What Kind of a Name Is Buffy, Anyway?

Guys, let's talk about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

The blogosphere did a watch-along last year that I wasn't aware of till the tail end.  But it occurred to me while looking for a show to watch that I had only watched the last few seasons of the show when it was on the air, and I didn't remember much.  And since then, I've become a good, loyal Joss Whedon fan.

So early this year, I started watching Buffy.  And I very, very quickly became addicted.  Like, I'm not kidding, it might not have been healthy.  I spent a sick day (for the record: I was legitimately sick) doing nothing but watch the show--7 episodes before day care let out.  I kept getting distracted in real life by the question of the moral volition of vampires and the nature of the soul.  I got almost painfully frustrated with the notion that anyone could prefer boring, broody Angel over witty, twitchy Spike.  I couldn't figure out why Joss Whedon is so convinced that Buffy having sex was such a Bad Bad Thing.

I cannot even begin to tell you all my thoughts about Buffy.  If anyone would like to tear the canon apart with me over a drink some night, I will discuss this in gory detail.  I will buy the drinks.  I have things to say about the scene where Giles kills Ben, about the scene where the potentials vote Buffy off the island, about the difference between catty Willow and Dark Willow.  About what it means to be Xander in general.  EVERYTHING.

So there's no chance that I'm going to be wrapping all this up in one post.  This is the post where we go over the syllabus.  I guess we've had a few of those already, but I'm feeling my way around this subject.

Lately, I've been re-rewatching some of Season 6, where Buffy's back from the dead.  It's not the most fun season (though it is the sexiest), but it really hit me hard when I watched it earlier this year.  Her feelings during that season--being disassociated from her life, distant from her emotions, alone among loved ones, overwhelmed by the day-to-day problems of life--this is something that really hit home with me.  At certain points in my life, I've been right where she was, and that blank, hunched feeling is very familiar.

Also, for the record, I ordered volume 3 of Angel & Faith today.  I don't want to own it--I really dislike Angel--but I want desperately to read it--because the story seems to share my feelings about Angel, which is that his brooding is not normal or healthy, even for the guilty undead.  So I'm going to buy it, read it, and then donate it to the library, where I hope it will go on to live a long and happy life spreading the joy to other fans out there.

I really should watch Angel.  I've heard really good things.  The first season is pretty lame, though, and what with disliking the main character, I've never really put my heart into it.  I know it gets better, though--I can tell just from the little I know about the other characters who show up in later seasons.  And knowing it's still out there waiting for me is soothing.

Buffy rundown, check.  Season 8 review is up next.  After I tell you about all the other books I've been reading!