For the second class in our EW University course on TV Auteurs, Prof. Adam B. Vary offers this overview of the TV career of Joss Whedon, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Dollhouse. Also, check out this photo gallery of our favorite shows by four legendary showrunners.
What Stephen Bochco (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue), Norman Lear (All in the Family, The Jeffersons), and Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone) were in the 20th century television, Joss Whedon has become today: Nothing less than a television brand. His name alongside the “Created by” credit during the opening titles guarantees you are about to watch a show that swings for the fences; a show as keenly attuned to its female characters as its male ones; a show that tackles Big Ideas and Big Themes without skimping on Great Entertainment; a show that is unafraid to Go There, from allowing the lead heroine or hero to make some profoundly unlikable choices to killing off a beloved character; a show that is steeped in genre tropes yet also lovingly tweaks them; and a show that has a tone, style, and voice so singular that it’s earned its own adjective: Whedonesque.
And yet Joss Whedon has never been at the helm of a bone fide mainstream hit. From his seminal first series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to his current distaff genre series Dollhouse, Whedon has instead become a master of cult TV, fostering a small(ish) but rabidly loyal fan base for each of his series. A critics’ darling if ever there was one, he has failed, however, to win the respect of Emmy voters, who have — in the unimpeachable opinion of Whedon fans everywhere — unforgivably snubbed his shows, their writers (well, mostly), and their actors. No matter. If all he had done was make Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s first three seasons, Whedon’s place in the TV firmament would be secure. As it stands today, his ongoing body of work is a testament to the heartening truth that unique and uncommonly great network television is still possible in an era dominated by reality TV and endless procedural crime show spin-offs.
Whedon comes by his TV showrunning skills quite naturally: His grandfather John was a writer on The Donna Reed Show, and his father Tom was a producer on The Golden Girls. Joss Whedon got his start in television at 25 as a writer on the second season of Roseanne, an experience he once described to EW as “baptism by radioactive waste.” Soon after getting the gig, however, Whedon sold his first feature screenplay, a feminist twist on the old high school slasher film called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But the filmmakers played the script strictly as a jokey camp-fest, and the film was ultimately forgettable. (Well, for most.) It was unfortunately typical of Whedon’s experiences in the movie business for the next half-decade, where he mostly toiled as an uncredited script doctor on films like Speed, Twister, and Waterworld. (One quite pleasant exception: Whedon earned an Oscar nomination for co-writing Toy Story.) Alien Resurrection, his first sole screenplay credit since the Buffy movie, had a third act so wildly different from Whedon’s vision that he’s admitted he regrets having any involvement with the movie.
So in 1996, when Whedon was approached to adapt Buffy for the small screen, this time on his terms, he jumped at the chance. He moved the story from Los Angeles to the fictional California town of Sunnydale, cast soap opera actress Sarah Michelle Gellar as the title slayer, and shot 13 episodes (including an unaired pilot) for a mid-season berth in the spring of 1997 on the brand new network The WB. A mash-up of teenage high school soap opera and bad-ass horror monster movie — but, you know, classier – Buffy’s literally-fighting-your-demons ethos made it a ripe and emotionally rich metaphor for high school and early adulthood. Practically from the start, the series’ dramatic chops and youthful viewership gave its struggling mini-network some needed credibility and advertiser-pleasing demographics, but Whedon has said that it wasn’t until the show’s fourth season that he knew for certain that it was going to be renewed for another year. And that is the great Whedon paradox: The very things that make his TV series such addictive fun for their fans — unpredictable plotlines that arc over an entire season, pop-culture references steeped in in-jokey geekery, throwaway callbacks to minor moments from previous shows and seasons, an unabashed genre mythology that belies its deep bench of fully-realized characters you desperately care about — also limits them from developing the kind of double-digit ratings usually expected of popular TV hits. Indeed, in its seven season run, Buffy never averaged more than 5.3 million viewers a season.
That ratings reality has meant that Whedon has found himself in a seemingly constant struggle with network brass. The WB dropped Buffy in its fifth season, forcing Whedon to develop a storyline that (SPOILER ALERT!) could reasonably conclude the series (i.e. killing Buffy) that season, while also scrambling to find a new home for the show, which ended up being mini-network UPN for two more years. But at least Buffy was allowed to conclude its run on Whedon’s terms. In 1999, Whedon premiered the Buffy spin-off Angel, about the Slayer’s doomed vampire boyfriend (David Boreanaz), who moves to L.A. to get away from Buffy and become a private eye. Darker, harsher, and, at first, more episodic that Buffy, Angel had a solid run, banking ratings that matched its parent show. But The WB cancelled Angel after five seasons, a move that blindsided Whedon, since he felt the show had just started firing on all cylinders. “It was like ‘Healthy Guy Falls Dead From Heart Attack,’” Whedon told EW in 2004.
And then there was Firefly. A sci-fi western — literally, the show’s opening credits played to a Whedon-penned folk song and ended with a ramshackle spaceship flying over a galloping herd of horses – Firefly launched the career of star Nathan Fillion, who played a rascally spaceship captain trying with his crew to make a living, honest or otherwise. Fans and critics marveled at how quickly Whedon established Firefly’s teeming universe, but the show’s network, Fox, never took a shine to it. Instead of airing Whedon’s two-hour pilot as its first episode, Fox forced Whedon to write a more action-packed hour-long ep for the series premiere, dumped the show on Friday nights, aired episodes out of order, and ultimately cancelled it before all 14 shot episodes had aired. The ordeal so gutted Whedon that he took the project to Universal, rounded up the show’s cast, and directed a feature film version, Serenity, in 2005.
That’s another remarkable quality of Whedon’s: He is so unfailingly loyal to everyone who works with him that he’s essentially created a stable of writers and actors that could collectively be called the “Whedonverse.” To wit: After Firefly was cancelled, Whedon cast Fillion and co-star Gina Torres as Big Bads (Whedon-speak for major villains) in Buffy’s final season and Angel’s fourth season, respectively. After talk of another Buffy spin-off series and Angel and Buffy TV movies proved fruitless, Whedon launched “Buffy Season Eight,” an ongoing comic book series written by many of Buffy’s most beloved writers. (In fact, many of the writers who got their start on Buffy — Jane Espenson, David Fury, Marti Noxon, Drew Goddard — have gone onto robust careers on other iconic TV series, including Battlestar Galactica, Lost, 24, and Mad Men.)
