'Tabula Rasa' by reginaroadie

BUFFYVERSE

'Tabula Rasa'

POSTED BY: REGINAROADIE
UPDATED: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 15:46
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VIEWED: 9081
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Monday, November 21, 2005 7:52 AM

Well, I've just gotten through season 6 of BUFFY (one more to go and I'll have watched the whole series by the end of the year), and enjoyed it, despite it's very dark turn (although I think evil Willow was a better villain than Angelus).

And it's interesting. The one ep everyone keeps talking about from this season was "Once More, With Feeling." I kinda liked that ep, but not too much like others. It was the episode after, that I found to be the funniest episode of the season, where when Willow's forgetting spell backfires, causing everyone to forget who they are. I loved it because it makes fun of the whole "re-set button" tendency that lesser genre shows tend to do, as well as make fun of itself. Not surprisingly, the funniest bits were from Spike.

"You Englishmen are always so-bloody hell. Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks. Oh God, I'm English."

"RANDY GILES!!! Why not just call me Horny Giles, or Desperate for a Shag Giles. I knew there was a reason I hated you."

"Dad can drive. He's bound to have some classic mid-life transport. Something red and shiny. Shaped like a penis."

(upon reverting to his vamp face and punching out and discovering his strength) "Hey, I'm a superhero too."

"I must be a noble vampire. A good guy. On a mission of redemption. I help the helpless. I'ma vampire with a soul."
"A vampire with a soul? Oh my God, how lame is that?"

That part has to be without a doubt the single funniest moment in the whole ep, next to Anya summoning up bunnies.

The only part of the ep I didn't like was Michelle Branch, of all goddamn music talents, showing up for no reason. I thought this was really out of character for the show, because in one of the earlier DVD sets, they talked about how when it came to showcasing bands at The Bronze, they would get local bands, not big name ones like 90210 would. Brach was already, regrettably, a big selling name, so why the fuck would she be in Sunnydale? Was she drawn by The Hellmouth?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"YES!!!I'm a man posessed by many demons....Polite demons that would open the door for a lady carrying too many parcels...BUT DEMONS NONETHELESS!!!! Yes. I have walked along the path of evil many times, it's a twisting, curving path that..actually leads to a charming plot garden, BUT BEYOND THAT EVIL!!!"

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Monday, November 21, 2005 9:23 AM

MER

Actually I think it was just before she made it big. Given the time Season 6 was out....but I didn't mind. It had a song that fit the scene.

But I also love that episode. "I think I'll call myself Jane." *Dawn gives her a look* "Wha?"
"Nothing Jane."

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Monday, November 28, 2005 6:24 AM

GORRAMREAVERS

Yeah..I liked the scene with michelle branch. Giles's body language was heart-breaking when he was on the plane. This has always been one of my fav epi's.

"..it is my very favorite gun."

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Tuesday, November 29, 2005 11:53 PM

WHEDONFANUK

Quote:
Originally posted by MER:
Actually I think it was just before she made it big. Given the time Season 6 was out....but I didn't mind. It had a song that fit the scene.

But I also love that episode. "I think I'll call myself Jane." *Dawn gives her a look* "Wha?"
"Nothing Jane."

Didn't Buffy call herself Joan...?
Am a Guru when it comes to these things...lol

Seen way 2 much Bufy this year...

:: WhedonFanUk ::

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Wednesday, November 30, 2005 10:32 AM

MER

Yea Yea..I think it was Joan lol.
It's been a while...actually a couple of weeks. hehe

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Wednesday, November 30, 2005 10:44 AM

MAL4PREZ

One of my top 5 Buffy eps!! The whole memory lost scene in the Magic Shop is priceless, especially compared to how heavy and dark it was just before.

Here's a few of my favorite Buffy lines ... I'm going to quote it wrong I'm sure, but

Dawn: That's your purgative.
Buffy: Prerogative
Dawn: Whatever "Joan"

I have found myself saying "that's my purgative" and people get uncomfortable. *sigh* More people should watch Buffy so they can pick up the lingo.

m4p

Ask Dr. Science ... he knows more than you do.

"I have a Master's degree ... in science!"

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Wednesday, November 30, 2005 2:36 PM

VISITINGMYINTENTIONS

Funny, but that episode was not in any way my favourite (I think it had a lot of poor writing and bad lines), but at the same time it had some of the best moments of the season.

For example: the "loan shark" was a stupid character...and yet, I'll never be able to get out of my head the way he delivered: "Time. Time is what turns kittens into cats."

Other great lines:

Spike: Oh, listen to Mary Poppins. He's got his crust all stiff and upper with that nancy-boy accent. You Englishmen are always so... Bloody hell! Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks, oh God! I'm English!
Giles: Welcome to the nancy tribe.

Anya: Sensible! You think it's sensible for me to go down into that pit of cotton-top hell, and let them hippity-hop all over my vulnerable flesh?

Oh, and I liked the Michelle Branch bit. It may be in part that I don't follow pop music, so didn't know she was big name, but I thought that song was excellent for the scene(s).

