Band Candy

I appreciate a Dorothy Gale homage as much as (probably more than) anybody - but why does Buffy sport the braids? Why? Was this a '90s thing? Because I don't remember it being a '90s thing.

And on the subject of Why: Why is Angel doing tai chi? What does this have to do with his hell dimension PTSD?

And how had I forgotten how painfully unsubtle this ep was about putting Giles in a surrogate father position?

And perhaps most importantly... how was this the best plan for collecting a handful of babies to deliver to a demon as tribute? How could Ethan have been so sure that EVERY ADULT IN TOWN would consume enough candy so a to leave the entire maternity ward abandoned? What's more, it looks like there were actually only four babies taken... was good old-fashioned kidnapping out of the question?

I mean, I enjoy adolescent Giles, Joyce, and Snyder as much as anyone, but the set-up that gets them there strikes me, for the first time, as insanely contrived. I mean, I know, it's Buffy, suspension of disbelief, yadda yadda yadda... but still... really?

That said, unexpected effect while watching: the audio of the crying babies awaiting the feeding really got to me. Damn it, motherhood! I shouldn't get all verklempt just from hearing crying babies!!!

Homecoming

Hey, I got through a July 25th without a morbid blog post! Hooray for me! (And you, I suspect - man, that must have been a depressing annual update, huh?)

That said, knowing that PreviouslyTV is in the middle of a Buffy rewatch... and that my awesome nanny (with whom I share many pop culture proclivities) just finished his own Buffy rewatch... and that the husband's work schedule is about to get crazy again, but before the fall TV season begins in earnest... I figured IT WAS TIME.

TIME TO REVISIT THE BUFFY REWATCH.

And how pleased am I that Homecoming is my first episode back? I mean, the set-up is way lamer than I remembered - Scott dumping Buffy feels really forced, as does Willow and Xander turning their back on Buffy's Homecoming queen candidacy - but man, I still love me some Mr. Trick. And a nice Giles moment I'd forgotten: "We have to find Buffy, something terrible has happened!... Just kidding, thought you could use a scare! Are those finger sandwiches?" Further, there's minimal Angel angst - but I know it's only a matter of time before that rears its ugly head.

Also: Jonathan! "Cordelia gave me six dollars. That buys a lotta cupcakes."

Further, I've always been taken by the way Cordelia acquits herself during SlayerFest. She's always been an interesting character in that way - sort of the neo Buffy, in that she's a flaky teenage girl who, when confronted with monsters and danger, finds a way to kick ass instead of running into every trap that's set for her. It pleases me.