I think I understand what you're getting at, could you explain a bit more? It's complicated because of problems with censorship restrictions at the time, so the show has to play it close to the vest.
Having someone pay attention to you is the biggest turn-on in the world - and not necessarily sexual/romantic relationships, but any sort - friendships etc. We tend to blossom under it, esp if we've not received much of it before or don't have a strong and healthy sense of self. (I'm guessing on that last point - I wouldn't know a "strong and healthy sense of self" if it made sweet love to me.)
Buffy and Willow in WTTH and Willow and Tara both parallel and reverse each other; in both instances, someone else pays attention to Willow, they recognize her as special, as worth noticing; the difference in her confidence at each point shows in her reactions. She's utterly astonished by buffy's first overtures; in Hush she'd noticed Tara, and is still taken aback by her overtures but much less so. Plus there's the additional sexual/romantic element there. Does Willow have the same "spiritual" (chemical/hormonal) attraction to Tara at the end of Hush, or does that come later?
That is, I think they help one another to be more confident, but their growing confidence, or moreso Willow's especially, comes at the cost of Buffy's gradually eroding self-confidence over the course of the series.
I don't mean it like in a idealized romantic bangelian way, but in a more pratical one of people slowly knowing and liking each others.
It's a bit of both, I think. There definitely is an idealized, romantic element - the handfasting in Hush and Tara's statement "no you're very special", or "I am you know - your's" and "I trust you" in WAY. And they barely even know each other at that point- they've just met. So there is something very realistic to me about their early relationship, in that way we "fall in love" and then start to deal with the reality of the other person when the veil of the "honeymoon phase" has lifted. (TL, ATW, TR) You see this other person through the haze of hormonal attraction, what you want and need, you idealize them and try to present an idealized version of yourself. That's very normal, especially for first loves, and it's what Buffy and Angel do prior to the soul-bomb. Willow and Tara don't get to "suck face" on camera in S4 (damn American cultural mores and network censorship), but it's clearly a sexual relationship and not just a romantic one pretty early (WAY, NMR). And we see that in Buffy/Riley as well - Buffy overlooking the fact that he was very patronizing to her in Doomed and getting into a romantic relationship with him; him not realizing what being the Slayer really means in real life terms.
but there is also the practical element that you mention; I think there is some of that in Bangel as well, although it's easy to overlook it because the romance dominates the story. had Angel not had his soul bomb, etc, - or Riley his identity crisis - I think Buffy might have eventually broken up with them anyway but could continue to have been friends.
I love some Willow's shirts in that season, like the one she wears in Doomed.
I kind of liked Willow's outfits in S4 but apparently that's a minority view? I thought she looked pretty but still eccentric and very much herself; it was a relief when she dropped the more childish attire from earlier seasons. (the infantilizing yellow jumper in Phases, for instance, which is also very symbolic of the fear of stepping into adult sexuality with Oz.) I also liked her rose velour dress in Enemies when she's going face-to-face with Faith; the dress in OMWF sort of reminds me of it.
Oh and I have never seen Gilmore girls, even promos. teen dramas are not my thing at all, which is part of the reason I didn't watch Buffy for so long, I'm sure.
no subject
I think I understand what you're getting at, could you explain a bit more? It's complicated because of problems with censorship restrictions at the time, so the show has to play it close to the vest.
Having someone pay attention to you is the biggest turn-on in the world - and not necessarily sexual/romantic relationships, but any sort - friendships etc. We tend to blossom under it, esp if we've not received much of it before or don't have a strong and healthy sense of self. (I'm guessing on that last point - I wouldn't know a "strong and healthy sense of self" if it made sweet love to me.)
Buffy and Willow in WTTH and Willow and Tara both parallel and reverse each other; in both instances, someone else pays attention to Willow, they recognize her as special, as worth noticing; the difference in her confidence at each point shows in her reactions. She's utterly astonished by buffy's first overtures; in Hush she'd noticed Tara, and is still taken aback by her overtures but much less so. Plus there's the additional sexual/romantic element there. Does Willow have the same "spiritual" (chemical/hormonal) attraction to Tara at the end of Hush, or does that come later?
That is, I think they help one another to be more confident, but their growing confidence, or moreso Willow's especially, comes at the cost of Buffy's gradually eroding self-confidence over the course of the series.
I don't mean it like in a idealized romantic bangelian way, but in a more pratical one of people slowly knowing and liking each others.
It's a bit of both, I think. There definitely is an idealized, romantic element - the handfasting in Hush and Tara's statement "no you're very special", or "I am you know - your's" and "I trust you" in WAY. And they barely even know each other at that point- they've just met. So there is something very realistic to me about their early relationship, in that way we "fall in love" and then start to deal with the reality of the other person when the veil of the "honeymoon phase" has lifted. (TL, ATW, TR) You see this other person through the haze of hormonal attraction, what you want and need, you idealize them and try to present an idealized version of yourself. That's very normal, especially for first loves, and it's what Buffy and Angel do prior to the soul-bomb. Willow and Tara don't get to "suck face" on camera in S4 (damn American cultural mores and network censorship), but it's clearly a sexual relationship and not just a romantic one pretty early (WAY, NMR). And we see that in Buffy/Riley as well - Buffy overlooking the fact that he was very patronizing to her in Doomed and getting into a romantic relationship with him; him not realizing what being the Slayer really means in real life terms.
but there is also the practical element that you mention; I think there is some of that in Bangel as well, although it's easy to overlook it because the romance dominates the story. had Angel not had his soul bomb, etc, - or Riley his identity crisis - I think Buffy might have eventually broken up with them anyway but could continue to have been friends.
I love some Willow's shirts in that season, like the one she wears in Doomed.
I kind of liked Willow's outfits in S4 but apparently that's a minority view? I thought she looked pretty but still eccentric and very much herself; it was a relief when she dropped the more childish attire from earlier seasons. (the infantilizing yellow jumper in Phases, for instance, which is also very symbolic of the fear of stepping into adult sexuality with Oz.) I also liked her rose velour dress in Enemies when she's going face-to-face with Faith; the dress in OMWF sort of reminds me of it.
Oh and I have never seen Gilmore girls, even promos. teen dramas are not my thing at all, which is part of the reason I didn't watch Buffy for so long, I'm sure.