Hellmouth Podcast

Archive for the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Category

I just finished watching the Buffy Season 8 Motion Comic Episode 1 – The Long Way Home!

Yesterday the Buffy Season 8 motion comics (BS8MC) appeared on iTunes with a free trailer. The trailer was removed shortly after it appeared in iTunes because there were problems with the pitch in the audio. BS8MC returned to iTunes within the past hour and is available for download. The SD season pass is $14.99 and the HD season pass is $29.99

Anyway, on to the episode. I didn’t take the time to go frame by frame from the actual comic to see if all of the content was identical but it looked like it on first viewing. The run-time for episode 1 is about 11 minutes.

The style of the motion comic is fantastic. they have done some crafty animation of the still frames from the comic to really bring things to life. I have seen a few other motion comics before, this was by far the best in terms of entertainment and bringing a true sense of action to the comic.

The voice actors I thought did a pretty good job. I can tell you already that Kelly Albanese who voices Buffy is going to be the subject of endless debate. For so long many of us have associated Buffy with the voice of SMG and so it is going to be a difficult transition. Personally, I thought she did a pretty good job. Her performance lacks a little bit of that wit and snarkiness that SMG brought to the character but she seems to have a good handle on Buffy’s personality and keep in mind this is episode 1, things will only get better.

I thought the casting for Dawn and Xander was excellent. The first line that Xander spoke in the comic I thought for a moment that Nickolas Brendon had signed on, throughout the episode it became obvious that it was a different actor but it still sounds just like Xander overall.

Dawn didn’t sound at all like Dawn from the series, she sounded like an older Dawn which makes sense because she is now a college student, no longer barely a teenager in high school.

The music, much of which was scored by Christophe Beck, did an amazing job of adding another layer to the story unfolding on the screen.

Whether you have been following season 8 in the comics or not, you need to be watching the motion comics, I emphasize you need to see this. The story is fantastic and the for all of you who miss seeing the series on TV, this is a wonderful outlet to get your Buffy fix.

As usual, Joss in his masterful wisdom is changing the game. First Buffy, and the rest of the core TV Whedonverse, then Dr. Horrible the internet sensation and now the Season 8 motion comics. This could very well be the medium to successfully continue any and all of Joss’ creations in a fun, new way. Who knows at some point they may even find a way to make them interactive in some way.

I loved it!

This changes everything…

When I first decided to start reading Buffy novels my main concern was that it would just be a pale imitation of the show. I needn’t have worried. This three book series, Out of the Madhouse, Ghost Roads, and Sons of Entropy are written by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder who have had a long association with the Buffyverse, writing a long list of other Buffy titles and the terrific three part Watcher’s Guide as well. (Which I will also be reviewing at some point)

These books have everything a Scooby fan could want – werewolves, trolls and this reviewer’s personal favorite, rain of toads. (you’ve got to respect the classics)

Sunnydale is being besieged by dark forces that Buffy and the Scoobies have never faced before. There is a mansion with supernatural properties in Boston which up to now have been holding back some of the world’s worst monsters, but now they are starting to escape. It’s up to the gang to put things right before, wait for it… the end of the world.

What I think makes this series so special is that because of its length there is time for not only a more intricate plot, but to examine the complexities of the relationships between the Scoobies and their families as well. For example, how does Joyce Summers deal with the knowledge that everyday is the day that her daughter might die and there is nothing she can do about it?

This story takes place in the third season so we get to see the sad aftermath of the Buffy/Angel relationship. They are trying hard to be friends so they can stay in each others lives, but the strain is there for all to see. Season three means senior year and Buffy is also trying to deal with the knowledge that her friends will be graduating soon, moving on and possibly leaving Buffy all alone.

