General Open Thread – TV Shows

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

@purofilion

On Christmas choices I have quite a lot, some of which have been mentioned already.

You may not have been around when I wrote about The Avengers: Too many Christmas Trees for a group watch, but its still here. Christmas doesn’t really start for me until I watch it.

Like @jimthefish I also have a Bones episode, but mine tends to be the Season 1 Man in a Fallout Shelter. I also watch Die Hard on occasion, but in terms of action flicks I also have a soft spot for The Last Kiss Goodnight, with Geena Davis and Samuel L Jackson. It’s also set at Christmas with lots of explosions. Jackson is his usual hilarious self in it.

Back to TV and ITV did a funny mounting of Tim Firth’s Flint Street Nativity. Basically adult stars playing eight year olds and the trials and tribulations of mounting a Nativity Play. It’s well cast with people like Josie Lawrence, Dervla Kirwan, Jane Horrocks, Mark Addy, etc. The standout for me though is Frank Skinner who gives an ace turn as a TV game show obsessed boy, living in a world of his own, and playing Herod in the play.

I’ve also got a copy of Bernard and the Genie which gets an annual airing. Alan Cumming as Bernard whose life has just turned to crap before he discovers a Genie (Lenny Henry) in a lamp. It’s by Richard Curtis so is quite sentimental in places, but it’s still a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it’s never been released on DVD because the rights were purchased by an American Studio and it’s been in development hell ever since. Lots of names have been associated with it over the years, including Jim Carey. I just wish they’d get on with it. It’s bound to be shit, but at least the original could be released.

I don’t know if you’ve seen any of Mark Gatiss s first major collaboration The League of Gentlemen and the monstrous denizens of Roysten Vasey, but they did a very good Christmas Special in the style of the old Portmantau horror movies. That always gets a play, as does the live show they did one Christmas The League of Gentlemen are behind you. I went to see it performed in Scarborough and loved it.

On that front, I always try to watch one of the Hammer or Amicus Horror anthologies, because when I was a kid they always used to be shown at Christmas. This year I think I may go for Asylum with Robert Powell and Herbert Lom

It’s not set at Christmas, but the snow and general feel suits it, so it’s the time of year for me to watch Groundhog Day. Again. Bill Murray’s finest hour and a bit, I think.

As well as those, there are a fair few specials and movies already mentioned I dip into as the mood takes me. Seasonal editions of X-Files, Millenium, A Town called Eureka and so on.

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@phaseshift — The Long Kiss Goodnight is an incredibly underrated film in my book. Smart, funny and great action sequences. But it was on TV a couple of weeks ago so I’ve had my fix. (It’s also a good companion piece for the excellent Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.)

@Purofilion — you should probably check out A Muppet Christmas Carol if you haven’t seen it already. It’s lots of fun and Michael Caine is a surprisingly effective Scrooge.

@pedant — I kind of know what you mean about the Stewart version but for me it’s a more complete adaptation than the Sim one, which is sometimes over-dominated by the central performance. Yes, Stewart does become a bit Actoorrrrrr dahling sometimes but his performance is also smart enough to play the little scenes well. I love the Sim performance for as you say it’s paranoia and bravura but it’s Stewart (for the moment at least, chances are I’ll change my mind again by Christmas) who gives me a glimpse of the real man behind Ebeneezer and who will bring a tear to the eye before the film’s over.

And now that I look over this post in its entirety — I’m suddenly struck that I really, really want to see Samuel L Jackson play Scrooge.

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish @phaseshift  thank you for an insight into your (viewing) lives. Let’s face it: what we watch is a pretty clear determination of attitudes/beliefs and….what we watch.

I love the Christmassy Diehard. I introduced these to BoyIlion when he was 10 -OK, lot’s of sweary Willis but he’s brilliant in the first three -the fourth I don’t recall but it’s recent. Whilst the third isn’t Chrimble, Boy was utterly mesmerised.

I need to check out the other Scrooge -yes, I love Sim but I haven’t seen Stewart’s version in a long bit.

I’ll Google or IMDB ‘The Long Kiss (or, PhaseShift, is it ‘The Last Kiss’?) Goodnight’. Samuel L. is a fav of mine also.