In 2008, in the wake of the Writers Guild strike, Whedon dreamed up Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, a three-part musical mini-series about a wannabe supervillain made specifically for the internet. For the lead title role, he recruited Whedonverse newbie Neil Patrick Harris (who, it should be noted, currently co-stars with Buffy alum Alyson Hannigan on CBS’s How I Met Your Mother, and was in the running for a series regular role on Firefly). For Dr. Horrible’s bete noir Capt. Hammer, however, Whedon called on Nathan Fillion again, and for the role of the girl they fight over, Whedon reached deep into the Buffy bench, casting Felicia Day, who’d appeared in a handful of episodes of the final season as a “potential” slayer and had gone on to create a successful web series called The Guild.
And Dollhouse, Whedon’s latest TV series, is stacked with Whedonverse alumni: It stars Buffy favorite Eliza Dushku (i.e. bad-girl slayer Faith) as Echo, one of several “Dolls” who work for an underground company that implants them with specific personalities tailored to the desires of high-playing clients. Angel co-star Amy Acker plays a mysterious doctor with the company, Firefly alum Alan Tudyk showed up at the end of the first season as … well … best not spoil that one, and Dr. Horrible’s Felicia Day showed up in a special “bonus” episode that appears on the Dollhouse season 1 DVD set. The show’s tricky premise won Whedon yet another cult following, but practically everyone (including Whedon) was surprised when Fox picked the show up for a second season, which premieres Sept. 25. With Whedon now branching into filmmaking again — The Cabin in the Woods, produced by Whedon, written by Whedon and Drew Goddard, and directed by Goddard, premieres February 2010 — it seems like the 45-year-old TV auteur may finally be finding the kind of career stability and respect he earned years and years ago. Hopefully, the only epic struggles in Joss Whedon’s life from now on will be the one he writes on the blank page.
Extra Credit Viewing:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Animated Series
One of several aborted attempts to broaden the “Buffyverse” was this animated version set during Buffy’s high-school-era seasons. Featuring the voices of original actors Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, and Anthony Stewart Head, this teaser trailer for the show hits all the right notes; it’s a shame (though not a shock) that no one put up the dough to make it a full-fledged series.
Roseanne – “Chicken Hearts”
Whedon penned several episodes of the second season of Roseanne, including this standout, about the title matriarch’s attempt to butter up her adolescent boss at a local fast-food joint so she wouldn’t have to work weekends. Below, that episode’s final act.
Buffy reunion at PaleyFest 2008
Whedon reunited with practically the entire Buffy the Vampire Slayer gang for this 10-year anniversary celebration of the show. The whole thing is definitely worth watching, but this clip, in which Sarah Michelle Gellar and Whedon talk about the organizing metaphor for the show, is especially choice.
Whedon accepts Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism at Harvard’s Memorial Church
One of Whedon’s most outstanding legacies is how seriously his worldview is taken by academia — and that’s partly due to how seriously (though not too seriously) Whedon takes his worldview. This speech, from this April, in which Whedon full-throatedly defends his secular humanism (i.e. non-believer-ism, i.e. atheism) is as eloquent and apt a distillation of that worldview as you’re likely to find outside of his shows.
Whedon’s speech to Equality Now
OK, I lied. This is as eloquent and apt a distillation of Whedon’s worldview as you’re likely to find outside of his shows. (And no, Meryl Streep isn’t mistaken when she said in her introduction that Whedon’s working on Wonder Woman — after Whedon made this speech in 2006, he left the super-heroine project due to creative differences with the producers.)
Extra Credit Reading: Slayer Slang: A ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Lexicon by Michael Adams
Faith and Choice in the Works of Joss Whedon by K. Dale Koontz
Existential Joss Whedon: Evil and Human Freedom in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ ‘Angel,’ ‘Firefly,’ and ‘Serenity’ by J. Michael Richardson and J. Douglas Rabb
For Discussion: For dyed-in-wool Joss Whedon fans, what episodes from his shows — written by Whedon or otherwise — do you feel best exemplifies the word “Whedonesque”? Which episode from his show was the one that got you dying your wool for Whedon in the first place? And for readers new to the Whedonverse, what is it about his shows that has kept you at a distance?
More on TV Auteurs in EW University:
Aaron Spelling: The king of guilty-pleasure TV
Aaron Sorkin: Talker, walk with me
J.J. Abrams: Pop-culture polymath
TV industry brass: Why so white?
Photo gallery: From Love Boat to Lost, great shows by four TV titans
Final Exam: Test your knowledge of these auteurs’ best shows
Comments (1-30) of 133 Add your comment
As a devotee of all things Joss (yes, I am one of the people that sees his name on something and suddenly feels like a kid on Christmas morning), these are, to me, the work he did that examplifies what he is about:
Hush, 3rd Season of Buffy — he got tired of people talking about the great dialogue he does, so to shut them up, he wrote an ep that was silent for 3/4 of the show. And lo, it was awesome.
Once More with Feeling — because I have most of it on my MP3 player. That is how hummable those songs are. And Tara Benson’s voice, oy. That man can spot hidden talent.
Dr. Horrible — similar to above. Also, he doesn’t give the comfortable happy ending. In his world, be careful what you wish for, because there ain’t no free lunch.
Angel — “personally I kinda want to slay the dragon.” Just because the screen went dark doesn’t mean that life didn’t go on.
Actually, life did go on. Angel Season 6 in comic book form!
Hush was in the 4th season. Very good ep, though. It’s in my top five.
For curious newbies, beware, there are a ton of unlabeled SPOILERS in all the comments in this section.
Sheesh, people.
the show has been off the air for **YEARS**. you can’t ask people to censor their comments. there has to be a limit to the madness of “spoiler alert!” i mean…COME.ON.
The body
It was the episode when Joyce Summers died. It had great touching moments for a show that had death in almost every episode it really made a story about death count. Anya’s speech about death is classic Whedon, having an oddball character describe what she is feeling and really what everyone is feeling.
That was one of the best written episodes in TV History I love the fact he elevates the episode by the lack of a score or background sounds/songs. However, the episode is a close tie with Conversations with Dead People written by two of the Whedonverse best writers Jane Espenson and Drew Goddard.
One of my personal favorites (along with “Hush”). I think it was absolutely brilliant that Joyce died in an entirely human way. It made it that much more heartbreaking that there was no supernatural involved and that the characters had a harder time accepting that than if, say, a demon had murdered her. And Anya’s speech is that much more poignant because she had just recently given up immortality (or had it taken away, can’t remember), so she was, in a way, facing the prospect of her own death. Which further fueled her decision to become a demon again later that season.
