Discussion of 3.04 "Beauty and the Beasts" - Aired 10/20/1998 (WB-US)

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Re: Message: If I had to guess, there was an early draft of the season where Angel didn't return until much latter in the season, and the plot elements from this episode were intended to be drawn out over a longer period, then Angel could return to a Buffy who had moved on, as he would, at the end of Season 3.

The Network probably wasn't fond of paying D.B. for nothing, and really wanted Bangle back together, and also wanted a Spike episode. If true, a lot of Mosby/Hooch's big lines probably got reassigned to Spike.

I mean, it's just a theory, but Angel does nothing but hang out until Lover's Walk, and arguably, really doesn't do a whole lot for the first half of the season.

 

[NoShip]

It's gross really, that in a show that prides itself on feminism, our heroine victim-blames an abusive victim and shows no compassion, empathy or understanding towards said victim.

I forget who wrote the episode, but, Whedon controlled the series. A lot of Buffy's feminism was as fake as Whedon's. Unfortunately, this ep's take on abusive relationships is not at all surprising.

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

Re: Feminism; Joss is a feminist, but he's also an existentialist. Being one requires you to read a lot of books about German and French Jews living in the death camps, and someone like Debbie, who complacently accepts without protest that her life must end if Pete wants to end it is truly disgusting to them.