"The Harvest," written by Joss Whedon. Season one, episode two.
"The Witch," written by Dana Reston. Season one, episode three.
So now you've seen the first three episodes of BVS. For those who have seen the whole series already, it's hard not to project ahead—how The Master will return later in the season, and how, as Maddie was saying after class, "The Witch" foreshadows much to come: Amy, who will spend much of the series as a rat in Willow's room (not revealing how, though); and Willow herself, who will find herself progressively drawn into the dark arts of magic and witchcraft. On a humorous note, at least for me, this will not be the first time Giles gets knocked out. It will eventually becoming a running joke in the series. Was all this planned by Joss Whedon? No idea—but rarely does he let a potentially interesting idea go.
The show is clearly trying to figure itself out here. Is it a teen comedy? Is it a campy different-monster-every-episode horror show? Is it the Buffy kicks ass show with Willow, Xander, and Giles along for comic relief? Is it a sensitive story about the relationship between a sixteen year old girl and her single mother? Right now, for those who are new to the show, it's probably hard to tell. The nineties references fall flat, fifteen years later; the monsters aren't really all that scary (although that last shot of the cheerleader trophy inhabited by Amy's mom is damn creepy); the high school life we saw in today's episode is pretty cliched; Cordelia is pretty one dimensional and annoying (to me, at least). At this early stage of the series, it had decided to go with the different monster every episode. This will not last.
For all the "issues" of these early episodes that I listed above (which you may disagree with), the show clearly is trying to establish something different about itself even while it tries on some levels to fit into some neat genre niche (the teen horror narrative). With all this said, address the following questions (and note to you that know the series inside and out—no spoilers):
1. Everyone look at the prior blog and the clip from the pilot. What is your take, your opinion, on this version of Willow? Was it a cop out, an obvious compromise to the television-powers-that-be that could not stomach a female character that didn't have a model thin body (as arguably Alyson Hannigan has) as a main character, in your opinion? Could this Willow have worked in what we've seen so far?
2. Of the two episodes we watched today, which one stayed with you, now as you write hours later? How so?
3. Of our main characters—Buffy, Willow, Xander, Cordelia, Giles—which one do you find the most interesting or the one you feel most drawn to? And why?
4. What I say above about the "the show clearly trying to establish something different about itself" while trying to fit into the teen horror genre: do you agree or disagree? And why?
Write 250-300 words. Tomorrow we'll watch the episode "Angel" and begin discussing what we've seen so far. See you then.
1. She really was not that big. To me, her size doesn't really matter, it was just an unfortunate coincidence that they chose the skinny girl. Alyson Hannigan is excellent as Willow, and I don't even think she's a very good actress in anything else. Every character is so perfectly casted I don't really want to focus so much on why. However, I stand by my earlier statement that the main reason, at least plot-wise, every actress in the show (maybe with the exception of Tara, who's gorgeous but curvy) is model thin and conventionally pretty to satisfy Xander. No spoilers, but I think someone could already tell he's not afraid to ogle. It's the most annoying thing about him, but since he's the lamest character in a way, we'll forgive him.
ReplyDelete2. Witch was at some point my favorite episode, but The Harvest stuck with me too, although it bothered me as I continued watching the show. I'm sure everyone noticed Jesse was not mentioned after it, and continues to never be mentioned again. I love the one liners in both--Buffy is at the height of her sass early on, but my favorite foreshadowing line is "I'd rather stick a railroad spike through my head"--a phrase heard again throughout the summer.
3. By the end of the show, Buffy and Cordy were the only characters I didn't have a vendetta against, and honestly, both struck me as interesting more than the others at first as well. Buffy is so corny but still a spitfire and she always maintains perfect hair. Cordy may deliver some biting commentary, but I don't think she does it to be popular--that's just Cordy. She has some sort of speech impediment that makes everything sound bitchy. Willow literally becomes strong later on, and Giles is possibly the most badass of all (with the most head injuries) but Buffy and Cordy to me are the strongest female characters because they know what's important and they go for it.
