Yeah, that moment is probably the transition from S4 Riley to S5. With that one line, he's both a loveable sad sack, but also (in my reading) somewhat petty. He's sort of saying, "she doesn't love me . . . the way I think she should." Which is fine, but he expects her to know this without ever telling her, to get him…

That's what she says, for sure. I think the relationship is mutually manipulative and dysfunctional (in S6), and as a result pushes them both to dark places where they do things that they can't justify with any mental gymnastics (for Buffy, I'd say sex at the Bronze in Dead Things, for Spike the sexual assault in SR).…

If you think about S4 in terms of SG group dynamics rather than in terms of the Big Bad, it's really pretty fascinating. I know BtVS went to the "Buffy rejects her friends' help only later to realize she needs them" well a lot, but S4 is actually more organic in its exploration of that narrative than most of the…

I actually thing Noxon did a fantastic job on S6 (on just about everything she did for the show, actually), but I'm a fan of the season anyway, so I guess that makes sense . . .

Wait, wasn't she totally beat to shit because earlier in that ep Warren had acquired super strength and smashed her around before she stopped him (which is why he shows up at episode's end with a gun)?

At the same time, once they get together, he also tries to get her to embrace her darker, more negative side, which is one of the really icky things about S6 that the show does well (imo). First he tries to impress her, then tries to change her, using her depression to his own advantage.

There were the guys who showed up in S1, "Out of Mind Out of Sight" to get the inviso-girl and bring her to that weird school at the end . . . in my mind, there's a connection between them and, if not the Initiative, at least whomever green-lit the Initiative, although the show never makes the connection explicit.

I think some of the stuff the show (Buffy) tried to do with Angel in S3 had a lot of potential - his existentialism and fatalism about having returned from hell, the ramping up of his guilt about his past and his guilt about what a relationship with him would require of Buffy. But a lot of that stuff definitely gets…

I really like Faith, the character, but Dushku's performance on Buffy S3 is hit or miss for me.

I always thought the show was pretty clear that we're supposed to dislike him mainly for his treatment of women in general (which, his whole encounter with Willow really rams home), but that, at the same time, the show allowed Buffy to get a bit down because a jerk manipulated and used her.

I really like S4 Riley, not so much S5 Riley. I think that's in part because Blucas does a pretty great job selling the wholesome, gee-whiz thing, but doesn't pull off tortured or dark very well.

I think he's still touring on occasion, but maybe playing at odd places. And he pops up on the fringes of more mainstream media now and again. I think he's a pretty odd duck, which is part of what I used to really love about his comedy.

Back in the day I was really into Jake Johannsen, and I knew almost nobody else who was. So I used to love how often Dave would have him on just because Dave seemed to love his comedy so much.

You've probably seen Targets from 1968 (directed by P. Bogdanovich). It's not directly about Whitman, but according to all involved, definitely influenced by him. Key aspects of the killer's life in the film are based on Whitman's own biography. It's a fascinating film, even if it's only sort of "influenced by . . ."

That string of four albums from Extra Width through Acme is pretty much untouchable, so much crunchy fun. "Bell Bottoms" is sure to kick start any lagging dance party. Saw these guys in concert about three years ago, and I think . . . live anyway . . . they're better now than they were in the '90s.

Ha ha, well, I know little comes through in such exchanges, but trust me, I've fallen for nothing peddled by Norquist et al., and haven't the minutest iota of belief that RWR saved anybody from anything (and not really sure how you could have read that into my post).

I was responding to your claim that Carter was a better president than Obama. He wasn't, not by a long stretch.

Don't hold your breath . . . Richard Corliss didn't even get one, and for a site like this, that's just wrong.

One. Last. Time!

Gas Food Lodging . . . anyone?