Angel will always be my favorite of Joss’ shows. Anyone who can make an episode where a vampire turns into a puppet is pure genius.
See, that was my least fave ep. I just thought it was silly. I still liked the show, though.
“You’re a bloody puppet!”.
I believe that episode was written because David B. had to have an operation on his knee, and couldn’t be doing the usual fight stuffs.
You’re a wee little puppet man! Loved this ep. Very funny and very creepy. Avenue Q before Avenue Q.
hi-larious. spike fighting with a puppet? it doesn’t get any better.
I thought Smile Time was creepy and funny enough to not be too “silly.” I thought season 5 was Angel’s best season anyway, but I particularly liked this episode, even though I generally thought Angel was strongest when it was mired in the “turgid, supernatural soap opera.”
“I do NOT have puppet cancer!”
I have to whole hearted agree with all of your choices Crystal. Hush was one of the best tv episodes of any show I’ve ever seen. Also, DB saying “personally I kinda want to slay the dragon” ws perfect.
Becoming Part I & II. Watching Buffy make the decision to kill Angel was gut wrenching. I still cry every time I hear Full of Grace start as Buffy stands by herself silently saying good-bye to her friends in the distance. It was the most powerful two hours in the series.
Hey Meredith44, seven years ago I was where you are now. I had seen only a few episodes from “Buffy” Season One, and while they showed increasing promise, I wasn’t impressed enough to continue watching the show. Then in 2002 I caught “Buffy” in syndication on FX Channel and was hooked for good. I began watching Season 6 reruns on UPN, then first-run eps during Season 7. I was a Janey-come-lately to the Whedon dance–and a goner. I’m no spring chicken, so the ‘high school hijinks’ aspects of the show were the least important to me. What kept me coming back for more was the storytelling, humor, poignancy, amazing characterizations, and acting. The SFX and action sequences were the whipped cream and cherry on top. But above everything was that Whedonesque brand of superlative dialogue. I can’t remember a show that has been as consistently well-written and emotionally resonant as “Buffy”–and I’ve been watching TV since the mid-50s. Please do give subsequent seasons a look-see. Try not to watch only random episodes: While there may be standalone STORY THREADS in individual episodes, there simply is no such thing as a completely standalone EPISODE of “Buffy”. Sure, everyone has favorites, but it’s the cumulative effect of each season’s arc (and of the series as a whole) that makes “Buffy” one of the most compelling pieces of television viewing ever.
I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion on this article, but you did ask why non-Whedon fans keep their distance, so…
I liked Angel well enough (haven’t made it past mid-season 3) and I own Firefly and Serenity on DVD, but I never liked Buffy (caveat: I only watched random first season episodes), and hated Dollhouse based on the first few episodes and I don’t understand Whedon’s rabid cult following. (I read this article in an attempt to understand.)
You mention “a show as keenly attuned to its female characters as its male ones”, but I actually really despised the beginning of Dollhouse in part because of its treatment of female characters. (Nothing like rape accepted as “fun” and “sexy” and the like, and yes, having sex while “imprinted” is like having sex drugged and is thus without consent in my book.) I also found Fred on Angel to be super annoying and not what I want in a strong female character. (Granted, I did only watch partway through season 3, maybe she improved.) And it doesn’t help that while I can appreciate Buffy being a strong female, I never really cared for her either. I’m not really sure why.
You mention “a show that is unafraid to Go There” as if that is unique to his shows. Yeah, it’s not hugely common, but I’ve seen it in other shows such as La Femme Nikita, Lost, 24, BSG, etc. And, honestly? There are times when I find some things to just be “shocking for the sake of shocking”. Not a huge complaint, as I do like shows that take chances, but I don’t necessarily see how it makes him so unique.
It might just be that I’ve never seen his work as “uncommonly great” that I can’t understand the “cult” of Whedon, but I’ve found that they actually can turn me off to wanting to try a show. (Hence, partly why I “keep my distance”.) They just seem so strident and unwilling to accept anyone whose views do not match their own, labeling them as inferior if they don’t bow down to the genius that is Whedon. (Granted, I have limited exposure to this, as I don’t seek out Whedon discussion usually, but it has happened most times I’ve come across it.) Most recently, the comments I read before Dollhouse aired were particularly off-putting and almost made me not want to watch. And forget trying to discuss what I considered to be flaws in the first few episodes. I just don’t understand why not liking a Whedon show means that I’m not a fan of unique or quality television (my favorite shows of all time include BSG and Lost, and I would argue that they are both quality; my other favorites of La Femme Nikita and Burn Notice might be arguably more “guilty pleasures”, I admit, but they are at least somewhat unique) and that I just don’t “get it”. I really want to understand where the rabid love comes from, but I still don’t. Oh well.
Not that you have to agree with us Whedon fans, but if you do want to understand why we love him I’d suggest watching some of the Buffy episodes mentioned here (“Hush,” “The Body,” “Restless”).
Though I love the entire series, I personally don’t think season one was the strongest season.
I might just do that. The episodes wouldn’t suffer by lack of context/lack of familiarity with the characters?
I did think that maybe the first season wasn’t its best, as actors might have gotten better/grown into their roles, and stories might have engaged me more, so I borrowed the season 2 DVDs from a friend. It has been a long while and I just haven’t gotten around to watching it yet. (I watch way too much current television for my RL to allow extras usually.) I may have to give it a try, though (if only so I can get my friend her DVDs back *grin*).
Thanks for the input.
I like Whedon fine, but I do have some beefs with him. The foremost is that I take issue with his proclaimed boldness. Death meant nothing in the Buufyverse, so daring to kill a beloved character eventually lost every ounce of weight. Bringing Spike back on Angel destroyed his whole Buffy story arc as his sacrifice ultimately wasn’t one.
Also, while I loved “Hush”, I have to point out that Buffy was not the first show to do an almost- dialogue-free hour. “77 Sunset Strip” did it in the early 60s.
It’s hard to appreciate a show just by watching random episodes from its first season. I’m not trying convert you, Meredith44, but you really are missing out if that’s all you know of Buffy. And the back half of the first season of Dollhouse is consistently very very good.