4. I'm not sure how I feel about that statement, actually. It's the show that breaks all the stereotypes, but knowing Joss as a director I honestly believe he was just doing whatever the hell he wanted to. I think the characters are the ones trying to establish something different about themselves, Joss had faith in them as he wrote them, and the show is really carried by the fact that anything could happen. The humor, the villains, the musicals--only Joss could write something like this and get away with it.
I definitely like Hannigan more than the original, probably due to her being one of my favorite actresses of all time, though. From an unbiased stance, I honestly think that the casting director decided that this bigger girl would be more of the epitome of an outcast rather than a thinner girl. After actually watching it, though, the original is actually really stunning, and its mostly her baggy dress that throws you off. Over time, she probably could make the same transformation as Willow, but I really can't imagine this actress to have the range of going from passive to powerful like Hannigan so smoothly does.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I forgot about the Witch episode, or at least its details, until seeing it again today. So, the witch one stayed with me more. I think just rethinking a lot of the themes as well as realizing the crazy amount of foreshadowing from such an early spot is the reason that I'm still thinking about it. Also, the Harvest was really just an extension of "Welcome to the Hellmouth", an endearing episode, but one lost in overviewing.
I definitely love Willow, mostly due to her relatability, humour, and charm. Later I really admire her growth and loyalty to her values and friends. I love all of the characters, but Willow resonates a lot for me.
I really just think that Whedon didn't give too much mind to the genre of it at all. I feel like he just thought, "This show's plot sounds fantastic and let's just try to make whatever works in cooperation with that plot." Whether or not it falls into any certain genre is definitely irrelevant to the fact that it works and there really is no other show quite like it.
ReplyDeleteDay 2
1) I watched the whole unaired pilot on youtube, and I think that that version of Willow is just a bit odd. The actress looks older than everyone else and it’s a little unnerving. I think that she would have been perfectly fine as Willow, but I am afraid that the writers would have made her boring. I feel that Riff Regan would have come off as drab. It’s not that she may be larger than Buffy, but I think her weight may have created some problems. It would seem unnatural for someone with her weight to be running around fighting evil beings. Unfortunately, I am so used to seeing Alyson as Lily in How I Met Your Mother, so I am having a difficult time not being confused.
2) I have to say, that I really liked “The Witch,” because it shows that Willow, Buffy, and Giles are not just one-trick ponies. It shows that Buffy has to deal with other creatures besides vampires, Willow knows how to hack computer systems, and Giles knows some chemistry.
3) I really like Giles because it seems like he does not fit in at Sunnydale High, but then again, neither do Willow, Xander, or Buffy. That’s why they are a great team together, albeit, Xander seems to have a lot of fluff and not enough character.
4) I kind of agree with that statement. Since we have been watching the earliest episodes, I think it’s hard to discern what will happen in the later seasons. If I can, I would like to compare BVS to Doctor Who. They both started with crappy special effects and did not really seem to have a rhythm, but they both turned out to be excellent shows. I think that the show broke all the rules and proved to be a show that anything could happen.
Casting Riff Regan as Willow could have been interesting and pioneering on Joss Whedon’s part. Willow could’ve struggled with her body image, but as the series went on, she could’ve gained confidence and grown more comfortable with her body. Weight aside, I do like the Alyson Hannigan version of Willow better. From what I could see from the short clip with Regan as Willow, she seemed very boring. This perception could’ve just been the result of the brevity of the clip she’s in, but it seems to me that Hannigan plays the character with more energy and interest.
ReplyDeleteI liked “The Harvest” the best, because I enjoyed seeing the formation of their “team” and the burgeoning trust and friendship among them.
I like Giles. His ongoing struggle of trying to reel Buffy in to have the discipline of a Slayer provides comic relief and tension. While he doesn’t have the authority of a parent or a teacher, he still has to teach her and earn her respect. He struggles with that balance.
