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red_satin_doll (And first off, apologies that my formatting here is all over the map. And I thought LJ was a bitch. Now on the the happy...)
1) A very happy birthday to
local_max (William) today! I'm very much hoping (when life settles down and the stars align properly) that in the new year we'll be seeing more fics and metas from him, as well as the continuation of the episode reviews on 2maggie2's LJ, to which he adds fresh and provocative insights. His contribution begins with ep 1.05, "Never Kill A Boy on the First Date". He only has two short buffyverse fics at the moment, both told from Willow's POV: "Closure" is mournful and quietly devastating ("angst" doesn't seem the right word for what he does here), while "Hanakuh Present" is twisty and wicked "oh no you didn't!" fun.
(I don't want to cause you embarrassment, m'dear, but you deserve every word single word of praise.)
2) As a newbie fan to BtVS, I came to the show this year totally unaware of 'ships, 'shipper wars, Spike wars, factions and fractures, etc (and, holy sweet potatoes, the sheer volume of porn!) And am basically rather glad that I missed most of it, to be honest, even if I also missed the boat on the two most fertile periods of fan interaction and creativity so far: during the show's run; and the renewal of interest and activity after the 10th anniversary of WTTH's original airing, or about 2007-2010.
That said,rahirah's metas and commentary on Buffy fandom have been remarkably helpful to give me a brief, incisive run-down on this fandom's history, politics, and personalities. (And that's just the start of her extraordinary contributions to this fandom from "back in the day", including and especially the her epic Barbverse. ) I'm not sure how I missed her comments posted on 12/18 until yesterday, but I think they need to be read by everyone in the fandom, and probably everyone in any fandom. And then taped up to the side of my computer as a reminder to pause, hit delete, and step away from the keyboard when my "feelings" on any subject or especially a character 'verse start to get out of hand, and "Principals" begin to overwhelm my consideration of the people on the receiving end of my rants:
"It's a trifle ironic that a character whose best and noblest trait is her ability to forgive and love her friends, as flawed and fallible as those friends sometimes are, has a fandom that regularly eats its own." [excerpt, "In Which I Ramble On", 12/18/12]
Very much so.
The sentence above does two things for me personally: First, strikes to the heart of something I have observed in this fandom, that the amount of hatred and lack of forgiveness and understanding for all the characters in the Buffyverse is diametrically opposed to the spirit of the show; we often withhold from these characters the very things they most need, the compassion and tenderness that they long for and lack. There is more than a shade of difference between holding someone accountable for their own actions and holding it against them forever - an important theme throughout the show, played out in astonishing ways particularly in S7. Is this a reflection of our own lack of compassion for others in real life - or a loud and lusty cry for compassion from others, albeit one that is most like to keep that very thing out of reach?
Second, and I hope Barb will forgive me for this, her summation warms my Buffy-loving heart like a cup of hot cocoa (with extra marshmallows) because yes, as much as I can love or empathize with a fictional character I do love and admire Buffy Anne Summers, in all of her fierce and bitchy, self-absorbed and self-sacrificing glory. And I'm more interested in sharing who and what I love about the show or am interested in exploring further. Yes, I will and do seek out metas that express their love for her, for other characters of the show, for viewpoints I share and identify with. Comfort loves company as much as misery does. And yes I will continue to seek out meta analysis that challenges me to enlarge and redefine my own viewpoints. If I find meta or fic that rubs me the wrong way because their viewpoint is very far removed from my own, or I get involved in those toxic conversations that Barb describes, "I'm right and you're wrong and here's why!" I'll make a greater effort press the back button and go elsewhere.
Just, please, for the love of Buffy, keep me away from the fandom wars, the 'shipping wars, the whomever-or-whatever wars. If you love Riley, or ship Buffy/Angel, then follow your heart and do so to the "top of your bent". I'll be over here with my arms wrapped around S5-7 as tightly as I can, including Dead Things (especially Dead Things). I'll tell anyone in earshot that S4 is underrated (Cave!Buffy for the win!), rewatch S1-3 and - who knows? Maybe, someday, I'll even learn to like Angel. Stranger things have happened. (Just don't hold me to that last one, ok?)