"it has some sweet character deaths -- I mean moments!" - Joss Whedon

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Thursday, December 1, 2005 9:23 AM

MER

Yea...what was up with the loan shark?
Was it to reinforce that it was going to be an insanely ridiculously hilarious episode?

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Thursday, December 1, 2005 4:16 PM

BATMARLOWE

Gotta echo these sentiments about the loan shark. What were they thinking?!

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Sunday, December 4, 2005 12:48 PM

BELFASTBROWNCOAT

It's quite a silly episode-but has some huge consequences at the end.

I dont know about the loan shark-maybe add to the insanity?

I do like this ep a lot though.

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Sunday, December 4, 2005 4:57 PM

BATMARLOWE

I like this episode a lot as well. I think it's the second-best one of the season. But (IMHO) the loan shark keeps it from being better. I can only speculate as to why they thought the loan shark was funny. Overconfidence is my guess. Either that or they just genuinely thought it was funny.

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Tuesday, December 6, 2005 3:15 AM

WHEDONFANUK

I still love the song by Michelle Branch at the end....

Tis very Shiny....

:: WhedonFanUk ::

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Tuesday, December 6, 2005 8:12 AM

BATMARLOWE

It's a very moving song that works quite well for the sequence it plays over.

Reading your name without the F and the UK capitalized made it read like Whedon Fanook. I think "Fanook" is an insult you'd hear in like, New York; as in: "Hey, ya fanook--shaddup." Either that, or it just sounds like one.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2005 1:41 AM

WHEDONFANUK

lol

:: WhedonFanUk ::

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Sunday, December 11, 2005 9:20 PM

SHINYTALENT

I loved Tabula Rasa too, but I don't know what it means. Apparently it's Afrikaans but then someone told me it was mexican for amnesia or something- does anyone know?

The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6 seconds given adequate vacuuming systems.

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Monday, December 12, 2005 3:03 AM

FRUNK

It's actually from latin, "scraped tablet" or more commonly "blank slate". Originally it was used to characterize humans at birth, shaped by their environment but still having their own individual nature. There have been many other interpretations since.

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Sunday, January 1, 2006 6:11 PM

ALIMAEMIA

This was my favourite episode I think. Of the whole series, I loved it so much.

I don't understand why everyone loves the musical soooooo much, like, ya, it was creative genious, but they act like it's SO much better than every other episode.

Tara leaving made me really really sad.

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 11:13 AM

XENOPROBE

A bit about the land shark...

Sometimes we just need an antagonist to show up and get the proverbial ball rolling. The fact that, in this episode, it was a land shark was actually a wee nod to continuity in the Buffy-verse IMHO.

Way back at the end of season 4, during Xander's dream sequence in Restless there is an exchange... as follows:

XANDER: You gotta have something. (Looks at Buffy) Gotta be with movin' forward.
BUFFY: Like a shark.
XANDER: Like a shark with feet and ... much less fins.
SPIKE: And on land!
GILES: Very good!

Perhaps the Land Shark character is a bookend to this conversation?

As for Tabula Rasa... this was a very complete episode... I love how the writers take you to a painful place, bank hard and take you into high-end humour, then drop you off back in the pain pit at the end.

And who doesn't love it when Willow gets to say "I think I'm kinda gay!"

~*~*~*~*~

Ching-wah TSAO duh liou mahng. Shiny.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006 11:27 AM

KIDCONGOPOWERS

Brilliant episode. Both extremely funny and, at the end, heartbreaking. Spike's "Hey, I'm a superhero too!" still has me rolling on the floor every time I see it. Priceless!

The loan shark is more than a little cheesy, but still pretty funny in my book.

About Michelle Branch, I think Joss commented that he actually went to see one of her shows, loved the song, and instantly knew he wanted it for the show. However, he didn't much care for the studio version ("over-produced") so he had them record a live version while on tour and that's the one you can hear in "Tabula Rasa". I must say I agree with Joss, that version sounds a lot better than the original.

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 1:24 PM

BLADEACHILLES

Quick question: Was the suit 'Randy' wore the same one Spike wore in Xander's dream from the 4th season episode Restless? That was the same scene where DreamGiles tells Xander that DreamSpike was "like a son to me." If so, that would be a nice bit of continuity.

"If I was creating the world, I wouldn't have wasted my time with daffodills and butterflies! I would've started with lasers. 8 o'clock. Day One." -Evil Incarnate

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009 3:46 PM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

Quote:
Originally posted by bladeachilles:
Quick question: Was the suit 'Randy' wore the same one Spike wore in Xander's dream from the 4th season episode Restless? That was the same scene where DreamGiles tells Xander that DreamSpike was "like a son to me." If so, that would be a nice bit of continuity.

Yes. (three years later, lol)

I loved this episode, but I do have to mute the song at the end. A lot of people seem to like it, but I've always found Michelle Branch to be squeaky and annoying beyond endurance. The squeaky voice not only grates me, it seems to undermine the poignancy of everything that's happening, no matter what it's singing.

[/sig]

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