I am not trying to bash you or anything since you came right out and admitted you never watched Buffy. However, I think that you may not find him “uncommonly great” (at least when it comes to Buff) because you only watched a few random episodes here and there. Buffy is not a show that you can watch a few random episodes and “get it”. You need to see the character development, the interactions, etc to see the genius. I’m not a fan of every single thing Joss has done (I didn’t like Angel very much), but I do recognize how unique, creative, and incredible Buffy was and that is enough for me to worship him as the pop culture God that he is.
I was watching Angel at the time and decided I wanted to know his backstory more, so I went back to Buffy and watched a few Angel-centric episodes. So, I wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the characters when I watched.
Not to bash at all, because to each his/her own, but I found the acting really weak and the stories that I saw weren’t all that compelling. Maybe it was just that I wasn’t invested enough in the characters. I watch enough television with little enough free time, though, that I really didn’t want to expend a lot of time watching something that didn’t captivate me.
And as far as “unique” goes, I did like Angel well enough (and do mean to finish the series one of these days), but I found the premise to be similar to “Forever Knight” and thus not truly unique. (And my perspective made me laugh at all of the Angel people bashing Moonlight for “ripping off” Angel. Again with the fans turning me off to what I might otherwise enjoy. Not that I thought Moonlight was a masterpiece, but the sense of entitlement that I read was off-putting to say the least.)
It is actually on my list to try to watch Buffy again, as I do like Firefly and really try to appreciate unique television, but it’s just not high on the list at the moment.
Thanks for the input.
As a member of the cult of Whedon, I have these things to say, and hopefully they don’t put you off even more.
I think Dollhouse is exploring a lot of dark stuff, and you can’t explore it by not showing it (in a visual medium, or talking/writing about it in other mediums). the first few episodes do have problems, some of which are due to network stuff and some of which are not. The later eps have problems too, but for me the good outweighs the bad there.
Fred totally gets better.
A lot of Whedon fans don’t really like Buffy as a character, either. For them, the supporting characters are more interesting. Season one is not the best representative of the series as a whole–I think season 3 is probably the one that has the most consistently good eps, but most seasons after the first are pretty great, and there are some gems in the rough in season one also.
Of course, that’s all just the way I see it, and you have every right to disagree. In any fandom, there are the people who are rational about this stuff and the people who are not, and I hope I have been a good representative of the former type.
Rational discussion will never put me off. Obsessive and dogmatic fans unwilling to discuss, will. (And, yes, you were a good example of the rational fan, thanks.)
I don’t mind exploration of dark stuff (or I never could watch the shows that I do), but I didn’t feel that it was explored truly. I don’t have the article links at the moment because it has been awhile since I engaged in discussion about the show, but I have seen quotes from Whedon that basically dismiss that rape is being portrayed (forget the repercussions having been explored) and that he was making the show “sexy”. One quote that I re-found was “That’s not to say that the only thing I pitched them was Echo having sex. The idea was that she was always going to be different things. Sexuality was a big part of it and certainly the most edgy and titillating part of it, but not in any way the only part of it.” It’s not sex; it’s rape, and the repercussions need to be explored if I am going to take an “examination of the darkness” seriously.
Just my $.02, and I will acknowledge that I do have issues with the portrayal of women in popular culture.
You’re not the first to say that the initial season wasn’t the best of Buffy (and thanks for making me not feel alone in not loving the titular character!), so maybe I will give other seasons a chance. You think the third season might be the best place to start? I have the second season borrowed on DVD, thinking I was going to try that; however, I do want to give it the best chance possible if I’m going to try again, so maybe I should borrow the third season instead?
Speaking as a dollhouse watcher, the few issues you’ve raised have been debated by fans since the start of the season, and many of us are waiting for the potential the plotline has to deal with the issues the universe raises (yes, even consent.) Speaking from personal experience, several episodes have handled things exactly right. This does not mean the show is in its best form yet; I may end up angry and feeling duped in the second season if the themes it seemed they started expanding on are suddenly dropped. The fanbase is deeper than you give them credit for, however.
Yeah, I’m a huge Whedon fan, and I didn’t really like the first few episodes of Dollhouse. It gets better though, and the unaired episode that comes with the DVD (you can probably get it online) is truly amazing. It changes the whole show.
Meredith44-
I am the last one to knock your show choices. Burn Notice? Michael Weston? Lost? Sawyer? AWESOME! And I’m also a huge Whedon fan. Quality tv is what entertains. I’m sorry that you get turned off by the rabidness of Whedon fans.
DOLLHOUSE: I’ll start by agreeing with you about Dollhouse. I didn’t like it at first, but I held on because I just think Joss is that good, and at the end of the season I was more into it. I think any show has a growing period, and I hope that Dollhouse will come out this season firing on all cylinders.
Buffy: You say you don’t like the character Buffy, but really my favorite characters are the supporting cast. Xander, Willow, Anya, SPIKE, Andrew, Giles…they were always my favorites. You don’t have to love Buffy to love the show.
Female characters: Dollhouse is more like prostitution to me than rape. I mean, they signed up for it. It isn’t like they were kidnapped off the street or something. What I like about Joss’s women is that they aren’t perfect, but they are always strong in some way. Are some of them annoying? Sure. But, aren’t real people annoying too? I hated Kennedy in the last season of Buffy. HATED her, but she was real. I wasn’t really a fan of Dawn either, but she was real. And they grew and changed the way real people do. I credit Joss’s writing for that.
You can’t get Buffy watching a show here and a show there. Borrow a season from someone and watch 5 or 6 episodes in order. Maybe then you’ll get Buffy. After listening to my boyfriend make fun of me for my Buffy addiction, I made him do that. Last year his favorite Christmas present was Season 7 of Buffy.
Of course, if you do that and hate it – thats ok too. At least you tried, right?
Michael Weston = love. (And I do adore Sawyer as well. Maybe I really do have more in common with fans of these shows. *grin*)
I may try Dollhouse again in the second season if I hear enough that intrigues me about it (I have friends that watch), but honestly, life is too short for me to watch more than a few episodes of a show I don’t like, hoping it will improve.
It’s interesting to see another fan who doesn’t care so much for the main character. I usually can’t watch shows like that. There are shows I watch in which I don’t love the main character or feel indifferent towards the main character, but rarely (if ever?) shows that I watch in which I dislike the main character. Interesting.
