That's right. I'm not dead, folks.
Before I get MILLIONS of comments asking me where I've been (seriously guys, I know I'm popular, but come on now!), let me explain. I just recently moved. I work a lot more. Also, I became completely lethargic and stopped caring so much about the internet and movies. Would you believe I didn't watch the Oscars this year. I know! Blasphemy!
I realize now I should've began blogging the moment I decided to re-watch all the seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I didn't. It didn't even cross my mind. I know, it's crazy. I should've realized that in the year 2013 Buffy the Vampire Slayer blogs are in HIGH demand. I regret not jumping in on this sooner. #hashtagsarcasm
But really, regardless of what things are current and popular at the moment, this is my damn blog, and not that many people follow it, so I can actually blog about whatever I want. I would've loved to blog about Buffy seasons 1-4, but I didn't, okay? Since there's no way I'm watching all that again anytime soon, I'll sum it up for you: Buffy slays, Angel broods, Xander's cute, Willow's overrated but all the fans love her, Angel and Buffy sex, Angel loses soul, Angel bad, Angel go away, wah wah wah, Mayor is evil, Faith slays too, Faith and Mayor team up, Mayor dead, Riley sucks, Spike is hot, evil humanoid demon cyborg.
On to season 5, which I believe to be the best season of Buffy. This perspective did not come to me until I began watching season 6, which is a highly problematic and flawed season of television. Mostly I want to blog about season 6, but I haven't finished re-watching yet, and I feel like I need to do that before I give you my final thoughts.
Anyway, season 5. Many fans had problems with the introduction of Dawn, Buffy's (fake) sister, but I think it was carried out well. As you know, Dawn wasn't really Buffy's sister--she was The Key, a mystical ball of energy that could unleash hell dimensions hidden inside a teenager's body and sent to the Slayer for protection. Simple stuff. Yes, I know Dawn can be annoying. But would it have been better if Dawn *wasn't* annoying? 15 year-olds are annoying. As for Michelle Trachtenberg, she did a fine job, and in the end, liking Dawn isn't really important. What's important is that the viewer understands how important Dawn is to Buffy. It doesn't matter that Buffy knows Dawn is fake--she still loves her.
Glory is also the show's best villain...well okay, a few notches below Angelus. But only a few. She's an actual match for Buffy, unlike Adam or the Mayor, really, and she's pretty funny.
Plus we've got all this sexual tension erupting between Spike and Buffy. For most of the season, Spike's obsessive feelings toward Buffy are unrequited. In the end, though, after proving to the Scoobies that he's on their side by not revealing to Glory that Dawn is The Key, Buffy respects Spike and even (squee!) KISSES HIM!
The finale is perfection, and I believe 'The Gift' is the best episode in Buffy's run. Even better than 'Once More With Feeling', which--while good--is overrated. The season ends perfectly and tragically. Glory is defeated, but The Key has been activated, and the world's about to end. Instead of sending Dawn to her doom to close the portal, Buffy jumps in as the ultimate sacrifice. She dies. Death was her gift, y'all.
Yes, her death is sad, but things have been resolved between the characters. Spike had earned Buffy's respect, and before she died he knew he'd moved up in her eyes. Anya and Xander survived what was almost the Apocalypse (again) and they're gonna get married! Tara got her brain back. Dawn...well, Dawn's life sucks, but it would be fun being raised by the Scooby Gang.
Sometimes good endings are sad. If 'The Gift' was the last episode of Buffy, it would've been sad, but it would've been good. Yes, the main character died, but it closed the story. All slayers die young. Buffy died saving the world. The end. Curtains close. Tragic and beautiful and oh, the sads.
But it wasn't to be the end. Buffy season 6, while not a complete failure, shows the dangers of not being able to walk away from something. I'm reminded of a Seinfeld episode where George decides that he has to make his exit while he's still 'on top', for example, walking abruptly out of the room after making a funny joke. I'm thought also of a line, told in a different context, in the season 6 episode 'Once More With Feeling': when you bow, you leave the crowd.
I'll be back next week with my wrap-up of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6, and how its existence tainted the run of one of television's best shows.
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