1) A very happy birthday to
local_max (William) today! I'm very much hoping (when life settles down and the stars align properly) that in the new year we'll be seeing more fics and metas from him, as well as the continuation of the episode reviews on 2maggie2's LJ, to which he adds fresh and provocative insights. His contribution begins with ep 1.05, "Never Kill A Boy on the First Date". He only has two short buffyverse fics at the moment, both told from Willow's POV: "Closure" is mournful and quietly devastating ("angst" doesn't seem the right word for what he does here), while "Hanakuh Present" is twisty and wicked "oh no you didn't!" fun.(I don't want to cause you embarrassment, m'dear, but you deserve every word single word of praise.)
2) As a newbie fan to BtVS, I came to the show this year totally unaware of 'ships, 'shipper wars, Spike wars, factions and fractures, etc (and, holy sweet potatoes, the sheer volume of porn!) And am basically rather glad that I missed most of it, to be honest, even if I also missed the boat on the two most fertile periods of fan interaction and creativity so far: during the show's run; and the renewal of interest and activity after the 10th anniversary of WTTH's original airing, or about 2007-2010.
That said,
rahirah's metas and commentary on Buffy fandom have been remarkably helpful to give me a brief, incisive run-down on this fandom's history, politics, and personalities. (And that's just the start of her extraordinary contributions to this fandom from "back in the day", including and especially the her epic Barbverse. ) I'm not sure how I missed her comments posted on 12/18 until yesterday, but I think they need to be read by everyone in the fandom, and probably everyone in any fandom. And then taped up to the side of my computer as a reminder to pause, hit delete, and step away from the keyboard when my "feelings" on any subject or especially a character 'verse start to get out of hand, and "Principals" begin to overwhelm my consideration of the people on the receiving end of my rants:"It's a trifle ironic that a character whose best and noblest trait is her ability to forgive and love her friends, as flawed and fallible as those friends sometimes are, has a fandom that regularly eats its own." [excerpt, "In Which I Ramble On", 12/18/12]
Very much so.
The sentence above does two things for me personally: First, strikes to the heart of something I have observed in this fandom, that the amount of hatred and lack of forgiveness and understanding for all the characters in the Buffyverse is diametrically opposed to the spirit of the show; we often withhold from these characters the very things they most need, the compassion and tenderness that they long for and lack. There is more than a shade of difference between holding someone accountable for their own actions and holding it against them forever - an important theme throughout the show, played out in astonishing ways particularly in S7. Is this a reflection of our own lack of compassion for others in real life - or a loud and lusty cry for compassion from others, albeit one that is most like to keep that very thing out of reach?
Second, and I hope Barb will forgive me for this, her summation warms my Buffy-loving heart like a cup of hot cocoa (with extra marshmallows) because yes, as much as I can love or empathize with a fictional character I do love and admire Buffy Anne Summers, in all of her fierce and bitchy, self-absorbed and self-sacrificing glory. And I'm more interested in sharing who and what I love about the show or am interested in exploring further. Yes, I will and do seek out metas that express their love for her, for other characters of the show, for viewpoints I share and identify with. Comfort loves company as much as misery does. And yes I will continue to seek out meta analysis that challenges me to enlarge and redefine my own viewpoints. If I find meta or fic that rubs me the wrong way because their viewpoint is very far removed from my own, or I get involved in those toxic conversations that Barb describes, "I'm right and you're wrong and here's why!" I'll make a greater effort press the back button and go elsewhere.
Just, please, for the love of Buffy, keep me away from the fandom wars, the 'shipping wars, the whomever-or-whatever wars. If you love Riley, or ship Buffy/Angel, then follow your heart and do so to the "top of your bent". I'll be over here with my arms wrapped around S5-7 as tightly as I can, including Dead Things (especially Dead Things). I'll tell anyone in earshot that S4 is underrated (Cave!Buffy for the win!), rewatch S1-3 and - who knows? Maybe, someday, I'll even learn to like Angel. Stranger things have happened. (Just don't hold me to that last one, ok?)
no subject
Date: 2012-12-30 06:04 pm (UTC)That was pretty much my feeling just watching the one episode! And Emily Deschanel's character constantly saying "I don't know what that is" (or whatever) to every pop culture reference got old fast. There was this one scene where DB was at his desk, considering going against his own policies in terms of a case (which is pretty much how just about every mystery/cop/hero show in the US functions, right? It's the person who goes against the rules who is always a hero even if in real life they'd be suspended, fired, court-marshaled, etc) But in just a few seconds he conveyed a lot about the character's internal struggle in absolute silence.
