A Kitten W/T episode guide

[rasberryhat]

Not you - me. My dodgy typing I am afraid.



Fixed and tested now I believe.



R.

[The Inward Sea]

I like it! It's in my favourite links now!



But I think that there's a potential for major work on analysis et al. One that only a group of diverse people can do. It would be monumental for just one person.



But I think you did it right.



Thanks!



TIS

[rasberryhat]

Thankyou.



I agree this is a potentially encyclopedic undertaking. The most complete view could only be derived from the kind of rich diversity that makes up the people who contribute here. The diversity of people makes it complete, but also makes it possible within say the next decade !



I've interleaved these ep guides with a good number of my own thoughts, but thats really just scratching the surface of the real analysis.



I just look at some of the discussions that have gone on here, their length, complexity. The Lesbian Cliche is perhaps a good example of a refined and exceptionally well written piece that crystallises a lot of people's thinking.



So in the name of moving this all forward...



I am quite happy that anything I've written thats of good enough quality be reproduced as part of a larger effort.



Also, I am quite happy to use my domain and webspace to host a larger effort if people would like.



I say lets see how far we can go with this!



R.

[Hemiola]

Nice site, rasberryhat!



In answer to the question you pose in your "Hush" description, the piece in the Lecture Hall Scene is the "Danse Macabre", a symphonic poem by Camille Saint-Saens. He wrote it using melodic materials from an earlier song-setting he did of a poem by Henri Cazalis. Excellent transcriptions of this orchestral work were made by Franz Liszt (for solo piano) and Edwin LeMare (for solo organ). Many recordings of it are available (I personally recommend the Toscanini version on BMG/RCA).

[rasberryhat]

Cool! I knew there was a reason for all that documentation :-)



That tune was so familiar and I just couldn't place it. Actually I'd forgotten I'd even left the question in. It was more a reminder to me to find out.



Anyway, thanks.



Amazon here I come.



R.

[J uk]

Back on the old board I managed to find the exact version used, and it's still on my old webspace:

www.users.totalise.co.uk/...acabre.mp3

[rasberryhat]

And just FYI, parting shot before bedtime ...



I've added my ep guides for up to and including Family of Season 5.



R.

[Wiccagrrl313]

Ok, just curious how other people were planning on approaching this. I sat down and started working on my first one (Blood Ties) and what I'm coming up with is basically a review/summary very much focused on W/T (but I am discussing the basic plot, so some non-W/T scenes are obviously mentioned.) Lots of quotes (although not every W/T line necessarilly- the gist will be there if the quotes aren't, though), scene discussions, comments, etc.



Rewatching this ep knowing how things go down was interesting. There was actually quite a bit of foreshadowing here- not just the brain suck (Tara's over-the-top reaction) or the "Summer's Blood" thing that came back up when Buffy chose to jump in Dawn's place, but... I think this is one of the first times we see Willow suffering physical consequences/ side effects from her magic use. Yeah, spells had backfired before, but can anyone think of a previous example where spellcasting took such a physical toll on Willow?

Tracy

******************


VILLOV

I troost yuu. Hurty flurty schnipp schnipp!

*******************

Tara. Accept No Substitutes.

[Rally]

I am curious too Tracy, I did not have the time to start watching my episodes this weekend. But I am curious what format and overall information we want to cover in each of our episode breakdowns. I don't have any thoughts at this time, but curious to see if we can come up with a "template".

------------




Well officially, of course, I have to say that I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Puff]

Can I add my curiosity to the list, I watched Shadow again to review it but am stuck on the OHMYGOD Tara cleavage (watch it if you don't believe me). I also downloaded the shooting scripts so I am looking for missed/cut scenes which I was going to include. I was going to also include and outfit descriptions, we are afterall intersted in the wardrobe



Any standard templete would be very helpful.

-----------------------
You know, it's a real deal relationship and that's why people can relate to it
Amber Benson

[tommo]

A basic template would be nice. I think it's important for us to focus on the W/T aspects, however inconsequential they might seem. Unfortunately, in rewatching the Season 4 DVDs, too much foreshadowing leapt off the screen at me and depressed the crap out of me. Heh. However, I appear to have the flaming o, so you know, it's not all bad.

----------
TARA: ...didn't think she liked my fucking until I realized that that was her yummy face

[xita]

I would rather have the focus all on w/t as opposed to Buffy in general. So we get every detail, every thing that's important to them down. I am not sure it would be wise to get into like forshadowing for other characters. I think it would take away from w/t

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oooh Xita!" - Amber Benson

[Wiccagrrl313]

Humm... ok, I think I may need to revise my approach then, cause while I was focusing very, very heavilly on W/T, it wasn't *exclusively* W/T. (Was finding it easier to talk about the W/T scenes as they fit into the story rather than pulling them out of context) Back to the drawing board.

