For Jeff

Jeff has been talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer for as long as I have known him.  He talks about other things, too, but mostly it's Buffy this, Joss Whedon that.  Buffy, Buffy, Buffy.  And this is a show that I never watched, except for that one time years ago when I gave it a try and did not see what all the fuss was about. But apparently I was missing out on one of the greatest TV shows of all time, etc. etc.

Now that I am no longer an independently wealthy high school art teacher, I have been forced to come up with creative, inexpensive Christmas pressents for my loved ones.  Example: I gave Jeff a calendar in which I marked every single significant Kelly and Jeff anniversary from our first kiss to the night we rolled through Yazoo City on a train to the time we saw a semi truck whose trailer was emblazoned with the word "JESUS" in letters 12 feet tall.  It's all in there. 

My other gift to Jeff was an oversized card upon which I had painted a caricature of Sarah Michelle Gellar.  I used to draw caricatures for my college newspaper, and while I'm not a Buffy fan, I've always liked SMG's earnest little face with its tiny mouth and perpetually ticked-off eyes.  And here is what I wrote inside the card:

So now I have to watch 144 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

Comments

[Elmo]

K, this is wonderful. A kiss-ass gift. Plus, I am in the EXACT SAME BOAT as you. My beloved, he is also enthralled with the Buffy. So I bought him the box set last Christmas, and I also inscribed a card, "I will watch Buffy with you, I love you that much."

I only lasted one season, but perhaps you will fair better.

I DON'T GET THIS SHOW WHAT IS IT I DON'T EVEN.

[Hil]

You are a better person than me. I couldn't do that for anyone. In fact, not liking Joss is one of my better traits I like to think. Whatever you do, don't start to care for any of the characters. As soon as you care about any of them and they manage to find some kind of happiness they are killed or punished. Joss uses character abuse as a key element of his writing. Some people mistake it for feminism, but saying that over and over again doesn't change what is actually happening on the screen. Can you take up drinking at the same time? You'll need to find a happy place to go at least.

[Melinda]

Just be glad it's not "Firefly." Because "Firefly" was infuriating. It made me want to bite a tree.

[Hil]

Additional thought: Finding out someone doesn't like Buffy is like finding out they are secretly left handed. And if you are left handed you know how awesome that feels.

[Kelly]

Thank you very much for your support, everybody. I've watched 2 episodes this evening and don't feel like I can honestly judge the show yet, but so far:
Characters = pretty good. Vampire BS = not enchanted with.

[Caroline]

SMG is one of the most consistently terrible actors I've ever seen play a main character. She's so awful it makes me not like the show. Also, after the first few seasons it starts to get reallyyyy even weirder and more convoluted.

Also, I can't disagree strongly enough with Melinda about Firefly, which I really believe is one of the best seasons of television ever made. I was going to suggest it as recommended Joss Whedon viewing once you realize you hate Buffy.

[Jeff Carroll]

I am being a considerate recipient. We're only watching 5 "necessary" episodes in season 1--all but one written by Joss Whedon. S1 was pretty weak.

[Gina]

Well I'm the minority here...I LOVE Buffy, huge fan. I have all the box sets and watch them all the time. They are funny, well acted, and I personally think Joss is a genius. I hope you watch them with an open mind and see them for what they are. A fun show...it's just entertainment. Your hubby's lucky...I've been trying to get my bf to watch for the last 5 years. But, he peeks when I'm watching them, so I might have a small chance one of these days lol. Enjoy them!