Flying out of the sky, he once again show us why he sets the standard for so many. Many see him as a naive boyscout whipped by his own selflessness. They will not, cannot, see him for what he is: a hero.
- Batman, on Superman
At some point or another, I stop caring about the hero. I lost interest in Ben Hawkins. I lost interest in Jack Shepherd. I lost interest in Jimmy McNulty and Lee "Apollo" Adama. God help me, I even lost interest in Mal Reynolds. None of these heroes are poorly-written or poorly-acted (well, maybe Apollo), but they all carry the inherent problem of a lead hero. They have to hold the story together. They have to balance the more colorful side characters. They have to be reliable, and "reliable" is not what a show like Buffy wants to be.
Two sides of a coin.
So the all-star creative staff of Buffy created Faith. The new slayer, charged with her responsibility after Buffy bit it at the end of Season One, Faith (Eliza Dushku) represents all the exciting things that Buffy could be. Sexual. Flippant. Daring and transgressive. Buffy's the Slayer, after all (well, "a" Slayer now), so why shouldn't she make like Faith and indulge herself? After all the horror she's witnessed, like killing her lover and, y'know, dying, why not just dance and screw all that angst away? Despite Giles's consternation and credulity, Buffy cuts loose.
Buffy's dark side doesn't dominate the season, since only two episodes ("Homecoming" and "Bad Girls") focus exclusively on Buffy satisfying her baser desires, but its spectre colors the season in sharper relief, since she's constantly working with Faith. When watching Season Two, I felt like the show expanded from traditional detective fiction into soap opera; less Kolchak, more Dark Shadows. This expansion sometimes blurred the focus of the series, but Season Three rediscovers Buffy by showing us her opposite.
The Mayor, taking a break from his usual gleeful attitude.
When introduced, Faith's mannerisms feel forced and unconvincing. One of her first lines: "Ain't it crazy how slaying just always makes you hungry and horny?" However, her character deepens the more we see her solitude and fears, to the point that her attitude (which plays like an aggressive heightening of standard Buffy-speak) feels more and more like a shield against the world. And the more her "edginess" deteriorates over the season, the more Faith reveals herself, scared and frustrated, and the more impressive Eliza Dushku becomes.
Despite this central focus, the series feels larger than ever. The new villain, Mayor Wilkins (Harry Groener, perfect), has the usual apocalyptic plans for Sunnydale and the world, and the Scooby Gang gains a witch (Emma Caulfield), a werewolf (Seth Green, now a permanent fixture), and even a new watcher (Alexis Denisof). Meanwhile, Willow and Xander get their own showcases in two brilliant conceptual episodes: "Doppelgangland" and "The Zeppo." In the former, Willow faces her evil twin, a dispassionate vampire ("Bored now") first seen in the alternate world of "The Wish." In the latter, Xander's B-story persona lands in an A-story, as he deals with undead students who may unwittingly aid demons intent on re-opening the Hellmouth.
This is not helpful to those of us already crushing on Willow.
This broad canvas reaches its peak in final episodes like "Earshot," "The Prom," and "Graduation Day." The last episode is epic in scope and full of twists, but "The Prom" better fuses that sense of scale with the undercurrent of the season, which is that Buffy's nobility and sacrifice deserve our attention. As she learns from her classmates that her heroism hasn't been completely ignored, Buffy the Vampire Slayer hits an emotional peak it may never reach again. With these kids leaving for college, the outsized emotions of high school will most likely give way to more moderate adult concerns. They'll never be as young as they are right now.
Oh, and when I said "all-star creative staff" earlier, holy moly. This group of writers and story editors is stunning, one of the most impressive groups in the history of serial television. Jane Espenson, who wrote "Band Candy," would go on to write for the spectacular re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. David Greenwalt, who wrote "Faith, Hope, and Trick," would co-create Angel. David Fury would write for Lost and co-produce 24. Marti Noxon would contribute to Mad Men.
Meanwhile, Joss Whedon would struggle valiantly through Firefly and Dollhouse, when it seemed like no one was paying attention. But that's okay. That's what heroes do.
RATING: A
Previous Ratings:
Buffy, Season Two: A-
Buffy, Season One: B
Awesomely detailed write-up, mate!
ReplyDeleteDon't know if I can forgive you about losing interest in Malcolm Reynolds. That's just...there are no words for it (!!!). Jack and Lee I completely understand, although I chalk that up more to the writers fault than the actors.
BUFFY will most definitely reach the same height of emotion again, majorly in season 5.
"The Prom" is one of my favorite episodes, and features one of my favorite episode final acts of all time. Brilliant, brilliant stuff, awesome writers. Hell, Marti Noxon's name attached to I AM NUMBER FOUR is pretty much the only thing that will make me see that movie. Each of these writers are so strong and clever in their style, I try to make it a goal to watch anything they get their hands into.
Again, great-write up!
He's awesome, but part of the problem with heroes is that they too often have to play fulcrum to more interesting characters. I admit - he holds more interest than your average hero (certainly more than self-righteous wet blankets like Jack and Apollo).
ReplyDeleteI had no idea Marti Noxon was behind "I Am Number Four." Of course, the way Hollywood rewrites scripts into oblivion, I'm not getting my hopes up.
Thanks very much for the compliments!