Indeed, The Avengers. I watched that with ‘everyone’. Was that Christmas last year? If so, time is speeding up in an alarming way.

The League of Gentleman. I mentioned this on site and, oddly, didn’t understand the follow-up. I was thinking of an entirely different film -not a modern Gattis!

Flint Street Nativity:  don’t know it although I have seen many of the actors in roles I love -Skinner, of course and Horrocks, Addy and Kirwan. Would you believe last Christmas Boy received the whole Ballykissangel series. It had its moments. Boy was shocked (not because it appeared dated: his film diet used to consist of Westerns with Eastwood and Wayne and movies directed by Eastwood) because Kirwan was wearing  high waist jeans! He was 11 at the time. I forgive him. Those low rider jeans. Cripes they make my rear look nasty fat.*

*quoting Kim K here.

Well, if I watch all this wonderful material I won’t get the house in order. Normally, I’m cooking by now -actually, I would be finished all the baking. Since The Great Toilet Crack of 2014 (the flood, the death of pa, the quintuple by-pass, the 4 hour long graduation and the stalker) it’s been Aldi biscuits, chocolates from Coles Myer and, instead of fish (great in Summer) we’ll go back to my Czech ‘reveal’ and have pork schnitzel and potato salad although Boy prefers Potatoes Dauphin. Annoying, as the slices of potato are thinner than a 10 cent coin. Who am I kidding? This stuff originated in France and then d’Englishers adopted it 🙂

What is amicus horror?  Holy hellmouth, is this code? 🙂 Don’t do that, I go red and have to bail (yep, Seth Green in Buffy).

@scaryb and @bluesqueakpip if you would like to suggest your Festive Favs, I’d love to know but I realise there is Christmas stuff to be done -shopping, coffee with friends, or a wine in pub with your mates?

Shame. So few places are licenced in Brisbane so it’s hard to find a close enough vestibule for a top notch scotch.

Kindest, puro

 

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

Only just caught up with this. christmas movies. To be honest, most of these seem a bit…well, anyway.

I offer for your consideration “Night of the Hunter”. Not only one of the most perfect movies ever made, but one that ends with one of the most perfect Christmas resolutions.

[janetteB @janetteb]

My Christmas watch list mostly consists of Dr Who. Have rewatched The Christmas Invasion, the Widow and Wardrobe and Snowmen,( still the best), specials in the past week. (I can’t actually find any of the others) I also just rewatched the Stewart version of A Christmas Carol. We have the 1977 Michael Hordorn version as well which is well worth watching but alas it is on the same hard drive as most of ‘Who’ which is currently inaccessible.

I have also indulged in some of my favourite dramas as I don’t tend to watch TV much during the hols when everybody is home. (Or not “my’ shows at least.)

Christmas is associated for us with LOTR as the films open on Boxing Day so, though the Hobbit suffers a little from being hte lesser tale, we will be lining up at the local cinema on Boxing Day in keeping with family tradition. But the Tv series that I am really excited about, and still awaiting news of is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I was expecting that it would air over Christmas but clearly not which is a pity as I think it would make for excellent Christmas viewing. I am still hoping for January as images from the series are now beginning to circulate.

Cheers

Janette

[Anonymous @]

@blenkinsopthebrave  I understand but thank you- Night of the Hunter is something I shall check on tIMDB

@janetteb  your hard-drive is inaccessible? A power shortage leading to the tele blowing up? It’s Oz, and it happens. I hope that isn’t the reason.

Jonathan Strange. Now, why is that so damn familiar? Honestly, I haven’t seen tele in about 3-4 weeks -I had to work, feed, work, sleep and scream at Child a lot. Also the cricket is on and whilst that’s tele, it’s not really ‘my’ tele. Of course, then one hears the news…and turns it off.

Ah, the Hobbit. Oh, God, The flicks. At Christmas. Popcorn and red slushies. Nooooooooo.

Kindest to you, J and Blenkinsop, puro.

