For all the times Buffy would complain about wanting a normal life, Helpless reminds her that 'normal' is sometimes a terrifying and subservient place to be. Not only is Buffy pursued by a psychotic vampire with serious mommy issues after she has her slayer skills taken away, she's also routinely taken advantage of at school, sexually harassed in public, and can only run and scream for help when confronted with a physical attack. It's a horrible thing to see, a superhero of sorts enduring what regular mortals experience, but even more horrible when you realize that this is everyday for so many young women.Watching Buffy again for these reviews, it's interesting that I'm seeing characters in a new light. Xander is just awful, Willow occasionally bugs, while Buffy and Giles are so much richer and absorbing than I ever once thought. Their relationship is so wonderful to watch unfold, this week seeing Buffy clumsily asking Giles to accompany her to the Ice Capades when her dad bails on her. They're closer than ever at this point, Giles literally becoming her surrogate father. Of course, in classic Whedon fashion, something immediately comes along to break that up, Giles drugging Buffy according to the Council's orders. Buffy's sense of betrayal is horrible to watch, Sarah Michelle Gellar pretty extraordinary in their confrontation. Anthony Stewart Head, too, conveying so much pent-up guilt and hurt over what he has been part of. But, after all the chaos is over, he bandages her wounds and makes sure she's all right. I love these two so much.
The intense final act, with Kralik pursuing Buffy through a literal house of horrors, is beautifully executed. It feels in spirit to a scene from one of Sarah Michelle Gellar's various scary movies, while Joyce's abduction and the hundreds of Joyce polaroids covering the walls both add an air of psychological thriller to the hour. While Kralik is a vampire, there's definitely a feeling of humanity to both him and his exploits, which is in keeping with Buffy suddenly becoming a regular girl.
As well as exploring the ever-evolving relationship between Buffy and her Watcher, Helpless also sees the unfolding of the Buffy mythology with the introduction of the by-the-book dingleberry that is Quentin Travers. It's a really well-observed episode, leveled by some series-best work by Gellar and Head. It's pretty underrated, too. A
Credits
Guest stars Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers); Jeff Kober (Zachary Kralik); Harris Yulin (Quentin Travers)
Writer David Fury Director James A. Contner
I adore Helpless. One of my favourite aspects of Buffy is her view on being the slayer - the responsibility is difficult to cope with, and she struggles with it on a daily basis. But there is a part of her that loves being the slayer. In Helpless we see her lose her power, and briefly become normal again. It helps Buffy realise that being the slayer makes her special (and that, no matter how much she may want to be a normal teenage girl, she's still glad to be the slayer). Eh, I'm struggling to get to the point. Basically, I love that Buffy's relationship with her slayer duties isn't cut and dry, it's complicated, difficult, and (at times) rewarding. I love that about the character.
ReplyDelete-tvfan332
I completely understand what you're saying. I love it too. It's just great writing, the refusal to make any of the characters one-note and safe. Life is complicated and frustrating, and Buffy's relationship with her 'destiny' follows that same track.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for stopping by, still. It's really rewarding to know somebody out there is passing through and reading some of my stuff.
Gotta be honest, after re-watching, I dislike Buffy more and more! Never felt the Buffy/Giles relationship until the later seasons. In all honestly I think after re-watching I have an entirely new appreciation for Willow. Admittedly she was always my favourite, but, without her, I don't think I would've been able to watch a lot of the episodes! I'm liking your reviews by the way, especially from the point of view of re-watching!
ReplyDeleteReally? Because that's the total opposite of me. I remember thinking Buffy was sort of a drag, but I adored her this time around. I grew to appreciate Sarah a lot more, and I loved seeing her quirks and her flaws. Similarly, I found her relationship with Giles so moving in the early days, too.
ReplyDeleteLike they say, opinions are like ass--- Well, you know the rest. Heh.