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Television Media

Buffy Series Finale Tonight 433

Posted by michael from the bye-bye-buffy dept.
roothog writes "I just finished watching the series finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, an episode that sparks with the writing of Joss Whedon. Strangely, there weren't any commercials :). One of the best written shows on television comes to an end tonight in North America. A very accurate script summary is available for any spoiler-seekers. I'd suggest skipping the spoilers: it's worth the wait...for a season 7 episode..."
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Buffy Series Finale Tonight

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  • Bittorrent ;-) (Score:5, Interesting)

    by FyRE666 ( 263011 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:33PM (#6001905) Homepage
    I'm in the UK, and watched the finale last night courtesy of BT ;-) In fact I've been watching the entire series 7 using Kazaa and BT - it's nice to be able to see the episodes without the censoring we get on Sky and the BBC over here... Of course, no adverts is also nice!

    • Re:Bittorrent ;-) (Score:5, Funny)

      by koh ( 124962 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:35PM (#6001931) Journal
      I don't think BT is such a good shortcut for BitTorrent... especially since you live in the UK ;)

    • Is there a command-line linux version of bittorrent? Looks like the official one requires GTK libraries and such...
    • It's nice to be able to see the episodes without the censoring we get on Sky and the BBC over here...

      What censoring? I know shows from Europe are censored when they're shown in the states, and that since there are more commercials here, the euro versions of some american shows are actually longer sometimes. I never knew shows were also censored the other way around. What's missing on Sky/BBC?

      I remember somebody mentioning a short scene from Babylon 5 that was missing in the UK (the Narn ambassador drawin

      • Re:Censoring? (Score:2, Informative)

        by pldms ( 136522 )
        What's missing on Sky/BBC?

        Sky don't cut it, AFAIK. BBC do for the Thursday showing (6.45pm) but show it uncut on Friday night.

        Of course C4 had the bright idea of show Angel at 6pm (think that's right), which is more violent. The result was often amusing, and invariably baffling. The endings (where the fights normally are) would become a rapid succession of cuts. Perhaps that's what the poster had in mind?

        • Re:Censoring? (Score:5, Insightful)

          by lightspawn ( 155347 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:14PM (#6002256) Homepage
          The endings (where the fights normally are) would become a rapid succession of cuts. Perhaps that's what the poster had in mind?

          Now I see the pattern.

          In europe, adults believe kids should not be exposed to violence.

          In the states, adults believe kids should not be exposed to sexuality.

      • In the UK they consider violence taboo on TV, but have no problem with tits and ass. In the U.S. they will allow almost any level of violence, but don't allow T&A and swearing.

        So people in the UK missed out on Sylvester McCoy getting all shot up in the Doctor Who movie, while American viewers don't get to see any tits (Unless the program is airing on PBS).

  • Michael plays it safe.... (Score:4, Funny)

    by FurryFeet ( 562847 ) <joudanxNO@SPAMyahoo.com> on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:33PM (#6001908)
    ...by not adding anything. Guess we learned something from the "Lone Gunmen are dead" fiasco? ;)
    What? Yeah, they're dead. Get over it.

    • WHAT!?! (Score:3, Funny)

      by Skyshadow ( 508 )
      The Lone Gunmen are DEAD?!? Thanks for the spoiler, prick. I guess I should really catch up on the shows stored on my TiVO.

      Seriously: I think that Buffy has taken a serious step down this year. It's disappointing that the last few episodes end up concentrating on insignificant new characters (Kennedy, Wood) and got away from the things which made the scoobies a cool group of heros in the first place (how many superheroes prepare for battle by doing research?).

      But oh well. Must be a universal truth that

  • AWW MAN! (Score:3, Funny)

    by freeze128 ( 544774 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:34PM (#6001916)
    I haven't even seen the MOVIE yet...
    • I haven't even seen the MOVIE yet...

      Consider youself lucky.

      The show on the other hand in actually pretty good. If you want to know what happens when a studio is allowed to ruin something watch the movie. If you want to know what happens when they don't, watch the TV show.
  • Vampires or Nazis... Vampires or Nazis... Hmm. I can point my NES Light Gun at the Nazis and pretend I'm playing a crazy Wolfenstein mod... Yeah, Hitler it is.

