Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Episode Discussion: 5x01 Buffy vs Dracula

Ragnarok · 01-13-2004, 12:01 PM

Since we aren't going to have new episodes to discuss, we're going to have weekly episode discussion threads for old episodes. New threads will, of course, appear each Tuesday. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Buffy vs Dracula

Buffy is shaken � and more than a little star-struck � when she and her friends come face to face with the greatest vampire of all time, Dracula. While Buffy is powerless under Dracula�s thrall, much to the chagrin of a jealous Riley, Xander becomes the dark one�s emissary and leads his friends into peril. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Buffy, Giles is seriously contemplating returning to England as he feels she no longer needs his help.

RtS: #102; will face Surprise in the first round.

Initially, I thought this was a really bad idea. Especially since they loosely followed the plot of the original Dracula novel. Having recently rewatched it on DVD, I like it much better. There's still a little too much silliness for my taste, but the questions about the source of slayer power and the changes within herself that Buffy has started to notice and question are well integrated into the main plot. And, of course, there's always the end of the episode: Huh? Buffy has a sister? Where'd she come from?

Please feel free to post your comments, screencaps, favorite scenes and quotes.

Next Week: 5x02, The Real Me.

***Scythe*** · 01-13-2004, 12:10 PM

2 episode discussions? [img]smilies/look.gif[/img]

**Fortyseven** · 01-13-2004, 12:20 PM

Why season 5 episodes? [img]smilies/look.gif[/img]

Ragnarok · 01-13-2004, 12:27 PM

Because there are 144 episodes. If we only did one per week, it would take almost 3 years to get through all of them.

I decided to start season 5 at the same time as season 1 because (1) the S5 DVDs just came out, so the timing is good and (2) a lot of fans like the later seasons better than the earlier ones, and vice versa. This way both sets of fans will hopefully find an episode they'd like to discuss.

**Fortyseven** · 01-13-2004, 12:31 PM

Ok. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

***Scythe*** · 01-13-2004, 12:49 PM

Okey Dokey Coachy! no complaining here [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I did enjoy this episode, though the Riley factor does put me off a bit. IMO there isn't enough Spike.

Xander's appraisal(sp?) of Dracula was very funny. As was Spike saying that Dracula owed him money *giggles thinking about it*

Not one of the best episodes, but still highly enjoyable [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/flowers.gif[/img]

Star Dreamer · 01-13-2004, 01:10 PM

I liked this episode apart from a few main things:
1) Riley
2) Dawn
3) I felt Anya was annoying in this episode.

I [img]smilies/love.gif[/img] Giles in the chickpit thought! That was hilarious. I also thought that Ruldoph Martin (Dracula) made a decent effort at playing the Count. Okay, not the best Dracula but still pretty good.

***Scythe*** · 01-13-2004, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Star Dreamer:
<STRONG>I liked this episode apart from a few main things:
1) Riley
2) Dawn
3) I felt Anya was annoying in this episode.

I [img]smilies/love.gif[/img] Giles in the chickpit thought! That was hilarious. I also thought that Ruldoph Martin (Dracula) made a decent effort at playing the Count. Okay, not the best Dracula but still pretty good.</STRONG>

yeah lol [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] "oh my shoe! I'll just go back..." [img]smilies/rotfl.gif[/img] it was something like that...I need to watch that episode again [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] maybe I'll make sure I watch the topic episodes every week [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

***Lethe's Bramble*** · 01-13-2004, 02:30 PM

I loved the Sesame Street comment. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

though the bug eating was gross. [img]smilies/puke.gif[/img]

and the beach scene was cool too!!!

ok I loved all of it. [img]smilies/blush.gif[/img]

Ragnarok · 01-13-2004, 03:43 PM

I had forgotten the opening scene until I watched the ep on DVD. It's the one when we see Buffy sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night, next thing she's chasing a vamp through a cemetery - both of them running real fast, lots of quick cuts - she catches the vamp and dusts him, then we see her sneaking back into bed with a big smile on her face. Riley sleeps through the whole thing. I'm watching this and thinking ohhhhkay, what exactly did I just see happen there? It's a great scene.

