Thread Subject: Discussion - S5E16 - "The Body"

[Sean Gaffney]

posted 02-28-2001 11:05 EST (US)

quote:

---

Originally posted by wiccie:
Also, I agree with others how the W/T interactions demonstrated that while X/A may seem more sexual to the viewer, the grrrls have the much deeper emotional connection.

X/A really pulled away from each other in this time of grief - sad; very, very sad.

---

I hate to make my first post to this board a X/A post, but I've lurked for a while, and this did sort of make me raise an eyebrow, wondering why I disagreed so much.

I think it's a couple reasons. Xander and Anya, despite knowing and 'knowing' each other longer, have the newer relationship - until recently, the words love were never uttered. They're still feeling their way around. With Anya this is especially difficult, as each new feeling is strange.

Second, they aren't very physical in their love. I realize, on the face of it, that sounds really, REALLY dumb, but I don't mean sex. I mean the things we've seen Willow and Tara do all the time. Looks, touches, hugs, just being NEAR each other. Xander doesn't really work that way - despite his outgoing persona, he's not as demonstrative. This is perhaps why he felt the need to declare how much he loved Anya - he realized she probably didn't know that.

I don't think this means they love each other less. I think it means they're where Willow and Tara were a year ago - feeling each other out. With Joyce's death hitting them both hard, they react as any scared and confused person would - by coping privately.

That said, I do think this is undercut by Willow and Tara's wonderfully passionate and loving relationship, which is the exact opposite. God, what a wonderful actress Amber is. I plan on killing the next person who says she's wooden - welcome to the wonders of underplaying, kiddos. ^_^

OK, back to lurking. ^^;;

--SG
--ObBuffy - if David Hines hates the show so
--much, why continue to irritate me with his
--reviews?

[april]

posted 02-28-2001 11:20 EST (US)
november, i have to disagree with you about the kiss not being romantic.

often the greatest romance happens in the face of the greatest tragedy. think of the last scene of romeo and juliet, which many people contend is the greatest romance ever written. the fact that they died out of love for each other is horribly tragic, but also consumately romantic. and i see the kiss (and subsequent "i love you") between willow and tara in a very similar way.

willow is having a complete breakdown about joyce's death, she is utterly devastated, and the only place she can find comfort and solace is in the arms and lips of her lover. just as tara said to willow in family, when they're at their worst, when it's their darkest hour, they seek out each other and help each other find a way to make it better. the way that willow calms down when tara kisses her, the way she absorbs the unconditional love that tara offers her and finds in it a reservoir of strength to bring to buffy, that is amazingly, amazingly romantic. it's exactly the kind of thing that characterizes great romances. willow's "i love you" at the end of the scene is an expression of profound gratitude for tara's strength and love, for knowing that tara will always, always be there when she needs support. it's easy to be romantic when everything is going well; it's during the difficult times that relationships are tested, and in this scene more than any other so far, willow and tara demonstrated the depth of their feelings for each other and the strenth of their love.

in fact, i would say that this scene is one of the most romantic willow and tara have had so far. i can't think of a more powerful demonstration that what they have is true love.

[This message has been edited by april (edited February 28, 2001).]

[tvsurfer]

posted 02-28-2001 11:55 EST (US)

quoted from a previous post
_____
"think Riley and Spike are soulmates in the selfish bastards sense because they although are both obssessed with Buffy, when you get down to it, both are more focused on how her response to them makes THEM feel than what is truly best for Buffy."
_____

I'd have to agree and their little bonding bit after riley faux staked spike pretty much confirms this.

But Xander's relationship to Anya is also couched in this framework. In his speech to her in the eppie where riley leaves, his declaration of love for her is based totally on how her response to him makes him feel, ie 'like a man'. Theirs is not a balanced relatinship. I think thats why we see such a contrast between X/A and W/T here. His relationship to Anya is physical, its about what she can do for him, there is no recipracal shown about what he does for her. Which is not totaly his fault since she is presented as a Data/7 of 9 type emotional blank slate/crippled character in many ways.
You can't expect a childlike mentality to love with adult depth

As for the timing of the kiss I think its consistent with willows past track record.
Willow and Oz were under end of the world stress in graduation day when Willow was losing it and Oz put the moves on her, consumating their relationship before their graduation battle with the mayor.
and here we are again dealing with a situation of great stress with willow losing it and her partner reacting by calming her with physical affection. Very consistent me thinks.