For me it is more rape than prostitution. Yes, they signed up for the imprinting (although how informed and uncoerced was their consent?), but their personalities are still there, emerging, so having them “forced” to have sex seems much more to me like rape in that it is under the influence of an outside force. I think one of the comments that got to me was when Whedon talked about it and said, “That’s not to say that the only thing I pitched them was Echo having sex. The idea was that she was always going to be different things. Sexuality was a big part of it and certainly the most edgy and titillating part of it, but not in any way the only part of it.” I don’t find it titillating, but rather disturbing and wish that it were explored more. I got the impression (probably unfounded, but still) that Echo was put in some of these situations just so she could be portrayed as “sexy” to the viewers, without any real thought to the nature of the situation. As I said in a comment above, I do freely admit that I have a thing about the treatment of women in pop culture, though, so my perspective is a little skewed.
Yeah, real people are annoying, but I prefer it in small doses on my television shows, as they are about escape and enjoyment to me. I get enough annoying people in the real world. (As I said above, I’m okay with not loving all characters, but it is tough for me to follow shows with characters, especially major characters, I actively dislike.)
I have been meaning to give Buffy another chance, borrowing the second season DVDs from a friend. (I assumed that maybe the first was growing pains.) I just haven’t been able to find the time to do so. I have enough shows that I like watching to watch multiple episodes of a show I don’t care all that much for. I do try most of his shows, though, just because it seems like something I should like. (Hence how I ended up watching Firefly, a few seasons of Angel, and the first few episodes of Dollhouse.)
Thanks for the input!
I used to (gently) tease a friend for her Buffy addiction (okay, it was more an addiction to the character of Angel.) When the show moved to UPN, I was finally able to see it via a satellite station, and fell in love pretty quickly, then watched all of the seasons on FX. Good thing that I started with season 6, because the first season was shallow and badly acted for the most part, especially the first few episodes.
Then I watched Angel and loved that show, too. Okay, I wasn’t crazy about season 4. I would have watched Firefly without Joss Whedon’s name attached, but that made me want to see it more. It took until the end of the first episode to fall in love. I watched Dollhouse because of Joss…and while I’m not so sure that I love it, it does intrigue me. However, I know plenty of hard-core Whedonites who hate it. And I get why you might be leery of some of the more, shall we say, “fervent” Joss fans. By now, Joss’s name will get me to try a show, but doesn’t guarantee that I’ll love it.
As for my favorite episodes, I like “Hush” and “The Body”, but I also like “The Zeppo,” where Xander discovers that he’s not as useless as everyone thinks; “Band Candy,” because it’s fun watching the roles reverse–”Whoa, Summers, you drive like a spaz!”; “The Puppet Show,” simply because Sid’s scurrying across the floor makes me laugh. I also liked Angel’s “Smile Time” because Puppet Angel was hilarious. I liked the way Cordy (and Wesley) grew throughout the series. My favorite Firefly episode is “Out of Gas,” because I like how the present, recent past and more distant past are woven into the story while remaining distinct from one another. If I could give up Dollhouse for more seasons of Firefly, I’d do it in a snap.
Band Candy is my all-time favorite Buffy episode. I lve classics like Hush and Restless and Once More with Feeling, but Band Candy always makes me happy when I’m sad.
I love Band Candy too! I just had a mega-Buffy marathon. Season 4 is my absolute favourite though. I agree Out of Gas is my favourite Firefly episode too.
Well I’m just glad u can’t do that, because if u killed dollhouse for firefly I would kill somebody (I almost killed a TSCC fan when they were trashing dollhouse to my face(Metaphorical killing, because I would never actually kill anyone(Ihope)))
Very brave, Meredith, to come out and admit your dislike. I was a big Buffy fan and Dr. Horrible, but never really watched Firefly, but a friend recommended Serenity even if I hadn’t seen the show … and … it didn’t work. I had no emotional investment in the characters and didn’t really care. Now, I’ve not seen Dollhouse, but a colleague who was a fan said the first 3 eps didn’t work, but from 4 onwards it started to hit. Will probably catch it up on DVD. Re Buffy, if you want to get a ‘taste’ of the great, out of context eps, pick up the ‘Top Ten’ eps disc (can’t remember its name at the moment). It covers several seasons and is all ‘good uns’.
The reason, I think, that Joss’s writing and creative ideas are so intriguing is that they so perfectly blend humor with gut-wrenching drama. I think this must be very difficult to do. If you go too humorous, you end up with campy slapstick, and if you go too dramatic, you end up with a soap opera.
I will admit that I didn’t watch “Buffy” until after the second season had aired, and they were running repeats of Season 1 on Mondays and repeats of Season 2 on Tuesdays. So it was a bit scattered for me. But it was a diversion, and kind of funny, and I thought it was kind of humorous fluff. THEN I saw “Passion” in Season 2, and saw the characters I had come to be somewhat fond of go through a major tragedy with a psychological twist that was truly heart-breaking. It was at THAT moment that Joss became my master.
Just when you think that the show is light-hearted and fun, there’s a twist. And when you don’t think it can get any darker, there’s a shot of unexpected humor. It’s a roller-coaster ride, and you never know what’s next. A hill? A drop? A tunnel? Who knows?
As for “Dollhouse,” I share your ick-factor with the sex-while-imprinted, although it’s clear that the Dollhouse men go through this as well, not just the women. But I do think this is meant to be dark and bring up uncomfortable issues. Joss may have said that part of this is trying to be “sexy,” but knowing the totality of Joss’s work, I’m positive that he recognizes the dark aspects of this as well. He tends to embrace the dark aspects of things, examines them totally, makes you think.
So that’s why I am a huge Joss fan. Is he infallible? No. He’s made some mistakes (the Buffy Season 4 “Beer Bad” episode comes to mind, as well as the lack of his trademark humor in the first few eps of “Dollhouse”). As much as some of us out here hate to admit it, he is human.
) But he is willing to take chances that most writers would shy away from at all costs, such as (as another person here has pointed out) killing off beloved characters, which he did in “Buffy” and also in “Firefly,” and I have expectations that he will do so in “Dollhouse” as well.
The one thing I know when I watch a movie or show that Joss has been creatively involved in, is that I will see something I have never seen before.
You should give “Dollhouse” another chance. It got so much better later in the season. They addressed some of the issues you have with it. I agree that it wasn’t the best at first, but I too stuck with it because I’m such a fan of his.
Angel also got better after you stopped watching–especially the characters of Fred and Wesley. Wesley became badass.