  • Full Script? (Score:5, Informative)

    by Richardsonke1 ( 612224 ) * on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:39PM (#6001961)
    Full script here: part one [google.com] and part two [google.com]. Even mentions TROGDOR, the BURNINATOR! :-)

  • Good Science Fiction (Score:3, Insightful)

    by LamerX ( 164968 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:39PM (#6001965) Journal
    I think that this show IS totally revelant to Slashdot. It comprises a genre, which totally appeals to nerds. It's so different for the kind of shows that we usually watch. Usually we are watching Space-Based sci fi, like Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, etc. But here is a down to Earth show that takes place on Earth. It's the classic Vampire horror, reborn into a modern reality. (Not to mention the hot girls!) It has everything that appeals to geeks.

    • Re:Good Science Fiction (Score:2, Insightful)

      by pldms ( 136522 )
      It has everything that appeals to geeks.

      I don't know. The series initially had great geek appeal in the form of Willow, who spent years showing the Sunnydale Water Company that the system holding the sewer plans was hopelessly insecure.

      Alas Willow went to college, discovered Wicca, and her laptop gathered dust.

      The message for geeks is "you'll grow out of it". And, er, become a lesbian. And become addicted to magic.

      Ok. Confusing message. But anti-geek.

      (btw the finale demonstrates that you can't fix a b
    • How in the hell is Buffy "good science fiction"?

      OK, the "good" bit is open to debate but where's the "science fiction" that you're talking about?

      Philip K Dick is science fiction. Ray Bradbury is science fiction. Isaac Asimov is science fiction. Star Trek, Star Wars and Stargate are all science fiction (although, for Star Wars at least, the term space opera is more accurate) but Buffy is not.

      Why? Because it's not science fiction. Period.

      Buffy is fantasy fiction, just like Xena, Hercules, etc.

      Pedantic p
    • no.
      It is a modern horror show, not sci-fi.
      Actally, its more of a fantasy show, since the horror isn't horrorifying.

      Hot girls are nice, but I have an internet connection, so I don't need to see a show just for that.
      Just because it comprises a genre doesn't make it geek oriented. Sheesh.

  • Huh? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:39PM (#6001966)
    One of the best written shows on television comes to an end tonight in North America.

    We're still talking about Buffy here right?
    • Perhaps it loses quite a bit in the acting and post-production stages.

  • Arrgh... (Score:3, Funny)

    by avalys ( 221114 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:40PM (#6001974)
    Every time I see a story like this, I think:

    "Goddamn it! - this site needs a category for all the crap I don't care about!"

  • In Canada... (Score:5, Informative)

    by Dixie_Flatline ( 5077 ) <<moc.liamg> <ta> <hog.naj.tnecniv>> on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:44PM (#6002011) Homepage
    You may have already seen it. At least, in Alberta, it was on last night.

    Here's a no-spoiler summary: the ending doesn't suck. I really mean that. I hate nothing worse than something that ends poorly, be it a book or a movie or a television show, because it tends to ruin all the good things that went before. This is an ending worthy of Buffy.

  • The movie was outstanding (Score:5, Funny)

    by eGabriel ( 5707 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:45PM (#6002018)
    Rutger "Batty" Hauer, and Paul "PeeWee" Reubens stole the show. Kristy Swanson was beautiful and perfect, and the cast was filled out with both stars and people who would become stars. It was hilarious (the Paul Reubens death scene was classic), smart, silly, and fun.

    Because of this, I held off on watching the TV series. How good could that be compared to the film? I finally caught a couple of episodes over the last couple of weeks, and it does look like a clever show, but they should have called it something else, and let the film stand by itself.

  • Can someone please explain... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by WIAKywbfatw ( 307557 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:49PM (#6002056) Journal
    What's the big attraction with Buffy? What makes it so worthy of attention? Why does Buffy count as "News for Nerds" or "Stuff that matters" whilst the similar Charmed doesn't rate a mention?

    I'm not suggesting that Charmed should register on Slashdot's radar, rather I'm asking why Buffy does. Can someone please explain it to me?

