Whedonesque : Comments on 10990 : UPN's "Buffy's Dead" promo campaign from 2002.

Loved the X-mas promo.Amends is one of those greats eps that have everything in one brightly wrapped package. It had great scooby moments, great B/X moments, Oz/Wills, Faith in that incrediably short skirt.

For me this is one DB's best performances ever on the Buffy show. When he said"it's not the monster in me that needs killing, it's the man." One of Db's and SmG's best scenes ever and there were alot!I was in tears.

On a shallow note,hated the bang thing she did with her hair for that ep.

Donna Troy | July 31, 19:58 CET

So who won the contest? What episode did they show up in?

gingeriffic | July 31, 20:13 CET

That x-mas promo sounds so cheesey. "just call 1-800-collect" "you should've called".

And gingeriffic.

"The promo was offering fans the chance to enter a sweeps stake every time they made a call using the 1-800-COLLECT communications system.

The prize was a walk-on part on Buffy. Jessica Johnson of Maryland, won a three day trip for two to participate in the episode The Prom."

eddy | July 31, 20:30 CET

As a Buffy fan who basically watched the whole series on DVD, I find it interesting to see these original promos. Thank you Dalton for the links! :)

Matt_Fabb | July 31, 21:04 CET

Wow! There were people who liked Amends? I thought that episode was universally disliked.

Although Xander outside in his sleeping bag gets me choked up every time the rest of it, not so much.

And Angelus' mustache? The real tragedy of the episode.

Is this the episode that has the line
"When you kiss me I want to die?"

Worst line of the series.

Also love seeing the promos, thanks.

Xane | July 31, 21:13 CET

When you kiss me I want to die was Reptile Boy I believe.

eddy | July 31, 21:28 CET

Amends is universally liked. It was a strong episode and had good acting. There's a few who have problems with what they call "magic snow" but they accept the deus ex machina of the rest of the series which makes me think the real problem they have is with happy endings or with Buffy/Angel.

cityof | July 31, 21:39 CET

These are exactly the types of clips that should be included in DVD sets! Today I am an angry consumer.

Hjermsted | July 31, 21:43 CET

I also feel consumer angryism!

Craig Oxbrow | July 31, 21:44 CET

I love Ammends, especially in light of Angel's later, solo mission.

It has some of my all-time favorite scenes: Oz/Willow, with Barry White in the background, Willy telling Xander he was very intimidating, and Xander's big goofy grin, sexy Buffy/Angel dreams, the businessman who talks about discovering his children, dead and artfully arranged in their bed, Giles inviting Angel into his home, only after pointing a crossbow at him, Faith and her bravado about her 'big party', Joyce's reaction when Buffy suggests they invite Giles to Christmas dinner, and on and on.

I love the overriding atmosphere in this episode, where so much is bleak and lonely, yet with little windows of magic that open unexpectedly.

I have to agree, though, Angelus' hair (including facial hair) was pretty horrible.

looking | July 31, 21:46 CET

I was lucky to have saved the 1-800-Collect ad in one of my vieotapes. I burned it on DVD, and it's somewhere in my collection. It was a cute promo.

impalergeneral | July 31, 21:59 CET

I would hardly say this ep is universally hated. It had great ratings when it aired and was generally loved across the fandom even by non-shippers because of the many different stories and superb acting by the two leads.Every character had time to shine and bring out the best.

"When you kiss me I want to die." Is hardly the scariest or worst line ever spoken on this show. Going through the seasons, I can think of many that are more cring-worthy.

They sold at some of the cons, at one time, a dvd of all the promo's and advertisments. This is why I am looking forward to the last airing on the WB. I am giddy about being able to see the "Get home before Dark promo" or "Everything changes".

Donna Troy | July 31, 22:18 CET

Yeah, Xane, minus the magic snow the general consensus around W-esque has been a thumbs up for Amenda.

zeitgeist | July 31, 22:36 CET

I couldn't stand Amends first time round. It was too Richard Curtis for my tastes. But on repeat viewing, it's a corker of an episode.

Simon | July 31, 22:42 CET

What I hate about Amends is that Angel was about to kill himself before the snow happened. Buffy didn't save him, Angel didn't even save himself. The snow did(or was it TPTB, or..even Jasmine). Its probably, next to Conviction, my least favorite Joss directed episode.

I liked other parts of the episode. Giles/Angel confrontation, the dream sequence, The First Evil, etc. But much of what you remember about a film/episode is the ending and that capper ruined it for me.

[ edited by eddy on 2006-07-31 21:32 ]

eddy | July 31, 23:31 CET

I vote with Xane on Amends. I don't like this episode. In fact, it's in my top 5 least favorite episodes. The wig, the mustache, the accent (it's here, it's there, it's gone). There were a few moments to like (e.g.,Xander in his sleeping bag), but overall, it didn't work for me.

MacGuffin | July 31, 23:33 CET

If we worried about every ep that the accents, clothing or hair did something one minute and something entirly different the next, I would say there would be agreat many dislikes in the verse.

