Mostly Filler

I know a beast who knows a guy

2009-04-15T16:04:00.008-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 40
3:6 Band Candy

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suburban mom plus
librarian watcher make
the sixties appear

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Funniest Moment:

Hee hee! Willow is so cute in the driving scene. Reminds me of how my sister is always saying, "We are gonna die!" when I drive.

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Favorite Character: Giles
Or Ripper, I suppose. This episode gives us the character we've been longing for ever since the Eyghon episode. If anyone managed to not be in love with Giles up until this point, there's no hope after it.

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Best Dressed: Cordelia

This isn't the best screencap, but this is a typical adorable Cordy outfit. Plaid skirt, love it!

Worst Dressed: Joyce

I guess it's not so so bad, but I just want Joyce to be hipper than this. She is an art gallery chick, after all.

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Musings:

Studying for the SATs in a cemetery pretty much tells the story of the whole series - slayering superimposed over life. Great scene.
Angel - I try so hard to care about him, and I just can't. Meh. I do, however, LOVE the music behind Angel's little exercise montage.
Principal Snyder and the Mayor are both such brilliant characters, and both are played flawlessly. Love love love.
Joyce and Giles both have fabulous hair.
I bet this episode was way fun to make for the actors.
The mailman sitting in the playground reading people's mail is so hilarious. Makes me laugh every time. I have no love for the USPS, so mailmen behaving badly is fun for me.
One of my favorite lines of Buffy speak is in this episode. I use it all the time. "...somewhere that's else."
I always wish we could have had Giles/Joyce for real. They would have been a great couple.
This is one of my favorite episodes. It's just so much fun. And so many fabulous quotations: What? I can't have layers? Those tall, fuzzy hats ain't cheap. But they go with everything. I think that is my doctor. He's usually less topless. Summers, you drive like a spaz!

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Band Candy icons and wallpaper

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Band Candy Drabble

"So, why do they call you Ripper?" Joyce asked afterwards.

The part of Giles’ brain that had up until just recently been trying to take back control had disappeared. Not exactly like losing a soul, but…

The words "I was an adventurous lad in my youth, you see, and my chosen comrades were not such that my responsible side often won out" did not form like they should have, and did definitely not make it to the outside air.

Nope. Instead, our Rupert just grinned a devilish grin, leaned back, and struck a match on the sole of his shoe.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Slayerfest 1998

2009-03-17T14:52:00.013-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 39
3:5 Homecoming

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red and green dresses
really bad breakup outfit
the clothes distract me

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Funniest Moment:

Faith gets a little revenge for Buffy. Gotta love it.
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Favorite Character: Xander
He's just so sweet and adorable.
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Best Dressed: Willow

The black dress will always win in my book.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

So, so hideous. All that pink. And the shoes. And the honkin' big purse. Make it stop.

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Musings:

Oz is so adorable. The whole opening scene is lovely.
I can't really care about Buffy/Scott. I guess we're not supposed to.
I still miss Jenny.
Some awesome lines in this one -- Just because you were guacamole queen when you were three... You've awakened the prom queen within. There'll be no more fluking! She's a slayer; I'm a homecoming queen.
I love that we finally get Willow/Xander, even though it's short-lived.
Xander is seriously sexy this season -- really not ever before or after, IMO.
This is the best episode for outfits. So many fabulous ones!
What was homecoming like at your school? I don't even remember back that far.
I absolutely love that Giles assumes Buffy will win. Sweet, precious Giles.
Trick is a fun, creepy character. Best Trick quote: That all got old long before I became a vampire.
I'm glad neither Cordy nor Buffy won homecoming queen.
The Mayor is waaaaay creepy.

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Homecoming icons

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Homecoming drabble

Faith was thinking she might just fit in here. So what if they were all actually enrolled in high school, taking classes, getting ready to graduate, dating, having fun? So what if all they had to worry about was what to wear to homecoming and getting their smiling yearbook pictures taken? So what if Buffy’s friends were, well, Buffy’s friends? Whatever. It’s not like she needed a posse. And the watcher seemed decent, like he could take care of both of them. Not that she needed taking care of. Faith would do just fine here. She was five by five.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Actually, I think he makes his own drums.

2009-02-17T16:16:00.009-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 38
3:4 Beauty and the Beasts

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oz angel pete faith
jekylls and hydes back and forth
who's beauty who's beast

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Funniest Moment:

I may be a cold-blooded jelly doughnut, but...

Oz just has such perfect deadpan humor. I love his character.

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Favorite Character: Willow

I love the way she's growing into herself. She's so suave about having a boyfriend now - a werewolf, no less. But she goes from suave to insecure in an instant. She's just so believable at the full range of emotions.

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Best Dressed: Xander

It's the hotness factor. Has Cordy started dressing him?

Worst Dressed: Buffy

Nope.
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Musings:

It's funny how Xander is still jealous of Willow and Oz. He's always going to want Willow and Buffy to be his no matter what.
Funny how Willow talks about Oz so casually - "...then he's a real wolfer..." like it's just no big.
What's with the weird smoking counselor??
Willow's Scooby lunchbox (at the morgue) is so adorable.
Steroids bad - check. Don't let your boyfriend beat you up - check. Smoking super bad - check. Yeah, this one's a little preachy.

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Beauty and the Beasts wallpaper

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Beauty and the Beasts drabble

It started with a trip, just for fun, to that weird little magic store place in town. They went in as a joke, to maybe find a hex and play a trick on Scott. Or get some rat eyes and jars of oogety boogety to mix in the old chemistry set beakers. They didn’t expect anything there to be real.

But then Pete started reading some of the so-called spell books and mixing up potions. He became obsessed, but the change happened so slowly, as changes sometimes do, that his friends didn’t notice anything wrong until it was too late.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Raise your hand if ew

2008-12-28T01:52:00.006-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 37

3:3 Faith, Hope and Trick

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another slayer

hmmm a new boyfriend perchance

oh right, Angel's back

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Funniest Moment:

It's not the funniest of all funny Buffy moments, but it is awfully cute. Willow is just fun.

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Favorite Character: Buffy

Yes, I'm still caring about the slayer herself. Don't worry, it won't last. She's just so vulnerable, trying to get her life back together, and nothing is easy. Everyone is coupled, she doesn't know what to do about dating, things with mom and Giles are still not quite right because of the whole disappearing for a summer deal, and another slayer shows up to remind her of hers and Kendra's deaths.

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Best Dressed: Faith

Great outfit for the Faith debut. Sort of urban and tough.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

I don't really feel this needs an explanation. Also - the hair.

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Musings:

Why does Faith, from Boston, have a Minnesota accent?
There's some sort of rainbow something in the cupboard behind Joyce when she says the phrase "slayer pride parade."
Buster Keaton, who knew?
Why is Giles always so out of the watcher loop? I just don't get it. I would think they'd keep very close tabs on him. How come he never knows about big stuff like the fact that there's another slayer?!
The dream sequence is, as always, really fabulous.
I kind of like Scott Hope, but he doesn't stand a chance, does he?
It's interesting how Trick never really became a beloved character like Spike. They started off the same - bad guy vampire coming to Sunnydale to cause trouble.

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Faith, Hope and Trick Icons (shareable, a capturing of the weird facial expressions in this episode)

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Faith, Hope and Trick Drabble

Her watcher had mentioned the other slayer, the first slayer. That was as good a place as any to check out. Faith didn’t consider herself intuitive or spiritual, but the closer she got to the hellmouth (whatever that was) the more she felt… something. Something not good. But no matter. Whatever it was giving her the willies, she’d kick its ass and move on.

Her watcher was gone, that was that, and she wasn’t going to cry about it. Keep moving, start over, do what you need to do. She had a plan. Sunnydale. This was going to be fun.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Welcome to the hellmouth petting zoo.

2008-10-13T13:30:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 36

3:2 Dead Man's Party

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buffy's back in town

nothing like dead cat smell

to rally the troops

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Funniest Moment:

How did you find her?

Well, I pretty much remembered the address.

I know, I know, this is so cheesetastic, but it makes me laugh every time.

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Favorite Character: Buffy

I just empathize with her so much. She knows she messed up big time, but she also feels like she did the only thing she could. She wants things back to normal but knows that's unlikely. Such a hard spot to be in. Being in a situation of badness that you caused yourself is usually worse than being in a situation that's out of your control and therefore not your job to be guilty about. I really ache for her throughout this episode; she's not very often the character I'm actually caring about, so this is a bit unusual. You found out who I was and you couldn't deal. Yep.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

This is just so pretty. I love the little hair clip.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

OK, granted, this is a dream outfit (not dream as in most coveted, but dream as in she was having a nightmare), but still - ugh! Here's the scenario I'm imagining: someone in the wardrobe department just couldn't let go of this hideousness, and everyone else finally gave in and said, fine, we'll put it in the dream sequence.

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Musings:

The opening scene with Buffy and Joyce is so well done, some of SMG's best, I think.
I do appreciate and relate to the you can't come home theme that really carries throughout this whole season. You can come home, but things will not be the same ever again, even if they look the same on the surface. Maybe you don't regret leaving or returning, but that doesn't change the fact.
Principal Snyder, as usual, is brilliant and hilarious, and really kind of creepy.
Home schooling, it's not just for scary religious people anymore.
Buffy's hair is fabulous. Just sayin.'
Oz's whole party genre speech is one of the best scenes ever.
I'm so glad Willow called Buffy on her total egocentrism. Hello, it's not always about you. Interestingly, she never really does learn that lesson.
I love tough guy Giles, he's wonderful.
Possibly the most cheesetastic transition ever: You can't just bury stuff, Buffy. It'll come right back up to get you. LOL

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Dead Man's party icons (shareable, exercise in playing with one Giles screencap)

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Dead Man's Party drabble

Cordy and Devon chat the next day

What. Was. That?

Well, Devon, there’s some stuff you should know. See, Sunnydale isn’t your regular town. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but, well whatever. We’re on a hellmouth, yep our very own cornucopia of demony badness. Buffy’s a vampire slayer. She kills stuff all the time and has this whole secret identity deal, which, between you and me, tends to keep her ego inflated and her hair a little flat. But you know, we can’t all be…

Yeah, Cordy, I get it. Vampires and stuff. But what was with you and Harris last night? Man, get a room.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

...eccentric, with an option on cool

2008-10-04T01:49:00.005-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 35

3:1 Anne

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sunnydale just is

not the same without buffy

lily turns to anne

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Funniest Moment:

That never really works. Oz is so stinkin' cute. And Seth Green plays this scene so well - you really believe he's going to hit the heart, and then... no.

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Favorite Character: Giles

He is just absolutely heartbreaking in this episode. He wants to find Buffy so badly. You'd expect the teenagers to be the ones with the unrealistic expectations, but the roles are reversed, and it's poor Giles who jumps at every possibility, no matter how remote. I love that about him. Of course he feels responsible for her leaving, and it's his watcher duty to find her. But mostly, he loves her.