Tracy

******************


VILLOV

I troost yuu. Hurty flurty schnipp schnipp!

*******************

Tara. Accept No Substitutes.

[xita]

Tracy certainly putting them in context would work, I guess i just got sidetracked by your mention of the summer's blood metaphor which seemed to be like too deep into things non w/t. But hey, I am by no means the expert here. Just another opinion and I could, probably am, wrong

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oooh Xita!" - Amber Benson

[Wiccagrrl313]

Oh, I wasn't gonna go too deeply into any of that. I only mentioned that in my post cause I was talking about the fact that it had a lot of foreshadowing in it. Mostly though what struck me was the way this upped the "magic is dangerous- physically dangerous" vibe. That and Tara's reaction to the idea of Glory being a brain sucker, which- anvilicious much?

Tracy

******************


VILLOV

I troost yuu. Hurty flurty schnipp schnipp!

*******************

Tara. Accept No Substitutes.

[supermus]

Since no one appears to have mentioned it, I'll take Weight of the World, The Gift, and Bargaining I and II. Lucky me, I get the "I will always find you", the Start of W/Tness on UPN, and a cute cut scene with bunnies.

--------

"Any singer can shatter a glass with the proper high note, but the easiest way to break a glass is to simply drop it on the floor"

[Wiccagrrl313]

Ok, I thought I'd go ahead and post a first draft of Blood Ties, just cause I've been working on it and want to get some feedback. I'll probably go back and do more visual stuff, some more comments on looks, touches, clothing and such. But here's my first attempt. Wanted to see if I'm kind of on the right track, though:



--------------------------------------------------

Blood Ties: S5 Ep13



Basic Storyline: Another Buffy Birthday Debacle. The fact that Dawn's the key is finally revealed to Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Spike, Ben... and Dawn herself.



This ep has a ton of W/T togetherness. Very couply and sweet. Playfulness, tenderness, concern and danger. A joint Buffy birthday gift from Willow and Tara. And, best of all...TARABUTT!!!



So, on to the W/T goodness:



TEASER



The Scooby gang is gathered at the Magic Box, discussing the Glory sitch. Buffy suggests it might not be the best time for a party with all that's happening.



WILLOW

-- this is exactly what you need! A twentieth birthday party with presents and funny hats and candles you can't blow out!

(An adorably cute aside to Tara)

Those used to scare me.





TARA

Me too! (They share a very sweet smile)



*********************************************************

(Later in the same scene)



WILLOW

You know what they say. The bigger they are…





ANYA

The faster they stomp you into nothin'.





BUFFY

She's right. I've thrown everything I got at her, and she just shrugs it off.





WILLOW

Then we have to find something heavier to throw.



***********************************************



GILES

The way I see it, living in our world is affecting her mentally. She's only able to

keep her mind intact by extracting energy from us - from the human, well, from the

human brain.





TARA

(horrified)

She's a brain sucker?





GILES

She absorbs the energies that bind the human mind into a cohesive whole. But once drained, all that's left behind -





BUFFY

(getting it)

-- are crazy people.





GILES

I'm afraid that's why there's been a marked increase in the ranks of the mentally disturbed here in Sunnydale.





TARA

(haunted)

At least vampires just kill you.



BUFFY

We have to come up with something to stop her.





WILLOW

Tara and I could work on some tactical spells. (In shooting script but not in the aired version) If she's not too punchable, maybe she's not totally invulnerable to magic.



(At the time, a lot of people picked up on the "Tara got awfully nervous about the brain suck thing." vibe. Personally, I didn't believe they'd go there. I just thought it was too obvious. This was back in the days when I had those kinds of illusions about ME.)





***********************************************



Buffy and Giles tells Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya that Dawn is "The Key" that Glory is looking for. Willow and Xander seem especially hurt that Buffy didn't confide in them.



**********************************************



ACT ONE:



Outside the Magic Box. Willow and Tara are working on a spell, making symbols on the sidewalk. Tara's bent over, wearing a very skirt that, shall we say, accentuates her assets nicely (TARABUTT!!!... um, yeah, where was I? Sorry, got distracted for a moment there...)



DAWN

Hey! You guys doin' a spell?



WILLOW

Dawn, hey. Yeah, it's an early warning incantation. If anything Hellgod-ishly

powerful comes within a hundred feet of the shop, screechy Siren things'll, you

know - screech.





TARA

That should give us enough of a heads up to hide - the, uh, Key.





WILLOW

We already put one up around your house.





DAWN

Cool. Can I help?