I like performances when you can see the psychology of the character right on the actor's face. Chris Cooper is superb in that regard. Seabiscuit was cornball cheese compared to the truly excellent book it was based off of, but there is a single shot of Cooper, at the beginning, lying on the ground in his sleeping bag and staring up at the moon, and something in his eyes and mouth told me everything I needed to know about that character in a single shot. I adore that sort of subtle work.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-30 07:09 pm (UTC)Emily Deschanel also gets better but is also intensely irritating at times (I do blame the writers for that, though). Actually, don't even get me started on the writers lack of research sometimes (the episode set in London is painfully seared into my brain, seared!) because it is like they didn't even bother to find out basic stuff.
But hey, Bones is one of the few programmes I actually record so I don't miss one, so they can't be doing too badly...
no subject
Date: 2012-12-31 01:22 pm (UTC)It's really interesting that the two actors from BtVS who have done the best career-wise are AH and DB, and they both started a new series right away, so HIMYM have run for the same number of seasons (I think?) They were the two cast members missing from the Paleyfest in '08, so I presumed that work commitments kept them away. (Unlike other folks who really didn't/don't have a full time day job.)
The funny thing is that - I wouldn't have predicted that DB would be one of the cast members who got another series, based on what I saw on BtVS; and I would have predicted AH would have; what I didn't expect was that she'd become one of the least-interesting cast members on the show. I've watched up to season 7 on netflix (no spoilers for S8 please!), and my favorite cast members are NPH and Cobie Smulders. AH is good and I like the Lily/Marshall dynamic, but she's really rather minor in the ensemble and she doesn't have quite the comedic chops of NPH or Cobie.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-31 06:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-31 06:27 pm (UTC)I haven't watched How I met your mother - for some reason I just can't get into it. Although having got you into Bones I suppose I should repay the debt and give it another try...
I am surprised Alexis Denisof didn't do more after Angel - and James Marsters, to be honest. Except I think that Spike may have been JM's perfect storm, if you know what I mean. Where else would he get that gem of a role?
no subject
Date: 2012-12-31 11:31 pm (UTC)Eh, I enjoy it - I've esp enjoyed season 7, it may be my favorite so far, but I wouldn't call it must-see tv. It's amusing, although my favorite moments are the serious and poignant ones, which all the actors delivery wonderfully. The one current series I'd say is pretty brilliant it Parks and Recreation (I just finished S4 on Netflix.)
I am surprised Alexis Denisof didn't do more after Angel
Agreed. It seems like there were so many talented people in that cast, and I would have thought they'd found more work. Especially him and James Marsters (did he piss somebody off?) Emma Caulfield did fantastic work - btvs didn't actually utilize her enough IMO. Also SMG, but I've seen just a couple of her interviews (one recent, one around 2002) and read some quotes, and I get the idea that she's strong-minded and opinionated, and that doesn't sit well in that industry, especially from women. And I kind of love that about her, the way I love Bronson Pinchot's really frank interviews - so I guess being opinionated doesn't help your career regardless of gender.
Where else would he get that gem of a role?
Well, yes, that's very true. there will never be another "Buffy the vampire slayer", even if they rebooted it. (Which drives me crazy, btw - STOP rebooting things! Come up with new stories and new characters!) I think SMG has said that there will never be another experience like that.
Did you know that AD has a minor supporting but reoccurring role as "Sandy", Robin Sherbatsky's (Cobie Smulders) boss and and anchorman at the news station where she works. (BTW - Robin Sherbatsky = best tv character name EVER.) I wouldn't have recognized him though. Hardly worthy of his talents. And other supporting cast from btvs have been on HIMYM - Danny Strong once as a minister in S6; Harry Groener as Ted's hippie stepfather; and there have been a couple of times when Lily has gotten black-eyed with rage and basically turned into a parody of Dark Willow. (One time in S7 she turned red-eyed with rage and I laughed - until I remembered SR and Tara. *sniffle*)
no subject
Date: 2013-01-16 01:56 pm (UTC)And DB is charming (even my sweetie thinks he is) but ED is starting to grow on me; she has some wonderfully underplayed moments (talking to the little boy about what happened to his foster brother may be the moment I started to fall a little in love with her character.)