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Post by William the Bloody on Aug 18, 2003 3:19:53 GMT -5
Teleplay by David Greenwalt Story by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt Directed by John T. Kretchmer Air date: 9/29/97
Buffy's mother gets trapped inside Sunnydale High School when a vampire name Spike arrives in town and launches an attack against the Slayer.
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Post by Lola m on Sept 29, 2004 22:19:27 GMT -5
What to say that hasn't been said before. Hmmm. OK, no insightful deep analysis - Spring has Spike that covered.
And what to say that deserves to be said repeatedly? Like, OMG that wonderful wonderful shot when Spike turns his head to greet Drusilla and morphs out of game face for the first time and we all go . . . .holy hell that's one flippersmackin' beautiful man! Or in the fight in the school with Buffy when he . . . . leaps so gracefully and we see it's really JM, not a stunt double. Or the bed scene with Dru where . . . .
Ahem. OK, random thought bubbles here:
* Please excuse my shippy little heart from going all *sigh, swoon* over the fact that Xander is the one who "announces" Spike's arrival. ;D
* Please excuse all my other shippy little sighs over every single scene with Spike and Dru. ;D
* Where did Spike read about the Annoying One? ("I've read about you.") In the Master's book long long ago? From something that Angelus or Darla or Drusilla had? In the vampire gossip tabloids?
* Love how Dru makes even the other vamps go . . . WTF?!? (Every time she's on screen, I empathize with any fanfic writer trying to get her voice right. Because it needs not only the right kind of looniness, but, frankly, it also needs JL's voice doing it to really feel right.)
* For short-attention span, "oops, I got bored", supposedly couldn't plan his way out of a bucket guy, Spike is actually pretty . . . . effective here. I forget that. Good tactics to send the guy who challenged him in as the bait for Buffy - got him dusted and out of Spike's way. Also, telling her about plans for Saturday and then arriving early is not a bad ambush. Then, good work at the school too. Isolate her as much as possible, guard the exits, wait until most folk are gone (so they don't distract you or the minions from the primary target) but not so long that Buffy has left, don't get so distracted by Angel that you lose your purpose, cut the power and phone lines. Huh. And he almost wins. Gotta remember that in goofy sidekick days to come.
* I always thought Angel's description wasn't really very accurate about Spike. Thought is was more Angelus-y really. Yet, when I think about it, the first part really is true for Spike. "Once he starts something, he doesn't stop . . . ". 'Cuz our boy is persistent. A survivor. Obsessive (certainly about his loves) and tenacious.
* Buffy makes Giles responsible for her mom's safety. Like she'll later ask of Spike.
* The early vamps dusted kinda pretty and sparkly, didn't they? Like confetti.
OK. That last one proves the brain is circling the drain here. Think I better head off to bed. Perhaps more thoughts later.
Lola
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Post by Linda on Oct 8, 2004 7:27:24 GMT -5
What to say that hasn't been said before. Hmmm. OK, no insightful deep analysis - Spring has Spike that covered. And what to say that deserves to be said repeatedly? Like, OMG that wonderful wonderful shot when Spike turns his head to greet Drusilla and morphs out of game face for the first time and we all go . . . .holy hell that's one flippersmackin' beautiful man! Or in the fight in the school with Buffy when he . . . . leaps so gracefully and we see it's really JM, not a stunt double. Or the bed scene with Dru where . . . . Ahem. OK, random thought bubbles here: * Please excuse my shippy little heart from going all *sigh, swoon* over the fact that Xander is the one who "announces" Spike's arrival. ;D * Please excuse all my other shippy little sighs over every single scene with Spike and Dru. ;D Hi Lola! Thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping up the BtVS postings in the Ep Elaboration thread! I have to admit that between my computer problems and my obsessive viewings of Firefly & my being so far behind in commenting on Erin's and Spring's **wonderful** analyses, that I have let BtVS episode posting slide. I keep intending to post, but my brain seems to fizzle much earlier these days when I'm not obsessing. Still, I couldn't resist commenting on the first appearance of our Spike. Eeetah with all of your comments, except that my shippy little sighs are for the Spike / Buffy connection. Not exactly love at first sight, but respect -- which is extraordinary in its own way for the both of them. From the very beginning, Buffy treats him differently from other vampire opponents. Spike, well, he's fascinated (and lusting, of course). Which begins to turn into obsession when he fails to kill her in the end. Y'know, from the perspective of AtS Season 5, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some tabloid being published, catering to all those pop-culture-obsessed vampires out there. I can even imagine a regular column dedicated to the Happenings on the Hellmouth ... ;D Eetah & excellent points. Actually, considering that the last time Angel travels with Spike (submarine interlude, notwithstanding), Spike goes and kills himself a Slayer. So, Angel would want to be as alarming as he possibly could be. Still, he withholds an awful lot of information here. Bad, bad, bad -- but understandable. *Neat* point. Considering season 5 Giles' increasing inability to help Buffy in her Slayer training, I guess it is a deliberate sign that Spike has truly taken over the role that Giles used to inhabit when Buffy asks him to watch over Joyce and Dawn in Checkpoint. Linda, eetah about the vamp dust, too. ;D
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Post by Linda on Oct 8, 2004 7:37:40 GMT -5
Hi all!