I do agree with your statement, "the show clearly trying to establish something different about itself" while trying to fit into the teen horror genre.” The show establishes something new by breaking the mold of a big strong male hero by having Buffy be a small strong heroine. However it very much fits into the teen horror genre because the school is very much divided into the popular kids, Cordelia’s crew, and the nerds. All the characters worry about teenager things, such as boys/girls, their clothes, and their friends to name a few. As for the horror part, I haven’t seen many horror movies, but the suspense is predictable and the music is very dramatic.
1. Being one of the few people that hadn't seen the clip from the pilot episode before our discussion in class today, I got the huge sense that this version of Willow was extremely over-weight (Of course, of how people described her). However, I didn't find her very over-weight at all! And to me, that wasn't one of the vast differences between these two actresses playing the character of Willow. I honestly don't see this version of Willow fitting the part of Willow if that makes sense. I think Alyson Hannigan really shows Willow's personality of a nerdy, socially awkward twig. If Alyson hadn't been the role of Willow and this so called "over-weight" Willow actually play the part, it would totally change the dynamic of her character and change the plot in some ways.
ReplyDelete2. The episode that most stuck with me was defiantly "The Witch". This episode introduces a whole new character with a very unusual background story in her life and this comes into play with bringing in the Witches. This defiantly gives the show a twist and intertwines Vampires and Witches into one and from watching this episode, I found myself much more attached because of the more extreme situations.
3.That's a really difficult question to ask considering I can't narrow my answer down to one distinct character. I'd like to say Buffy because she's the hero in the show, being the brave Vampire Slayer, but as a character I'd have to be more drawn to Willow. Knowing that she started off as a nerdy, socially awkward student, I've started to see her grow has she becomes more involved in the Vampire Slaying.
4. I do agree with this statement. The plot and stories behind each character does fit into the stereotypical horror genre, however, I do feel that this show is more realistic in the sense of the actual reality parts in it (not including the vampires, etc). They are still High School students having to deal with popularity, mean girls, and being social outcasts.
1. I agree with Annice. From what I heard from the class I expected someone who was much more overweight. After watching the clip I would like to revoke my previous comment in class as I feel like maybe Alison Hannigan was chosen over Riff Regan simply because she is a better actress and fits the role more. While I have no insight onto this apparent "transformation" that will occur with Willow as I have not watched the show before this class, I feel like Hannigan plays Willow as a more interesting character than Regan does. While I do agree that Hannigan is skinnier, I think that her take on the character of Willow is also quirkier (although whether that is the director's decision or the actor's is something that we will never know...)
ReplyDelete2. I personally liked "The Witch" better because I just do not have the stomach for the vampire violence in "The Harvest" (cheesy special effects in all). I also found the story line to be more creative and interesting and a nice divergent from the vampire plotline.
3. I am most drawn to Giles because, although he too is a stereotype, I feel like he is the most real character. He acknowledges his "British stereotypes" and is generally just a nice guy. He also is one of the characters that is the most unexplained. We don't know anything about his personal life except that he came to work at this particular High School to aide Buffy.
4. I agree that the show is trying to be different but I'm not sure if there is much else to it. I feel like after three episodes I can not accurately judge how the rest of the show will pan out but I definitely think that this show is centered towards shock value. Yes it is campy and ridiculous as are the other shows in the "teen horror genre" but I feel like the show isn't nervous about pushing the line in terms of the sexuality that is normally a key factor in this genre. Especially compared to the vampire shows of today where the vampires are supposed to look young and attractive, from the onset this show makes it clear that it is not afraid to gross you out.
This Willow doesn’t seem to have the same meekness or absolute nonthreatening quality that the Alyson Hannigan Willow seems to have. Not that the Riff Regan Willow seems threatening or intimidating, she just seems not to be as small of a person, not just physically but internally small. Hannigan’s Willow seems more of a shrinking violet and that is what is what works I think for this character and I don’t think Regan had that same quality. It could have been a cop out on the producers part, but I think that the casting of Regan was wrong and it took away from the dynamic between Willow and the other main characters.