katesarama · 01-13-2004, 04:28 PM

I didn't hate this episode, but it wasn't one of my favorites either. I thought it was pretty funny though like some little things that wewere said like when Xander was like master...baiter, the first time I heard that I almost wet my pants, and the no more being anybodys butt monkey, I loved it. I also liked how at the end when Buffy dusted him and than he came back and she staked him again and than she says something like I watch your movies, you always come back. I thought it was a funny episode and I enjoyed it, well except for the bugg eating, that was gross.

northernstarchik · 01-13-2004, 05:12 PM

WILLOW: A good Sunnydale rule of thumb? Avoid white-skinned men in capes.
JOYCE: I'm not like this. I don't invite strange men over for coffee, it's just ... Oh, when you girls are older you'll understand. (Sits on stairs) It's hard to date. Sometimes you just ... feel like giving up on men altogether.

Willow and Tara sneak little looks at each other and try not to grin.

i [img]smilies/love.gif[/img] that lil W/T scene
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

100%_Tara_fan · 01-13-2004, 07:03 PM

I really enjoyed this episode. The beach scene just goes to show how happy and carefree the gang were. But above most things I liked about it, I was really intrested in what Dracula had to say about Buffy being the Slayer and how her "power" was routed in darkness (which we saw in "Get It Done").

QueenBitch · 01-13-2004, 08:30 PM

I liked how it was explained as there being a "celeb" n the show. It was an interesting idea. And the Dawn thing totally threw me off, which I loved.

Blue · 01-13-2004, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragnarok:
<STRONG>I had forgotten the opening scene until I watched the ep on DVD. It's the one when we see Buffy sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night, next thing she's chasing a vamp through a cemetery - both of them running real fast, lots of quick cuts - she catches the vamp and dusts him, then we see her sneaking back into bed with a big smile on her face. Riley sleeps through the whole thing. I'm watching this and thinking ohhhhkay, what exactly did I just see happen there? It's a great scene.</STRONG>

I love the opening scene as well. In fact, its probably my favourite thing about the episode. There's more darkness and meaning and subtlety in that 30 seconds (or however long it is) than there is in the whole of the ensuing 40 minutes.

I don't really think that bringing Dracula into BtVS worked - there didn't seem to be a *point* to it. Dracula just seemed a fairly arbitrary device to start foreshadowing the themes of Buffy's own darkness and the significance of her coming journey towards death. He came off as really cheesy and annoying, I thought. That said, there were moments in the episode that I liked:

- Buffy snapping out of her "thrall" and saying "that was gross" after sucking Dracula's blood. Those are the kind of moments that define the show for me - relieving all this dark, built up tension with comedy and a refusal to conform to gothic/horror norms.

- The gang at the beach. They got to go to the beach, what, twice the entire series? It was so nice to see them having fun and relaxing and all in their happy couples.

- Giles in the chick-pit, and Riley rescuing him. "My shoe!"

- Xander's facial expressions when he eats the spiders. I always snort with laughter. In fact, although its annoying to see Xander being made into a butt-monkey for the zillionth time, I do love Nick Brendon's performance in this episode. Its very funny.

Quote:

Originally posted by northernstarchik:

JOYCE: I'm not like this. I don't invite strange men over for coffee, it's just ... Oh, when you girls are older you'll understand. (Sits on stairs) It's hard to date. Sometimes you just ... feel like giving up on men altogether.

I like this little exchange too, but it really annoys me that at the very start of the very next episode its made clear that Joyce *does* know about the nature of Tara and Willow's relationship. Maybe its godawful-continuity foreshadowing for the troll-god hammer debacle.

[ 01-13-2004: Message edited Blue ]