I decided to pick up with season six of BtVS just when the new TV season is starting! I know, it's the worst timing ever, but as much as I'm enjoying this season of Top Chef, as much as I'm looking forward to HIMYM and 30 Rock and Dexter and The Simpsons (yes, STILL), I doubt there's any show that will grip me like BtVS does. There's nothing else out there that has the same wonderful blend of melodrama, tragedy, comedy, horror, sci-fi, cheese, and the macabre like this show does. In fact, I should stop being silly and pretending like it's only my second-favorite show of all time - it's tied with The Simpsons for first.

( Random thoughts on Bargaining through Life Serial )

( More S5 Buffy commentary )

I got a chance to see a very appealing new musician on Saturday night at one of the free music shows at one of the bars in my neighborhood. Her name is Adrien Reju and describes her style as acoustic/indie/roots music. The first artist that comes to my mind to compare her to is Ingrid Michaelson, but I think she's even better. Check it out; her voice is beautiful.

( Buffy S5: No Place Like Home through Listening to Fear )

"Into the Woods" is going to have its own post because I tend to ramble and even cite feminist authors with that one.

Buffy vs. Dracula
Both BvD and “Restless” mention the Slayer’s power rooted in darkness and all that and I’m looking forward to seeing the Slayer mytharc develop. Anyway, this is not my favorite season premiere but still tons of fun, although I agree with Xander that we’re ALL sick of him being the buttmonkey. Remember when Xander used to make jokes and wasn’t *the* joke? Also, it’s funny to me how Gellar and Blucas had zero chemistry as “hot” lovers in S4, yet in S5, when Buffy and Riley have clearly lost the “zing” and have fallen into boring routine, they *do* have appropriate chemistry.

( Real Me, The Replacement, Out of My Mind: rants on Dawn, Xander, Riley )

Assorted thoughts on the second half of season 4 – I’m trying to make this post a little shorter and not go episode-by-episode. This is my summation of the quality of the second half:
Episodes I love: This Year’s Girl, Restless
Episodes I like: A New Man, Who Are You, The Yoko Factor
Episodes that are okay: New Moon Rising, Superstar
Episodes I will never watch again unless forced to: The I in Team, Goodbye Iowa, Where the Wild Things Are, Primeval

( Other comments and noticings )

I’ve been watching this string of episodes – second half of season three, first half of season four – while in Jersey watching my brothers while my parents are on vacation. My almost-fourteen-year-old brother Luke is watching with me. In some ways he’s a much better BtVS-viewing partner than either of my parents or my boyfriend were. He asks too many questions but genuinely seems to like the show a lot, while my dad and my boyfriend each liked maybe half of the episodes, and my mom liked “The Pack” and only “The Pack.” So far he says that Buffy’s his favorite character, and Spike and Willow are tied for second. Boy’s got good taste.

( First half of season 4, or should I say season Bore? Hey, it's no less clever than saying 'sux' for 'six.' )

Now I'm sad. "A New Man" is a delight, but The I in Goodbye Iowa is coming up and I don't waaana waaatch it.

( Wrapping up season 3 )

Real-life update coming soon, complete with details about brothers' graduations.