Meanwhile, in the land of the housemate

[snick_backup]

- "I could definitely be in love with Principal Wood." He does have a special something, doesn't he? Although she says he's less attractive now that he has a vendetta.

- Of Wood and Giles alone, during LMPTM: "I just realized: here are two really good-looking men, and they are so totally different." And it is the truth!

- Housemate (without any prompting at all): "I really don't like Kennedy. She doesn't understand the gravity of the situation."

Me: But she's awfully cute, isn't she?

Housemate: Yeah, in that, 'I'm cute because I was made to look cute so I am cute' way.

[True fact: Kennedy may still drive me up the wall, but Iyari Limon is growing on me. Who knew a living human being could have eyes that big?

At any rate, the housemate's good taste and sense persist.]

- Likes Andrew and wants to be his buddy. See what I said about her good taste?

- Me (during a flashback to Spike in the subway in FFL): You know, he has really nice arms.

Housemate: He really does. They're the kind of arms you go "Ow ow" over.

Me: Yes.

- Liked Potential and Storyteller quite a lot, which was to be expected. Also very much liked LMPTM and Get It Done, which I didn't expect. She said she liked the Going to War Music in Get It Done, and Spike getting his coat and his swagger back, and him beating up the demon to the Going to War Music, and the growing tension between him and Wood. (Although now she wishes they'd gone a bit more subtle with it in LMPTM. She thought Wood gripping the stake and having blood dribble down was giggle-worthy.)

- Observation by housemate: Whenever this show wants to show that Things are Bad around town, it lights fires in barrels. We all lose our voices? Fire barrels strewn along the streets, right across from the guy preaching the end of the world on his whiteboard. Demon bikers come to town? They light fire barrels. The hellmouth incites the student population to riot? Fire barrels.

What's up with that?

- Overall: likes S7 much better than S6. I remind her that she actually liked parts of S6 - like, say, the beginning and the end - but it seems the Spike/Buffy sexfest scarred her to the point that that's all she remembers of the season. Whereas I'd talked this season down so much that apparently anything was better than I made it sound. *g*

Comments

[deird1]

Housemate rocks, she really does.

*hugs her*

[snickfic]

Housemate: Awwww.

:)

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

I met Iyari Limon. She is gorgeous, and sweet as can be. In fact, I have a picture of the two of us around here somewhere.

I still don't like Kennedy, though. :-)

[snickfic]

Heh. I count it as maturity that I can appreciate the actress's beauty whilst disliking the character this strongly. *g*

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

Whenever this show wants to show that Things are Bad around town, it lights fires in barrels.

Y'know what? I never noticed that, but Housemate is totally right. It really is a case of production design fail. I'm thinking specifically about you, Fire in a Barrel During "Walk Through The Fire" in OMWF as the only appropriate use of fire-in-a-barrel trope. Good eye, Housemate!

I kinda want to see Housemate's reaction to the "Origin Stories" vid, since she likes Robin Wood so much. Really, really strong Wood video there.

And I'm kinda with Housemate on season 6: I pretty much stop watching after "Tabula Rasa" with a break for "Hell's Bells" before moving on. Season 6 is hardcore, yo.

[snickfic]

And even in OMWF, it makes wonderful sense thematically, but there's still no good reason for the fire barrel to be there in the first place. We're all singing, hence we need fires in barrels? What?

I'm not familiar with "Origin Stories." I take it it's fairly well-known.

Hardcore's a good word. I think it's excellent, at least in parts, but oh so difficult to watch.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Don't fires in barrels typically bring up the imagery of homelessness since that's something they use to stay warm? And maybe that's silly in Southern California especially, but it kinda reminds me of absurdity of chaos (lighting a fire in a trash can, as if since the world's gone to hell, it's somehow significant that you can contain the flame in a garbage can, that you can destroy what you want when you choose even as the world crumbles around you--order out of chaos). Throwing valuables into garbage cans to light them aflame for the warmth against the cold chaotic night. Burning away the trappings of possessions and living in the streets. It's a symbol of hopelessness similar to Dawn burning her diaries in her trash can in Blood Ties.

But yeah, overused motif perhaps.

[snickfic]

Actually, I rather feel that, even granting the hopelessness motif, the fire barrels in the streets are totally different from Dawn burning her diaries. She burned them, well, in a fit of pique, but also as a response to what she viewed as dishonesty. She burned them to align her world nearer to reality. I don't see that as being much like burning garbage for survival purposes.