[november]

posted 02-28-2001 12:10 EST (US)
Wow . . . so much to think about and comment on above.

Wiccie, thanks for the hug. You have an interesting perspective. I would add that people do weird things when something this horrible happens, so maybe that's why X/A pull away at that moment? Which brings me to . . .

Sean, welcome. I understand exactly what you mean. After what Xander came home and told Anya immediately after Riley flew away, you have to believe that they *do* love each other even though they're awkward about saying it.

Corana, I'll now pass along to you the hug that Wiccie offered me. I know, I *know*, just exactly what you're feeling, especially Anya's speech. I could not have put it better than the way you did. Just as you're recovering, I think that I'll be recovering from that speech for a long time. You guys will probably laugh at me, but that speech is almost on a par with "To be or not to be." It has an animal, anguished immediacy about it that a more contemplative setting could never capture. Whoever characterized Anya as the "id" hit it dead on.

And as for you, April, my favorite fellow month, all I can say is that after the scene you wrote a few weeks back on " I D-d-do," I will never argue with you about the essence of romance. Especially if you can cite to Romeo and Juliet as authority. Your description above of what is going on between W and T, both before and afer the kiss as well as during, nearly brought me to tears. I think the only point on which we differ is what I intended to convey with the word "romantic." In this case, I meant the word to connote what someone on this board called "hot slipperies" as opposed to "warm fuzzies." Now I haste to add that the things that usually melt me savor much more of warm fuzzy rather than hot slippery, though a judicious use of the latter can be most welcome. I guess that I meant to give "romantic" an erotic spin, and I can't see that the circumstances of this ep were conducive to erotic. At least Romeo and Juliet had a balcony scene, and so, too, have W and T had their balcony scene, but not last night. OTOH, I guess that it isn't a stretch at all to imagine W/T or X/A or any other normal couple making love that night as a way of pushing back the shadows. But my ideal time to make love would be in the *absence* of shadows, when all's right with the world, if you see my point, and last night was anything but that. And I will heartily agree that what we saw between W and T in that scene, and especially during the kiss, was a love and an emotional attraction that goes *far* beyond mere sex, and that, in itself, perhaps, can be seen as erotic (although I don't think that I could have seen it as such during the actual ep. Maybe during reruns?)

In sum, I want to be bad and take up a little extra bandwidth and reprint something I posted earlier today in another thread, because I want to make sure that all of y'all see it. (Please, moderators, don't hit me . . . I'm shaky enough today as it is, and I promise to be good in the future.) Here it is:

I'm just in awe of, and amazed by, all of you guys. You all come across as being so intelligent, so sensitive, so perceptive . . . You spot things on the show--details, and meanings, and metaphors--that I could never see in a hundred years, and yet when you mention of them I feel like a fool for not having seen them. You enrich my understanding of the show, and thus of life, profoundly. And above all, when something as incredibly beautiful as the kiss happens, to see your whole-hearted support of something that would turn off so many people out there, is tremendously supportive for me. It saddens me that there are people who would deny the basic goodness and incredible inner beauty of Tara and Willow, and the love that they have for each other; and it terrifies me that there are others who don't (or even worse, can't) perceive/recognize it as love. W/T are such beautiful people . . . this can't be wrong . . . and those who condemn them frighten me. Thanks to all of you for letting me know that, when I want to burst into tears at the beauty of it all, that there's nothing wrong with me for feeling that way.

[This message has been edited by november (edited February 28, 2001).]

[BlackLab]

posted 02-28-2001 16:10 EST (US)
I was too spent last night to even go on the computer: I rewound and watched twice more before bed. And at work today I kept thinking about it: it outdid my expectations and made me glad I decided to forgo spoilers for a while.

Most of my reactions & favorite moments were described so beautifully by others, I can keep this short.