WILLOW

I don't think Buffy would like the Black Arts bumping auras with littlest Summers.





DAWN

Yeah, whatever. My sentiments exactly. Dawn goes inside.



TARA

How can she not be real?





WILLOW

She's real. She's just kinda… new.







More Dawnie bitchin' that everyone treats her like a kid. More Glory looking for her key. Yada Yada Yada.



****************************************************



Birthday Party Time!!! Evening at the Summer's house.





WILLOW

See? Just what you needed.





BUFFY

You are very, very wise. Now gimmie gimmie gimmie!



************************************************************



Buffy opens the gift from Willow and Tara- a dress.





BUFFY

Pretty! Thank you!





TARA

We thought you'd get a lot of crossbows and other killy stuff.





WILLOW

So we figured, less killy, more frilly.



I just love the fact that they gave her a joint gift. I love how often in this ep we hear them saying "We". They are just such the couple here, and it's great to see.



Dawn gives Buffy a picture of the two of them at the beach, telling Buffy she put the shells on the frame herself. (Digressing for a moment- did this remind anyone else of the movie Dark City, with all the false memories of shell beach?) Everyone's acting all weird around Dawn, it's driving her nuts, and she basically throws a temper tantrum. (way too prove how mature and *not* a kid you are, hon.) Dawn storms out of the room.



Willow, in true Willow fashion, tries to break the tension by picking up the plate near her and asking "Cake?"



So, Dawn sneaks out, runs into Spike, breaks into the magic shop. They read Giles diaries and learn that she's the Key.



***********************************************

ACT TWO:



Buffy, Willow and Tara are discussing the fact that she hasn't heard from Riley since he left town.



WILLOW

Not even a card, huh?





BUFFY

I wasn't really expecting one. No contact with civilians. I'm sure there's a code

name for it. Like "radio silence." It's "greeting card silence."





WILLOW

Sorry.





BUFFY

Maybe it's time for a new tradition: birthdays without boyfriends. It can be just as fun.





WILLOW

Preaching to the choir, here, baby.

(Can I just say I love this exchange. Willow's so cute here.)





TARA

Yeah, some of my best - (seeing something)

Oh my God…



Tara stops mid-sentence, having seen Dawn in the doorway, holding a knife and bleeding. She's cut herself, hoping to prove by that she is, indeed, "real" if she can bleed. She can't be The Key.



Everyone leaves. Willow hugs Buffy warmly, offering "Whatever you need, just..." Giles offers to stay, but Buffy tells him it's a family thing. (I know it wasn't meant this way, but this line always rubbed me wrong. It just sounds kind of dismissive... anyhoo...)



Joyce and Buffy try to talk to Dawn, who shrieks the infamous "Get out, Get OUT, GET OUT!!!" line.



Dawn's having a hard time dealing with this huge revelation- getting in trouble in school, etc. She overhears Buffy and Joyce arguing about how to handle things, and Buffy saying she's not real. She freaks, burns her diaries, and runs away.



**************************************



ACT THREE:



The Scooby Gang are gathered to try and help find Dawn. They split up, hoping to cover more ground.



There is a cute W/T scene that is in the shooting script but didn't make it to the final aired version:







EXT. WOODS - NIGHT



Willow and Tara are searching the woods at the edge of town. Willow scans the night.





WILLOW

Maybe - maybe that way.





TARA

(gently)

We looked that way. And this way, and

the other way. She's not out here.



Willow sags, knowing she's right.





WILLOW

Where would you go? If you felt lost

and alone? Where would you go?





TARA

(a beat)

To you.



Willow takes Tara in her arms and hugs her tight.







Sigh. I wish we'd gotten to see this one.



***************************************************



Dawn, knowing mentally ill people can sometimes sense/see what she really is, ends up going to the hospital hoping to gain some insight. She runs into Ben, tells him she's the key, and sees Ben transform into Glory.



**************************************************



ACT FOUR:



Glory and Dawn are trying to gain info from each other. Yada yada. Glory gets bored and decides Dawn doesn't know anything about where the Key is after all ( ) and decides to brain suck Dawn instead.



The Scooby gang decides to check out the hospital. They arrive just in time to save Dawn.



Major fight ensues, everyone gets involved in fighting Glory. Tara and Willow do a spell that teleports Glory far away.

(from the shooting script )







GLORY

Is that the best you little crap gnats could muster? 'Cause I gotta tell you - so not impressed.



Before Glory can reach Buffy, Willow and Tara suddenly spring into action, throwing colored dust at Glory from either side. It hits her and clings, staining her skin and clothes. She drops Buffy, livid.



GLORY

Look what you did to my dress, you little -





WILLOW

(Latin)

Discede!

