirts.” I suspect he was reading this thread….
How can we join the community? It appears to be closed. 🙂
Can I join the community? I want to watch Buffy and eat pizza vicariously through you guys. 🙂
Another request for joining here!
You can even watch and eat pizza while listening to the posts!
*
Request permission to join too!
*
Actually, I take that back. You need to “friend” the community by clicking the little friending button on the profile page.
Actually, I take that back. You need to “friend” the community by clicking the little friending button on the profile page.
Actually, I take that back. You need to “friend” the community by clicking the little friending button on the profile page.
Actually, I take back what I said in Plin’s LJ. You need to “friend” the community by clicking the little friending button on the profile page.
Nope, I take back what I took back. Go to that link to accept the invite.
*head desk*
Nope, I take back what I took back. Go to that link to accept the invite.
*head desk*
Nope, I take back what I took back. Go to that link to accept the invite.
*head desk*
Nope, I take back what I took back. Go to that link to accept the invite.
*head desk*
Which link? Sorry, I am brain-dead today.
Don’t worry, you have the community friended which means you can see the posts and comment on them. That whole invite thing was my brain-deadness, since the community is close to posting except for Plin and me!