First of all, I hardly ever cry during sad shows or films, but I tense my muscles up a lot, so I was kind of sore this morning, but it was worth it. Not quite a Buffy-related injury, but close.

I was glad to see that Dawn has a black friend - stay away from the oxygen tanks & we may see you again!

If you've ever seen the (former) Siskel & Ebert film review show, you may have seen a part in which Ebert described one of the most delicious reactions a person can have when viewing: it's when you're watching a scene, thinking "Wouldn't it be perfect if they said or did ____" - and then they do that very same thing you imagined!

Whoa.

[BBOvenGuy]

posted 02-28-2001 16:23 EST (US)
Not only does Dawn have a black friend, but one of the EMT's was black as well. Nice to know that at least some black people can survive in Sunnydale without meeting horrible painful deaths.

------------------
Come visit Now Leaving Sunnydale - A Showcase for Buffy Fans and their Non-Buffy creations

[fanatico]

posted 02-28-2001 16:34 EST (US)
There were a few moments that *really* struck me. First, I almost started crying when Buffy pulled Joyce's skirt down. Her concern for her mother's dignity was so touching. Second, Willow's dorm-room scene. Third, the Dawn scene behind glass. And most poignantly, Anya trying to understand.

As far as Anya and Xander are concerned, I do wonder if there is some foreshadowing going on. Anya's difficulty with the new experience of mortality, combined with the reminder of Xander's mortality (when Xander's hand was injured and bloody) makes me wonder if there is trouble ahead for Anya and/or Xander.

Does anyone else think the trouble might have to do with her questioning whether the gifts of mortality are really worth it?

[xita]

posted 02-28-2001 18:42 EST (US)
fanatico, Sean Gaffney welcome to the posting world of the kitten board.

I became a real fan of X/A during Where The Wild Things Are. As hateful as that ep is, there's that moment when you know they have more going on than B/R would ever have. And I kinda liked the subtle way of their love. But after Into The Woods, I kinda questioned it all. I didn't like what it took for Xander to say that and I almost felt like he was doing it to sort of prove to himself that Buffy was wrong. Now, I see this episode. The way they were not there for each other was obvious. And I agree with fanatico in that it seems like foreshadowing. I don't see good things for these two. On the other hand, too much pain this year already.

Edited to add that I thought the kiss was all kinds of good. I thought it was passionate, desperate, tender hungry and comforting. The situation was indeed romantic. Even my gf who was never one for w/t chemistry before told me she felt a twinge of sexuality from the kiss.

[This message has been edited by xita (edited February 28, 2001).]

[tyche]

posted 03-01-2001 03:13 EST (US)
Uh, did you actually watch 'Into the Woods'? Because in the final scene Buffy & Riley has together he says VERY, VERY clearly that he wanted to give her as much support as possible, but he couldn't because she didn't tell him what was going on. He couldn't comfort her because SHE DIDN'T TELL HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON. Now this is not a matter of Buffy neglecting her family for his sake. All she had to do was TELL him so that he could help her. For whatever reason, she didn't (and honestly, how much effort does it take to make a phone call? Not very much.) It just so happened that this was a spectacular case of bad timing: Riley had become isolated from the gang as a result of the fall-out of the loss HE suffered last year. He was a prime candidate for some kind of mental breakdown. But when, exactly, did Buffy give him any moral support over the loss of his mentor, his friends and his and support system? (And remember that this happened WAY before Joyce got ill.) Oh, that's right. She didn't. So it cuts both ways.
Or maybe it's just that you see everything this character does in a negative light. If he single-handedly saved Willow and Tara from 300 angry slime demons, you'd still manage to interpret it in the most negative way possible.

[Hugin]

posted 03-01-2001 04:16 EST (US)
(Lifts the moderator hose of decaffeination)

Play nice folks, all this Riley stuff is getting a little heated.

Having said that, I essentially agree with Tyche in this matter. Support is a two way street. Riley suffered mind destroying losses last season, and I didn't see much of anything from Buffy or the rest of the gang in the way of psychological or emotional support.