ReplyDeleteThe episode that stayed with me was “The Witch” because it didn’t feel as predictable or as cliched as the other episodes have felt to me. While the body swap plot device has been done before, it felt totally different and new here, because here it was so ridiculous and frightening, and at the end when the eyes appeared in the trophy, totally comedic. It also further explored the relationship between Buffy and her mother, who we haven’t seen much of up to this point.
As mean and one-dimensional as she is, Cordelia is the character I feel most drawn to. Her bitchiness is light and refreshing compared to all the other main characters who are just worrying about slaying and Buffy’s well-being. Buffy is so clearly the protagonist, and she’s always feeling that the weight of the world is on her shoulders, and that schtick gets kind of annoying to me after awhile. I would argue that Buffy is just as one-dimensional as Cordelia, but with Cordelia’s one-dimensionalness is meaner and more interesting to me.
I agree and disagree. So far, it seems to mainly be playing in the horror tropes while also twisting them, like the opening scene where the blonde turned out to be the real threat. So it’s successful in obeying the rules of horror but also rewriting them, but the show has this sense of self-awareness that, in turn, makes the show predictable, because we indeed expect the unexpected. Maybe this air of self-awareness will diminish as the show goes on and finds its way, but right now it is a little off-putting.
After watching the clip and seeing the previous Willow for myself, I could see that she wasn’t very unfit physically, she just has a large build. This leads me to conclude she wouldn’t have been practically unfit for the role. Sure, if they didn’t have a Willow in the show that didn’t have a rail thin torso a lot of unfortunate stereotypes would have been broken. Still Joss Wedon and the other writers are obviously trying to adjust many other attitudes concerning female empowerment, gender roles, high school social rules, and etc. If the goal was to play with (unfair) societal standards, why not add obesity to the pile? I can think of several possible reasons off the top of my head but of little evidence to back any up. Maybe it was a case of too many stereotypes to juggle. Maybe it was because they thought that a thinner Willow would attract more viewers. I don’t really know though, and I guess that, if we can’t ask Joss Wedon, we’ll just have to chalk it up with the other great unknowns of life.
ReplyDeleteI think the episode that stays in my mind most is the witch one because I found creepier and thus a little less corny than the other episode. For me it was the dolls that kind of freaked me out, and it was kind of creepy to see the mom’s eyes in the cheerleading trophy (kind of reminded me of a cross between Chucky and Team America: World Police )
The character I identify with most right now is Xander, partly because I can relate to being in his social status, his attitude/ occasional wit, being friend zoned, and being an ignorant teenage guy (and one who doesn’t realize he is friend-zoning the girl who is always at his side). However, what I really found interesting about his character is that just as Buffy breaks female stereotypes, Xander also breaks male ones. That whole scene where he says he has to ask Buffy out by “not beating around the bush but facing it like a man” was a great example. Xander seems to think a real man must confront danger and risk without fear or hesitancy. That a real man doesn’t ever “beat around the bush” and should always charge head on into problems like charging into a battle. On a side note, its also interesting to me that the manipulation of male stereotypes in the show hasn’t really come up during any of our discussions in class. I wonder why we’ve only covered female stereotypes when such great examples of males ones exist also. I think that if we look closer, especially at Xander’s character, we might find interesting topics about the male image he is trying (and kind of failing) to fulfill. This curiosity is the main thing that interest me about Xander compared to other characters.
I disagree on some of the things that the show is trying to “establish” itself as. For example, I think that the tender moments between Buffy and her mom is really just a subplot to make the character of Buffy more rounded. I don’t think that the show is trying to revolve around this mother-daughter relationship.
1) I don’t really have a preference on which Willow they should have picked, I think I would have loved the show either way. It could have been interesting to bring weight into the plot and I don’t believe it would have changed the show greatly. If anything, it could just add extra episodes in order to deal with the issue as well as another level of depth. With that being said, I am not opposed to the Willow, Alyson Hannigan, that they did end up casting, since she plays the role wonderfully by being timid, self-conscious, and out of the norm.
