Buffy and the After-School Special
- Thread starter Elizabeth Grunewald
- Start date
I can't help but feel that you may be reading more into it than the show intended.
I think if they meant to put across life lessons, as it were, they would have done a better job of it. Often any kind of serious social/emotional issue (like in your examples) that were brought to light were simply to add flavour and almost never had any real resolution beyond a bandaid 'now lets get on with the more important thing - stopping evil! fix.
This isn't a bad thing, I think, unless you see BtVS as a show aimed at giving these lessons, and failing. I don't. To me it was a 7pm-slot entertainment with sprinkles of relevant issues and not much else. (Those daytime soaps, on the other hand...)
Although I do agree, the bit with Willow and her magic addiction was well done simply because it was taken so slowly. Of course, unless the core characters suffered the problems of abusive boyfriend/suicide/etc then those issues raised in other episodes have no choice but to be rushed and somewhat pat.
I think if they meant to put across life lessons, as it were, they would have done a better job of it. Often any kind of serious social/emotional issue (like in your examples) that were brought to light were simply to add flavour and almost never had any real resolution beyond a bandaid 'now lets get on with the more important thing - stopping evil! fix.
This isn't a bad thing, I think, unless you see BtVS as a show aimed at giving these lessons, and failing. I don't. To me it was a 7pm-slot entertainment with sprinkles of relevant issues and not much else. (Those daytime soaps, on the other hand...)
Although I do agree, the bit with Willow and her magic addiction was well done simply because it was taken so slowly. Of course, unless the core characters suffered the problems of abusive boyfriend/suicide/etc then those issues raised in other episodes have no choice but to be rushed and somewhat pat.
Thank you escape forum addicts, I have now purchased the complete box set of the buffy series.
Great article too read it originally last week.
Some times when episodic writers get a bit lucky things happen that turn in to a foreshadowing moment that one can look back on and say that's where it was introduced. Some writers do this on purpose, for others it's accidental.
That being said series have and should have a story arc, Babylon 5 I shall excuse because it's epic, and if that arc leaves writers scope for a further arc or three then that's great something good to watch on TV next season (Ghost Whisperer where are you?).
I'm looking forward to watching the Buffy series from ep1 to final episode and hope the journey is as good as I remember it being, although I haven't seen them all.
I wonder when I can get B5 box set? Second job required anyone hiring?
Edit (B5 complete set is actually cheaper than Buffy)
Great article too read it originally last week.
Some times when episodic writers get a bit lucky things happen that turn in to a foreshadowing moment that one can look back on and say that's where it was introduced. Some writers do this on purpose, for others it's accidental.
That being said series have and should have a story arc, Babylon 5 I shall excuse because it's epic, and if that arc leaves writers scope for a further arc or three then that's great something good to watch on TV next season (Ghost Whisperer where are you?).
I'm looking forward to watching the Buffy series from ep1 to final episode and hope the journey is as good as I remember it being, although I haven't seen them all.
I wonder when I can get B5 box set? Second job required anyone hiring?
Edit (B5 complete set is actually cheaper than Buffy)