Buffy rewatch: 3.01. Anne

[boot_the_grime]

Just like the season 2 opener, this season premiere is about dealing with the emotional fallout of the previous season’s events rather than introducing the themes and characters for season 3 (which only happens in episode 3). But at the same time, some of the themes introduced here do turn out to foreshadow some of the themes and characters

Comments

[norwie2010]

My episode! :)

Here's some thoughts i had some time ago on Maggie's LJ when she was doing her reviews:

It shows Whedon's obsession with symmetry nicely (which we'll revisit most obviously in season 6 - mirroring the first episode with the last one, albeit with much less success -> declining audience numbers in season 6). "Anne" mirrors/sets up "Graduation Day" in the way You most successfully fight (back) against Evil ("Solidarity

[boot_the_grime]

Very interesting thoughts! I didn't think about it before, but season 3 is indeed about community and is the only one with a politician, a man in position of power, as the main villain. In season 1, the Master represented the dark side of fatherhood, tradition and destiny; season 2 was very personal and about romance and sex and growing up. But since the Master is a powerful patriarchal figure just like the Mayor, he had a reappearance in the role of a fascist-like dictator in the new order in Sunnydale. But while the Master is the obvious, ugly face of dictarship (fascism?), the main arc of the season had a more pleasant, mainstream, acceptable traditionalist conservative politician, who was an evil demon behind the friendly facade

[norwie2010]

Oh, great thoughts! Especially about Faith and the "angry young men" (which i know first hand because i clashed with the same group of angry young right wingers over here in Germany when they returned from the Yugoslavian civil war where they murdered as mercenaries for the Ustase).

Forgive me, but i have to sleep right now. Will come back to this tomorrow!

[itsnotmymind]

Aw. I like cheesy opening narrations. :)

I was so pissed off when I saw Angel in the opening credits. I knew he was coming back because I knew he got his own show, but I thought, "Can't they pretend he's dead for at least an episode?!"

Since it’s Buffy’s romantic fantasy, it’s not surprising that Angel says cheesy things like “If I was blind, I would see you”

But what does that mean? It sounds like it must have some deeper meaning, but I'm not sure what.

Lily/Chanterelle/Anne has a great mini-arc that spans both shows -she reappears in AtS under the name Anne Steele, running a homeless shelter in L.A. , and makes it to the last episode of AtS, where she’s the character who represents hope and doing the right thing.

I love L/C/A's storyline. It's really great what BtVS and AtS do with the minor characters. People like her, Jonathan, and Harmony get their own continuing stories.

Ken says that Buffy got her wish with this Hell; the alternate universe from The Wish will be literally Cordy’s wish came true.

Huh. I never made that

[boot_the_grime]

But what does that mean? It sounds like it must have some deeper meaning, but I'm not sure what.

I don't think it means a thing, it's just one of those nonsensical overblown romantic lines Angel and Buffy tend to tell each other ;) Like when Angel said he fell in love with her at first sight because he saw her heart. Yeah right. (But that one lead to the funniest line of that episode.)