Buffy's Thoughts on Hush

The idea of talking just being waiting for someone else to finish speaking was just one of the ideas that came from my thinking about "Hush." I started writing about what makes this episode scary, and I tried to think about the deep emotional scary stuff because I figured that's what we are supposed to be doing, and then I got this idea and I realized it scared me very much.

One of my biggest fears is being totally and completely misunderstood by those around me that I love, and there is nothing scarier than the idea of one day realizing that all you every do with your boyfriend, or best friend, or husband/wife/ and family is sit and share words, without ever really listening, without ever really taking in what they are saying.

You know how when you are at a big family picnic and your mom is sharing her story about her one night stand with Chuck Norris, and some awkward in-law you don't like says something like, "If you think that is awesome, guess who I!..." You feel bad for your poor aunt/sister/cousin who married that shmuck because you can see her life set out before her, a life filled with un-fulfillment.

I cannot help but that these kind of thoughts must have been steamrolling through Buffy's head as she wandered the streets of Sunnydale, trying to keep it's residents safe from The Gentlemen.

The Sound of Silence

This past episode of Buffy was pretty cool I'll admit. What a brilliant way to show the clutter that words can cause in a relationship. I was particularly amused how at the very end of the episode when Buffy and Riley have their voices back and need to speak, neither can come up with anything.

As I mentioned, it was a very clever way of displaying communication. In the beginning, we're going to show you a couple of different relationships and how they are unable to live up to their potential, mainly because the individuals involved are not able to express their needs/wants/desires. Once verbal communication is stripped, the characters are forced to actually listen to one another.

I'm a big baby when it comes to scary things, but this episode was more creepy than anything. Between the constant silence and the gentlemen it just felt weird. I thought it was interesting that they showed them(though they didn't really show anything) cutting out the hearts. Years ago, that may have been a bit much, but by today's standards it was nothing. Fantastic movies like Saw and Hostel(by the way I wish there was icon that you could click like for bold or italics that would indicate sarcasm) have desensitized our country. The cutting to us is not a big deal at all.

Buffy.O

Just found out if anyone is interested. The original Buffy movie is streaming on Netflix. Nostaglia inducing.

"Hush" Gets Into Your Head

The one thing that completely stuck with me about this episode was the immense horror I felt at a seemingly mundane loss- the inability to communicate. It is something we all generally take advantage of. We can open our mouths at any second and express how we feel clearly and concisely. While watching the episode in class, I felt as if I couldn't speak. I was on the edge of my seat, very close to mouthing everything, as opposed to actually speaking. I felt trapped in a silent hell with the characters. This horror that we feel stems from a lack of control. For some, the body is the only thing one can be completely in control of. An example of this type of lack of control is cancer. For those who experience it, the degenerative effect of cancer can be the most horrific experience of one's life. I watched my father degrade before my eyes and before he passed away, he completely lost the ability to communicate. It is very difficult now for me to take my ability to communicate for granted. This emotion is clearly evoked in those who have watched "Hush".

Considering the ramifications of "Hush"

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this episode of BtVS immensely, which is even more surprising when one considers that I am not a fan of most things “scary.” I still am a bit unsure about the series in general, but that may be due to my lack of background knowledge and experience with the series before this class. (And yes, Dr. H, I did read the handout before we watched the episode; I just think I need to see the character development to truly enjoy the show.)

I was left with a series of questions, though, that went unanswered through the course of the episode; though in all fairness, they could be a result of my OCD-like desire to have storylines properly supported and thoroughly brought to resolution at their closure, but it did bother me that there were so many things left unsaid nonetheless:

• Why did the “gentlemen” need hearts? Why seven, other than the relatively well-known mystical associations accorded that number?
• How do they choose the victims/hearts? They could have picked the first seven people they came across and been done with it, but they didn’t; at one point they specifically bypass several doors before choosing a particular one. Why that one and not the ones before it, hmmm?
• What happens if/when they acquire all seven of the necessary hearts? What is Buffy’s motivation to prevent them acquiring them? For a protagonist to strive so fiercely to prevent something, there must be an equally pressing reason spurring them – so where is Buffy’s motivation to stop the “gentlemen,” other than the desire to save the seven lives; what is really at stake (no pun intended) here?

Also, I am happy to point out, as I did in class, that I am impressed by Whedon for paying homage to the original purpose and style of fairy tales. They were not the happy, cutsie, everything-always-ends-well-for-everyone-good-and-on-a-happy-note (aka “Disney”) sort of story endings that we are used to today; fairy tales were much darker, wrought by violence, death, and pain – but then, the intended audience wasn’t teensy kiddies before bedtime, as it seems to be now. Want a “true” version of a fairy tale? Read the Brothers Grimm version of “Sleeping Beauty” – she wasn’t woken up by a happy, pleasant kiss …

"Don't Say a Word"

Dear, dear. While I don't take back my earlier comments, I quite enjoyed "Hush." If the show continues in this direction, I think I will eventually like it. The writing was much more adult-themed than the rather juvenile jokes of Season 2. Yes, it had bad moments, but it was overall such an improvement over "Surprise" and "Innocence" that I may have considered it for that Emmy.

