Whedonesque : Comments on 15840 : Reports start coming in from the Buffy Reunion.

Here's a report from the Strangely Literal Podcast people.

ETA: I dig this bit:

I was happy when the Paley fest was announcing it's partners and when they said Writers Guild of America a LOT of the audience cheered. Reminded me of our fight for the WGA and how proud we are that it's now over.

[ edited by theonetruebix on 2008-03-21 08:46 ]

theonetruebix | March 21, 08:43 CET

Hehee... I be the Strangely Literal Podcast people. (And Buffy Between the Lines, and Joss'd, and Firefly Talk and Let's Talk Joss)

Thank you to James from the SoCal Browncoats and to the lady who let me have her extra ticket. I really really appreciate it.

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 21, 08:48 CET

Dear Futon Critic,

'Live' MEANS live.

Signed-

Miss Crankypants

P.S- I am NOT happy. Oh, and I post on the internet.

missb | March 21, 09:04 CET

Hmm? What's happening here?

Is there news? What's the what? Don't really understand the goings on in this thread? Thought by the title that there'd be stuff reporting? No?

Then what.

Willowy | March 21, 09:29 CET

More!!

Seriously. I need more. Keep 'em coming, people.

buffywrestling | March 21, 09:29 CET

No news. Nothing particularly new.

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 21, 09:32 CET

I'm listening to the podcast...which is awesome by the way. Thanks Tabz!

GrrrlRomeo | March 21, 09:37 CET

Couple more reports up on the other Paley thread.

SoddingNancyTribe | March 21, 09:38 CET

Thanks @GrrlRomeo!

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 21, 09:38 CET

Sorry, still reeling from the lack of Eliza-ness at the panel to comment. *weeping quietly*

Perseo | March 21, 09:48 CET

Direct link to thefutoncritic's report.
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20080320
Haven't read it all yet but seems pretty close to verbatim.

dreamlogic | March 21, 09:52 CET

Matt Roush has a report as well so I've added that to the entry.

Simon | March 21, 09:58 CET

Maybe AH and ED had to work, or caught that killer flu that's going around?

stevekaw | March 21, 10:05 CET

Was reading the Futon Critic report.It seems the most detailed.I was wondering would now be a good time to get Brian Lynch to do that Xander comic since Nick brought it up? *wink*

And doesn't James know he is in a comic book?Just not that one.

It's interesting how Joss said if they did a movie he would have no problem dumping the canon comics events if he had to in order to make a on-screen continuation work.

Loved Sarah's reaction to Buffy/Satsu.

[ edited by Buffyfantic on 2008-03-21 11:03 ]

Buffyfantic | March 21, 10:23 CET

I can totally hear Joss' voice in my head when I read the "college" comment. Big smiles...

OzLady | March 21, 10:36 CET

I still see a Buffy movie as a very very very long shot. Yeah, Sarah seems fonder of the whole experience now that quite some time has passed, but it's more appreciation of her legacy than real desire to revisit the character, IMO. Can't really see Joss de-canonizing Season 8 anytime soon.

Perseo | March 21, 10:42 CET

It's interesting how Joss said if they did a movie he would have no problem dumping the canon comics events if he had to in order to make a on-screen continuation work.

Yeah, that's "interesting" to me too, especially given that the whole idea behind "season 8" has been that it's an official continuation. Does that mean then that he'd have no problem dumping events from season 7 (or 6,5,4,3,2,1) to make an on-screen continuation work ? Cos if not i'm now left wondering what exactly "official continuation" even means - it starts to sound a bit like marketing speak, which would be ... disappointing.

(or maybe he's thinking of a 'Doctor Who'-ish sliding scale of canonicity, where TV show > comics ?)

Great accounts everyone, thanks - making my way through them is like being there (but with more reading and virtually no pretty people to look at ;).

Saje | March 21, 10:43 CET

Didn't Joss fudge some of the canon of Firefly to make Serenity? I'm not insane am I?

If he had to make it flow in a way that people who had not read the comics wouldn't be totally lost...then... ?

GrrrlRomeo | March 21, 10:47 CET

I've looked at all the accounts, and the "almost live" blog from the Futon Critic is the best...but reading as many accounts as possible is even better.
As for Joss "de-canonizing" the current season, I also doubt it. It's an interesting story that they're building, and it would be possible to adapt it into a mini-series (8-12 hours), a better idea than a two-hour movie. ALl they need is enough money for special effects, something close to the GDP of Brazil.
We can always hope.

impalergeneral | March 21, 10:49 CET

Well, he fudged with the First's appearance as Warren to have Warren back in S8.

Anyway, this movie talk is the same it was before the Paley panel, hopeful speculation. Season 8 is the current stage of the Buffyverse, and it will 99% stay that way. I agree with GrrrlRomeo, S8 would be "fitted" to co-exist with a movie .

Perseo | March 21, 10:55 CET

Didn't Joss fudge some of the canon of Firefly to make Serenity? I'm not insane am I?

