(OT) - Buffy (spoilers at least in first post)

[BadMojo]

The plot does not seem to be arcing like the last couple of seasons - but that is okay - it does not need to do so - and there *IS* a recurring villian (the trio of nerds) and the possibility that either Anya or Willow could be the Big Bad this season.

Heya Nemm. I think we may be the only two people who don't hate Season 6!

{Edited: It has been brought to my attention that Angelsboi is also enjoying Season 6. My apologies for the omission. Hiya Angelsboi! }

Actually, I kind of like the fact that there isn't an obvious arc this season. It's really more of a thematic arc now. Considering the fact that Buffy managed to defeat a god (an insane one, even!) last season, I think another season focusing on a Big Bad would be somewhat anticlimactic. The Big Bad for Season 6 seems to be alot more subtle. It's Buffy vs. Life and Buffy is taking a real beating.

I honestly don't know why so many people seem to dislike Season 6 so far. Is it because it "feels" different than the previous seasons? Too depressing? Is it the lack of an obvious Big Bad?

 

[Angelsboi]

ok clairifcation, i like season 6 too ya know!!

 

[Crothian]

I don't dislike it. So far, I don't think it's as good as the other seasons. However, we are still only partially through the season. So, it's like commenting on the movie half way through. Saying it's Buffy verse Life is a very good comparison on what this season is. I agree, another great big baddy would be a little old. I'm glad they are doing something different. I'm just not sure how well they are doing it.

 

[Umbran]

This season is slightly different, yes, in that the plot arc isn't striking you firmly on the forehead with a sledge. But it is there. This season isn't about beating the Big Bad. It's about growing up, and that means the plot is internal to teh characters, rather than external.

If you think about character development, this season was rather necessary. They've spent a lot of time lading the characters down with emotional baggage, and they need ot work through that, on screen.

 

[Darkness]

Since somebody complained about spoilers, I modified the thread's title to reflect that.

 

[Pielorinho]

I'm really liking this season too -- but I lost a lot of respect for Xander when he jilted Anya like that. Having doubts? Well, too bad, bud -- it's a little late for that. It's time to suck up those doubts and go ahead, despite the fear. The fact that he backed out in a way and at a time that caused tremendous pain to Anya, all the while pretending (to himself, even) like he was doing it to spare hurting her, was IMHO cowardly and dishonest.

He's got a lot of redeeming to do, in my eyes.

As for the rest of the stuff going on: I'm having a lot of fun with it. Yeah, Angel's better this season, but Buffy is still damned good.

Daniel

 

[BadMojo]

Well, I still think Xander backing out of the marriage actually had more to do with his family situation than just "not being ready". Xander saw his worst fears in the vision, and was led to believe that they were snapshots of the future. After he learned that the "future" was a hoax, he still came to the conclusion that he *is* capable of everything that happened in the "future".

I'm gonna have to go with Nemmerle on this one. Xander presumably spent 20+ years listening to his parents bicker, and they pain they caused each other could not have been something that he failed to notice.

Willow would know more about this than any other character on the show due to her close relationship with Xander. If she does know what Xander saw in his visions, that would explain why Willow couldn't bring herself to hate Xander for what he had done. Or...I could be totally wrong!

 

[Axiomatic Unicorn]

I honestly don't know why so many people seem to dislike Season 6 so far. Is it because it "feels" different than the previous seasons? Too depressing? Is it the lack of an obvious Big Bad?

While I think I miss Big Bad, to some extent.
Though I would prefer no big bad at all to the Three Nerds replacement.
Obviously you can't take them seriously, but I can't find a group of rapist/murderers to be light-hearted comedy relief either.

It is not that.
And it is not at all the depressing tendency or the "feel".

But I just find myself at the end of each episode thinking that this wasn't one of the better episodes.

Am I enjoying it? Yeah, it's alright.
Does it hold a candle to any of the previous seasons? So far, not close in my opinion.

They may be facing life more than demons, but they are not facing the deep imaginative moral dilemmas they have in the past.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

In Germany we are still in the last season (Buffy`s Mum just died), so I don`t know the exact look of the new season.

But I see that Joss Whedon does many things in a special way (a completely musicless episode about the death of buffy`s mother, as an example, isn`t anything must series or films would ever have. If I was someone giving out the emmies, the episode would get it for the best music. ), and I think so he does in the current season in USA.
I think its funny that, unlike in all other seasons, there is not the big, single opponent, but instead there are those three - at the same time where many people, especially in America seem to get back to believe there is a "axis of evil", a single, ultimate evil thing... Well, I don`t want to exploit this further, its a semi-political (and semi-philosophy) thing and I am not sure that both thing have anything to do with each other, (Only Joss Whedon can tell) and I know that discussions of this type don`t lead to the best results...

At least I am looking forward to the next buffy episodes and seasons.

Mustrum "Who doesn`t fear spoilers" Ridcully

 

[Ashtal]

I'm loving it! (Spoilers for the latest Buffy)

I thought the ep, Xander's saying no, all of it, was really good.

As to Big Bad storyarcs...here's my pet theory:

Who has gotten as much story time as Buffy, even as Willow? ANYA. Now, I love her to pieces, BUT:

We've had a whole season of her struggling with the wedding, complications from her past with Halfrek, now the Demon Wedding where we're left off with D'Hoffryn offering her demonhood again.

BOOM. Big Bad, in as about the nastiest version you could make. It's Anya - the Anya they know, not possessed by evil but hurt and raging and angry. You could even go so far as to say that D'Hoffryn & Halfrek may be in on it (perhaps the ruined wedding was all their fault - if the guy who crashed the wedding has been tortured in a hell for almost a century, how did he get out, parole?). You've had the arc for the Big Bad all along, but no one saw it coming.

Now, I think she will say yes. She may discover later, as it's being speculated, that she just can't hurt Xander, but I could see that as a last minute thing in the Season Finale (she's also quoted as saying that she's made peace with herself, and feels acting isn't her purpose in life, and that she just wants Joss to warn her before they cut her lose so she doesn't buy a new house or plan a huge vacation). The reason I think she would say yes, is that if she was going to say no, it would have been said already. But now, we're going to have the next episode where Buffy's in her little private mental prision, where we may not see one iota of the other characters for the entire ep, and we won't get to see if Anya said yes or not. In fact, I'm betting they aren't going to say anything about the subject. It will be like she's trying to get on with her life post Xander. It will be a slow and well-timed relevation, when the Scoobies are at their weakest and not expecting it. It may not even happen to the last few eps, then WHAMMO. Gotcha.

Just a theory.