Episode 92 – I’m Trying to Atone

Episodes discussed: Bonus discussion of Doctor Who with The Tolkien Professor and Angel 1×17 Eternity

Bonus Discussion of Doctor Who with the Tolkien Professor

In November 2014, Kat & Curt sat down with the Tolkien Professor, Corey Olsen, to discuss the first series and a half of Doctor Who. This was part of the Mythgard Institute’s annual fundraising campaign to support the Mythgard Academy which hosts free courses in fantasy and science fiction. Discussion points include:

• Corey’s background with Doctor Who
• Subcreation and secondary worlds
• The Eccleston love-fest
• Rose’s journey
• Are the Daleks menacing?
• Scary episodes and eucatastrophe
• Learning to love a new Doctor

Links:

• The Mythgard Institute
• The Mythgard Academy
• The Tolkien Professor

You can watch the entire video on YouTube:

Eternity

Written by Tracey Stern; Directed by Regis Kimble

A Hollywood starlet finds herself under attack and hires Angel to be her personal bodyguard.

• The boredom of eternity
• Rebecca’s fading popularity
• The problem of Angel’s romantic life
• What is Angel’s trigger?
• Angelus (sort of) returns
• Truth hurts

Next time: Buffy 4×18 Where the Wild Things Are and the Doctor Who 2011 Christmas Special The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe.

Episode 91 – A World Without Shrimp

Episodes discussed: Buffy 4×17 Superstar and the Doctor Who series 6 recap

Superstar

Written by Jane Espenson; Directed by David Grossman

When demons are overrunning Sunnydale, there’s only one person for to save the day: Jonathan Levinson . Discussion points include:

• Putting a secondary character at the center
• What mise-en-scène can tell you
• What Jonathan wants
• Buffy loses her purpose
• Xander’s man-crush, Anya’s antisocial behavior, and Tara’s magic
• Spike and Adam’s strange reactions to the spell

Link: Jane Espenson discusses her love of writing episodes focusing on minor characters. *HUGE spoiler warning for Battlestar Galactica*. Espenson’s comment is at 3:26.

Doctor Who Series 6 Recap

We take some time to discuss the sixth series of Doctor Who as a whole. Discussion points include:

• Kat and Curt’s favorite episodes
• Popular and critical reception
• Experimental pros and cons
• Looking ahead to Series 7
• Making sense of the Silence arc

Next time: Bonus discussion of Doctor Who with The Tolkien Professor and Angel 1×17 Eternity.

Episode 90 – I’ll Kill You Quick

Episodes discussed: Doctor Who 6×13 The Wedding of River Song and Angel 1×16 The Ring

The Wedding of River Song

Written by Steven Moffat; Directed by Jeremy Webb Events converge on the Doctor’s death at Lake Silencio. Discussion points include:

• The apparent death of the hero
• Does anything really change?
• Still points and “The Four Quartets”
• Manipulations and machinations
• Death and acceptance
• Amy’s ruthless streak

Link: Millennium Dome’s blog on “The Wedding of River Song.”

The Ring

Written by Howard Gordon; Directed by Nick Marck Angel gets kidnapped into an underground fight club for demons. Discussion points include:

• Demonic gladiators
• The humans are the bad guys
• Angel as Spartacus
• Disloyal brothers and honorable demons
• Lilah, the new player at Wolfram & Hart
• Wes & Cordy prove themselves

Next time: Buffy 4×17 Superstar and the Doctor Who series 6 recap.

Episode 89 – You Always Win

Episodes discussed: Buffy 4×16 Who Are You? and Doctor Who 6×12 Closing Time

Who Are You?

Written and directed by Joss Whedon

Having switched bodies, Faith wreaks havoc on Buffy’s life while Buffy tries desperately to escape from the Watchers who’ve come to capture Faith. Discussion points include:

• Sarah Michelle Gellar and Eliza Dushku’s performances
• Faking it and making it
• Taking advantage of Spike and Riley
• Show-down at the church
• Buffy survives a day as Faith
• Tara and Willow grow closer

Closing Time

Written by Gareth Roberts; Directed by Steve Hughes

The Doctor visits his old friend Craig who’s coping with being a new father. Discussion points include:

• The Cyber-situation
• Craig continues the parental themes
• The Doctor and Craig’s double-act
• Yet another Farewell Tour
• The Doctor’s impending death
• A glimpse of the Ponds

Next time: Doctor Who 6×12 The Wedding of River Song and Angel 1×16 The Ring.

Episode 88 – Why Grownups Were Invented

Episodes discussed: Doctor Who 6×11 The God Complex & Angel 1×15  The Prodigal

The God Complex

Written by Toby Whithouse; Directed by Nick Hurran

The Doctor and the Ponds find themselves in a creepy, Shining-esque hotel. Discussion points include:

• Toby Whithouse’s themes and Nick Hurran’s influence
• Gods, monsters, security cameras, and fish bowls
• The Minotaur: Predator or victim?
• What’s the purpose of the fears?
• The brilliant Rita and the disappointing Gibbous
• Amy’s shattered faith and the Doctor’s fear

The Prodigal

Written by Tim Minear; Directed by Bruce Seth Green

Kate confronts her daddy issues while Angel remembers his own troubled relationship with his father. Discussion points include:

• Parallel daddy issues
• Liam’s domestic origin story
• Trevor’s good intentions
• The prodigal and faithful children
• Darla mentors Angelus
• Kate’s denial and disgust

Next time: Buffy 4×16 Who Are You? and Doctor Who 6×12 Closing Time.