Riley did bad things, but the circumstances are so muddy at this point that I really wish folks would just move on. He's gone. I'm not saying Riley was in any way perfect. I'm saying, by no sane definition was he more "evil" than several other Buffy characters we always seem to give the benefit of the doubt. And again, he's gone.

W/T kissing. Focus people.

-len

[Prairiegirl]

posted 03-01-2001 05:28 EST (US)
Small comment - the kisses were great but it was the two terms of endearment that made me melt.

[darvangi]

posted 03-01-2001 06:02 EST (US)
From the PC of Darin, who posts from work when he shouldn't:

Death Drama Funk: my post about The Body

"Am I not the King of Comedy?" - Joss Whedon, 2/27/01, Bronze post

You're a strange bird if you couldn't find some sort of personal trauma or loss in your life to help you empathize with the characters' pain in this ep. So much of it was just dead-on perfect, with the usually calm and happy sounds of wind chimes and children playing suddenly having a reverse effect by so harshly contrasting the tragedy. The door being left open in Willow's dorm room so we could see the students walking by and going on with their lives. The everyday adolescent struggles of popularity games and flirting suddenly fading into the background an losing all meaning. Joss must having been paying attention to details all his life to be able to dredge these things up so clearly. I had to wait an hour and watch it a second time to catch the scenes I had missed originally because of my steamed-up glasses.

I loved how, in the dorm room scene, the camera was steady when it was on Tara, but hand-held and shaky when it was on Willow - just something very simple but effective to show that Tara was the anchor for Willow's storm-tossed emotions. Keeping in mind that I, as a Joss-worshipper, am always unspoiled, the progression and excitement of the W/T kiss was such a vicarious experience for me that I was reminded of my own first kiss (it was a girl, for those interested). And of course I realize this was not their first kiss together, just the first one on-screen, which is just as powerful to me. When Tara put her hands on Willow's neck, my fingertips could feel the tense nerves. When she leaned her forehead against Willow's, I could feel the humid heat that only comes from the face of a person who has been crying for a while. When her lips came down from the forehead kiss, I was reminded of the potent mixture of anticipation and fear that I felt as I was progressing towards my own first kiss - the distinct memory was coming back after so long in an amazing way. The lips touching - it was like an explosion. I couldn't tell for a second if I was really seeing it or not. I thought there must have been some kind of mistake the WB made in letting it slide past them. Then, when this kiss was all over except for a trickle of saliva hanging down between their lips (amplifying the passionate realism), I knew it was for real and it was the perfect circumstance for something so earth shattering to happen. Joss gave us the most intense death and passion ever seen on the show in the same ep. Typical stuff for a brilliant director, really.

Xita: I disagree about X/A in that I don't see bad things for them in the immediate future because of this ep. I saw Anya finally crying and coming to grips with her mortality, and hugging Giles in an awkward but earnest way. It looks to me like she might end up being a better partner for Xander with this experience.

I was really, majorly excited to see some racial diversity on the show - and good, likeable characters, too! Like Bob said, black people can survive in Sunnydale without grisly deaths. I thought the train porter victim a couple of weeks ago was adding insult to injury as far as the whiteness of the cast goes, but maybe Joss is starting to redeem the show with this ep. I hope it starts a trend.

BlackLab: I remember that Roger Ebert quote very well! Aww, I'm so emotionally weak after watching this ep, I'm gettin' choked up just thinking about Gene Siskel. I watched those 2 for 20 years since their days on PBS. I need to go watch some happy cartoons or something to get out of my death-drama funk.

[Anyalvr]

posted 03-01-2001 07:31 EST (US)

quote:

---

Originally posted by tyche:
Uh, did you actually watch 'Into the Woods'? Because in the final scene Buffy & Riley has together he says VERY, VERY clearly that he wanted to give her as much support as possible, but he couldn't because she didn't tell him what was going on. He couldn't comfort her because SHE DIDN'T TELL HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON. Now this is not a matter of Buffy neglecting her family for his sake. All she had to do was TELL him so that he could help her. For whatever reason, she didn't (and honestly, how much effort does it take to make a phone call? Not very much.)

