"Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsmtsm@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:a1bad5f4-8477-4684-9270-0262824a8fd4@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Season Seven, Episode 13: "The Killer In Me"
> Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
> Director: David Solomon
>
> I don't think of myself (or any of the regulars on a.t.b-v-s, for that
> matter) as being hotheaded about it like some in the lunatic fringe of
> fandumb,
I recall you once telling me, "Yeah? Well, so's your face!" I was so
flabbergasted. Not the first time I was a little slow to slow to
recognize
a quote from the show.
<snip>
> In summary, TKIM
> is loaded with ideas that have potential, and there are enough good
> lines and good scenes scattered throughout that on the one hand I do
> want to properly credit the show for it. But at the same time, it
> also deserves special consideration for failing so miserably at
> everything it attempts.
> Rating: Bad (down from Weak)
I pretty much agree with your evaluation of what's wrong with the episode,
and even that it earns some special retribution. But the thing is that
there's some really good stuff in it, and even where it fails and makes me
want to throw things at the screen, it tends to provoke thought. The
truth
is that it's one of the more interesting episodes of the season - and one
that touches on a whole lot of things pretty heavily. So I end up giving
it
a Decent rating - not in the medium kind of bland sense that the word
tends
to imply, but as the necessary balance between very strong good and bad.
Last time I mostly centered on what was wrong with the episode, so I'm
going
to come at it slightly different this time.
I got a little push back last time with my comment that Buffy is acting
like
Spike's wife. It's not a perfect description, but I still don't know what
captures it better. There's a kind of stripped down frankness between
them
that reminds me of couples that have been together forever. (Yeah, I know
they haven't been together forever. It's still the vibe though.) Built
out
of the kind of intimacy that knows where the unfortunate tuft of hair is
or
whatever other unmentionable private characteristics they have. This vibe
has been there for a while - I tend to date it to when Buffy impassively
fed
blood to the bound Spike in Never Leave Me. I think it really comes to
the
fore this episode. That makes for a nice lead-in to Buffy being
confronted
with the decision about Spike's chip. She's got rationales for her
decision
that she'll pass onto Giles next episode. But the way I look at it is
that
nobody understands like she does how much the chip pains Spike on all
levels - physical, mental, emotional. It's one thing to cope with what
others inflicted - maybe even appreciate what the Initiative did. But
there's no way that Buffy would accept responsibility for inflicting such
a
thing on somebody. In spite of the cold reputation Buffy gets this
season,
what we're getting with Spike here and elsewhere is the demonstration that
Buffy is still ruled by her heart.
That's kind of what I was getting at when I spoke of people getting the
wrong idea about the two of them last episode. It's not boyfriend
favoritism. It's Buffy's heart knowing someone, knowing how terrible the
chip is for him, and believing in what's possible for him. Nobody else
could make this decision - except maybe Andrew. They're still hung up on
Spike being a monster. But they'd be wrong. Not least for failing to
recognize how much Buffy does the same for them all. As Andrew points out
next episode, there are a bunch of ex-murderers that are there because
Buffy
believes and trusts in them too.
This episode kind of mucks around with this element when it sends Buffy
and
Spike on a terribly boring underground escapade, and then focuses the
energy
into a cliffhanger that's not. But the foundation is still here for a
transformative decision that on the one hand sets free the budding hero,
while on the other sets up the fracturing of the Scoobies. With all the
Kennedy and Warren stuff, it can be easy to glide over what a big deal the
Spike element really is.
---
Why oh why has Elizabeth Anne Allen had such a comparatively minor career.
Did you know that she's 37 now?
---
Even though TKIM uses the Willow/Warren parallel as a misdirect, it still
is
responsible for me realizing what a strong parallel it is. The two
socially
inept geeks recklessly reaching for power as compensation and then
consumed
by it. What really stands out is that the big difference - Warren chose
an
evil path while Willow chose the noble one - counted for very little when
the power ran the show. It's about the power. Quite an appropriate
pairing
for the S7 theme. And one that definitely points at Willow's challenge to
find a way to live with the power.