    I've watched several episodes of Buffy, as well as a handful of Charmed. I can't say I've ever for a split second thought that either show had much merit but, obviously, there are those out there that disagree with me?

    Not that I think she's that attractive but is it a Sarah Michelle Gellar thing? I've read so many posts on Slashdot, in various discussions about quality television and I find it amazing that Buffy is even mentioned in the same breath as shows such as CSI, The West Wing and 24.

    I'm not looking to troll here - seriously, that's an honest statement - but just what is it about Buffy that has some of you ga-ga over it? Schoolboy fantasies? Demonic possession? Please elaborate.

    • Re:Can someone please explain... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Brymouse ( 563050 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:55PM (#6002107)
      Hot lesbian witches! Think about it! It's fucking genius!
    • Nah, I don't think so. While I think there've been a number of reasonably attractive women over the years on the show, they're not really doing much for me. Personally, I enjoy the writing and the consistent mythos for the world they build. Plus, there have been a handful of episodes that stand singly as just great works of television. May not be for you, but it definitely has its merits.
    • You have to understand that the series although seemingly about vampires and werewolves was a thinly veiled analysis of high school life and much of the symbolism explored the aspects of fitting in and getting bullied, two topics that practically all geeks can identify with.

      Also, a couple of years ago there was the Columbine incident. John Katz wrote an article [slashdot.org] that to this date is still the second most visited story.

      The name of the story is Voices From the HellMouth, a reference to the mystical portal fr

    • Re:Can someone please explain... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Dr_LHA ( 30754 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:07PM (#6002207) Homepage
      Unfortunately a couple of episodes won't do it for you. Try watching a whole season of Buffy and a whole season of Charmed and then come back and explain how you can't tell why one is good and one isn't. Buffy has a mythos and a running storyline in each season - you need to give it time. Everyone I know who had your opinion of Buffy has changed their opinion after watching it for a while.

      Quite simply Buffy has been one of the best shows on TV, and some of the epidodes (e.g. Hush, The Body) rank amongst some of the best TV ever made. This is why people like it so much.

      Buh-bye Buffy
      • "Try watching a whole season of Buffy."

        Why would I do that if a couple of episodes won't grab me?

        It seems that people simply like the idea of there being a "mythos."

        Buffy has not been one of the best shows on TV, not by a long shot. "Best TV ever made?" Have you ever seen Cheers, or Mash, or the Sopranos?
      • I think you gave away the main trait of those that dig Buffy, versus those that don't. It's summed-up in one word: "Mythos." Mythos is a word commonly used to describe H.P. Lovecraft-style storylines. The "Cthulhu Mythos" is typically used to describe these types of stories.
        But that doesn't really explain why it's considered so good. It is, however, a suitabe explanation of Buffy vs Charmed, and I have the sneaking suspicion that if you look at the shows that /.ers like, they'd fall into this similar "m
    • The reason that Buffy makes it to slashdot is simple. The people that run slashdot like it. Therefore they choose to run Buffy stories. That's one of the perks of running your own website.

      Either that or there's some kind of payoff.

    • Re:Can someone please explain... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by vTalon ( 670255 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:27PM (#6002354)
      There are a whole lot of reasons why Buffy rocks much...

      1) It's fun. Cute woman with mad martial arts skills kicks bad monster ass every week. How can you complain?

      2) It's clever. It takes cliches and flips them upside down. Joss Wedon (the show's creator) has stated that the inspiration for the show was the typical cute blond who gets cornered and savaged by the monster in your basic horror movie. What if the cute blond was ready for the monster, and kicked its ass instead? Reversals like that are fun.

      3) It's funny -- and the geekier your are, the more sly references you get and the more you appreciate the interesting things that the writers do with the English language. From one character's comment that somebody "makes Godot look punctual" to Xander's perfect sumnation of the effects of an all-night study session: "too much research...need beverage," the writers delight in bouncing their jokes off of culture high and low, and in simply messing around with the language.

      4) And, most importantly, the characters ring true. Every character on Buffy is well drawn, three dimensional. Even though they're combating fantastic monsters every week, the characters behave like real people, experiencing all the joy and hurt that real people experience. And the fantastical situations they run into are often just exagerations of events that all of us have experienced.