Anyway, enough raving. When people can't talk, the world is apparently a lot more simple. There was also a great deal more physical contact. Xander's caveman routine didn't feel like it actually solved anything in his and Anya's relationship, but whatevs. It's also interesting that people are either silent or they talk too much when nervous. Buffy and Riley start out babbling, but end up in complete silence. This total inability to meaningfully communicate obviously spells doom for their relationship. I would honestly theorize the same thing for Xander and Anya, because a) all relationships end, usually through a breakup, and b) their relationship is far too much about the physical, and it seems like Xander may be taking some advantage of Anya's naiveté to have sex with her.

I kinda don't know where I was going with that, but I will save it by doing my random tidbits:

• That dream at the beginning was disturbing and inappropriate...
• Teehee at orgasm friend
• OMG, Giles and Spike fanfic!
• And, not as fun, but Xander and Spike fanfic, he was totally channeling Anya in that scene
• SMG looks like she had some work done, but she definitely looks anorexic
• I'm pretty sure those Wiccans don't know what a bacchanal is, they really don't seem like the orgy-party type
• Why wasn't Spike burning from all the light coming through the windows?
• Willow still has some stupid lines, but at least she has pretty hair
• I'm glad they pared down the cast, but no Cordelia T_T
• Willow and Tara totally had a Charmed moment!
• The Gentlemen were creepily adorable, the Footmen, not so much. I thought they were gonna rape that poor college kid
• The show's better without all the semi-boring vampires running around
  

All Quiet on the Buffyern Front

Let the video play while you read the post!



What is there to say about "Hush" that has not already been said? There are creepy guys that float around and make other guys quiet. It's brilliant or something. Emmy? Didn't win, but it was nominated. That's something. The humor was strong and people laughed and/or giggled.

So I shall talk about something new ... Music!

It's easy to forget about composers of normal TV shows because the music is not what is made to stand out during normal episodes. Sure, there are "tunes" during the opening and ending of most shows, but they are constant and expected. The opening theme for Buffy, for example, is entirely appropriate and entirely dull.

The music during "Hush," however, is something a bit different. Since the speakers are silent, the music and sound during the episode become a character unto themselves. This is particularly noticeable during the part of the episode where the individuals on campus are just beginning to learn of their loss of speech. The room is filled with silently sobbing students when a bowl is shattered on the ground. The sound of the breaking is magnified purposefully in order to present a contrast from what is expected.

The music of the episode turns into a character because of the destruction of the other characters as vessels of sound. The music from the video tells the story of the final battle of the episode without having to even watch it.

Another song used in the episode is the "Danse Macabre," a famous tune that illuminates the story that Giles is telling during the projector scene. Here is another video with that song:



As you can see from the video, the music is able to tell a story without words. It's a little amateurish, sure, but it is still an excellent example of how music can create and supplement a narrative.

This definitely supports the idea that "Hush" is paying homage to the silent film era where music was used as an overlay for the still silent films of the time.

Insert clever ending sentence or phrase here.

Hush- Talk is Cheap

Communication seems to be the theme of "Hush". Communication is defined as a means of transfering information. In the beginning of the episode Buffy and Riley have difficulty verbalizing their feelings for each other. Xander and Anya are unable to discuss their relationship effectively. Anya wants clarification of Xander's feelings but Xander doesn't want to talk about it. Willow and Tara are members of a Wiccan group who don't really talk about anything Wiccan. They both struggle to verbalize their frustrations with the group. There seems to be a lot of verbalization occurring in the beginning but no successful communication.

When the "gentlemen" appear the verbalization ceases but communication actually improves. Buffy and Riley show their feelings for each other with the much anticipated kiss. Xander and Anya's relationship improves when Xander shows his feelings, through his actions, which he was unable to prove when he had his voice. Willow and Tara are able to communicate strength by the joining of hands and accomplishing the goal of blocking the door from the "gentlemen". When verbalization skills are removed people are more likely to spend the time choosing what they truly wish to communicate.

Uncanny Valley and "Hush"

Can't even shout, can't even cry
The Gentlemen are coming by
Looking in windows, knocking on doors
They need to take seven and they might take yours
Can't call to mom, can't say a word
You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard.

This rhyme sets the stage and mood for “Hush,” one of the most highly regarded episodes of BtVS, and the only one to receive and Emmy nomination. Most of my friends that are involved with the cult of Buffy think of this one as their favorite episodes. The nightmarish creatures that Buffy encounters in this episode, The Gentlemen, bring a level of creepy that the show had not displayed before or after. The reason the basically-human-looking Gentlemen are so disturbing is their closeness to humanity they fall squarely into uncanny valley.

