Matt is brilliant.

Matt is uber-brilliant

And I'm not just saying that because we both think Bayliss is a hottie...

Matt is a genius. Was the First ominiscent, does anyone know?

Was the First ominiscent, does anyone know?

It couldn't have been. It didn't know Jonathan was wearing a wire right away; it had to figure it out. It didn't have to negotiate time and space the same way a corporeal being does, so although it wasn't omnipresent, it was easy for it to pop in and out, and so it had access to a lot of information.

Where I think they really fell down was that the First itself could take on Buffy's form, yet only appeared as her to Loopy!Spike and Caleb. Just think about how much sabotage and corruption it could have sown among the potentials, the Scoobies, and the Watchers' Council if it had employed that strategic advantage in secret.

I completely agree with this. I expected it to happen, as soon as we saw it turn into Buffy at the end of Lessons, although I wasn't convinced it was the FE then, I figured whatever the shape-shifty thing was, would do that. Imagine the havoc it could have wrought.

Hell, for that matter they could have had a demoralized Rona or Xander say "please, spare us the zillionth 'inspirational' speech, they're depressing!" and had Buffy reply "speech? What are you talking about?" Hours, days, weeks of agonizing viewing would have been rendered worthwhile and fiendishly clever in one stroke.

Heh. That's sort of how Giles erased the magickal crack anvil. So many of us were so glad to see it erased, instead of being incensed, we were cheering. That would have been great, Matt.

I think there were too many new faces that last year. Potentials died, and I went, "Now, who was that again? Did they even bother to give her a name?" Half the number of Potentials would have improved storytelling, because I would have had more time to become invested in their fates, instead of going "Good lord, it's every slumber party/dormitory horror story come true." Instead of worrying about hte First, I was thinking things like "I wonder how long it took all their cycles to synchronize."

I completely agree with this. It's too bad. Season 6 fell apart in the middle, but they did all right saving it. Season 7 started out great. I remember being excited, but by the end, even though I was sad the series was over, I was also glad no more damage could be done to it. I did like Chosen, though.

I agree with Cindy about the Willow/Tara storyline. And probably about everything else in the 'verse.

I went to Barnes and Noble and indulged in the Special Buffy SFX (they had the "Angel" magazine too.)

I wonder why no picture of AD in the portfolio.

I went to Barnes and Noble and indulged in the Special Buffy SFX

Love the timeline. But kind of a sad/bitter NB interview I thought. And hello to sexy AH.

Just saw that Whedonesque has a link to video interviews from Chaos Bleeds (the video game). Great Joss interview as always. JM is just...he always makes me feel incredibly awkward when I see him in interviews, and does here as well. ASH is great. He mentions getting squicked by Giles pairings in fanfic. Hee hee. (And he does an American accent for about 2 seconds - which for some reason, I found incredibly cool.) I think there might be one more but I haven't watched it yet.

Interviews

I completely agree with this. It's too bad. Season 6 fell apart in the middle, but they did all right saving it. Season 7 started out great. I remember being excited, but by the end, even though I was sad the series was over, I was also glad no more damage could be done to it. I did like Chosen, though.

While Season 7 is far from my favorite, I didn't feel that it did any damage to BtVS. There were at least a half-dozen episodes I consider Top Buffy (Beneath You, CWDP, Selfless, Storyteller, LMPTM, Chosen) and quite a few more I thought solid average Buffy (meaning better than just about anything else on tv): Lessons, STSP, Help, Him,Sleeper,Potential,TKIM,DG,Touched, EoD.

...and quite a few more I thought solid average Buffy (meaning better than just about anything else on tv)...

Quite honestly, this goes for every single Buffy, Angel or Firefly episode ever made. Yes, even that one.