The Ramblings of Elyse

I was over on Facebook today, yeah, only the once and it's not like it was on my phone at work or anything like that because I would never do anything like that...

Um... ANYWAY...

There I was on Facebook, when I noticed that Adam is finally up to Once More with Feeling.

Yes, it's an episode of Buffy.
If you aren't familiar with it, I no longer know you.

It is indeed the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is something that is mentioned all the time, especially in terms of TV shows doing musical specials.

The musical is a huge film phenomenon, they have been getting made for such a long time and the 1950s and 1960s were the hey day of the film musical, but they still get their reprises, most recently with the film production of Nine, starring a whole bunch of other people.
Unlike most other genres that have been massive in movies, the musical has never progressed to being awesome in TV.
They have tried, so many times and there have been shows that have been musical in style but not so much in the having characters express thoughts and emotions through song in the vein of the traditional musical.
While Glee is a show that features a lot of music and singing, it is not the same kind of style as a musical.

So, when shows try and do musicals, such as BtVS, Xena:Warrior Princess and Scrubs, the Buffy example will forever be the shining example.

Which as a TV show musical, it should be.
It is pretty awesome and the cast for NON-singers, they do fantastically, but what fun is it if I just lather praise on my two favourite things?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Musicals.

Allow me to first say that when it comes to Joss Whedon Musicals, I find Dr Horrible's Sing a Long Blog to be a lot better.
If only because Neil Patrick Harris and Felicia Day are much better singers then the majority of the Buffy cast, which not surprising since it is cast as a musical.
Nathan Fillion does alright, but he isn't much of a singer and can't even compare to NPH, but he plays the douche so well, that he is perfect for Captain Hammer.

Anyway.
Once More With Feeling!

I shall start off with my big controversial statement, now I've stated that I love BtVs and I love musicals, it seems only natural that my next statement be that the two combined is the greatest thing ever. But, it's not.

The controversial statement:
Once More With Feeling is NOT my favourite episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it's not even my favourite episode of season 6.

That's right.
I went there.

And why?
Why do you ask?

It's called plot holes.

You can try and swoon me with your bard like powers, Joss, but it won't work.
I see your ridiculous plot holes and contradictory statements and annoying things and cement such horrible things.
There are also some flaws with the performances, but you know, plot holes first.

First and foremost, it was Xander that called forth the demon?
The same Xander that seemed to learn his lesson about playing with the dark powers in SEASON 2! Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, people.
Going back to BB&B (It's a long title, I'm lazy, suck it up) where when he notices horrible things are happening he immediately goes to Giles and is all like "Dude, I fucked up" and while Giles, not happy about it and yells at him a bit, Xander still cops it sweet. (ha!)
Then we fast forward 5 seasons and all of a sudden Xander upon finding out that people are dying because of the singing "Give me an axe and show me where to put it", doesn't own up and go "hey, I summoned the singing demon".

No, that's right, it goes right down to the finale and when Xander sees Buffy almost having the singing kill her, doesn't say a thing for the sake of a very, very bad joke. "Does that mean I have to be your queen?".
The answer should be yes, you don't beat the bad guy and the joke isn't that funny.

Unfortunately, this lack of being accounted for the deaths and destruction that are either in-directly or directly your fault are not in the game plan of the later seasons.
I can't even single out people for that since it kind of happens to all of them.
Responsibility was a major theme of the early season and here it just spits in it's face.

My Spike hate is pretty legendary. Once More with Feeling doesn't make it wane in any way shape or form.
The thing that bothers me most about Spike is "Rest in Peace", and I'm not sure who it is more of a comment on.
But James Marsters, the man can sing, he is actually in a band or was, but either way he can do the singing.
However, this is a musical. Singing is only half the act. The thing with musicals is that it is emotion through song.
It is the conveying of those emotions that set it apart.
This is just a performance thing in general, but you can be technically perfect, but if you don't have the emotion behind the song then it falls flat.

And that is where Spike and the song fails.
It is a rock song. It has the heavier chords and even the theme, when it is sung it needs to have the edge on the voice, a bit like a growl especially since the song is basically "Fuck off Buffy", and it's not there.
It is technically good but there are parts that just have no feeling behind and it should.
The chorus it is particularly bad, when it goes from the acoustic open chords to the electric, distorted power chords, that is when you need that rock edge. The vampire growl.
It's something that is very lacking. I can go through the lines that need something with the rock edge and it's not there and it takes away from the song and you can't have that in a musical, when it's about showing the true emotions.
That's the entire theme of the episode!

It's the one place that it really is out of place since that was totally the feel of the song they were going for.

That isn't going with the whole theme of Spike, who is all about the stalking of Buffy and isolating her and whatever now he is all "stay away" and for the reasoning, according to the commentary that he did the two things that makes every girl want them, telling them you don't want them.
Seriously?
Fuck you, Joss. It's coz of comments like that I hate Joss Whedon.

Let's not forget that the first instance of Spuffy (that's Spike and Buffy together, in the world of the interwebz) is played a joke.

And then of course, it is Spike that saves her.
Not her friends and family that WATCH START TO BURN!
That is a matter of making everyone look bad, so Spike can look good.

Then Giles not sending out the troops so Buffy knows?
What kind of plan is that?
Then again, Buffy was always the one with the plans. She generally had the plan of attack and I'm not entirely sure when that changed, but a little odd.
And Walk Through the Fire is my favourite song, which shouldn't be a surprise since it is totally ripped off my favourite song from West Side Story (the Quintet... which is the song that gets them to the Rumble for those non-name knowing WSS fans).

Plus, fire engines!

The episode really belongs to Anthony Stewart Head and Amber Benson, who break my heart into tiny, tiny pieces with the Standing/Under Your Spell (reprise).
Giles' reasoning is seriously flawed, seriously, seriously flawed.
Good songs don't cover the fact you are abandoning your pseudo-daughter so she can fend for herself?
AFTER SHE DIED AND IS CLEARLY REALLY FUCKED UP?
You fucking kidding me?
They need a better rationale then that.
The dude was fired because of his father's love for his slayer.
Come on, what the fuck ?

It kind of showcases everything that is wrong with season 6- no Giles with shoddy reasoning, Spuffy, Bad Willow and Xander not manning up, not with his demon summoning or his marriage with Anya. Anya called that in season 5, he proposed because they were going to die and he was a pansy and was having second thoughts really, really early on and didn't mention it to Anya?
And even then, didn't even man up to announce to the people there it wasn't happening.
This is not the Xander of yore.

The singing is great, it really is. Except for you know the "hea-van" not which is beyond awful, it is written awful and SMG tries her hardest and it sounds even worst.

SMG really doesn't get enough praise for the episode, she does a lot of singing for someone who doesn't even pretend to be a singer and she does a fine job of it and rarely gets any love for it, since NOT a singer, she wasn't cast as a singer but does it anyway.

Though, David Fury and Marti Noxon... You two will forever be my favourite parts.
Marti, the interwebz hate you, but I don't.
They also have cameos in Dr Horrible.
David Fury is the mustard man and Marti Noxon is the parking ticket lady. They are both writers. David Fury also the puppeteer from Smile Time on Angel.

For some strange coincidences Marni Nixon does the singing voice of Maria in the film version of West Side Story.

Once More with Feeling, you try and I love you, but you'll never be my favourite.
Favourite of season 6 is Tabula Rasa.