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nekkyo_chanAnd here's my rewatch for episode two:
Harvest
- This fight scene is really really awkward. I’m not even sure why, it just feels really badly put together, and it gives the impression that neither Buffy or the vampires has any idea how to fight.
- I quite like the show’s mythology, with the demon’s inhabiting the earth before man and all that. I don’t know why, I guess I just like that we’re not going with an explicitly Christian mythology. Though, I suppose Christianity is implicitly suggested to be true, at least some parts of it, by the vampires’ aversion to crosses. That’s not really something that can be explained away here as a ‘the vampire used to be Christian’ or ‘the wielder of the cross is Christian’ like some vampire stories do. Though my personal canon has always been that the cross has some sort of pre-Christian demonic significance, and it just got adopted by Christianity because people realized that it repelled demons and so assigned it religious significance. But this explanation is more a reflection of my own worldview than anything we’ve seen on the show. And the effectiveness of holy water cannot be explained that way, so we’re probably going to have to go with “the Christian God is real” for the Buffyverse, after all.
- “Okay, this is where I have a problem, see, because we’re talking about vampires. We’re having a talk with vampires in it.” Xander and Willow’s shocked attempts to deal with the existence of vampires are really nicely done. And I like that Xander’s first question is how to kill them. It fits with his character, that that’s what he’d ask. And Willow wants to call the police, which is also a realistic thing to say. I really like this scene.
- “I looked around but since they got clear of the graveyard they could have just foom!” “They can fly?” “They can drive.”
- “I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally decrypted the city council’s security system.” Oh Willow.
- “I’m inadequate, that’s fine, I’m less than a man.” Xander’s insecurities, especially with regards to his perceived lack of ‘manliness’ are already here to see.
- “It may be that you can wrest some information from that dread machine.”
- Did other people’s high schools have rules about not leaving campus during school hours? Because mine didn’t. I mean, obviously, you’re not supposed to skip class, but if you walked out of the building, no one was going to stop you. Still, Principal Flutie does think she’s a delinquent, so it’s understandable he would try to stop her, and it sets up her conflict between her life and her Slaying.
- Also, what’s the timing here? They were out late at night, but probably not that late, then they went back to the library and hung around there for long enough for school to start again? Except their clothes are different, so they apparently went home for the night after Jesse was grabbed by vampires. What they hell, guys?
- Also, her jump over the fence, while another lovely display of her powers, is really awkwardly executed.
- “Yesterday my life was ‘uh oh pop quiz’ today it’s ‘rain of toads’.”
- I really like this scene with Angel. I mean, his characterization still hasn’t settled into what it will be later – he’s very...jokey? I don’t know – and he is still remarkably useless, but I like his “’Cause I’m afraid,” and Buffy’s “Do you know what it’s like to have a friend...That wasn’t supposed to be a stumper.”
- I really like Willow getting back at Cordelia with ‘Deliver’. And as everyone who has ever recapped this episode has noted, there’s Willow’s vindictive side right here in the second episode.
- “It’s cool, Buffy’s a superhero.”
- Xander’s stunned horror and upset, as he just stares blankly at Jesse, is surprisingly affecting. Too bad Jesse will never be mentioned again after this episode.
- Buffy has super strength, why does she need Xander’s help to close the door?
- Is it just me, or does Darla’s vamp face look way more plastic than the other vamps?
- “I don’t like vampires. I’m gonna take a stand and say they’re not good.” And thus Xander sets up his stance towards vampires for the next several years. Jesse may never again be mentioned, but Xander’s hatred of vampires starts right here, because of his getting turned.
- Joyce is a good mum. She’s trying her best to deal with Buffy based on what she thinks is going on; it’s not her fault she doesn’t know. She’s a good mum and I like how she handles Buffy.
- "I have to have the most expensive thing. Not because it’s expensive, but because it costs more.” Oh Cordelia. Do you listen to yourself when you speak?
- The musical cues whenever Buffy does a flip here are really dumb sounding. A little too twinkly.
- Did Buffy just decapitate a vampire with a cymbal thrown like a discus?
- Seriously, Xander’s continuing insistence that Jesse is still Jesse is kind of painful. In a good way. It should be complicated and hard to deal with. And then he accidentally stakes him and subsequently forgets all about his ever existing.*sigh*
- Buffy’s sunrise trick is good, but why does Luke stand there groaning before he realizes it’s just a street lamp? Why doesn’t he try to move out of the light?
- The Master’s Big No is super funny. You are an extremely intimidating villain, sir, except for your complete failure to invoke anything in me but laughter and boredom. Get creepier soon please. (Does he ever get creepier? I can’t remember, but I’m guessing not by much.)
- “The Earth is doomed.” You know, these first two episodes aren’t great, though they’re not terrible, but I find that last scene incredibly charming. I liked it the first time I saw the episode, but now I’ve seen so much of the series and am really invested in these characters and their friendship – I love it. (Also, Willow suggesting that Buffy could get kicked out of school by blowing something up? In retrospect: so funny.