      Basically, the show engages you on visceral, intellectual, and emotional levels; it's exciting, witty, and touching. What more could one ask?

      • 1) It's fun. Cute woman with mad martial arts skills kicks bad monster ass every week. How can you complain?

        I've watched a few Buffy's and so far my impression is that Jennifer Garner would kick Buffy's ass all over the place. Maybe the bar for ass-kicking women has just been raised since the series started...

        2) It's clever. It takes cliches and flips them upside down. Joss Wedon (the show's creator) has stated that the inspiration for the show was the typical cute blond who gets cornered and savaged b

    • A number of factors. One is well developed characters and huge plot archs. This really helps viewers relate to the characters and is one of the reasons why critics are some of the ones that mention Buffy "in the same breath as shows such as CSI, The West Wing and 24." (I personally prefer Buffy). On the same note the characters are very relatable and sympathetic and do noticably change with time depending on their circumstances. You get to see one character who started out as very nice and unassuming go
    • I'm not suggesting that Charmed should register on Slashdot's radar, rather I'm asking why Buffy does.

      I think that if you'd examine the demographics for the two shows, you'd find the Charmed audience to be centered around teenaged girls.

      You'd find the Buffy audience to be centered around older females and young and middle-aged men.

      Case in point, my sister and her 15 year old daughter just love fantasy programming, and wouldn't miss a Charmed episode. I've tried to get them into Buffy, but I think it
    • I find it amazing that Buffy is even mentioned in the same breath as shows such as CSI, The West Wing and 24.

      I haven't seen the recent seasons of Buffy. But at the heart of Buffy is a show that plays off high school, and what it means to be a geek or an outsider there in. From what I've seen of Charmed, it's just another sitcom once you remove the magic. Also, there was a lot of continuing plot and character changes in Buffy. You don't get a stream of redshirts; major characters die, or undergo huge chang
    • Buffy has a depth to it that few shows on TV achieve. It has brilliant writing, complex and believable (if fantastic) characters, a very high level of production quality (especially amazing given the resources they had for the first few series), great acting, and an interesting premise. It doesn't fit in a single genre but instead covers many genres. It has a very nerd feel to it and includes a lot of pop culture and nerd references. At times it has been extraordinarily innovative, e.g. the episodes Hush an
    • Mostly it was pretty good (personal opinion) but every once in awhile: Wow. Buffy generally had a few of those Wow episodes every year.

      A really excellent example being the famous "Earshot" which was pulled from the air when the Columbine shootings happened a few days earlier which had some parallels. This named the whole "Hellmouth" discussion of Columbine on Slashdot.

      Another example: "The Body". Somebody just dies. Bang. More or less natural causes and then dealing with the paramedics and doctors and s

    • Can't speak for others, but I can tell you what I liked. I should also mention that I only really liked the first 3 seasons. After that, the show rapidly went downhill IMHO. There were still a few good lines as late as season 6, though I had to sit through a lot of tedium to hear them. 7 has been a complete stinker, but I'm going to stick it out to the bitter end .. which is just a few more hours.

      It isn't about SMG. I would even say she was almost expendible, except for being the title character, so.

  • Don't worry no spoilers (Score:5, Insightful)

    by quantaman ( 517394 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:51PM (#6002069)
    I watched it and it ended as well as it could have. The problem with this season has been the lack of definition. The fact that the First appears as dead people means that it doesn't really seem to have any strong characters of its own. They tried to have intermediate baddies like the Seekers. the uber-vamp, and finally Caleb but none of them really developed. Also there was alot of ambiguity in what the First wanted to do other than kill all the potential slayers and do general evil, along with any clear idea about what they were actually fighting. Many of the episodes suffered because there was no clearly defined goal or threat. In addition there were a lot of writing problems earlier in the season like everyone leaving town in fear of an apocalypse that wasn't manifesting itself at all. Over all this has probably been the weakest season due to these problems. That being said Joss Whedon did a very good job of pulling it up for the last episode and bringing the show to a good conclusion. Not one of their best episode but certainly one of the best this season, either way regardless of what I say you'll watch it anyways for the closure if nothing else :)

  • Poll (Score:5, Funny)

    by graveyhead ( 210996 ) <fletch@@@fletchtronics...net> on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:53PM (#6002088)

    Submitted this, but of course:

    • 2003-04-30 15:01:48 How should Buffy end? (polls,tv) (rejected)

    within like 10 seconds of submitting it :)

    How should Buffy end?

