It's one of the more annoying parts of the fandom. I think it's funny that her boyfriend was screwing with her, but having watched a ton of reactors, it bothers me how many fans just can't WAIT until they get to episode 5x01 just so they can descend on the comments like a pack of vultures to semi-spoil the reactor instead of letting them experience the story unfold naturally, like the rest of us got to.
@@nthdgree5078 yeah it’s fun to mess with her with love but that’s also the reason she’s staying away from comments for another few episodes, once she’s a bit further into s5 she’ll come back and look at all comments from the first few episodes but for now she’s still holding off. Between those gaslighting and those defending the truth and saying what’s really going on and spoiling and everything else, it’s just chaos so that’s why she’s away for now hahah! (: 🥳
Michelle was a perfect casting for Dawn. Just enough teen bratiness without being overly annoying. Her dialogue & chemistry with Buffy throughout her episodes is very well acted.
Actually, Dawn was supposed to be younger. But Michelle gave such a strong audition, they hired her, and didn't have time to properly rewrite her lines. Which is why she sounds overly childish sometimes.
@@migmit Not just the strong audition. They were struggling to find an actress in the age range that they were actually looking for and Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michelle Trachtenberg were friends from a previous project and Trachtenberg was visiting Gellar and Gellar suggested her for the role. So there was a little bit of who you know involved. However, I agree that Trachtenberg probably had a strong audition as well and it is only unfortunate that they kept some things in her character that were written for a much younger version of the character.
The fact that Harmony, the human, is identical to Harmony, the soulless vampire, is hilarious. When you see any of the other vampires after transformation, the are far more evil than they were as humans. Harmony? Exactly the same.
And in _her_ case I don't even consider it a plot hole because she was already a bully when she was a human so she was already evil,but she's simply too stupid to be a"cool"type of evil so somehow _it makes sense_ that her vampire personality is the exact same of her human personality.😂(UNLIKE SOMEONE ELSE...!!!!!🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬💢💢💢)
On the DVD commentary, I was pointed out by a couple of people that SMG really hates having to laugh. Throw anything else at her and she's okay with it, but laughing on camera bothers her, so she doesn't often do it.
The notion of anyone/ anything following Harmony is just funny. I crack up when she tells Spike she’s been reading books and studying… just great. In college ii worked at a large hotel that hosted Tupperware distributors and I interacted with about 200 women that looked,acted, and talked like Harmony in this episode. She nailed the optimism of the naive person striving for so much that’s out of reach.
Little Miss Muffet Sat on her tuffet, Eating her curds and whey. There came a big spider, Who sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away. Curds and whey is basically a dessert made from sweetened curdled milk (yeah, makes me go “yuck” as well when I think of it😉).
Your boyfriend’s a real one for not making more fun of you not remembering Dawn. 👍 Funny how you think that because you forgot about her, everyone else’s memories must be “implanted”. 😂 Also, why wouldn’t Dawn “be self-aware”? Of course she knows she’s Buffy’s sister, and she also believes she is something more than “just the Slayer’s sister”, as any sibling in an older sibling’s shadow their whole life would. Good for her to have that confidence! Great reaction as always! 👍
Confusion is the correct reaction at this point. Good job noting Joyce saying how quiet it would be once Buffy went back to school. I like how Dawn kept speaking from out of sight, as if she's always been just out of camera range. As for "curds and whey" the only reference I know is the nursery rhyme 'Little Miss Muffet': Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating her curds and whey; There came a big spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away. But that street person was a cat so what does he know.
Fun fact: Sarah Michelle Gellar recommended Michelle Trachtenberg play her sister on Buffy because they worked together on the soap opera All My Children from 1993-1995
I recall a reactor several years back whose entire community spontaneously decided to convince her that Dawn had always been on the show, telling stories about what she did during season 2 episodes when she was 11.
