Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 (New Edition) [DVD]

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Déjà Vu!
Review date: 2009-06-27 Rating: 6 out of 10

The central plot of BTVS was a relatively simple one; a teenage girl struggles to come to terms with her approaching adulthood and responsibilities, as dramatised by her destiny as `The Slayer.'

As a result, Buffy Summers almost seemed doomed to be a perpetually confused adolescent, forever teetering on the emotional line between childhood and adulthood; between selfishness and the needs of others. So because the whole story seemed entirely reliant on this eternal teenage `Limbo,' it seemed that she could never be allowed to grow into a heroine, or indeed, even into an adult woman.

She almost appeared to be like a fly trapped in amber, whining about the same childish rubbish year after year after year. And no matter what the situation, the root problem always seemed to be the same.

In the end then, the story of BTVS appeared to be as hopelessly trapped as she was.

The mere fact that Joss Whedon managed to achieve so much within the constraints of such apparent limitations was proof that he is incredibly talented. However, this also means that in my personal opinion, he could probably have broken free at any point and created an entirely different story.

In my personal opinion, regardless of whether it's fictional or happening in real life, there is NOTHING worse than seeing spectacular talent and potential being corrupted by selfish cowardice and self-doubt. And although almost every episode of BTVS seemed bound by these heavy, steel shackles, I believe that the `Filler' episodes of series 2 really drove this point home.

At the end of the first series of BTVS, Buffy had faced her fears.

She had killed `The Master' and taken the first steps towards embracing her adulthood. But now, the whole premise of the programme appeared to demand that she back-pedal until her legs began to cramp.

In "When She Was Bad," Buffy was understandably suffering from Post Traumatic Stress after her battle with `The Master.' But as an emotionally crippled `Teenager' in the most derogatory sense of the word, she took the road well travelled, buried all of her emotions and her self-doubts, pretended that she was invulnerable and almost got her friends killed.

In "Some Assembly Required," a fellow student brought his brother back from the dead out of selfish cowardice. And `Terrified of What Others Might Think of Him,' the brother hid, but demanded a `Frankenstein Bride' out of selfish cowardice as well.

In spite of the fact that it introduced `Spike,' by far one of the best characters ever created, "School Hard" was focused on Buffy's need to balance her `Slaying' with having a `Normal Life.' Again, almost getting her friends killed in the process.

"I might get kicked out of school and my mommy will yell at me."

For God's Sake, Sort Out Your Priorities!

And in "Inca Mummy Girl," Buffy learns once again that there's a fine line between selfish cowardice and `Evil.'

You might think that the lesson would have sunk in by this point. But instead, it just went on and on.

"Reptile Boy:" Buffy ignores her responsibilities because she desperately wants a `Normal Life,' and is almost eaten by a giant snake demon for her trouble.

Giles: "The words `Let That Be a Lesson to You' seem a tad redundant."

"Halloween:" Buffy wants to be a `Pretty Little Princess,' (Aka, a weak and wimpy little girl,) because being the `Slayer' caused her parents' divorce and is responsible for everything wrong in her life.

Ethan: "Be careful what you wish for."

"What's My Line" Parts 1 & 2: Buffy whines about being the Slayer, whilst at the same time, feeling jealous of Kendra's relationship with Giles.

Kendra: "You talk about being a Slayer as if it's your job. It's not. It's who ya' are."

"Ted:" A whiney little girl blames herself for her parents' divorce and hates her mother's new boyfriend, who fortunately, turns out to be a homicidal robot.

Every week, Buffy learns that wanting a `Normal Life' and selfish, childish cowardice lead to nothing but pain and jeopardy for everyone. But the apparent plot constraints almost seemed to demand that she have the memory of a goldfish.

Of course, Xander spent almost every episode lusting after Buffy (except when he was lusting after Impada) and projecting all of his jealousy onto Angel, Ford, the Demon Worshipping Fraternity and anyone else in sight, whilst in turn, Willow sat lusting after Xander. So once again, it's a testament to Joss Whedon's genius that he could tell exactly the same story in so many different ways.

Moving on though, Xander fell in lust with Cordillia. Why? To shatter Willow's fantasies and force her to start using Oz as an emotional crutch instead.

After all, they had to define a role for Seth Green's character somehow, and even Joss Whedon must have thought that Xander's jealousy was wearing a little thin.

Then of course, Buffy had sex with Angel, and Angel lost his soul.

Cue Xander's `Righteous Indignation...' (In no way motivated by petty, vindictive spite,)

"Kick His A**!"

For the last time though, the sex itself was incidental. Angel achieved `Perfect Happiness' as he fell asleep beside Buffy. And the constant references to Angel having sex/being unable to have sex in the spin-off series always makes me want to scream.

Of course, the episode "Lie to Me" is one of my absolute favourites and a bona fide classic. And after that, one line of one episode stretches far beyond the TV series to strike at the very core of human hypocrisy.

Uncle Yosel: "It is not Justice that we serve...it is Vengeance."

At the end of the day however, whilst it is only my personal opinion, Joss Whedon seemed to make exactly the same programme that he would make for the next three years.

The names, the circumstances and the situations would be different, but Buffy, Xander and Willow themselves would remain fundamentally unchanged.

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