Storywise until the snow, it was one of the most tightly written and superbly acted eps of the whole season.

Would have loved to see X-mas morning with the scoobies and Faith.

Donna Troy | August 01, 00:44 CET

I think Amends is great. Sure, the fact that Angel's return from Hell was never fully explained and the snow was very convenient, but aside from these plot points there was much to enjoy- The First appearing as Jenny Calendar for example. But I think there's something very nice about the snow miracle, even if it is a little cheesy. But so rarely is something like that used in the Buffyverse that it's worth it to have an episode with a happy, hopeful ending.

And I like the ambiguity of Angel's return- we never really did find out if it was The First or The Powers That Be. Much like the Shanshua Prophecy, Darla's spectral appearance in Inside Out or other interesting topics, it can be interpreted either way, which I like.

Razor | August 01, 01:03 CET

ick..does anyone have another link for the season 6 promos? i can never seem to work rapidshare. cool wiki pages tho :)

yamsham | August 01, 01:22 CET

I liked the snow. We seldom question the dark forces at work in Sunnydale. It's nice to know that every now and then, something positive shows it's face. (Assuming it wasn't The First, which seems doubtful, since The First was encouraging Angel to kill himself. Unless The First was really clever and sent him out to kill himself, saved him and sent him on a journey of redemption, etc. Frankly, The First always seemed full of braggadocio, not brains.)

looking | August 01, 01:32 CET

Well, the accent was never 'there' to begin with (for all values of there equalling Ireland ;).

'Amends' is very cheesy. The magic snow is very clearly fake, the episode has some terrible lines and is a bit over-wrought at times and I think the outdoors sets show themselves to be sets more in this episode than at any other time (possibly because of the lighting). It's also frikkin' beautiful. It's meant to be The Powers That Be that save the day, it's a Christmas miracle FFS ;). The ending has that quality of 'suprising inevitability' so that just before the first flakes float down the audience sees what's happening (i.e. Angel is being gifted a day). And the little Scoobies montage with Beck's lovely score over the top ? Just great.

One of the very few Christmas episodes of any show that I can stand to watch over and over again (and that never fails to cheer me up).

(nice promos too, especially the Anya ones, pity we never get anything like that over here)

Saje | August 01, 01:47 CET

I think Amends is an important episode in terms of Angel's arc, but it's not among my favorites. And the sudsy-looking snow makes me giggle.

gingeriffic | August 01, 01:50 CET

I started watching "Buffy" at the very end of the 2nd season, so I didn't really get "Hey, it's Jenny: Angelus killed Jenny in that outfit." But as far as I remember, it was my first exposure to Angel's backstory. I really like that 'sode. Plus it was our intro to the first evil..which can be interpreted as a not-so-good thing by some people.

Arabchick | August 01, 02:08 CET

Another contender who might of made the magic snow, is Jasmine &/or her acolytes. They needed Angel on Earth in order to bring about Jasmine's birth in human form (through Angel's son Connor).

paxomen | August 01, 02:18 CET

Ooh I forgot I had all these promos from back in the day. Nice bit of nostalgia watching them again.

I have to come down in favour of Amends, it's not in my top 5 eps, but it makes my top 20.

Paul_Rocks | August 01, 02:23 CET

Hey what?? How are you guys all seeing them? I could only read about them on Wiki?

OK it is early here, and I'm rather sleepy.

nixygirl | August 01, 02:51 CET

Tis special Northern hemisphere magic. Think it's related to the alignment of Polaris or something ;).

(near the bottom of the page under 'External links' there's a link to Rapidshare where you can download it)

Saje | August 01, 02:57 CET

Watching those just made me cry.

barboo | August 01, 03:35 CET

I like Amends, but then I love Christmas so it makes me feel all warm and good inside.

And the "dead" promos are pretty cool, and I forgot how good Emma Caulfield looked.

Ashley | August 01, 03:38 CET

Ah yeah, Deus Snow Machina.

Caroline | August 01, 03:47 CET

I never understood people's obesession with his accent. I could tell it was Irish.

cityof | August 01, 04:55 CET

I... thought it was pretty much assumed it was the TPTB that both returned him from hell and prevented him from killing himself. That, or, after watching Angel, it was Wolfram and Hart.

Gouki | August 01, 04:56 CET

And I agree with looking and Saje about Amends. I hate sentimental Christmas stories (except Miracle on 34th Street which always chokes me up, and uh, A Christmas Carol, because that's great literature, but other than that, meh) and I like Amends. The First Evil is a pretty creepy villain at that point, especially with the disfigured acolytes, always a plus in horror stories, and the whole thing about nothing being able to live above them being the clue for Buffy to find them, and the great confrontation between Angel and Giles (which provides an added poignancy later on in the season when he stands by Buffy when she rejects the Watchers' Council for refusing to help cure Angel when he's dying).