5 is my favorite and as far as I can tell the best season. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll have a fantastically good time. Glory be to you, Buffy reactor
Hehe I definitely chuckled when you mentioned in the last episode the credits changing during a season. This is the fastest the credits have changed, one episode in
Interesting theory about the Powers That Be. They've only manifested in BTVS through Whistler and (presumably)the Christmas snowfall in "Amends". They don't seem terribly involved in Slayer business, and indifferent to their fates,. Remember how the callous declaration to Angel that Buffy would die was delivered with a shrug?
Cass, you never heard the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhythm growing up ? Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds & whey, along came a Spider and sat down beside her and frightened Miss Muffet away. Curds and whey is just cottage cheese in its purest form.
I love your reaction, and I know that you'll be surprised when you learn more about Dawn. I think that Giles becoming proprietor of The Magic Shop is actually perfect, as it gets him out of his apartment.
The scene with Buffy doing the handstand and then going to 1 hand, and then falling down when three crystals fall over is a reference to Star Wars when Yoda is training Luke Skywalker in Empire Strikes Back.
I love this episode so much. With Dawn's odd little comments "Im NOT a kid!" and "She thinks I'm just her dumb little sister.." And Tara's response to "You're one of the good guys" is so beautifully subtle.
Good and solid reaction. Everyone that has watched Buffy is where you are now. Most flounder and just blab incoherent statements about Dawn. Once again you use solid thoughts, well thought out ideas, and using the pacing of the show come up with some solid ideas. I enjoy your thought process and are better than most everyone at this point. When this first aired we did not have the luxury to go back , just our observant memories We were clueless and we all gave up after this episode. The best way to fully enjoy the season is have comfort all will be explained. It is never on our terms but always on Joss Whedon’s time schedule. Great pickup on the opening scene in Buffy’ vs Dracula and the breakfast scene with Joyce. You will gain many insights on this season with your edits. So much happens in the episodes with multiple characters and stories that scenes can be easily overlooked and overshadowed by other events. This is a very well written and conceived year that I am sure you will enjoy. .
I said in the last reaction that you need to keep a reference check from the finale of season 4, Restless, because it was a guide to all that happens in this season. And a little bit of Buffy's slayer dreams. Back in season 3 when Buffy and Faith went at it and Faith went into a coma, they shared a Slayer dream together while both of them were unconscious. They were fixing the bed when Faith said "Little Miss Curds and way." Countdown to 730. 730 days or the month and day when it occurs, I can't remember. Either way the saying, was said by the homeless crazy guy, to Dawn in this episode. In Restless, Tara was Buffy's Spirit Guide. When Buffy left the bedroom, during her dream, Tara said after she left, "Be Back Before Dawn." As in, her sister. More easter eggs to come.😁
I mean, Joyce has said "thank God you're an only child" to Buffy, as well, in the past... 😅 Which is weird, because we all know that Dawn was born long before the show even started. 🤔
There's an episode of My So-Called Life told through the eyes of Angela's little sister as she writes in her diary, and I've always wondered if this episode was modeled on that one. One of the great canceled-after-one-season shows, definitely recommended for those who haven't seen it.
Curds and whey was a callback to Buffy's and Faith's shared dream at the end of season three. Faith makes a statement, "Miles to go. Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0. If you know the poem, you know that she was eating curds and whey.
"Curds and whey" is a reference to the old nursery rhyme "Little Miss Muffet." It's a really popular nursery rhyme, so you probably won't be exposed to anything Buffy related if you look it up.
So glad they finally added Michelle to the main credits. I guess she wasn’t around much in season 4 but she was such a memorable part of the high school years.
Amusingly, Dawn has apparently grown up in this house her whole life...a house that Joyce just moved the family into less than 4 years ago, in the middle of Buffy's sophomore year of high school? Hmmm...