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Best Dressed: Willow

I'm a sucker for purple. And tights. Cute!

Worst Dressed: Singer

I don't actually know who this is, but I do know that outfit is not workin.'

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Musings:

I love the whole opening scene with Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordy. It sets up the next few episodes well, too, with them being a foursome.
The way Buffy wakes up from the dream about Angel and the beach is so poignant. She's not jerked awake like she is from the demon or prophecy dreams. She opens her eyes looking resigned to it, like she's used to this, like it happens every morning. So sad.
It's funny that Xander is so preoccupied that it doesn't even occur to him that Oz shouldn't be in school.
Lily is such a sad character. I love her because of knowing what she becomes later.
Buffy has fabulous hair! But how, I ask you, can she afford to get her hair done?
The scene with Joyce and Giles breaks my heart. I wish the two of them had had more interaction throughout the series. Yeah, OK, Band Candy, but I wish they'd been friends.
I like the character growth shown in Buffy herself. It's like having to kill Angel gave her a new sense of priorities and a certain recklessness/confidence she didn't have before. What are you doing? I'm breaking into your office and going through your private files.
Xander and Cordy are just so adorable. Go act baity.
What the heck are the workers in the evil demon's factory thingy doing??
Visit Buffy Between Lines podcast to listen to some wonderful writers' and actors' rendition of what happened between seasons 2 and 3. This podcast is completely made of awesome.

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Anne wallpaper (shareable)

Anne Drabble

Buffy?

Hello, I, er, is this Mrs. Summers?

Speaking. Can I help you?

I, well, this is Giles, Rupert Giles, the, uh, librarian from Buffy’s school.

Buffy! Have you heard from her!

No, I, I’m sorry, I’m afraid I haven’t. But I’m searching, contacting anyone who might be able to help. I have a few leads. And Buffy is an extremely capable young woman. I’m sure she’s fine.

Mr., um, Giles, is it? Why are you calling me? What do you know about my daughter’s disappearance?

Mrs. Summers, I have some things to tell you. About Buffy. About Buffy’s destiny.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

...let me take this opportunity to not care

2008-09-30T14:15:00.001-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 34

2:22 Becoming, Part 2

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angel, true love, meh
the beginning of spuffy
and willow's witching

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Funniest Moment:

Well, they're in a band. Duh!

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Favorite Character: Spike

He's my favorite in this one, because I love the contrast between the depth of personality seeping through and his total comical evilness. But it was hard to choose - I'm also totally in love with Buffy, Joyce, Giles and Dru in this episode.

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Best dressed: Xander

Xander gets the best-dressed title whenever he doesn't wear yellow plaid with stripes. But seriously, I like this one. It's cozy.

Worst Dressed: Angelus

Well, the shirt looks like the pajamas. The pants are goofy. And that belt buckle? I know he's evil, but come on...

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Musings:

Where did all the cops come from? Who called them?
This episode's great strength is the trademark Buffy drama/comedy mix. It's this serious season finale with the heroine's true love being killed off, and then there are lines like, "...walking around like happy meals with legs," "Have we met?" "You hit me with an axe once..." and, my personal favorite, "I'm a slayer, not a postal worker!"
I'm not always a fan of Buffy's monologues (Spike's are better) but her speech to her mom about being the slayer is fabulous. "Do you think I chose this?" How many of us have been through just such a painful conversation?
I love how strong of a character Giles is. When he tells Angelus to perform the ritual in a tutu, I stand up and cheer (er, sorry if I woke you).
Is Cordelia's admission that running away was "not too brave" the beginning of her growing up? Maybe the scoobies are rubbing off a little.
I'm still confused at this point about how much Snyder actually knows. What does he mean when he wants the mayor to know he has good news? Could someone explain that to me?
Full of Grace as the music choice at the end really puts the frosting on this brilliant cake.

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Becoming, Part 2 icons and banner (shareable)

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Becoming, Part 2 Drabble

As she read the letter, the sadness quickly turned to anger. Not at Buffy, at herself. What kind of mother tells her daughter not to come back? What the hell kind of parenting was that? When did this get so hard? How could she not have known something was wrong, everything was wrong? How was it possible to be so stupid? She sat on the bed, tears rolling, questions filling her head so quickly she could hardly think.

Buffy. Buffy was a capable girl. She’d be OK. She was just angry. She’d be back.

Buffy. Tomorrow. Joyce closed her eyes.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

I'm destiny-free, really.

2008-09-22T11:14:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 33

2:21 Becoming, Part 1

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lots of back story

about Buffy's slayerness

and Drusilla's past

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Funniest Moment:

I want to be like you. But I don't wanna dress like you.

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Favorite Character: Drusilla

I love that we get to see back story on this character. She's gorgeous as always. The confession scene is so well done by her. Her relationships with Angelus and Spike are interesting and add a lot of depth to the vampire scene on this show.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

Outfit perfection. I love this. It's organic and flowy and looks really comfy without being frumpy.

Worst Dressed: Willow

And speaking of frumpy...

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Musings:

The confession scene with Dru and Angelus (after he kills the actual priest) fascinates me. Drusilla's overwhelming need to be "good" and the eventual reply of "Very well, ten Our Fathers" seem all too realistic and creepy to me. People's concept of goodness and the idea that it can be restored by performing some sort of unrelated penance is disturbing to me.
I really love the Buffy/Angel theme music. We just got the newest CD of Buffy music, which is music from seasons 2, 3, 4 and 5 by Christophe Beck.
If Spike was so keen on saving the world, why didn't he stop Angelus the first time he tried to remove the sword? Did he know it wouldn't work? Hmmm.
I love seeing the back story of Buffy being called and Whistler bringing Angel to see her.
Immolationogram is a pretty fabulous word. But Angelus was right - Buffy does fall for it every single time. What is up with that?
I like Whistler's narration of this episode.

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Becoming, Part 1 Icons and Wallpaper (shareable)

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Becoming, Part 1 Drabble

Spike had known for a while that his strength was returning. Still, there were days when he would have preferred to be a pile of ashes in that old church. The return of Angelus hadn’t exactly turned out to be the undead party they might have expected. Drusilla was taken in by him – it wasn’t her fault. She was crazy and all. But now that his legs were working again, the old feisty Spike was coming back with them. It was all about attitude, right?

Now, he was going to have to do something about this ending the world deal.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

I snuck in and peed in the pool...

2008-08-17T00:15:00.009-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 32

2:20 Go Fish

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writers on crack write

fishy morality play

take note: steroids bad

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Funniest Moment:

Giles: They're absorbing the steroid mixture through the steam.

Xander: Not they. We. Me! We have to find an antidote, don't you think? The clock is ticking, people!

Buffy: I wouldn't break out the tartar sauce just yet. I mean, it's not like you were exposed more than once. Twice?

Xander: Three times a Fish Guy.

Buffy and Willow: Oh...

Cordelia: Whoa.

Xander: What am I gonna do?

Cordelia: You, you, you. What about me? It's one thing to be dating the lame unpopular guy, but it's another to be dating the creature from the Blue Lagoon.

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Favorite Character: Willow

Despite the general lameness of this episode, Willow was, as usual, stellar. The exchange between her and Principal Snyder is priceless. And Willow interrogating Jonathan is so fabulous.

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Best Dressed: Cordelia

This is just odd enough that I like it.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

Unflattering, leotard-y. Unless she's joining the Olympic gymnastics team or going to shiny aerobics, I vote no.

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Musings:

This episode is... mostly filler. And not very good filler at that.
One of my favorite bits of vocabulary does come from this one, nonetheless, and I admit I do say this all the time: You know what really grates my cheese?
I do like the seamonster costume. If you're going to have a lame episode about seamonsters, at least the monsters are cool-looking.
As mentioned earlier, Willow is most excellent.
I enjoy Cordelia's it's all about me speeches. She's pretty fun in this one also.

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Go Fish Icons (shareable)

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Go Fish Drabble

Sure, he was dutifully researching the fish problem as a good watcher should do. But his heart wasn’t in it.

Do the reading. Make the drawing. Question the suspects.

He didn’t even have the energy to wonder what the point of all this was.

Is that what it looked like? Let me consult my books. I’ll go talk to him…

He stood in the library amid his pile of books, ancient to modern, and saw the children through a sort of mental haze. And on the other side of the fog, just out of sight, she was still there.

Jenny.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

So it's a normal teenager, only dead.

2008-08-09T23:57:00.004-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 31

2:19 I Only Have Eyes For You

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teacher/boy romance

is way creepy and so is

the word scapula

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Funniest Moment:

Snyder only has two small scenes in this episode, but he manages to be completely hilarious in them. The bit where he swears to Buffy that he'll keep looking until he finds a way to connect all things of badness directly to her is pretty funny in a way that isn't at all funny when the president does it. But I digress.

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Favorite Character: Giles

Oh, Giles, how I love you. This character really gains some depth in this episode. It's so heartbreaking that his Jenny love clouds his judgement so much - especially since he's normally rational judgement guy. Both scenes with Giles and Willow - when she gives him the rose quartz and when he admits to her that it couldn't be Jenny - are just lovely.

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Best Dressed: Angie Hart

I love this. It's unique and feminine at the same time.

Worst Dressed: Xander and Willow

Actually, no one is suffering any severe fashion trauma in this episode, but the double sweaterpalooza is a bit much.

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Musings

I adore the singer at the beginning. Here's the wiki info on her. She shows up again in season 7 with the song Blue, which is absolutely brilliant. She's got this unassuming yet powerful voice. Love it.
I miss Jenny :(
Willow teaching is so adorable.
I really hate guns. A lot.
There are some wonderful, funny lines. Xander: I'm dead as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore. Giles: ...Xander speak... Xander: ...cling to my one lame idea guy. Spike: They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated. And my personal favorite, Cordelia: ...nip this thing in the butt." So perfectly Cordy.
Angel is big time creepy in this episode. We're finally used to him being evil instead of insipid, soul-having, whiny Angel, and then the female spirit takes over, and it's icky. And then when he turns back, I jump out of my skin. Creeeeepy.
I like the idea of the episode. I'm glad they found a mildly interesting way to explore the whole Buffy is so guilt-ridden deal.
Crazy Drusilla is always fabulous.
Why black candles? I would have thought white candles would be more the expelling type.
I so love the moment when Spike gets up out of the wheelchair. It's one of the best "just you wait, hehehe" moments ever. Plus, I love Spike.

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I Only Have Eyes for You Fanart

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I Only Have Eyes for You Drabble

Who did he think he was? Take it up with the mayor, indeed. He thought most emphatically not. He had this under control, these raging, writhing beasts called teenagers. Of course he was the man for the job.

He was biding his time. He knew it would come. The reason. The moment when he could finally utter those two beautiful words, you’re expelled, to Buffy Summers was on its way. He could taste it. And then the mayor would see.

Just a sewage backup. Happens sometimes. Couple of days, everything will be back to normal. Don’t worry about a thing.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

We're all concerned about how gross you look.

