Scan barcode
A review by greatlibraryofalexandra
Why Buffy Matters: The Art of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Rhonda Wilcox
3.0
I liked this less than "Seven Seasons of Buffy" (Edited by Glenn Yeffeth) but more than "Sex and the Slayer (Lorna Jowett)."
This collection can be repetitive - however, Wilcox does note that in the opening intro, as she states that the essays are able to be read out of order, and as stand alone pieces, and are better suited to spoken delivery. This is true, and being forewarned makes some of the repetition palatable -- but other repetition just isn't.
The constant references to Freud were irritating beyond belief (I thought Freshman Psych classes beat it into all students' head that Freud was kind of a joke) and I also found myself wanting to slam the book down on the table and scream "not everything is a phallic reference!" Sometimes a clocktower is just a clocktower, Rhonda. Sometimes spiky hair is just spiky (tacky) hair.
"Fear: The Princess Screamed Once; Power, Silence, and Fear in "Hush" gave me a new perspective on that episode, and had me appreciating it much more. To be honest, I've never loved that episode, and never found it to be life-changing or all that enticing. In this piece, Wilcox made me want to go back to it.
"When Harry Met Buffy: Buffy Summers, Harry Potter, and Heroism" was an excellent piece; I don't think I'd ever twigged that they started the same year.
"Every Night I Save You" spoke to me on a deep level, and as a massive Spike fan, I was happy to see Wilcox repeatedly point out that Spike sought a soul in his own agency, contrasted with Angel suffering a soul only when he was 'cursed' with it.
The analyses of "Surprise" and "Innocence" was engaging and beautiful as well.
So, as I said: while this wasn't as fun as "Seven Seasons of Buffy" (which I enjoyed immensely even when I raucously disagreed with an opinion), it's not as academically dry and inaccessible as "Sex and the Slayer," nor did it leave me feeling as put out and combative as Jowett's book did (her conclusion that Buffy wasn't a feminist show was...laughable).
Because this was written in 2006, I will give it a pass on the hero-worship of Joss Whedon, which I no longer think has any place in these discussions. He may have given us Buffy, but he's still just a man who has exhibited reprehensible behavior.
This collection can be repetitive - however, Wilcox does note that in the opening intro, as she states that the essays are able to be read out of order, and as stand alone pieces, and are better suited to spoken delivery. This is true, and being forewarned makes some of the repetition palatable -- but other repetition just isn't.
The constant references to Freud were irritating beyond belief (I thought Freshman Psych classes beat it into all students' head that Freud was kind of a joke) and I also found myself wanting to slam the book down on the table and scream "not everything is a phallic reference!" Sometimes a clocktower is just a clocktower, Rhonda. Sometimes spiky hair is just spiky (tacky) hair.
"Fear: The Princess Screamed Once; Power, Silence, and Fear in "Hush" gave me a new perspective on that episode, and had me appreciating it much more. To be honest, I've never loved that episode, and never found it to be life-changing or all that enticing. In this piece, Wilcox made me want to go back to it.
"When Harry Met Buffy: Buffy Summers, Harry Potter, and Heroism" was an excellent piece; I don't think I'd ever twigged that they started the same year.
"Every Night I Save You" spoke to me on a deep level, and as a massive Spike fan, I was happy to see Wilcox repeatedly point out that Spike sought a soul in his own agency, contrasted with Angel suffering a soul only when he was 'cursed' with it.
The analyses of "Surprise" and "Innocence" was engaging and beautiful as well.
So, as I said: while this wasn't as fun as "Seven Seasons of Buffy" (which I enjoyed immensely even when I raucously disagreed with an opinion), it's not as academically dry and inaccessible as "Sex and the Slayer," nor did it leave me feeling as put out and combative as Jowett's book did (her conclusion that Buffy wasn't a feminist show was...laughable).
Because this was written in 2006, I will give it a pass on the hero-worship of Joss Whedon, which I no longer think has any place in these discussions. He may have given us Buffy, but he's still just a man who has exhibited reprehensible behavior.