i love your sig. that's my favorite exchange from the rooftop scene.

but on to hush...i *adore* this entire episode, and having it be tara's first only makes it all the better.

willow's comments to buffy about the wannablessedbes at the wicca group were great... "blah blah blah gaia, blah blah blah moon... it's like every girl with a henna tattoo and a spice rack thinks she's a sister to the dark ones." i laughed so hard when i heard that!

and tara running around campus looking for willow...watching that ep in retrospect, i think it's so cute...i think tara had a little crush on her from the first time she saw her at the wicca group...

but the best part was when they interlaced their fingers, looked into each other's eyes, simultaneously whipped their heads around and sent that soda machine flying! even though i knew it was going to happen before i saw it, i couldn't help exclaiming "awesome"!

our wiccas just started kicking ass right away...

i was sad that they had to cut a few lines from their exchange at the end. but it was still way cute. in my opinion, they started flirting a bit even at that point.

But finally seeing that ep was magnificent! Quite apart from the whole start of W/T, all else was as good as the best the show has ever been. The Gentlemen were simply the most horrific of monsters. Giles' briefing was hilarious. Anya and Xander's fight (and its end) was wonderful (imo they are the second-best couple on BTVS). While the very, very end moment turned out to be a mighty powerful bit of foreshadowing.

And of course I simply have to mention one of the best possible moments of all--namely, the look on Willow's face *after* moving the soda machine. She looked at Tara, her eyes huge, exhilirated in a way completely undreamt-of till now.

(Of course we don't know what was said afterwards--once they had their voices back...)

Back to hush. 2 favourite scenes the hand holding/moving the machine, and the lounge scene. Lots-a flirtin' going on in that scene. I can't go into great detail (I do have to work today) but I'm sure you all know why I loved these scenes.

Zahir I have to agree the Giles lecture scene was hilarious.

Grossest scene: heads exploding...yuck

April: yes, naughty chats are the most fun. I know I had a good time.

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Paula
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Amber FanGirl #1a
May the Amber Force be with you.

When Buffy first wakes up and she doesn't know she can't talk and we do. The whole mood of the scene is amazing.

How Willow looks at Tara in the wicca group meeting

When Tara is knocking on the doors and we excpect Willow to open and then a Getelman does with a Heart. That was scary. I didn't see that coming.

Willow and Tara's last scene. "no, you ARE"

Favorite Picture:

Heaving chest.

'Nuff said.

Pics at http://www.theslayer.net/
http://www.theslayer.net/caps/BtVS/seas ... 10/253.jpg

http://www.theslayer.net/caps/BtVS/seas ... 10/254.jpg

Also, very nice pictures Michelle. Yummy Tara and Willow, so cute and ready for each other. Destined those two were. We all knew it.

Ty, I swear any reference to the big pineapple as something in that picture was purely accidental. I did not mean to imply anything lol

Maybe i'm subtext hyper-sensitive, but i had butterflies in my tummy watching "Hush", wishing and hoping that Joss was finally delivering on what he promised in "Doppelganger" (Angel's comment off Willow's "Plus I think I'm kinda gay.") I may not have the quote exactly, i didn't go back and look, yet.

Also, for some reason i have the impression that Tara had noticed Willow before the Wicca Group meeting in "Hush." Maybe she said "meetings" or something at some point. It is a weekly meeting, right, and didn't Willow mention them to Buffy in an earlier episode? Now i have to watch the whole season again to figure this out.

Everyone here has made such cogent observations. I think "Hush" is the perfect example of a Buffy episode. The ensemble of actors all shone. I agree with all you good folks, Aly and Amber are great together in the laundry room and again at the end. The Gentlemen were scary, especially when one passed right in front of a window - still makes me jump. The writing? Can we all say "Joss Whedon was robbed at the Emmy's?"

Before I get to that, however, I would like to take a moment...to nominate the Gentlemen for the BEST villains ever on BTVS award.

Vampires (The Master and Angelus being tops) and demons (the Mayor) are well and good, but for my money the Gentlemen were the first (and pretty much the only) REALLY creepy bad guys the show has ever had.

Those frozen steel grins, the way they moved without walking, and the dead silence which followed them around...incredible. The idea of being in trouble and trying to scream but making no sound is sort of a primal fear. It makes HUSH one of the most distinguishable of ALL the episodes, period.