For the uninitiated, uncanny valley is the name of a phenomenon in appearance from the entertainment business. The rule is that the closer something appears to being human, the less relateable and the more disturbing the character's appearance. The reason for this is that we, the audience, pick up on small discrepancies in movement or any number of other things and know that the image is wrong. The Gentlemen, with their rictus grins of metal teeth, pale corpse visages, and silent, miming communication, fall squarely in at the bottom off uncanny valley. 

I don't own the image, and this article about uncanny valley is at http://www.sarahangliss.com/spotted/uncannyvids

"Hush": Speaking Volumes Without Saying a Word

Although I've never dreamed about it, one of the things I find most horrifying is if I were in danger and screamed and shouted and cried and no one was aware of what was happening and couldn't hear me to save me. That feeling of powerlessness and being completely isolated is chilling, which is why I find "Hush" to be so disturbing. The first time I saw it, years ago, I was by myself in my room (sneaking around my parents' strictness, of course) and I was tense. I had to be very aware of what was going on outside my bedroom, so I could change the channel or turn the tv off and pretend to be doing something else if a sibling or my mom happened to walk in. Hence my emotional state was nearly always heightened, further enhancing the creepy affect of the episode. The part where the Gentlemen take their first heart is the scariest to me, the slow, deliberate movements and the soundless plight of the victim. So much care and time is taken to cut a heart out of a living person who can't, no matter how hard he tries, call for help. He dies torturous and lonely death. "You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard."

When I was younger, I was quiet, and allowed my voice to get lost amidst the much louder voices of my family and friends, so the impact of the silencing of the characters in this episode has stayed with me. I had a deep-seated fear that I was inconsequential and that if I died, no one would care and everyone would carry on as normal and forget about me. Also, as a writer and shy person, I feel more able to communicate through the written word than the spoken. There are many times when I feel like I can say something better if I text it or e-mail it, and I found some humor in the message boards the characters carry as a precursor to cell-phone texts.

The second viewing of "Hush" has taught me that you don't always need words to communicate, that it's okay, even essential, to just "be" with a person, saying nothing and everything at once. Riley and Buffy share their true feelings when they are deprived of the option of speaking. Willow and Tara connect through a combining of essence when they stop and take that moment to recognize in each other a quality that can't be defined, but must be felt. Xander is hampered by words, being unable to communicate to Anya how he feels about her, and in this episode he epitomizes the cliche "actions speak louder than words." But often a cliche is a cliche for a reason: because there is some truth in it.

As Joss Whedon says, "Once we start talking we stop communicating." I think he is referring to our penchant for talking and talking and talking but not stopping to consider if we are really saying anything worthwhile.

"Hush" & Speak No More

Even now "Hush" remains as the scariest episode of Buffy in all seven seasons. For me, not only was it the creepiest episode in all of television, but it meditated on a primal fear I have (and many people share) of not being able to call for help if I'm in danger. We mentioned in class the kind of dreams you have when you're either completely silent or cannot run away from someone, or something in this case, if they are trying to hurt you. This fear is also reverberated as the little girl in Buffy's dream sings, "Can't call to mom, can't say a word, you're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard." The capability of having a voice and knowledge of speech is a very powerful weapon because everything is verbalized but sometimes not communicated. Living in silence tends to be more frustrating and difficult, but communication becomes more absolute; the power of voice is ultimately the only weapon needed to defeat the monster in the end.

The appearance of the Gentlemen...well, you've seen them! The ear to ear grin, metallic teeth and sinister expressions are enough to give anyone the "wiggins." What was always interesting to me was their politeness to each other and the smooth way they communicated. The elegant gestures of the hands, the suits, the grateful nodding, the amusing golf clap once the hearts had been collected and the floating! They are the ultimate boogeyman...men. The score that played in their presence also matched them perfectly, and I recalled myself thinking about The Shining.

The humor I greatly appreciated to cut the tension. Xander and Spike really had some good times, while Buffy and Anya relied on interesting choices of gestures to convey their messages. And I think the Projection scene is pretty much immortalized at this point. :)

I found these pictures on Google. Someone embroidered a pillow with Giles animations of the Gentlemen. Haha!

Hush Hype

The thing that I like about the episode Hush is the hype. When this episode first aired on TV I hadn't been faithfully watching, but when I saw the preview for an all-new Buffy tonight I had to tune it. The preview featured the creepy little girl singing, and a few choice images of just enough of the Gentlemen, to make me, a closet horror movie junkie really want to give Buffy a special shot tonight.

This was truly one of those episodes that deserved all the hype it got. The idea that we fail to communicate when we rely too heavily on words is an incredible concept and something very brave for a teen TV show to admit. Some people have been mentioning the cringe-worthiness of some of the dialogue, and I will be the first to admit that is true. But, it was also very smart of Joss to realize that and to change it, at least for one episode. It was an innovative idea taking a show that was known for its snarky characters with quick wits and tongues. By putting them in a circumstance beyond their control where they are at a loss for words, literally, it forces the viewer to realize how futile talking can be if you are not getting your point across.