---

And not making a *phone call* when her mother is dying is some sort of wrong that means that a relationship should be ended? So what?
Her mom was dying. Why should she give a damn
about what Riley thinks about how she's acting? The fact that he had the *gall* to
throw such a hissy fit after she had been through such an ordeal shows how self-absorbed he is. Oh, it doesn't matter
that yr mom is dying, Buffy, I don't like how it makes *me* feel when you don't show enough vulnerability to make *me* feel special, so therefore you're a bad girlfriend and I have to leave you. Now that is certainly not the type of person I think will actually be there to support me when I'm down. Real support means being there for a person when they're down, even if they don't *act the way you want them to*. I don' see why I should think
Riley gave a damn about Buffy's pain when
all he can think about is not how his girlfriend is going through a tough time but
how her reaction to him during this time makes *him* feel.

The whole episode seemed to imply that Buffy should reorient her reactions around how it makes her boyfriend feel even when her loved ones are dying. That's a sexist and ridiculous assumption to make and if Anya held the same standard up to Xander when *his* mother was dying I would say the same thing.

When Buffy's mom was dying, all Riley could think about was himself and how she made *him* feel. The fact that she really *was*
dying reaffirms how self-absorbed he is.
Apparently his need to be a 'manly man' comes before everything. But Riley is NOT a manly man. A manly man doesn't throw hissy fits when his girlfriend shows the wrong reaction
when her mom is sick. A *real* man has enough security and self-confidence to give his
girlfriend patience to sort everything out, even when he feels like the way she is acting
is not really working for *him*.

That's my .02 on Riley. I warned people that
I hate him and everything I say about him is probably going to be negative. So people shouldn't be surprised when I call him a selfish bastard because I think he is one.

------------------
"I tried to be unlovable/why couldn't you do the same?"

-(jewel)

"Spank us 'til Tuesday! We promise to be bad if you do!"
-(drusilla, angel)

[Ham]

posted 03-01-2001 10:19 EST (US)
well it took me many hours to actually get the ep, but boy was it worth it. Even just thinking about it now makes me well up.
The thing I loved the most about this ep was that it left you feeling horrible and empty. There was a detached feeling about the whole thing (due to the lack of score and use of sound) which made it even harder to process what was going on. Also the use of distance and weird shots (like the one of the Ambulance guy where you couldn't see his face) helped you to empathise with the characters and gave you a sense of dissorientation and an inability to truly grasp what was happening. It was all so very clever.

As has been said before it had a very theatrical feel, with it's minimal use of sets and scenes. There was often that '4th wall' feeling. I also liked the use of shots of Joyce's body at the start of every act, it really set the tone. The flashes to other outcomes just put in the middle was also impressive.

The use of the title was great, people reacted so strongly to the use of the word 'body'. Not wanting to see Joyce as just that and being unable to comprehend it, like when Buffy told Giles that they weren't supposed to move the body or when she was on the phone.

The acting was superb. As always, Willow cries, I cry. Aly even managed it in Consequences. But it was just made worse by Anya's outburst. To me that was amazing. We know how Willow would react, but to see Anya's pain and confusion, something I never expected, just made it all more horrible. The acting in this episode was just amazing all round.

Then of course the kiss. It was perfect, I could not have created a better one. It was so obviuosly full of love and comfort. The way it managed to sooth Willow proves how in love they truly are. One kiss conveyed everything that their relationship was about and was only magnified by the interaction of X/A. Add in the 'I love you' and the xmas scene and you get a wonderful ep for our witchy pair. I love Joss for the fact that he chose to give W/T those moments and show everyone what we knew was there all along.

I think this episode would prove to any doubters that this is not your average 'genre' programming. In fact I'd say it proves that Buffy is a far more exceptional show than many give it credit for. why can't more people make tv this good?

To sum up what has become a very long post I think I can simply say that Joss is truly and amazingly gifted indivual.

[This message has been edited by Ham (edited March 01, 2001).]

[xita]

posted 03-01-2001 12:16 EST (US)
Yeah, well i can double post!

Hmm, I think we get a clue to Tara's mom in this episode. Notice in Xander's rant, there's a close up on Tara and she has a weird expression on her face.