Along with the episodes people have already mentioned (though I can’t stress it enough that “The Body” is a masterpiece) I’d say you should search out “Band Candy” (season 3–very funny), the dark-Willow episodes (“Villains,” “Two to go,” and “Grave”–season 6), “Fool for Love” (season 5) if you’re a Spike fan and want to learn more of his background, and “Ted” (season 2) just for the performance of John Ritter.
Meredith, here’s another reply to your concerns . . .
First off, huge Whedon fan here. I don’t have cable, so I haven’t watched “Dollhouse” yet. I plan on getting the first season on dvd soon.
As far as Buffy goes, I agree with most people when they say the first season is the weakest, even though I still enjoyed it quite a bit. I am one of those fans who watched the show not so much for Buffy but for the rest of the cast, particularly Xander, who’s the “regular guy” character, and someone most of us can relate to.
Can you skip Season One and start with Season Two without missing anything? Pretty much, although I’d recommend at least reading the Cliff Notes online, since the Season One finale comes into play in the overall story arc of Season Two (something happens to Buffy and that brings a new character into the show). I’d definitely watch Season Two — it’s one of my favorites (although it’s hard to pick a definite favorite), mainly because the quality is very consistent throughout the entire season, and because the finale is one of the best in the series (of course, now that everybody’s hyped it up for you, you’ll find it underwhelming). If Season Two doesn’t grab you, I wouldn’t bother trying any of the others.
For the record, Season 3 has some great episodes (here’s my Whedonesque contribution: The Zeppo, that episode where Xander has his very own adventure, zombies included, while the gang is off saving the world), but it’s one of the most uneven in the show’s run. Season 4 starts a little weak, but gets really good as it goes on, with the exception of Spike’s ridiculous scheme halfway through the season. Season 5 is awesome, but the main villain is too over the top and gets really annoying really fast. Season 6 is amazing during the first half or so, then goes off the rails — too dark, too bleak, and picks up a little at the end. Season 7 is pretty good and has some awesome episodes, but damn it if Buffy doesn’t get on my nerves through some of it — and I wish the original four had gotten a better wrap-up.
So see, I can find stuff to complain about in every season, and I do LOVE the show. It’s just that the more I like something, the pickier I get.
Have you seen “Dr. Horrible” yet? It’s only about an hour long and you can find it online easily. That’s pure Whedon genius.
Meredith44 – I really enjoyed reading your opinion. I am a fan of good tv. I have to say though, I was not always a fan of Whedon. I hated Buffy when it first came out… But I was obsessed with Angel. I thought Angel was so much more mature; and as a teenager at the time of Angel I was dying to be more mature rather than being obsessed with high-school. However something happened during that time – I became obsessed with Buffy too… But because I grew up internationally I was at the mercy of international cable companies – which also contributed to me not being able to watch the first four seasons of Buffy, sporadic episodes of Angel and the entirety of Firehouse. Dollhouse is the first Whedon series I have been able to watch from start to end. Your right it’s premise was extremely offensive – and I found it very hard to watch. But I decided to give it a chance. And I was glad I did because Whedon’s brilliance is in his imagination and how it intertwines with real-life problems. Initially in each of his show, there is a right & wrong choice but by the end of all the episodes one is a little bit less sure of what is right and what is wrong. I
Hi Meredith44 – I agree with you about Dollhouse. I consider myself a huge Whedon fan, and yet I’ve really been mostly disappointed with Dollhouse (tho there are a few episodes toward the end that are brilliant). As others have said, I would definitely suggest watching more Buffy. I personally like the first season a lot, but it’s not my favorite. To me, the second season of Buffy is the absolute best, with the 3rd close behind (I think more people like S3 best). (I also love Once More With Feeling, the musical episode from S6, which was my “gateway drug” into the Whedonverse.) So go ahead and watch season 2, which you borrowed from your friend. Or better yet, see if she’s willing to watch it again with you! Whedon is always more fun to share, which I think is part of the appeal of his work and part of the reason for his strong cult following.
Not to be all Hurf Durfy, but the article didn’t ask for the opinions of all non-Whedon fans, but the opinions of those new to the Whedonverse. Having watched more Whedon TV than many fans, maybe it’s just not for you? It sounds like you’ve made more than a token effort to get into his stuff and it doesn’t work for you. Different strokes for different folks!
I’m a new fan myself (I’ve made it through season three of Buffy) and I can say for a fact, having just recently finished season three, DON’T GIVE UP AFTER SEASON ONE. I watched the first season mostly because I felt obligated to after buying it on sale, but the last episode of season one gave me a glimmer of what could be so I watched the next two seasons for free on hulu. I was blown away. The way the characters are developed… even when the story is strange and the monsters are silly, they’re all so human and real. I don’t like all of the main characters all the time; I’ve cursed Buffy herself on more than one occasion. But hell, she’s a teenager. I don’t think I’d like myself very much at seventeen.
I’d give it another shot I guess is what I’m trying to say.
I was still a little on the fence about Buffy during the first season until I saw “The Pack,” the ep when Xander turns into a hyena. That sealed it for me and showed me that this show is more than monsters.
My fave Buffy ep: “The Body” because it’s so personal. That episode was like the day out of my life that I’ll never forget (my mother died unexpectedly, too).
Angel: “Waiting in the Wings,” the ep when they all go to the ballet. That ep is so rich in content and the writing is stellar.
One of my fave eps of Rosanne was “The Brain-dead Poets Society” when Darlene has to read a poem at a school program. The poem described that character so well and the execution of all the actors was phenomenal.
Needless to say, I love Joss
The first episode of Buffy I ever saw was “Gingerbread”, in which a demon takes the form of murdered children to instigate a witch hunt in Sunnydale. With no prior exposure to Buffy, I thought the concept was bold, the plot tense, and the dialogue hilarious, and I was hooked for life.
Whedonesque – The Buffy episode “Anne”, 3rd season premiere. Reintroducing Buffy in isolation, the gang in the graveyard (hilariously trying to slay in her place), and the second-act opening steady-cam shot that completely reestablishes every character at school. And a completely stand-alone plot, to boot. “Anne” is the perfect definition of Whedonesque.
Ha ha – not to mention the great “Hey Ken, wanna see my impression of Ghandi?” line. Classic.
Ummmm not a big deal, but wasn’t Hush Season 4?
I loved Normal Again in Season 6…. where the Trio (you’ve heard of us?) convince Buffy that she is in a mental hospital and that nothing over the past few years was real.
I will Remember You from Angel – total amazingness.
And Restless at the end of season 4 was awesome – the cheese guy and Buffys whole speech to the first slayer.