[janetteB @janetteb]

@purofilion one hard drive isn’t plugged in at the moment, another has died and we have not yet attempted to recover what is on it as we don’t have enough hard drive space left to back up the contents. We decided that hard drives are too pragmatic for Xmas pressies and haven’t had time to really consider just what we need anyway so after Christmas the family entertainment set up will hopefully be fully restored.

Jonathan Strange .. is a novel which has finally been adapted for TV by the BBC. It is set in an alternate Regency England where magic is real drawing upon British fairy lore. (Pre the prettification of Spencer and Shakespeare) One of my favourite books hence my excitement about the adaptation.

On seasonal viewing I forgot to mention that we recently watched “Hogfather” which was lots of fun. I have only read one Terry Pratchet so didn’t know what to expect. I wondered if the story will in any way provide some inspiration for this year’s Christmas special. Certainly some of the roof top scenes reminded me of some of the promo images.

Cheers

Janette

 

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@purofilion

My assessment of the choices offered up so far was not directed at your choices, per se, but was at a reflection the offerings offered up generally–although @phaseshift‘s choice of “Too many Christmas Trees” from “The Avengers” was inspired.

I prefer my Christmas movies to have a slightly subversive dimension, and as evidence, the Christmas movie of choice each year in the Blenkinsop household is “The Man who came to Dinner” with Bette Davis, Monty Woolley and Jimmy Duarante. I cannot heap too high a level of praise on this wonderful, acerbic comedy.

[The Krynoid Man @thekrynoidman]

I’m probably going to end up watching my all time favourite Christmas film, Die Hard, this year. Yippie Ki Yey.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@purofilion

The Christmas movie with the Blenkinsop seal of approval

 

 

[Arbutus @arbutus]

@blenkinsopthebrave    Yes! Good call, so much fun.

@purofilion    The Arbutus household tends to default to the usual suspects at Christmas time. We have a big collection of dvd’s that we dip into every year. One that we never leave out is The Bishop’s Wife, which also has Monty Woolley, along with Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young. Even Arbutus Jr. can quote from that one!

For more contemporary laughs, we love A Christmas Story, the nostalgic tale of the trials and tribulations of the BB-gun-yearning Ralphie. As for Christmas Carol versions, Alistair Sim is our default Scrooge, but there is also a version from the eighties with George C. Scott, that we enjoy for a slightly more faithful-to-the-book version.

Last day of school for Arbutus Jr. today, and he and Mr. Arbutus are both on holiday now for two weeks, so Christmas can start: no more sports, poetry analysis, French projects, chemistry experiments, etc. (You can tell how much of my own life I get to live, these days!)

[Anonymous @]

@blenkinsopthebrave  as luck and polish would have it:  The Man Who Came to Dinner is in our ‘bottom top’ drawer.  Done! Thank you.  @arbutus I’m glad that Christmas is settling in with you

@janetteb thank you!  I shall indeed be watching tele. Clearly after last night’s nutty hospital visit -where tele was turned up to drown out the poor dementia lady on my left and the drug taking mother of four on my right – it has something good to offer. It musta been midnight? The Deer Hunter was on. Now, I have mixed feelings about this (the advertisements figure in this) but 40 years ago, a boyfriend showed up at my house crying.  Huh? Men can’t have feelings. Of course, but he was 18 and I was 17 and in the middle of what Arbutus is finishing with in the household – papers, presentations etc…I didn’t really want to see an hysterical boyfriend at my front door at 1 am whilst parents were flogging Bali (corporate Australia in the ’80s).

I still haven’t worked out what set him off? The deer or…. well, anyway, a poignant film but then it’s been a long time. Somehow, a Christmas Movie set to all commercial channels at the Private Hospital (I call it my local) shouldn’t be The Deer Hunter.

@arbutus I forget here in Oz that you finish up comparatively late…The best of Christmas wishes to you. I will check out The Bishop’s Wife….

@thekrynoidman Yippee Ki Yay. I’m so thick that I read that phrase and think there’s some words missing and Boy Ilion’s hand strays over to cover mine on the computer. How does he know that WHOLE phrase?… I’m a terrible mother 🙁   🙂  Enjoy your watch!