Isn't it frustrating when you are talking with someone and you feel like you both are simply waiting for your turn to speak (to quote Fight Club)? Words can only get you so far, because even when someone "understands" what you are saying it is usually because of a combination of clues, not just verbal, that have allowed two or more people to communicate.

Just some reminders...

Hey Folks. You are doing a great job on these blog posts, but I would love to see even more commenting. You'll notice that (starting this week), I've been jumping in with more of my own comments, trying to be provocative in places, and just trying to keep the conversation going.

Also, don't forget that you can use "labels" in your posts: those keywords that will associate posts with linked topics. (See the box on the bottom right of your posting screen.) If you are especially ambitious, you can go back and add labels to your older posts. You'll also see that Blogger does some auto-completing, offering to put in labels that already exist for other posts. Pretty cool stuff.

I notice that Phil has introduced the label "creepers." As a fan of that word and concept (it makes me laugh and I think it's kind of clever and poetic), I'd love to see how often that one gets used!

Hush Little Baby Don't Say a Word: I mean you can try but...

In class this past Tuesday we watched the Buffy episode "Hush" and I was ridiculously freaked out by the demeanor as well as the appearance of the "Gentlemen". The entire episode was disorienting to me, although it was still entertaining, because of the lack of verbal speech used in the episode. The lack of spoken speech was still really effective and showed to me the importance of communication (strongest particularly between the Gentlemen, and weakest between the characters of the "scoobies"). After watching this episode I was able to distinguish the difference between talking between people and communication. When one talks with another individual, they just exchange words, which doesn't necessarily mean that those in the conversation understand what is being said. When people communicate, like in the case of the Gentlemen, with their hand gestures and head nods, the individuals in the conversation not only understand the words being said but the intent of their conversation.

"Welcome to prime time, b****!" Freddy Krueger: the unseen gory moments are residual effects of censorship

In class it was brought up not showing the hearts cut out by the Gentleman not being shown somehow makes it scarier. A lot of people argue what you can't see in horror movies makes them scarier. Many people have this retro-attitude towards scary movies, if we don't see it makes it scarier. Now I can't argue what people find to be scary but in my mind this notion is ridiculous. Some may argue that our society is desensitized to a point that some physical actions, seeing them ruins it somehow. Due to my desensitization I want some gore and disturbing plots if I actually want to be scared, not return to the age when they couldn't show blood, guts, gore, etc.

I think if WB would have let Joss Whedon show the college kids heart being cut out, he would have. This would also require Buffy to be aimed towards a mature audience. I doubt it was left out to make things be "scarier". One reason I could assert this off the use of the henchmen's movement and the appearance of the Gentlemen. These things will stick with me long past the prospect of a college student getting their heart cut out. If things are creepier if you can't seem them, then would the ultimate bad guy be one you'd never see? I don't think so.

If they had shown it, it may not have been creepy though. Probably only due to a lack of imagination in the kill or too much see C.G.I. (more red corn syrup please). This brings to mind Freddy Krueger. The visuals of the character Freddy, the scenery and the kills are still something I recall. Freddy Krueger came into mind when we watched this episode because of the initial nursery rhyme at the beginning of the episode. I don't know if this was a rip-off, coincidence or homage, but instantly I started thinking about the series. I grew up watching the movies due to an older brother who bullied me into watch them, telling me the monster at the bottom of the stairs would eat me if I went up stairs and other such fabrications older siblings love to do. Now we have a tradition of watching scary movies when we get together, trying to find something that will scare us. (By the way last winner for those of you who like scary movies and have Netflix was called Funny Games.)

So feeling all sentimental and fuzzy I searched through Youtube to find a decent Freddy Krouger montage. To my dismay I found a lot of clips backed by crappy music and/or narcissistic and somewhat creepy commentary.

The ones posted below have decent commentary behind them so I chose them. You need a Youtube account to view the site because you have to click that you are 18.

Top 10 Freddy Kills Part 1

Top 10 Freddy Kills Part 2

This link is for people who don't want to join youtube.

Top 10 Freddy Kills (I don't want more junk email by joining another site)

Radio Opposite

Nosferatu- Also a vampire (coincenence?)

I remember when I first saw "Hush" when it first aired those many years ago. At the time I thought it was the best episode, not only for the creepy "gentlemen" (which I thought were very original) but for the fact that there was no dialogue through most of the episode. It was such a creative idea and I love creative ideas.

Everything that is filmed now seems to have to be loud and chaotic. This episode of Buffy made you have to pay attention to visuals. What I realized while watching it again was that the show reverted back to a silent film era. This might not be a "eureka!" notion but it is not something most filmmaker's are willing to play with in this 20th/21st century. This episode, minus the sound effects, played like an early century silent movie. All there was were visuals. The slide show that Giles made even acted as the text cards that would appear in the movies to add the minor dialogue and story. (This was a strange coincidence because only last week we had to watch Nosferatu in my French class).

I also like to think of this silent film as "radio opposite" because the radio gives you all sounds but no picture. This episode gave you all picture and no sound. It made you have to use your imagination and sort of "rewrite" the episode in your mind. The acting made you think of the dialogue they were not saying. It created a little mystery which I always find intriguing.

