I wouldn't doubt, however, that someone suggested they do a special message, and it gave them the idea for the ep.

I always thought Beer Bad just wasn't hip with the metaphor. I agree that it was a bit too moralistic.

I think I remember a story on Salon a few years ago about the government giving "financial assistane" (read='bribes') to TV shows for including Afterschool Special-esque messages. And I'm pretty sure Buffy was among the shows that they mentioned as being on the receiving end of the assistance.

I watched the downloaded finale last night so I would have less TV stress tonight ... and a commercial-free copy!

Now I'm feeling the need to watch it again, real-time. To hell with Ruben and Clay, I need another moment of Buffy and the gang.

Don't wanna let go!

eta: please don't hurt me for my unholy addiction to American Idol

Thanks so much, guys. You've been part of what made it fun.

See y'all after the show.

And, uhh, I may have a wee crush on TomW.

Still in the office, DH is taping for me (thanks, dear!) - just de-lurking to add my appreciation for the Buffista community.You're a great bunch of people to hang around. The breadth and depth of the *community* here is amazing.

To those who drift away with the end of Buffy - best wishes. To those who will stay around the Phoenix Board - I look forward to seeing you on the other side.

I have rehearsal tonight (sigh), but I'll watch it as soon as I get back. Bye, last-pre-Buffy-show-thread.

30 minutes

Yay to the Buffistas! I came to the party late, but I surely did enjoy it.

For the past seven years, on Tuesday and/or Monday nights, I've left work (with amazingly few exceptions) to come home and watch me some Buffy. I was by turns thrilled, anxious, comforted, and yes, filled with dread. I came home to see the premier. I came home to see the season finales. I came home to see Buffy and her Watcher and the Slayerettes and her mom and her principals and her classmates and her rivals and her enemies and her lovers play with the language and each other and do the right thing while attempting to do the wrong thing, or do the wrong thing while attempting to do the right thing. and now I've come home to see the end.

Back at the old Bronze Joss would come on sometimes and post while I was there, Eastern time while I was at work in the morning, which meant he had gotten up early or hadn't gone to bed yet. With one of those posts-maybe the one where he promised us the all naked, all gay ep, where Xander was piloting the zepplin to Neptune (still would like to see that- or maybe that was Firefly), or maybe it was the post where he realized public opinion was against him, and he'd been wrong about Willow, so she was no longer going to be Jewish-

he ended by saying "yay to the Buffy."

Yay to the Buffy.

He wanted to invade our dreams.

Mission accomplished.

I won't be around for the watch & post OR the post- watch & post tonight, as we've got Stuff To Do. But I'll be thinking of the Buffistas.

I'm going to be a crying wreck before the episode even starts...damn sentimental allergies.

I can track so many changes in my life by what I was doing when I was (or wasn't) watching Buffy and when I found Table Talk and the Buffistas and the show has meant a lot to me and y'all have meant more to me.

And damnit! I want a chance for Spike to go back to being a real vampire with an attitude and not making emotional "it was the best night of my life" speeches to Buffy for godsake! What about Dru!