BtVS Season 7 surprises

[velvet_virago]

I've been watching Season 7 on dvd- and yes, I know it is roundly hated, and there are purists who refuse to watch it even in reruns, let alone shell out for the boxed set (and you KNOW who you are...). But to my surprise, there are several darn good episodes that are completely fresh to my eyes. Guess I must have been out a lot on Tuesdays that

Comments

[_sharvie_]

Duster made it's first appearance in S7 in "Get it Done". It was packed into a box and stuck in the school basement. He goes to get it after Buffy reads him the riot act about his behavior being 'weepy'. She pretty much says she liked Evil!Spike better. Dude!

As for the slip up. I heard, yes, only rumor, that Sarah changed the line herself. It was supposed to be "Why does every one still think I'm in love with Spike". Whether the change was intentional or not, I have no clue. But I heard it wasn't written that way.

And I liked S7. The Potentials drove me nuts and Andrew was annoying but other than that I liked it. Plus, I think it would have been really cool if they had done the First!Xander idea that they had but it would have upset too many people. It might have made NB happy though. And the not quite ever reaching a conversation and fade to black in "Chosen" *sigh* Frustrating to no end. But, on the plus side, it started me writing fanfic.

[velvet_virago]

And hey, "Get It Done" is next on my playlist! And yeah... I can totally imagine Buffy dissing Spike for not being as much fun as when he was Ev0l. She likes the bad boys, not the steady men... definitely a trait best grown out of.

I *love* that rumour. Dude!

The Junior Misses are indeed making me crazee, though I have a soft spot for Andrew: I remember "Storyteller" as being a favourite of mine when it was first shown.

First!Xander... *shivers* but that means Xander would have been killed!? No no no! But, as you say... it might have given him some lines he could really sink his teeth into, as opposed to the humiliation and ass-monkery that I've seen inflicted on his character so far this season.

And yay for you getting started in fanfic!

[_sharvie_]

When I heard about the First!Xander storyline....drool, literal drool on my chin! NB can act the ever loving crap out of an evil character. The show was long over before I ever heard of it, so it was drool tempered with the fact I would only ever see it in fic. I haven't yet but who knows, it's right up my alley.

I think I heard it was quickly dismissed as an idea by Joss who said there was no way the show could end happy with a Scooby death, so they instead popped out his eye and did the crappy Giles version. *rolls eyes* He lived there for weeks and no one even so much as touched him, or saw him touch anything? Whatever!

But damn, wouldn't NB have been super hot as First!Xander....*drool*

[txrabbit]

I am one who has avoided most of season 7 simply because of the Spike abuse throughout. However, I read the entire season in a book, so I know the storylines.

But I have to agree with you, Anya's episode was simply amazing. I watched that one just glued to the screen. Wonderful history and interesting facts.

[velvet_virago]

Watching them "torture" him by holding his head underwater? Um... vampires don't breathe, how can that be hurting him? They dropped the ball all over the place like that, s'truth.

I do remember that there were things about the season I hated, and stuff I really liked. Complete surprise to me seeing just how many episodes I missed, though!

[snowdrifted]

Oh, I enjoyed Season 7. I think the writing was weaker but there were still so many good moments. Loved the Anya episode too. Especially how sad she looks at the end when she walks away from Xander. *snif* I liked their arc in the season, it seemed to fix a lot of the damance from S6.

The only one I didn't like was Kennedy. *gag* It seemed too obvious what they were trying to do with her and she and Willow had zero chemistry.

I thought Spike chose to keep the chip though? *headscratch*

[snowdrifted]

I mean, uh, damage from S6. *g*

[riani1]

The chip was misfiring and giving him worsening seizures. It would have killed him if they left it in.

[velvet_virago]

Oh, yeah.. that she knew it was better to be alone in her grief, rather than be with the friend who had helped cause it... she really sold that scene. And it was indeed heartbreaking watching her walk away looking completely dejected and rejected.

Oh man... Kennedy... hated her the first go 'round, not liking her at all this time, even with more explication in the ep I missed. Why did they choose that girl for Willow? Did they not do read-throughs in casting and SEE the complete lack of sparkage? And after the soulful, quiet, loving Tara, can you believe that Willow would allow herself to be manouvered into a relationship by a snarky brat with a sense of entitlement like that? I mean... *splutters* *flails* grrrr!

And nope, it had been implied that it was Buffy's choice whether or not the chip was removed or repaired, but the teaser at the start of "First Choice" established that it had been removed, and implied that they had both decided.

[texanfan]

On the whole I thought s7 had magnificent moments but a poor arc. In s7 we got our first taste of the truly wonderful Drew Goddard who wrote Selfless and Lies my parents told me which are wonderful gems. Other gems of the season are Beneath me and Conversations with dead people, there are others but they're not coming to mind right now. The problem with s7 was not that it had a handful of weak episodes, every season has that. The problem was that they would present plot points only to mysteriously drop them an episode later and they introduced or brought back (Andrew) a mass of characters who promptly crowded our main characters out. Only Buffy and Spike got the screen time and so much of Spike's was spent being tortured. Even worse, they showed him being tortured by having his head shoved under water. Dude, unless it's holy water it shouldn't have any effect! This is the same season they had Angel spend 3 months at the bottom of the ocean! Sorry, that irked me particularly. I also disliked Kennedy but I almost forgive them

[velvet_virago]

Yeah, the water "torture" bugged the shit out of me! It's like everyone in continuity was out to lunch at the same time, and the writers were just randoming throwing out story ideas tied to darts. Blunt darts.

I thought that Amber had been offered her part but as the First, and decided that she didn't want to let her character be used like that? Which is a bold choice for an actress to make- picking story integrity over the pay cheque. But my point being, that she wouldn't have come back as Willow's love interest, but as evil wrapped up in Tara's form, so I can understand a new love interest being brought on board for Willow.

Just can't understand why it was Kennedy.

[texanfan]

I like the blunt darts image!

I had heard that was the reason that she turned it down as well. And wouldn't that scene in Conversations with dead people have been gut wrenching if it had been Tara! But I read an interview with Joss where he had a plan to bring her back mid-season as some sort of wish fulfillment story. That could have been cool. Wish I'd saved that interview, I'm not telling it very well.

[sunnyd_lite]

I LOVE hearing your first impressions of Season 7! Please keep up with the updates!

[velvet_virago]

Well, thank you, and I sure will! I very much enjoy reading other people's impressions of eps/seasons, so it's nice to know the sentiment is reciprocated. *g*