Well, "fudge" and "dump" have vastly different connotations but that's a matter of paraphrasing, i'm still listening to Brownncoat_Tabz great podcast (ta ;) to hear his actual words. Dunno if you're insane GrrlRomeo (you don't seem it to me but IANAPsychiatrist ;).

There's nothing in 'Serenity' that can't be (easily) fan-wanked away as still consistent with 'Firefly' (IIRC), if he means the same thing, more like smoothing continuity then i've no problems. If he means "What continuity ? Comics ? Buffy/Satsu ? Amy ? Warren ? Scotland ? Pfft. Never happened" then I really kinda do.

Saje | March 21, 11:03 CET

Great coverage, i would totally love to see a big screen Buffy movie. And yes i do believe he would have to create it to stand on it's own. The comics would have no bearing on it. It would probaly take some years after Chosen.
Comics, even those that sell as well as season8 are just not in the same league of blockbuster movies.
And Joss's first goal like so many other creators is to make money, the main-stream audience doesn't like to be told they have to read (by then) 40+ comics to catch up.

Vergil | March 21, 11:34 CET

Yeah, yeah, obviously the folks that never wanted to see the comics as an "official continuation" in the first place will be happy about this, to them they're just droppable for convenience and i'm sure they'll be over the moon to have Joss confirm that the comics don't really matter.

He says (after mentioning 'Fray') "it'd be lovely to make it all tie in" but then "if I had to shoot down everything i'm doing in the comics" [to make a 'Buffy' movie, I would] (my emphasis). That'd be a real issue for me. Either it's an official continuation or it's not. Comments like that seem to suggest that, in fact, narratively it's just a poor cousin to the TV show (or possible future films), even in Joss' mind.

Without the meaning attached to the events being "real" for the Buffy story, it's tough to take it seriously, tough to wonder what it means for Buffy and the gang to struggle through these experiences when in fact, at any moment, it may mean nothing. In future, all speculations related to the comics will have an implied "Or it may mean nothing at all" appended. All comic Buffy's travails, all her triumphs, her successes and failures can disappear with the click of a finger (or rather, the signing of a contract). Of the people that have accepted the comics as canon from the start, it'd seem strange to me if no-one else thought the comics were reduced by that fact, how can you really invest yourself in the story and characters when even Joss doesn't really see it as "true" ? Or at least only the kind of "true" you can "shoot down" as needed.

In context though, I think he was talking totally hypothetically (the word is used) and really doesn't think it'll happen. Maybe if it actually did he'd move heaven and earth to make it all work together, who knows.

Saje | March 21, 11:46 CET

I don't watch South Park, but doesn't Kenny die in almost every episode?

Continuity is good to get you immersed into the fictional world, but it shouldn't
be a straight jacket (if requiring continuity meant a bad or confusing movie).

OneTeV | March 21, 11:54 CET

Kenny dying every week is continuity for 'South Park' (though he actually didn't appear for a long time having "really" died in one episode). And do we really hold 'South Park' to the same standards as 'Buffy' ? AFAIK, arcs and serial character development have never really been a big aspect of 'South Park' (how long have they been pre-pubescent kids ? ;).

OK, for reference: the movie opens and there's no Willow. "Wow" we think "What clever narrative ruse is Joss using this time ?". Gradually though, we realise Willow has just been written out. And that's it. No explanations, no goodbyes, she isn't in it and was never in it as far as the story and characters are concerned. See ya Willow. Still, Joss probably felt that Willow's existence was a straight-jacket, cramping his creative style, right ?

The only reason this wouldn't fill you with the same feeling is because you see the comics as lesser, you see them as "only comics, after all, not proper Buffy". Well, not all of us do. Though now, presumably, we should.

ETAmend the example, to make it more with the .. exampleyness ;0.

[ edited by Saje on 2008-03-21 12:18 ]

Saje | March 21, 12:07 CET

Just thought I'd post this but can't a Buffy movie (if there is one) be a prequel or sequel to what's being planned for season eight? If Joss can't tie it all in, then this would work. But honestly I'd go and see anything Joss made.

Loved the pics from inside the panel! I hope E! is going to post a video like it was suggested?

alexa | March 21, 12:07 CET

ifMagazine has their stuff so I've bunged that in and all.

Simon | March 21, 12:21 CET

"I'm out"

I think that one note attributed to SMG in the sci-fi column will be taken out of context. Now I wasn't there but I can't see her being all definative at this point. She has never said "yay" or "nay" about taking it to the big screen. It seemed to be written as a "scoop", when really...it's not.

I also have a bit of an urkle with the one column portraying Nick as a defect [that is my word, not thiers. But the impression was there.] For a moment I thought they were busting on his stutter - which he tried and has overcome - but then I realized that they just didn't "get" him. He is jokey. On the panel that is included on the S6 dvd, he is jokey. All the time. He's trying. It's not your fault if you don't get it. {yay! Xander!]