Harvest
- This fight scene is really really awkward. I’m not even sure why, it just feels really badly put together, and it gives the impression that neither Buffy or the vampires has any idea how to fight.
- I quite like the show’s mythology, with the demon’s inhabiting the earth before man and all that. I don’t know why, I guess I just like that we’re not going with an explicitly Christian mythology. Though, I suppose Christianity is implicitly suggested to be true, at least some parts of it, by the vampires’ aversion to crosses. That’s not really something that can be explained away here as a ‘the vampire used to be Christian’ or ‘the wielder of the cross is Christian’ like some vampire stories do. Though my personal canon has always been that the cross has some sort of pre-Christian demonic significance, and it just got adopted by Christianity because people realized that it repelled demons and so assigned it religious significance. But this explanation is more a reflection of my own worldview than anything we’ve seen on the show. And the effectiveness of holy water cannot be explained that way, so we’re probably going to have to go with “the Christian God is real” for the Buffyverse, after all.
- “Okay, this is where I have a problem, see, because we’re talking about vampires. We’re having a talk with vampires in it.” Xander and Willow’s shocked attempts to deal with the existence of vampires are really nicely done. And I like that Xander’s first question is how to kill them. It fits with his character, that that’s what he’d ask. And Willow wants to call the police, which is also a realistic thing to say. I really like this scene.
- “I looked around but since they got clear of the graveyard they could have just foom!” “They can fly?” “They can drive.”
- “I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally decrypted the city council’s security system.” Oh Willow.
- “I’m inadequate, that’s fine, I’m less than a man.” Xander’s insecurities, especially with regards to his perceived lack of ‘manliness’ are already here to see.
- “It may be that you can wrest some information from that dread machine.”
- Did other people’s high schools have rules about not leaving campus during school hours? Because mine didn’t. I mean, obviously, you’re not supposed to skip class, but if you walked out of the building, no one was going to stop you. Still, Principal Flutie does think she’s a delinquent, so it’s understandable he would try to stop her, and it sets up her conflict between her life and her Slaying.
- Also, what’s the timing here? They were out late at night, but probably not that late, then they went back to the library and hung around there for long enough for school to start again? Except their clothes are different, so they apparently went home for the night after Jesse was grabbed by vampires. What they hell, guys?
- Also, her jump over the fence, while another lovely display of her powers, is really awkwardly executed.
- “Yesterday my life was ‘uh oh pop quiz’ today it’s ‘rain of toads’.”
- I really like this scene with Angel. I mean, his characterization still hasn’t settled into what it will be later – he’s very...jokey? I don’t know – and he is still remarkably useless, but I like his “’Cause I’m afraid,” and Buffy’s “Do you know what it’s like to have a friend...That wasn’t supposed to be a stumper.”
- I really like Willow getting back at Cordelia with ‘Deliver’. And as everyone who has ever recapped this episode has noted, there’s Willow’s vindictive side right here in the second episode.
- “It’s cool, Buffy’s a superhero.”
- Xander’s stunned horror and upset, as he just stares blankly at Jesse, is surprisingly affecting. Too bad Jesse will never be mentioned again after this episode.
- Buffy has super strength, why does she need Xander’s help to close the door?
- Is it just me, or does Darla’s vamp face look way more plastic than the other vamps?
- “I don’t like vampires. I’m gonna take a stand and say they’re not good.” And thus Xander sets up his stance towards vampires for the next several years. Jesse may never again be mentioned, but Xander’s hatred of vampires starts right here, because of his getting turned.
- Joyce is a good mum. She’s trying her best to deal with Buffy based on what she thinks is going on; it’s not her fault she doesn’t know. She’s a good mum and I like how she handles Buffy.
- "I have to have the most expensive thing. Not because it’s expensive, but because it costs more.” Oh Cordelia. Do you listen to yourself when you speak?
- The musical cues whenever Buffy does a flip here are really dumb sounding. A little too twinkly.
- Did Buffy just decapitate a vampire with a cymbal thrown like a discus?
- Seriously, Xander’s continuing insistence that Jesse is still Jesse is kind of painful. In a good way. It should be complicated and hard to deal with. And then he accidentally stakes him and subsequently forgets all about his ever existing.*sigh*
- Buffy’s sunrise trick is good, but why does Luke stand there groaning before he realizes it’s just a street lamp? Why doesn’t he try to move out of the light?
- The Master’s Big No is super funny. You are an extremely intimidating villain, sir, except for your complete failure to invoke anything in me but laughter and boredom. Get creepier soon please. (Does he ever get creepier? I can’t remember, but I’m guessing not by much.)
- “The Earth is doomed.” You know, these first two episodes aren’t great, though they’re not terrible, but I find that last scene incredibly charming. I liked it the first time I saw the episode, but now I’ve seen so much of the series and am really invested in these characters and their friendship – I love it. (Also, Willow suggesting that Buffy could get kicked out of school by blowing something up? In retrospect: so funny.
