Elena's husband and I have been tackling this.

Whiting is probably a regional name for a particular fish as yet determined. I practically lived on it when I was a kid in Florida.

`"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail.
"There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the dance?

`I can tell you more than that, if you like,' said the Gryphon. `Do you know why it's called a whiting?'

`I never thought about it,' said Alice. `Why?'

`It does the boots and shoes.' the Gryphon replied very solemnly.

Alice was thoroughly puzzled. `Does the boots and shoes!' she repeated in a wondering tone.

`Why, what are your shoes done with?' said the Gryphon. `I mean, what makes them so shiny?'

Alice looked down at them, and considered a little before she gave her answer. `They're done with blacking, I believe.'

`Boots and shoes under the sea,' the Gryphon went on in a deep voice, `are done with a whiting. Now you know.'

So, how was Buffy, how was Buffy?!

t bouncing up and down excitedly.

Fiona, certainly the group I was with was well-satisfied by the episode, and were greatly hopeful about the season to come. There were also some very neat surprises in this show that it is indeed better to not be spoiled about. (Thanks to every Spoiler Whore on this board for their forebearance in dropping hints and guarding against outright blurting-out!)

I find myself hoping that (a) Season 7 really is the final season; and (b) the show goes out on a high.

I agree, Angus. 7 seasons does seem to be something like a healthy lifespan for most shows. It'd be awful for Buffy to go the Friends/ER/insert-your-show-here route and become a shadow of its former self.

Thanks, Connie! I'm looking forward to it even more now! (And - unspoiled so far, touch wood).

I'm of mixed feelings, because I'm personally still enjoying the show and it's hard to say bye to that... but I've seen enough shows continue far beyond their period of creative innovation, and also I think 7 years is about as long as you should reasonably ask an actor to continue in a role OR have to work the insano hours that a weekly TV series entails.

Ideally, I'd love to see some sort of successor series set in the same universe, for which surviving cast members can occasionally show up for well-paid and fun guest appearances.

Ideally, I'd love to see some sort of successor series set in the same universe, for which surviving cast members can occasionally show up for well-paid and fun guest appearances.

Deep Hellmouth Nine?

I'd love to see some sort of successor series set in the same universe

Like, um....Angel?

Well, Angel shows that the Jossverse is strong enough for a spinoff to work. It also shows, for me, how to make a good spinoff: by being different. Angel works, when it works, because it's not "Buffy Goes to Hollywood".