2008-05-12T00:53:00.007-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 30

2:18 Killed by Death

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Buffy gets the flu

German kid-eating monster

what's with those sweaters

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Funniest Moment

Cordelia: So this isn't about you being afraid of hospitals 'cause your friend died and you wanna conjure up a monster that you can fight so you can save everybody and not feel so helpless?

Giles: Cordelia, have you actually ever heard of tact?

Cordelia: Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass.

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Favorite Character: Xander

I just love the way he stands up to Angel at the hospital. Of all Buffy's men throughout the series, I still say Xander loves her the most.

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Best Dressed: Cordelia

So. Cute.

Worst Dressed: Xander

I just wish he could lay off the plaid pants.

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Musings

This episode feels sort of generic to me, not a lot to say.
I hate hospitals. My experiences at hospitals have been very scary, to say the least.
I do enjoy Cordy, especially when Joyce jokes about walking into a secret meeting, and Cordy says, "You sure didn't."
The monster is cool in this episode - very creepy.
Have I mentioned lately that I love Giles?
At the beginning, when Angel says, "Aw, come on, just one more..." why does he go for Cordelia? Hmmm.

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Killed by Death Icons (shareable - Buffy made a lot of fun expressions in this one)

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Killed by Death Drabble

Giles had marveled since he arrived in Sunnydale at the way people, students and adults alike, seemed to “get over” deaths and tragedy. Friends and teachers were murdered, and life went on. Miss Calendar had been special; he might have even loved her. He didn’t feel like moving on was even an option, yet there really was no choice.

Then he realized something. This was a hellmouth, and the casualty rate was high. If you didn’t learn to move on and move on quickly, you’d spend your whole life in mourning. Some might call it resilience. Giles called it necessity.

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Credits: caps from screencap-paradise, photoshop brushes from creamuts

I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you.

2008-05-05T00:27:00.006-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 29
2:17 Passion

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main character killed

wow that's a nervy plot twist

I still miss Jenny

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Funniest Moment

There really isn't any funny in this episode. Usually the humor/trauma balance is good, but I think the whole Cordelia and her car deal failed miserably. It just wasn't funny, mostly because it didn't make any sense. You don't live in your car (well, Cordy doesn't, anyway), therefore vampires don't need to be invited or de-invited.

So not laugh-out-loud funny, but still whoppin' adorable - this scene where poor Willow's hours of lesson planning are for naught. She is just so darling.

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Favorite Character: Giles

Giles is wonderful in this episode, but he's only my favorite by a very small margin. I adore the whole cast, especially Willow, Buffy, Jenny and Joyce.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

This is just so flattering on her. I'm normally one to hate white pants, but this works. I love the simplicity and the flowiness.

Worst Dressed: Xander

Neon bad. Neon with plaid very bad.

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Musings

Why didn't it occur to anyone before this point that Angel could come into their houses any time?
I love this episode quite a lot. There's only one thing about it that bothers me. Xander is just so glib at the start, and it doesn't seem right. He loves Buffy and hates Angel, so the quipping seems out of place to me.
I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you. And my heart is officially broken. That whole Giles/Jenny conversation is really lovely and well-done.
They really succeeded with the creepy factor. Angelus lurking and spying everywhere, the dead fish shot from the other side of the aquarium, Joyce and Angelus - I found that scene terrifying.
The scariest for me was the chase scene with Angelus and Jenny. All through it, you don't think she could possibly die. She's on her way to being Giles' girlfriend. She's beautiful. She's recurring. They won't kill her. Wow. I'm not one of those people who gets mad at Joss for killing off a character, because, well, that's ridiculous. It was a brilliant move for the show. But I loved her more than a person should love a fictional character. RIP Jenny.
I always love when Jonathan shows up. He's so adorable.
I love Giles' apartment.

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Passion Icons and Wallpaper (shareable)

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Passion Drabble

Buffy looked up at her watcher, at the bruise just starting to darken. She touched his cheek lightly, and the weight of her guilt choked her words. She hadn’t meant to hit him. God, he’d already had the worst day of his life. And it was her fault. Angel was evil. No, Angelus was evil. And she was weak. She should have stopped this. But she hadn’t, and now the people she loved were suffering.

Giles looked back down at her. The pain was unbearable, but he didn’t blame Buffy. He was just grateful to have her by his side.

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Credits: caps from screencap-paradise, photoshop brushes from creamuts

...best treasure hunt ever!

2008-04-28T17:50:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 28
2:16, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

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Dru, Amy, Buffy

Cordy, Jenny, lunch lady

and all the Cordettes

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Funniest Moment:

"There's just two other girls..." Ah, Harmony, way to have self esteem there. And also excellent grammar.

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Favorite Character: Cordelia

I'm not always the biggest fan of Charisma's acting, but she's at her best in this episode. The look on her face when it dawns on her that Xander's spell was for her is priceless. And her speech at the end - well I stand up and cheer every time.

---------------

Best Dressed: Cordelia

This dress is exquisite. I want it.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

Fur is so out...

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Musings

Jenny is just so graceful and so pretty, and darn it, I just hate that she really gets the shaft in this show.
Good lines: Buffy: I just think you could find someone more... better. Xander: What, were you running low on dramatic irony? Xander: Quit with the Hecate! Spike: ...what rhymes with lung?
I actually rather like Valentine's Day, which is odd, since I'm not a fan of Hallmark :)
I love Harmony's complete and utter lack of wit. Her insults are so stupid they're funny, especially in comparison to the never-ending wit that the Scoobies have.
What are the color-chart-looking poster things in Cordy's locker? Does anyone know?
I love the music right after the spell is cast.
Xander is great with his hopefulness and the crushing realization that it's a spell and Buffy is under it. Ouch.
When Buffy says, I'll calm down when you explain yourself, she sounds just like her mother, which is a pretty cool touch (intentional? who knows) since we all channel our parents occasionally.
It's interesting that the angriest Giles ever gets with the gang is whenever one of them misuses magic. I love the character development of Giles throughout the whole series, especially the explanations of his Ripper days, which is why he's so leary of magic abuse.
Adding the lunch lady to the throng of Xander-admirers was a nice touch.

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Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered Fanart

Harmony, you're a sheep.

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Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered Drabble

They All Fell

But don’t you see? We were meant to be together. You and me, we share this bond. I mean, sure, there have been others. I’ve done pretty well for myself, actually. Lots of dates, some good times. But I see now that none of that was real. That was all just preparation, practice for finding my true love, which is obviously you, Xander. It’s been you all this time; I can’t believe I didn’t see it.

Look, I really…

No, don’t talk. Look in my eyes. I know you feel it, too.

Look, Larry, we talked about this. I’m not…

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Credit: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

I'd still if you'd still

2008-04-20T23:48:00.004-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 27

2:15 Phases

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larry leaves closet

rupert is way too jolly

he'd still if she'd still

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Funniest Moment:

It's just so... Oz.

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Favorite Character: Willow

Again, she is perfect. Funny and emotional and real. I think this is her character's best season. The speech at Oz's house is brilliant.

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Best Dressed: Willow

After those overalls, this is much preferable. And does her notebook actually match her outfit? Too cute.

Worst Dressed: also Willow

Have I mentioned how I feel about overalls?

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Musings

There are some wonderful funny lines throughout this episode. A few of my favorites... Oz: You've really mastered the single entendre. Willow: 1-800 I'm dating a skanky ho. (Even typing that out makes me laugh out loud.) Cordelia: I think you splashed on just a little too much obsession for dorks. Buffy: Mein Furrier. Oz: ...only he used more words than that.
Where are they always getting the restraints in this show? Seriously, do most people keep a variety of heavy chains and locks and rope and metal restraints in their garages and I'm just out of the loop?
Xander really is, as Cordelia claims, "such a guy." Always wants what he can't have, regardless of the fact that he didn't want it when he could have had it. I guess that's not so much a guy thing as a human thing, eh?
When did Giles have time to pop out and get a tranq gun?
The whole Larry deal makes me laugh.
I'd still if you'd still. I'd still, I'd very still. This is in my top ten favorite scenes of all time. Aw.

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Phases Icons (shareable)

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Phases Drabble

Sometimes she wished it could end. And yet everyone just kept going. Xander and Cordelia just kept going– ugh, she wasn’t sure how that had even started. Giles kept going, well watcher-ing, with his smiles and support, and it was too much. And she, the slayer, had to just keep slaying. Werewolf hunting. Running, chasing, fighting, staking. Studying, tossing, turning, crying. Waiting for the next disaster to come. Waiting until she was strong enough to do it.

So what if Willow’s boyfriend was a werewolf? Werewolf was better than evil, soulless fiend. Especially an evil, soulless fiend she still loved.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

She said get out.

2008-03-30T20:15:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 26

2:14 Innocence

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angelus is back

when did rupert get so hip

but she couldn't kill him

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Funniest Moment:

Willow, in answer to Oz's query about whether stealing from a military base was a regular activities for the Scoobies, says,"We don't have cable, so we have to make our own fun." Heehee.

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Favorite Character: Willow

She is perfect in this episode. Just perfect. Her monologues are brilliant, especially the I knew it speech. Her scene with Oz is priceless. AH is so amazingly talented.

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Best Dressed: Jenny

I like this look - kind of plain, but very classy.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

This is one of the worst outfits on earth. Hideous pants. Really odd top/jacket. One or the other is bad, both together is a disaster.

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Musings, in no particular order:

Angel losing his soul is very, very cool. This is a brilliant bit of storytelling and I love it. Later in the Buffyverse, when souls in and out becomes an everyday occurrence, then it's not as cool. But the first time is wow.
I can't help thinking about how young Buffy is when this all happens. It really creeps me out.
DB's acting is much better as Angelus than Angel, I think.
It is not justice we serve. It is vengeance. I find this concept really fascinating, especially since generally in life you hear it the other way around - people claiming justice when the actuality is revenge. So good for the gypsies for being honest about it.
Buffy's dream sequence is cool. I've said it before and I'll say it again - this show has the best dreams ever.
I love that Giles stands up for Buffy instead of Jenny, even though I am a huge fan of Giles/Jenny. It's very reassuring to me to know where his loyalties are. And then when he gives his whole speech at the end about how he is not disappointed in her, don't you just melt? I want a Giles.
Angel and Dru leaping simultaneously makes me giggle - reminds of synchronized swimming or something.
I'm so glad it was Joyce in the last scene with Buffy.
Oz is so superfabulous. I love the way he is just fitting right into the gang. Oz is one of those people who could fit in anywhere with any gang. I wish I could be that cool.
I admit it - this episode makes me cry. Even after all my vehement not caring about Buffy/Angel for the past 12 episodes... Poor Buffy, she's just so sad.
She can't kill him. And you know watching that this can only lead to badness. Way creepy.

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Innocence Icons (all Drusilla, all the time - shareable)

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Innocence Drabble

The Scooby State of Mind

Numb. And not that teenager, melodramatic numb you wear on the outside so everyone will sense your darkness. This was a soul numb. And yet she got up and went to class and ate dinner. Like a functional alcoholic, and no one could understand.