In fact, I'd say the only part of Hush I did NOT like (even Riley was marginally tolerable since he didn't talk for most of it) were the Gentlemen's footsoldiers. The goofy guys in the straight jackets almost ruined the mood for me.

Overall, however, my favorite part of the ep came when Willow and Tara joined forces for the first time.

And I am of the group which believes Tara had something of a crush on Willow since the Wicca group. If nothing else, the conversation at the end of the episde seems to indicate that if she did not have a crush on Willow before, she did by then.

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Kirk B

"Even when I'm at my worst, you always make me feel special. How do you do that?"

secondly, i feel left out that you all chat the night away! boo hoo for me cause my comp sucks and by the time you all are finished chatting my first line would probably be posted. but when i get a new comp the first thing i will do is sign up. (and yes those lips are so suckalicious)

now to *hush*- my favorite shot is of amber's wonky smile as she realizes that all the blessed wanna bes are looking at her and she shyly shakes her head. i, for some reason, always thought that Willow and Tara had some sort of talk, or something, before the ep and that is why she came out of her shell to stand up for Willow. i wrote a little pre hush scene, set during wild at heart, where Tara and Willow ran into each other at the magic shop. they recognized each other from the wicca group. But, that scene in the shooting script is really funny and good. and i love how joss described tara's room as *wicca-y and depressed-y* i still laugh.

umm, i'm going to post my little fic cause i want to... happy belated birthday, xita!

****
Willow comes into the magic shop. Tara sees her come in and shyly smiles.

Willow- (to Tara who is behind the counter) Hi.
Tara- (exited) Hi. (shyly smiles) Umm, hello.
Willow- (smiles back) I'm looking for the Nacir powder. It used to be over there (points to a table) but not any more.
Tara- Oh, yes. Umm, it's been moved. Over here. I think. (turns around and opens a cabinet)
Willow- Cool.
Tara- (turns back to her) Umm, how much do you n-need?
Willow- Three bags.
Tara- T-three? It's, uh, a very powerful powder.
Willow- I know.
Tara- Mr. Bogarty… The shopkeeper… He, umm… He can't s-sell more - than one bag.
Willow- But it's really important. (smiles at her)Please?
Tara- (smiles shyly) Oh. Ok. B-but don't tell him.
Willow- (beames) It'll be our little secret.
Tara- (turns around to the cabinet) Why… Why do you need so much?
Willow- Hey, aren't you in the Wicca group? On campus?
Tara- (turns around with the three little bags, blushing) Y-yes.
Willow- I'm Willow.
Tara- T-Tara. Hi?
Willow- Hi.
Tara- (places the powder on the counter) Hi. (looks under the counter for a bag)
Willow- Do you work here? I've never seen you before. Here. I've seen you before, but not here.
Tara- N-no. Mr. B, he umm, he stepped out for a moment.
Willow- Well, then aren't I lucky he did?
Tara- I guess. Uh… Do you- do you know the price? For a bag?
Willow- (laughs) No.
Tara- Umm, then let me just, umm… (looking under the counter for a price list)
Willow- Tara?
Tara- (looks up) Yes?
Willow- I need to hurry. I mean… I really need to go. How about you just put it on my account? Willow Rosenberg. With an *e* not *u*.
Tara- What?
Willow- My last name.
Tara- Oh, ok?
Willow- Great. Thanks so much. (turns around and starts to walk away)
Tara- (out to her) B-be careful.
Willow- (turns around and smiles) I will. See you later.

Cut to Willow. She' got her wicca stuff out and is casting a spell. Beakers and vials are out, some boiling.

Willow : I conjure thee by barabbas, by satanas, and the devil. As thou art burning, let Oz and Veruca's deceitful hearts be broken. This way. I conjure thee by the saracen queen And the name of hell. Let them
find no love or solace. Let them find no peace as well.

She has a picture of him and is holding it near the flame.

Willow: Let this image seal his fate, not to love, only hate.

Willow can't bring herself to finish the spell. She drops the picture and a levitating beaker along drops and the burning and boiling containers cease activity.

fin

hope you liked it.

ps- ummm. Giles' scene is a classic. pretty much the whole ep is a classic. and the hand squeezing is the most sensual thing on buffy in a long while. well, cause we are looking so much into it.

so, here's my cheesie plug - if anyone has come across a video clip on the web of that section of hush, i'd love to finally see it!

meanwhile, the episode itself is one of my favorites! The gentlemen were great! my fav. badguys todate!