Because of the authors knowledge of the characters, everyone’s voices, characteristics and quirks are perfectly realized. I started with this series to review because it’s my favorite and I hope that you will enjoy it as well. Now for the rating. For getting everything so right and talking about subjects you always wished they would bring up, I’m giving this series 8 stakes out of 10. Till next time fellow Scoobies…

Cheers Peg

Hey podcast listeners. It has been an interesting week for me, the Hellmouth Podcast episode for “Ted” has been out for about a week and I am suddenly receiving emails and voicemails which come to a bit of a halt for the past couple of weeks. Who would have thought that a podcast about one of my least favorite Buffy episodes would have sparked such interest. You folks continue to surprise me.

What is even more surprising is the people who are emailing me telling me that either Ted, Bad Eggs, or both are some of their favorite episodes from season 2. I am bewitched, bothered and bewildered. However, this did lead to a very interesting conversation I had with Kellie who said that Ted was one of her favorite episodes even though she couldn’t quite put her finger on why. The more I thought about that, the more I realized that we probably all have those episodes throughout the series that are not the strongest or most popular episodes but for some reason, they rank at the top of our lists.

You know what list I am talking about. I am talking about that list you keep in your head of your favorite 5 or 6 episodes that goes beyond the Chosen 5. When I say the Chosen 5, I am talking about The Body, Once More With Feeling, Hush, Prophecy Girl, and Normal Again. These are the five episodes that I have seen that consistently pop up as peoples favorites or the most defining episodes of the series. Fans often have their own list of 5 episodes besides the Chosen ones that they hold dear to their heart. For some of our listeners Ted and Bad Eggs are on that list or are perhaps on their top 10 list. They don’t know exactly why, there may not be anything particularly special about the episode in terms of the overall series, but for one reason or another they love the episode.

So here is my question to you, name one or two episodes that are on your list of favorite episodes that may not be considered one of the Chosen episodes but for you at least deserves classification as a Potential.

I will start things off, and I am going to give you three episodes, in no particular order…

#1 – Homecoming, In this episode Buffy and Cordelia compete for the title of homecoming queen while Mr. Trick has organized Slayerfest and hired a bunch of bounty hunters to take out the slayers. I love this episode, I think the two competing plotlines here are hilarious and this episode entertains me greatly.

#2 -  Living Conditions, for those of you who have ever had a horrible college roommate then you probably agree with me that this episode holds a special place in your heart. (While we are at it, if you had a horrible college roommate share a funny story in the comments. I will if you will.)

#3 – A New Man, in this episode Ethan Rayne turns Giles into a Fyarl demon, nuff said.

So let’s fill up the comments folks, tell me what episodes you hold dear. Maybe you have a specific reason why, maybe not, but I want to hear from all of you about which episodes in this series you love and why.

To Finish up Buffy premiere month, we’re giving the last origin story to Bryan – leader of the mighty Hellmouth Empire.

How did you first get into Buffy?

I was introduced to Buffy by my wife. Season 7 had just finished airing on television. We were at Barnes & Noble one night (shameless sponsor plug) and she saw that they had season 1 on DVD. She had seen much of the early seasons on TV thought I might like the show. The first night I think we watched the first 6 episodes. After the episode ‘Witch’ I was hooked. We spent the next few weeks plowing through the series 4-6 episodes at a time. Then we finished season 6 and we had to wait a month until season 7 was released on DVD. That was the longest four weeks… it was brutal. When they finally released season 7 on DVD I watched the entire season in about 3 or 4 days.

Is there a particular episode that has special meaning for you?

I think one of the episodes for me that is so powerful is in the season 2 finale when Buffy kills Angel. It doesn’t necessarily hold special meaning for me, but that ultimate sacrifice for the sake of others is incredibly powerful.

What do you think you’ve learned/taken away from the show?

One of the biggest things I take away from the show is this, Having super-powers is not what makes a hero. Being willing to stand up against evil in any form, whether you have super-powers or not, simply because it has to be done; that’s what makes a hero.

Who is your favorite Scooby and why?

My favorite Scooby changes with every season. If you want more details than that then you will have to listen to the podcast…

Thanks Bryan! Cheers Scoobies!