When I first saw this episode, I thought that the big showdown was kind of a letdown. I mean, the acting and the snark were wonderful. But the action didn't flow and the stunt doubles were kind of obvious. But the thing that bugged me the most was how lame Spike seemed when Joyce knocked him down. I mean, a legendary fighter, etc. etc. Why didn't he just jump back up and knock her out of the way?
*However* in retrospect, we can speculate that perhaps Joyce, as an attacker, was too close to his own as-yet-unresolved Mum-killing issues. Retcon extraordinaire.
Yes, yes, I know that Spike was just a throwaway villain at the time. But it's *neat* to look back over his seven years and see how much of his character remained consistent. His fascination with Buffy (and with any female who can kick his ass). His respect for Joyce -- in deed (by choosing not to fight her) if not in thought for this episode. His seeking out of fights he can't be sure that he'll win. His ability to love and to put his loved-one's needs above his own, soulless or not. His obsessiveness. His persistence. His impatience. His vanity. His need to define himself by his woman ("Who do you want me to be?" -- which, as Spring pointed out in her Spikecentricity analysis, works as both a character trait and a seduction technique.) His connection to the world - Woodstock, Yoda, TV. His hidden intelligence. His remarkable insight into others. His scathing sense of humor.
Just about the only things we don't get of Spike during this, his first episode, is the loveable fool and inner poet sides of him.
All told, Spike wasn't onscreen for much more than two hours over the course of the *entire* season. Really. (And how would I know? I mean, I wouldn't, unless I consolidated all of the Spike scenes for the whole season onto one tape -- but that would be, you know, obsessive or insane or something, so forget I said anything… Ahem.) Oh, but he steals the screen for every second of those two hours.
Season 2 Spike is funny and fascinating and cool and sexy as all hell, but he *is* a throwaway bad guy until Angelus hits the stage. See, at that point, Spike's vulnerability hits the stage, too. His jealousy, his pain, his rage, his helplessness, his love for Dru being twisted in his gut like a knife wielded by his ever-so-creatively torturing Sire (grand-sire, if you wanna get technical about it.)
And it all begins here, with the contemptuous, deliberate destruction of a "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign. Which, in consideration of Spike's eventual importance to BtVS, could be taken as a reversed, twisted mirror of Buffy's Welcome to the Hellmouth only fourteen episodes ago.
