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Season 2, Episode 8: The Dark Age

23 January 2017

In this episode!

  • Mark’s favorite part of this episode is the relationship between Jenny and Giles. Mark wonders what she sees in him (oh, Mark) but he figures it out. Mark doesn’t like how the relationship ends up though
  • Katherine and Mark argue about Buffy’s treatment of Giles. Katherine says, Buffy forgives and understands; Mark thinks Buffy is schooling him. What do you think?
  • Mark no longer likes Ethan Raine. Says he’s a jerkface. What do you think?
  • We loved the horror transformation of Jenny.
  • We continue to disagree. Katherine loved Willow in the library; Mark thought Willow was stilted.
  • We love Cordelia and how she is evolving. Mark thought it was a little strange that Xander and Cordy were cuddling. (Katherine smirks.)
  • Katherine is really really bugged about the whole blood bank thing. Is she being overly concerned?
  • We love Giles talking about his use and abuse of magic in college as an addiction, a drug. Katherine says we need to remember this comparison.
  • Katherine finds interesting that Giles looked for the worst group that would have him when he was in his Ripper phase. Mark asks a great question: what type of group would be so bad they wouldn’t want Giles?
  • Possessed Jenny says, “Nothing is safe in this world.” Is this true, listeners? Katherine thinks that is the scariest moment in the scene. With the election of Trump, Katherine thinks possessed Jenny might be right.
  • We think Giles should have told Buffy the truth about Igon.
  • Mark has a hard time remembering happiness. Katherine reminds him about his red bike and his little dog, and Mark realizes that there can be happiness in the world and he wants it for Jenny and Giles, but he’d prefer that the tension get built up a bit more first.

We are proud to say that there is not one spoiler in this episode of our podcast. 😉

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Season 2, Episode 7: Lie to Me

09 January 2017

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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Don't look now…

12 December 2016

…but I think we found the Hellmouth.

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Season 2, Episode 6: Halloween

31 October 2016

In this episode!

  • We discuss the rules of Vampire Entry (thanks, Jessica Branch!), and Mark calls for constitutional rights for vampires.
  • Mark and Katherine come up with reasons for why the Scoobies don’t have PTSD.
  • Mark says Ethan Raine is the Linda Tripp of the Buffyverse; Mark loves Ethan, and Katherine can’t stand him.
  • Katherine has zero aesthetic distance. Where do our listeners stand on this?
  • We wonder along with Willow—how does Angel shave? Also, Mark wonders how Spike’s lackey was able to film a vampire fight?
  • Mark’s favorite moment: when Xander beats up the pirate and says that it was strangely satisfying and brought him closure.
  • Mark says that “Snyder is in on it.”
  • Katherine shares the tidbit that Buffy calls out to Xena the Warrior Princess, and in turn, an episode of Xena did a shout out to Buffy.
  • Mark says that Buffy does what very few shows do and that is to change the rules of narrativity frequently. Watchers of the show might be left in confusion for as long as 20 minutes before things click into place. Katherine points out that Whedon is one of the show runners credited with trusting viewers to live with confusion and figure things out over time. We both agree this makes for a very rich show.
  • Katherine wonders if the listeners agree that Halloween is a wonderful holiday filled with magic and mystery  and “dressing as you aren’t.” Mark says this about Halloween: “eh.”

Note: By the way, Mark is right about The Prisoner. He is number 6.

Shout outs

  • Jessica Branch
  • Andy Schumann

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Season 2, Episode 5: Reptile Boy

30 October 2016

In this episode!

  • We love the opening with the mysterious young woman being chased by what looks like monks. That girl is awesome!
  • We also love seeing Buffy and Xander braiding Willow’s hair while Willow “interprets” Bollywood for them. Xander’s side is much better than Buffy’s.
  • Katherine asks Mark whether he thinks people have a purpose or not. We wonder, what do our listeners think? Is Giles right that Buffy should be grateful because she has a purpose? Do any of our listeners feel that they have a purpose? Do any of our listeners have a job for Katherine? Thanks in advance.
  • Mark says, this is clearly an episode about rape culture.
  • Katherine says, this is clearly an episode about class.
  • Katherine thinks that one of the Buffy themes has to be, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and beware of “nice” guys.
  • Mark says, why can’t we all just live and let live in terms of religious freedom?
  • Katherine hates privilege and entitlement which is why she loves this episode which is clearly a precursor to a socialist revolution.

Shout out

David Nom De Plume

Fun facts

  • The woman who nearly escapes at the beginning of the episode is Jordana Spiro, as Callie. I don’t know why she hasn’t made a greater stamp in television. I loved her character.
  • One of the frat boys, one of the evil evil ones, was Coby Bell who later would be a main character on one of Katherine’s favorite shows, Burn Notice.

