– Or An Introduction to Storytelling in Buffy The Vampire Slayer –
Note: This journal post may not make much sense. I tried to connect thoughts as best I could. Apologies; E.
However narrative is defined, they know it when they feel it.
– Jeremy Hsu, The Secrets of Storytelling
As Buffy the TV series develops, the precariousness of identity becomes ever more pronounced…not only are we introduced to the instability of peer group identities,…but also to the untrustworthiness of adult identities.
– Sue Turnbull, Who Am I? Who Are You?
If there is one thing I love about Buffy (though I haven’t seen every episode), it’s the characters, and how they interact with each other and the supernatural happenings of Sunnydale. What I loved about the first episode, however, was how hard Buffy seems to be fighting her identity.
We see identity explored in loads of teen dramas, but Buffy’s rebellion in the first episode to her position as the slayer is somewhat different. Yes, it’s different because of the supernatural lit to the show, but that’s not what I mean. Buffy’s exploration of self seems much more genuine, because of how much her destiny has ruined her life. Her exaggerated situation reflects the smaller, ‘normal’ teenage rebellions well; like a parent pressuring their child to become a doctor, Giles presses the slayer issue with Buffy. And she rebells. She refuses. There is something really realistic in that; her selfish refusal of her role mirrors one most teenagers know really well.
But, as Sue Turnbull points out in her article about identity in Buffy, it’s more than that. Joss Whedon created characters that, in an exaggerated way, reflect the issues teenagers wrestle with growing up. Realizing adults are not all powerful, and, most of the time, don’t know what they’re doing. The ever changing identity of friend groups. These things are real, and not fluffed up or padded during the writing, filming, or editing process. I’m sure there are things that got cut or added in to placate the studios, but Buffy is a dark, witty, and fully relevant show, even to teens today. I think that’s why I gravitate towards it so much – when the scripts is dark, the environment reflects that (music [ambient] that is too loud to make out the words in the Bronze, for instance). The viewer is not talked down to; Buffy’s rebellion is not looked at as unreasonable. Self-exploration and loss of identity are not trivialized.
I think that’s where the genuineness of Buffy shines – there are lots of other shows, according to Turnbull, that use the same formula that Buffy does. These shows include soap operas, who may just have identity crises to give new life to an old plot, and weekly shows, which deal with a new ‘badie’ every week. But Buffy puts a spin on both of these models – nothing done on the show feels forced. The plots arcs from episode to episode, and characters truly develop through identity crisis (whether individual or not). There are silly episodes and there are regrettable episodes (probably), but, overall, Buffy tries to bring you a version of reality you can relate to, and explore issues in. That, after all, is one of the more important definitions of story telling.
September 26, 2013
City of S.H.I.E.L.D
emigee93 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, angel, buffy, City Of..., Whedonverse Story Telling, The Whedonverse 0 Comments
– Or Rough Beginnings –
If there is one thing I have learned to accept about Joss Whedon shows this semester, it’s that the beginning is going to be a bit rough. Enter Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Angel, both of which have lackluster series premieres.
Let’s start with the older series, Angel. The opener of the series, if you’ve been watch Buffy like I have, is frustrating as all hell. The show opens with Angel pretending to be drunk at a bar (though, through the acting, it seems more like he maybe high), and then fighting off two vampires who are attacking—-a skinny blonde girl. This is alright in and of itself, I think, but Doyle, a clairvoyant half-demon, then sets Angel on a path to connect with a person and save them. Who is this person? Tina, the skinny blonde waitress who is lost and alone in LA trying to be a movie star.
See a pattern here?
The entire episode is an exercise in showing that Angel can kick ass on his own, but also is still being a sad panda over his break up with Buffy. Did I say sad panda? I meant constant source of melancholy and ‘woe is me’ vibes. Going from a strong, well rounded Buffy to a rather bland Angel is a bit of a rough ride.
On top of these disappointments is the fact that the first episode must assume that no one in the audience has seen Buffy — even though most of the audience was probably drawn from Buffy. Thus, the entire episode feels like a walk down a very overused memory lane.
To be fair to Joss, he was now in charge of two shows, and co-wrote the episode with David Greenwalt. There may have been network pressures or requirements involved. Still, the episode ‘City Of…’ was lackluster and was not an encouraging introduction to a series I was not all that excited about watching.
Now, on to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D premiered this week and it was…underwhelming. Once again, the show suffered from ‘getting those out of the loop into the loop’ syndrome, but less so than Angel. In fact, I was surprised at the number of things that, if one hadn’t seen the Marvel Movies or read the comic books, Agents just assumed you could figure out. (Extremis was a very blatant case of this glossing over effect). The plot was okay – seemed very episodic, as is the style with Joss – but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting out of a Joss Whedon premiere.
I think what got me were the casting choices (this, of course, can be attributed to the Casting Director). The female characters except Badass Asian Lady (pardon my monikers, I am bad with names) suffered from a serious case of Same-Face, and the Generic Action Hero was just that…generic. Perhaps it it because the last Whedonverse show I had particular contact with was Firefly, but man, does this cast seem a bit low on diversity.
It was not all bad. I recognize, both as a Whedon fan and a writer, that starting something is immensely difficult. Writing the beginning to anything, be it a television series or a novel, is tough work. I don’t know if Joss just hasn’t figured out the balance of mystery and invitation yet, but he’s getting there – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is no ‘City of…’ Angel. I’m willing to see how both these shows turn out – if the writing and the casting and the other production elements can come together into something great.
Let’s hope they do.