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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:47:08 GMT -5
What else can I say that has not already been so eloquently expressed by others more insightful than me?
Words cannot express how much this show means to me. Words cannot express the absolute joy and heartbreak this show gives me and the debt of gratitude I owe this show for all that is has given to me and to others cannot be measured. “Thank you” seems so inadequate when trying to convey what exactly this show has meant to me and to others. How do you thank someone for changing your life, for opening your eyes to new experiences and people, for showing you that your world is not “black and white.” How do thank someone for sharing seven years with you? How do you thank someone for showing me that I am not the only one who has felt “that way”, that there others out there who have been through similar situations? How do you thank someone who has given you all of themselves and has only asked for our faith in return? How do you thank someone for all of that and more? You can’t…but I am going to try.
To everyone involved with Buffy, from the highest of the high to the lowest of the low…thank you. Thank you for dedicating seven years of your life to this show, to this little world we have affectionately come to know as the Buffyverse, and for putting yourself out there for us, week after week, never knowing that we would be there but trusting that we would be. And we were. Week after week, your joys became our joys, your trials became our trials and our joys became your joys and our trials became your trials.
You have shown me so much, given me so much, allowed me to feel so much….for this I thank you. For showing me that the world is not “black and white” , for forcing me to open my eyes to all that is around me…for this I thank you. I thank you for gifting me with your love and dedication to this show and allowing me to show just a fraction of this love and dedication back to you. Thank you for showing me the beauty of this world and the harsh realities of this world. Thank you for forcing me to grow up and face the inner demons I have inside. Thank you for showing me that this process isn’t that scary, that I can do it. Thank you for showing me that the bonds of friendship, of true friendship, that may become strained and twisted over time, can never truly break.
For all of this, I thank you. For everything that you gave me and continue to give me on a daily basis….I thank you. For all that I haven’t expressed but is in my heart….I thank you. This is in no way an adequate tribute to my favorite show. For that, see the tributes above mine. This is just my feeble attempt at a “thank you” to all of those involved in bringing this wonderful show into my life.
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:47:56 GMT -5
diane-
Becky made a request back on the other site I thought made a lot of sense and that I second-
(Becky said)
//P.S. I am waiting to post my tribute until after tonight so could we wait on sending them off to ME? I'm guessing I'm not the only one who is still working out what they want to say. //
(apologies to Becky H for reposting this- I just wanted to make sure it was seen)
ellie ja
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:48:22 GMT -5
Good points, especially about us all 'having the power'.
I think one of the major reasons for the changes in Giles from stuffy gung-ho THE MISSION IS ALL watcher type to the more sophisticated (mostly) good man he is today is that Buffy got under his skin and became more than a Slayer, a trainee, a weapon to be pointed, to him. She became his surrogate child; and he just couldn't stand the Council taking away her strength and throwing a vampire at her for a test. That was his turning point. After that, we saw him doing things he probably never thought he could or would do,stretching himself - i.e. singing to make money,and (of course one of my favorite references) watching "Passions" with Spike. He also became his own man, rather than the Council's tool. Through it all, the character has been beautifully written and portrayed. Who knew, when watching the TASTERS CHOICE commercials all those years ago, eh?
Gail
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:49:06 GMT -5
It goes without saying that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is probably the best written show ever in the history of television, and I don't say this lightly. Further, the actors portray their roles with such depth that I've truly learned to appreciate the craft (acting, not witchcraft) alot more than ever. However, while the tributes are flying, I'll get personal (perhaps too personal) to show why Buffy has captured me the way it has, and thank Joss for writing something that effects us all so personally.
While I can look to so many moments, from the despair and confusion of The Body to the pain of Buffy crying over the thought of losing Angel in The Prom, there are two moments which will always be special to me. The first is the end of Innocence. The back and fourth between Buffy and Giles was absolutely amazing. I love my father to death, and I think he's done a great job in raising his children. But he's not the easiest person to approach with failure. And now, as a father, neither am I. However, when Buffy told Giles that he must be so disappointed, his response was what I want to be as a father: "Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you that you acted rashly? You did. A-and I can. I know that you loved him. And... he... has proven more than once that he loved you. You couldn't have known what would happen. The coming months a-are gonna, are gonna be hard... I, I suspect on all of us, but... if it's guilt you're looking for, Buffy, I'm, I'm not your man. All you will get from me is, is my support. And my respect." This was an amazing television moment. Far too often, when people are down, its so easy to kick them even further, or to simply scold them. Giles, however, showed to Buffy a love which now, as a parent, I completely understand. I pray that I will be as understanding and as loving with my own children, when the time comes.
