I think so. I'm in the middle (well actually not as far as middle) of watching my DVDs in order like it's one long mini series to see how stuff works w/o breaks for summer, waiting a week, expectations about what's going to happen and all that stuff. S1 ended well, and is better on rewatch, the beginning of S2 isn't really working for me, but I haven't gotten to Lie To Me yet. I'm not sure how The Dark Age will go what with already knowing about Giles's past, and especially in comparison with the Scruffing of Wes.

Mostly the bringing up of Xander's Big Lie

Except that even that didn't really go anywhere. I think my main problem was that I could have forgiven them dropping the threads they did, if the season had been really full of huge plottyness and character escapades. But there were rather large chunks that were just plain boring, and secondary storylines could really have helped fill those bits out. It's the wasted opportunity that gets to me the most.

wrod. And also in a show called "Buffy" the feeling that I was starting not to like Buffy was a big downer, too.

BtVS hit me (oh wait Chris just took control of the keyboard...)

XGF
TYU
'U&['][]y6][y6[]6\]7\]6]uy]\6][76]7][]'/;[;'5tr
\]56\]'

I put in the line breaks to preserve his art. Anyhow, BtVS hit me where I live, in a way no other show has, and I can't imagine a new show doing. And it's funny, because I found it during season 3, when I was already what? 32, I guess. Given my age, I wouldn't have expected myself to identify (hah! I typed that as 'identifu' - three times before I got it right) so strongly with these characters, but I did; I do. Even when you forget my age, I didn't have a particularly traumatic high school experience. BtVS made my bits feel happy and busy and full. Sated.

I agree with tina that there were bright spots in season 7. I'm happy with how Buffy (character) ended up. It felt to me that it was time for it to go. I perceived (whether it's true or not, it felt to me that...) some of their joy was gone. It may be why Ultimate Drew's stuff felt so good - poor bugger was falling in love just as the plug was being pulled. I have to say, I felt less joy not only in the writing, but in the performances as well. But I think it stayed pretty true to itself all the way through. Most of my quibbles are ones of execution, not story - which ultimately, to me - is what matters most.

And also in a show called "Buffy" the feeling that I was starting not to like Buffy was a big downer, too.

I wonder if there isn't a problem here with the whole hero's journey thing. When the hero starts to be too heroic (with all the good and bad things that involves), we lose touch with them and lose sympathy. They're also not as interesting when they're heroic. I have always loved Arthurian stories, but Arthur himself often isn't as interesting as some of the characters around him. His tragic destiny is very moving, but as a person he can be a bit of a blank. I find him most interesting and human in Rosemary Sutcliff's version, called Sword at Sunset, in which she strives for realism -- Arthur as Dark Ages tribal leader with none of the flowery courtly Camelot stuff.

Series 1-5 provided enough balance between the hero and the human to keep Buffy the character really interesting. In series 6 we got too much desperately flawed humanity and in series 7 too much desperately flawed heroism. Not enough layers. Layers are good. Tony Soprano and Buffy Summers at their best had enough layers to fill an onion.

And Cordelia too. ``Can't I have layers?''

edited because I was being a bit too positive

Snerk.

You know, I feel like I'm one of like, three people on the planet who didn't stop liking Buffy for a moment. The character, that is.

Stop caring about a bunch of the others, but I never stopped liking her.

As a show, however, AtS remains my true love.

Could be, Kassto. I've never thought of it that way before.

You know, I feel like I'm one of like, three people on the planet who didn't stop liking Buffy for a moment. The character, that is.

Make that four.

You know, I feel like I'm one of like, three people on the planet who didn't stop liking Buffy for a moment. The character, that is.

Me too. Though from the start I never really emotionally bonded with the character the way I did with some others.

In series 6 we got too much desperately flawed humanity

Speaking of which, Thessaly and I are in the process of re-watching Seaon 6 in order, straight through, in big chunks.

We're enjoying it more than we remember doing the first time. Of course, next up is "Wrecked."