Hey, I just read that Daniel Erenberg/Stacey Kupersmith point counterpoint article on Slayage.com and the latest comments it generated. There is a comment posted today from a woman named Mary that prompted me to send her an Email inviting her to check us out. Please make her welcome if she shows. Here is her comment and also, what has become my fairly standard invitiation:
Where to start? first, this is REALLY LONG>>>>
so - WARNING ON LENGTH
1. don't feel badly about the rip-off by the Wheedon-esque website. Look at it this way: they are ripping off one hell of a writer and a profoundly committed fan....And if I ever visited that site, I'd be happy to see your name, cause I know you do good work.
2. Season 7 had one of the (for me) scariest episodes ever: CWDP. LMPTM - excellent. Beneath You - almost like one of the early episodes: funny, scary, cheesy, profound... and what a showcase for JM's acting talent. Touched - one of the loveliest "I love you" speeches ever. Lessons: took me right back to welcome to the hellmouth. Storyteller: no words, just a great, big, smile, and hugs for Tom Lenk.
Where are the Emmys when they're needed (not by us, but by those who've never seen the show)
3. It also had some of the lamest episodes ever: all the speechifying, little of the original humor that had attracted me to the series, nothing for the Scubies to do except cook and shop for an ever-increasing number of faceless, anonymous, and complaining SITs, and Caleb? Sorry, that was one sad excuse to bring in a favored actor....I still don't see the connection between the FE and Caleb...Yes, I _know_ the connection intellectually; but: where was the GUT connection?
the FE wanted to merge with CALEB? Gimme a break....a big one, please.
4. The heroine's growing up tale that took 7 years to tell required some better resolution to her relationship with the hero that was also "traveling" to adulthood - and redemption - than a pat on the cheek, a nod to his risk in wearing E. Taylor's necklace, cuddles in the cellar, and I Love You as he is about to die... Dysfunctional relationship or not: these two characters began to dance in the second season - and they danced for 6 years. He died her chosen champion, but our heroine surely felt something more than, "he's in my heart". And now, the writers and creative team tell us it's Angel she really loves? Shades of Scarlet and Ashley.... And I hated THAT book!
5. What I just wrote about Spike and Buffy - could also be said about the journey Willow and Xander have travelled. Only problem? Xander never really changed much; he's a constant --- and I think we all wanted that - that he stay constant and loyal, and also somewhat dense to his own romantic situation - yet always a tad jealous of Buffy's romantic partners. The crossoever Willow did to Angel showed how very differently the Angel writers saw her character vs. the Buffy writers. Hail, Hail the Angel writers for that! They saw WR as a powerful, adult - no fear, no hesitation. Wish BtVS writers had seen the same thing. Oh - and the Willow on Angel would've NEVER hung with Kennedy; she'd have seen the spoiled brat in an instant, and moved on for a _real_ woman/man/whatever she wanted.....doesn't matter.
6. Okay, here's a really sore point: Season 5 and early into Season 6: Dawn & Spike. great chemistry; great relationship. Buffy and Spike have sex; Dawn and Spike get dumped. Is this to mean that Spike only interacted with Dawn to get into Buffy's pants? IF so, it worked. However, the audience lost a great pairing. Spike brought out Dawn's courage - and her hidden strengths...
Spike taught Dawn some wonderful lessons that are metaphors on how we treat people of other races and cultures....how we treat people that are "different", even hated by others.....And caring for Dawn helped Spike's interest in another path --- the road to redemption. I never thought it was just Buffy and the Chip. I thought "the salsa" (Dawn) helped, too.
7. Tom Lenk Rules! Quieter chemistry than JM's, he is nevertheless a gem, and contributed to one of the best episodes of this or any season - Storyteller.
8. Despite all the above bitching, BtVS is still one of the best television series I have ever watched, and in 58 years, I've watched many. I will continue to watch the re-runs, to enjoy the jokes, to be re-scared....even though I know the writing team flubbed the last year. Why? cause, they have given me so much pleasure, I can forgive the last six months' screw-ups. I only hope they don't drop the ball on Angel --- and will come up with some clever spin-off to continue the tale....
thank you for printing and reading my rant. I know War and Peace was shorter......
mkd
Posted by: Mary on July 7, 2003 02:26 AM
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Hi Mary,
I Just wanted to tell you that I really appreciated your's and Stacy Kupersmith's comments about S7 and agreed with every word. After reading your comments I would like to invite you to visit a wonderful group that values thoughtful, insightful discussion about our favorite show who meet online as the Soulful Spike Society:
www.soulfulspike.com We originally began as a small number of Buffy fans whose focus on Spike as our favorite character generated Spikecentric postings and discussions not always welcome on the ScoopMe Episode Board where we had been posting. Our founder, Alexandra, was inspired to start a separate thread on their Misc. Board which she originally called "All Things Spike/JM" as a Spike friendly forum where people could explore and discuss our favorite character and the gifted actor who portrays him free from hostility and ridicule. However, as a group we have always been open to all Buffy/non Buffy topics and points of view provided that courtesy and mutual respect for the opinions of others are observed (and NO SPOILERS are posted except on the designated thread).
This group has many talented members (I exclude myself) whose contributions, including but not limited to essays, debates, fanfiction, episode analyses, and poetry inspired a companion website and a name change for our group to The Soulful Spike Society, a.k.a. SSS, S3, or most commonly known as the S'cubies.
Due to the disbanding of the ScoopMe website we now have a message board on our website. The friendly environment and thoughtful, intelligent, insightful and occasionally frivolous discussions have attracted a steadily growing membership of varying character allegiances (although most of us are still Spikeaholiks). Our diverse membership ranges in age from late teens to early 60s.
Just in case you were wondering it is not our practice to officially solicit new members. But we are always pleased to alert those to our presence who seem as if they may enjoy and contribute to our cordial atmosphere and stimulating discussions.
I realize that there are a multitude of Buffy sites and posting boards on the web and you may already belong to one where you feel perfectly at home. But if not, or even if you do but still have the time and inclination please drop by and check out our site and posting board. I think you might find our group to your liking.
deborah cohen