They totally made referee to little sister (they hadn't thought of a name yet) previously. You may have to rewatch the show to catch the lines. EDIT: "Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and way" - child's nursery rhyme
Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider and sat down beside her, scaring Miss Muffet away. Nothing more than a children's rhyme, like hickory dickory dock, or three blind mice. Eating curds and whey is like eating cottage cheese in the 1600s. However, keep in mind that the man who told Dawn that she didn't "belong here" also said that he was a cat.... I agree that Giles owning the Magic Box is a good thing. It gives him, and by proxy, the "scoobies" access to essential magic supplies and resources that they may need! And that brings me through witchcraft and to Tara! I agree, that Tara's character needs to be a main! She is a great foster into the magic realm for Willow, and yes, she is an awesome person! (Be honest with kids and youth, but at a level they can understand...) Giles also needs something to do. Plus, he has to pay for his mid-life crisis car! I am really enjoying your takes and breakdowns too!! Looking forward to the next episode!
Finally, after 5 years of the show, Dawn has her own episode (okay, it was largely because MT was limited in the series and could not have major roles due to her age,)
You are supposed to be disoriented about Dawn. Everybody is. Faith knew about Dawn. In her coma dream she told Buffy, "Little sis is coming." And in the season four finale, the Tara spirit guide tells Buffy, "Be back before Dawn." There's also a dream reference to "Little Miss Muffet counting down to 730" and the man outside the magic shop told Dawn about curds and whey. So Buffy's sister has been referenced before, cryptically, until you know. Little Miss Muffet is a nursery rhyme. "Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider and sat down beside her and frightened Miss Muffet away."
I like this episode for what it is. My only real gripe is that we saw this exact storyline handled way better when the crazy vampire with sister issues kidnapped Dawn in Helpless. IMO it should have been Joyce who was kidnapped in this episode - at least that would have provided some variety.
1) I love Harmony so much! How dare you say she is a monster of the week! Are you saying a blond ditz can’t be a big bad?! 2) in my opinion, we have seen the actions of the Powers that Be at least once on Buffy, in the episode Amends, when a freak snowstorm saves Angel’s life. But that’s just my opinion.
Love that we learned about Dawn before finding out how and why she showed up. Michelle Trachtenberg being added to the credits already makes so much more sense than others being added sooner rather than later because she has a better in than just dating one of the core four Scoobies. Everyone who dates a core Scooby has to build up to that before the opening credits consider them important. Dawn is related to Buffy and her storyline is definitely mystical in nature (despite what the gaslighting jokes say), so in that regard the only reason she wasn't on the main credits in the last episode would be the surprise factor. I don't blame Dawn for unintentionally inviting Harmony in so much as I blame Xander for opening the door and confronting/talking to her to begin with. Same goes for Buffy. Blaming Dawn not only when Xander opened the door to confront Harmony instead of ignoring her, but also blaming her when her mom (who, with her own words, said she invited Dracula in because she was lonely. The conversation she has with Willow and Tara indicated that and wasn't about her defensiveness over being thralled) invited one of the most famous vampires into the house one week earlier. Even if Dawn is to blame for her part, Xander and Joyce have known the rules longer. What's their excuse and why isn't Buffy chastising/yelling at either of them? Perhaps that is why Buffy doesn't rat Dawn out for going outside. Because maybe she realizes she is just as much at fault for Dawn being outside when she gets upset. Possibly. I love that Tara acknowledges she isn't a Scooby member. If a viewer pays close attention Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles are they only Scooby Members. Angel and Cordelia were never friends to anyone in the OG four and were only there because of dating Xander and Buffy. Oz was only dating Willow, Riley was only dating Buffy (and while Xander identified with him and was friendly with him didn't ask him to stay as his friend, and stated indirectly he had a hard time with being the only guy in a group of girls that age [ thus not including Giles], so he liked it when Oz and Riley were around), and Anya is only dating Xander, Tara may have a friendship with Dawn, but Dawn is only around because she's Buffy's sister and possibly mystical and not a member of the group herself, so Tara's only really dating Willow. Jenny was dating Giles and Faith felt ousted when she was trying to be part of the group, and Spike is the annoying next door neighbor-type the group cannot get rid of. The second your not dating one of the core four your no longer as in the group (as can be acknowledged) or never were if you never did date one of them. The writer, David Fury, said he imagined a full scale carousel hourse when Buffy uses the wooden horse to stake Mort. Money issues always effected what was in the writers imagination to some degree, though.
