We don't actually know that; it could've been her first resurrection. (Though, yeah, probably not.)

What about casting that spell on Tara? That was the part I found most unforgivable.

Oh yes. I'm behind Buffy leaping merrily into bed with S7 Spike before I'm behind Willow and Tara getting back together, no matter how lovely the scene at the end of Entropy was. (And I'm not in favor or the first one, either, to be clear.) I had to kind of unfocus my eyes and forget about the memory spell on Tara exactly the same way a lot of people have to kind of unfocus their eyes about the attempted rape in Seeing Red, because I know my reaction to it is way out of proportion to the one the writers wanted me to have.

I don't think that resuscitation is comparable to resurrection.

I don't think that resuscitation is comparable to resurrection.

Yup. That was very mundane, and is attempted all the time. Beseeching Osiris for the warrior of the people, less so.

After her second death, her first one did seem kind of lame. She did get more power from it, though. I've always wondered why. Other than because it was the season finale, I mean.

Back then I was assuming that whatever was behind the Slayer's power and destiny was a holy force, and Buffy's brush with death might have supercharged her due to brief closer proximity to it.

That explanation doesn't gibe with the Shadow Men and the swirly gray cloud of disturbing symbolism, but I guess the metaphor of the Hero's Journey with a return from the underworld resulting in newfound strength and knowledge still works pretty well.

I guess the metaphor of the Hero's Journey with a return from the underworld resulting in newfound strength and knowledge still works pretty well.

It does. What is more amazing is that DVD commentary leads me to believe that Joss hadn't planned out the two slayers at one time thing when he had her die in S1. It just occurred to him in S2 that there would be another one. There could have been a world without Faith!

Speaking of the Joss. Aaron Sorkin was on Charlie Rose last night. He seemed to think that no good television could really come from a team of writers - that really good shows had to be done by One True Egomaniac only. I love the WW - but dude. Get over yourself already.

But it sparked this question: would it have been better to have had seven seasons of Buffy with Jossy goodness sprinkled among otherwriter goodness (and, yes, sometimes not-so-goodness) OR four seasons of Joss-only Buffy and no Angel and no Firefly and one truly crazy and annoying Joss?

I take seven seasons and the resulting only mostly crazy Joss, myself.

Hmm, tough call. I think Angel and Firefly tip the balance for me, but if it were based on Buffy alone, almost everything I go back and rewatch frequently from Seasons 4-7 are Joss episodes. I'd have voted for 4 Joss-only seasons, provided the mushrooms only affected his personal life and not the quality of the show.

provided the mushrooms only affected his personal life and not the quality of the show.

Snerk! It was kind of - not good - but, right somehow - to watch Sorkin squirm when Rose asked him if he was "clean." I mean, I felt bad for the guy - but COME ON! You can't think of one good mushroom joke for those occasions? You're a writer!

His next series is going to be a behind-the-scenes of a sketch comedy show. Lord help him.

Sort of Sports Night Live, then?

One can only hope it's as good as Sports Night.

But here's a little prayer I'll be saying until then:

TV Powers that Be: Please stop everyone, including Sorkin, from doing that *thing* where they have characters rapidly go back and forth using the same words over and over in different ways as a representation for how.people.actually.talk. I don't talk like that. No one I know talks like that. And it's spreading - it's on almost every show now. Please make it stop.

You know what I mean.:

Character 1: "The meeting is on Thursday."
Character 2: "Thursday?"
Character 1: "It's Thursday. The meeting? It's Thursday."
Extra walking quickly through scene: "Did she say the meeting was Thursday?"
Character 2: "I think she said the meeting was Thursday."

Maybe it's just me, but I see this EVERYWHERE now.