tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post1997131342251466932..comments2024-01-20T10:19:12.985-05:00Comments on Martin's View: DVD review - Buffy season 4/Angel season 1 episodes 3Martin Maenzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08640466353011569116noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post-91401650509270174542009-05-07T20:20:00.000-04:002009-05-07T20:20:00.000-04:00Can't wait to hear about what you've been writing ...Can't wait to hear about what you've been writing about. I totally get that comes first.<br /><br />As for me, I'm a lot slower these days in watching (didn't get any in tonight, for example). Should catch up a bit on the weekend.<br /><br />You are right - Xander has had some of the freakiest hook-ups ever. Except for Cordelia, every chick he's been with has something odd going for her. Okay, Willow doesn't - but she is a witch in training and dating a werewolf.<br /><br />I do remember the whole casual-sex aspect of college quite well. There were plenty of times either I was totally into the girl and she wanted casual OR I was into casual and she was looking for more. It was difficult to find that mesh when you're both in the same place, especially at that time of life.Martin Maenzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08640466353011569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-620417008960069715.post-13527455776329082662009-05-07T05:46:00.000-04:002009-05-07T05:46:00.000-04:00I'm not behind you on watching, just behind on add...I'm not behind you on watching, just behind on adding comments! Been wrapped up in a writing project with all my writing time - when that "flow" hits you, you just have to go for it, because it won't last. I'll let you in on that when there's more to know.<br /><br />BUFFY (THE LIGHT OF DAY): Crossover! Yeah!!! Ah, the wonders of having two shows on the same network back to back. Wish Joss and the WB hadn't butted heads over Buffy and gotten it moved to UPN for its last two seasons. We could have seen a lot more of these.<br /><br />Yes, I thought this was a nice exploration of "young love" (I hate to think of college as "young", damnit). From what I heard, Buffy hooking up with Parker so soon sent a rage through the fan base...all those Whedongals out there that wanted nothing to come between Buffy and Angel (wait until she starts sleeping with a whole other network, gals!). I really dug how it was handled, the Buffy part. It would have been too easy to make Parker "evil", or a complete and blatant jerk. First, that would have been kind of an insult to Buffy, wouldn't it, that she'd go for him in the first place? Second...that's just how it is with some people. College is quite filled with casual, meaningless sex...just for "fun", then moving on to the next person. Some people don't see it that way, and see it as complete intimacy, and meaningful, a serious connection. A lot of illusions get shattered in college. That's one of the big ones. Some people don't care about true love and happy endings. And Buffy was also still very vulnerable after the whole Angel thing, emotionally, so it was a bad time for this to happen. This ep showed nicely, through her, that it doesn't matter how together you think you are, or actually are in other parts of your life...love can jack you UP. <br /><br />Anya...yes!! Had a feeling we hadn't seen the last of her, didn't you? :) Love her don't-get-social-norms brain, a character who can't help but speak whatever's on her mind. As with, say, hooking up with Xander. Again...what IS it with that guy's hookups? Could they BE any more demonic? Plenty more comedy with Spike and Harmony, showing just what a bad, destructive relationship looks like (though most girls don't get staked in the process). I've seen, and continue to see, too many relationships like that (like the one I keep having to experience with my college neighbor and her jewel of a boyfriend). All different views on young love...nicely done. And loved the shot of all three of them, lost and confused and wandering.<br /><br />And a nicely done A-story as well, the whole ring of Amara. Neat artifact. And an awesome fight with Buffy over it, which she thankfully won. And thumbs-up for Buffy thinking like a gamer! So now you've got the ring that makes vampires unkillable. Destroy it? Turn it over to the authorities? Nah...why don't I just get it to (whoever Angel's player is) so Angel can use it? Cut to the GM, who hadn't thought of that: "Uh..."<br /><br />ANGEL (IN THE DARK): Part two! Spike hits L.A., and hits us with a hilarious opening scene of Angel-mocking. And then...Oz!! Yes! I was disappointed that there wasn't MORE Oz, but there was a lot going on in this ep, and only so much time to use him. Know what really creeped me out more than anything about the pyscho vamp? The actor - because I knew him too well from playing a scientist in "Bio Dome" (which I'm sad to admit I've seen a number of times. I can't explain why, but it just kills me). He was crazy with a side of fries. Very evil. Man, they really went to town with all those torture scenes. Painful to watch. Oh, forgot to mention - I love when Spike first fights Angel, saying that he had this big grand plan - but then he got bored. Awesome. Also - loved the conversation between Oz and Angel ("In town long?" "Not really" "Oh".). Very funny.<br /><br />Hooray for the gang pulling the save - especially crossbow-packing Oz in the van! MANNNNN moment! But Angel can't let evil beasty walk in the sun. Wasn't that cool seeing our gang out fighting in the sun, with, like, a crowd around? Not sure why, but it's nice to see them on location every once in a while to keep the show feeling "real". Great burst-into-flames Angel moment...cool stunt! And a great fight. Sadly, the OAF limitation ends up, once more, NOT being worth the cost savings... <br /><br />They handled the thing with Angel getting to wear the ring VERY well. I really believed his reaction, imagined what it would feel like to feel the sun on your face for the first time in a couple of centuries - walk on the beach, feel the ocean breeze, be among people in the light of day. And the sunset on the roof was the perfect end, showing that he knew it was going to be his only day wearing it, and that he took advantage of every minute up it right to the end. I can understand his choice, destroying it. Realistically, would you or I have made the same choice in his place? Probably not. But yeah, the speech summed up his reasons, and it was a great character moment. And a nice Angel/Doyle bonding moment, too. Good episode - funny, touching, horrific, painful, exciting...really strong one.<br /><br />Back with more comparative comments ASAP. But now, out to the patio to write more! Maybe I'm watching too much Angel, because I'm starting to keep his work hours...Michael O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08025339925056909540noreply@blogger.com