It's during this bit of dialogue:

I'll tell you what it is, it's the
frickin' doctors, I mean they just
let her out, you know, "clean bill a
health, dig a hole in your skull
here's a band-aid NEXT!"

Hmm.. i wonder.

Ok, and does anyone think that Tara and Willow have rooms in the same dorm? Cause it sounded like Tara could just jog down the hall to check for the shirt.

[This message has been edited by xita (edited March 01, 2001).]

[jojo _342]

posted 03-01-2001 16:01 EST (US)
I hate to be the bearer of bad, poorly written reviews but here is David Hines Review of "The Body"

[BlackLab]

posted 03-01-2001 16:32 EST (US)
What really got me was how Joss & Co. made me feel angry, then sad, then elated, then sad again: all the while my stomach twisting and muscles tensing, untensing, until it ended in a way that didn't even seem like an ending.

It's two days later and I'm still thinking about it, replaying scenes in my mind, wondering how it will continue.

As bad as Joyce's death was, this was the most satisfying episode (for me at least) in terms of W/T togetherness.

[Anyalvr]

posted 03-01-2001 16:42 EST (US)
One thing that I haven't mentioned so far
is how much I like the scene where the Scoobies are in the hospital and there is massive hugging going on, and Anya grabs Giles all of a sudden and hugs him. The look
on Anthony's face - slightly surprised, but then comforting and fatherly is perfectly played, as he recognizes that Anya may be 1000 years old, but she's still very much a child.

Since ASH had pretty much the smallest part in this episode I thought he did a nice job with the little he was given.

------------------
"I tried to be unlovable/why couldn't you do the same?"

-(jewel)

"Spank us 'til Tuesday! We promise to be bad if you do!"
-(drusilla, angel)

[Hugin]

posted 03-01-2001 16:52 EST (US)
I don't think it's bad or poorly written per se. Hines is a cranky-ish reviewer. He analyzes almost monomaniacally writing and directing of the episodes, he cared very much less about acting and music and visuals, but then again, he's a writer, it's what he knows, it's what he cares to focus on.

But he's not dumb, and he makes valid points. He simply chose to base his review on factors that, while true, were irrelevant to me.

Yes, the point Joss was making was obvious. Yes, nothing really happened in the episode really. Yes, it was a stab at recognition as "high quality TV" and Emmys. If that's a problem for you, than the episode is in trouble. I saw all of the things David saw. But see, I don't care.

Death is sad. Well duh. Just because it's an obvious idea, it doesn't make it artistically invalid to give it another go, especially when the level of craft is so high all around. I've seen lots of "tearjerker" episodes of TV shows where "a character died", and all the other characters were "sad". The Body has no conceptual originality there, and therefore no value....except this was the best example of the typse I've ever seen. That means something.

Guess what? David's little snippet of story did affect me a bit, as I read it. David's a good writer. If he thinks I'm stupid because I was silly enough to respond to the cues he built into his own writing, then that's his problem, not mine. Next time David, don't write it, and I won't be sad. I can't work with that level of cynicism, hopefully you can find an audience for your work that can.

As for it being an Emmy grab, well of course it was, at least in part. What artist doesn't, a few times in thier career, sit down to start a work precisely with the intent of being impressive. Sometimes you do work because it bubbles within you and you have to get it out, sometimes you do work because it seems to be the best way of getting from point a to point B, whether point B is to get a paycheck or to get the plot arc moving forward or whatever. And sometimes you just want to do something bold just to prove you can. So what?

Guess what David? Joss deserves an Emmy. He's deserved one for years. And I think it's pretty arrogant on David's part to say "oh, well, but he shouldn't "try" for an Emmy, he shouldn't "manuever" for an Emmy, that offends my sensibilities, that's below him. Bah.

The fact is, all art has an element of craft in it as well, just the minor nuts and bolts of the practicalities of creation. The Gates of Hell by Rodin is genius level art. If it doesn't get cast properly, it's junk, no matter what. Craft matters. Only the most narrow minded and arrogant art critics will deny this (and yes, there are narrow minded and arrogant art critics who will argue that craft doesn't matter. Whatever. It was a dumb idea when I was working in the art world, it's a dumb idea now)

There is some craft (rug weaving, sword making) that can be practiced at such an exquisitely high level, that the act becomes art in and of itself, even if the entire project is completely utilitarian in nature. David faults The Body because he doesn't feel it's art. In a way he's right. But it's an unbelievable piece of craft, which elevates it to art. And to ignore that is..I'll be kind...short sighted.