As JM proved, serendipity can sometimes replace careful planning in the most delightful ways…
Linda, mmmm Spike pretty …
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Post by Lola m on Oct 8, 2004 22:09:17 GMT -5
Hi Lola! Thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping up the BtVS postings in the Ep Elaboration thread! I have to admit that between my computer problems and my obsessive viewings of Firefly & my being so far behind in commenting on Erin's and Spring's **wonderful** analyses, that I have let BtVS episode posting slide. I keep intending to post, but my brain seems to fizzle much earlier these days when I'm not obsessing. You're welcome! But I will confess to slipping sometimes. Keeping up is definitely a bit of work, especially with all the new current good shows that are on now too! I am woefully behind in re-watching the Spikecentricity eps to comment on Spring's wonderful writing. Man! Why weren't we doing this last year when I was watching virtually nothing but Angel and SG1? ;D Oh, right there with you on the S/B love too. It's definitely my "canon" ship or OTP. You hit the nail right on the head with the word "respect". From the first moment, we learn that Spike sees Buffy as a very worthy opponent - he really does respect her in that way. Definitely makes him stand out from other vamps and demons who are always underestimating her. LOL! This would have been such a perfect touch to throw into an episode - like the "Demons, Demons, Demons" website. Maybe show Merle or some other recurring demon on AtS reading a gossip mag as a quick sight gag. **blush** Thanks! I am really enjoying your thoughts on the AtS season 5 arc, as well as your episode comments. They always make me think or see something new. Good point! I hadn't really put it into context with the large gaps in their relationship. How and where Angel would have seen him last. Keep the thoughts coming! Lola
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Post by jeff on Apr 17, 2007 17:02:54 GMT -5
Ok , since spring has so covered Spike in more ways than I want to imagine I am not going into a deep detail about what I think or feel about most Spike episodes. If I repeat things that she said it is purely coincidental, as it has been at least 6 months since I read her Spikecentricity posts. With that being said..... Spike coming back to sunnydale and saying "Home sweet home." It sounded like he was returning to sunnydale. I do not recall him saying when he was there before. Does anyone know or remember him saying the last time he was in Sunnydale?
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Post by jeff on Apr 17, 2007 17:09:11 GMT -5
Drusilla is not my favorite character in the verse, but I loved her entrance into the warehouse and her interaction with Spike. The way they go from Lovey Dovey to Business talk, back to all Lovey Dovey is just great.
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Post by jeff on Apr 17, 2007 17:28:45 GMT -5
I loved the scene with all the gang in the library, all with large knives and crossbows making weapons, and buffy with very large knife cutting a cucumber. Just a really fun scene that stood out to me in this episode.
Cordy is making the transition into a member of the gang fairly well at this point. She is still Cordy, just Cordy hanging out with the "Losers" that she so hated last year.
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Post by jeff on Apr 17, 2007 17:44:56 GMT -5
Loved the pairings in the final fight scenes. Buffy and Spike at this time niether one likes each other. Angel and Xander fighting side by side. Even though niether one likes each other. And Cordy and Willow hiding in a closet together, even though niether one likes each other.
I am sure there is something deep meaning there, but I really just thought it was interesting.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Apr 22, 2007 16:56:48 GMT -5
Ok , since spring has so covered Spike in more ways than I want to imagine I am not going into a deep detail about what I think or feel about most Spike episodes. If I repeat things that she said it is purely coincidental, as it has been at least 6 months since I read her Spikecentricity posts. With that being said..... Spike coming back to sunnydale and saying "Home sweet home." It sounded like he was returning to sunnydale. I do not recall him saying when he was there before. Does anyone know or remember him saying the last time he was in Sunnydale? There's no evidence on the show that he had ever been to Sunnydale before. In School Hard, he talked about how he and Dru were "moving in." So he intended to make it his home.
