Victor, I watched the A&E show. Nothing new there but it was fun.

Instead, it gives me Buffy yelling at Spike and Willow in "Get It Done" that they've been holding back, afraid to use their power. What would have worked a lot better would have been scenes where I *saw* them holding back, afraid to use their power. In "Older and Far Away," an episode I don't even like, I at least get to see that Willow is so afraid to use her power--or so determined to win back her friends and her ex-girlfriend--that she won't use magic even though she and her friends are in mortal danger. I didn't get a single example of that this season, even though Willow's fear of her own power is purportedly a major theme.

Black-eyed Willow telling a frightened girl to shut her mouth was a shocking example of why Willow is frightened to use her power.

And I don't appreciate the snippy tone, when I feel I've been nothing but courteous to you. If you think I haven't been, I wish you'd say when and how.

I don't think I was being snippy towards you, but if some of my snippyness towards others spilled over I apologize.

(What follows is me being intentionally snippy.)

Ted - you can believe whatever you want to believe,

Very generous of you I'm sure.

but you have not actually been *shown* Spike's redemption. It has been told to you, whether you believe it or not, whether I like it or not. You are being seriously obstinant on this point, and I don't know why.

Well my guess would be it's because I don't agree, and because you are not a God-Emperor of Culture whose opinions I have to accept as fact.

Again, I'm not saying anyone is obliged to agree with me. I'm not right in some "objective" factual sense. I'm also not wrong in any objective factual sense. I'm fortunate in that most (not all, most) of this season has worked for me. I'm sorry others have not had as good a time as I have. Those views are no less valid than mine. And not one bit more valid.

Ted, I am really, truly trying to understand your point, and not actually argue with you, Can you please explain to me Why you reacted the way you do to this scene, and, more importantly, why you felt Buffy should have reacted this way?

I don't think there was a "should" there. I bought that Buffy could have reacted that way. But I think this has a lot to do with how you view Riley and the relationship he had with Buffy over the previous year-you can't remove how you take Xander's speech from how you feel about B/R.

Victor, I watched the A&E show. Nothing new there but it was fun.

That's how I felt. Nothing big there, but it reminded me of how much I love this show, and how much I'm gonna miss it when it's gone. Even the stuff that I don't care as much for. Frankly, I'm in a nostalgic, sentimental mood now, and not inclined to be critical.

I'm gonna watch it if'n I can get the boys to stop fighting by then.

Yes, yes, yes. Much Spike love. Much talk about Spike always being different from other vampires. That some part of his soul always remained. He mentions the Judge saying, "You reek of humanity."

Excuse me, from the interview Allyson linked above.

Frankly, I'm in a nostalgic, sentimental mood now, and not inclined to be critical.

Nothing wrong with that. But with Angel continuing I'm feeling much less depressed than I would otherwise. Buffy may be gone, but the Buffyverse continues.

Anyway, I don't think that the last two seasons of Buffy have been .good writing because I think that they have been unsubtle, .unclever, untrue to previously-established characterizations, .and emotionally overwrought. Occasional episodes .have risen above this general assessment, but the strength .of the previous seasons in meeting these literary norms has .made these last two a constant source of disappointment for me.

would it be wrong of me to want to marry hayden at this point? This has summed up the problems I've had with the show. I still love it...but there is disappointment...much like my family.

would it be wrong of me to want to marry hayden at this point?

As long as I don't have to buy a wedding gift. :)

Re Spike and SDT re his redemption:

I think one of the key episodes that showed Spike's redemption was Sleeper. When he called Buffy to tell her what he had done, he was simply taking responsibility for it and trying to fix it. And he expected her to stake him.

Skipping ahead to see if anyone watched the A & E Biography tonight?

I saw it too! I thought it was a pretty entertaining summation of the show. As others have said, not much new information, but I am in the nostalgic mood as well (especially after watching "The Prom"), so I was pleased. Plus, since it was on A&E, my Mom actually watched it and caught a bit of what all the hubub was about.

every time I hear that music from "The Gift" I get sniffly