Hush........ (so I can cut out your heart.)

Wow. This episode of Buffy blew my mind. I’d like to begin by addressing the “Gentlemen.” I am ashamed to say being alone in my apartment on Tuesday night was very unsettling. I couldn’t help but feel like I would turn around to see a pair of floating men, smiling from ear to ear, ready to cut out my heart. This episode was the perfect mixture of creepy and hilarious. The banter between Spike and Xander was great, especially when talking about Xander’s girlfriend, however, nothing was funnier than the scene in the lecture hall. Nobody could speak, yet, it was the most hilarious part of the episode. The facial expressions and hand gestures were way more amusing than any verbal remarks. Everything is just funnier when there are no words. The scene was like a game of Pictionary or charades. This episode shows how much we rely on our voices.

Although the silence made for some very funny moments it also created a very scary atmosphere. I think Whedon really got into the minds of the viewers and pegged some of their biggest fears. Most of this episode takes place in the dark. Who isn’t afraid of the dark every once in a while? The characters are unable to speak throughout most of this episode which had me questioning what I would do if I was hurt and no one could hear me. It is not something I had ever really even thought about until now. Now I am terrified. (Thanks, Mr. Whedon.) Then there are the floating “gentlemen.” Their objective is to cut out the hearts of the people in town. No matter who you are, I would bet this episode touched on at least one of your fears. I think that is what made this episode so intriguing. The concept of getting your voice taken away is scarier than the appearance of the “gentlemen.” Even if they wore bunny masks it would still be scary. The fact that their faces are smiling and crazy-looking is just an added bonus.

This episode pushed me toward Buffy fandom. There were a few questions that did not get answered such as what the gentlemen planned to do with the hearts, but it did not bother me during the episode because I was so caught up in the drama and scariness. I kind of liked how I had to use my imagination to answer some of those questions. Perhaps they needed seven hearts for seven heart transplants. I don’t know. This episode made me think and I really enjoyed watching it.

Week 3: "Well, I guess we have to talk."

Riley: "Well, I guess we have to talk."

Buffy: "I guess we do."

-- "Hush," 4.10

First of all, I'm glad I saw this episode before class so I was prepared for the creepiness and could practice not jumping at certain moments (particularly the scene where Olivia is at the window and one of The Gentlemen floats by).

I hadn't heard much about the most acclaimed episodes of Buffy before watching "Hush," so during my marathon over break, I was caught off guard since it seemed quite different from most other episodes. After a little time on Google, I had my "a-ha!" moment when realizing how skillfully crafted the episode is -- the perfect mixture of scary, funny, and productive as far as plot development. "Hush" is the complete package.

Aside from the relationship developments which notably occur during the silenced portion of the episode, I kept thinking about why The Gentlemen seem to be arguably the worst (as in scariest/most dangerous) villains from Buffy. Silence scares us. The inability to communicate creates obstacles we don't even realize exist until the very moment; the unpredictability is the most unsettling part of quietness.

For example, The Gentlemen float above the ground -- they don't even "communicate" with any surface, so no one can hear them coming. When the victims do see them coming, it's impossible to get help. Sounds create verbal context for us which then create reason, followed by a feeling of ease.

Furthermore, most villains on Buffy are famous for their one-liners or grand speeches delivered to Buffy explaining why they need to kill her (but she kills them anyway). The Gentlemen provide no real reason to target Buffy. The explanation for their actions (the fairytale) only comes through Giles in the awesome projector scene. Therefore, viewers are only put in the position of the victim. Though The Gentlemen communicate with each other, they all wear the same huge grin, so even more information is lost about any insight the viewer could obtain from something like facial expressions.

The final lines of the episode are great: "I guess we have to talk." After all of the chaos with The Gentlemen, Buffy and Riley fall into a true silence since at that moment their relationship is unpredictable, too.

Hush: A Recap

First and foremost, I must say that "Hush" is the first Buffy episode (of the three I've seen, of course) to have held me enthralled from its opening. The episode's rapidly escalating plot, witty dialogue, and creepy antagonists turned it into a "mini movie" of sorts, drawing me into another world and holding me there for its entire duration. As a result, my notes on the episode are rather sparse, for I was not able (as with both previous episodes) to rely on cheesy scenes to take note of all the important points that preceded them. Rather, I found myself rushing to write down anything of substance as my eyes strained away from my notebook and toward the projector screen. I wanted to make absolutely sure that I didn't miss some good humor, which seemed to simply ooze out of everyone, from Buffy and her "hand signals" to Spike's position as the "harmless vampire house guest". Also, having been throughly intrigued and slightly spooked by the town's smiling visitors, I was anxious to see what would become of, not only Buffy's usual "gang", but the entire town. Finally, I was thoroughly impressed with the execution (and general idea!) of the silent portion of this episode, which infused it with a depth of emotion and horror that would have otherwise been impossible.