    ( ) David Lynch Ending: The entire series was just a masterbatory fantasy for Zander. Somehow he still manages to lose an eye.

    ( ) Kubrick Ending: Calib chases buffy around the hedge maze and ends up freezing to death.

    ( ) Spielberg Ending: Buffy is revived by alien robots in the year 3010 who create the illusion of Angel for one day and then they euthanize her.

    ( ) Lucas Ending: "Buffy, you've turned off your targetting computer! What's wrong?"

    ( ) Joss Whedon Ending: The gangs carrers' suddenly end when they decide to write a sci-fi western.

    ( ) CowboyNeil Ending: CowboyNeil doesn't end.

  • Rise and Fall of BtVS (Score:5, Interesting)

    by cquark ( 246669 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @05:56PM (#6002122)
    I've watched Buffy from day one, but I won't be tuning in to see the season finale tonight. After three great seasons in high school, the show stumbled in its fourth season, losing three cast members to a spinoff and one to a movie career. However, the show successfully integrated most of the characters by the fifth season and things were looking up again.

    However, the loss of the high school setting was a major problem, with the show first focusing on college, then the magic shop, and finally getting stuck in the claustrophobic confines of Buffy's house in season 5 as Buffy focused on her sick mother and magical sister. Sunnydale faded away as the setting became smaller and smaller, leaving us to wonder what happened to the world that Buffy is supposed to be saving. The last time I recall Buffy going out of her way to save a normal person was the guy she saved in the alley in The Gift, two years ago.

    The sixth season started out well, both in terms of quality and ratings (a 4.3 Neilsen), but quickly ran into problems after the excellent musical episode. Somehow magic has become addictive and we end up with Willow strung out at a magic crack house in the episode Wrecked. Don't ask me to explain it, or the producers for the matter, as showrunner Marti Noxon admitted on last week A&E Biography that she didn't understand the story arcs that she's run on Buffy. Unfortunately, season 6 continued to get worse with Spike attempting to rape Buffy and Willow's lesbian lover getting shot, resulting in Willow becoming evil and going off to destroy the world in a perfect example of the lesbian cliche perpetrated in so many books and movies.

    Season 7 made a token effort to fix the characters after destroying them in the previous season, but quickly focused on throwing spinoff ideas at the viewers, ranging from Buffy's little sister Dawn, guest star and dark slayer Faith, and a multitude of Slayers-in-training whose names fans couldn't recall from one week to the next. None of them stuck, but the combination of losing the focus on the core characters fans loved and having the villain of the season be the First Evil, who can't do anything but talk, made for a boring season with Buffy's lowest ratings ever. Over half the season's episodes had Neilsen ratings below last season's lowest rated episode, Seeing Red, which had a 2.7.

    Unfortunately, I'm glad the show is over and wish that it had ended a couple of years earlier. I'll still cherish the early days though and buy the first five seasons on DVD once they're all available.
    • Yeah, I pretty much agree with you. I haven't really watched much of this season, after last season's lack of creativity. But I caught it a few weeks ago, rolled my eyes at the southern-preacher-who-hates-women (gee, I've never seen that done before... not) and turned it off.

      Buffy was once a great show, but I really don't know why people are still pronoucing it to be one of the best shows on TV. Have they seen an episode lately?

      (I do still watch Angel, though. I've enjoyed this season, with a few minor gr
    • ... you'll be sitting in front of your TV an hour early with a bowl of popcorn, Kleenex, and hand lotion. Anyone who knows and/or cares about the series that much is a fan, whether you say you are or not, and you're gonna watch it.

