Re: "As YouWere"; an invitation for discussion

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

Hi. I'll get to Anne-Lise's and DEM's comments soon, but technical
issues make me want to post this excerpt from my review now, soooo

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Okay, so this ep really depressed me for about 10 reasons. Once again,
you can read the full review at JAABAW, by going to 

http://www.buffywil.f2s.com/html/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1758

So here's the summing up (warning: contains a censored bad word and
deep antipathy to the rationalizations of B/S supporters):

Well, f**k.

7.5 out of 10 for the ep itself. It was slow in places, but mostly
competent, and even exciting for one brief, shining--and
swiftly-over--moment.

But basically, this ep means it will be B/S forever and I'll never watch
the show again after the end of this year.

Let's see we had:

1) Buffy unable to resist Spike.

2) Buffy upset, not about humping Spike, but that it's not a warm,
loving relationship like Sam/Riley. See, all he has to do is be nicer,
and she'll be with him forever.

3) Buffy defending Spike. Yeah, yeah, coping mechanism, but still?

4) Xander telling Anya that the wedding has nothing to do with the
marriage, that their love will endure, despite any unpleasant
incidents--in other words, that B/S is true love and all the "dark
moments" so far are just minor things that can be forgiven and forgotten
because Buffy looooooooooooooooves Spikey.

5) Buffy saving Spike from yet another completely-deserved staking.

6) Riley doing a Tara and telling Buffy that a true friend will support
her, no matter what. Reinforcing the point that if Willow freaks, it's
not Buffy's wake-up call, it's Will being narrow-minded and probably
going all Big Bad on us.

7) Buffy telling Spike "I can't love you."  

"Can't"

Not "don't". Not "never have and never will". "Can't" Because it's
bad, it's wrong, my stupid friends wouldn't understand

"Can't", meaning "do". Meaning "will".

8) Buffy telling Spike that she's using him. At the end of "Dead
Things", two explanations were offered--either she's using him or she
loves him. And since Buffy has been in denial all year and making bad
decisions, it's almost a guarantee that whichever explanation she seized
on would be the wrong one.

Buffy says she's using Spike. But Buffy is always wrong and no means
yes. Therefore Buffy looooooooooooves Spikey.

9) Buffy, for the first time ever calls him "William". See, if Spike
can "grow up", leave all this childish scheming and dark antics behind
and join Buffy in the metaphorical light, then she'll be able to admit
how much she loves him. Maybe he'll even be transformed into a human
"William" again. This is how David Fury can write the season finale and
still please the B/Sers--because Spike won't really be Spike any more,
he'll be a "William" Buffy can love.

Which will neatly end my involvement in the show. I don't care what
character James Marsters ends up playing, a permanent pairing of him
with Gellar will be a validation of B/S and all the Spuffyites' sick,
demented "grey morality". Seven more eps and I'm out of here.

10) Not a single thing seems to indicate that Buffy has a future
anywhere other than with Spike. Did Giles come back to give sage
mentoring? No. Did Buffy rely on Xander's steadfast friendship? Nope.
In fact, the show made sure to put in that last X/Ay scene to let us
know that no matter how badly the wedding seems to go at first, Xander
and Anya will be happily married. B/Xers, buh-bye!!

And did Buffy draw close to her best friend, realizing that the bond she
shares with Willow is at all important? Not on your life. Willow is
all about Saint Tara, even performing the same tricks for Tara Lite, I
mean Sam. She gives Buffy about 15 seconds worth of friendship, then
she's out of the plot--and out of the picture.

And besides, Buffy still hasn't told Willow or Xander about her
relationship. Because they're stupid, bigoted fools and bad friends who
can't appreciate how much she
looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooves
Spike.

No, the impetus for Buffy to change her relationship with Spike is
Riley. Who's gone, and married, and really really really loves his
perfect little wife.

Buffy will either be with Spike or no one. No other possibilities
allowed.

It'll be Spike. He just has to "join her in the light".

Have a nice Season 7, Buffy. I won't be watching.

Dan

(semi-suicidal, but I can still convince myself it's just a TV show)

PS--I predict Spike's surprise date for next week's wedding will be
Halfrek, which will be the first step on his road to William-hood.

The ep might be good, actually. B/S doesn't have to kill the quality of
the show (it HAS, but it doesn't have to), but it makes watching
repugnant, regardless.