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Post by Lola m on Apr 27, 2007 12:29:04 GMT -5
I loved the scene with all the gang in the library, all with large knives and crossbows making weapons, and buffy with very large knife cutting a cucumber. Just a really fun scene that stood out to me in this episode. Cordy is making the transition into a member of the gang fairly well at this point. She is still Cordy, just Cordy hanging out with the "Losers" that she so hated last year. I always love how Cordy is just so . . . . Cordy. Even when she's part of the group, even as we learn more about her, see more layers (she's smarter than we thought, she cares more than we thought, she has her own insecurities too, etc.) she still stays Cordy. She's not gonna be just another scooby or suddenly become Little Miss Sweetness and Light. Like in Earshot where Buffy reads minds and what Cordy is thinking and what she says are just the same. ;D
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Post by jeff on Apr 27, 2007 13:28:17 GMT -5
I loved the scene with all the gang in the library, all with large knives and crossbows making weapons, and buffy with very large knife cutting a cucumber. Just a really fun scene that stood out to me in this episode. Cordy is making the transition into a member of the gang fairly well at this point. She is still Cordy, just Cordy hanging out with the "Losers" that she so hated last year. I always love how Cordy is just so . . . . Cordy. Even when she's part of the group, even as we learn more about her, see more layers (she's smarter than we thought, she cares more than we thought, she has her own insecurities too, etc.) she still stays Cordy. She's not gonna be just another scooby or suddenly become Little Miss Sweetness and Light. Like in Earshot where Buffy reads minds and what Cordy is thinking and what she says are just the same. ;D I always loved that scene. She is just Cordy. What she thinks she says. I believe she also says as much in an Angel episode. something along the lines of "you know me. I think it, I say it." It is one of the reasons I love her character. No hold's barred, no hidden agenda's , she tells you what she thinks no matter what.
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Post by SpringSummers on Apr 27, 2007 22:25:31 GMT -5
Ok , since spring has so covered Spike in more ways than I want to imagine I am not going into a deep detail about what I think or feel about most Spike episodes. If I repeat things that she said it is purely coincidental, as it has been at least 6 months since I read her Spikecentricity posts. With that being said..... Spike coming back to sunnydale and saying "Home sweet home." It sounded like he was returning to sunnydale. I do not recall him saying when he was there before. Does anyone know or remember him saying the last time he was in Sunnydale? Covered Spike in more ways than you want to imagine? Well - I'm sure I have enough imagination for the both of us. "Home sweet home" could be legitmately read as implying Spike had been to Sunnydale before - though I always saw it as referring to the Hellmouth - Spike, being a vampire, thinks of the Hellmouth as "home." So, to me, it is impossible to tell from this statement whether he's been to Sunnydale before. I can imagine him saying this, even if he'd never been to Sunnydale, due to the fact that it is home to the Hellmouth.
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Post by jeff on Apr 28, 2007 12:28:10 GMT -5
Ok , since spring has so covered Spike in more ways than I want to imagine I am not going into a deep detail about what I think or feel about most Spike episodes. If I repeat things that she said it is purely coincidental, as it has been at least 6 months since I read her Spikecentricity posts. With that being said..... Spike coming back to sunnydale and saying "Home sweet home." It sounded like he was returning to sunnydale. I do not recall him saying when he was there before. Does anyone know or remember him saying the last time he was in Sunnydale? Covered Spike in more ways than you want to imagine? Well - I'm sure I have enough imagination for the both of us. "Home sweet home" could be legitmately read as implying Spike had been to Sunnydale before - though I always saw it as referring to the Hellmouth - Spike, being a vampire, thinks of the Hellmouth as "home." So, to me, it is impossible to tell from this statement whether he's been to Sunnydale before. I can imagine him saying this, even if he'd never been to Sunnydale, due to the fact that it is home to the Hellmouth. I could see that as well, so if he went to Cleveland he would also be saying "home sweet home." Pretty much at that time wherever evil was out in force such as in Sunnydale, Spike would call that home. Thanks Spring!
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Post by leftylady on Apr 30, 2007 17:33:47 GMT -5
Covered Spike in more ways than you want to imagine? Well - I'm sure I have enough imagination for the both of us. "Home sweet home" could be legitmately read as implying Spike had been to Sunnydale before - though I always saw it as referring to the Hellmouth - Spike, being a vampire, thinks of the Hellmouth as "home." So, to me, it is impossible to tell from this statement whether he's been to Sunnydale before. I can imagine him saying this, even if he'd never been to Sunnydale, due to the fact that it is home to the Hellmouth. I could see that as well, so if he went to Cleveland he would also be saying "home sweet home." Pretty much at that time wherever evil was out in force such as in Sunnydale, Spike would call that home. Thanks Spring! Good, send him to Cleveland. I'll give him my address! leftylady
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