      Dork.
    • It started having problems about 4th season. The transition to college wasn't that bad. Angel left, but the character was really awkward 3rd season anyway. So did Cordelia, but Anya was even better as her replacement. Oz left mid fourth season, which hurt the show more than most people realize. Riley came in, but didn't really fit in. After 3 1/2 seasons of being crazy about Xander, then Oz, then Xander again, then Oz again, Willow becomes a lesbian (WTF?)

      The main story arc for season four (the Initi

  • Salon Article (Score:5, Informative)

    by graveyhead ( 210996 ) <fletch@@@fletchtronics...net> on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:03PM (#6002178)
    Here is an interesting Salon article [salon.com] that blames Spike for the demise of the show. Certain elements in this article were reminding me strongly of the old Katz favorite "Voices from the Helmouth". BTW, where is old JonnyK? Did we finally drive him away from /. completely?
  • Five years and counting before we see Sarah Michelle Gellar make the "Playboy Spread" career move.

    Meet ya down at the 7-11.

  • A bad end to a great show (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Amtiskaw ( 591171 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:26PM (#6002346)
    Buffy is a great show in many ways, but the laziness of the writers this season has practically ruined it for me. The entire season has been full of loose ends and bad continuity, much of which so obvious that the only explanation is that the writers simply didn't care. Take, the 'First Evil', what exactly is it? What is it's grand plan? Why was Spike so important to its plan early on in the season, when it all but forgot about him later on? If it had an entire army of ubervamps underground why did it only bring up one in the middle of the season? Why was it killing potential slayers? What was the 'weakness' in the slayer line that provided it an opportunity? What was the incident with the 'ghost' of Buffy and Dawn's mother about? What did her warning to Dawn mean? All these questions (and a lot more) have been posed by the writers then simply ignored or forgotten about.

    The finale does nothing to answer these questions, instead it only poses more. You're left with the impression that the writers themselves don't know whats going on, that they're simply making it up as they go along. But why have an overall arc plot if you can't be bothered doing it properly, they'd have been much better sticking to the one off style episodes of the earlier seasons.

    • Re:A bad end to a great show (Score:5, Informative)

      by Blkdeath ( 530393 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @07:23PM (#6002696) Homepage
      Take, the 'First Evil', what exactly is it? What is it's grand plan?

      The "First Evil" (a human name for something timeless) is the thing from which evil was borne. That from which all of the seven deadly sins find their roots. That which creates our urges and impulses and makes bad possible. Its grand plan? It told us; it's tired of the balance of good versus evil. It's coming home to roost, and that's that.

      Why was Spike so important to its plan early on in the season, when it all but forgot about him later on?

      In part, Spike was removed from the influence of the Hellmouth and brought to live with loved ones who helped him battle the evil that tried to control him. This was brought to light in the second-to-last episode where he saw Buffy, the one he loved like he didn't think he was capable of, kissing Angel as if he (Spike) meant nothing to her. That allowed his guard to drop, enter the first, and we find ourselves prepared for the finale. Answers forthcoming. :)

      If it had an entire army of ubervamps underground why did it only bring up one in the middle of the season?

      My guess would be the 'First' was raising its army. Why send small groups out when you could hit with full, brutal force and crush your enemies? Also, the one it brought out initially was quite possibly (probably) a test. What, exactly, is this slayer capable of?

      Why was it killing potential slayers? What was the 'weakness' in the slayer line that provided it an opportunity?

      If you can take out the supply lines before sending your men into battle, all the better. The last thing the 'First' needs is for slayers to continue to pop up as a replenishing source of opposition. Terminate them as mere weak humans and you solve a lot of problems later on.

      What was the incident with the 'ghost' of Buffy and Dawn's mother about? What did her warning to Dawn mean?

      Divide and conquor. It meant the same as it did for Willow; it asked Willow to kill herself (Willow being powerful, and therefore a potential threat), and it wanted to create (our favourite acronym) Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt in the Summers household. Give Buffy some problems on the homefront to deal with and distract her from the front lines. In the old BBS game, Barren Realms Elite, you could send in spies to create dissent amongst the enemy troops which would lower morale and make them easy pickin's.

      But why have an overall arc plot if you can't be bothered doing it properly, they'd have been much better sticking to the one off style episodes of the earlier seasons.