Sad. Deep down sad. No one could understand, not Buffy, and not now for sure. Every day she had to look at him and love him. Every day for all these years. Sure, the Oz potential was exciting. But even Oz couldn’t really compare. How could he?

Confused. Why her? And why was Willow so angry?

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise. Photoshop textures/brushes from hmsgraphics, ihearttoronto and seishido.biz.

Fish of the day?

2008-03-19T16:38:00.003-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 25

2:13 Surprise

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spike drusilla mmm

cordy xander willow oz

couple-y goodness

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Funniest Moment:

And they all just stop. (It's when our Buffy comes crashing through the wall and dusts one of the vampire lackeys.) Look at their expressions - so perfect. Let me fill in the missing dialogue for you here. Willow: Oh my god I can't believe this our first date and now with the vampire and the dust and why is this happening to me now he's gonna think we're freaks and... Xander: Yep, another one bites the proverbial dust. Buffy is so hot. Oz: Huh.

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Favorite Character: Oz

It's so time for a new main character, and oh how I love him. He's just. so. cool.

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Best Dressed: Drusilla

She has not one, but two, utterfly fabulous red dressed in this episode. Love.

Worst Dressed: Willow

I'm not saying it's not cute. I would never say that. But I don't like sweaters with dogs or dogs with sweaters. And I am unanimous in that.

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Musings, in no particular order:

This is one of my top ten favorite episodes. There's just so much to love. Xander/Cordy, Willow/Oz, Jenny's a gypsy, Spike is back!
I love the dream sequence at the beginning. Every dream sequence in this entire series is made of awesome.
Oz: ..moving towards this new sound where we suck. That makes me laugh and feels rather familiar, actually.
It makes no sense whatsoever to me that Buffy's birthday party would be at the Bronze, but I will ignore this since this episode is so great.
I love Cordy's hair (not as much as she does, but still).
The vamp lackey nerd is so adorable.
Buffy: I should keep my slayer cool, but it's Angel, which automatically equals maxi-wig. There you have it. Total Buffyspeak all wrapped up in one convenient sentence.
Xander: ...I call him idiot Jed. Aw, so sad. And even sadder and a huge insight into his character in my opinion: (on the phone) Mom, hi... Xander. It's just not right - a mother should recognize her kid's voice on the phone. Poor guy.
I love how Cordelia is getting sucked into the Scooby gang. Try though she may, she just can't resist. Also her "Surprise!" is just so Cordy.
Buffy/Angel is finally interesting. Took a while.

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Surprise Wallpapers (shareable, I got a little out of control on this one - so many couples!)

(click for bigger)

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Surprise Drabble

True happiness? He wouldn’t have even been able to define the words a day ago. He didn’t remember happiness. Or maybe you couldn’t remember something you’d never actually experienced. Sure there were girls, when he was human and when he was not. There were good times and dark Irish beer and ballets that brought him to tears. But happiness? Not so much.

And then in an instant everything changed. That moment when everything seems, no, is, clear. And good. And right. This was it. She was the one. His other half. Angel grinned. Everything would be different from now on.

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Credit: Screencaps found at screencap paradise.

...something a little too clean about this clown

2008-02-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 23

2:11 Ted

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three's not company

when our unsuspecting joyce

falls for a robot

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Funniest Moment

The rug doesn't go with the rest of the decor?? Are you serious? Total copout writing, like the original scene was too long and somehow, just somehow, they had to figure it out! Cracks me up every time. Adds charm.

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Favorite Character: Ted

Not in a cuddly way, obviously, but John Ritter is just so fabulous, especially near the end when he's broken. Creepy with a capital EEP.

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Best Dressed: Joyce

This dress is to die for. Feels sort of Asian-inspired, I love the colors, and she looks fantastic in it while still staying in mom character.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

Sorry for the fuzzy, but this was the only shot I could find that shows the entire ensemble. It's not so much that it's a bad outfit (well, I think it is, but I could see another point of view), but it's rather inappropriate for miniature golf. Who wears those big, clonkin' shoes to play outside?

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Musings, in no particular order:

I want to punch Xander when he agrees to go to mini-golf. I hate that, when you're trying so hard to get your friend to understand your message and lay off already, but no, they just keep blindly on, completely messing up your plan and making you look like an idiot. Not that that ever happens to me...
Jenny is just so pretty in this episode. Pretty and sad.
Willow, Xander and Cordy working together is awfully adorable.
The moment Ted comes back from the supposed dead is one of the top 5 creepiest moments in the entire series for me.
Jenny shooting Giles is sort of an icon for their entire relationship, nothing but a comedy of errors. It's just not fair. It's just not right.
The cop interrogating Buffy is amusing with his questions that don't go in logical order or make any sense. This show definitely has an anti-police bent, and forgive me, but this example of that makes me laugh. I can't help it.
I was pro-Buffy point of view from the start of this thing. I don't care if Ted is a robot, a demon or philanthropist of the year. I still hate him, and I don't blame poor Buffy one bit for being suspicious. Mom, what were you thinking?! And then I just love the "HA!" when it turns out the slayer's instincts were right all along. Well, duh.

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Ted wallpaper and icons (shareable)

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Ted Drabble

Cordelia ponders

OK, pros and cons. Pro…

Well, I’ll start with cons. Con, he’s a total spazbunny and everyone knows it. Con, I certainly couldn’t tell the girls or take him to prom. Con, he hangs out with those uber losers. So what if I helped them out today, it’s not like I had something better to do. Con, the clothes. ‘Nuff said.

But pro, he smells good. And he’s not all fake like, well, everyone else I’ve dated so far in my high school career. I know, I know, you wouldn’t think he would be a good kisser.

But he is.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise. Photoshop brushes from Illegitima. Fanart lyrics from Dar Williams' song Mercy of the Fallen.

I checked the shrub box

2008-02-04T01:00:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 22

2:10 What's My Line, part two

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read slayer handbook

check in for watcher's orders

um, not this slayer

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Funniest Moment:

No, he's good now.

Giles is so dry. I love that.

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Favorite Character: Xander

True, this isn't a Xander-centric episode, but he gets his share of excitement. For one thing, it's the official start of Xander/Cordy, which is one of my favorite ships of all time. And he's just so Xander-like in this episode. I have a plan. We wait. Buffy saves us. That's pretty much his plan throughout. Angel's our friend. Except I don't like him. Yeah, that's pretty much a theme for all time, too, in the world of Xander. You just want to hug him.

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Best Dressed: Willow

Adorable. With the rainbow and the fuzzy sweater and the tights. Just adorable.

Worst Dressed: (also) Willow

There's cute, and then there's no-wonder-they're-always-donning-hideously-ugly-sunglasses-on-this-show. You'd have to to be able to look at this outfit.

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Musings, in no particular order:

I like Kendra, and I like the idea of the next slayer being called when Buffy died, but I'm having logic issues here. If Kendra's watcher sent her to Sunnydale, wouldn't she have known about Buffy? If the slayer died and came back to life, wouldn't that be big news in watcher world? Ditto for a new slayer being called.
LOL at What's the flum? Remind me to say that more often.
Kendra's lipstick is the exact color of a shade of Premo clay, rusty red or some such thing.
Cordelia's revelation that she is in fact both a winter and a summer cracks me up every time. When I was in middle school, my mom and I were so into the whole Color Me Beautiful deal. We had fabric swatches and parties and a good old time. I'm a summer, by the way.
I love the camera shot of Drusilla through the lace. Fabulous. I think Drusilla is a winter.
Eb diminished 9, eh? I intended to learn to play the guitar in college. In music for elementary school teachers (which is very funny to someone who's just changed from being a music major) we could choose piano, guitar or autoharp. Well, obviously I wasn't about to play the autoharp. But in the end I got too busy and did the lazy playing of the instrument I already knew how to play. That was stupid. Therefore, I still can't play the guitar.
Why does Drusilla keep a stash of holy water? In case she's feeling masochistic? Yesterday, there was an outing to some cute little shops with gifts and candy and art and yarn and whatnot. The candy shop had hot chocolate mix labeled "holy chocolate" with the claim that every grain had been blessed. Blessed by what, I do not know. But it made me laugh and think to myself - ooh, secret vampire weapon.
Why is Drusilla still mourning her family and blaming Angel? She's evil, so she should be happy about it, right? Then again, Dru is crazy, so things aren't always right side up.
I wish this episode had Jenny. Then again, I wish that about most episodes.
On the bright side, it did have Oz, and I love Oz. I mock you with my monkey pants. All monkeys are French...

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What's My Line part two Wallpaper (shareable)

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What's My Line part two Drabble

The Slayer Handbook, Chapter 3, Section 8, If Your Watcher is Injured

Sometimes in the course of your supervision, your watcher may sustain injuries. After all, a watcher is not imbued with the supernatural strength with which you, the slayer, have been blessed. Do not endeavor to save your watcher, unless to do so would mean to continue in your normal course of killing a vampire or demon. Only after danger has passed should you tend to the needs of your watcher. Then, of course, you should do everything you can to get him to safety – remember that the resources of the council are limited, and your watcher is a valuable commodity.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise and photoshop textures from creamuts.

Color me stunned

2008-01-18T01:20:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installlment 21
2:9 What's My Line, Part 1

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this episode is

a one-liner-palooza

and Giles wears clown tie

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Funniest Moment:

Giles, dear clueless man, says, "Have you considered law enforcement?" And the look on Buffy's face is beyond priceless. Perhaps I confuse funny with sad.

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Favorite Character: Buffy

Weren't expecting that, were ya? She is a high school girl in this episode. She's annoying as all get-out with the whining and the woe-is-me and the talking back. She has that overwhelming feeling that we all had at times back then (sometimes still do?) - why oh why did I get this life? And how? And it sucks to be me. And I'm going to fuss about it, reason be damned.

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Best Dressed: Cordelia

Honestly, I don't think anyone was especially well-dressed in this episode (see haiku above), but I will admit that this is awfully prep-school cute and somehow appropriate for Cordelia on a Saturday.

Worst Dressed: Willow

She may be the best actor on the show a large percentage of the time, but dang, they dress her funny.

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Musings, in no particular order:

This episode is pretty much just a bunch of one-liners strung together. I happen to kind of enjoy that. Can you identify the characters for the quotes? I'll give you a cookie if you can.

...an airborne toxic event.

It's all mootville for me.

...as in polyester, doughnuts, and brutality.

...jump off that bridge when I come to it.

No, it's a statistical impossibility for a 16-year-old girl to unplug her phone.

Note to self: religion freaky.

The hellmouth presents Dead Guys on Ice!

So you're saying the vampires went to all that trouble for your basic decoder ring?

There's a guy big with the sinning.

