Great analysis of the songs and characters this episode. I agree, Buffy's struggle is definitely representing depression. All these years later, I'm still bopping to all the songs 🎵
It's not that Tara and Anya didn't understand what being backup meant, but it was an inside joke of them being the backup dancers/singers to Buffy during her song.
Happy New Year! You don't have to like the musical episode, but you were paying attention to the lyrics, and that's the whole point. I have to admit, however, that everytime a character in a show or movie says "I have a theory", I immediately think "it could be bunnies" XD
The look in your eyes when SMG started singing was priceless. We all can't wait for the initial reactions when first time reactors hear/see that. Sorry you were not a fan of this one. Hey,not everyone loves musicals. I actually don't love musicals but I love,love this ep....and I'd wager to say a good chunk of Buffy fans love it too(as you will probably see from the comments when they come in) ...but not all. But nice to know you enjoyed some of the songs and will download them. I didn't like the ep the first time I'd seen it but that was mainly because I wasn't watching the show at the time so it was a random ep and I didn't know any of the characters really or that storylines. But after watching the series from the start, I adored this ep and bought the cd and listened to it for months everyday in my car going and coming home from work.(that's when cars still had cd players,oh I curse the day they didn't make them anymore) I will go now and let other commentors tell you why they love the ep.
Buffy is the original musical episode. It wasn't really the first (I think xena was before) but it was the one all other musical episodes based theirs on.
Buffy didn't jump from the tower because she couldn't handle life. She did it to save Dawn from having to lose her life. It was an act of love. The love she had doubts of feeling. Since Dawn was "made" from Buffy, and Dawn's blood was the key to the gate, Buffy's death closed the gate - her blood stopped flowing.
Around 16:43 - that pronunciation is probably to help with enunciation when singing - often you have to emphasize things like that double "t" and the vowels in "matter"; when I was in chorus, so many ages ago (!), we learned to sing words like "excelsis" as "egg-shell-sees" to assist with getting the word across in song. Geller isn't a trained singer, and she was likely instructed to use this method. Not being a trained singer, it may come across as an accent, but I cut her a lot of slack here, since she's doing well with emoting via music and lyrics, which can be difficult. Xander and Anya's number, which, indeed, explores their mutual doubts, is a tribute to the 1930s movie musicals, notably the ones with the great Fred Astaire and Ginger Robgers: th-cam.com/video/LOILZ_D3aRg/w-d-xo.html. There are many more romantic examples, but this one is fun and is kind of in line with Xander and Anya. Oh, for shame, forsooth! Not a word for the talents of Sweet, aka the wonderful Hinton Battle, who passed away just this year?! How could you not re-watch that all-too-short dancing number. Ah, I don't know if I can forgive it...!
This was one of the first shows to do a musical episode. It was not a common thing yet. It's still one of the best ones. They managed to advance some storylines that could have dragged on a bit longer if not forced out, like Tara finding out about the memory wipe. Plus it's got some funny bits of dialogue through those songs. If all of these conversations and plot advances happened in one episode without having that edge of silliness to it, it would be a pretty dark one. I love it. Thanks for the watchalong.
Come on Dodo why are you surprised musicals were done that early in tv show when you should know Buffy invented everything supernatural possible ha ha.
This is the gold standard of musical episodes! There's a reason for the musical to happen, and it has lasting consequences. All the songs are original, written by Joss Whedon specifically for the characters and the actors' voices. Most musical episodes on other shows are just a gimmick without much meaning. Imagine how easy it would have been to just have a demon who forced people to reveal their secrets. This took so much more effort! In the second song, Buffy was letting her depression show by saying that nothing mattered, and trying to cover it up with positivity. I actually don't think it really was Xander who summoned the demon. Most likely it was another plot by the Trio, but they just decided it would take too much time from the episode to show that. It is in Xander's character to take the blame to protect Dawn, and then just not mention it afterward.
Wow, du scheinst ja nicht sehr beeindruckt zu sein von einer Folge, die als beste der Serie gilt. 😅 Musicalfolgen gab es schon viel früher. Xena hatte eine etwa 1996. Ally McBeal und Lexx hatten eine etwa 1999.