ReplyDelete2) The witch episode resonated more with me since I found the new plot about mother and daughter relationships more interesting than the plot in the previous episode. This episode is more of the start to the season since it starts to become more entertaining with the new story lines being intertwined that follow the overarching theme of growing up. We see in this episode Buffy rebelling against her mother, something that isn’t abnormal for teenage girls to do, or any teenager for that matter, since all tend to have conflicting views with their parents/guardians at some point in life. I enjoyed this plotline more than the previous ones that were mainly setting up the whole scenery for the show.
3) At this point I would have to say that Buffy is the most intriguing to me because I know the most about her fears to fit in, her angers towards being the slayer since she isn’t able to have a normal life, as well as her struggles with her mother. These are all, well, besides the anger towards being a slayer, relatable feelings that most teenagers have. The rest of the characters I find amusing, though there hasn’t been an episode yet that focuses on any in specific besides Buffy so it is difficult for me to feel any connection.
4) I believe that the writer of Buffy had an idea, and went with it. I’m sure that he wanted to “establish something different” when writing the script for the show since that is a way to draw in viewers. If every teen horror genre were the same, then it would become boring and monotonous. So yes, I guess I agree that it is attempting to “establish something different” while going using the teen horror genre as a base to create something different.
1. I think it might have been interesting to have a Willow whose body didn’t look like a model’s, but the previous actress didn’t seem to have to the same chemistry with the role as Alyson Hannigan. If they had wanted to explore that aspect of her character, I believe a different actress should have been chosen at least, although it is hard to imagine anyone else embodying the meek and slightly mousy computer nerd and her later dramatic transformation like Hannigan.
ReplyDelete2. The “Witch” episode stuck with me when I first saw it, and watching it again just reminded me why I liked it so much. One of my favorite things about it is the fact that the real monster is not some sort of scary creature from the depths of Hell, but rather a child’s own mother who is simply dissatisfied with her daughter and the loss of her youth, and I think in a way that makes it even more terrifying.
3. I personally consider Willow to be an extremely likable character. Perhaps it is her nerdy demeanor and quirky outfits, but I find myself really rooting for her. After barely knowing Buffy and understanding so little about vampires, she readily throws herself into the life-threatening work of helping the cause, and I find that to be rather admirable. She also just overall seems to be a very sweet and innocent character, making her later developments even more fascinating.
4. I agree. It has the demons and witches typical of the teen horror shows, but there seems to be an entire other dynamic to it. I personally do not enjoy that genre of television where the motive is screams and scares, but Buffy somehow manages to use the expected monsters to reach a broader connection with the audience and tell a much more interesting story about its characters and the real lives of humans.
While the decision to cast Alyson Hannigan as Willow may very well have been a cop out, I feel it was in the end a good decision. Perhaps I'm biased, having only seen Riff Regan for one scene and Alyson Hannigan for a whole series, but I don't feel like Regan captures Willow quite like Hannigan does. She delivers her lines in this scene in a serious matter, without quite the humor or cleverness of Alyson Hannigan. Regan's Willow seems plain, not quite as quirky as I feel Willow needs to be. Yes, Regan is a little bigger, and I feel like it could be interesting to have a Willow who's not quite as pretty as Alyson Hannigan, but I honestly don't think it was all about Regan's size. She's not that big at all, and while it would have been interesting to have a slightly different looking Willow, and I do think she could have done well in what we've seen so far, she isn't what I picture Willow being. I really struggle to answer this, because I'm just so used to Alyson Hannigan, I can't really accept anyone else being Willow.
ReplyDeleteI like both early episodes, and certain parts of each stuck with me, but I feel like Harvest stuck with me a little more. It's the first time we see Buffy, Willow, and Xander work together as a team and I find that really interesting. The moment when Xander looks at his old friend transformed into a vampire is not quite sure how to react shows how the show combines both horror and humor. Xander wants to save Jessi, and it's horrifying that he has to look at a monster with his friends face, but when he accidentally stakes him, it is pretty funny. Witch also has memorable moments, but Harvest just sticks with me more.