It was really wonderful to read everything that went down; I thank all of them for that. Can I download it now? And if I had Futurama Fry's star moving space thingy, I would make them all align. The fandom is still here.

buffywrestling | March 21, 12:25 CET

Listening to a podcast of it now. Warning: contains a lot of periodical whooping that hurts my ears.

daylight | March 21, 12:35 CET

What Joss said doesn't change my appreciation or view of the comics. The Season 8 situation is what happens after "Chosen", in both content and feel. It's written/overviewed by him, it's his story, his plan. A movie (which will most likely never exist) is on a completely different ground. You have to sell a movie to millions of people, not to 90,000 per month. That's why a virtual Buffy movie will HAVE to overlook Season 8. Have no reference AT ALL to the comics because 99% of the movie-goers won't have read them. That's what I think he meant with "shoot down".

Perseo | March 21, 13:05 CET

If you listen to what Joss said, he said it in an offhanded way - with specific reference to Buffy's new love interest, and how SMG might feel about dealing with that. (He went further to point out that it doesn't have that much weight on the future of the character, really - it's a part of her life that could be dispensed with as easily as the Doublemeat Palace was.) He did not say that future Buffy projects would treat the comics as if they were not canon.

daylight | March 21, 13:29 CET

I did listen to what Joss said. He said "if I had to shoot down everything i'm doing in the comics [to make a Buffy movie, I would]". That is not specific to Buffy/Satsu. He said it off-handedly though (presumably because he, like most of us, doesn't ever think a Buffy movie will be made). Hence my comment about "moving heaven and earth" if it actually came to pass.

The Season 8 situation is what happens after "Chosen", in both content and feel

If there's a film then this will become incorrect. So in that sense, since i'm enjoying the comics and want them to matter, i'm now forced to hope there isn't a film. Twisted ;).

You have to sell a movie to millions of people, not to 90,000 per month.

So, did more potential movie goers watch [cult success] Buffy or NOT watch [cult success] Buffy ? Maybe not bother with seasons 1-7 too then, eh ? Referencing those stories and characters would be pretty confusing to someone that hasn't seen the show ;).

Joss has said in interview that he struggled with the first 10 minutes of 'Serenity' specifically because he was trying to accommodate the people that saw the show while also accommodating the people that hadn't. Seems a shame that the comics aren't accorded the same respect (still, there're only 90,000 readers a month - guess we're lucky the comic isn't more successful, then we might attain the "magic" number of viewers/readers worth caring about ;).

This isn't like a film adaptation of another existing property, where liberties can (even should) be taken. The key about "season 8" is, it's been sold as part of the Buffyverse, as part of the ongoing story of those characters. Now apparently, it isn't (or, flipped around, any future movie wouldn't be). Pity.

Saje | March 21, 13:37 CET

TV Squad review

moley75 | March 21, 14:22 CET

Well, I am not surprised that Season 8 is disposable if it came to a feature film. I am surprised he said it, though. Although I really tend to think a feature film will never happen, I didn't think the issue of Season 8's canonicity would be in question until such time as a film was greenlighted.

However, I have faith that Joss would set a movie beyond Season 8 anyway and he'd leave it open to interpretation somehow. The end of the series is a blank slate anyway - so the film picking up five or six years after the end of the series in some other city (Cleveland? San Francisco? New York?) still requires some explanation to be made of what happened since the show. Allusions to Season 8 could work.

Anyway, it's all hypothetical right now anyway.

And anyone who thought comics canon would stand in the way of a feature film spin-off of the TV series was deluding themselves.

crossoverman | March 21, 14:25 CET

Well it could be worse, we could be V fans. The creator of that series brought out a book which completely ignores the second mini-series and the tv series.

Not a bad read actually.

Simon | March 21, 14:29 CET

And anyone who thought comics canon would stand in the way of a feature film spin-off of the TV series was deluding themselves.

As it turns out ;).

(I just thought that as a long-time comics lover Joss might be less likely than average to just blow them out of the water for the sake of expediency)

True, it's all hypothetical and will very likely never be an issue (fingers crossed, now ;-). My main issue is that I have a suspicion that we may actually see something fairly major, along the lines of the death of magic idea from 'Fray' (maybe not until "season 9" though). If so, that's gonna be pretty hard to just allude to ("Hey, remember that time magic left the world and you stopped being a vampire slayer ? Happy days" ;).

(if not, well I wouldn't have expected more than a few call-backs to previous seasons anyway - Buffy could wear a tartan scarf for instance ;) - so in that sense it's neither here nor there. It's only flat-out contradictions that bother me)

Saje | March 21, 14:38 CET

I did listen to what Joss said. He said "if I had to shoot down everything i'm doing in the comics [to make a Buffy movie, I would]". That is not specific to Buffy/Satsu. He said it off-handedly though (presumably because he, like most of us, doesn't ever think a Buffy movie will be made). Hence my comment about "moving heaven and earth" if it actually came to pass.

