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The three nerds take things to the next level.
***
Man, this crap is getting too dark. I guess it's necessary, but it's not done with the balance of humor that I'm used to. This season has taken a decidedly darker direction for the last few episodes, and if memory serves, it's not going to get any better. Not this season, at least.
Warren basically commits murder in this episode, and then the rest of the episode is them trying to pin it on Buffy and almost getting away with it. I'm not sure I like where all this is going. Spike loves Buffy, but she hates herself for letting him get so close to her, so she beats the ever loving crap out of him. He didn't even do anything wrong!
All I'm saying is, it's kind of bad when you find yourself not liking any of the main characters in a show like this. I'm not sure what the problem is. I know Joss had Firefly cooking in the background, but it wouldn't come out for another year. Was he just done with this show and had moved on to other projects in his mind? One way or the other, there's a lack of the qualities that made this show so spectacular. I also think that it's got to do with the writing.
Whereas the show up until this point has been written by series mainstays like Espenson, Doug Petrie, and Marti Noxon, with Joss writing and directing two or three episodes each season, this one is a veritable list of nobodies to this show from here on out: Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenburg, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Diego Gutierrez...who are these people? Joss comes in to direct one episode only this season, and I know I said it earlier, but it just feels like he's not really involved anymore.
I'm guessing, but for every season before this, he rewrote and punched up every script that came across his desk, changing dialog to make it more Buffy-like, putting his own lines in, giving it that X-factor. I don't feel that X factor anymore, and I wonder if he's even around at this point. It makes me sad. The show is not bad, but it's darker and largely more humorless than Buffy should be.
Rating: 7/10
1 comment:
If you watch the panel discussion on one of the special features (it may not be until next season though) Joss seems like he was still really involved in the show, (obviously, it's his baby and he's not gonna let it go without supervision- I know I wouldn't). I think this season was way too dark and I can hardly watch it, but I also think this was intentional. It goes back to Joss hating his characters on some level. Like you said, he doesn't give you what you want and gives you nothing cheerful this season. Hell, the musicial, though awesome, was extremely depressing. I don't mind the writing, by this episode it's clear that Buff is never gonna be cheerful again - not even in season 7. it is a bit much though, the whole metaphor of real life will beat you down, doesn't have to ....well beat you down. The only good thing to come out of this season as far as character growth goes is Buffy's relationship with Dawn (at least in the very end).
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