-len

[tvsurfer]

posted 03-01-2001 16:56 EST (US)
wow Hines review is 180 degrees away from that of David B's of the New York Daily News who gave it 4 stars!!!!

Tuesday, February 27, 2001
Super Yet Natural
Tonight's 'Buffy' is a gem of realism

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. Tonight at 8, WB.
To those stubborn people who persist in failing to watch, much less recognize the quality of, the goofily titled WB series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," I issue this challenge: Watch tonight at 8, when series creator Joss Whedon delivers an intense yet quiet one-hour masterpiece.

Long-time "Buffy" viewers, of course, will get more resonance out of tonight's drama, titled "The Body," than newcomers. Fans, after all, are familiar with the various relationships and apt to be reeling from the shock of the sudden, unusually natural death of one of the regular series characters.

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) does a different kind of soul-searching in this week's riveting episode. This isn't ruining any plot secret. The death was revealed as a cliffhanger shocker in last week's show, in a scene that is repeated to open tonight's program. Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), endowed with superhuman fighting abilities and the mission to seek and destroy vampires and other evil, returns home to find her mother, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland), stretched out on the couch. Stretched out awkwardly — and, as it turns out, lifelessly.

The impulse, as a character or a viewer, is to expect foul play; this event, however, appears to be death by natural causes. And the hour, written and directed with brave intensity by Whedon, does nothing more — and nothing less — than detail how Buffy and her friends react to the situation.

It's an hour almost without artifice. There are no music cues whatsoever on the soundtrack; scenes play out at a deliberately slow pace, with all the silences and tensions intact. Except for one brief supernatural encounter, and dialogue both comic and dramatic arising from the fact that one of the characters (Emma Caulfield's Anya) is a very old spirit in a very young body, this "Buffy" is all normal, and all human. From the "911" call to the vigil at the hospital, it's all very real, and very revealing.

Whedon, as writer and director, takes some bold chances in trying to relay the emotions from Buffy's point of view. A lengthy flashback drives home the comfort that's about to be lost; a brief moment outdoors washes Buffy with sunlight and the distant laughter of children, both of which seem like mockeries under the circumstances, and encounters with medical personnel lapse into both hopeful fantasy and cynical delusion.

Gellar is fabulous here — like Whedon, this is Emmy-worthy work, and I'm not just talking about nominations. Michelle Trachtenberg, as Buffy's little sister, is great, too, as are all the regulars, especially Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson as Willow and Tara, Buffy's lesbian friends.

Tonight's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" will impress you. It also will haunt you — but not in the normal way associated with this still-evolving, still-achieving series.

[BBOvenGuy]

posted 03-01-2001 16:59 EST (US)
Jojo, who exactly is David Hines and why should anyone care? I've seen his vitriol strewn around before, and I've never understood why he even bothers to write it. What exactly is he trying to accomplish?

On the other hand, we did start a bit of a discussion over on the Creativity Board about what exactly Joss was trying to do with this episode (hint: the word "Emmy" was never mentioned). If the EzBoard server decides to work again (it never does when I'm trying to promote it ) you're certainly welcome to check it out.

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Come visit Now Leaving Sunnydale - A Showcase for Buffy Fans and their Non-Buffy creations

[Beautiful Tara's Girl]

posted 03-01-2001 17:09 EST (US)
I've said it before and I'll say it again:

I am dying to see if I can bring this into my Novel and Film class for my final. It may not be a "film" per se, but it is a FINE example of filmmaking. The mise-en-scene was perfect in every respect, from the lack of soundtrack to the sharp cuts and closeups and camera angles, the contrast of life outside when everything around Buffy is death, the focus on insignificant things - paper towels, wind chimes - because there's nothing else to focus on. I think Scene One is enough to demonstrate some damn fine directing, and I don't really care if it's a TV show or not. I'm going to have to pick a fight with my teacher.