As Buffy’s anniversary month draws to a close, I talked to my friend Ian about his great love and long association with the show…

How did you first get into Buffy?

I actually watched it once Seth Green started on the show. I liked the vampire thing and had a huge crush on him. But then my mom became obsessed with it. I’d make fun of her for watching it but eventually started watching it with her. I think the third season was the first season I started watching and didn’t become obsessed until the fourth season.

Is there any particular episode that has special meaning for you?

I could go on and on about the episodes that I love. So many have special meaning for me. I think maybe Graduation Day parts 1 & 2 because it was the first time they had such an epic battle and Buffy “killed” Faith. I had those episodes on tape and would watch them like crazy over and over again. It was dorky fun. When Buffy yells “Now!” and everyone throws off their robes to reveal battle gear, it still gives me chills. I love it when everyone fights together.

But then again, there’s The Body, which makes me cry more than anything else ever. Anya’s speech in that episode makes me cry just thinking about it.

I think Anya’s character deserves a lot more credit than she seems to get. If you catch me on the right day, she might be my favorite Scooby.

I completely agree. I don’t enjoy The Body, but it’s such a perfect episode. Jayson and I have been going through Buffy and just finished season 5. I told him before we watched that episode, “You won’t enjoy watching this, it makes me cry more than anything.” He cried too. Emma Caulfield is so underrated. I just love her. I also really love Faith, she’s such a complicated character.

What do you think you’ve learned or taken away from the show?

I think the show helped me learn how to write dialog. It also taught me that you can have sci-fi action without being campy and lame.

Who is your favorite Scooby and why?

I love them all. Everyone of them. But my favorites would have to be Buffy, Anya, Willow and Giles. Anya is the funniest and the sweetest. I think she really embodies naivete and I really appreciate that. Buffy is the fearless leader who has a ton of flaws, and Giles is the surrogate father to the Scoobies. Willow is the brains and the heart, and I just love her!

Thanks Ian for sharing your time and love of all things Buffy.

Till next time fellow Scoobies! Cheers! Peg

Buffy vs. Twilight – the Slayer, a Swan and a Vampire

Whether you are Team Edward or Team Jacob, Team Angel or Team Spike there is one thing that all of these fans have in common and that is passion, passion for the characters and stories that make up the two most popular contributions to the pop culture of vampires in the last 20 years. With that passion, as is often the case, comes debate and controversy.

In 2008, the film adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s book Twilight was released catapulting the series of books written by Stephanie Meyer off the charts. The Twilight craze had begun and fans all over the country devoured as much of the books, films, soundtracks and merchandise as possible.  The series itself is four books, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

There was another group of fans, a slightly older fan-base, that reacted with annoyance at the fans of the new craze claiming that this was nothing new, the storylines now famous bore a striking resemblance to the vampire culture that they had known and loved for 10-plus years, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the TV series written by Joss Whedon, ran for seven seasons from 1997 through 2003. Gradually, the Buffy community began to grow ever more irritated at the attention being received by the Twilight series and the Twilight fans became equally as irritated claiming that the Twilight series was both different and superior to the Buffy series.

Twilight

While the Twilight craze was initiated by the release of the films, there was a large fan-base that was already in place; the books themselves had already generated a large following of devoted fans. I should warn the reader that I don’t consider someone a Twilight fan if they haven’t read the books, while the films are great; I am always biased towards the book in nearly every case. Whenever a book is adapted for film there is always so much material that is left out. The books chronicle the story of Bella Swan and her arrival in the town of Forks. She meets a young man named Edward who has a secret. The two of them fall in love and have to deal with the consequences related to friends, family, society and Edward’s secret.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The Buffy The Vampire Slayer series chronicles the story of Buffy Summers, a girl with a secret, and her arrival in the town of Sunnydale. She meets a young man named Angel who has a secret. The two of them fall in love and have to deal with the consequences related to friends, destiny, fate and their respective secrets.

