r/buffy

Seriously what is up with the Xander hate. Everyone I know who’s seen the show have always told me he sucks cause he’s a stand-in for Whedon, but now rewatching the show after such a long time, he’s really not that bad at all. He’s funny and works both as an audience surrogate and as a protagonist in his own right. The big emotional moments always work like his speech to Dawn or his speech to Willow, has some really good lines and great Xander centric episodes as well, like the one where everybody falls in love with him or the one with the bomb.

It’s like someone decided long ago that he’s a bad character and that has become the law now. I disagree

It’s my first time watching Buffy, and after absolutely LOVING season 5, I’m already on episode 11 of season 6 and I CAN’T BELIEVE THE NERDS ARE REALLY THE MAIN VILLAINS OF THIS SEASON!

I unfortunately picked up a few spoilers about what happens at the end of the season, and season 6 is the only season where I’ve been spoiled so far. Willow is going to turn evil, that’s pretty much all I know. And I think the way this season is using magic as a metaphor for substance abuse is really interesting, but I have to say, I think Willow’s addiction was developed a little too quickly.

Like, she experimented with dark magic twice and suddenly she’s crashing a car with Dawn inside it? That being said, the scene of Willow on the floor begging for forgiveness after realizing what she had done absolutely broke me.

Buffy. Oh my God. Can my girl catch a break? She was in Heaven??? Dude… this girl was already dealing with some serious psychological issues BEFORE all of this. My poor girl. She literally can never catch a break or find any peace.

And speaking of Buffy and Spike…

I think they’re definitely a thing now, huh? I was actually pretty on board with this pairing during the first few episodes, especially because it seemed like Spike was the only person who truly understood Buffy, and the only person she felt comfortable enough to open up to about what she was going through.

But then episode 9 happened. When they sleep together for the first time, it becomes pretty clear that Buffy is basically dumping all of her negative feelings onto Spike and using him as an outlet, while Spike is living out this fantasy he has about Buffy. Not healthy, hahaha.

I’m really intrigued to see where this relationship goes, but I’ll admit I was a little disappointed by it. I thought this was going to become some kind of redemption arc for Spike, where he would be the person who helped Buffy through this incredibly vulnerable period in her life.

But considering everything Buffy is going through, he’s still having sex with her? It feels like he’s taking advantage of her vulnerability, and that gives me the ICK. I don’t know. Maybe I’m missing something, but that’s definitely how it feels to me right now.

Btw, when did this show get so freaky??? The episode with Buffy being invisible was WAY too graphic. That was genuinely uncomfortable to watch.

But I HAVE to celebrate the first gay kiss on the show!!! OH MY GOD, WILLOW AND TARA KISSED IN THE FIRST EPISODE OF THE SEASON! FINALLY!!!

(Edit: I got caught larping, people pointed that Tara and Willow first kiss happened in “The Body” sorry guys, I think I was to traumatize by the episode to recall that)

Just a disclaimer: I'd really rather this didn't turn into an argument about the comics being canon. This is just a thought experiment as someone who knows the plot of the comics but has no real interest in reading them.

Do you think her life would still be quite gritty and difficult, even with the support of the Slayers? Do you think she'd go back to college? Do you think she'd settle down?

I don't know much about the behind the scenes goings on.

I think the darker tone and direction of the final two season really adds to the overall experience of the show. But I was wondering did anything happen behind the scenes of season 7? It seemed to start really strong and then just spins the wheels until the great finale. The pacing and characterisation are all off. It's still Buffy and I still enjoy it, but it seems a very marked dip in quality.

We are back with the podcast talking all things Season 5 starting with the premiere! Where does Buffy Vs Dracula rank in your seasoner opener list??

Yesterday I finished season 5 of Buffy, and I’m already a few episodes into season 6 because I literally couldn’t stop watching. I’ve kind of made it a tradition that whenever I finish a Buffy season, I come here and post my thoughts about it. And this season was SO good and had so many incredible episodes that I’d already made separate posts about The Body and the first 10 episodes of the season.

Looking back at the whole season, I think the best way to describe it is a season about tragedy and loss.

Buffy starts the season at what is probably the best point she’s ever been in. She has a boyfriend who makes her feel safe, she’s doing well in college, she’s training to become the best Slayer she can be, and for a while, it feels like she might actually have some stability in her life.

Then, little by little, she loses all of it.

Her mother dies suddenly, she’s forced into a role she was never ready for as Dawn’s guardian, she has to confront difficult feelings about herself and her relationships, and eventually, she loses her own life.

There’s SO much going on with Buffy this season, and I honestly think Sarah Michelle Gellar, together with the writing, took the character to another level. Some of her best moments are in this season, and watching her deal with all of these losses while still trying to be Buffy the Slayer was incredible.

And obviously, Dawn.

I HAVE to talk about her.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from Dawn when she was introduced, but I ended up loving her so much. As an older brother myself, I found myself really relating to Buffy and her protective instincts toward her sister. Dawn really grew on me throughout the season, and by the end, I was completely heartbroken by everything she went through. I too wish to protect her from the world.

Tara was another incredible surprise this season.

She got an episode dedicated to her, and I thought it was one of the most beautiful episodes of the season. Her relationship with Willow was also explored much more, and overall, Tara went from a character I wasn’t sure what to expect from to one of my absolute favorites in the group.

And then there’s Spike.

I don’t even know where to start. I’d already talked about Spike and Buffy in another post, so maybe I’ll have to make another one after I finish season 6. I’ve been LOVING Spike’s development throughout the show, and I still think he’s one of the best characters. It’s always a delight whenever he’s on screen.

And of course, we got one of the best episodes of the season where my queen Drusilla came back. (I was SO happy. I love her!) But then… the robot thing happened. And that was fucking weird. It gave me the biggest ick.

And there is the thing about stalking Buffy, like, she already said NO to him. His constant insistence on pursuing her after she rejected him is not cute. It’s not romantic. It’s not okay. I’m assuming they’re eventually going to have some kind of romantic relationship, and I’m actually curious to see where that goes, but right now I’m definitely not a fan of them as a couple.

Which actually makes me wonder: Is Buffy/Spike a popular ship? I’d love to hear what you guys think about Buffy and Spike. Are they better than Buffy and Angel?

And then there’s Glory.

I thought she was an okay villain. Definitely not one of the best in the series. I found her charismatic every now and then, but honestly, I don’t think the strength of this season is really in the main storyline. For me, it’s in the individual episodes.

Buffy vs. Dracula, Real Me, Family, Fool for Love, The Body, Forever, Crush… Those are the episodes that really stand out to me. Being completely honest, I was never fully invested in Glory’s storyline, and I definitely think the Knights were one of the weaker parts of the season. But even with that, I still enjoyed this season more than season 4.

I actually think season 4 was more consistent overall, while season 5 has some lower points. But the highs of season 5 are SO high that they more than make up for it.

And I think that’s ultimately what made this season so great for me. Even when I wasn’t completely invested in the main plot, the character work, the relationships, and those individual episodes kept giving me something incredible to love.

So yeah, that’s what I thought about season 5!

I’d love to hear what you guys think about the season, the characters, the relationships, the main storyline, or anything else you noticed that I might have missed. Just PLEASE be careful with spoilers. I’m currently on episode 5 of season 6!