The other moment which spoke to me was the end of Amends. Angel: "Look, I'm weak. I've never been anything else. It's not the demon in me that needs killing, Buffy. It's the man." Buffy: "You're weak. Everybody is. Everybody fails. Maybe this evil did bring you back, but if it did, it's because it needs you. And that means that you can hurt it. Angel, you have the power to do real good, to make amends. But if you die now, then all that you ever were was a monster. Angel, please, the sun is coming up!" Angel: "Am I a thing worth saving, huh? Am I a righteous man? The world wants me gone!" Buffy: "What about me? I love you so much... And I tried to make you go away... I killed you and it didn't help And I hate it! I hate that it's so hard... and that you can hurt me so much. I know everything that you did, because you did it to me. Oh, God! I wish that I wished you dead. I don't. I can't." Angel: "Buffy, please. Just this once... let me be strong." Buffy: "Strong is fighting! It's hard, and it's painful, and it's every day. It's what we have to do. And we can do it together. But if you're too much of a coward for that, then burn. If I can't convince you that you belong in this world, then I don't know what can. But do not expect me to watch. And don't expect me to mourn for you, because..." I'm a Catholic who believes that suicide is truly a grave sin. However, I've been there. I've been to that point of despair and self-loathing, and to be honest, I was truly at that point when I watched this episode for the first time. Nothing was helping me, nothing made me see the light, that I had to keep plugging, and forgive myself my sins. And this episode aired on F/X. I truly believe God made it so I would see this on that day. And I cried. Because everything Angel said captured how I felt. And eveyrthing Buffy said was what I need to hear. I recorded the episode the next day, and watched that scene almost daily. It helped me recover. It set me on a path or redemption. It truly saved me.
So, as we come to an end, I, along with everyone else, thank Joss, the cast and writing crew so much for what they've created. I honestly think that this show will eventually be seen as a modern Shakespear: too prolific for its time. I'll miss Buffy, but I thank goodness for the DVD's. This show has truly been amazing!
James Gaskins
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:49:35 GMT -5
In March of 1997, my middle son, who was 14, was diagnosed with cancer. Talk about having to slay a dragon. At the same time a little slip of a girl appeared on TV who had demons of her own to slay. She didn't chose her fate - it was thrust upon her, and she also had to somehow find a way to also live her life. She had a core group of awesome friends - not perfect, but loyal and true.
I guess that's what BTVS has shown me - that you take what fate has served you - and you make the most of it the best way you can - with a lot of help from friends and family. And you learn to stop asking "Why me?" - you grow.
In the end, it is you alone who will have to stand up to all the bad. Whether it be internal or external demons - you stay strong and don't give in to the darkness.
So, as inane as TV can sometimes be, once in a blue moon, something wonderful is offered that helps you makes sense of life and its insanities.
I could go on and on about how the humor and the witty writing kept bringing me back for more - and still does - I'm a rerun junkie from Amends to Beer Bad - it's all good.
Thanks Joss Whedon and Company - I'll be seeing you on tv land and in my dreams forever!
Sandy Shores
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:50:52 GMT -5
I'm quite sure I was one of the ones who said "A blonde girl in heels and a mini beating up monsters? That just sounds dumb" some time ago. But a friend kept telling me to give it a chance, she was sure that I would like it. So I took her advice (it's not often bad) and bought the Season 1 videos (6 out of the 12 eps) and after just a couple I was HOOKED. It started out as a total addiction to the slanguage, humour and pop culture references. But as I watched season 2 it grew into something much more... It grew into girl power... I'm a tiny little thing that looks much younger than my age and up until recently worked in a male dominated environment. This can lead to people overlooking you, not taking you at all seriously and taking advantage of you. I watched Buffy be strong in the face of adversity, saw that she stood up for what she felt and thought and made others hear her. I now take kickboxing and feel strong and confident, and I've learned to make myself heard with a strong voice that people listen to. I learned chicks kick A$$! It grew into self reliance... I watched Buffy and the Scoobies as they learned the painful lessons which led them to believe in themselves. In helpless when Buffy defeated the vampire as a girl without super strength, and in Becoming when she is fighting Angelus and she tells him "I have me". When Xander learns he too can fight and make a difference in The Zeppo, and when Dawn passes the stick to Amanda in Potential. All of these things made me realize that when everything has fallen apart and there's no one else around, that there's me, and I am strong, and I can handle anything, no matter how hard. It grew into a real family... my family and childhood were a mess, and I spent many years crying over the parents that weren't there and the siblings that had left. After Joyce died, they rallied around Dawn and Buffy and helped get them through. After Buffy died, they took care of Dawn. Willow and Xander left their cold and unhappy homes and embraced the Scooby family. I watched the Scoobies turn into a real family and realized that your family is where your heart is. Slowly, I stopped holding back and keeping everyone at a distance so they couldn't hurt me too. I let the walls down and embraced my friends and all the wonderful things they had to offer to my life, and let go of the people that were hurting me but I felt obligated to because of blood ties. Now I have a 'family' that means the world to me, that would do anything for me (and have proven it), and I for them. I love them, I laugh and have fun with them, we fight and