Stephanie Meyer maintains that she had never seen Buffy The Vampire Slayer prior to writing her series. The creation of the Twilight world began when she had a dream about the two main characters and a dialogue that they have, which sparked the novels, the world and pop culture. While there is no reason to disbelieve Stephanie Meyer, there are some significant similarities between the two series.

** Warning: The remainder of this article will cover content from both series that would be considered a spoiler if you have not read all of the Twilight Series or seen the entire Buffy The Vampire Slayer series.**

Buffy Summers and Bella Swan, both independent strong young women. Each of them are deposited into a new town and left to climb the mountain of integrating into a new school, making new friends and adjusting to life with a single parent.

• Buffy falls in love with a vampire named Angel, Bella falls in love with a

Vampire named Edward.

• The Buffy series had a werewolf named Oz who was part of the main cast of characters. Jacob is the werewolf in the Twilight Series.
• Both of the female leads have a best friend (female) with supernatural powers.
• Both series have a supernatural governing body, which sets rules for the worlds that they live in and disapproves of the relationship between vampire and human.
• In each series there is a male vampire and his female companion who come to town to stir up trouble.
• The topic of forbidden love, betrayal, and heartbreak are prevalent in both.
• The best-guy friend of the female lead is a victim of unrequited love.

The list of similarities goes on for quite a while longer, however, the point has been made.

In spite of all of the similarities, there are many ways in which the two storylines deviate.

• Buffy has supernatural powers from the introduction of her character and struggles with a dual identity through the entire series. Her life is a constant struggle between fate, destiny and free will. Bella does not come into full realization of her supernatural abilities until near the end of the series. While her story does not deal with such ominous ideas like fate and destiny, hers is more of a story of love, romance and family.
• Buffy is never able to make her relationship with Angel work and while he will always be the love of her life, their relationship will never be fully realized. Bella and Edward at the end of the series find them selves in love, happy, with a daughter and an eternity laid out before them.
• Buffy on a nearly weekly basis finds herself in the midst of a battle in which the fate of the world rests in the balance. Bella may feel often times that the world is ending but in reality the scope of her actions does not extend too far outside of Forks.
• Buffy is a hero, with that comes struggle, resolve, failure and redemption. Bella is a teenager, relatable, fallible, and her character is developed intensely throughout the series.

In my mind, the verdict is simple, Twilight is not a remake, nor did Buffy The Vampire Slayer largely inspire it. While there may be some similarities in the details of the characters and plot elements that can easily be explained by the genre in which the stories where based. When you write stories about vampires in modern day times, when your lead is a teenage female, it should be expected that some of the same plot devices will be present in both. When analyzing the rites of passage and the inner workings of love in youth it is no wonder that the stories unfold in similar ways after all Buffy and Bella are both human.

The overarching storyline of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is that of a young woman who was destined by fate to be a hero. She struggles with the dual identity of being a normal girl who wants to fall in love and the Slayer who carries the responsibility of protecting the world from unimaginable evil. The Twilight series is a character study of a young teenager caught up in a star-crossed love affair. However, discounting either story because of its similarity to previous works sets a scary precedent for countless great works of fiction. Over and over again we see stories with storylines that closely mirror and are inspired by other works. Some of them have come to be milestones of popular culture. The Harry Potter series, the Inheritance series and even the Star Wars series are all rooted in literature that predates when it was written. It doesn’t negate the value or the entertainment inherent in those works. We are all inspired daily by things that we see, read, and hear. Our lives are the sum of our experiences and as writers take experiences and use them to inspire their work it is still valuable, still entertaining and still honest.

Why must there be a choice? Why must you be on Team Buffy or Team Twilight? I for one am a huge fan of both series. I think they are fantastic stories full of elaborate characters, and deal with issues that are far reaching beyond the superficial layer of entertainment, that should be what you take away from either series. That is what has generated fans on both sides that share one thing in common, passion.

