And when Xander tells Buffy (cudgeling my memory here), "Riley really loves you, and you're being a moron 'cause you really love him too, but you're being stubborn and you'll lose him forever," it worked for me since to my mind that had already been shown over the course of the season. So for me, that speech showed the "sees through other people's bullshit" ability that's one of Xander's main characteristics, even though he was entirely talking about other people's feelings

Possibly. The Xander point wasn't mine (and wouldn't have been) so I'm not inclined to defend it. I was too angered by the wrongness of what he was saying, to ever give it enough thought to decide they were "telling" not "showing". That might be the *one* thing Xander ever did on the show that seriously pissed me off.

Oh, the Buffy Angel dance...I'm sobbing.

I danced to Wild Horses at my Sr. Prom, with my high school sweetheart (of course it was the Stones, not the Sundays - who were probably in pre-school). That breaks me.

I think that it would derail this argument from its endless circle if you focused more on examples, Ted. I mean that instead of saying you disagree that telling has been less effective this season, or that there's been more showing than those of us who have been complaining think, it would be more convincing for me if you would cite effective S7 incidences of showing and/or telling.

Let's go with the speeches: Spike in Beneath You, Xander in Potential, and Spike in (what was the title, Empty Places?). Or Spike last night for that matter. All contained enormous amounts of subtext beneath the spoken words. They were NOT (imo) just telling us things about the character-they were demonstrating things about them. And in the reactions of those listening, things about others.

I haven't been told about Spike's redemption and Buffy's growing acceptance-I've witnessed it, from Buffy preparing to stake Spike in Beneath You to Spike holding Buffy through the night in Touched. Spike on the Cross. Buffy's reaction to the news Spike sired Holden. Spike's horror as he realized he was killing again and his recoiling as the FE made him attack Buffy. Spike standing up to FE Drusilla because of his faith in Buffy, and Buffy justifying that faith by rescuing him.etc. etc. etc.

Now I'm not expecting to convince anyone who disagrees. This season sucked for you, fine, it sucks (for you). You think there was too much telling and not enough showing. Fine. But no, I don't accept others judgements as facts I have to bow down before. I trust my own judgements, thank you very much.

I thought the way he walked out on his wedding was beyond cowardly. Totally in character, totally the culmination of his behavior that season, but I was really pissed off at him.

Oh, it's the end of Dawson, I gotta go watch, the end of my era of television is increasingly apparent.

I thought the way he walked out on his wedding was beyond cowardly. Totally in character, totally the culmination of his behavior that season, but I was really pissed off at him.

I thought all that, but it didn't piss me off. It made me feel sorry for him. I'm very Xander-biased, though, almost as much as I'm Buffy biased. I like their weaknesses and ucky bits. I liked 'the lie' in Becoming. I liked his Willow snark in The Pack. I like his self-righteousness. (note - like doesn't equal admire, just enjoy) That stuff endears him to me.

Betsy, what was it Andrew said about the produce last night?

I've never been to Hooters. I expect to go to one and be highly irked because it won't live up to my expectations.

Hmph. Lucky people who went to Prom.

I watch Johnny Carson instead.

And Ted, learning what we did about Xander in the above referenced scene does us very little good if we are supposed to get information about Buffy and Riley. Can you use the above referenced scene to explain why Buffy ran after Riley? I can’t. I am still baffled by it.

Not me. After that speech I wanted to run after Riley.

I expect to go to one and be highly irked because it won't live up to my expectations.

They have an airline now.

I think Andrew said the produce was funky.

After that speech I wanted to run after Riley.

Me too. With a rocket launcher.

And then come back and slap Xander for being so preachy and awkward.