we have differences. But they are my 'real' family and they are a part of me - they complete me. And I learned that on Buffy. Family is where the heart is. It grew into friendships... some real and some fictional, but still friendships. Whether it be weekly TV visits with the Scoobies, or lengthily discussions with my friends who watch, or chats and posts on-line... there are GREAT Buffy friendships that have developed and will be truly missed. It grew into an addiction... I spend my lunch chatting and surfing all things Buffy, I talk about it with my few friends who are addicts like me, I read the magazines, book and interviews, and I watch the tapes, DVDs and specials... so much time left empty. I will truly notice the void and miss the Buffyverse. Now, as I sit here trying to make it to 8 o'clock until I let the tears flow, I am saddened most by the friendships that will be ending and by the fact that the weekly reservoir of internal strength will be closed. I know it sounds cheesy or silly, but there have been more than a few times that I have either been down and out or just overloaded and about to crack, and said to myself "What would Buffy do?". I will always have much to look back on and draw from, but no new source to look forward to. So, a special thanks to: Joss for his brilliance, wit and compassion; Sarah for her strength and amazing in-depth portrayal of Buffy; Nick and Allyson for their talent, beauty, and 7 years of bringing two of my best (TV) friends to life; David for 3 years of helping bring a beautiful, hard love to life (and that beautiful face); James, Michelle, Emma, Anthony, Amber and Tom for creating the most lovable and entertaining characters and support group; the writers and staff for getting it to us every week. I will miss you all terribly. Jody S
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:51:36 GMT -5
Reposted from the homepage. * * * * * * * * * * * * * “These are days you’ll remember...” – 10,000 Maniacs We all know a Scooby, or we are one. A Buffy. A Willow. A Xander. A Giles. All unique individuals, each one possessing quirky traits we can see in ourselves. Who hasn’t battled vampires or multiple apocalypses? No hands? Okay, so maybe some of the storylines were beyond our grasp, but that wasn’t the point. Because we felt what each of them was going through, and their pain was our pain. Their happiness was our happiness. In a sense, all of us have become, through the years, the sixth woman off the bench, the 12th man on the sidelines, the extra person who pulled a chair up in the library, making us an honorary member of the Scooby Gang every Tuesday. “...Never before and never since, I promise, will the whole world be warm as this. And as you feel it, you’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky...” Ahh, the Tuesdays. The one constant through the sea of change that encapsulated the lives of each viewer. Those weekly meccas to the WB, then UPN, gave us exactly what we needed: an escape, if only briefly for one hour each week, a reprise from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. With writing so brilliant that kept fans coming back over and over again...and that’s exactly what made this series work: the moments. That’s what I’ll remember most about Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not the story arc from the last act of the fourth season, not the names of Buffy’s various boyfriends, not how many times Xander gave up on himself only to find said self helping save the day. The reason this worked for so long is that the executive producers and writers remembered that life isn’t about the big things, it’s about those tiny, minute details that kept us coming back for more, year after year. The moments. “...It’s true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.” We have witnessed the metamorphosis of the Scooby Gang from a fragmented group of strangers brought together by forces (sometimes, but usually) unknown, to a strong, durable unit capable of anything. Through the years, we’ve witnessed a myriad of battles between the core four and outside forces, both physical and emotional, mystical and metaphorical. Early on we were introduced to each character’s flaws, and witnessed these amazing people make mistakes, sometimes not learn from them, but, most importantly, move on with their lives. Each Scoob took the life experience and built upon it. “...These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break.” Making with the Big Funny happened too numerous a time on this show to list here, but when it was good...it was good. One-liners, especially, that have creeped into our linguistic lexicon and our daily lives. Priceless. “...These days you might feel a shaft of light makes its way across your face. And when you do you’ll know how it was meant to be.” Right when you thought there was no way the Scoobs could make it through the challenge o’ the week or defeat the Big Bad, the group bonded together and made it. As a team. More importantly, as a family. No matter what, that’s the way it was always done. When one sheep went astray, they always ended up at their true north: the core four. Whatever wicked their way passed, they came together with a plan and helped the wary one back onto the path, the mission. Even in the darkest hour, we always knew there was a silver lining somewhere out on the horizon. “...See the signs and know their meaning. It’s true, you’ll know how it was meant to be. Hear the signs and know they’re speaking to you...” Soon we will see the show as we know it end. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be together anymore. Family’s not about distance when you get right down to it, is it? To quote Charlie from Party of Five’s series finale: “We love each other. Doesn’t that mean we got it right?” And I know the Scooby Gang, when they need to most, will come together and get it right, indeed. “...It’s true that you are blessed and lucky.” My dearest Scooby Gang, thanks for the memories. I say not, “Good-Bye.” Rather, I salute your legacy with a heartfelt, “Good Night.” Kara Vichko
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:52:32 GMT -5
To all who post tributes here. I am planning on printing them out and mailing them to Joss.