Isn't it possible that he means future comic storylines? Season 8 is going to run for another couple of years and given that Joss has said there is a Season 9 comic in his head, perhaps he's just referring to that? By that I mean, he would axe those projects/storylines going forward if a Buffy movie were to become a reality.

The whole Season 6 Willow arc, you know, the one with magic being addictive (which came out of nowhere to begin with) is sort of written out in Season 7 with "Oh, dude, you can totally control it." "Really?" "Totally." So, it's not like they haven't altered continuity before.

And also, hasn't Joss sort of implied (or, maybe he said it, I don't know) that he doesn't really care about continuity as much as he does "drama"? To me, that's... Disconcerting. If the history of your own creation isn't worthwhile enough to keep consistent... Doesn't matter. It's bullshit. We've seen great writers use the continuity in their stories as a way to enhance the narrative. Fanboys should expect more.

The Sandy Llama | March 21, 14:40 CET

I hope the S8 comics will still be canon, I'm emotionally invested at the moment and I'm sure there will be no movie. I really wish Joss didn't say that, because it's obvious there will be no movie and he just confused what I feel about S8 comics.

I'd like to know what was Sarah's reaction to Buffy/Satsu? Did any of the cast talk about the comics at all?

Sosa Lola | March 21, 14:50 CET

I was thrown by the "shoot down everything" comment too, but I've decided to believe that
1) Joss made it knowing there's not a snowball's chance in hell of a Buffy movie ever getting made; and
2) He was caught up in the excitement of being with all the old gang again & what he really meant was that he'd be willing to take the story in a new, unplanned direction if it meant a movie a could be made (you know, like having Seth leave might have forced him to "shoot down" where he was going with Oz's story). An adaptation more than an abandonment.

ETA: Yeah. What Sandy Llama said.

[ edited by jcs on 2008-03-21 14:52 ]

jcs | March 21, 14:51 CET

Think i'm gonna have to master this deciding to believe stuff, seems to be where I get stuck a lot ;).

Isn't it possible that he means future comic storylines?

Yep The Sandy Llama, it's possible. It's not what he said but who knows, maybe that's what he meant. Hey, maybe he meant he wouldn't shoot down anything that happened in the comics ? I feel way better now ;-).

...is sort of written out in Season 7 with "Oh, dude, you can totally control it."

Well, apart from Willow basically not using magic for most of season 7 because she was scared of the addiction and becoming Dark Willow (she was, don't forget, a "wicca who won'ta", with a couple of exceptions, until 'Chosen').

It's true though, he plays fast and loose with continuity for the sake of the story and if there was absolutely no other way to tell the story without losing continuity then it'd at least be consistent. Maybe he meant, anything that's gone before (in any season) can be junked when it comes to making a film ? Tara fans, rejoice, she could come back after all ;).

Saje | March 21, 14:58 CET

The fact that he knows a Buffy movie isn't happening is why you *don't* say that you'd be willing to throw away the comic series. Talk about enabling -- there's already too many fans willing to sniff their noses at it being a comic book and dismiss its stories with a "well, that's *really* the story", or "Joss is just writing fanfic".

Season 8 has at least one story that's way cooler than 90% of the televised episodes in Vaughan's "No Future For You", and, IMO, easily the coolest villain Joss has ever cooked up. I don't want to hear about how he'd casually throw that all out, when only saying so for the benefit of a movie project that's total fantasy. Grrr. Argh, even.

Reading all these reports, glad to see that Nick's "Susan Lucci?" comment wasn't a complete non sequitur, since they had shown a clip of Sarah and Ms. Lucci on "All My Children" earlier. Unless he cut her off in mid-sentence, I don't think it was a big deal.

KingofCretins | March 21, 15:00 CET

Well, he did say "Everything I'm doing" in the comics, not "everything I've already done."
OK, now I've got a cramp in my reaching muscle.

jcs | March 21, 15:07 CET

Saje, I wasn't there (whimper) so don't really have the context, but the way I read the quote was that he'd rather keep everything together, including the comics, but if for whatever reason, circumstances didn't make that work he'd drop them in order to do a film. Which I understand; I mean, I enjoy the comics, and I have no problem seeing them as canon, but I understand that, 'cause I really wish we were getting Season 8 on-screen, too.

Rowan Hawthorn | March 21, 15:08 CET

Yeah, me too (rather see it on-screen). Also me too, *whimper* ;).

I think i'm gonna have to mentally shoe-horn a "or did in seasons 1-7" into his comment (from now on this is the canonical version ;-) because then I mind but it doesn't affect how I view the comics specifically and is totally consistent with Joss' position all along (which I accept as the way he tells stories - even if i'd prefer great stories and continuity, in his case i'm happy to wave the latter for the former).

