I adore Giles. As a viewer, I find myself equally depending on him to be a father figure for Buffy, Willow, and Xander. Also, his intellect and level-headedness are a great balance for all of the young cast members (and their fashion and lingo). Especially in the earlier seasons, Giles is integral to the dynamic of the show and acts as a sounding board for many of the issues that arise, both personal and slaying-related. I also feel that Giles is sometimes the skeptic for us as viewers -- he points out minor things like decisions being influenced by too much teenage-angst to more major things, like dangerous situations Buffy may not be able to handle alone. Most importantly, he has an invested interest in Buffy having normal teenage experiences. His fear of her becoming jaded and growing up too fast is quite sweet.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Rupert Giles Appreciation Post
I adore Giles. As a viewer, I find myself equally depending on him to be a father figure for Buffy, Willow, and Xander. Also, his intellect and level-headedness are a great balance for all of the young cast members (and their fashion and lingo). Especially in the earlier seasons, Giles is integral to the dynamic of the show and acts as a sounding board for many of the issues that arise, both personal and slaying-related. I also feel that Giles is sometimes the skeptic for us as viewers -- he points out minor things like decisions being influenced by too much teenage-angst to more major things, like dangerous situations Buffy may not be able to handle alone. Most importantly, he has an invested interest in Buffy having normal teenage experiences. His fear of her becoming jaded and growing up too fast is quite sweet.
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2 comments:
I agree. I cannot say enough how much I love Giles. His deadpan delivery, misunderstood jokes, and raised-eyebrow reactions are a perfect counteraction to the teenage overreactions going on around him. Although he is supposed to be the adult, at times he is just as awkward and alienated as the scoobies, which provides the opportunity for an atmosphere of common ground and collaboration between him and his young charges, as he teaches them and they teach him. Also, Giles makes being bookish something to be admired rather than derided. He truly cares about Buffy and the others, and does his best to guide them, even when he is unsure of the path they are going down. So yeah. Giles rocks.
I feel like Giles is that special teacher that we either had, or fantasized about having. He is that teacher that treats you like an adult but still "gets" you, mistakes, and teenage idiocy aside. I have always loved the dynamic between Giles and Buffy, often it borders on father/daughter, but the thing that I love and that I would want from any father, friend or teacher is the respect and lack of judgment. In the last episode we watched as Giles is dropping her off at the house and he talks to her about how he would never judge her, I found myself wishing that I always received that type of reaction, not just from my parents and authority figures, but also my friends as well. No matter how Buffy views Giles, he is clearly a true friend.
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