I could go on…… but won’t
Joss is a GOD and I happily and geekily worship at his altar.
fire bad, tree pretty.
I was in junior high when the first Buffy episode aired, and you could tell within the first couple of minutes that it was something new and exciting. It’s also what started my crippling addiction to Joss Whedon shows.
I was on a panel at a science fiction convention where we chose the best Buffy episodes of all time. Top were Becoming Parts I & II for the reasons Kara states and the season finale of season 5 where Buffy sacrifices herself to save Dawn and the world. Those episodes have so many of the elements Whedon is so good at: high drama, hard choices, no happy endings, characters you believe in.
I cried for about two days after that. Couldn’t even talk about it I was so distressed.
My favorite eps will always be becoming part 1&2. I have *never* cried at a tv show. Ever. And I bawled watching those two. I agree with kara…everytime I hear that song..och. It gets to me. Hush was also an unbelievably amazing episode. No one else had ever tried that – Whedon did and he did it perfectly. Really, there were so many significant points in Buffy over the years. Sure, some seasons lagged more than others, but overall, it was a truly incredible show that didn’t get its due from the PTB. I think you either liked it or you didn’t – there weren’t many people who were in between. That’s why I think the people who didn’t like it don’t understand the cult fascination – if you liked it, it was because it spoke to something inside you. You can’t always explain it, but you’ll go to the ends of the earth to support any new Whedon adventure, even if you’re not exactly 100 percent sure of it (case in point, Dollhouse – I want to like it more than I actually do. The latter half of the season was a LOT better than the first half, but I imagine that’s due to Whedon having more influence over the show – I heard the scripts were mangled by execs for the first part of the show).
“Hush was also an unbelievably amazing episode. No one else had ever tried that – Whedon did and he did it perfectly” No, it was done in the 60s on a show called ‘77 Sunset Strip’. I’m pretty sure there was a Twilight Zone or two with no dialog. Credit where its due, please.
ok, no one had done it for *this* generation of viewers. given my age at the time of buffy…it’s safe to say i probably wasn’t ever going to see an episode of “77 sunset strip.” so while he may have gotten inspiration from a show or two past, he managed to bring it to a more significant level – even people who aren’t fans of buffy have often heard about “hush” because it was such a big deal.
I was recently asked, “If you could have lunch any person in the world, who would it be?” I didn’t even hesitate one second before answering, “Joss Whedon.” I have watched every episode of every single project the man has ever touched and I am constantly amazed at what a rich and rewarding body of work the man has put together. I am currently accompanying yet another friend through her first complete Buffy series viewing, and although I have watched the entire series several times already, I never tire of it and never cease to find new themes, as well as new laughs.
In the invaluable commentary track Joss provides for the seminal Buffy episode “Innocence,” Joss states, “The two things that matter the most to me: emotional resonance and rocket launchers. Party of Five, a brilliant show, and often made me cry uncontrollably, suffered ultimately from a lack of rocket launchers.” I think that statement reveals the essence of “Whedonesque.” His works are always full of identifiable, fully-realized characters and Big Ideas, but Joss never forgets to entertain his audience at the same time.
I am so grateful to Joss for all the fantastic creations he has given us. I feel that I am a better person for having been exposed to his work.
Hush was season 4. I mistyped. Early, ya know. I’ll go watch it on DVD for penance.
I have to agree with Clearlyhere on this one. In my personal experience, I have seen very few other shows or movies that deal with death in life as well as that episode. The lack of music, the “numb” feeling, and the lack of any over dramatization all add up to something tragically wonderful.
oh, yeah, Whedon is so good at: high drama, hard choices, no happy endings, characters you believe in.
Joss is my master now….
Loved absolutely everything he ever did (and is it sad I can pick out his parts of Alien Resurrection just by the dialogue?) although Angel was my least fav.
As someone else stated, you can re-watch his shows over and over and over and find a different nuance you haven’t noticed before. Dollhouse has so much potential to explore so much more of choices, programming, our role day to day in life and how that is controlled by others… here’s hoping it is allowed to play through Joss’ vision!
“is it sad I can pick out his parts of Alien Resurrection just by the dialogue?”
What’s sad is that his dialogue all sounds the same, adn that proves it (I can too, BTW). Seriously, I like his work, he’s one of the best, but his characters’ dialog is almost completely interchangeable.
Oh, forgot. “Earshot” and “Graduation Day (parts I and II)”. Masterful television! If you only watch 5 Buffy episodes, add those to Hush and Once More With Feeling.
The Body was the most heart wrenching episode of any show ever. I experienced the same thing (as Buffy)a few years after first seeing it and the silence and horror of it was a mirror to my own. Somehow, that episode made it easier, made it clear… that for someone else to write it and for someone else to act it and film it with as much beauty and humanity as they did… that I wasn’t alone in that terrible of terrible experiences.
Thanks for a great article. For me, it is all about the dialogue and 3-d characters you care about and can be annoyed by- and worry for. I do wish he wouldn’t kill so many of them though! Our site is doing Dollhouse recaps if anybody wants to say hello please stop by Mile High Horrors.
Love, love, love Whedon shows for so many reasons, but I love to watch them again because they’re so damned funny.
Jayne on Firefly and Spike on Buffy and Angel have had me rolling on the floor. Maybe cluelessness is my thing but the only thing that gives Joss’ women a run for their money are Joss’ men.
he is my hero. viva joss whedon!!
I always thought Whedon was more like the master of the over-rated. I mean yes the creation of the whole Buffy Universe was awesome. But the show kind of fell apart at the end. I tried Firefly and it sucked, I tried Dollhouse and it sucked. That Alien movie he wrote sucked. And the Buffy season 8 comic was just bad.
Don’t you think a better comment would be I tried Firefly and I didn’t like it? Because you didn’t like it doesn’t mean it sucked. It just means you didn’t like it.
Just bought and watched the entire (kneecapped)season of Firefly for the first time and am absolutely heartbroken there is no more. Serenity helped a little but to know there will be no more Mudder folk songs written about the awsomeness which is Jayne Cobb makes me tear up… He sure was shiny.
My love of Joss started with Buffy. I was hardcore addicted and it still, to this day, remains my favorite TV show and piece of entertainment ever. As for my favorite episodes:
Becoming 1 & 2
The Body- terrifying and heart breaking
Hush
Once More With Feeling (how in God’s name was that overlooked for an Emmy- sheer brilliance)
Prophecy Girl- I really loved SMG’s vulnerability in this episode. Especially when she is screaming at Giles and throwing the books at him.
