Cuz it's the other sleeve you gotta worry about.

One of these days, he's going to say "Presto!" and then we'll know.

"Pesto!"


Oops, now it smells like garlic.

I finally got around to watching my Toy Story 2 Blu-ray. Lots of good subwoofer moments. I like when Woody is on the sleeping Al trying to retrieve his arm, among others.

I'm not watching it tonight, but I just wanted to say I'm excited to watch Saving Private Ryan on Blu-ray this coming week. It will be my first time watching the movie at all, actually. I know, I know, where have I been?

As for what I'm actually watching, I'm still working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer that Mark convinced me to try. I'm on the third season. The series did have me worried, but the writing has certainly gotten more engaging over time. Certain things still bug me about the show, but it's getting easier to overlook them and focus on the stronger aspects.

The bad:

• The overwhelming majority of the bad guys are two-dimensional throwaway characters. Spike has some depth (which I hope keeps developing), but I still wouldn't go so far as to say he's a standout compared to other great characters in fiction.
• The fight scenes. They're boring to watch. I think they're supposed to inject energy into the show, but they're simply not done well. This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the uninteresting bad guys. If there was any emotional weight to the encounters, the bad choreography could be saved, but they're mostly just there to show Buffy being a vampire slayer, lest the audience forget.
• Buffy and Angel. Their dynamic doesn't do a whole lot for me. Occasionally some sort of sympathy will stir inside me, but for the most part I find it hard to relate to their love story.

The good:

• The supporting characters. Mark, you're right about the character interaction making the show. The writing has improved a lot in this regard, and I find myself liking Xander, Willow, and even Cordelia sometimes. Giles has his moments, too. Without a doubt, the way these characters deal with each other is the most engaging part of the show.

Hmm, I'm having trouble thinking of more to say. I know I had some other points to make, but for now they've drifted into the murky depths. I suppose the main point is that despite my distaste for Joss Whedon, I do find there's enough to enjoy in the series to continue watching. Oh, I'll still hang my head in shame for watching it, don't get me wrong, but I'll at least acknowledge that there's something there to appreciate. Ha ha.

I agree on the monster of the week theme, even thought there are story arcs. But for me it was also the character interaction that kept me coming back. Angel was my least favorite main character of the show while Spike over time became my favorite.

Yes, Spike becomes one of the very best characters on the show. I preferred Angel on his own show.

Yes, Spike becomes one of the very best characters on the show. I preferred Angel on his own show.

ooops.

Me too, Angel is a much better character on his show, so much so that I actually bought the series. I’ve seen most of it but I know I’ve missed some episodes unlike Buffy most of which I’ve seen 5 or more times. Toward the end of Angel I even thought Spike started to steal the show there too.