episodespodcasts

Season 2, Episode 9: What’s My Line, Parts 1 and 2

In this episode!

  • Mark wonders if Angel is the sexiest man in the world; Katherine says even in the universe of the show, maybe not…
  • We love Kendra, but Mark wonders about her accent.
  • Katherine is the grammar police and explains slay vs. slew.
  • Mark says Buffy the show is all about toxic masculinity; Katherine says but what about Xander and …
  • Mark says vampires aren’t sexist; rather, vampires are racist and/or speciesist.
  • Mark points out that not only is Spike emotionally fragile, Mark thinks that the Big Bads in Buffy are basically bad at being bad. They lack focus and are too impulsive.
  • Destiny and fate vs. free will: on which side does Buffy the show land? Katherine leans toward free will.
  • Have any of you noticed that people who love Buffy, the Vampire Slayer are really cool and interesting?
  • Katherine loves Drusilla and Spike; Mark, not so much.
  • We both love Oz.
  • Career talk—note that Buffy is told she should be in law enforcement and Xander a prison guard. Buffy worries she doesn’t have a future, and this episode makes it clear that Xander doesn’t think he has a future either.
  • Mark says there is a Beauty and the Beast feel to this episode, especially the scene at the skating rink.
  • Mark is a little concerned about who the Big Bad of the episode is going to be. If it’s Spike then what are we waiting for?

Shout outs and interesting tidbits

Shout out to Jessica Branch who suggested that the Hellmouth is in University Circle, more specifically, under the Cleveland Museum of Art and CWRU. She argues this has to do with Jane Jacobs’s theory about urban spaces that are deserted at night. Mark takes this on in the episode. Katherine argues the Hellmouth is probably in Old Brooklyn under Rhodes High School.

Shout out to Tony Martin whose photographs of West 3rd and Quigley make the argument that the Hellmouth is there.

Shout out to Cathy Podojil.

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Season 2, Episode 7: Lie to Me

In this episode!

  • Mark was stunned by the cold open, and it brought back bad memories of his being a middle child. We wonder, do we agree with the Mind Robbers podcast that this kid has a bad mother?
  • Katherine makes a connection between Dracula by Bram Stoker and Buffy. Is Drusilla the Bloofer Lady? Should we have a special segment on Dracula? Hmmm, maybe around season 5? 😉  Also, Mark hates Drusilla and did a terrible imitation of her. Katherine thinks she is great.
  • Mark makes an astonishing claim that Jenny Calendar is Giles’ manic pixie dream girl. This is patently absurd. Where do our listeners stand on this?
  • Mark didn’t like Nathan Ford immediately and Katherine doesn’t remember how she felt the first time. We both agree that he is evil though.
  • Mark suggests that the vampire groupies were ridiculous. He can’t imagine why anyone would want to be a vampire. Katherine agrees with that part, but Mark continues the argument by saying that vampires aren’t happy, or rarely so., and being a vampire must be incredibly boring. What’s the draw?
  • Katherine was able to reveal something to Mark–that Ford does get turned into a vampire, and Buffy kills him. Mark said the roses that Buffy had were symbolic of a mob hit. Hmm, seems unlikely to Katherine. What do you think?
  • While one of our holy texts says that this is an episode about obsession, we disagree and think it is really more about secrets and well, lies. The only person in the end who did not lie to Buffy was Giles, until she asked him to do so.
  • On a final note, Katherine needs to remind everyone that once again, Xander was right. He usually is.
  • On a final final note, the episode was initially broadcast in the US on Nov. 3, 1997.

Shout outs

Marcia Camino who says that we are the silliest of silly butts. Sure! 😉

Mind Robbers vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast. Fun podcast, but beware because they love to spoil anything that Joss Whedon has written. Also, sadly, they ended the podcast before the last few seasons of Buffy. I’ve tweeted with both of them, and they don’t plan on finishing. ;-(  Still, fun podcast to listen to.

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Season 2, Episode 3: School Hard

In this episode

  • “Squee! Spike!” said Katherine.
  • Mark is not as innocent as he appears.
  • Mark observes that “Snyder knows something.”
  • Katherine says that the Hellmouth is a really great place if you are evil or magically inclined.
  • Questions for the listeners: Does Drusilla really hate Sunnydale? Does Buffy have blinders on? Does anyone know if Whedon is an atheist?
  • In a moment of crisis, people want someone who will take charge. Mark shares a story of when he became “the Buffy person.” Katherine’s Buffy Moment was the GOTV for the 2008 Obama campaign.
  • Sometimes, we both agree, Joyce sucks as a mom.
  • Mark notes that it is SPIKE (squee!!!!) who gets that Buffy doesn’t do this alone.
  • Katherine points out yet again that Xander always has Buffy’s back.
  • Katherine filled Mark in on the reason behind the Buffy writers getting rid of the Anointed One. Katherine and Mark then ponder, what would have high school been like if the the Anointed One had been enrolled? Good times.
  • Mark, fashion police: Big hair look on Buffy is bad. Cordelia looked good and mature.
  • Katherine  talks about the significance of crosses since vampires precede Christ. Hmmm.
  • Mark is interested in the competitiveness between Angel and Spike, esp. the Uncle Tom reference.
  • Vampires have a very complex culture, and we love the complications.
  • Mark makes a discovery that I haven’t seen elsewhere. One of the books in the library is Reunion by Tom Hayden.
  • Katherine talks about Carol Gilligan and how it can be used as support that Buffy is a feminist text.
  • Mark says: You might see Giles as lawful good; Spike as chaotic evil; and Buffy as chaotic good. Katherine loves this, but challenges Mark on Spike and Buffy. What do you think, listeners?

Resources

Carol Gilligan In a Different VoiceReunion by Tom Hayden

Shout outs

Jessica Branch and Paula Corrao