My favorite thing about Joss is the way he creates subtle but incredibly moving moments with his characters. He isn’t afraid to not always have a happy ending but is careful not to overcompensate with non-stop misery either. I also like that his characters are flawed. You love most of them, but sometimes you really hate them as well. None of them are black and white/good or evil and that is important because it’s the way the world truly is. Joss shows an uncommon understanding for the human condition and all the complexities of emotions and relationships. Even better he displays this understanding with humor, sadness, joy, and creativity. I will forever be a fan.
From Buffy to Dr. Horrible- thanks for taking what some may call silly premises (I say imaginative) and making some of the most creative, original, and heart felt entertainment the world has ever seen.
You are the man, Joss.
But even Once More With Feeling, which had great music, had a plot that made almost no sense.
I agree that plot-wise, Once More With Feeling was very thin and consequently wouldn’t work well as a “stand-alone” episode. The genius of OMWF was that it used what could have been just a stunt (“Hey! Let’s do a mini-musical!”) as a way to move the already-existing plot and characterizations along. Not only was there a plausible explanation given (within the Buffy world anyway) for why people were singing, but a lot of previously hidden stuff became known, if not to the characters, then certainly to viewers. Buffy’s friends learned why she’d been acting so distant. Tara realized that Willow had been manipulating her memories, and reached her breaking point. Giles realized that he was enabling Buffy and that it was time to “kick her out of the nest.” Viewers learned that Xander and Anya actually had a lot of fears and doubts that they’d been hiding from each other and themselves. The secrets that came out in OMWF formed the basis for events in the episodes that followed. So from a creative standpoint, OMWF was a masterful way of turning on the light and watching the various plotlines scatter in all kinds of interesting directions.
But the reason for why people were singing is exactly what made no sense. Why would Xander of all people decide to use magic to summon a demon that makes them all sing? After all that guy has seen with respect to demons so far he should have never in a million years thought it was a good idea. I mean he was supposed to be a little dumb, not a 4 year old. Yea it sets up future plots but it totally ignores previous character history to do it. Then again probably one of Whedon’s biggest weakness is that he is totally willing to ignore things he has written in the past like character histories and how rules about vampires if he thinks he has a good one time idea. I mean don’t even get me started on the number of problems with the series finale.
Once More With Feeling was an episode for the fans It was deliriously, delightfully self-referential. Not necessarily a good place to start for newbies.
wasn’t the singing dawn’s fault? didn’t she summon the demon by accident or something who made them all sing because she was wearing his pendant that she stole from the magic box?
“once more with feeling” was not about plot. it was about the characters finally letting all of the little secrets they been hiding out. Music does that.. it exposes you.
Once More With Feeling was mistakenly left off the Emmy ballot. Personally I think it was a conspiracy.
Huge Joss Whedon fan i jump on anything he creates ever since I first started watching Buffy and I had absolutely no idea who he was. he is a master and i agree you don’t have to like Buffy the character to like the show.
personally i did like Buffy i thought she was awesome. but i also loved the supporting characters mostly being Spike, Willow, Giles and Anya. Xander annoyed me way too much for me to like him but i do have a soft spot for him in certain circumstances.
best seasons 1,2,3 & 5 i think 4, 6 & 7 were okay but not the best. favourite episodes Becoming Parts 1 & 2, Prophecy Girl, the one where Buffy sacrificed herself which I cannot remember the name of sorry and a few others that I can explain but I can’t remember the names of.
Angel was never really a big fan love David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker but hated the show. Firefly loved it hated when it was cancelled. and have not seen Dollhouse as of yet since it hasn’t been shown yet. contemplating buying DVD if it doesn’t come out soon.
Firefly-Our Mrs. Reynolds. I had never been one to watch Buffy (though I liked the movie) but a friend of mine turned me onto Firefly. I didn’t fall in love immediately but once I got to OMR, my fate was sealed as a Whedon-lover. The dialogue is great and the way the episode plays out… and I think there are elements of it that do follow with Joss’s ideology.
Buffy was a great show. The wonderful thing about Buffy was the supporting characters were so great. I loved Willow, Xander, Oz, Giles and Tara. Hey I’m still hoping for the Giles tv series that was bandied about. Loved Firefly. Fox cancelled it too soon. Liked Angel and I find Dollhouse interesting.
Also, I helped raise money for Equality Now around the time he gave that speech and it just gives me goosebumps to hear it again.
My very first episodes of Buffy were Season 2’s “Surprise” & “Innocence” played back to back in Janurary 1998 on a Monday (the shows original time slot) and Tuesday (the new time slot). Thank heaven The WB took that Monday time slot and started reairing the 1st season throughout the rest of the year, because by the time May rolled around I was a devout Whedon fan. This was my first fandom, and for the past 11 years my fangirl has only grown and evolved.
There are so many episodes that it’s hard to even list when it comes to BtVS (I have tried many, many times to make top 10 lists before – it never really works out)and the show has many, many moments that move me to tears and make my heart sing. But the Whedon project that I will always feel the most passionate about is Firefly. It is simply the greatest 14 episodes of television ever made and Serenity will always be one of my favorite movies. Because it just means that much to me. My husband and I still have bi-yearly viewings of the entire series and it still holds up when so many ensemble or genre shows just fall flat on multiple viewings. That to me is the Whedon diffence. Everything holds up. It might not always be perfect *cough*S4 Angel*cough* but even in it’s imperfections there are gems just waiting to be found. Something all the ratings and big network shows still miss the boat on week after week.
Ok, babbling – and yet I could type for hours. Bravo for hitting this nail on the head.
What is with your obvious dislike of Angel S4 were I personally think it is the best season of any Whedon show in exsistance, and while I love your passioponate about firefly I’v never understood why every one of Whedon’s fans preach gospel when it comes to this show, I love it too but it’s my least favorit Whedon show with Angel being the best, Buffy second, Dollhouse tied with Buffy(on first season basis), and then Firefly, I honestly don’t get why everyone says it’s his best work
Funny thing is, I think Firefly might be my favourite of the Whedon shows too. Maybe because they were only with us for a short amount of time we relish every single moment. My daughter and I go to the Can’t Stop the Serenity screenings every year (in aid of Equality Now) and if ever I’m at a loss for something to watch I’ll pop in something Joss-y.