      It's my understanding that should the show have been picked up for an eighth (and possibly ninth) season, this was to be the plan. Alas, Sarah has a burdgeoning career to consider and I'm sure the rest of the cast have other projects to attend to (I know Eliza has been in some movies lately, I believe Anthony has been returning to theatre, Allison is getting married, albeit to our Rogue Demon Hunter friend, Michelle is still young enough to snare a great deal of roles, etc.). That, and Joss is spread a tad thin of late with Angel and the various new projects he's starting up (Firefly? Is that still around?).

  • to all the hatas (Score:2, Insightful)

    by kid zeus ( 563146 )
    To all the bitter folks who spent time reading this post and then writing entries to the effect, 'Man, this topic is a waste of my time': Your brilliance is nothing short of astounding. It makes me take your criticisms of the show with dead seriousness. Yes, it actually IS the finest-written genre show yet on TV. Or WAS, I suppose. Thankfully Angel is still going strong. Actually, Angel may end up outstripping Buffy of her title, considering how it's been noticably better than B for the last few years. St

  • The series won't be complete without... (Score:3)

    by NineNine ( 235196 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:54PM (#6002513)
    ...Willow getting naked. If they do that, then my life will be complete and I can die a happy man. Fucking network censors. Fucking FCC. Dammit, what's wrong with a little bit of nakedness?

  • The signifigance of BTV (Score:3, Interesting)

    by WINSTANLEY ( 229048 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @06:59PM (#6002548)
    Oh well, I can't believe I've gotten sucked into this but to all those BTV nay-sayers: The signifigance of "B" to /. is that it one of the few times that writers who care about genre fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, comic-books) and popular culture in general have tried to use these elements to create something serious on broadcast television (anything serious on broadcast tv is cause for celebration).

    Sci-fi, fantasy seemed to be a domain of special concern to the /. crowd (as Thomas Disch once observed, sci-fi is a very significant component of the military-industrial-complex culture) and that by itself qualifies it for slashdot, as much as ST, SW, B5, etc.

    Besides being about pop culture, rejoicing in it, playfully alluding to it, and creating innovative and well-crafted popular culture, Buffy is also about the alienation of youth. This is also something that is central to the "geek" experience, as Jon Katz once pointed out (though much to his massive villification, for some reason). It also did all this while being darned entertaining (though it did abound in in-jokes which often failed to enamor the casual and occasional viewer).

    And for the record: The show didn't start failing with Season 4, that season, with the massive secret commando base below UC-Sunnydale, had great comic moments, innovative TV writing, social commentary, social satire, action, you name it, one of the best seasons. Season 5, battling Glory the Valley Girl Demon God and the the mysterious dawn of Dawn also had many strengths and was just good horror writing.
  • What is with the buffy crap, real men watch american chopper and drink beer. I must be one
    of the only people on slashdot with some BAG!
  • For me, the series ended after the fifth season. The sixth season was possibly the most horrible television experiences I've ever had. Combined with the fact that after the end of season five the tie-ins with Angel stopped, you get a show that was choppy and over all lacked some of the spark that Joss Whedon brought to the series when he was writing for it during seasons 1-3.
  • I'm sorry, but i'll be watching the season finale of Gilmore Girls.
  • If any of you have a tape of last week's episode of Buffy and would be willing to part with it (or make a copy) please let me know. I missed it due to some unforseen circumstances... reply to this and I'll post some contact information.
    thanks.

    -J

  • To everyone whinging about this story... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Acheron ( 2182 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @07:38PM (#6002826)
    Everyone seems to think that "News for Nerds. Stuff that matters." is connected by a logical AND, but it's really a logical OR. Stop the whinging, you'll be alright.

  • Joss Whedon Q & A in Todays NYT (Score:3, Informative)

    by good soldier svejk ( 571730 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @09:15PM (#6003450)

    Joss answered answered reader's questions in this feature in today's Times online. [nytimes.com]

    $0 reg. etc.

  • Buffy Schmuffy... (Score:5, Informative)

    by dentar ( 6540 ) on Tuesday May 20, 2003 @11:06PM (#6004242) Homepage Journal
    24 is the thing to catch!

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