The expanded universe, from time to time there is a series that is so beloved by the fans that it cannot be contained or confined to the screen. The series expands to include novels, web series, comic books, and all manner of other media. For me the most notable example is the Star Wars series which in addition to the six films has branched out to multiple TV series, both animated and the live action series set to come out in 2011. There is a large library of expanded universe novels which cover a wide timeline both preceding the films and taking place after the events of Return of The Jedi.

The Buffy expanded universe is made up of a few different elements. There is Buffy Season 8 which is a continuation of the series in comic book form and there is the novels that have been written that explore elements of the series timeline that occured while the series was airing on television. I must admit that I am not very familiar with the novels written in the Buffy universe. The bookstore that I frequent doesn’t typically have them on the shelves, so I can’t really speak to how good or bad those books are. I have read the comics, although I am not caught up through the current issues, and the comics are excellent.

I read an article on io9 the other day discussing expanded universes and which ones where unnecessary. There is a poll at the end of the article in which readers can vote on which expanded universe is for lack of a better term, most unnecessary. The options include: Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien vs. Predator, Battlestar Galacitca, Buffy, Stargate, Jericho, Lost, and Other. As of today when I checked the site again, Buffy is still leading this poll with 27% of the vote.

That led me to thinking, is the Buffy expanded universe unnecessary? I know what I think, but I am more interested in what you think. Here is the feedback I am looking for, either leave a comment on this post or email me at hellmouthpodcast@gmail.com

• Have you read the comics or novels?
• Are they good/bad/neutral?
• Do you think the Buffy Expanded Universe is unnecessary?
• Do you think the story should have ended with the events of the series finale or are you glad the story is being continued in comic form?

I would really love to hear your thoughts.

Being that this is Buffy’s premiere anniversary month, my last post was about my introduction to the show. So I decided to ask a few of my more Buffy dedicated/obsessed friends how they were first introduced to the Buffyverse. Scoobies, meet my friend Sarah:

“So my relationship with Buffy started a little something like this, as you may may recall. For years I mocked my friends for watching a stupid show about a vampire slayer. I love judging things without knowing anything about them and refuse to stop! Then I started dating this girl. She was super awesome, but I couldn’t call her on Tuesday nights. (That was the night that the show was originally broadcast) We moved in together, and she worked a hundred hours a week. Since she happened to own Buffy on DVD, I started to watch.

It was the best show ever. Now I spend my life trying to convince people that Buffy is totally awesome and that Joss is a genius.I also enjoy long walks on the beach,”

Sarah

I can personally testify to the gentle mocking Sarah gave to Buffy fans fellow Scoobies, as I was on the receiving end more than once. All in good fun of course.

Till next time fellow Scoobies! Cheers, Peg

Thirteen years ago this week I was siting down to watch the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was familiar with it’s strange title because I had rented it a few times. Not because of it’s cinematic brilliance, but because of Paul Rubens hysterically long death scene. Please, make your day better, and check it out on Youtube.
Now before the days of Youtube, I would gather friends around the television and pretty much force them to watch Paul’s death scene (Not the rest of the film though, friendship can only accomplish so much).
Now there was a television show! What might that be like? Right before the show started I asked my roommate if she wanted to watch. She gave me a look that questioned my sanity and ability to operate heavy machinery so I settled in to watch alone.
I loved it. Funny, well acted, and the writing was brilliant. By the end of the episode even those who had mocked had come around. My roommate who had been in the kitchen the entire time to avoid the show had been listening. I found this out near the end of the show when Xander’s character says,”The dead rose,there should at least have been an assembly!”, and I heard her break up laughing in the kitchen. Another convert made.

Happy Anniversary everyone!

I just had to pass a long this priceless gem that I found on www.whedonage.com. For those of you who don’t know, thirteen years ago this week, Buffy The Vampire Slayer premiered on television as a mid-season replacement show. Thus began the cult phenomenon that we are fans of today. The clip below is the premiere trailer that aired promoting the upcoming show. Watch it and reminisce… I think the trailer is actually really good, understanding I am extremely biased. Enjoy!!!