(he talks about it at about the 25 mins mark on the 'Strangely Literal' podcast recording of the panel BTW)

Saje | March 21, 15:18 CET

That's weird that my other post got the "mod" treatment but I do think it is an interesting intrepretation from article to article. *ALIGN*

buffywrestling | March 21, 15:31 CET

Saje:

(he talks about it at about the 25 mins mark on the 'Strangely Literal' podcast recording of the panel BTW)

Unfortunately, I'm at work so I won't be able to listen to the podcast until this evening. (*sigh* And does it make me a hopelessly pathetic fanboy that I seriously considered calling in sick for that reason? Yeah, I thought so...)

Rowan Hawthorn | March 21, 15:37 CET

Hey, there's always hope. Well, almost always ;-).

Man, it's Good Friday. I thought of all the public holidays, the religious ones might be the most likely to be observed in the US ? Or is it a 1st amendment thing ?

Saje | March 21, 15:49 CET

AP article here

chazman | March 21, 15:59 CET

Saje, it's just one of those things that isn't really observed by most employers that I know of, anyway. Easter generally is, but not Good Friday.

ETA: Actually, even Easter depends on the company. Most take off Christmas day and Thanksgiving day. Pretty much everything is optional though, and left up to the company to decide.

[ edited by Rowan Hawthorn on 2008-03-21 16:13 ]

Rowan Hawthorn | March 21, 16:11 CET

:) It's nice to be back.

Apocalypse | March 21, 16:14 CET

I'm on a five day weekend :)

[ edited by KingofCretins on 2008-03-21 16:43 ]

KingofCretins | March 21, 16:17 CET

Loving all the reports and comments. I read thefutoncritic's recap and really disappointed at most of the questions asked. There were some good responses anyway (where is Charisma in all this?) but I think I'd have been disappointed had I been there in person. Why did Paley even ask for submissions when they let, as someone noted in the other topic, an audience member ramble on for three minutes getting their "Look at Me" groove on? Sure, it would have been great to see them all, but I was more interested in what they'd have to say to some really pithy questions and what the show meant to them (which was partially explored).

ETA: My absolute favorite story was Joss saying he and David called Sarah "Jimmy Stewart." My heart just swelled when I read it because I always thought she connected so well with the emotions of Buffy (plus the fact Joss didn't want her to cry all the time. When she did, obviously something important had to be going on).

[ edited by Tonya J on 2008-03-21 16:25 ]

Tonya J | March 21, 16:21 CET

[T]he way I read the quote was that he'd rather keep everything together, including the comics, but if for whatever reason, circumstances didn't make that work he'd drop them in order to do a film.

I was there, and that's exactly how I understood the comment, Rowan. I also think that it was a geeing-up comment intended to show that a film would be pie and cream and cherry on top for him, and that's it. It's very hard to draw out of what was really a throwaway comment a whole exegesis about what the comic does or doesn't mean to Joss. And, while his writings are canon, his spoken musings are not. IMO.

Tonya, honestly, I wasn't disappointed at all. There was enough discussion pre the fans' questions/comments, and, again IMO, it was appropriate that one or two fans voiced what the show meant to them.

One of the best descriptions from one of these reviews (can't remember which) is that Joss and SMG clearly shared a love for this character and that love was on show last night. It was really really wonderful. Yes, I could have stood to have them talk for another hour - I'm not sure Charisma would have said that much more (she just didn't seem chatty), but we takes what we gets, and no (not too many) regrets. :-)

SoddingNancyTribe | March 21, 16:33 CET

Thanks SNT... :)

Tonya J | March 21, 16:37 CET

Good perspective, SNT. Thanks from me, too.

jcs | March 21, 16:43 CET

I think even Joss made an illusion to how hard it would be to make what happens in the comics on television (due to the amazingly grandiose things that happen). I'm still a bit tired and heady. It was more a statement on how difficult it would be to do it (from a practical standpoint) than a "Season 8 isn't canon".

@daylight There's always a critic.

[ edited by BrownCoat_Tabz on 2008-03-21 16:52 ]

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 21, 16:46 CET

Well, that's not how I took it Browncoat_Tabz but i've monopolised the thread long enough I reckon ;).

It's very hard to draw out of what was really a throwaway comment a whole exegesis about what the comic does or doesn't mean to Joss.

Ta daa ! ;-)

(not that hard ;)

Saje | March 21, 17:25 CET

Man, it's Good Friday. I thought of all the public holidays, the religious ones might be the most likely to be observed in the US ? Or is it a 1st amendment thing ?

Christmas is the only religious holiday that is also a federal holiday in the US.

helcat | March 21, 17:33 CET

The U.S. is big on religion, but not so big on holidays.

jcs | March 21, 17:34 CET

Thanks so much for all these links, etc...I came on here this morning and the first thing I did was look for this info. I'm not jealous at all.

*sobs quietly into her Wheaties*

rockgoddes | March 21, 17:41 CET

Umm....how come he can't fit the movie in between "Chosen" and the comics? 'cause...didn't he say there was some time passed? Like...a little over a year?

