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tori_reviewsBuffy the Vampire Slayer: 2x18 – Killed by Death
So here we have an episode that I only remember seeing once before, but I remembered a lot of it…kind of. And this turns out to be one of those bizarre episodes, where I think it does a ton of things wrong, but I think I like it anyway.
I mentioned last time that as good as the writing was, the production looked a bit downgraded, and this has the same problem without the big wham moments to keep focus on the story. I’m not exactly surprised that the show might be pinching a few pennies in the trailing episodes before the finale, but it’s something I’ve noticed.
And the writing here is still solid, just not as wham. And I like it on both those fronts. It gives time to shake up character dynamics and do some quiet, small stuff. And it’s good that this show (at this point; I have my suspicions about the last couple seasons) can do a simple story that has to be carried by the characters while doing the smaller plot.
So with my new idea that there is a kind of sub-subplot (maybe even a sub-sub-subplot) of Giles having to reconcile with himself how he feels about Buffy’s role in Angel killing Jenny, this…kind of works. He’s still her Watcher, he’s still supportive, he’s still concerned, but he’s…troubled. A little more ‘trust but verify’ instead of just being on Buffy’s side. This (admittedly probably unintentional) reading gives an extra layer to the part where Joyce is offering her sympathies. That her pointing out how broken up Buffy is about it, is hitting a nerve he doesn’t want to acknowledge. (Look, I don’t remember IOHEFY any better than this one, but I have an idea how this is going to fit in. I’m not sure if I’ll be right, but it’s an idea.)
The probably more intentional reading that this episode is again showing how much Joyce doesn’t know about Buffy’s life and Giles is reacting to that. That Joyce doesn’t know why Buffy is beating herself up over Jenny’s death and so doesn’t know much of why it’s hit her so hard. There are several points in this episode that bring in how Joyce is on the outside of the Scoobies and it’s making things weird.
And in seeing that come out, I suspect one would have a growing suspicion that Joyce is going to have to be let in on the secret sometime soon, as it’s come up repeatedly in the last couple episodes. If I didn’t know, I doubt I would expect it to go as badly as it does, but it does look to be coming.
The backstory they add for Buffy here is a bit contrived, but I think it works. The story can’t seem to decide how important that backstory is, but it doesn’t detract from the story we’re getting. I will however have to keep some eye on whether it’s ever brought up again. Plus, does Buffy have any other cousins?
I find myself a bit more interested in talking about Xander. The writing is focused on how much Xander is still into Buffy, and I’m not saying he isn’t (he was pretty nearly up front about it a couple eps ago), but I get a slightly different vibe from it. It’s like…the many different ways he feels toward Buffy are…either getting more tightly wound together or starting to separate into component parts that he can clean up. This clearly isn’t a well thought out point and a less well done metaphor, but let’s see if I can clean it up a bit.
(Three tries later…still not sure I can.) About all I’ve talked myself into is that people slot others into certain roles, and it takes quite a bit to rethink a perspective once it’s settled. But I think that’s what’s happening with Xander to some extent; that it happened with Cordy and is starting to with Buffy (Willow is definitely still caught in the long term slot). He hasn’t let go of the fact that he has Buffy filed as the girl he’s in love with, but there have been plenty of other parts of their bond that have been forged since he put her in that spot.
And I think he knows that. He is Buffy’s white knight, but he doesn’t have to be in love with her to want to be her champion (when she can’t be her own). And maybe he’s even starting to realize that he has to let go of the idea that he’s in love with her in order to for them to actually grow closer and maybe someday come back to that question.
(…is that any better explained? Trust me, it’s better than the other versions.)
I would like to point out that for a disease that is supposedly sweeping through Sunnydale to an extreme degree, the Scoobies seem pretty unconcerned about being with Buffy while she’s sick.
I would also like to point out that Giles and Cordelia are a hysterical double act. I don’t recall getting too much of that but this is fun. And Giles and Willow are kind of interesting to watch when no one else is around. But after the struggle I put into my point about Xander, I’m not going to dive in and do it again to explain precisely what I get out of Giles and Willow teaming up…to get the wrong answer.
What am I shipping?
Well, I am softening toward Buffy/Xander, at least long term. They’re on a path that I can see myself shipping down the road if I was so inclined. You know, part of what I think I was trying to say above, is that I tend to prefer ships where love precedes being in love, and if Xander is starting to focus on love rather than being in love, then I’d be on board for them falling in love down the road.
There are also some pretty cute Buffy/Willow moments that remind me why I’d be perfectly fine shipping them too.
And as usual I get a little caught up on the appearances when Giles shows up hovering over Buffy like this. Clearly none of her other teachers are that interested, but Giles keeps coming over like he’s more a friend than a teacher. Also, he got there before Joyce; conflicted he may or may not be, but he is still at and on Buffy’s side.
Watching the Xander/Cordy relationship develop (in a way I’ve never paid that much attention to before and/or forgot about), I do have thoughts about it. Not feelings though, and the fact that I don’t have feelings gives me more thoughts. I should probably try to find words for them, but I seem to be struggling with that.
