Express Yourself!!

I'm sorry I didn't get to experience this episode with all of you! I'm sure it would have been more fun! Unfortunately, I had to watch it on my own. I will say that 8 minutes into the program I had the impulse to turn it off. It was right after the guy (with a back up chorus) was in the street singing, "They got the mustard out!" As I was about to press the stop button I remembered that I HAD to watch this episode...and so I did. All I can say is that I don't know what drug Joss Whedon was on when he conjured up the idea of making"Buffy" a musical but he needed to "Just Say No!"

Okay, let's move on. The characters are very honest about their feelings when they sing. Xander and Anya sing about their fears within their relationship. Tara sings about how much Willow completes her (as she rises off the bed like the exorcist girl). Giles sings about worrying he's standing in Buffy's way and Spike just wants to "rest in peace". Then there are the wooden-headed dudes. What do they represent? They have wooden heads and are the only characters who don't sing in this episode. That had to be intentional but why? If singing is honesty then not singing would result in lies. Maybe the wooden-headed dudes are like Pinnochio...they both have wooden heads and lie.

I'm reaching and reaching for symbolism in this episode but coming up empty...I think I just got lost inside the corny music!

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.