Hellmouth Podcast

Archive for the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Category

Buffy Reunion, Dragon*Con 2011

Six stars of Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunited at this year’s Dragon*Con. Eliza Dushku, a last minute addition to the lineup, joined Clare Kramer, Mercedes McNab, Nicholas Brendon, James Marsters, and Julie Benz. The actors took part in a question and answer panel in a ballroom filled to capacity with faithful fans of the cult show. As the actors walked onto the podium, Read the rest of this entry »

Georges Jeanty, Buffy Season 8 artist, led a panel discussion at Dragon*Con 2011 about Buffy Season 9, which is due out September  14 from Dark Horse Comics.
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its seven-season run on television, Jeanty says Joss Whedon wanted to continue the story without the drama of tv execs and actors; thus, Buffy Season 8 comics was born. In Season 8, we follow Buffy as she tries to navigate life in a world filled with new slayers and a mysterious force trying to destroy them.
In Season 9, Buffy is living Read the rest of this entry »

I had a great opportunity to be a part of a Buffy round-table podcast discussion with Kevin (Tuning in to SciFi TV), Stephanie (Potentialcast), Kim (Upside-down and Halfway to Happyland).

You can find the podcast here and don’t forget to enter the contest to win Buffy the complete series on DVD.

I was recently contacted by Mike in the UK, a Hellmouth Podcast listener. We emailed back and forth for a few days and he told me that he would really enjoy sharing his thoughts about the series by joining Daniel as a Hellmouth Podcast blog contributor.

I told Mike that I thought it would be a fantastic idea and gave him free reign to write about whatever he felt inspired to talk about. What I received back from him was the following character study on Faith Lehane. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I know that all of you will too.

- Bryan

*Warning: this post contains spoilers for Buffy Seasons 3, 4 and 7 as well as Angel Season 1*

FAITH, A CHARACTER STUDY

Faith Lehane, the Dark Slayer. She’s one of my favourite characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. First introduced in Season 3 as a recurring guest star, she arrived on the show after it had begun to really hit it’s stride and has a profound impact on the direction of the show. I’ve decided that it would be an interesting exercise in character analysis to take her name (and Andrew’s moniker) and try and unravel a bit of meaning behind it.

I’d just like to point out that this is by no means a structured or comprehensive study of Faith’s character, so feel free to point out the mountains of stuff that I’ve missed (e.g. I’ve never watched any of the episode commentaries).

Faith: Rather ironical, as Faith comes across as the most cynical and mistrustful character in the series.

In her introductory episode, Faith, Hope and Trick, Faith displays no trust in other people. She lies to the Scoobies about Kakistos and is sure that they can’t, or won’t, help her with the problem. This point is reinforced throughout Season 3; she immediately assumes that Angel is the villain (Revelations) and expresses the view that “all men are beasts” (Beauty and the Beasts). This attitude is Read the rest of this entry »

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