I feel most drawn to Willow early in the series. While I like the other characters, with the possible exception of Cordelia, who can be funny but is also kind of annoying, Willow is the most relatable early on. She's clever and shows that she has hidden skills with her computer hacking. While she follows a stereotype to a certain extent, Willow shows that she's more than just the little nerdy sidekick; even though it doesn't go as planned, she's brave standing up to Amy. She's loyal and overall a very likable character.
While some scenes are typical "teen horror" genre (the body falling out of the locker moment) The show does a good job of breaking certain stereotypes. The girls in this show are not the screaming damsels in distress. Buffy is definitely braver than Xander. The girl being the vampire in the first scene is also unexpected. So while it follows certain stereotypes, the show puts its a little twist these scenes and does bring something different to the genre. I would agree it establishes something new about itself.
ReplyDeleteI think the original Willow was far less of a drawing character–that is she just isn’t as captivating. I don’t think it is because of her size that she was cut, I think the new actress is a better overall actress. The old Willow just has a boring look to her. I think it is her hair and face more than weight. Based off of size, the old Willow could have worked, but the character definitely wouldn’t be as captivating.
The second episode stays with me more than the first one does. I think it is mainly because the episode wasn’t just about vampires, there were also witches. It also shows Buffy as more of a kid, and not just a vampire slayer and savior of the world. She tries out as a cheerleader and it shows her interactions with other high schoolers that aren’t major characters.
I would say I am most drawn to Buffy. So far, the other characters seem very one-dimensional. Willow is the shy and geeky girl, and Xander is the awkward boy whose jokes aren’t very funny. Cordelia is just a self-obsessed brat, and Giles is all business while making a joke here or there. Buffy is the only intriguing character so far as she has a nice side, a badass side, and a witty side.
I agree that the show is another teen horror show but at the same time it is trying to be unique. Instead of having a big strong guy be the hero, it is a small pretty girl, who fights. What is also unique is the age of everybody. They are all 16 years old, which is something different about the show.
1. Regarding the more full figured Willow in the original trailer, i stand by what i said in class. i believe that, although it would be nice to have a character that is not "model thin" as you put it, it would inevitably become a point of interest in the show. whether humorous or empowering, Willow as a more "normal" looking character who is completely comfortable in her own skin would simply not be within the parameters which we have learned to associate with this shy and insecure high school girl. Also, i really liked the point made in class today where someone pointed out that this quiet and skinny girl simply blends into the background. again, she's not exactly a character we think of as outgoing (well, not yet at least), and therefore her small mousy appearance fits better with the personality she is portraying.
ReplyDelete2. i enjoyed the season's third episode today, introducing us to a new monster living on the Hell Mouth. i like "Witch" because it shows Buffy and her team having to do research and experiments to figure out things they dont exactly know how to fix right away. also, the fact that they dont get it right the first time is good for the plot because, i mean, who wants the good guys to get it right without trying every time? i enjoy watching Buffy and her posy work for their wins, and find those kinds of episodes much more interesting to watch.
3. i have always found Giles an interesting character full of the mystery of his untold past. also, we're still learning what his job actually is as a Watcher in these first few episodes. unlike the fairly simple teenage characters crowding the show, Giles is the adult among them and a particularly important male figure in Buffy's life. He is unarguably brilliant, though charmingly ignorant when it comes to all things of the current century. Giles is an easy character to adore as well as an easy character to root for (not to mention the enticing british accent!) .
4. I agree that BVS is working hard to get into that specific teen horror drama TV niche. with all of the gules and goblins, vampires and witches, etc. there's no doubt that the viewers are expected to be a little spooked at times. although fitting into this tv category, Buffy is still a unique show. it has a broader message, reaching out to the awkward youths of the world who are searching for acceptance.
I think that Alyson Hannigan is a better Willow for several reasons. Willow is a frail and unsure girl who discovers her power after befriending Buffy. I think that whereas the ‘original’ Willow is perhaps less of a model type, she is more confident and is not as able to play the character that Whedon is looking for in Willow. Hannigan is able to show Willow as someone who lacks self-confidence, but still is a however attractive high school student. Saying that the original Willow would be less appealing or the producers wanted to use a skinnier actor is not accurate for me. I think that actors fit certain roles and Hannigan is able to fill that role much better.