Kindest to all, puro

[Anonymous @]

@pedant @jimthefish

Well, I’m in a puddle on the floor as a result of Innocence.

First with Oz and his “willow kissage”.  And not least because of Angel.

Then the dialogue (not the best in Buffy but beautifully received and delivered):

B: You must be so disappointed in me.

Giles:  No, no I’m not.

B:  This is all my fault

Giles: I don’t believe it is. Do you want to me to wag my finger at you and say you acted rashly? You did, and I can.

But.

(Way to make a gal cry -even a desiccated old one)

Buffy’s mum: What did you do for your birthday? (she’s not the ol’ one 🙂 )

B:   I got older.

Mum: So make a wish.

B: I’ll just let it burn.

Goodnight, goodnight…puro

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@purofilion — yes, Innocence is, in that often misused word, a total game-changer. It’s usually the episode that leads to chronic Buffy addiction I’ve found.

It’s probably also the first time Joss will have punched a hole in your chest and pulled out your still beating heart. But I’m afraid it almost definitely won’t be the last.

I also love the scene in the car. But I also love Willow confronting Xander about Cordelia. Especially the fact they used to have a We Hate Cordelia Fan Club.

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish  indeed.  My bleeding heart. Pulled out and stomped on and then mounted on some wall.  I then watched Phases (sic?) and enjoyed that

and wept -Oz??? Whoa.  Certainly Willow is an incredible person. I must admit with members saying “willow it’s all willow”, I was meh. Not anymore. And then Cordelia: some of the best lines. It’s the layering and the motivation -two different concepts I know, but I recall the 13 year old saying this and me thinking “I’m so proud”.

Well, everything is tainted for Boy Ilion at the mo. He’s watching Burn Notice with others and Supernatural and God only knows what else and all he can say is “This is so predictable. Where is the line to connect the….blip with the blap?  Let’s watch Buffy instead. Or the cricket where they don’t have to actually talk”.

We shall Binge on Buffy in Peace.

Kindest, Buffylove.

[Anonymous @]

too much?

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@Purofilion

You think you know what’s to come, what you are? You haven’t even begun.

[Anonymous @]

@pedant  I’m beginning to sense this. I’m not sure if others know The Buff, or want to, but being discreet, there’s a been an unexpected death, the fact I’m now falling for Cordelia-a small surprise and an empty hearted Buffy -or a too full one. But this is still 3 episodes from the finale of Season 2. Onwards and Up. Cripes, it’s 3 am here. (I have a put together a Buffy quote book…Xander’s lines)

Kindest , puro

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@purofilion — good to hear the Buff is pulling you into its vice-like grip. I hate to say ‘I told you so’ but …

and a big ‘yay’ for the Cordy-crush.

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

and a big eating of festive humble pie to @juniperfish who was dead right about Marti Noxon. On this reflective rewatch, I definitely agree she’s had a rockin’ season two. Bad Eggs notwithstanding.

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@Purofilion

I was being mischievous. Those who know, know. Those who don’t will find out in time. 😉

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

@purofilion

Double apologies, yes @jimthefish got the title right (praise him) for Long Kiss Goodnight, and I’ll echo him in suggesting you seek it out. It has some great guest cast turns from people like Brian Cox and Patrick Malahide.

What is amicus horror? Holy hellmouth, is this code?

Yes – me lapsing into film geek mode, I’m afraid. Amicus was a small Brit-based production company, mainly dealing in horror and sci-fi. They actually produced the two Peter Cushing Doctor Who movies.

They produced a range of horror movies which are commonly misattributed to the Hammer House of Horror, and it was one of them that introduced a young phaseshift, with his age in single digits, to his first horror film. At Christmas!