I think you were smart to pay attention to the lyrics. A lot of reactors I've watched don't and struggle to understand. As I understand it, Joss Whedon always wanted to do a musical episode and got approval for this one. There was so much exposition for us and communication that needed to happen between characters that this (I feel) was a more fun way to dispense all that rather than multiple long (and possiblly boring) conversations. Singing notes: Initially Sarah's songs were going to be dubbed by someone but she felt she really needed to do them herself. Michelle (Dawn) has a background in ballet and didn't want to sing much so Joss gave her a bit of ballet to do. Alison really really didn't want to sing. The only line I think she sang was "I think this line is only filler". And I agree with you, Amber's voice is just beautiful. Thank you for the great reaction and I hope you're having a great holiday season.
A lot of shows that do musical episodes never get it right, and it offers very little to the plot. This however is the exception. Not only is this an innovative episode in term of plot and foreshadowing, it's a damn good 'musical'. The songs are really good and well structured, and just work so well in the episode. There is also great comedy in the episode with the lyrics. Of course the massive reveal for the group is Buffy telling them she was dragged out of Heaven, Spike already knew this of course, and then Dawn repeats to Buffy 'the hardest thing in this world is to live in it' the exact words Buffy said to Dawn in The Gift S5 Finale. Spike getting fed up with singing is very funny towards the end, but what an ending when Buffy follows him. It was brilliantly done, and now with Buffy and Spike kissing, the whole direction of the show takes a strange turn with some brilliant, but disturbing episodes to follow. Love the reaction again. This really was a brilliant episode, Lorne from Angel would have loved this.
Smart analysis as always. A very special episode indeed! Your reaction to the singing when it started was the same as mine. I was expecting to have to be patient, and for it to be bad, but then it was genuinely good.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess kicked off the musical episodes, with Buffy being the most successful and wonderfully made. Others have tried...Yeah...they tried.
Buffy is a huge reason musical episodes are a thing in shows
Great analysis of the songs and characters this episode. I agree, Buffy's struggle is definitely representing depression. All these years later, I'm still bopping to all the songs 🎵
It's not that Tara and Anya didn't understand what being backup meant, but it was an inside joke of them being the backup dancers/singers to Buffy during her song.
RIP Hinton Battle - a talent who will forever be remembered.
Happy New Year!
You don't have to like the musical episode, but you were paying attention to the lyrics, and that's the whole point. I have to admit, however, that everytime a character in a show or movie says "I have a theory", I immediately think "it could be bunnies" XD
Happy New Year to you too 🥰
It's not the first TV musical, but it THE musical that every other musical has to measure against!😊
scrubs also did one around that time. also one of my favourites
It's definitely a musical episode! It's fabulous! Moves the story on nicely!! 🎉
Pre watch: I hope you don’t hate it. Best episode of TV ever.
To blow your brain even more: The first musical episode of a TV show aired in 1956 (I Love Lucy‘s Scotland episode).
The best musical episode and one of the best episodes of the show and any tv show. The writting is excellente and so important for characters
This is the first time a tv show make a musical.
The look in your eyes when SMG started singing was priceless. We all can't wait for the initial reactions when first time reactors hear/see that. Sorry you were not a fan of this one. Hey,not everyone loves musicals. I actually don't love musicals but I love,love this ep....and I'd wager to say a good chunk of Buffy fans love it too(as you will probably see from the comments when they come in) ...but not all. But nice to know you enjoyed some of the songs and will download them. I didn't like the ep the first time I'd seen it but that was mainly because I wasn't watching the show at the time so it was a random ep and I didn't know any of the characters really or that storylines. But after watching the series from the start, I adored this ep and bought the cd and listened to it for months everyday in my car going and coming home from work.(that's when cars still had cd players,oh I curse the day they didn't make them anymore) I will go now and let other commentors tell you why they love the ep.
Buffy is the original musical episode. It wasn't really the first (I think xena was before) but it was the one all other musical episodes based theirs on.
Buffy didn't jump from the tower because she couldn't handle life. She did it to save Dawn from having to lose her life. It was an act of love. The love she had doubts of feeling. Since Dawn was "made" from Buffy, and Dawn's blood was the key to the gate, Buffy's death closed the gate - her blood stopped flowing.
I love this episode. James Marsters has his own band. They’re pretty good.
Around 16:43 - that pronunciation is probably to help with enunciation when singing - often you have to emphasize things like that double "t" and the vowels in "matter"; when I was in chorus, so many ages ago (!), we learned to sing words like "excelsis" as "egg-shell-sees" to assist with getting the word across in song. Geller isn't a trained singer, and she was likely instructed to use this method. Not being a trained singer, it may come across as an accent, but I cut her a lot of slack here, since she's doing well with emoting via music and lyrics, which can be difficult.
