the end of Buffy
May. 20th, 2003 11:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sageandseaAwwww. *sniff*
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harmonyfb says it best, here.
What I've loved about this show:
Its intelligence. Metaphor, literary references, and so many layers of meaning that it is possible to write scholarly essays on the episodes. How many television shows can boast that? At its best, it spoke to the viewer as if they were intelligent, clever, as if they didn't need to be smacked over the head with big red blinking signs to figure things out.
Its daring. Enemies became allies. Characters built up over an entire season as significant were tossed aside with a flourish (like the anointed one!). The intertwining of sex and violence, shown both implicitly and explicitly. A lesbian relationship which explored new prime-time territory.
Its humor. Even at its darkest, the characters kept their sense of humor, and it allowed them to be brave when others fled.
Its message. When it was on, the message rang out clear. Don't judge others by their appearance. Women are powerful. Friendship is important, and the secondary family we build for ourselves in our friends is equally important. You can be brave and strong even if you don't have superpowers. Knowledge is power.
Its attention to continuity and detail. Beautiful in the first five seasons. All the fore/backshadowing? I can't think of another show, besides Twin Peaks, that has done this, let alone done it this well.
Its interesting character arcs. Can you imagine hearing them pitched? I mean...sex makes Angel evil again? Xander wins his self-respect back from a zombie gang? Spike falls in love with Buffy? The mind boggles.
Its monsters. I love, love, love the fact that as the show has progressed, and the characters grown, the face of evil that the viewer is shown has grown with it. Not just faceless, nameless killing machines - now they're individuals, and the Scoobies have learned that not all of them are the same, not all of them should be killed. Some (Clem) have even become their friends.
Its fanbase. Wow. What a group of diverse, intelligent, insightful, generous, and friendly people. Incredibly talented writers, artists, and scholars. I'm glad I met you all. :)
Sure, there are things I've disliked over the years. Anvils, continuity's unfortunate elopement with characterization mid-way through season 6, the loss of metaphor in favor of skin (not that I'm not cool with the nakedness; I want both metaphor and sex), some truly horrific special effects, occasionally nonsensical stories. But the good far outweighs the bad.
Thanks, Joss. Thanks, Mutant Enemy, for producing a television show that made me think - about the nature of redemption, about power issues, about sexual mores, about life. Thanks, Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, Doug Petrie, David Fury, and all the other writers who produced good scripts with snappy dialog. Thanks to the cast, whose performances made these characters compelling. It's been a pretty good ride.
harmonyfb says it best, here.What I've loved about this show:
Its intelligence. Metaphor, literary references, and so many layers of meaning that it is possible to write scholarly essays on the episodes. How many television shows can boast that? At its best, it spoke to the viewer as if they were intelligent, clever, as if they didn't need to be smacked over the head with big red blinking signs to figure things out.
Its daring. Enemies became allies. Characters built up over an entire season as significant were tossed aside with a flourish (like the anointed one!). The intertwining of sex and violence, shown both implicitly and explicitly. A lesbian relationship which explored new prime-time territory.
Its humor. Even at its darkest, the characters kept their sense of humor, and it allowed them to be brave when others fled.
Its message. When it was on, the message rang out clear. Don't judge others by their appearance. Women are powerful. Friendship is important, and the secondary family we build for ourselves in our friends is equally important. You can be brave and strong even if you don't have superpowers. Knowledge is power.
Its attention to continuity and detail. Beautiful in the first five seasons. All the fore/backshadowing? I can't think of another show, besides Twin Peaks, that has done this, let alone done it this well.
Its interesting character arcs. Can you imagine hearing them pitched? I mean...sex makes Angel evil again? Xander wins his self-respect back from a zombie gang? Spike falls in love with Buffy? The mind boggles.
Its monsters. I love, love, love the fact that as the show has progressed, and the characters grown, the face of evil that the viewer is shown has grown with it. Not just faceless, nameless killing machines - now they're individuals, and the Scoobies have learned that not all of them are the same, not all of them should be killed. Some (Clem) have even become their friends.
Its fanbase. Wow. What a group of diverse, intelligent, insightful, generous, and friendly people. Incredibly talented writers, artists, and scholars. I'm glad I met you all. :)
Sure, there are things I've disliked over the years. Anvils, continuity's unfortunate elopement with characterization mid-way through season 6, the loss of metaphor in favor of skin (not that I'm not cool with the nakedness; I want both metaphor and sex), some truly horrific special effects, occasionally nonsensical stories. But the good far outweighs the bad.
Thanks, Joss. Thanks, Mutant Enemy, for producing a television show that made me think - about the nature of redemption, about power issues, about sexual mores, about life. Thanks, Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, Doug Petrie, David Fury, and all the other writers who produced good scripts with snappy dialog. Thanks to the cast, whose performances made these characters compelling. It's been a pretty good ride.
