Year: 2003

Just picked up an entertaining volume, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy, which carries the subtitle mentioned above. I mean, honestly, how can anyone pass up an essay volume that includes such papers as “Also Sprach Faith: The Problem of the Happy Rogue Vampire Slayer,” “Feminism and the Ethics of Violence: Why Buffy Kicks Úš,” “‘My God, It’s Like a Greek Tragedy’: Willow Rosenberg and Human Irrationality,” “High School is Hëll: Metaphor Made Literal,” and my personal favorite, “A Kantian Analysis of Moral Judgment in Buffy th Vampire Slayer.”

Edited by James B. South, it is to my mind required reading. Taking my time, I will have finished it a week from Friday. You all have that much time to find it, buy it and read it. There WILL be a quiz.

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Angel’s quest comes to a head, Gunn kicks open the cell door that held Angelus (!), Conner the dad undertakes some tough love, and whoever wrote the opening credits should be shot. All this and more on a seriously nifty conclusion to the Jasmine storyline.

Continue Reading “TONIGHT’S ANGEL (Spoilers)” →

Y’know, I was thinking about Jasmine’s true name, and something occurred to me.

She’s incredibly, incredibly ancient. She’s female (at least in aspect). She cavorts with demons and is worshipped by them. She’s apparently some sort of succubus, draining the life from people.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if her true name was “Lilith?”

I’m probably wrong. I usually am about these things. The last time I was right about anything was back in September when I figured it was the First, and since then I’ve missed on everything. Guess we’ll find out tonight.

Hey, if nothing else, if it does turn out to be Lilith, then people can accuse me of ripping off Joss Whedon again a year ago when Lilith was the villainess in “Supergirl.”

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At a point in previous seasons where the plot has built up speed like an express train, this week gives me a sense of going nowhere fast.

Continue Reading “TONIGHT’S BUFFY” →

So I’m watching “Alias” last night and there’s Sloan trudging up snowy mountains…and there, in the distance, appears to be Shangri La right out of “Lost Horizon.” And I said, “Well, SOMEone has been reading the work of Joseph Conrad.”

Moments later Sloan heads into the monastery looking for someone who turns out to be played by David Carradine. The name of the Carradine character?

Conrad.

Love it.

By the way, am I the only person who thinks the season ender is going to be the revelation that, six centuries later, Rimbaldi is still alive? I mean, *how* many times have they mentioned he was obsessed with immortality?

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One of the more frequently asked questions I’ve gotten in recent years is, “Whatever happened to Spyboy #13?” since the series jumped from 12 to 14. The answer has shipped its first third as Spyboy 13.1, the MANGA Affair, hit the stores last week.

Anyone read it? What’d’ja think?

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In case anyone was wondering what I was doing posting on the board at all hours, it was because I was taking breaks from finishing a sketch I was writing for this year’s Shore Leave convention in Maryland (www.shore-leave.com). It’s the 25th year for this fan-run Star Trek/media con, and when I found out they needed someone to write their Sunday afternoon showcase sketch (performed by the extremely formidable troupe Cheap Treks) I volunteered.

Mostly the reason I couldn’t pass it up was because I saw ripe parody material from the previous year’s convention when James Marsters showed up, and the startled convention found itself overrun with shrieking female teenage “Spike” worshipers. It was Elvis level. This in turn made me think of “Bye Bye Birdie” where a town is turned upside down with the arrival of an Elvis-like rockstar. And when it was announced that this season would be the last for “Buffy,” “Bye Bye Buffy” seemed a natural. So the sketch is, in essence, the story of a convention run amuck with teenyboppers because Spike is coming. And matters become complicated when Captain Bill (a thinly disguised Bill Shatner), jealous that James Marsters has become the new bare-and-smooth chested sex symbol, plans a Phantom of the Opera-like revenge. Following is a selection from a typical song, set to the tune “Kids,” sung by Bill…

BILL

Fans!

Yes, they’ve helped to keep my career alive.

Fans!

But they all still hate me for “Star Trek Five”

Fans! How they used to love me, worship where I walked.

Each convention, need I mention yeomen

Would keep my Captain’s log warm

Fans! All they think about are the latest stars

Fans! It’s like I’m from Venus and they’re from Mars!

BILL & CONVENTION CHAIRMAN

Why can’t they be like we/You were

Trekkies in every way.

What’s the matter with fans today?!

If you live in the area of the convention, would like to be in the show, and can sing, let me know and I’ll pass your c.v. to the show’s director.

PAD