Oh, I don't have any problem at all with the way Buffy - or indeed most of the characters - have developed over the years. It's a perfectly believable progression, made even more so by the acting, which I also cannot fault.

I just had a little "a-ha" moment when I realised I don't think I particularly like SMG. However, as I mentioned before, it is really hard to separate SMG from Buffy, who I do like. But one way to try is to imagine another actress in the role. It's difficult, but interesting.

Katie Holmes would have been good, I think. (I've never watched DC, I hasten to add). Can't imagine her as a blonde, though. Would Buffy have to be blonde?

I love Katie Holmes, but Buffy needed to be ditzier than she can do for the initial premise to work. Katie Holmes can't do airhead. SMG does airhead better than anyone working today - CF the Buffybot eps.

I think that Buffy's development has been very logical, but that doesn't mean it's been as fun to watch.

Yeah, I've have my moments of sheer impatience or boredom with Buffy over the past three seasons, and obviously uptight!Buffy isn't as fun to watch as she used to be, but I honestly don't know how you'd tell the story of Buffy which the writer's wanted to tell and have Buffy be that fun-to-watch girl the whole way through.

I don't mind the trade-off between quirky fun for a character journey, but that's just because I like this particular journey (and I must admit, I like it a lot better with hindsight than when I was sitting through it). *shrug* It's like entertainment versus overall meaning - in some cases you have to sacrifice some of the former to fully develop the latter. And sometimes you can go too far *coughSixFeetUndercough* - a lot of people obviously feel this way about Buffy. I waver, but I think ultimately the respect I have for her now outweighs my nostalgia.

Edited because I still suck with the typos.

Most of my problems with BtVS and Buffy herself (and the other characters, too) has seemed to me to do with continuity, characterization and execution, rather than acting. On the few occasions where I've even thought about SMGs acting while watching (which I think points to her being (to me) a good actor), it's been during scenes that didn't ring true because of their content, more than because of the acting.

Does that make sense to anyone who isn't me?

I'm meara-ing like crazy here, so bear with me.

Does that make sense to anyone who isn't me?

Yep. I agree, tho' sometimes I listen to the words of a Spuffy scene and I think they should *sound* less fake than they do, but maybe its just my prejudice talking :) .

Wrt SMG and her acting - I like Buffy well enough, but for me the engagement has always been with the show as an ensemble piece. Totally. Ditto for AtS. I've taken SMG's acting for granted...

Hmm, sometimes I can't decide whether I watch BtVS/Ats for the ensemble or for the leads. I mean I don't think I'd watch BtVS without Buffy herself, or Ats without Angel, but I also feel that way about almost all of the core cast members of either show. (Like Willow & Xander, or...hmm, only Wesley seems to fit that category on Ats for me, I wonder why? *lick*)

But Kingston's one of the more medium-density suburbs of Canberra (lots of apartment blocks, a number of relatively upscale ones too). Yet Manuka, just down the road, is doing quite nicely for weekend dining.

Heh, I suspect corporate facism then - wait, do we have corporate facism in Canberra, or do we just get politicians? I hardly think it's fair if we have both.

Should I mentinon that Bec grew up in Bega?

I lurrve Bega, my family has a house on the coast at Merimbula, so we drive through often. Almost England-y with the rolling hills and all - though last time it was more of a sepia-tinted England because of the drought.

Makes sense to me Cindy because I agree.

I think that Buffy's development has been very logical, but that doesn't mean it's been as fun to watch.

Yes to this, but also I just don't think Buffy has been written very well lately.

Yes to this, but also I just don't think Buffy has been written very well lately.

Yeah, that's part of it too--I find myself watching and thinking, "I see what they're doing here, and it makes sense, but I wonder if it couldn't have been done better." The show doesn't seem as tightly put together as it did up through season 4. Maybe because Joss has been elsewhere a lot? Or have the characters just evolved to a place where the writers are haveing trouble writing as well for them?

"You have the right to remains silent, but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention anything you later rely on in court."

Oh my lord, that is appalling.

I have a hard time distinguishing between my take on the character and the actress, especially with the current season. I know SMG has the chops, we've seen it before, so determining what is the character going in a direction I might not see and what is the actress failing to convey is difficult. Vague much? Most of my concrete thoughts on this issue have to do with the current season, so I'm having trouble expressing my meaning without veering into dangerous territory.

Oh my lord, that is appalling

Yes. We have terrible problems with this kind of thing over here - not having a constitution makes it relatively easy to nibble away at civil rights.

Yes. We have terrible problems with this kind of thing over here - not having a constitution makes it relatively easy to nibble away at civil rights.

Oh, it's too damn easy over here too. Especially with a bunch of Supreme Court weenies who think our current protections are far more than what the Consitution means is necessary.

They are going to hear a case in which evidence found before Mirandized is legally admissable, just not your actual statement which allowed said evidence to be found.

A truly despicable bit of legal wordplay.