I think I would have been nine, and I was reading the festive editions of the TV Mags and read a listing for Vault of Horror. It listed Terry Thomas (gap toothed cad star of many comedies) but also – TOM BAKER, before he was the Doctor! (You’ll spot him briefly in this trailer, with ginger beard). I was therefore mad to see it, even though it was on late. My parents refused. Luckily, they had to go out on the night in question, leaving me in the dubious care of my older brother (who’d invited his mates around). I watched it on his portable while they were downstairs, and had the shit scared out of me. 😀 I loved it, and still find them engaging. They are perfect Christmas fare. Tales of truly horrible people whose villainy is repaid in deeply macabre ways. Some stories (because each film is a collection of stories loosely bound by a narrative device) are gruesome, some funny, and all done with a tongue in the cheek. Robert Bloch (who wrote Psycho) contributed a great deal of stories. I’m not sure why they work for me as Christmas fare, but that streak of macabre is a winner.

An interesting thing was that it sounds like these films introduced many a younger chap in the era to the delights of horror. Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton (The League of Gentlemen) were three such. If you haven’t seen their comedy series, (three series, one special, one film) it may be worth checking out. They are darkly hilarious, revelling in Brit horror in particular. The three play virtually all the characters in the show.

The Christmas special is pure Amicus. Have a clip:

[Anonymous @]

@phaseshift  Merry Christmas and thank you for responding in such detail -it’s a busy time and a few people have exactly three days off during Christmas in Brisbane/Sydney.

I loved the links and the trailer with Gatiss and I also watched Gatiss being interviewed for League of Gentleman – “I sought out my own character till lunchtime” or, as he was mumbling a little it could read “I sorted out my character till lunchtime”. Anyway, funny and clever lines seem to abound.

Amicus Horror -now, I know, but to echo @pedant “Those who know, know.” So, maybe I need to find these out and then comment in time. Vault of Horror -brother & Mr Ilion know this!  –now they tell me 🙂

Interesting to watch those clips and then recall our viewing experience of A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim whilst Boy Ilion, noticing it had been colourised, and, totally freaked out by Sim’s delightful but mad giggle, became a little bored! Ha, bored watching rich men who’ll only attend a funeral if there’s a “good meal”, seeing the servant class arguing over bed curtains and their worth and watching a man discover simple happiness whilst dancing a polka in his nephew’s presence!  Banish said Boy.

We did watch Wild Geese with Richard Burton and R. Harris (odd for Christmas, but still) and I think they were watching Lethal Weapon 4 by the time I had picked up spare bullets from a massive nerf gun battle which I lost (too much wine). I then fell into bed. Today, it’s the cricket but NO Hobbit part 16.

The Boy started Buffy Series 3 yesterday which was wonderfully clever -as usual. Ah, also there was Fiddler on the Roof -very touching. Not sure how much of this is expected Christmas viewing per se, but this evening’s Doctor Who Christmas Special will sprinkle some sparkle of that kind.

Kindest, puro

 

[Anonymous @]

@pedant  @jimthefish

well, well, well. How could Cordelia survive that?  The angst (not to mention the metal sticking out of her fit washboard tum)!

But it was Spike who threw me: “I may be love’s bitch but I’m man enough to admit it. Love isn’t brains, it’s blood…you love… you quiver and then it will kill you….you can never be friends”

I’m utterly nuts about it. We must have watched 5 episodes in a day -I’m not doing all the damn jobs and stuff the cooking. Technically, someone else stuffs it but between Giles’ candy addiction: “d’ cop’s gotta gun” (slap, smash, kick), and Spike’s bitter love, my cup over floweth.

At what point does it get worse? 🙂

Kindest. “As she goes, so goes my nation”

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

We must have watched 5 episodes in a day

Slacker.

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

@purofilion

How could Cordelia survive that?

Weirdly, she actually did. I don’t know whether it was a story she’d told on set, or that they decided the scar was noticeable enough that it would be more convenient to just ‘explain’ it.

But that scene is essentially a repeat of an accident she had as a child, with the injury in the same place. :-~

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@purofilion — I predict that you’re going to get a huge kick out of Season Six, but that’s jumping the gun more than a little.

For me S3 is Buffy at its most perfect. It’s got the best distillation of the Scooby Gang, a near-perfect run of episodes (no Bad Eggs or Go Fish to slightly derail the flow here) and a great and memorable Big Bad. Plus it’s got Faith.