Part of the problem with using that as a misdirect is that the issue of
Willow living with the power strikes me as more -er- powerful than the
issue
of letting go of Tara. I know that there's a personal emotional element
to
the Tara question that the more abstract power issue lacks. But come on,
even Willow understands (when she thinks about it) that she has to let go
some day - and the guilt along with it. Living with the power, however,
is
a genuine mystery that never really does get effectively addressed.
Unless
you think that white eyes are better than black eyes is good enough.
So, yeah, there are problems with the choice. But bringing Warren into
the
picture still sends me down an interesting path for thought.
---
So lets leave the misdirect aspect out for the moment and look at where
they
did go. First regarding Kennedy. I'm not much of a fan of the
characterization. I don't think Iyari Limon is much of an actress. I
don't
think she and Hannigan work together well on screen. The show even does
some funny things with the way she's shot around this time that aren't
very
appealing. (Last episode she looks somehow over sized sitting on the
couch
with the other Potentials - even though she's actually kind of small. Her
strange posture is pretty much always distracting. This episode there are
some close-ups and an overhead shot that just look weird. Generally it
feels sort of like there's a personal spotlight on her all the time while
everybody else is normal.) Be that as it may, I do kind of like what's
attempted with the character. So I guess I'll get in a second sort of
defense of Kennedy after all.
One of the defenses of Kennedy is that she's independent and won't allow
Willow to dominate her like with Tara and - sort of - Oz. I'm actually
moving the opposite direction in my thinking now. By the end of the
season
Kennedy is practically worshiping Willow. "You are a goddess." I think
she
gets pretty damned consumed by Willow, and acts as overtly pro-Willow as
people think Buffy is doing with Spike. The difference is how she got
there. Tara and Oz both were bewitched by Willow before a word was
spoken.
Kennedy was just looking for some action. Kennedy makes it clear that she
doesn't know much of anything about Willow and isn't terribly interested
in
knowing. She's positively dismissive of magic. "I'm not so into the
magic
stuff. It seems like fairy tale crap to me." And just about the opposite
of
romantic. "If she's really hot, you just get her drunk-see if she comes
on
to you." (Note that Kennedy has dragged Willow to a bar for drinks.)
It's sure not the magical attraction of Willow's past relationships.
(Though it's not evil either. Kennedy's just horny.) But really, with
the
burden of Willow's history, do you really think she'd be receptive to
"magical"? I'd think she'd run the other way. It makes sense to me that
she'd respond to something a whole lot less demanding. Something without
the big emotional investment. Of course it didn't quite turn out that
way.
For Kennedy, I think she's first hit with a sense of responsibility.
After
all, her kiss seemed to have provoked all the trouble. And then seeing
everybody else just let her go off alone - well, that can't be right.
And,
then, when she effectively saves Willow, well, damn! I think Kennedy gets
a
little like Xander in the early years when he thought of himself as
Buffy's
protector. It becomes kind of Kennedy's job to be with Willow all the
time
and stand up for her against any perceived slight.
Then there's the magic element. I know that, "It's just like fairy
tales,"
is a little sappy, but it works pretty well anyway. I mean, kissing
Warren
sure comes across to me as equivalent to kissing the frog. Maybe getting
Willow isn't exactly like getting a prince, but, hey, gay now. More to
the
point is that the framing for Kennedy's understanding of magic isn't
merely
belief in magic, but rather in fairy tales. Kennedy becomes the true
believer in the sense of Willow can do anything. And she experiences a
fucked up situation as something extraordinary, uplifting and self
validating. "I am good." This is likely the most romantic thing Kennedy
has ever experienced.
Get it Done's magical experience is initially more off putting - giving
Kennedy pause. She gets over it, though we don't learn a whole lot about
why. My own take is that all of this adds up to showing how extraordinary
Willow is. Not just the power, though that's amazing, but even Willow's
burdens and struggles exist on a level beyond what normal people have or
could bear. Willow does. And that's amazing too. So Kennedy gets a
little
star struck by her proximity to Willow, while her natural boldness pushes
her to be as close as possible. And so on. I don't sense that Kennedy
has
much experience with being besotted.