So here we have an episode that I only remember seeing once before, but I remembered a lot of it…kind of. And this turns out to be one of those bizarre episodes, where I think it does a ton of things wrong, but I think I like it anyway.
I mentioned last time that as good as the writing was, the production looked a bit downgraded, and this has the same problem without the big wham moments to keep focus on the story. I’m not exactly surprised that the show might be pinching a few pennies in the trailing episodes before the finale, but it’s something I’ve noticed.
And the writing here is still solid, just not as wham. And I like it on both those fronts. It gives time to shake up character dynamics and do some quiet, small stuff. And it’s good that this show (at this point; I have my suspicions about the last couple seasons) can do a simple story that has to be carried by the characters while doing the smaller plot.
So with my new idea that there is a kind of sub-subplot (maybe even a sub-sub-subplot) of Giles having to reconcile with himself how he feels about Buffy’s role in Angel killing Jenny, this…kind of works. He’s still her Watcher, he’s still supportive, he’s still concerned, but he’s…troubled. A little more ‘trust but verify’ instead of just being on Buffy’s side. This (admittedly probably unintentional) reading gives an extra layer to the part where Joyce is offering her sympathies. That her pointing out how broken up Buffy is about it, is hitting a nerve he doesn’t want to acknowledge. (Look, I don’t remember IOHEFY any better than this one, but I have an idea how this is going to fit in. I’m not sure if I’ll be right, but it’s an idea.)
The probably more intentional reading that this episode is again showing how much Joyce doesn’t know about Buffy’s life and Giles is reacting to that. That Joyce doesn’t know why Buffy is beating herself up over Jenny’s death and so doesn’t know much of why it’s hit her so hard. There are several points in this episode that bring in how Joyce is on the outside of the Scoobies and it’s making things weird.
And in seeing that come out, I suspect one would have a growing suspicion that Joyce is going to have to be let in on the secret sometime soon, as it’s come up repeatedly in the last couple episodes. If I didn’t know, I doubt I would expect it to go as badly as it does, but it does look to be coming.
The backstory they add for Buffy here is a bit contrived, but I think it works. The story can’t seem to decide how important that backstory is, but it doesn’t detract from the story we’re getting. I will however have to keep some eye on whether it’s ever brought up again. Plus, does Buffy have any other cousins?
I find myself a bit more interested in talking about Xander. The writing is focused on how much Xander is still into Buffy, and I’m not saying he isn’t (he was pretty nearly up front about it a couple eps ago), but I get a slightly different vibe from it. It’s like…the many different ways he feels toward Buffy are…either getting more tightly wound together or starting to separate into component parts that he can clean up. This clearly isn’t a well thought out point and a less well done metaphor, but let’s see if I can clean it up a bit.
(Three tries later…still not sure I can.) About all I’ve talked myself into is that people slot others into certain roles, and it takes quite a bit to rethink a perspective once it’s settled. But I think that’s what’s happening with Xander to some extent; that it happened with Cordy and is starting to with Buffy (Willow is definitely still caught in the long term slot). He hasn’t let go of the fact that he has Buffy filed as the girl he’s in love with, but there have been plenty of other parts of their bond that have been forged since he put her in that spot.
And I think he knows that. He is Buffy’s white knight, but he doesn’t have to be in love with her to want to be her champion (when she can’t be her own). And maybe he’s even starting to realize that he has to let go of the idea that he’s in love with her in order to for them to actually grow closer and maybe someday come back to that question.
(…is that any better explained? Trust me, it’s better than the other versions.)
I would like to point out that for a disease that is supposedly sweeping through Sunnydale to an extreme degree, the Scoobies seem pretty unconcerned about being with Buffy while she’s sick.
I would also like to point out that Giles and Cordelia are a hysterical double act. I don’t recall getting too much of that but this is fun. And Giles and Willow are kind of interesting to watch when no one else is around. But after the struggle I put into my point about Xander, I’m not going to dive in and do it again to explain precisely what I get out of Giles and Willow teaming up…to get the wrong answer.
What am I shipping?
Well, I am softening toward Buffy/Xander, at least long term. They’re on a path that I can see myself shipping down the road if I was so inclined. You know, part of what I think I was trying to say above, is that I tend to prefer ships where love precedes being in love, and if Xander is starting to focus on love rather than being in love, then I’d be on board for them falling in love down the road.
There are also some pretty cute Buffy/Willow moments that remind me why I’d be perfectly fine shipping them too.
And as usual I get a little caught up on the appearances when Giles shows up hovering over Buffy like this. Clearly none of her other teachers are that interested, but Giles keeps coming over like he’s more a friend than a teacher. Also, he got there before Joyce; conflicted he may or may not be, but he is still at and on Buffy’s side.
Watching the Xander/Cordy relationship develop (in a way I’ve never paid that much attention to before and/or forgot about), I do have thoughts about it. Not feelings though, and the fact that I don’t have feelings gives me more thoughts. I should probably try to find words for them, but I seem to be struggling with that.