Where the heck was Angel while Buffy was skating and then being attacked? In the men's room?
How on earth did Angel manage to decorate his apartment with all furniture and art and whatnot?
What's wrong with Dru anyway? Do we ever find out? Was I just not paying attention?
You kinda gotta feel bad for the vampire lackey. He really does get the short end of the stick.
About Kendra - very cool idea, and I like her. But. She's kind of the Fez of Buffyland. This show is really not big on being culturally respectful. I find that disturbing sometimes.
I love Principal Snyder.

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What's My Line, part 1 Icons (shareable)

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What's My Line, part 1 Drabble

Oz ponders
As days go, this one has been weird. That girl Buffy, she’s high strung, more so than most. I think I could like her. Although it’s the other one, Willow, the redhead. She’s something different. Special. Seeing more of her would be prudent, I think. The guys. Wasn’t sure what to make of them. The suits and big plans. I don’t really think I’m a big plans kind of guy. Not right now anyway. Career? I guess I just don’t see the point of it all. Not yet. No. Everything in its time. Tomorrow I’ll talk to her I think.

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Credit: Screencaps found at screencap paradise.

Don't be sorry. Be Giles.

2008-01-05T01:20:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 20

2:8 The Dark Age

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school on saturday

ethan - comic or tragic?

buffy, meet ripper

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Funniest Moment:

Why does he call him Ripper?... Oh.

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Favorite Character: Xander

When asked how he feels about snooping through Giles' personal files, Xander says, "I feel pretty good about it. Does that me me a sociopath?" And then I thought to myself, Xander is probably the least like a sociopath of anyone in the gang, and that made me laugh. The sparkage between he and Cordy is starting. He's starting to get confident and feel useful to the group. Xander is just such a solid character in this episode. Also, "Amy Yip at the waterslide park" makes me laugh every time. And the thing is, he's right - he's really not fickle. If given his choice, he would have chosen Buffy over anyone else at any point in all of seven seasons. I'm sure some would disagree with that assessment, but I'm sticking to it.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

I love the fall leaves top. So lovely.

There is no worst dressed this time. Everyone is super cute, including Willow above and Xander and Cordy below.

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Musings, in no particular order

Cordelia is so, well, Cordelia-like, and it's fun. I can take a hint. What's the hint? and This is what happens when you have school on Saturday.
Why on earth would the evening janitor think that Giles would still be in the library at that hour?
I love the Anywhere But Here game.
His diapers were tweed. Remember thinking that way in high school? All grown-ups, but especially teachers, were this species of otherness, and it was inconceivable that they hadn't just been hatched into middle-aged tedium right from the start.
Jenny - I can't stand her being a demon. Anyone else, but not her. No no no, make it stop.
Giles - stubbly, hot. That is all.
Angel's squooshy face when he's battling the demon is hilarious. It makes me want to go into photoshop and use that swirly tool.

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The Dark Age Wallpaper and Banner (shareable)

(click for bigger)

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The Dark Age Drabble

Buffy's Diary that Night

Today was kind of cool, actually. We were going to do some training, but we just talked. I’m still having trouble wrapping my mind around it. Giles? A rebellious teenager? They don’t make rebellious teenagers like they used to, I guess. I think some kids at school smoke, maybe drink. And I’m sure there’s stuff I don’t know about. But raising demons? On purpose? So they can possess you? Yikes.
Still, it’s good to know Mr. Tweed has had some major mess-ups in his time. Maybe he’ll go a little easier on me next time I don’t quite measure up.

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Credits: Screencaps from screencap-paradise. Photoshop brushes from creamuts.

What? Whatting a what?

2007-12-30T02:00:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 19

2:7 Lie to Me

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jenny and giles

undead wannabe central

spike and drusilla

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Funniest Moment:

The caffeine makes her jittery. Well, of course it does.

This chick is talented in a big way. Funny and believable and wonderful. I do not understand for the life of me why she is in such crap sometimes (cough*AmericanPie*cough).

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Favorite Character: Spike

Yep, I'm afraid so. It's time for my love affair with Spike to begin in earnest now. I love that we get to see his tender side already, long before the chip and the Buffy obsession and all of that hoohah. Here he is, evil one moment, and then caring as can be with Dru the next. He lets all his victims go to save her. Aw.

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Best Dressed: Drusilla

I love dresses, from almost every era, really. And this one is gorgeous.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

Excuse me, I have to go now. I'm due on the set of Flash Dance in 15...

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Musings, in no particular order:

I don't have oodles to say about this one. I like it, though.
What the hey is that kid doing waiting at the playground after dark?
Dru's singing is effectively creepy.
The movie the wannabes are watching (I know after dutifully looking it up online) is the Dan Curtis 1973 TV adaptation of Dracula. Now you know.
LOL at monster trucks, all you can eat moron bar, and you're not wrong!
Yay, we get to meet Anne, I mean Lily, I mean Chanterelle. I love her lots. Mostly when we get to Angel, though.
Unsympathetic as I usually am, I do have to feel for poor Buffy here. Old friend, just maybe a little bit of her old life back. But no, he's a whackjob. Can she never catch a break? Well, no, I suppose she can't. That's part of the point, isn't it?

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Lie to Me Icons (shareable) You can never have too much Jenny/Giles.

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Lie to Me Drabble

Chanterelle

She tried to remember sometimes, but honestly, these days she could hardly even picture their faces. Her brothers. Her sister. Her mom. It was like that was all from some other life. The life of some other girl. A girl with bad luck, a mean dad, and no place to hide.

Being Sister Sunshine had been OK for a while. Got her back on her feet. But this? This was the real thing. Soon she would be immortal. She wasn’t even quite sure what that meant. But she was finally going to be somebody. Be happy. She just knew it.

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Credit: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Miss Edith needs her tea

2007-12-25T23:30:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 18

2:6 Halloween

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demons were chillin'

until Ethan Rayne showed up

wait! who is ripper?

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Funniest Moment:

Oz: So what do I tell him?

Cordy: Nothing. Geez, get with the program.

Typical Cordelia nonsense, and she's somehow even funnier in a cat costume.

----------

Favorite Character: Xander

He tries to stick up for Buffy, which is charming and ironic. He says, "sump'n damn manly" and "cowardice has an unlimited shelf life." I love him as a soldier - so adorable.

----------

Best Dressed: Buffy

Sometimes plaid works, sometimes it doesn't. I love this plaid. It's soft and elegant. She's classy without being momly.

Worst Dressed: Xander

It's not too bad, really. I'm just not excited about yellow pants on anyone.

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Musings, in no particular order

The violence in this show (not just this episode) used to be a bit much for me, but now I find the fight scenes interesting and see them more as creative choreography. Hmmm.
Principal Snyder is made of hilarious. "...tossing eggs, keying cars, bobbing for apples..." Um, bobbing for apples?
Why was Ethan there in the first place? The draw of the hell mouth? To see Giles? He heard the slayer was there? And also, why would he name his shop after himself? I guess that does fit with his character, since he is terribly egocentric and seems to think he's immune to getting caught. Still, it made him awfully easy to find.
Spike=hot
Dru=deliciously crazy
This is one of my favorite episodes ever. I love the plot idea. And of course, I love Halloween in general.
About Latin. It feels good in your mouth and I like to listen to it. It makes me want to write a choral mass, which is something I've always wanted to do. One of these days.
Lots of wonderful quotables in this episode, not the least of which, "eyeballs to entrails, my sweet," and "the ghost of what exactly?"
When Ethan says, "Hello, Ripper," it sends a thrill down my spine. It's like you can feel a whole new story opening up in the Buffyverse and you can't wait to hear more.
When everyone changes into what they're dressed as, what happens to all the ballerinas and ladybugs and whatnot? Shouldn't they all be floating around, too? Are there usually that many kids dressed as demons at Halloween? Well, maybe in Sunnydale there are.

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Halloween Icons (shareable)

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Halloween Drabble

Harmony got her costume at Ethan's, too

It was glorious. She was Miss America, the real thing, accept no substitutions. She had the sash, the clothes, the prestige, and most importantly, the memories. She could remember the look on Miss Rhode Island’s face when she was called as runner up. She could remember the warm tears of joy as the tiara was placed on her head. She could remember the past months – charity events, ribbon-cuttings, meetings with important people, and commercial shoots. Everything was crystal-clear, and her dreams had come true.

But now as she trudged home, her tiara was plastic again, and she was just Harmony.

Guys! Buffy! Snake, basement, now!

2007-12-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 17

2:5 Reptile Boy

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watcher and slayer

push and pull collateral

slayer and watcher

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Funniest Moment:

She's sad because her lover gave her twelve gold coins, but then the wizard cut open the bag of salt, and now the dancing minions have nowhere to put their big maypole... fish thing.

--------------

Favorite Character: Willow

I totally relate to her "but I can't lie to a teacher" "but I can't betray my friend" dilemma. It's just so Willow, and so typical of those of us who were meek rule-followers at that age. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) Her little speech ending with I don't feel better now, and we've got to help Buffy! is one of the best Buffyverse monologues ever. And I think hers is by far the best acting in this episode.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The little black dress can do no wrong. And I'm a total sucker for curls.

Worst Dressed: also Buffy

There are no words.

-------------

Evil people are so much creepier than evil demons.
Angel. What is with this character right now? The whole this isn't some fairy tale scene seems wrong to me - way melodramatic and overdone, and mostly out of character. Angel feels very inconsistent to me so far in the series. He gets better later.
Cordelia. It's like we're sisters. With really different hair. That's her best line. It goes down hill from there. This was not Charisma's best acting ever.
Jonathan
What's with the time line? Did the frat boys go to jail the very next day? Hmmm.
So apparently we're supposed to be moving along the Buffy/Angel relationship, but to me the only really worthwhile part of this episode is the very end where Buffy and Giles start to see each other as people, peers even, and not just slayer and watcher. That's what this episode is about. The frat boys, reptile demon and Angel are just fairly lame distractions.
Wow, it kind of sounds like I didn't like this episode. It wasn't the best ever. I still like it better than I like most things.

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Reptile Boy Icons (shareable)

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Reptile Boy Drabble

It all started with Callie

I know, can you believe it? Harvard! I mean I never thought I’d get in.

She should have kept walking with her friends.

Hi, I’m Richard, which one of you is Callie? Bobby sent me to pick you up. He had to stay late at school, so I told him I’d drop you off at home.

She shouldn’t have gotten into the car.

Oh, don’t worry, we have a quick errand to run, that’s all. Only take a minute.

She should have run away.

See you tomorrow night, Callie.

And now she was tied up in a basement. Scared. Alone.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise. Photoshop brushes/masks from creamuts and ivy-poison.

No one likes a non-budger

2007-11-18T13:30:00.000-05:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 16

2:4 Inca Mummy Girl

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Oz says who's that girl

why wouldn't he know Willow

the school ain't that big

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Funniest Moment:

...she doesn't have to talk...

Funny in a that's-so-a-high-school-boy sort of way. I must say, I'm glad this kid didn't become a regular.