So...explain to us how they got from the Crater of Sunnydale to Scotland, where they got the money, how they got the Big Honkin' Castle, where Xander's weight went, where Willow & Kennedy are, why Giles is off somewhere else, and what the hell Andrew's doing training Slayers.

See? Simple. No throwing anything out - just filling in the blanks. I think Willow's Promise does a good job of explaining. Well, maybe not the Andrew thing.

ShadowQuest | March 21, 18:08 CET

Joss Whedon remarks are an interesting study in tone + interpretation by internet fandom, I must say. There was a point where Wikipedia had his off-hand jokes about Season 8 described as plot points. Hilarious, but woefully inaccurate.

Season 8: All about Anya! Bunnies!

Sunfire | March 21, 18:11 CET

Some of the Ausiello videos are up. The one with Sarah and Seth is especially cute. Too bad the sound is really bad...did that microphone even work?

Buffy SingALong | March 21, 18:13 CET

Yeah, I need a transcript for that Sarah/Seth video. Couldn't understand most of it.

jcs | March 21, 18:37 CET

Ugh, my head! I love these guys but I swear two minutes of that sound and I wanted to shoot my ears off. *shakes her ringing noggin* Ausiello needs to invest in better equipment...

Hopefully, the DVDs will be better *grins widely* I’m trying this optimistic thing. It’s new and I’m skeptical in its efficiency but I’m giving it a go anyway.

Mirage | March 21, 18:58 CET

Umpteen people (well two) have been emailing us with links to their reports so I've added them to the entry as well.

Simon | March 21, 19:04 CET

Nick's comments and behavior can only really be understood in relation to the empty silence, nervous laughter, or dirty looks that were in response to most of them.

TamaraC | March 21, 19:23 CET

Recap from Trent of Pink is the New Blog, who attended as Amber Benson's plus-one.

karosurly | March 21, 19:31 CET

Adam Busch is Amber's boyfriend? That is just...disconcerting.

jlp | March 21, 19:41 CET

They seem to have taken down the Sarah/Seth video now

garda39 | March 21, 19:41 CET

Seriously, I just don't know how much sweeter Amber can get. The two times I've met her, she's been nothing short of gracious and ... she's just a dreamboat. Great Trent recap! He's a geek with the rest of us.

Kat Jetson | March 21, 19:42 CET

Adam and Amber have been together for at least 4 years.

TamaraC | March 21, 19:46 CET

I'm not even sure how they'd be able to film a lot of the stuff in the comics (wasn't that part of the point?). Giant Dawn, ok, that might not be too hard. Some of the larger demons would be, since they're involved in fights with Buffy. And a castle? In Scotland? I can't picture the comic on screen.

That said, if Buffy ever did return to the big screen, I'm sure we'd be so happy to the point of deleriousness that it wouldn't matter if it was 90 minutes of Buffy doing her taxes.

dispatch | March 21, 19:54 CET

Recap from Trent of Pink is the New Blog, who attended as Amber Benson's plus-one.

That's my favourite recap so far. Cheers for that.

Simon | March 21, 19:55 CET

It's going to be five years this June-ish for Adam and Amber. And they get cuter and cuter, together and apart. :-)

OzLady | March 21, 19:56 CET

Wow, that was a lot of catching up to do with all those blogs :D Hopefully the vids come online quickly.

About a new Buffy movie or a miniseries (I'd rather have that though) I think it should play out between S7 and S8 so the comics would be a real logical continuation (as much as I like them, I have tons of questions about what happened right after Sunnydale blew up)

Krusher | March 21, 20:01 CET

Pink is the New Blog's summary is quite nice. And rather sweet. I'm glad he got to attend. It sounds like he had a blast.

Those big pink arrows pointing to JOSS and WRITERS are a riot.

Sunfire | March 21, 20:14 CET

Thanks for all the reports, must've been quite exciting to be there.
The canon comments don't really bother me. A big DC comics fan, I 'm already used to retconning being part of following the stories, and that's when they're dealing with only one type of media, not surprised for compromises becoming necessary, if there's ever a Buffy movie.
Tabz, have I ever told how you amaze me by the amount of projects you take on. Well, hope you're feeling better.

Numfar PTB | March 21, 20:30 CET

@Numfar PTB - Thanks! I am feeling a lot better - most of the kidneystone issues are over (as of Wednesday!)

And I have to give major kudos to the crew of Joss'd, Buffy Between the Lines, Tales from the Verse, Firefly Talk and all the projects I work on - without them I wouldn't be able to keep this up. :)

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 21, 20:36 CET

TV Guide have definitely taken down the interviews with the cast .I see someone mentioning it on their site

Sarah/Seth interview back up with good sound quality .Must have been fixing it

[ edited by garda39 on 2008-03-21 21:29 ]

garda39 | March 21, 20:50 CET

Video up at Paley site here

chazman | March 21, 21:58 CET

What an amazing night. Congrats to all here who had the privilege of attending and seeing these wonderful entertainers in person. How I would have loved to have gotten tickets for myself and my whole Buffy-loving family! My 4-year-old would have been wide-eyed and speechless ... just like his father :)

1starbuckstown | March 21, 22:13 CET

I would really, really love to see Adam and Amber improv a date... in character :)

Better, I want her and Aly and Adam and Alexis Denisof go on a double date in character.