Resources

The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren

Flow, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (TED talk)

The Panama Papers

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Season 2, Episode 4: Inca Mummy Girl

25 October 2016

In this episode!

  • We think the writers have an awesome ear for teen romance angst, and do a great job showing the awkwardness of it.
  • We love Willow’s dorkiness.
  • Mark reveals something shocking, and it has to do with The Brady Bunch. Mark says, run out and watch the Tiki episode.
  • Katherine wonders if there needs to be a Brady Bunch podcast (OK, that’s a joke).
  • Katherine likes the complexity of Xander—that he has a crush on Buffy, and at the same time thinks of her as his best friend, and at the same time, is her right hand man. What is wrong with that? So many other Buffy fans hate this about Xander.
  • The world isn’t black and white; we love that Buffy sees the gray.
  • Mark loves the guy who wonders about the girl in the Eskimo outfit.
  • Is Joyce being mean to Buffy in terms of the “not fitting in” comment? We think so.
  • What do you make of Buffy not seizing the leadership role? Katherine thinks she is the emotionally torn teenage girl, whereas Mark thinks Buffy should be pushing herself forward. Where do you stand?
  • We meet Jonathan (Danny Strong). Katherine says it is a great way to meet him.

Shout out to Warren Shaver!

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Season 2, Episode 3: School Hard

12 October 2016

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 Voice;  Reunion by Tom Hayden

Shout outs

Jessica Branch and Paula Corrao

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Season 2, episode 2: Some Assembly Required

04 October 2016

Friends of this podcast! We are now available on Itunes!

In this episode:

  • Has anyone out there read Frankenstein? If so, do you have any thoughts or questions about it? We are hoping to have a little extra episode that discusses this great novel.
  • Mark sings the Temptations!
  • We liked (even possibly loved) this episode despite all the haters in podcast land. Katherine thought it was perhaps the funniest Buffy episode ever!
  • We do not think this was an anti-feminist episode.
  • Mark thinks that Buffy could be attracted to Xander. He bases this on “When She Was Bad” and continuing to the chemistry between Buffy and Xander in this episode. Katherine is strangely silent on this issue. 😉
  • Katherine has said all along that Xander is her favorite character so far. Mark seems to concur when he says, “What is sexier then rescuing someone from a burning building?”
  • We love Giles and Jenny’s first date, and Giles’ slur on American masculinity.
  • Katherine’s favorite moment in this episode and one of her favorites for the show thus far is the crackling, tension-filled exchange between Xander and Angel in the library.
  • Mark questions Angel’s “obvious” attraction to Buffy and argues that it is creepy. He is, Mark states, frankly too old for her. “What can Angel possibly see in her?” queries Mark.
  • Katherine argues that what Buffy the show is doing is deconstructing the horror genre.
  • Does Daryll have a soul or a conscience?
  • Mark did consider medical school but gave up on the idea when he realized he would have to have his own cadaver. Katherine never thought about medical school. However, she did dissect a frog in high school that she then kept in a desk drawer to keep her sisters out of it. It worked, too.
  • Shout out to Kris Roth!

Resources:

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  If you can, get an annotated version at the library. I love annotated versions. They explain all sorts of information readers will miss since we are 21st century readers. But you can also read it free here: http://literature.org/authors/shelley-mary/frankenstein/

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Season 2: When She Was Bad

29 May 2016

In this episode:

  • Do Vampires get the summer off?
  • Mark thinks it’s creepy that kids are hanging out in the Library, but Katherine says, some of her best times at Fairfax High School were in the Library! Do any of our listeners have happy high school library stories?
  • Mark admits that Cordelia has gotten more complicated and thus more interesting.
  • What would happen to Willow and Xander (and Sunnydale) if Buffy weren’t there? Would their lives be better? Katherine is winking at Buffy fans.
  • Katherine and Mark disagree about Buffy’s goal (s) in the Bronze.
  • Katherine wonders if fans see a connection between this episode and Roseanne‘s Darlene Depression episodes.
  • Shout out to Jessica Branch and our fan named Legion!

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Season One, Summary

16 May 2016

In this episode:

We summarize the first season and talk it to death.

  • What’s the best episode?
  • What’s the best story arc?
  • What do you want to happen next?
  • Whose death meant the most to you?

Also:

  • Mark objects to the crux of Buffy! He’s a Buffy Crux Objector! Boo!
  • Geez, people do seem to flake on Buffy a lot.
  • Dr says the show is really about friends.

Tune in, turn on, drop into the Hellmouth. Listen to this week’s podcast, and come back next week for Season Two!

 

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