If for some reason you do NOT want yours copied, please say so. No need to give permission otherwise.
Who knows if he reads "fanmail" but I think we at least need to make the effort to tell him how much the show has meant to us, and I just think paper copy may have a better chance than the posting board.
I probably won't begin copying until about Friday or Sat.
Sue
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:53:10 GMT -5
Besides agreeing with what has been said previously so much better than I could phrase it.I too have to say that the characters & their choices in life affected my own.I have 17 & 12 yo sons who have followed in my footsteps for love of sci-fi,which in the end what distingushes the so-so from the earth shattering is the intimate human(regardles if alien/demon) relationships & all the decisions being made good/vs.evil,accepting God or rejecting(I'm also a christian)made on a daily basis in our everyday life,& it is definitely the small details that can truly change us.I hope I'm making sense.Well,anyway Watching BtVS has allowed a special time in my life to deepen my relationships with my own sons as the issues each week generated many stimulating conversations & explorations.So I thank Joss & company for all their hard work,& of course all the actors,& behind the scenes personnel.I will be looking forward to a new season next year w/ Angel.And hopefully a spinoff(involving Spike).I can hardly wait.
Sincerely,Kathy & (Sam,Aaron)
PS -I love the benefit of meeting others who also are very passionate,& will hope that the Buffyverse will continue on (especially fanfiction.)
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Post by Dalton on Oct 27, 2003 17:55:07 GMT -5
I was about one year older than Buffy Summers when Joss introduced her on the WB seven seasons ago, and I haven't stopped watching since. I originally started watching because I was a SMG fan, and had watched her acting from the time I was a kid. From Swans Lake to All My Children, so I thought what the heck I had seen the movie and I was curious to see how the show would turn out. If there is one thing my family love's to watch is Sci-fi and horror so this program was right up my alley. After the first season ended I was hooked, but like shows of the same type of genre these programs are usually cancelled right off the bat. I must confess I believed the same would happen to Btv. To my surprise it was not.
Whether Joss knew it at that time he had created a show that in the eyes of many will be, and is beoming a classic television program. In the mold of Dark Shadows, the Twilight Zone, Star Trek, you name a classic Sci-fi show and Btv has reached the status of those classics. Despite the lack of awards given to the shows creator, writers, and cast this is a show that brought back the horror/sci-fi genre with a vengeance. Btv with its underlying messages of acceptance, Grrl empowerment, the looking beyond the black and white and noticing the shades of gray, I thank you.
I thank you for taking a young blond teenage girl and turning the sterotypes of women up on its head (I'm not blonde or white but I appreciate what you are trying to accomplish). I thank you for taking a nerdy young red head girl and making her a strong and wise woman. I thank you for showing a young goofy teenage boy who was all ways one of the "girls" and making him a trustworth, decisive man. I thank you for the uptight librarian who would one day become the image of the father millions of people wished they had had (including me). I thank you for the brooding first love who will always be remembered. I thank you for the young werewolf boy who would show a girl just how wonderful and incredible she truly is. I thank you for every character that showed us an aspect of life and growing up which we all encounter. From the girl who was extremely popular and full of herself to learning to forgive those who have done terrible wrongs.
When all is said and done I graduated high school and college, I have come into adulthood in these seven seasons. And yet like Ms. Summers I am only just beginning down my own road to........Who knows, but when I get their I'm sure there will be more surprises and learning awaiting me. Its just to bad and sad that the Scooby Gang will not be with me for the ride.
Joss thank you for gracing us with your talent it is truly appreciated, and you are muched love. Good luck in your endeavors and have a good time raising your child and enjoying your family. Maybe you will comeback and give us (the fans) a Buffy movie.
Ms. Gellar-Prinz, thank you for your time and effort in making Buffy Summers a part of our lives. Good luck to you and your husbad, and be sure to do yourself proud and be happy.
To the whole cast and crew thank you and much love. May your future endeavors be successful and bring you much deserved happiness.
To Scoopme thank you for bringing together a forum of people with intelligence and a love of great storytelling.
I raise a glass and salute all of you!
Cheers!!!
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