What you can say when you don't say anything (week 3)

Though the title of the episode is "Hush" it never occured to me that all the characters would be silent for over half of the show. Prior to seeing it, I immediately thought that this specific episode had something to do with Buffy's being a slayer secret getting exposed. Boy was I wrong! I thought this episode was great though. I have never watched a television program where all the characters were silent, but it made me wanna go watch old silent films. I liked how all of the characters were more in touch with feeling their emotions instead of saying them. A great example of this was when Buffy and Riley almost kissed when they had their voices, but they actually kissed once they were silent. The characters all had to find a new way to express themselves, besides the obvious writting things down. They each had their own way of getting people's attention, and the characters used their facial expressions a lot more because it was their main form of communication. Also, the music did a great job of telling the story. It was loud and each piece specifically went along with the scene. The music allowed for me to know when things were about to get creepy and when something big was about to happen which I really enjoyed. Through the soundtrack of their actions, I was able to experience television in a whole new way. I payed more attention to the charaters and their every move because anything could have been communication.

In the article for this episode by Wilcox she quotes Whedon saying in his commentary, "As soon as you say something, you've eliminated every other possibility of what you might be talking about." I think this is something to think about.

Prompts for Response Paper #2

Prompts for Response Paper #2:

Due Tuesday, February 1 in class (and before class on turnitin.com)

For most of these prompts, do your best to incorporate some of the moves Harris talks about in Chapter 1 of Rewriting.

1)      “Talking about communication, talking about language—not the same thing.” These words, spoken by Professor Walsh, open “Hush.” Discuss this idea, beginning with some discussion of how “Hush” illustrates (or fails to illustrate) it and then seeing where the response takes you.

2)      “Hush” was the only episode of Buffy to receive a major Emmy nomination—for writing. What do you make of this? There are lots of ways you could go here—you could talk about the Emmy’s complicated relationship with “genre” shows, what this says about TV writing (how it’s about more than just dialogue), what this says specifically about the writing in “Hush” and why it deserved praise (or didn’t), or something else. Just pick one angle and go with it.

3)      Pick one of your classmate’s blog posts and respond to it in the way that Harris writes about in Chapter 1 of Rewriting. In other words, “give the text its due and then make use of it” (15). (Wide open…)

4)      In Chapter 1 of Rewriting, Harris explains that in some ways, “we all write our own Don Quixote,” meaning that “in coming to terms with others, you also say a good deal about who you are as a writer, about your own interests and values” (15). In your response, write about your own “coming to terms” with “Hush.” In other words, pick an aspect to focus on, summarize, etc. and do something with it. (Another wide open topic.)

5)      “Hush” is one of the scariest episodes of Buffy, a show that actually isn’t scary all that often. If you agree that it is a scary episode, discuss why you feel that way. Or argue the opposite point.

Innocence post 1/23/11

Innocence is a very complex episode; the episode is, on the first layer, is simply a boy doesn’t call after sleeping with the girl. The complexity increases with contrasts between the good couple (Buffy/Angel) and the bad couple (Spike/Dru), along with some complex symbols and some not-so-subtle innuendo. 

The Buffy/Drusilla parallels are many, with Drusilla acting as Buffy’s evil reflection, though she doesn’t have the goatee and red sash to warn us. During Buffy’s dream sequences Buffy and Dru are clothed alternately as opposites (wearing white/black symbolizing Buffy’s purity vs Dru’s sexual depravity) then both in white, Dru covered in blood to show her violent nature.

All in all, Buffy is a hell of a lot more complex than I initially realized, Xander is still the best character, and the Angel/Dru sexual dynamic is a lot creepier when you think about it as sire/sired. This class is really re-introducing me to Buffy and I like her a whole lot better this time around, though she and Angel really are the loudest kissers on the block.

Undecided...

I have never been a huge Buffy fan, truth be told it has never quite caught my interest like Whedon’s other works Firefly, Dr.Horrible, etc.. That being said I am willing to give Buffy a chance, I mean Whedon is a fantastic writer and if a show can get so many people to almost form a “cult” over it then there must be something I am missing.

Having only watched some of the first season I am now trying to dwell into this world of Buffy, sometimes its hard because there are some real stupid episodes mixed in with the actual good ones, I also having trouble really caring about Buffy. Unlike Mall from Firefly whom I found very easy to understand and care about because he had some glaring flaws and I could relate to him better. The other characters however I think I may like better, Xander and Willow for instance.

Maybe this is just my Buffy ignorance speaking and I will actually learn to care about Buffy as the show progresses. We will see this should be fun!

Response to "Innocence"

I have to say that out of the "Surprise" and "Innocence" episodes, I found "Innocence" to be the more engaging in terms of drama and suspense. It is still taking awhile for this series to grow on me, and I don't know whether or not I will truly become a fan of it, but it is easy to see how this series has gained so many followers with its plot twists and intricate character interactions.