You’re certainly racing ahead now. We’re just about level-pegging now in my own rewatch. Right, must get back into it…

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish  Yes, I think so too -well, I have to don’t I?  🙂 I haven’t seen series 4 or 5 yet, but the continual ‘suck face’ is getting to BoyIlion. I think he prefers Xander when he’s funny and not groping with intent.

Mind you, I’ve been called a slacker  by you-know-who, so, in the spirit of passive aggression, I’m gonna pause for a while.

I’ll sleep tomorrow instead.

But not for long.

Kindest and thank you, I am enjoying this particular season immensely. Puro.

 

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

It occurs to me that the Divinyls gag must have passed you by (it was in Lie To Me).

Also – there is a sort of three-dimensional matrix of Buffy fandom. Axes include S3 vs S5 as perfection, S6 Rocked vs S6 Sucked, Willow and [spoiler interdicted] vs Willow and [spoiler interdicted] and another which I won’t go into just yet, but which will become screamingly obvious.

OK, I think that might be four dimensions. Or possibly more.

I will be very interested in your view on S4 (for reasons it would be meta-spoilery to explain).

Also, I have a meta-theory about Buffy which encompasses Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter that you will need to remind me about after the last ep of S7 (so early next week then 😉 ).

[Anonymous @]

@pedant  ah no?  Passed or missed the allusion and gaggery to the Great Chrissy? You don’t know me well enough.

The error was in explaining it to Boy Ilion who was then promptly introduced to Kolacny and his choir singing ‘I touch …’ with great merriment and to screaming applause.

Someone’s gonna clock me on the head for this one. Or someone’s going to emergency and someone’s going to jail -that’s a joyful title but from one other favourite series. Who d’ man??

But you won’t get iiiiiit. 🙂

Bear in mind I haven’t sleep in a wee while. Generally I don’t carry on.

 

 

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@pedant — I will also be interested in @purofilion’s take on S4. (For what it’s worth, I definitely fall into the camp that thinks S4 profoundly underachieved at the very least, with a couple of notable exception episodes and that s6 kicked ass — if for nothing else for having the best Big Bad of the entire show.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by  JimTheFish. Reason: To turn it into something at least remotely resembling English

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@jimthefish

I suspect our views aren’t too different (well apart from on one of the axes mentioned above), but am wary of saying too much to avoid the risk luring @purofilion into pre-judging.

[Anonymous @]

@pedant @jimthefish  Yes, BoyIlion has been extremely naughty in not only reading on-line reviews re Buffy seasons but also attempting to tell me! I tried to toon him out by la la-ing but it didn’t work entirely.

Thank you for your consideration (PS. Boy Ilion read ‘axes’ and asked, “why is this person talking about weapons? Don’t  they use stakes anymore, Mum?”)

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

 Boy Ilion read ‘axes’ and asked, “why is this person talking about weapons? Don’t  they use stakes anymore, Mum?”

I blame the teachers 😉

[Anonymous @]

@pedant

oh, hoots with laughter she does.

[Anonymous @]

@pedant I think I was referring to ‘Somebody’s Going to Emergency Somebody’s Going to Jail.’

It occurs to me that the gag passed you by. It was in Season 2, episode 16. But it was awhile ago and that’s OK 🙂

Of course you got it….

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

Nope, I got it – it has my favourite opening sequence (ending with a delightfully prosaic “This is Ginger, it’s 6:35 and I’m opening the communications office”).

Also, when were you possessed by Yoda?

[Anonymous @]

@pedant ’round the time I got to speakin’ in iambic pentameter

Ah hah.  Right.

Also: Sam goes to considerable effort to not tell Donnah’s friend about her grandfather, who was the Soviet agent, Blackwater. This reminds me of Buffy’s need to hide Angel from her friends; the disappointment on Giles’ face is classic. Most young people would say ‘he ripped her a new one’. But I prefer ‘classic’. Sam does the same to Donnah, both of them are right -to a point.

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

Indeed. And we know the truth and brutality of the situation because it was delivered by Nancy. Who rocks.

[Anonymous @]

@pedant yessir good thing I know Nancy as I’ve spelt Donna’s name wrong. The Donnatellas I’ve known have an haitch in their names.