(Be Gone)





Willow slams her hands together, activating her spell. Glory suddenly disintegrates. Willow collapses to the floor, her nose bleeding.





TARA

Willow!



Tara rushes over.





BUFFY

(stunned)

What did you do to her?





WILLOW

(weakly)

Teleportation spell… Still working out the kinks…





BUFFY

Where did you send her?





WILLOW

Don't know. That's one of the kinks…



*********************************************

GILES

(helping Willow)

That's an incredibly dangerous spell for

an adept at your level.





WILLOW

(wiping blood from her nose)

Yep. Won't be trying that one again soon.







************************************************



I love that Tara's first reaction is, of course, to rush to Willow's side. I love the concern and tenderness Tara shows here. On the other hand, like Tara's reaction to the brain suck concept, it's also a portend of darker times ahead. This is really the first time we see spellcasting taking such a tangible, physical toll on Willow. Yes, Magick had backfired in the past, but this ep really seemed to up the "magick is dangerous- physically dangerous" vibe. Willow gets a nosebleed and is physically weakened by the spell.



On a brighter note, this is really a period of the calm before the storm in the series, and particularly in the W/T relationship. Things just couldn't be much better between them. Every look, every touch, every smile, shows how in sync they are. So in tune to each other's feelings and needs. Tara, more and more, acts like and is treated like, a real Scooby. She's found her family *and* her soulmate. Willow's happy, confident, and clearly very much in love. If there was a golden age in the W/T 'ship, this was it... from about Family to, say, Tough Love.

Tracy

******************


VILLOV

I troost yuu. Hurty flurty schnipp schnipp!

*******************

Tara. Accept No Substitutes.

Edited by: Wiccagrrl313  at: 7/15/02 9:04:40 pm

[The Inward Sea]

I like it!



It will improve with the addition of "more visual stuff, some more comments on looks, touches, clothing and such" -as you said- but to me you are definitely on the right track!



I would like to know what the other kittens think, though.





Thank you!



The Inward Dreamer

[La]

I think it's awesome to read. I'm so glad you guys are doing this (i'd help if, you know, i had access to the episodes beyond downloading them on my computer, phooey)! Makes me all smiley and happy

~La

You know you've been in Korea too long when you start categorizing every experience as your "last". Your "last trip to the supermarket," "your last time on a long-distance bus," your "last time walking down this street."

[ZipityDoDa]

Very good re-cap of Blood Ties.



The whole concept of this thread is great, covering each little bit of W/T goodness episode by episode, goodie!

I told you not to eat that, now didn't I?

[Underneathherclothes]

Grrrrrrrrreat!!!!

Loveitkeepitupbabblebabblebabbleyey!

Underneath your clothes, there's an endless a story, there's the one I chose, there's my territory, and all the things I deserve for being such a good girl, honey.

[vix84]

Just wondered what happened to this, since I stumbled across this old thread. I really like the idea of reviews, W/T centred, and hope that we can see what people came up with!

-------------------------

Willow: Okay, what in the frilly heck is going on?

Tara: Maybe we dreamed it.

Willow: Right. Right. Wrong! Different brains.

Tara: Oh yeah.



Afterlife

[xita]

uhmm.. just got caught up in a lot of things, I promise after the charity to do my part

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Childie -"Not all girls are raving bloody lesbians, you know!"

George - "That's a misfortune of which I am perfectly well aware."

The Killing of Sister George

[Indygo]

Were there any eps left people hadn't taken? I'm happy to do one...



Indygo

[xita]

yeah , check out the second post and then post the ones you would like that are left.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Childie -"Not all girls are raving bloody lesbians, you know!"

George - "That's a misfortune of which I am perfectly well aware."

The Killing of Sister George

[Indygo]

Oh cool. OK. I'll just take the next four in order then. That'd be:



After Life

Life Serial

Flooded

All The Way



Ummm, do we just post them here when they're done? Or stick them on another page if they're long and just link to them?



Indygo

Edited by: Indygo at: 9/11/02 10:50:09 pm

[ruby]

Great start so far, everyone. Stuff I'd like to see:

--descriptions of body language and other nonverbal relationship-y stuff (cf. "the A/A subtle acting hall of fame" observations)

--the all-important Tara hair-up or hair-down distinction

--definitely a brief precis of the outfits (which episode had Willow's cute cherry pop t-shirt? oh, yeah! BVD! now, when was Tara wearing that amazing red turtleneck sweater...?) for the obsessively detail-minded.



Also, it would be cool beyond cool if the resulting website had video and audio clips. (Do we get into owndership issues there?)

Smashed. Wrecked. Gone.

[Indygo]

Oh! Fashion descriptions... I hadn't thought of that...



Indygo