ReplyDeleteThe second episode stuck with me more. In the first episode Buffy is still figuring out life in Sunnydale and is confronting her first wave of vampires. She is unsure about her slaying capacities and although she saves the world, the episode is centered on her. In the second episode, Buffy is able to show how helpful she can be with her slaying capacities. The pressure applied by parents and other adults can be immense. The mother stealing the body of her daughter, Amy, is a much more dramatic way of pinpointing the very real issue of parents smothering their kids with their own dreams. Buffy helps someone out a great deal and it shows how here abilities are a real gift.
As of now, I am most drawn to Buffy. As the slayer, she has experienced a crazy life of fighting the supernatural. She is a confident, charismatic and sometimes dangerous girl that draws the viewer in to the show. She stands as an independent girl who dominates over all those around her, whether in combat or in strength personality. I think that Buffy is obviously the most integral part of the show and she is coming from a completely different angle than the regular residents of Sunnydale.
I think that the show is definitely what you make of it. There is the teen horror plotline of fighting vampires and other demons, which provides entertainment. This is combined with the depiction of a teenage girl struggling with her identiy, her mother, her school and just about every other thing in her life. She goes through the same things that most people go through in High School and I think that if you are looking for that you can find it. The show, then, sets itself apart from the other teen dramas in giving real advice disguised with an exciting monster hunting plot.
1. Casting Hannigan for the role of Willow was definitely the easier route of the two actresses. The wallflower to strong, confident women role is easiest when portrayed by a model thin girl. With Hannigan as Willow the show can be more fluffy and light. I don't think that Riff Regan is that overweight, but she doesn't have the movie star body type. Even with the factor of beauty, Hannigan captures the meekness and shyness of Willow that Regan does not. They are both good actresses, but Hannigan works better as Willow. Regan's weight and not exactly movie star looks were probably factors in the switch, but Hannigan, in the end is a better fit, from the first few episodes that I have seen, for the part.
ReplyDelete2. The second episode sticks with me a little bit more. "The Harvest" did not stick with me as much because it was the first one that we watched and because it was a continuation of the first episode. In my mind it is just part of the other episode. "The Witch" stood out to me more because it was the first episode that we have seen that isn't setting up the story. It didn't take me long to realize that Amy was the witch, but I did not see that her mom was in her body until Buffy said it. I like that the show surprises me at a time where I am positive of the ending. The eyes in the end were really creepy. This episode is an example of the writers trying to find out where the show is headed. We see many relationships grow and we get to know each character. Sometimes the show makes me laugh, while other times it can make me want to roll my eyes. It is fun to watch and I am eager to see more episodes.
3. I feel that I can relate to Willow's character in the show. She is friendly, always willing to help a friend, shy, and self conscious. Any girl can relate to Willow. Buffy is set up to be so beautiful and confident that she is hard to relate too, especially considering the fact that she is a vampire slayer. Willow is a likable character who is consistently nice. Apparently, she grows into herself later in the series and becomes more confident in her own skin. This is normal for most teenagers and many women can identify with this growth. Willow is a character that we can root for as if she was ourselves. I am excited to watch her find her identity and become comfortable in her own skin through the show.
4. I definitely agree with this. From the beginning of the show it is easy to see that the writers are trying to make the show different. It is a show where the girls gets to be the vampire and kill the male victim and the big, strong vampire slayer is a teenage girl. The writers wanted to have this element be a big part of the show while still fitting into the teen horror show niche. There is more to this show than vampires trying to bring the end of the world and witches who are so desperate to cheerlead again that they are willing to kill and take over their teenage daughter's body. The show is also about female empowerment and teenage life in general. There are so many levels to the show that give the show a very interesting depth to it.