For years, I never knew that Nancy was Sheen’s daughter- in- law. Go figure: Estevez on the screen most weeks.

I must try on “rocks” -it’s a new phrase for me. Like: “that’s cool”. I usually use some long, overblown phrase instead, but taking writin’ classes, I’ve been.

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

Wrong Nancy. National Security Adviser Nancy McNally is Anne Deveare Smith. Who rocks.

Spawn-of-Sheen Nancy (one of the Oval Office staff) is Renée Estevez (Estevez being Sheen’s real name, hence Emilio and Ramon – the thick one took the Sheen name)

[Anonymous @]

@pedant well pardon me 🙂  Cripes, THAT Nancy. Well, obviously I know all there is to know.

Backpuro (eerm backpuro doesn’t read the same as backfireofilion: but then flammable and inflammable mean the same thing)

[Anonymous @]

@pedant I’m onto the Christmas ep of Buff having had another heart ripped out in The Wish. Willow and Zander in leather

[Anonymous @]

@jimthefish, @pedant – Please edit if too spoil-ry

S2 finale and S3 is the season where I started to get hooked on the story arc instead of just good episodes, but I rank S5 above it (I like the big bad better). S4 does take a step backward from S3 (but I think it had too, after that season). I think S4 just starts slow, instead of underachieving.

Agreed @jimthefish that S6 is great and in no way sucks, but S6 has the greatest Big Bad ever??

Maybe if you mean [spoiler], but not if you mean [spoiler]. 🙂

 @Purofilion – Agree that Xander is hilarious.  I’m psyched you are going so fast. You will probly fly through the rest of S3.

 

[Anonymous @]

@barnable @pedant @jimthefish  The Stupid, It Hurts.

Buffy’s bother is MOO!!  “Oh, I’m a rebel ..I can summon the four elements -OK, two, but four soon…Prince of Night I summon you, fill me with your black evil” says Willow as Mrs Rosenberg grounds her and demands she “never see Bunny Summers again”.

And Giles’ books have been taken? Will there be a burning? How can this get worse I snap? This is very bad.

Now watching this in secret as Boy demands I not watch it without him. But he’s with a friend….so I ..I…I ..just have to!

TerrifofIlion

[Anonymous @]

Oh shit it’s not just books burning.

[Anonymous @]

For Buffy S1 and S2 experts, I have one question.

@pedant, @jimthefish, @Purofilion, @bluesqueakpip, @others

I always watch the Buffy theme song, and then I try to find any of the flashes (from the theme song video) in the episode  I found all of the video flashes from S1 and S2 in episodes except one, that one flash I need help finding.

The video flash I can’t find in any of the episodes is when the guitar makes the loud screeching noise (Willow’s? hair blows at the same time in the video). It could be Buffy instead of Willow, I can’t tell for sure. The theme song changes and has a new video for S3 so I think it should be from S1 or S2. If anyone can tell me which episode that would be awesome or maybe someone knows that it is a scene from an episode that never got televised?

[Anonymous @]

@barnable  I know EXACTLY the one you mean. I think that’s pretty weird. I can’t sleep because of it.

 

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion @barnable

I am pretty sure the Willow Hair Blast is from The Witch (1×03).

Gingerbread is a very interesting episode (not just book burning, but people burning in the gym). It almost feels outside the canon (but obviously isn’t, ‘cos there it is).

 

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

@barnable — I too know the one you mean It definitely appears in an episode and one from season one, I think. I’m pretty sure it might be Witch but I’d have to check.

And the overall merits of s4 is definitely is one of the most vexed questions of the Buffiverse and we should all definitely give it a go ourselves once Puro has completed it.

s5 is pretty, pretty awesome but I just think s3 trumps it. It’s just when all the elements of the Buffy mix were at their most perfect distillation. It’s a lot like when Who had its Tom and Sarah-Jane line-up. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the other eras of the show, which often had superior episodes, it’s just that that period just had the perfect mix of swagger and talent and vision. There is a reason, after all, that the proposed animated series chose s3 as its setting. (Again I can debate this more lucidly when we’ve all done the entire run.)

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