And the magic snow is not an add-on, it's the whole point of the episode. That's what tells Angel and us that he has a role to play in the world, a mission that something needs him to be there for, laying the whole groundwork for Angel the series.

barboo | August 01, 04:57 CET

I always loved Amends, miracle snow and all. But at the time it aired, their was a lot of negative feedback on the net posted about it.

The air-dancing scene between Willow and Tara in Family also took quite a few hits.

Reddygirl | August 01, 05:46 CET

"Ah yeah, Deus Snow Machina."

Caroline pops in for a quick zinger.

I loved ~~"A Very Special Buffy Christmas"~~ "Amends." It brought me back to the Buff when I was starting to stray. And my old video copy is a "Submitted For Your Emmy Consideration" version, so I guess someone else musta thought it was good, too.

QuoterGal | August 01, 06:06 CET

I never understood people's obesession with his accent. I could tell it was Irish

CityOf you don't know what you are talking about in relation to accents

As an Irish person I can tell you that DB's accent is in no way an Irish accent.

I cringe every time I hear it.

garda39 | August 01, 06:10 CET

Garda39, you're too kind. What did it sound like? British, Jamaican? What? It sounded like an Irish accent.
Yea, Caroline always swoops in to "zing" people. She's one of my favorite mods...

cityof | August 01, 08:30 CET

I agree, DB's accent was terrible --- but I took it with a grain o' salt and suspended reality. Hey, if I can buy the premise of werewolves, vampires, and slayers, I can suck up the phony brogue, too. hehe
(At least it was the exception, not the rule, for the trans-linguists in the 'verse.)

Love's Bitch | August 01, 09:17 CET

Well I shall watch it again. It's not an episode I hate but its not one I rewatch either. Perhaps I have missed something.
But to each their own as usual. There are many episodes I love that are disliked by almost everyone else. Beer bad, as well as I Robot, You Jane, and others.

The mustache still sucks though.

Xane | August 01, 09:25 CET

What did it sound like? British, Jamaican?

Yes ;).

(seriously, being able to tell it's supposed to be Irish is not the same as it sounding like a genuine Irish accent)

Saje | August 01, 12:23 CET

I loved "Amends" when I first saw it and would probably have put it into my top ten episodes. However as time goes by, for some unknown reason I dont like it as much. I find it quite a slow-moving episode, and I wasnt a big fan of Angel on Buffy. I found his character too...broody. Its not a "bad" episode though and is nowhere near my Bottom Five

Apocalypse | August 01, 14:33 CET

I mainly like "Amends" because of the dialogue at the end. That dialogue is really, really good.

dreeze | August 01, 16:47 CET

I've just come back from Dublin. 's Funny, nobody sounded like David!

Anyway, doing accents is a gift. You have to have a musical ear and not everybody is born with that. You can't really fault a person for it.

They used to call me the Dutch girl with the Sherrif street accent... (Only a Dub will understand that one.)

Caroline | August 01, 17:44 CET

RE: the Willow/Tara air dancing scene at the end of Family, I liked it overall, I thought it was a nice metaphor. However it does stretch belief that no-one else in The Bronze is the least bit surprised, considering their powers of delusion. Although during Aimee Mann's performance in Sleeper, a vampire dusting in front of everyone was pretty much shrugged off, so maybe by about season five people were completely used to seeing and ignoring bizarre events.

And regarding Amends, I think we were meant to believe it was TPTB that resurrected and saved Angelus, but as has been pointed out, it could have been something to do with Jasmine as she needed Angel to father Connor who could father her. But personally I very much doubt that any of that had entered into even Joss' head during season three of Buffy. And I didn't fully buy the idea that everything was aligned to setup her birth, either.

It could have been The First, too. It may have brought him back from Hell hoping that he would be Angelus, or that it could somehow make him turn into Angelus. Then, if The First realised that wasn't going to happen, it decided to make him kill himself instead. Or, more positively, TPTB brought him back to continue saving the world and redeeming himself, and The First wanted him out of the picture.

Razor | August 01, 20:02 CET

Razor, I've never bought the idea that Jasmine had set up everything that led to her birth either. I think that was just Skip doing demon trash talk to rattle the team.

barboo | August 01, 20:16 CET

They used to call me the Dutch girl with the Sherrif street accent...

You have a sherrif street accent LOL

Incidently I wasn't getting at DB a lot of actors have a problem doing a proper Irish accent .

garda39 | August 01, 22:57 CET

Yeah, I live in Northern Ireland but am very familiar with Southern accents. It's not the worst I've ever heard, but it's certainly not very good. I think the accent is probably hard to capture anyway, and I suspect maybe DB wasn't given a lot of practise or coaching with it.

The main problem is that it is kind of inconsistant, even within one scene. He'd do a vaguely Irish lilt and then use his normal speaking voice. I'm glad that Angel lost it over the years. It probably would have made some of the flashback scenes more believable if he hadn't used it, although he seemed to "forget" about it and only peppered conversation with it, so it didn't detract too much. And by season two it was something to look forward to, purely for it's silliness.

Razor | August 01, 23:57 CET

July 31 2006