The culmination of Buffy and Angel's relationship into an intimate sexual act, and the devastating transformation of Angel into his old evil self draws the viewer in and allows for the viewer to sympathize with Buffy's situation. At some point in our lives most of us will allow ourselves to be intimate with someone else, and they will probably end up hurting us in the same way that Buffy encounters heartbreak (minus the supernatural). We will all have to deal with losing our innocence, and once it is gone we cannot get it back. We can only hope that when we allow ourselves to be so open with someone, they won't turn into a soul-less vampire and ignore our phone calls.

Interesting take on social issue

After watching the sequence of events from "Innocence" and the episode prior, it's interesting to ponder the impact these episodes could have had on the show's target audience, teenage girls.

High school is a time when sex is practically force fed to you, whether it be friends, movies(I remember the American Pie movies being huge when I was in h.s) or any other media outlet. It's nice to see that Buffy shows that yeah, you can have sex, but there will be consequences and often(especially when it involves high school aged people) they are not the most pleasant.

Shows often don't stances on social issues, and while this particular instance was a bit subtle, at the same it wasn't. I don't believe that every high school girl watching this show was convinced to save her virginity after watching "Innocence" but I would think some percentage of the audience at least looked at the consequences and made some sort of connection in their mind. Of course, high school girls aren't exactly the most logical people on the planet so maybe I'm over-estimating them.

Innocence: How it Sits With My Subconscious

In order to write an original and unique blog post about the recent episode of Buffy that we watched in class, I felt as if I should do a post that was in complete stream-of-consciousness form. I was inspired to do this post by my reading Mrs. Dalloway for English 313. What follows is a completely unedited stream-of-consciousness exercise written during a rewatching of “Innocence”.

I’m not sure how I feel about the Judge’s overall appearance. A bit campy. I don’t buy Drusilla’s personality. The prostitute looks like she is Russian. Angelus is a badass, no two ways around it. Always get James Marsters and James Marsden mixed up. Buffy’s theme song reminds me of a 90s garage band that records their own albums. Buffy’s mother is vapid, like you could pass off any lie to her. What is a wino anyway? In this episode, Cordelia most resembles Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality post-makeover. Where does the Judge derive his power from? Nebulous, vague backstories of random demons and vampires serve this show’s purpose remarkably well. I find it difficult to see David Boreanaz as a villain, possible ties to Bones here? Although I dislike the way Angelus treats Buffy, his wit and sharp sarcasm are a decided improvement from his normal banter. Drusilla- in love with her sire and Spike? What is their long-term plan for destroying the world, I wonder. I think what makes Willow loveable is the frequency and pitch of her voice. “We’re all fools”- most intelligent thing Jenny says. Xander is highly sarcastic, and I keep fluctuating between loving his personality and seeing him as cliché and corny. “To kill this girl, you have to love her”- isn’t this true about every girl that has fallen in love? The sex scene, although riddled with stereotypical photographic effects, is oddly iconic. I can’t get past the office age difference between Sarah Michelle Gellar and the 17 year old Buffy Summers. I’d like to know more about how Xander gained military experience. Seems highly unlikely that he was trained as a soldier with his personality. Xander seems to me as if he is “that guy” on every show who could be homosexual and no one is really sure about it. Oz has completely made himself the most loveable man on the show with one conversation with Willow. Is it foreshadowing when Spike says, “I won’t be in this chair forever”? Buffy, after revealing Jenny’s deception has the coldest air about her. The tension between Buffy and Angelus is an entirely different form of vengeance. 

Fin!

World of Emotion

Listen: I love the concept of the demon fighting teenage fantasy blonde kicking vampire booty with her beloved (not so teenage looking) puzzle solving friends, but I realized a big thing that turns me off about this kind of show and lots of shows like it is the dialogue. The concept and execution is great. I like blue demon monsters exploding in malls and vampires sucking smoke from women's wind pipes. What bugs the hell out of me, however, is the snappy, sarcastic, pseudo-Han Solo wit and banter that comes between these great sections of fighting evil. I haven't taken good enough notes yet to provide passages of dialogue for you that bother me, but next go around I'll try to gobble up some examples so I can state my claim more clearly. In the meantime, I just want to address that I understand why they've adopted this style of writing for the show.

The Buffy story is epic, there's no denying that. It's a story that I feel is coming straight from a comic book, and for all I know maybe it started out as a comic. But my beef stems from the fact that although comics in many instances have fantastic plots, their dialogue seems to be vomited out of the mind of a twelve year old. This is why I've been hesitant, even as a twelve year old, to get into comics. Recently I've found some that are brilliantly written, like most of Frank Miller's Batman graphic novels and basically every work by Alan Moore, but for every good comic out there there are four-hundred more that contain dialogue comparable to a child finger painting trying to paint a house and tree under the sun, but ultimately creating some hellish nightmare collage of browns, greens, and a splotchy spot of yellow in a corner.

I love witty banter when it has a purpose that drives a character's development and is able to focus that style of humor on one or two characters while giving other characters different speaking styles and balance, but I feel that Buffy is just chock-full of character after character providing some cute, witty, chuckle-worthy dialogue while charming the pants off people and ultimately making everyone seemingly fun yet all the characters, as I see them after two episodes, are just kind of 2-D and naive. That candle line at the end of "Innocence" was way deep though and took me off the guard, so I can't rag on the writers too much. I just like more realism in my fantasies.