Meanwhile, back on Willow's ranch, the standout thing for her is that the
worst of her is bared for Kennedy, and Kennedy doesn't blink an eye.
Willow, whose psychological profile we're told is wearing a costume, can't
disguise herself with Kennedy. Kennedy's seen her lose control of her
power. Kennedy's felt her steal the essence of others without their
permission. The things that Willow hates and fears about herself don't
stop
Kennedy's affection. Tara and Oz in their own ways accepted Willow for
who
she was too, but not in this sense. Not with Willow believing it too.
She
still thought of herself wearing her costume with them. Not having to do
that with Kennedy is what I think is most liberating for Willow right now,
and the element that most helps Willow get hold of her power. It lets her
be a little less afraid of failing.
The getting over Tara part is I think made pretty clear. I'll just note
that Tara was the one who most wanted Willow to put a lid on performing
magic. So this episode's conclusion does make some S7 logic by removing
that block. Since that notion had been somewhat an S6 misdirect anyway, I
suppose it could be argued to be the big solution to Willow's S7 problem.
I
remain skeptical, but that's what the story seems to be.
> Season Seven, Episode 14: "First Date"
> The series has decided to give Giles what I find to be a thoroughly
> unsatisfying story this season (see OBS's response to the S7D3 post
> for more). In this particular episode, it's not pleasant viewing for
> someone who's always liked the character (who's never been a saint or
> anything to begin with) to see him as alternately a bumbling idiot and
> a bumbling guy lashing out in frustration. (Part of the dubious point
> of "First Date" is to move him into place for LMPTM.)
By channeling early S3 Xander? It's not just the quality of his choices
in
question, it's behavior that seems unhinged. OK, even thoughtful people
can
come unhinged under pressure. I do kind of enjoy how the episode is
constructed to show people not paying attention to Giles - even unable to
by
having one Potential literally speak another language. It's just that
this
ultimately is supposed to reflect poorly on Buffy's leadership in the eyes
of others. And all the time I'm thinking you should never trust the
judgement of somebody acting like Giles.
The Giles part feels worse in retrospect than it did first time. Now I
know
what it's leading to. But it doesn't necessarily have to. His outburst
really could stay as frustration at being on a different page and not
being
properly heard. There's a lot that could be done with that without taking
it as far as they chose to do. At this point it's still largely the same
type of conflict Giles and Buffy have had since the start. So I'm not
inclined to penalize this episode quite so much.
> What the
> episode lacks in Rupertosity it makes up for in character work for
> Robin Wood and Andrew. The former finally gets to do something other
> than act mysterious, emerging as an interesting guy who's managed to
> mostly replace bloodlust with matter-of-fact training and cover the
> rest up with charm, but still has that streak in him. The episode's
> few aspirations towards drama tend to target him, especially in that
> killer closing moment. Meanwhile the show lets us know that it, and
> Andrew, do actually intend to pursue his redemption story. Here's the
> mix of comedy and actual embryonic admirable qualities that
> characterizes the better Andrew performances, and here are I believe
> the first signs of self-awareness about Jonathan's death.
Andrew is all good. He gets some backbone here too.
> Cameoing
> celebrity Ashanti really can't act, but at least she looks real good
> in that dress.
I liked the coffee shop scene quite a bit. The Xander/Anya aspect of the
episode is a little suggestive, but I think I'll leave that alone for now.
> FD remains a pleasant episode when Giles isn't on
> screen, I'm entertained by it, and on re-watching I was tempted to
> bump it up a rating. I can't quite go all the way there, and I
> actually just now watched it once again to be sure that I couldn't.
>
> FD has some good examples of both subtly getting things right and
> wrong. For right, see Buffy's flattered look in response to Wood's
> "you're the Slayer," or even better, the hilarious mini-pout Gellar
> does whenever anyone suggests that Buffy might not be a great
> counselor. For wrong, see the completely gratuitous line "it's not in
> the headphones. It's out here."
I like that OK. But then I've never understood why they got ridiculed for
wiring Andrew.
> Rating: Decent
A low Good for me.
OBS
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