1. This might be because I’ve come to know and love all of the characters and the actors who play them, but I cannot see Willow being played by anyone other than Alyson Hannigan. I’m not saying that the bigger and less conventionally attractive actress couldn’t have done Willow justice; I’m just saying that Hannigan fits the role of Willow so well in my mind, I cannot imagine another actress in her spot. However unfortunate it is that Hannigan was likely chosen because of her more “appealing” appearance, I think Whedon made the right choice in casting her.
ReplyDelete2. I really loved “The Witch”. It’s nice to get a little break from vampires and see episodes with different kinds of monsters. Also, it was full of surprises and really kept you guessing: there were so many twists with the Amy/her mother/the witch situation it was a relief when it all finally came together.
3. I really find Willow to be the most interesting of the main characters at this point in the season. Like we’ve said in class, she’s introduced as this painfully shy and self conscious girl with few friends, but after only 3 episodes we’re already starting to see that she’s much more than that. Willow is showing bravery, cunning – she even stood up to Cordelia at one point. It’s interesting to watch her develop as a character.
4. I agree – it’s clear from the “vampire slayer” plot that the show fits into a teen horror genre, but it’s also evident that it’s trying to be more that that. The script is witty, which adds a comedic aspect to BVS, but it’s also deep and touches on tougher issues like Buffy and her mother’s relationship as well as Buffy just wanting to fit in and be normal.
While there seemed to be few problems regarding the depiction of Willow in the pilot, several of her physical attributes failed to fit the overall theme of the show. Buffy appears to be predominantly concerned with the inward struggle associated with coming of age and adulthood, as opposed to outward, societal concerns such as appearance and conformity. The Willow from the pilot would likely be primarily concerned with these outward pressures, as her weight, although a rather insignificant issue, places her well below the standard of social acceptability. While a completely viable topic of discussion, this particular Willow’s struggles have no place in the world of Buffy, thus making her a poor fit.
ReplyDelete“The Witch” had the most lasting impression on me, partially due to the fact that it dealt with issues applicable to the near entirety of high school student’s lives. An overbearing desire to satisfy one’s parent’s aspirations and desires is present in some form or another in many households, with Amy serving as the most glaring example.
I find Willow the most interesting out of the main characters so far, mainly due to her rapid evolution as an individual throughout the three episodes we have seen. Willow is gaining confidence in her individuality at a steady rate (as exemplified by her attempt to protect Buffy’s reputation while overhearing Cordelia in class), and is seemingly thriving under the influence of a strong willed individual such as Buffy. I am very interested to see where Willow progresses from this point onward, as in the moment she seems poised to eventually rid herself of many overbearing social constraints that confine her to the social hierarchy of the town of Sunnydale.
The fact that the show is attempting to figure itself out in some respect is very fitting. Buffy is, in some regard, a narrative about discovering oneself within a system with constrictive and defined boundaries. This is seemingly what Joss Whedon is attempting to do with the series itself, as he is searching for a balance between a sense of uniqueness and conformity, so that the series is both progressive and relatable at the same time.
It is difficult for me to look past my love of Alyson Hannigan to see another actress in her role, but I think that the other actress could have been an interesting character on the show. She would have been different though. The types of issues they brought up may have been different and how they approached the character, maybe not for her weight, but for another actor in general. Even if they did have another cute little redhead play Willow, she would have developed into another character.
ReplyDeleteThe second episode, The Witch, struck me. What it dealt with, competition in sports, was important. The level of nastiness girls can have towards one another when they have the same goal is a little scary. It was exaggerated in that the witch had the capability to bring that nastiness to a new level, but the feeling can still be there, just not as “evil”. It also brought up parents’ aspirations being forced on the teen as well as the guilt a parent can push onto a child (you’re wasting your youth).
Giles. He is very practical and mature. He wants to be totally in control and have Buffy just do what she’s told, but that isn’t happening. He has discovered teenagers and is totally flummoxed. I guess I get that and sympathize with it. He also is just quirky and sweet throughout the series and I have a serious love of him.
I agree. It fits within horror and teen comedy, but it seems to make fun of both and has an under layer that not many horror shows had. It turned everything on its ear in an interesting way.