The Surprise of "Innocence"

"Innocence" has always been one of my favorite episodes of the series. Watching it now from a different perspective than before has made me think more about the brilliant mind of Joss Whedon and his decision to bring Buffy Summers crashing back into her humanity...allow me to explain.

Throughout Season 1's serialized (but steady plot-moving) episodes, basically Buffy does what she was born to do, slay the monsters. Each new mission also finds her getting closer with Angel even after his true identity as a vampire is revealed the first time they kiss. However, as the relationship with Angel reaches it's breaking point, it's the first time I can honestly say I saw Buffy be human. Yes, she tried and failed to mix normal teenage life with her slayer duties, but it was comically written off on Willow's wit, Giles misunderstandings and Xander's protectiveness (referencing, "Never Kill A Boy On The First Date, 1.5). Up until now Angel has been her ally and first love, someone she envisioned herself to be with for a long time, regardless of his...undeadness. As "Surprise" concludes to Angel screaming in the rain, and Buffy has taken the first step in her womanhood, she is unaware of the consequences she will soon face. "Innocence" takes the leap and turns her entire world around, leaving our slayer little more than agonizing heartbreak and her most vulnerable moment. As she steps into her room, momentarily stopping to touch the cross Angel had previously given her, she lays down on her bed with the Claddagh ring in her grasp and has a real, human moment alone. Buffy sobs uncontrollably onto her pillow, grieving not just from Angel's horrid "morning-after" reaction, but for herself because her nightmare has come true. Buffy feels she has made a sacrifice with Angel and now she has lost him, truth told to her in dreams by her very own counterpart, Drusilla. By the time Buffy reunites with her friends, she has begun to accept that loss and resume what she was chosen to do. This will ultimately lead to her making the biggest decision of her life at the end of the season.

I have to end with a favorite quote and another animation from the episode. This was my favorite special effect:






Favorite line - The Judge: What does that do?

Week Two: Cognitive Dissonance

Does anyone else feel that watching this kind of show in a group setting totally changes how you feel about liking or disliking the show? I have found myself doing a lot of cringing that I honestly don't remember the first time around, and I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that most of these style teen TV shows, and our love for them are very intimate.

When I was 12/13 watching this show I did it in the privacy of my own living room, snuck while my mom was in the shower, or making dinner loudly in the kitchen. Watching it now with a room full of people, it's not that I feel judged, I just feel...different. I feel like the older kid in the back of the room who would be making fun of 13 year old me who was sitting, eyes glued to the TV, loving Buffy.

I have a lot of guilty pleasure TV, I still love and adore the three season WB show Roswell. I watch Charmed re-runs for more than Eric Dane, and I am a faithful weekly viewer of Gossip Girl. I watched Roswell monday nights on the WB with my mom, and then I watched it after Buffy tuesday nights on the UPN, still with my mom, once I had finally talked her out of believing that teen TV shows inspired me to sin, but besides that, I've only ever watched my shows with other really close friends who I already know loved the show.

It is not at all that I feel like I am judged for liking shows like Buffy, Roswell, or Charmed. I've just started to feel like I don't know how to relate what I like and what I dislike to a public forum.

Buffy's Bazookas: bases and penetration

In a post 9/11 world the scene involving the unbelievable break in by Xander and Cordelia into an army base would be a risk WB Network wouldn't take. If two kids can break into an army facility and steal a bazooka, what does that say about our national security?

It is a plan that I could imagine a high school male coming up with (get laid and get a bazooka as a bonus) so I'll suspend some belief to say this plan did work or would at least be attempted. They could have at least made Cordelia dress a little more scantily. Cordelia is clad in silver pleather coat and pants, reflecting some of the low points in 90's fashion.

What bothers me the most is that Buffy shouldn't realistically be alive to use the bazooka in the end. Let me explain. After Angel turns evil after reaching a state of contentment (orgasm?), why doesn't he go back and kill Buffy. The reason why, for the purpose of this series, is obvious. A writer can't kill off a main character even if her newly found nemesis has her slumbering in his own bed. I think it is a problem with a lot of shows and movies that try to be scary/suspenseful. How can a person actually be scared or nervous about the characters, if one knows they are going to survive? If that is taken away from Buffy the Vampire Slayer all it really becomes is a version of Dawson's Creek and other teen angsty soap operas. I'm still enjoying the show though, but not to the point I will watch the rest of series although it is readily available on Netflix.

What I'm getting at is that the evil monsters should have taken over the world and chaos would ensue. Then Buffy could turn it too some sort of b version of a zombie/monster flick. Only then will I be satisfied.

P.S. I do know that this show is aimed at a younger audience who probably are scared a little more easily. Growing up watching horror flicks I tend to be unsatisfied with lots of movies, stories, etc attempting to be scary.