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Favorite Character: Willow

To me, this whole episode is about Willow. My heart gets broken for the umpteenth time when she says "well, I didn't choose yet." Sigh. And then again when she tells Xander to go to the dance with Amapata. And then again when her costume is so flippin' adorable, but of course, as usual, she is uber-uncool. Sigh.

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Best Dressed: Ampata

I just love this t-shirt and jeans. It's just simple and cute. I don't, however, understand where she got them. If this was their attempt at putting her in the boy clothes from her suitcase, it doesn't really work. That boy (before he got the life sucked out of him by ye olde mummy princesse would definitely not have fit into these petite, pegged jeans, sorry. Nonetheless, this outfit is adorable. Or perhaps any outfit would be adorable with that hair.

Worst Dressed: Willow

Overalls, bad shirt, bad hair. All around ugh.

----------------

Musings, in no particular order:

Ah yes, now I remember where I got the phrase "the uber-suck." I use it frequently, often to refer to Fox, the scary white house regime, and/or polymer clay fiascos.
Much of this episode makes very little sense and is, to say the least, contrived. However, one thing that does make sense is that fact that Buffy gets an exchange student, but Willow and Xander don't, considering that Willow's parents are too busy living in high-falutin' acadamia to pay attention to her, and Xander's parents are also occupied being drunks and such.
For some reason, the mummy eyes popping open make me giggle.
I'm so stuffy, give me a scone.
What's with Buffy and the belt skirts this episode? How many 3-inch long skirts does a girl need?
Holy racism in this episode, batman. Maybe she could translate the seal? Please. And don't get me started on Cordelia. They don't even speak American. Makes me think wouldn't it be nice if all bigotry were this blatant? It's the subtle stuff that's hard to deal with.
Is this the first time we see Dingoes? I want a rock band. I am a somewhat serious musician, I have two wonderful singing groups which I love and cherish. I teach lessons and write music. And yet, I want a rock band. Is there anyone on earth who doesn't want a rock band? Gentle viewer, do you want a rock band?
Enter Jonathan. He's fun. I love the way he just pops up for a few seconds at random in episodes.

-----------------

Inca Mummy Girl Wallpaper (shareable)

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Inca Mummy Girl Drabble

She’s not the kind of girl who I think about her lips that much.

It’s not like he hasn’t said it before, a hundred ways. So why does she let it get her every time? Why hasn’t she found a way to protect herself yet? She should know he’s got bad taste. So if he fell for her all of a sudden, what would that say about her? Bad news.

Love? Crush? Obsession? It doesn’t matter which, the result is the same. She knew she’d have to let it go eventually. But not quite yet. Longing was better than not.

---------------

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Neither creamy nor rinse-y

2007-11-01T11:10:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 15

2:3 School Hard

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bye bye anointed

hello blondie bear and dru

home sweet bloody home

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Funniest Moment:

...and could you please send some aspirin...

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Favorite Character: Spike

Well, duh. Spike to me is like one of those things you didn't know you were missing until it shows up, and then it turns out you can't live without it. This is our first foray into the world of soulless beast in a relationship, which makes said soulless beast all the creepier. Plus, he's such a screw-up, and that is just fun. He shows up all macho and take-charge-y, and then proceeds to begin his long streak of mucking things up.

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Best Dressed: Spike

I love that red shirt, and I just want to touch it. It's got the whole monochrome stripey thing going on. I love that.

Worst Dressed: Buffy

There are no words. Plus, this screenshot doesn't even show the shoes. Eegads.

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Musings, in no particular order

As I may have mentioned earlier, the arrival of Spike (and Drusilla) is an occasion of celebration which fills me with glee and anticipation.
Sheila. I would have liked to keep her around, either vamped or not. She could have been a fun character, maybe even a potential at some point.
Why does Spike say Home sweet home? Is it just the hellmouth vibe, or was he in Sunnydale previously?
Joyce, while I do love her character, is awfully pedantic and un-hip in this episode. I guess she's struggling with her denial issues and second year in a new town without any friends issues and mother-of-a-teenager issues. Nonetheless, she should be cooler, and instead she's all lecture-y and drab.
A few moments of laughter: Xander's dancing, Buffy's je stink, Cordy's even slaves get minimum wage. And of course the Xander searching through purse for stake moment is pretty amusing.
I love the Nickel song Stupid Thing playing at the Bronze. Not so much the lame words, but the overall sound and feel.
The first words Spike speaks to Buffy: Nice work, love.
Jenny and Giles are starting to make an absolutely adorable couple.
Xander's comments that make him seem like a petty idiot start to really grate in this episode. Gah. Also, the Xander Angel rivalry is getting really old and kinda stupid.
I want that olive green dress that Willow wears to parent night.
I would have loved for Principal Snyder's character to get a little more depth like some of the other characters. I do like that we get the hint that just maybe he knows what's going on in Sunnydale.
What I think is the worst inconsistency issue in the whole series happens in this episode. Spike saying you were my sire to Angel. And they never really fix it or smooth over it when later it turns out that Drusilla was Spike's sire. Bugs me.

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School Hard Wallpapers (shareable)

Jinxer!

Giles hearts Jenny

Arrival

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School Hard Drabble

Sheila

Her mom’s boyfriend was always telling her she’d go to hell for the way she acted. Little did he know. This wasn’t hell. This was power. She grinned and ran her fingers over her new fangs. This was the life. Now everything was going to change. No more teachers looking at her with that mixture of disappointment and fear. No more sit-ins with that little rodent they called the principal. No more cops at the door at odd hours of the night. She’d just help Spike out with this one thing, and then she was out of here. Maybe LA…

Do I deconstruct your segues?

2007-10-22T00:20:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 14

2:2 Some Assembly Required

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Zombies? Demons? Nope.

Just two ghoulish nerdy kids

a bit misguided.

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Funniest Moment:

Uh, zombies, more likely. For most traditional purposes a voodoo priest would require more than one.

Well, sure, for most "traditional" purposes. Duh.

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Favorite Character: Giles

He's like a teenager himself, trying so hard to impress miss Calendar. It's just cute. Plus, his nerdy knowledge of all things zombie.

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Best Dressed: Jenny

I adore every single stitch of this outfit. First of all, the lace shirt is absolutely to die for. So pretty. Khakis are always of the good. The cut of the jacket is perfection. And I know my lack of fashion sense is showing here, but I think that belt is adorable. And the necklace matches the belt in a circly sort of way, which is cool.

Worst Dressed: Giles

I take serious issue with that pink vest. Not because I think men shouldn't wear pink. I just don't like it. That is all.

------------------------

Musings, in no particular order:

OK, here's the thing. This episode has what we Americans call issues - most prominently, the inconsistencies out the oiseau. 1. Grave robbing - why on earth would they have left one open for Buffy to fall into and the other one completely closed up and re-buried for Giles and Xander to dig up? 2. Vampire rising - how the heck long does it take for a vamp to rise? Sometimes it takes overnight, sometimes a few days, sometimes ten minutes. Does anyone know the rules here? I would really like to know, because I don't get it. 3. Locker pictures - come on, seriously, that kid would not have had the picture of building the girl on his locker door. He just wouldn't. Not because he'd be afraid of someone seeing it, but because boys like that do not hang pictures in their lockers. 4. And last and also least, why the frilly heck is Giles wearing gloves to the football game? It's not cold.
Angel is lame and bloody stupid in this episode. Just sayin'.
I don't recall my high school ever having a science fair. Is this a real phenomenon? Did your school have science fairs? Did everyone have to participate? Do tell.
I will admit, despite its issues, this episode does have some funny lines. It's a fruit. (Willow) ...men dig up the corpses and women have the babies. (Buffy) Miss Calendar's my father. (Jenny)
The general and persistent ignoring of poor Cordelia in this episode amuses me. I like the idea that we all have our places where we are the uber-cool (well, we do if we're lucky), but move us to somewhere that's else and perhaps even the most popular of us become ignored nobodies.
I like that Giles gets to start being a real person on a date. And I like the irony of him trying to mix his sacred duty with a social life much in the way our heroine is constantly attempting (and usually failing) to do.
I liked Chris a lot. Wish they would have kept him as a recurring minor character. There could have been some great story line there.

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Some Assembly Required Banner (shareable)

(click for bigger)

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Some Assembly Required Drabble

Rules? Why were there rules?

Chris remembered his mom. How she used to be happy. She was on the PTA. She wore lipstick and cooked casseroles for dinner. She cheered at the football games and called Aunt Maddie when Eric won the science fair. She fed the cat and yelled at Daryl to take out the trash. She bought girl scout cookies from the neighbor kid and perused tabloids in the check-out line.

Chris wanted to bring her downstairs, give her son back, make her happy again.

But Daryl said no, they couldn’t tell her. That was breaking the rules.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

Spank your inner moppet

2007-09-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

Finally...

It's time to start Mostly Filler Season 2. Had a bit of a hiatus, but now I regale you with my brilliant philosophical musings once again.

Mostly Filler, Installment 13

2:1 When She Was Bad

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she's possessed you say

Cordy says get over it

shopping didn't help

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Funniest Moment:

There are some things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense.

No, actually, that would be one of the five.

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Favorite Character: Giles

I have to admit that at this moment in time, I might very well pick Giles as my favorite character in any episode. I'm on a real Giles kick right now. I even had a dream this week that I talked him into singing in my choir. Now, how fabulous would that be? But I digress.

Our librarian is extra lovable in this episode. His interactions with Jenny, Principal Snyder, and the kids show so much of his personality and make him a well-rounded character with lots going on.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

I so love this outfit. I've heard you're not supposed to mix neutrals, but I adore the gray pants with the tan bag. And you wouldn't think that a plain white tank top (yes, I know the name for those, and I'm not using it) would be the order of the day with what are essentially really hip business suit slacks. But on our little Buffy it works. Tres chic.

Worst Dressed: Jenny

This is no good. It's mostly the hair.

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Musings, in no particular order:

Willow and Xander - why are they out walking at night in Sunnydale?? And as I continue to root for the two of them to get together, I am once again disappointed.
I love the reintroduction of all the characters. One (or two) at a time they show up, and within a brief moment remind us exactly who they are. Cordelia: No one has suffered like I have suffered. I'm especially happy to see Jenny, and at this point we can still block out the upcoming badness and blithely think she's going to be around to have Giles' babies in a few years. (Let's take a moment and imagine how fabulous their kids would be...)
Despair is for the living. Now there's a quote.
One of the wonderful aspects of Buffy is the clever portrayal of universal issues, those feelings that we all have all the time. Like Buffy's daydream about the Master being disguised as her watcher and her friends completely ignoring the whole scene. And Buffy's defensive wall with Angel. Loneliness, paranoia, emotional self-preservation, it's all there. Oh, the angst...
I usually sympathize with, well, everyone else, but I actually found some tenderness in my heart for poor Buffy this time. She's got a rough gig.
I decidedly do not like Cibo Matto. Clog dancing would be an improvement.
The phrase from this episode that has made its way into the regular vocabularies of several friends and me is it's entirely pointy.