I thought they might be together since you seem them together so many places, but wasn't sure. Because she's Amber Benson, I'm sorta half happy and half disappointed :)

KingofCretins | March 21, 22:14 CET

Methinks the official video (and pics) warrant a front page post, perhaps? (leaving it to mods)

jam2 | March 21, 22:24 CET

KingofCretins Well, he did stomp on her ball cap at MCB, which Danny Strong said was a variation on stepping on a glass during a wedding, so...according to Danny they're already married.

Then again, he also said he & Adam would spoon while Tom Lenk looked on, so...grain of salt.

ShadowQuest | March 21, 22:25 CET

Oh dear, Emma got fugged. I had a feeling that might happen.

Also, E!'s Kristin has now added video.

[ edited by karosurly on 2008-03-21 22:39 ]

karosurly | March 21, 22:36 CET

I have no idea why people are so surprised that SMG has such a love for the show and the character. I think it's obvious if you watch the show, exactly how much love she does have for the character. I am so glad she did this reunion! I love all of her comments, everything she's ever said about the show and the character is exactly how I feel too. I am always caught off-guard whenever a fan of the show tells me "oh I hate Buffy." To me she is it, the cat's pajamas, she puts the stake through the heart, etc. It gave me an "awww" moment to see the picture of her and James Marsters all huggy! And I don't even ship Spuffy, it just made me feel warm and fuzzy. It was great to see the pictures of everybody, especially Seth Green for some reason. They should have made him a vampire, because he looks exactly the same as he did in season 2. I wish I could have gone.

As for the comics canon, well I gave them a chance, I bought quite a few, but it became clear to me pretty quickly that the whole "it's canon!" cry was just mostly talk. It's what would happen if you sat Joss Whedon down over several weeks and asked him, with input from whomever he wished, to tell you what he thought would happen next, if he could do so only through comic books. It is not what would have happened if there was an actual filmed season 8. And that's fine, it's better than nothing, but it's not the Buffy the Vampire Slayer that came through my television, with the actors who are so devoted to the characters (and I believe they really, really are). Comic books are written on paper, not stone.

Everything that was said seems to perfect to me. Every picture is a sight for my sore eyes. I still love this show so very much, I can't see that changing any time soon, and it's great to see the actors and writers and everyone else involved still do too.

ailiel | March 21, 22:52 CET

Methinks the official video (and pics) warrant a front page post, perhaps? (leaving it to mods)

You're absolutely right.

Simon | March 21, 22:57 CET

Afterellen.com has made a little roundup of info, including a link to Whedonesque!

http://www.afterellen.com/blog/scribegrrrl/buffy-paleyfest

Smooshed Face Lion | March 21, 23:36 CET

The Defamer site was pretty snarky about the Buffy panel, acting very puzzled why people would want to go there. I guess it's a case of the self-declared Cool Kids not understanding that the Good Old Days are just that.

impalergeneral | March 21, 23:46 CET

I was trying to type this out earlier and got interrupted. When the Getty images were first released last night (while some of us were messing about with our own recaps) I found myself stunned again at how absolutely beautiful Amber Benson is. All of the ladies on Buffy are lovely, but Amber reminds me of the great lush beauties of early Hollywood; i.e. Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner. She is hard to look away from in a purely fascinating aesthetic sense (and the fact that by all reports she's as lovely as a person, is extremely gratifying).

Tonya J | March 22, 00:28 CET

I'd heard that some of the cast went outside to sign autographs, but didn't know that all of them did.
That is so... sweet.

Just a minor correction to add to the 'Pink' blog- Buffy was 16, not 13, when she took up with Angel. Cos 16 is a little more understandable, but 13 is, like, ewwwww!

Oh and I can't believe they wasted 6 precious minutes on a dumb movie/music question! Come on!

missb | March 22, 01:06 CET

Man, After Ellen really didn't get the joke. A wonder they didn't cover the plethora of "strong women character" questions.....

curlymynci | March 22, 01:31 CET

Ya know, I really get the feeling Joss would be up for a Buffy movie. Both Seth and Michelle T have said in the last couple of days that they'd be happy to be involved in anything that Sarah's involved in, and I genuinely think she'd be up for it if Joss can perform his magic and put together a great story within the limited confines of a two hour movie (which of course he'd be able to do). So yeah, who knows.

Impossible | March 22, 01:32 CET

Impossible, the general attitude toward the concept was "Yeah, that would be nice, but we all know it will never happen in a million years so we will all just pretend that we would do it." Seriously.

