Like The Zeppo last year, this is pretty much a one-joke episode, and it's a joke that gets real tired about half-way through the hour. But Danny Strong is so wonderful here, and the general concept so moving, that you can forgive the fact that Superstar ends up dragging. I think it's because of Jonathan's shifting relationship with us as a viewer that creates that effect. He started out as a recurring co-star who was always being victimized, like one part of a running joke. Then, out of nowhere, we were suddenly forced to know intimate details about his mindset, and it was disturbing and horrible and relatable. And, like all of us, problems take a while to be worked out, Jonathan's attempt to make everybody admire him sort of understandable.There are a ton of great details in Jane Espenson's script that were obviously amusing. The trading cards, the comic books, the references to his swimsuit calendar and his CD, the fact that he starred in The Matrix, his twin Swedish girlfriends. Great job by the prop guys, too, for creating this little pocket of alterna-universe hoodoo.
I also enjoyed the gradual forming of the new Scooby Gang. Anya gets more to do in Superstar than she has done all season it seems, and I loved her interaction with Buffy ("Enough with the shrimp!"). I preferred Spike as an unwilling houseguest of Giles' than his current incarnation as a miserable grouch who hangs around waiting to spar with one of Buffy's friends, but in general I'm still appreciating his presence on the show.
Superstar is an admirable experiment, one that is gutsy enough to throw us straight into the center of an unusual, absurd world. The joke is stretched thin a long time before Buffy solves the mystery, but it's a neat little filler episode nonetheless. C+
Credits
Guest stars Danny Strong (Jonathan Levinson); Amber Benson (Tara Maclay); Bailey Chase (Graham Miller); Robert Patrick Benedict (Jape); John Saint Ryan (George Haviland); George Hertzberg (Adam); Emma Caulfield (Anya)
Writer Jane Espenson Director David Grossman
God, I absolutely agree with you on this episode, very dragged out. It did have some amazing moments of comedy hidden in there though, who can forget the "shrimp", I always squeal inside when I hear Illyria bring it up. I love how much Joss cares about continuity, even with small jokes like that one.
ReplyDeleteMmm I had to skim quite a lot.. Didn't like it.
ReplyDeleteBut it was nice to have a band at the Bronze again.
I thought it was quite cute when Anya tried to cheer Buffy up- she's tryin'! and the swimsuit calender with Giles was hilarious, well Giles is always funny, he's brilliant.