Gingerbread.

[elisi]

I always forget how enjoyable this episode is.

"We have to save Buffy from Hansel and Gretl!"

Hee! Such a fun ride after the angstfest of 'Amends'. Although it also highlighted one reason I like the later seasons more: Willow being all helpless and almost getting burned at the stake, when a couple of years later she'd have been able to get out of there by a flick of the wrist. I like my heroes to have some power! :)

But - onto my one and only point. There is more set-up for AtS:

Angel: Buffy, you know, I'm still figuring things out. There's a lot I don't understand. But I do know it's important to keep fighting. I learned that from you.
Buffy: But we never...
Angel: We never win.
Buffy: Not completely.
Angel: We never will. That's not why we fight. We do it 'cause there's things worth fighting for.

That right there is AtS is a nutshell, from 'City of' until 'Not Fade Away'. (Although of course Angel will have to re-learn that lesson about 5 million times. *pets him*)

Comments

[shapinglight]

Although of course Angel will have to re-learn that lesson about 5 million times. *pets him*)

True - and at one fell swoop giving the lie to those who think Angel is so much more intelligent than Spike.

[elisi]

Heee! Angel fancies himself more intellectual I guess, but he really can be incredibly thick. He wouldn't be as much fun to watch otherwise! :)

[mikeygs.livejournal.com]

The fact that the show tried to tout him as more wise and mature one in the relationship only compounds the funny. :D

[elisi]

AOQ actually has some very interesting insights in his review of IWRY. Copy&Paste due to being in a hurry:

De-souling Angel gave Season Two of BTVS some of its best moments, but
it's also been used as a device to make a Forbidden Love story out of
the whole thing. All Troo Wuv, except for that nasty curse (and Angel
as an immortal in general). IWRY removes those obstacles, and still
has Angel walk away at the end. It's interesting to consider the way
the two of them not being equals affects his thinking. As established
before, Angel thinks Buffy's in danger because of her lack of
judgment where he's concerned, and takes steps to prevent it. It
could be called a true hero's sacrifice, or patronizing
martyr-complex stuff.

And of course, see the way he does it: once again it's a unilateral
decision, making choices "for their own good" without consulting
his better half, and ultimately cutting Buffy out of the loop entirely.
The early scenes of the episode serve to not-so-subtly suggest that
she wouldn't like that, if she could remember it happening. Beyond
the plot-based reasons that our lovers can't be lovers, this hits at
a character-based obstacle, a fundamental difference in attitudes. For
my money, it makes for a much more satisfying breakup episode than
anything else non-"Becoming." As much as I eventually grew to like
this particular romantic pairing, IWRY made me believe that going their
separate ways on their separate TV shows is better for both of them, in
a way I hadn't before.

[shapinglight]

He is probably more intellectual in some ways (the stuff about Baudelaire and being good at languages) but more intelligent? That's another thing.

[elisi]

Yup! :) *cough*Chris Eubank*cough*

[yourlibrarian]

I was rather zipping by the other day (yesterday?) and saw your post about Amends and how it seemed to be an AtS episode Joss was trying out. Agree completely and the phrase you quoted above always struck me the same way.

Sorry your trip home seems to have gotten delayed but hope all went enjoyably otherwise.

[elisi]

Agree completely and the phrase you quoted above always struck me the same way.
Yes - I remembered that it was coming up and things began to make a lot of sense. :)

Everything went fine, except the home journey, but at least we were able to sleep in our own very comfy beds that night.

[zimshan.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love that little piece of dialogue and I always forget it's in Gingerbread! On a whole, the ep always had the tendency to annoy me. Perhaps it's just because it always seems to be the ep I catch when I sit down to watch Buffy on syndication. That and Ted. Anyway, yep, it's completely AtS's premise, right there. So very pretty.

[elisi]

Oh, I love that little piece of dialogue and I always forget it's in Gingerbread!
Heee! Me too.

the ep always had the tendency to annoy me.
Well it's not one I ever remember as particularly great, but it's very entertaining to watch - lots of good lines. But... doesn't have that *wow* factor that really good episodes do.