TamaraC | March 22, 01:35 CET

TamaraC: It's not so much that I can see it actually happening, but I used to think there was literally 0% of a chance, and over time with the success of the comics and with Joss coming back to the characters via that medium and the success that's had, along with the obviously still pretty hardcore fanbase... I don't know. I could see a studio going after it at some stage and if that happened, I think people are open enough to the idea that it's not absolutely impossible. Still only like a 2% chance of course...lol.

Impossible | March 22, 01:38 CET

I'll give you 2%. I think that is a very reasonable number.

TamaraC | March 22, 01:45 CET

I'd say more like 0.5%

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 22, 03:15 CET

I would just say that it is a very small number and approaching zero.

TamaraC | March 22, 03:20 CET

All this pessimism must be 'cuz our lives were changed and shaped and inspired by "Buffy."

More on-topic: great coverage. Felt like I missed a million jokes listening to that podcast, due to audience-reaction-isms, but it was great to hear all the same. Thanks to everyone who did coverage; I feel like I've read every factoid/quote, oh, 10 times now. If someone put up an entire transcript, though, I'd still take an extra hour or two to go through it.

Yup, I've got one of those "Buffy"-shaped lives too.
Not much to it at the moment, apparently.

Jav | March 22, 03:55 CET

My life wasn't changed and shaped and inspired by Buffy. I enjoyed the TV show, though.

TamaraC | March 22, 04:29 CET

I think Joss could have just said that if there was a chance that he'd be the starting center on an NBA World Champion Knicks team, he'd be willing to throw out all the work on Season 8 to do it, it would have been a lot more sensitive to the audience, and it would have described a situation about as likely as a Buffy movie with this cast.

Now, I do have hopes for a "Fray" movie, now that Universal has that deal with Dark Horse. I assume that Dark Horse has sway over Fray (heh) that it doesn't over properties that were licensed to it, like "Buffy" and "Star Wars". Doesn't Joss still have a three picture deal with Universal? "Fray" adaptation = great movie. I'm already fan casting :)

KingofCretins | March 22, 06:44 CET

Wow, KoC! Just wow. And no.

TamaraC | March 22, 07:52 CET

There will be a Buffy movie starring actors that haven't been born yet and Daniel Radcliffe as Giles.

GrrrlRomeo | March 22, 08:19 CET

Simon, do you wanna add Afterelton's report as well ?

http://www.afterelton.com/blog/brianjuergens/buffy-reunion-andrew-tom-lenk-cute-as-ever

Perseo | March 22, 09:46 CET

I've added the After Elton link.

zeitgeist | March 22, 14:48 CET

Sarah: "Buffy" owes her much, but she owes "Buffy" more. I don't like her attitude.

cleveland | March 23, 10:30 CET

Actually, her attitude at the panel seemed to be in line with that, cleveland. She did nothing but honor the character, the show, and the experience.

siwangmu | March 23, 17:39 CET

I don't get the criticism of SMG at all: I am baffled.

moley75 | March 23, 18:16 CET

Poor woman's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't with a certain segment of the fandom.

Saje | March 23, 20:26 CET

I've said this before here, probably in other words somewhere, that I had to learn during the years of the show and after not to put any stock in what the media reported about her being standoffish, stuck-up and unfriendly to co-workers and fans. Also, that she and Joss didn't get along, that she is the main reason there was no Buffy film. You know it just goes on and on, gets more circular, and more offensive. She was absolutely charming in the Paley clip and what I heard on the podcast. I always loved the relationship between Joyce and Buffy, and that Sarah mentioned having to say goodbye to Christine in The Body brought tears to my eyes. Also, from the still photos it looks pretty obvious they're all glad to see each other. Why show up otherwise?

Tonya J | March 23, 20:46 CET

As *I've* said, workaholics are never the easiest people to rub along with, no matter how nice they really are.

As I've *also* said, in the crew of any TV show or movie, some people will always dislike the star and make negative comments. It's a rule of the workplace.

DaddyCatALSO | March 24, 22:39 CET

jlp KingofCretins ; When I first heard Adam and Amber were item-y off-screen, I thought it was great. For several reasons:

1-In the spirit of "They always confuse me with the character I play," it appealed to my sense of irony, which I love to rather unhealthy degree.

2-I enjoy doing "Make up a name for the real-life relationship int eh form of a character 'ship" so I could add "Tarren" to the existing "Wilsley." ("Groomony" having been very short-lived.)

3-I have a big celebrity crush on Amber, and while Adam and I don't look alike,a ccording to Larousse's Guide to Standard Human Facial Types we both classify as Number 28s and so his dating her is the closest I'll ever get.

I do think joss's willignness to say he'd jettison the comics tog et a movie or mini-series is simply the altest version of "the all-gay, all-nude epsiode" and "Goats Goats Goats." Ie. his usual verbal filler.

[ edited by DaddyCatALSO on 2008-03-25 01:41 ]

DaddyCatALSO | March 24, 22:59 CET

March 21 2008