Tara was never in the main credits because of Amber Benson’s contract, which I believe allowed her freedom to do other projects at the same time. Which is lucky, considering how the cast and crew of the show were treated by Joss Whedon. _Especially_ poor Michelle Trachtenburg.
Also want to point out something that a lot of reactors miss the first time around - the scene with Buffy and Tara in Buffy's dream in the S4 finale is VERY prophetic. There's a lot in there but I worry that pointing out too many specific details will be spoilery, so I'll just remind you of this line: Tara: Be back before Dawn. DEFINITELY do a 'Restless' rewatch when you've finished the series. SO excited to watch along with you :)
"Dracula and Joyce's demon child." Congratulations, I've not heard that one before! xD A lot of my opinions on characters have shifted as I aged, but Dawn is still wildly irritating. Also, it's creepy that Spike - a 125-year old - fancies Harmony, a 19-year old, but I guess he is evil. Wow, I just realised - Giles was fired on Buffy's 18th birthday so he was... between jobs for year and a half! Go Giles with the savings account.
01:51 - 02:41 😂😂😂😂😂 05:24 - 05:29 I said:"British."🤭🤭🤭 05:52 - 05:58 LOL...straight... 07:04 - 07:24 "You don't belong here..." 07:25 - 07:45 1)You made the exact same face Tara did,2)Tara,you ARE a Scooby!!!😭🤍 09:27 - 09:35 "Xander.😃" "Xander!🤭" "Xander?🤨" "Xander!😁"💙 09:43 - 09:49 "Even when he should.😒💢"LOL. 09:51 - 10:12 *THANKS FOR NOTICING!!!* Not all reactors notice that reaction and everytime I'm like:"HOW???How did you not notice that???😫" 13:59 - 14:08 No,I'm TOTALLY on Buffy's side this time!You should remember not to invite vampires in your house *_ESPECIALLY_* if you're not a Slayer with super-human strength!!! 17:02 - 17:24 "What are you talking about?!?@.@" When you mentioned how you tend to forget characters after not seeing them for a couple of episodes I suddenly wondered if you still remember Amy...she was like your favorite,it would be pretty ironic if you forgot her just because she was turned into a rat and we haven't seen her anymore...🐁 19:50 - 23:38 Dawn Theories.
Maybe spoiler below: I have seen so many reactors take Dawns ending monologue in the negative way, but I always just saw it as Dawn saying that she wanted to be her own person and have her own purpose.
About the first scene of Episode 1... Buffy is hunting, sure. But I think there's more going on. Before she goes out and kills, she is restless. She's lying in bed with her boyfriend (perhaps they just made love?) but she is not content, not satisfied. After she kills (using Dracula's word for it) she goes back and snuggles up, visibly satisfied. Riley couldn't get it done, but killing something does. Just sayin'.
Heeheehee your bf is right ;p sort of. Go back to the final episode of season 4 and really listen to what Tara says to Buffy when Buffy leaves her bedroom. Also, the episode where Faith wakes up, and they’re making the bed in Buffy room, before Faith drips blood on it: listen carefully to what Faith says in that scene.
After you’re done with the season, there’s a video compilation here on RU-vid with scenes from Seasons 3 and 4 that explain the entirety of season 5 you should watch. If you do, please, please do record your reaction for us!
Joss Whedon wanted Amber Benson (Tara) to get added to the Title sequence, but the studio nixed it because it would be a substantial pay raise for her.
The only person in this episode that thinks Dawn hasn't been around the whole time is a literal crazy person. So if you are not sure that Dawn has been around the whole time, what is the show saying about you?
Not a Buffy thing - curds and whey. The Little Miss Muffett nursery rhyme. I don't think looking that up will spoil anything as long as you stop reading if the explanation mentions Buffy. It shouldn't.
