posted 11-22-2000 12:43 EST (US) Hmmm, len, I think I'm with you on Riley . I don't find "his stuff" boring at all. Just in general, I like the fact that the characters on the show aren't completely lovable or admirable. Sure, Riley has a bit of a complex stemming from the type of insecurity one associates with immature concepts of masculinity; but he's a product of his culture, just like Buffy and the others are. Part of the feminist in me cringed watching the ep _Halloween_ when it reran last month, seeing how high-school Buffy wanted to be "a real girl", but the show isn't always about how people *should* be, it's about how people are. (And in any case, the final message of Halloween was positive wrt whether girly weak Buffy was better or Buffy-Buffy was better!) And I think it's true to character for Riley to worry about Angel in both a "macho-pissing contest" way and a "maybe-Buffy-likes-'em-dark" way. "Silly"? I prefer more an assessment of "unproductive" or "self-hurting"; but I think that's what human beings do to themselves (and others) sometimes. As to the episode, I did think as well that some of the snake effects were not very well done, but the guts of the show worked for me, i.e. the various emotional stories going on -- Joyce and Buffy, Buffy and Dawn re their mom, Riley and Buffy, Riley and Dawn. And I also agree with those who think that Glory is not a particularly scary villain; but to me, she's still entertaining in her completely over-the-top self-focus. The villains last season didn't really impress me much either (Adam and the Initiative), but again, what I was completely engaged with were the more human stories going on. It's probably the case, as someone already suggested, that having villains actually interact, and maybe hurt, the Scoobies, like Angelus did, would make for a more intense storyline there, but I can accept that not every season will do that, and given that the most interesting demons I see the characters fighting are those of the more real-world kind anyway (i.e. insecurity, uncertainty, fear, pain, loss), I think it bothers me less when the overt baddies are, as some might put it, "lame". Oh yes, this is a W/T board, right ? Um, again possibly out on a limb, although it is gratifying in some respects to see Tara integrated into the gang, I also would like her to retain some distinctiveness. Her being different was very apparent when she felt and acted like an outsider, but what makes her stand out now? I'm not sure I want just another Willow-like magic-explainer. And yes, the fact that her hair and dress have become less and less like her original look (which I liked, again for the fact that I don't really want every character on the show to be what is admired and "cool" or "hot", and that includes their clothing style) and more and more like Willow's doesn't help. All in all, loving this season as much if not more than the last ... |