Xander and Anya's number, which, indeed, explores their mutual doubts, is a tribute to the 1930s movie musicals, notably the ones with the great Fred Astaire and Ginger Robgers: th-cam.com/video/LOILZ_D3aRg/w-d-xo.html. There are many more romantic examples, but this one is fun and is kind of in line with Xander and Anya.
Oh, for shame, forsooth! Not a word for the talents of Sweet, aka the wonderful Hinton Battle, who passed away just this year?! How could you not re-watch that all-too-short dancing number. Ah, I don't know if I can forgive it...!
This was one of the first shows to do a musical episode. It was not a common thing yet. It's still one of the best ones.
They managed to advance some storylines that could have dragged on a bit longer if not forced out, like Tara finding out about the memory wipe.
Plus it's got some funny bits of dialogue through those songs.
If all of these conversations and plot advances happened in one episode without having that edge of silliness to it, it would be a pretty dark one.
I love it.
Thanks for the watchalong.
This wasn't the first musical episode, but it was a pretty important one in popularizing the concept
Come on Dodo why are you surprised musicals were done that early in tv show when you should know Buffy invented everything supernatural possible ha ha.
Great songs and they also advance the plot too. I know there is a lot about Joss Whedon to hate but wow is he talented.
Oh I love all the songs but especially Xander and Anyas, probably one of the top two or three for me. the top is the touch the fire song.
This is the gold standard of musical episodes! There's a reason for the musical to happen, and it has lasting consequences. All the songs are original, written by Joss Whedon specifically for the characters and the actors' voices.
Most musical episodes on other shows are just a gimmick without much meaning.
Imagine how easy it would have been to just have a demon who forced people to reveal their secrets. This took so much more effort!
In the second song, Buffy was letting her depression show by saying that nothing mattered, and trying to cover it up with positivity.
I actually don't think it really was Xander who summoned the demon. Most likely it was another plot by the Trio, but they just decided it would take too much time from the episode to show that. It is in Xander's character to take the blame to protect Dawn, and then just not mention it afterward.
Wow, du scheinst ja nicht sehr beeindruckt zu sein von einer Folge, die als beste der Serie gilt. 😅 Musicalfolgen gab es schon viel früher. Xena hatte eine etwa 1996. Ally McBeal und Lexx hatten eine etwa 1999.
Wooo, been waiting for this one!
I think you were smart to pay attention to the lyrics. A lot of reactors I've watched don't and struggle to understand. As I understand it, Joss Whedon always wanted to do a musical episode and got approval for this one. There was so much exposition for us and communication that needed to happen between characters that this (I feel) was a more fun way to dispense all that rather than multiple long (and possiblly boring) conversations.
Singing notes: Initially Sarah's songs were going to be dubbed by someone but she felt she really needed to do them herself. Michelle (Dawn) has a background in ballet and didn't want to sing much so Joss gave her a bit of ballet to do. Alison really really didn't want to sing. The only line I think she sang was "I think this line is only filler". And I agree with you, Amber's voice is just beautiful.
Thank you for the great reaction and I hope you're having a great holiday season.
A lot of shows that do musical episodes never get it right, and it offers very little to the plot. This however is the exception. Not only is this an innovative episode in term of plot and foreshadowing, it's a damn good 'musical'. The songs are really good and well structured, and just work so well in the episode. There is also great comedy in the episode with the lyrics. Of course the massive reveal for the group is Buffy telling them she was dragged out of Heaven, Spike already knew this of course, and then Dawn repeats to Buffy 'the hardest thing in this world is to live in it' the exact words Buffy said to Dawn in The Gift S5 Finale. Spike getting fed up with singing is very funny towards the end, but what an ending when Buffy follows him. It was brilliantly done, and now with Buffy and Spike kissing, the whole direction of the show takes a strange turn with some brilliant, but disturbing episodes to follow. Love the reaction again. This really was a brilliant episode, Lorne from Angel would have loved this.
Smart analysis as always. A very special episode indeed! Your reaction to the singing when it started was the same as mine. I was expecting to have to be patient, and for it to be bad, but then it was genuinely good.
Buffy needs to rely on her self no one else
I've never been a fan of musicals, i can count on 1 hand how many ive seen, but this episode i hold in my heart forever ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍
Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess kicked off the musical episodes, with Buffy being the most successful and wonderfully made. Others have tried...Yeah...they tried.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍
I think this was the first musical episode, or at least one of the first.
6x07 in the title? The accent could come from too much coaching from Anthony Stewart Head.