I hadn't thought of the homeless angle, although, as you say, it's a bit suspect in SoCal...

[next_to_normal]

Don't fires in barrels typically bring up the imagery of homelessness since that's something they use to stay warm?

Yes, which is why it particularly stands out to me as ridiculous. Partly because, as you note, we are in Southern California, so they shouldn't need to light fires to keep warm. But more importantly, because the events they're reacting to don't create more homeless people. Losing your voice and spontaneously singing don't make you homeless, and burning your valuables seems like a bizarre reaction to that kind of chaos.

The demon bikers and the student riots make even less sense. Because they are deliberately trying to cause destruction, so you'd think they'd light fires that will spread, not stay contained in a barrel.

[silverusagi]

There are lots of fires in barrels, aren't there?

[snickfic]

Yep. It's the populace's first step in any emergency.

[next_to_normal]

Heh, I have to admit, Wood never did much for me. He's hot, sure, but I could never get past the Wayne Palmer thing. Also, vendettas are totally not sexy. Especially when they include killing Spike.

She thought Wood gripping the stake and having blood dribble down was giggle-worthy.

Word.

Whenever this show wants to show that Things are Bad around town, it lights fires in barrels.

Hahahaha, yeah, I've noticed that. It's slightly ridiculous, but cracks me up. Most especially in Hush, because there's NO good reason for it whatsoever.

[snickfic]

Especially when they include killing Spike.

That there is key, I think. *g* Although in general, yeah, revenge as a motivation is zero compelling for me, in general. I just don't care.

Yeah, in Hush it's the worst. You could almost count it as random vandalism in the other instances, but there is no excuse in Hush.

[next_to_normal]

Although in general, yeah, revenge as a motivation is zero compelling for me, in general. I just don't care.

This is also why I hated Holtz...

[snickfic]

Yep yep. Actually, selenak did a whole meta comparing Holz and Wood. I can dig it up if you're interested; Selena writes fascinating meta.

[next_to_normal]

Sure, thanks!

[snickfic]

Here go!

[next_to_normal]

Thank you!

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, in Hush it's the worst. You could almost count it as random vandalism in the other instances, but there is no excuse in Hush.

Wasn't the excuse in Hush that the population was panicking? I'd add that to my comment above about people lighting fires when they feel their equilibrium has been shaken.

[snickfic]

But do people actually do that? It seems more symbolic than realistic to me.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

In riots, yeah. They light fires in trash cans and then throw the trash cans through storefront windows. So lighting a fire in a trash can is kinda like Stage One of Chaos as it symbolizes loss of the home and using it for violence.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

It seems more symbolic than realistic to me.

Here's a description of the Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965. I went to undergrad at UNC-Chapel Hill and when our basketball team won the championship, people started fires in the streets and vandalized public property in a spirit of out-of-control celebration. When things go crazy, fire happens. It feels like a destructive outlet for the supercharged and even violent feelings inside.

I think it taps into the human psyche actually. The ability to control fire, to control chaos. It's historically/mythologically viewed as one of the first signs of humanity's dominance over nature--the mastery of fire. Being able to control that which you instinctually fear.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I thought Wood was really hot at first. But then he started getting all patronizing towards Buffy and Faith. And then I stopped liking him.

I just realized: here are two really good-looking men, and they are so totally different." And it is the truth!
It is the truth!

I agree with Housemate (who totally rocks) that Kennedy is annoying precisely because she doesn't understand the gravity of the situation. But I also agree with you that Iyari is really beautiful and cool.

Likes Andrew and wants to be his buddy. See what I said about her good taste? Yay! *loves Andrew*

OW OW! (That wsa me agreeing over the arms thing.)

She thought Wood gripping the stake and having blood dribble down was giggle-worthy. Agreed. And unrealistic.

Hahaha! Fire barrels!

And yay for more likage of S7! How do you feel about it, this time through?

[snickfic]

I shall convey your agreement to the housemate. :)

Heh. I actually thought the arms thing was noteworthy because, despite my utter adoration of Spike as a character, I spend very little time fangirling him. It just doesn't come naturally to me. So when I do, it feels significant. *g*

I reserve general opinion of S7 for a later date. However, I think that as a whole, I hate it less now. (Does less-hate mean you win?)

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

:D

Ha!

Yes.

In that order.