~BTG
(who realized this class corrupted her after she did start noticing camera angles for the first time)

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"We are the music-makers...and we are the dreamers of the dreams."
-Willy Wonka

[jojo _342]

posted 03-01-2001 18:21 EST (US)
LOL BB... I don't think anyone here should actually think that his opinion is more valid then anyone elses or actually "Care" at all. In My Opinion Joss wasn't just trying to say "Death is hard". He was taking what would seem like "easy" steps but are very hard for a writer to portray. He was saying that 1. Life goes on. People have explained this in enormous detail (from the vamp, to the noises, to the parking ticket) I won't go over it again. and 2. It's nothing but negative space around the object that defines it. As illustrated in Dawn's scene, Joss is will be drawing the negative energy around Joyce's death and therfore will be showing us her life. It's this way with any death. The reactions to a death is a direct correlation to who this person is.

I agree Wren. This episode in itself is a tad hard to review but the strange thing is some of the things he found as weaknesses I saw as strengths. Go Figure.

I seem to be babbiling. Especially weird for lurker.

[Roxton]

posted 03-01-2001 18:59 EST (US)
Personally I never take reviews too seriously. What matters in the end is what the individual viewer takes away from the show. In the case of The Body I walked away feeling it was a powerful episode that had a tremendous impact on me.

One point that I was glad Joss took the time to make was that Joyce was supportive of Willow's and Tara's relationship and that she had accepted Tara as part of her extended family. With Joyce's death it was important that this question not be left unanswered.

[xita]

posted 03-01-2001 19:58 EST (US)
Joyce's death was coming and I appreciate what Joss did. Joss isn't just a writer, he's a director and a producer. He wanted to convey the pain of death while trying out new and different techniques, not just in writing but in directing and camera work, everything. The man went all out to convey what death meant to the gang. It worked. That's all I care about.

[xita]

posted 03-01-2001 20:14 EST (US)
Guys there are amazing caps at Extra Flamey and Stain and Varnish but you'll have to register with scifiacid for the pics at stain and varnish!

[BBOvenGuy]

posted 03-01-2001 21:11 EST (US)
Something else I noticed during my obsessive-rewatching...

When Tara's talking about the tummy-rubbing and says, "She likes it when I..." it's not Willow's "that's just between us" look that gets Tara's attention. Tara's not even looking at Willow. What gets Tara's attention is Willow tugging on the hand she's holding. Check it out...

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Come visit Now Leaving Sunnydale - A Showcase for Buffy Fans and their Non-Buffy creations

[This message has been edited by BBOvenGuy (edited March 01, 2001).]

[Roxton]

posted 03-01-2001 21:19 EST (US)
I had noticed that Bob. It was fun watching Willow's reaction when Tara was talking about the tummy-rubbing. Although I think it just goes to show that Tara feels quite at home now as a member of the Scoobies.

[This message has been edited by Roxton (edited March 01, 2001).]

[Anyalvr]

posted 03-01-2001 21:20 EST (US)
I thought "The Body" was a neat way for Joss
to experiment with the format a little. Yes, it was a bit gimmick-y, but he did it for artistic reasons, not for ratings. Joss is
an incredibly creative person and BTVS is such an original show - I get the feeling if
it moved to another network he would not be able to pull off this type of stuff.

I think that it's intertesting that in the three most experimental BTVS episodes - "Hush", "Restless", and "The Body" that Tara
has played an extrmely vital role. There's something about Tara and the way Amber plays her that fits so well with this otherworldly quality.

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"I tried to be unlovable/why couldn't you do the same?"

-(jewel)

"Spank us 'til Tuesday! We promise to be bad if you do!"
-(drusilla, angel)

[april]

posted 03-01-2001 21:32 EST (US)
i just love how comfortable w/t are with their relationship and with public displays of affection in front of the scoobies. they send the perfect message: that you should always be proud to be with who you love.

sorry if i'm being horribly cheesy and sentimental here, but i was just blindsided by an ER episode that was exactly the opposite of what i just stated above. thank god for willow and tara!