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The fan art vibe just isn't happening this week, so here are just a few

When She Was Bad Icon Bases (shareable)

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When She Was Bad Drabble

Mr. Giles watched with contained concern as Buffy, his slayer, his responsibility, punched and kicked the training equipment to shreds. Ripper remembered those feelings, the out-of-control hormones, the inability to rein in one’s emotions, the fear that everything would unravel at any moment, that an unstoppable demon would appear. But he had been an irresponsible, arrogant teenager who, with the help of some equally immature peers, had brought his problems on himself. The girl near tears in front of him, on the other hand, had done nothing to deserve this but be born and grow up to save the world.

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Credits: screencaps from screencap-paradise.

What can I say? I flunked the written.

2007-08-15T03:40:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment 12

1:12 Prophecy Girl

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friends' love triangle

not quite overshadowed by

Buffy's first death scene

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Funniest Moment:

What do you think? 5.1? That right there is the beauty of this show's humor - always juxtaposing the large and dramatic with the mundane and everyday.

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Favorite Character: Xander

I told you to eat before we left...

On a scale of one to ten, it sucked.

This guy has really taken a beating all season, what with the hyena possession and dating the big insect. Admittedly, his short-end-of-the-stick days tend to be his own fault. But still, I applaud him for going to get help from the non-person he likes least on earth and doing what's gotta be done.

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Best Dressed: Xander

I know, I know, Buffy has the dress, I mean THE dress. And it is gorgeous, I'm not arguing that. But I just have to give props to Xander for finally wearing some solids. Neutral colors, flowy fabrics. Nice.

Worst Dressed: Jenny

Jenny, Jenny, you're usually so very chic. I cannot deal with this shirt. I simply cannot.

------------------------

Musings, in no particular order:

I have a little bit of sympathy for poor Xander in love with Buffy, and getting flatly rejected. But I have to say, it's Willow who has my heart breaking over and over and constantly. I just have this "Xander, what the hell is wrong with you?!" reaction pretty much every episode throughout this season. She's so worth seeing - are you blind?? And I say GO GIRL to Willow for turning down the invitation to the dance. Way to stand up for yourself. Still, LOL at Xander's ...country music, the music of pain.

Much Jenny love. I wish there had been more of her. The end is pretty seriously nigh.

Joyce hasn't really become much more than incidental yet. Still, she has nice hair.

Willow's astute "and they had fun" disturbs me deeply every I time I watch it. It's the recognition that badness comes in varieties, and that the ones who take pleasure in it are the worst of the worst. Creepy.

You're in love with her. Aren't you? Yeah, yeah. I really have no interest in the Xander/Angel pissing contest. Whatever.

The master was pretty fabulous in this episode, in my opinion. Oh good, the feeble banter portion of the fight. He was really believable. And I always wish I could erase the memory of seeing this episode and start fresh, because the whole Buffy dying deal was really scary the first time.

Angel panting heavily while claiming to have no breath is just comical and sort of takes away from the drama of that scene - and not in a good way.

Cordelia driving literally into the library is priceless. That's our Cordy.

Why didn't the master's bones turn to dust? Because he's so old? I know, because they need the bones next season. Yep.

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Prophecy Girl Icons and Wallpapers (shareable for anyone who wants them)

(click wallpaper pics for larger images)

(lyrics are from Ferron's Testimony)
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Prophecy Girl Drabble

I quit. She’d said it out loud, but she knew, even at that moment, that she didn’t mean it. It wasn’t a Cordelia-esque ploy for attention. It wasn’t a test to see if Angel or Giles would step up and take her place. It wasn’t a dramatic manipulation so she could appear all the more heroic when she stepped back in to do her duty. It wasn’t even a moment of weakness.

It was simply a moment of pain, a moment of allowing the teenaged girl to be in charge, a moment of preparation to be strong. Just a moment.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise and textures from Julianne.

Maybe it's a vampire bat

2007-07-25T02:15:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment #11
1:11 Out of Mind, Out of Sight

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unseen and crazy
out for popular revenge
flute playing trickster

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Funniest Moment:

"Me, me me! It's all about me!" And sure enough, it is.

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Favorite Character: Cordelia

I just can't help myself. And instead of trying to explain why, we'll just do the ever-popular Cordy Quote-a-thon.

No, C for Wilma, Little Brain.
I don't think I need the loony fringe vote.
My eyes are Hazel, Helen Keller.
Behold the weirdness.
...with you being so weird and all, hanging out with these total losers.
I was kind of hoping you were in a gang.

The epitome of insensitve. After all, tact is just not saying true stuff. And then her whole "it's so lonely to be me" speech. Too funny. And worrying about her prom pictures when her date's been beaten up? Wow. So she's not my favorite in a let's be best friends sort of way, but she's just so godawful, that you know she's got some growing to do. (Of course, when that happens, many of us realize that the tactless, biotch Cordy was really a lot less pedantic, but that's a musing for another day.)

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Best Dressed: Buffy

Behold the cuteness. I'm not normally a fan of pink, but this fabric is just yummy. I love that skirt length - so much better than this season's "is that a skirt or a belt?" thing Buffy has going on. Plain white T-shirt, but very feminine - gotta love that. This outfit is casual in a going to school sort of way, so much more logical than some of the less practical ensembles she sports throughout this season.

Worst Dressed: Cordelia and Harmony

Whoa, this is just too much seafoam green nausea in one place. I love monochrome outfits - but not in pastels. Ugh. And furthermore, why does Harmony have that lime green scarf with those pants? I just don't get it.

------------------------

Musings, in no particular order:

Hmmm, the first invisibility episode. I would have liked to see Marcie come back later. She could have fit into any subsequent season as a black hat or a white hat. Could have been working for the initiative. Could have been a potential. Could have been just incidental somewhere. Darn it.

While the "be my deputy" scene was awfully funny, it was painful, too. I mean, who hasn't been there, with that outsider, I am the biggest dork, feeling?

And speaking of that feeling, why on earth does our heroine still give two hoots what Cordelia thinks? Has she not yet figured out her extreme coolness factor? Come on, Buffy, pay attention.

Snyder. "There are no dead students here...this week." I can't help feeling sorry for the guy.

Harmony would not have tumbled the whole way down that flight of stairs. Give me a break.

The first (I think) indication that Xander's family is a little dysfunctional: "Do you guys even have a stove?"

Giles love! The guy all of a sudden has new respect for Angel when he offers to find him a book. Holy geek. And, "Once again, I teeter at the precipice of the generation gap." Ah, he has such a way with words.

I sincerely doubt that the little tape player with the flute tape in it would have sounded the whole way upstairs.

So, invisibility. I'll tell you what I wouldn't do, and that's make a little house in the ceiling. Ugh. What would you do? I want to know.

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Out of Mind, Out of Sight Icons - Willow and Xander goodness!

(simple ones - basically just crops - totally shareable, can be used as bases)

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Out of Mind, Out of Sight Drabble

What would you do if you could be invisible? A serious talk between slayer and watcher.

Well, I can’t say as I’ve given the possibility any thought, actually.

Come on, Giles, after the whole Marcie deal? You must have, a little. Xander wanted to sneak into the museum and see if the dinosaurs come alive at night. And our ever-adventurous Willow wanted to get her hands on her mom’s off-limits psychology books.

And you, Buffy? You’d use invisibility to enhance your slaying, no doubt?

Sure! The vampires wouldn’t know what hit ‘em. They’d be like, I smell a slayer, but where? You know, because of how evil things can smell stuff? And then, poof, dusty goodness.

-------------------------

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Credit: Screencaps for icons found at http://www.screencap-paradise.com/.

Willow, do shut up

2007-07-14T03:10:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment #10

1:10 Nightmares

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astral projection

uncontrolled phobias leak

into Sunnydale

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Funniest Moment:

Cordelia swears she's not even in the chess club.

----------------------

Favorite Character: Giles

1. He's hot. 2. His nightmare is of Buffy dying. That breaks my heart every time. I love the progression of stuffy old Giles becoming "too emotionally involved," as he'll be fired for later, with the slayer. 3. His "aha!" moment is hilarious. 4. He's hot. 5. Giles all confuzzled because he's lost in the stacks and can't read is too adorable for words. 5. He's just really hot.

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Best Dressed: Willow

Is is possible to be any cuter?

This outfit ranks high for me. Black and white is always good. Polka-dots are always good. Tights in bright colors are always good. The complementary red/green is very cool without being Christmasy.

Worst Dressed: Xander

Well, we're back to the shirts of weirdness, and not in a good way. And then to add insult to injury, the pants. Dear god, make it stop.

----------------------------

Musings, in no particular order

The dream episodes in general, are some of my favorite Joss-verse work. This one is so chock full of character development, and I love to be able to learn about the scooby psyches in a different way.

Why are tarantulas/spiders scary? Is that conditioned or genetic?

How did Laura (the smoking girl) survive the attack?

Any reader opinions on astral projection? I'm fairly sure I don't believe in vampires, but astral projection seems within the realm of possibility to me.

Oh, ouch to the scene with Buffy's father. The other nightmares are pretty out there and unlikely; this one is just around the corner. On the bright side, it helps cement the idea of Giles as Buffy's father figure, which is warm and comforting.

G: It's Billy. X: Well, that explanation was shorter than usual.

OK, so the blood, guts, gore, demons and general grossness of this whole series is somehow fine with me. Yet Xander talking with his mouth full of chocolate completely disgusts me so I have to cover my face with my hands and only look through the cracks. And also, I don't really get the whole chocolate bar deal. I guess maybe they represented the kind of nightmare that starts off as a happy dream and turns bad.

Yay for Xander punching the clown. I love the impulsivity and inconsistency of his character. Perhaps because I relate.

The swarm of giant bees reminds me of the children's book The Giant Jam Sandwich.

Why doesn't Buffy go evil as a vamp? I would have loved for the episode to go differently from that point. What would have happened if she'd popped out of the ground ready to kill the gang?

Recurring nightmares. Do you have them? What are they? I finally don't have them anymore, haven't for several years, but I used to. When I was a teenager, the dream was me being swung around in circles over a witch's fire. It was very orange and black, and I was always nauseous (what with the swinging around and all). I also had the archetypal forgetting where class was, realizing I hadn't attended all semester, forgetting my locker combination. Oh wait, that last one happened for real. Pretty regularly.

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Nightmares Wallpaper (shareable for anyone who wants it)

Click for bigger.

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Nightmares Drabble

Nightmares – It’s All About the Girl

Hello?

Mrs. Summers, this is principal Snyder. I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your daughter has picked her last fight and flouted her last school rule. As of this afternoon, she is expelled from Sunnydale High School. I will be making her permanent record available to other schools in the area, should they request a reference. Good day, Mrs. Summers.

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You’re getting married? You? And Xander? Now? Before you’ve even finished high school? But I thought … I mean I… and you… well, there’s something…

Sorry, Mr. Vampypants, it’s gonna be me and the Buffster happily ever after.

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...but he was eaten!

