We watched Bargaining, last night. I fell asleep sometime after Buffy clawed her way out of her own grave, but before the Scoobies saw her (but I know how that story ends, so it isn't important).

I hate the biker demon villain-device more, each time I watch this. They feel so out of place in that 'verse. I reminded myself repeatedly, that it is a season of unusual villains: the nerds, and Willow. It didn't help much. I tried imagining the same overall story, with biker vampires. I liked that better. I don't know if it would have flown on screen, but it worked in my head.

Still, there's a lot of good here. There was playfulness among the surviving Scoobies, during the breakfast/unstart making sandwiches/don't answer the phone, Buffy-bot!/I am a man and I have a tool scene. I always find Anya and Giles' slap-fight over the Ramadan effigy a little over the top, but still enjoy it.

I panic with Buffy, when she first comes back to life in her casket. I feel for the poor, broken Buffy-bot. I feel for Spike. They did a masterful job of showing how even though the -bot was necessary for their temporary survival, she was so painful to be around. We have Spike, most obviously. We have Willow's pain, when she's trying to make the -bot not feel bad about Spike not looking at the -bot. We have poor Dawn coming to the -bots room, and curling up with her for artificial comfort. We have Giles trying to teach her about Chi.

SMG so becomes the -bot that the -bot really is a totally different character. When I'm in the story, I forget this is the same actress. It's just the Buffy -bot. I'm trying to ready myself to watch the whole season in order. We've had the DVDs forever, and I just can't do it. Last night, watching Tara and Willow, so happy, and obviously in love--it just hurts. And now, with foreknowledge? When Willow kills the fawn, to obtain the vino de madre, Tara's death seems such an inescapable consequence.

Watching Giles' plane take off, I recalled how that image hit me, when the season was new. It was right after 9/11 (maybe a month) and just seeing a plane was painful. I remember gasping lo those almost three years ago. Seeing the Tower crumble at the end, didn't affect me as much as seeing the plane.

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When Willow kills the fawn, to obtain the vino de madre, Tara's death seems such an inescapable consequence.

Willow should not wear white. It's never a good day for her.

I just finished watching the S6 DVDs last week. I liked it the first time around, but I was surprised at how much more I liked it. I don't describe as well as Cindy, so I'll just stand in the corner with her.

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I liked it the first time around, but I was surprised at how much more I liked it. I don't describe as well as Cindy, so I'll just stand in the corner with her.

I'm with you - I'm half-way through the S6 DVDs and I'm really enjoying these episodes on a second viewing. So, please make room for me in the "corner".

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I just read via lj that Andy Hallett is not going to be at the Oakland event as he is still recuperating and is too weak to travel. I honestly don't know what the "Oakland event" is -- is that Comic Con?

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I honestly don't know what the "Oakland event" is -- is that Comic Con?

Must be a con in Oakland. ComiCon is always in San Diego.

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Well, the important part is that he is still so weak that he cannot travel. I hope that his recovery starts speeding up. (It's been about a month 1/2 since he was hospitalized.)

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I honestly don't know what the "Oakland event" is -- is that Comic Con?

WonderCon - at the same hotel where most of our wedding party stayed.

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Well, the important part is that he is still so weak that he cannot travel. I hope that his recovery starts speeding up. (It's been about a month 1/2 since he was hospitalized.)

I totally missed this! Maybe because I'm still catching up in Angel 5. What happened?

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He was hospitalized in early June - for something that was originally thought to be a viral infection brought on by exhaustion but which turned out to be something major involving his lungs and respiration.

(You can read his letter about it on his website.)

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Thank you for the info and link.

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