Life goes on

[hazelk]

Possibly the most disturbing aspect of deletegate was seeing the crazy rightwingers be smart, getting a response where bona fide child protection groups had failed. Although as shutting down potential evidence of paedophile activity wouldn’t be the response those groups would actually want I suppose the lesson is more that evil is easier.

Still back to normal fannish service. A few days ago whedonesque linked to a really neat close reading of Flooded. My only quibble with it would be that Flooded is not uniquely blueprinty for the rest of season 6, I think the same sort of analysis could be done for any of the first 7 episodes. I’m not dedicated enough to do that but as a lazier alternative here’s some brief thoughts on Life Serial reheated from a recent TATF re-watch.



The episode has an unusually modernist construction, like one of those buildings with all its pipes on the outside. The Ronseal teaser says exactly what it does right there on the tin - Buffy needs to test out various life options, the nerds plan for her to fail every test.

First up is Student!Buffy. Is that anything like a real Sociology class? Willow’s not wrong about going with the flow, it brought to mind a paper cited in Nature not so long ago about a journalist who actual physicists couldn’t distinguish from the real thing (at least as long as he didn’t have to do math). In any case even without the evil lint it all goes over Buffy’s head (literally as she crouches under the picnic table), which is a pity because I think it holds another Ronseal moment:

WILLOW: Because social phenomena don't have *unproblematic objective existences.* They have to be interpreted and given meanings by those who encounter them.

Buffy came back hollow and when it’s not simply being hilarious this episode constantly re-inforces the idea that life is a sham. A serial sham, a made up construct, an act, a set up, a cheat. Having failed to be Willow Buffy tries playing Xander only to have her fellow workers tell her she needs to flimsy up her construction, she’s making it too real for the hourly rate. Subsequently both Giles and Anya give her tips on achieving insincerity shop girl style - method act the librarian or the old thesps’ standard:

ANYA: Don't worry, don't be nervous. Do what I do, just picture yourself naked.

Later while the nerds argue about which actor gave the best Bond, Spike’s poker game turns out to be yet another sham, a set up to squeeze a few quid out of the cheating vamp. (Does anyone else think Buffy’s kitten liberation activities forshadow freeing the potentials in Chosen?) The episode ends with Giles deliberating over which to play, shiftless dad or rakish uncle but his final expression gives the lie to both.

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

Your first paragraph is what most bothers me as well -- and the sudden panic response it apparently inspired that started all the fuss.

Like your mini-analysis here. I think the other thing that may come up, I'm thinking specifically about the mummy hand incident, is how difficult it can be to connect with others and be understood by them. I think that's a theme going on in these other instances as well. And of course, Buffy is disconnected from everything at this point. In fact what's interesting about that last scene is that you'd think there was a real connection going on there, and yet Buffy is seeing Giles as a father substitute and he yet again backs away from that role (a bit of foreshadowing to when he does leave).

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

I love that final scene, so layered. As you say it looks so like the reaffirmation of their past connection but at some level Giles is giving her the money as a test, another cruciamentum which this time she fails although I'm not sure he even knows how he wants her to respond.

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

I liked the analysis, but mostly I'm disturbed at the thought of Buffy saying to Kennedy, Rona and Vi "Scamper! Be free!"
:)

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

You have nothing to lose but your very large ball of string?

[maeve-rigan.livejournal.com]

Good points on "Life Serial." I also liked the "Flooded" blogposting, which did actually acknowledge that other episodes are "blueprinty" for B6 and other seasons; it just didn't name them.

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Yes, I noticed in the comments the writer said it had been written with Slayage in mind but that had been abandoned when she realised it didn' have enough of a theory hook which seemed a shame because I think it had plenty to say.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

Does anyone else think Buffy’s kitten liberation activities forshadow freeing the potentials in Chosen?)

I love it!

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Kittens be strong!

[elisi]

this episode constantly re-inforces the idea that life is a sham
Oh that is excellent and (now) very obvious.

Incidentally have you read selenak's Mirror, Mirror: Life Serial and Dead Things revisited? A truly brilliant comparison.

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Thank you. And yes it's a favourite.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

This is great. I love the insight that Buffy is trying to be Willow, Xander, Anya then Giles.

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Anyone but her. And the whole playing a part thing leads in so well to the Life's a Show/Going through the Motions of the musical.