2007-07-09T20:30:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment #9

1:9 Puppet Show

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organ harvest ew

inanimate or alive

many wiggins had

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Funniest Moment:

I actually found this whole episode pretty hilarious, but the end here is priceless.

"I don't get it."

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Favorite Character: Cordelia

Cordy really has her funny on in this one. There's the "something wrong with my hair!" moment. And the, "Ew, even Mrs. Franklin?" And don't forget, "But I didn't do the part with the sparklers."

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Best Dressed: Buffy

What can I say? I'm a total sucker for basic black and and updo.

Worst Dressed: Xander/Willow/Buffy

This trio of outfits is just,,,,wow. Poor Xander. Usually he's got the shirts of weirdness, and sometimes I like them, sometimes not. But here the poor guy just has road-sign-looking pajamas. And Willow, it's just too much. I mean, I like fabrics and patterns and sometimes mixing them in an unconventional way. But the fuzzy stripes with whatever those pants are is seriously making me seasick. And as for Buffy, a leopard-print mini-dress is just a bad idea, period. If I had to pick a winner (worst dressed, that is), it'd probably be Willow. But it's the combination of all three together that makes me wonder.

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Musings, in no particular order

Enter Principal Snyder. Oh, he's fun. You can never really decide how to feel about him, at least I can't. He's obviously somewhat of a jackass who doesn't like kids. (I'm not equating those two traits, by the way - perfectly nice people can be not especially fond of children.) Principal Snyder's funny moment: "...that's the kind of wooly-headed liberal thinking that leads to being eaten." Principal Snyder's what the hey moment: He catches Buffy at the locker, tells her to go home and then walks away. When will these principals learn not to walk away from someone who's up to something? (I guess I'm stifling the plot here, eh?)

I laugh every time when Buffy sinks down into the auditorium seat and the tuba simultaneously sounds a low note. Well, right, all tuba notes are low. Still, it's funny.

Holy cardigan, batman! Giles is wearing a sweater instead of tweed for once.

I love it when Xander saves the day. It happens pretty often, but it's always sort of low-key, not all bravado like when anyone else is the day-saver.

Where the frilly heck was everyone during the demon fight scene at the end??

So Sid thinks Buffy is the demon. This is a nice bit of groundwork/foreshadow/whatever you want to call it for the eventual revelation of where slayer power comes from.

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Puppet Show Icons (shareable for anyone who wants them)

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Puppet Show Drabble

Morgan finds Sid

After the diagnosis, Morgan’s dad had tried unsuccessfully to cope with the stress of the hospital visits, the failed treatments, and ultimately the idea that his son would probably not live long enough to attend college. Now Morgan and his mom were just trying to enjoy life, before the brain tumor got the best of him. They spent a lot of time together, talking, bird watching, window shopping. Morgan rarely asked for anything on their shopping trips, so when he’d pointed to the wooden dummy on the antique store shelf, she’d laughed. Sure, why not? It’s a little creepy, though.

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I'm planning to be witty

2007-06-30T01:00:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment #8

1:8 I Robot, You Jane

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she can't have Xander

demon on the internet

wreaks Willow havoc

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Funniest Moment:

"We were fighting." Leave it to Giles to ignore someone so clearly fabulous to go get researchy.

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Favorite Character: Jenny

Might as well re-title this sucker "Ode to Jenny" because I get so excited when she finally shows up. It's definitely time to introduce a new grown-up, and a hip, youngish one at that. She puts the G-man right in his place - so adorable. "I'll be back in the middle ages." " Did you ever leave?" and "Wrong and wrong again, snobby." and "That's not where I dangle it."

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Best Dressed: Jenny

See above, re renaming. Black and white. Hot hot hot.

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Worst Dressed: Buffy

Seriously? Two fur coats in one episode? In Southern California? And also - ugly.

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Musings, in no particular order:

Kayless? Isn't that kling-on for god?

I liked the concept of a demon being trapped in a book, and therefore in modern times the internet, but it wasn't really executed that well. This was not one of my favorite plots, except for the new J/G story starting.

Willow has a picture of Giles in her locker. How sweet is that?

The scoobies all have their fair share of funniness. B - He's gone binary on us. W - He doesn't talk like somebody who would have a hairy back. X - ...elderly Dutch chatroom.

Dave is a little disturbing. I guess he's meant to be. But he seems to be like he's from Texas, not California. Maybe he is.

Yay for Willow's bravery. Hey, I don't wanna be corrupted!

The last scene is just so precious. The three have bonded. Misery is shared.

This one's not a favorite episode, so the musings are short. Some days are like that.

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I Robot, You Jane Wallpaper (shareable)

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I Robot, You Jane Drabble

Jenny on the phone with a friend that night.

Mr. Giles? That weird librarian from England?

Really, he’s not that weird. I mean he’s a bit of a fuddy-duddy, and he doesn’t even know how to turn on a computer. But he’s smart, you know? Sexy smart. Besides, this town doesn’t have much to offer in the men department.

Jenny hung up the phone and laughed out loud. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time. She felt a little giddy – when was the last time that had happened? But you’re here in Sunnydale for a reason, Jenny. You have a job to do, don’t you forget it.

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We don't have a barbecue fork...

2007-06-23T06:40:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment #7

1:7 Angel

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evil fiend perhaps

he's not what he seems to be

looks young for his age

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Funniest Moment:

Joyce: I-I know she's having trouble with history. I-is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself? Giles: She lives very much in the 'now', um, and, uh, history, of course, is, is very much about the, uh... the 'then'.

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Favorite Character: Buffy

She's growing up so fast. She's getting used to a new father figure. She takes care of her mom. She deals with unexpected scariness with a bit of maturity. Yet she still quips.

"What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?"

"Bad hair on top of that outfit?"

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Best Dressed: Darla

Just because I'm evil doesn't mean I can't be a snappy dresser.

Worst Dressed: Joyce

So nice that Maria made you this dress out of a tablecloth.

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Musings, in no particular order

(Turns out it's more questions than musings this time around.)

As I watched the beginning, I said to myself, what the hey is the annoying one doing there? Is he feeding the fish? No, there probably aren't a lot of fish in the sewers. Ooooooh, I see, he's skipping stones. Right then. Child actors give me the willies a bit. I never really enjoy films with a lot of intense child acting. I get too distracted by thinking about the kids and how the acting in scene whatever would affect them, and I worry that acting so young will scar them for life.

The spark between Xander and Cordy really starts in the this episode (on the dance floor). I love those two together.

When Buffy and Angel rush in and slam the door, how come the vampire's hand can cross the threshold?

Does Angel's tattoo have some meaning? When did he get it?

When Angel muses that it's been a long time since anyone's been in a position to let him know if he snores, was he thinking about Darla?

Giles is as cute as any living thing can be in all that protective gear.

Why does Angel go all grrrr when they kiss? This is an important moment in the entire world of Buffy, and I don't get it. Is it just the intensity of the moment or what?

Why don't Darla and Master refer to him as Angelus?

Why the Bronze for the big confrontation? Again, I don't get it.

I hate guns. Really a lot.

The love song at the end, I know now, since I looked it up, is I'll Remember You by Sophie Zelmani. Who knew? I'm completely pop culture challenged, so I never know these things. There are some sound clips of her other stuff here at her website. Pretty cool.

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Angel Icons (shareable for anyone who wants them) - I was feeling a big monochromatic.

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Angel Drabble

Darla Goes Shopping

She always had loved pretty things, and for the past 200 years or so, she had denied herself nothing. The dresses had been so decadent in Paris. Oh, and the 20’s! Darla had eaten flapper after flapper until she found just the right one. It was red, with to-die-for fringe at the hem – the dress, that is, not its unfortunate wearer.

It wouldn’t do to draw attention in this town, though. Well, not yet. So she snatched a school girl walking home from school. Dead before she could even scream. She couldn’t wait for Angelus to see her perfect outfit.

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Get your books, look stuff up!

2007-06-14T04:30:00.000-04:00

Mostly Filler, Installment #6

1:6 The Pack

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library gets trashed

kids get hyena whammy

rupert gets knocked out

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Funniest Moment:

Well, if you didn't think I was a freak before, you surely do now. But this moment cracks me up every time. There's something just hilarious about the photo of poor Principal Flutie disguising the horror of him being eaten alive by a pack of incredibly tall and well-dressed hyena-possessed high school students.

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Favorite Character: Willow

She's so fragile and vulnerable. I guess knowing what she grows into makes her all the more beautiful and poignant at this point in the story.

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Best Dressed: Willow

I didn't get a great screen shot of this outfit, but I just love her cute little outfits of sweaters, skirts, tights and sneakers. So. Adorable. And I love the bright colors and especially the texture of the sweater. Hey, I like fabric, OK?

Worst Dressed: Giles

OK, well, I didn't really like the scarf. But this picture is just so yummy that obviously I was wrong. Giles can make even a tweed jacket and clashing tie and scarf patterns look good.

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Musings, in no particular order

Willow being so heartsick over Xander episode after episode gets to me way more than the whole Buffy/Angel deal ever will.

Transpossession. Whatever. But it does raise an interesting question, which I hope anyone who reads this will comment on. What about animals and spirits? Do you believe animals have spirits or souls?

Here's an interesting bit. When Jesse turned all grrr and confident, suddenly Cordelia dug him. When Buffy encounters the animalistic version of Xander, however, the same effect does not occur. She wants no parts of Mr. Controlling. So perhaps our Buffy is a bit more emotionally mature than she seems at first glance.

I'm always sad that Principal Flutie has to go so soon. He's so adorable and hilarious.

Here begins the semi-weekly trashing of the library. Who fixes it all the time?

Why, I ask you, do evil things (like vampires, demons, and apparently hyena people) always have superior smelling capabilities?

I love the bonding moment with Xander and Giles at the end. "Your secret dies with me." Aw. Giles is starting to love the slayerettes, too. Aw.

Here's my beef with this episode: Throughout the series, it's always such a huge big deal to kill a human. That's as it should be, in fact, that's one of the major points of the show, I think. But then how was it OK for the zoo guy to get tossed in to the hyena cage to get eaten? Yes, he was surely a misguided jackass, but he was human, right? And no one ever says boo about it. That just doesn't seem right to me.

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The Pack FanArt Banner (shareable - click for full size)

I know this episode is all about Xander, but there were so many beautiful Buffy/Willow pictures that I had to go with it. The rainbow is not meant to be significant, I just like colors.

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The Pack Drabble

Principal Flutie moves to Sunnydale - not his best idea ever, apparently

He hadn’t wanted to move to Sunnydale. In fact, he’d heard that the town had an unusually high death rate, among other anomalies. But he figured that was nonsense, and besides, it wasn’t easy to find a principal job, even with his shiny new degree. He knew that one more year of teaching middle school social studies would surely make him suicidal – or more likely, homicidal – so he and mom said goodbye to Seattle and rented a small condo in the next town. A few years here maybe, and then on to a better district. How hard could it be?

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