#audrey's opinions

[elviriel]

So I rewatched BTVS and watched Angel the Series recently, and I want to talk about my feelings, so I'm making posts for each. First up, BTVS, with my feelings and opinionsTM sorted by season, because for this particular show, the season seems to dictate the enjoyment tbh.

warnings: i am not a fan of sp*ffy or later seasons spike, and sexual assault is briefly mentioned re: season 6

Funnily enough, the more I dislike a season, the longer the paragraph seems to get. ah, the joys of being a hater at heart xD Season 1. I will admit, when i started my rewatch, I didn't know it would be a rewatch. Usually, I watch up to season 3 and stop, but this time, idk i thought i'd try the rest of the show to see if my feelings had changed, and finally watch season 7, which i had not seen. all this to say I did what I usually do which is: start at season 2 xD However, I have watched season 1 several times in the past, and I'm very fond of it. It's cheesy, and the image quality isn't as nice as it is later on, but I have so much love for certain episodes such as Angel and Prophecy Girl. Season 1 has good stuff, y'all! Season 2. I've said it before, but the Angelus arc is one of my favorite things to happen in the history of television, so season 2 is a favorite of mine. I just love it. The Angelus arc, from the Bangel love to the gutpunch of Innocence, to Jenny's death in Passion to the climax in Becoming... Still cannot hear Full of Grace by Sarah McLachlan without picturing Buffy on a bus and crying tbh.

And the Angelus arc isn't the only thing to love about season 2 either! I get giddy as a schoolgirl when Spike shows up - he's such a fun villain in season 2, from his antics with Drusilla to his bitterness re: Angelus to his team-up with Buffy in the finale. I also enjoy many other things, such as Willow x Oz (Oz is adorable, and his little crush on Willow was very satisfying for me when I was younger, given how much wee audrey identified with the local nerd gal) and Cordelia x Xander is by far the most tolerable Xander pairing, not that there are many choices xD There are so many episodes in this season I love, I can't even begin to list them, but the two part finale is definitely a highlight. Gosh, Buffy running in slow-mo in that little blue coat? Life-changing. Also, shout-out to Buffy punching Giles then hugging him while crying in Passion. Gosh, that episode. Episode of all time.

Season 3. The main draw in season 2 for me, as I said, is the Angelus stuff, and while nothing in season 3 reaches that level of emotional investment for me, it's got SO MUCH TO LOVE that I can never pick a favorite between those two seasons. Season 3 has Angel's return, Faith - whom I love, love, love, love, esp. on rewatch. It has the Giles x Buffy relationship in Helpless, fun episodes such as Band Candy, The Mayor being a delight, Mr. Trick (rip) - and, of course, the heartstring tugger that is The Prom - the class protector award ;_; - and the Buffy x Angel break-up. I even kinda like the Willow x Xander hook-up, because hey, it leads to Cordelia leaving Xander, and the Willow x Oz reunion is very sweet. They melt my heart. It might be the best season of BTVS, 'objectively' (if there is such a thing) speaking. It progresses nicely, and I think the only episode I straight-up dislike is the Xander one, which I'm comfortable skipping. Season 3, my beloved.

I also love how the season ends, with the very literal blowing up of the school - ending high school with a bang xD. Usually, my rewatch ends here and very satisfyingly so - I think BTVS worked really well as a metaphor for high school, and like several shows of the same type, it can't quite get back to that linear clarity once it transitions to college. Which leads me to.... Season 4. I don't hate season 4, but it's also very lackluster for me. The highlights are Willow's storylines (Oz's departure, magic, Tara, Oz's return, etc - it really got me this time around) and Chipped Spike, which is a great iteration of Spike IMO. What a fun addition to the group (for now.) But the rest... meh. I miss the high school sets, for one - and the Initiative may be a vaguely intriguing concept on paper, but it did nothing for me, narratively OR aesthetically. All those white walls and military uniforms.... meh. Adam himself is SUCH an eyesore that does nothing for me, and then you have Riley, which. Eh...? XD That's not a hot take by any means. And I think in terms of Buffy's love life, Riley was a logical step - nothing was going to match Bangel in terms of intensity - but that doesn't mean I, you know. enjoy it. Riley is cute enough at first, but he is quite pushy with her even early on - which I didn't remember tbh. To me, Riley's worst season 4 crime was being boring, and I was surprised to find that actually? he kind of sucks the moment he and Buffy become romantically intertwined. (Hush is a great episode tho. I'll give it that.) Season 4 also has Xander x Anya, which, ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I had this impression that I didn't like Anya, but the rewatch made me realize that actually, it's Xanya I don't like, and Anya has the misfortune of being stuck with Xander for most of her scenes. The way he's so Neutral about her drives me insane - it's just an unpleasant ship IMO. Season 5. This is where the trouble truly begins So, the thing about season 5 is that I think it's a good season. I think it's far more compelling than season 4: it's got great stuff! Dawn is a fun addition, Joyce's illness is a devastating detour to reality in a world of magical threats, and I love the "Death is your gift" theme with Buffy, I really do. I also enjoy Glory a lot xD I think she's fun. I also really love Buffy telling the Council to go fuck themselves, that was very satisfying

Oh, also, Riley leaves. Bye Riley! (though oh boy, does Xander's little speech to Buffy about Riley angers me. shut up xander! nobody asked you!)

But season 5 also has the beginning of Romantic Spuffy, which I hate for reasons I can only partly unpack tbh xD it's visceral to a point that is beyond logic The thing about Spuffy is that I can't untangle it from my feelings about Spike, a character I loved until that point. And look, there were already flaws in Spike's inclusion in the main cast. Season 4 works fine, but given the damage he's shown he can do despite the chip, it stretches disbelief that he didn't get himself staked already xD and sure, him being in love with Buffy is a narratively sound way to get him 'on the good side' without losing his edge. I also think JM is great, and as I understand, he was great to work with, and I understand why they'd want to keep him around. But man..... do I hate Spuffy. notp of all time, and i'm not exaggerating. And you know, up until I watched ATS, I thought maybe my anti Spuffiness was because I'm such a die-hard Bangel - but I ended up liking Angel x Cordelia just fine, so while shipping preference does play a role for sure, maybe spuffy just. sucks. I do enjoy some of their dynamic though. The episode where Spike walks Buffy through his slayer kills is oddly enough one of my favorites, and Spuffy is tolerable enough to me when Buffy is horrified/disgusted by it - but even then, the narrative framing of it BOTHERS ME. There's too much 'look how cute, look how funny!' framing around Spike's stalkerish ways, and it all comes to a head for me in the Buffybot episode, which I wish I could set on fire. It's not that I think any of this is ooc for Spike btw - but the Buffybot is all kinds of gross, so the fact that the episode ends with the real Buffy 'rewarding' Spike with a kiss for how he behaved under torture is just- it's so irksome. One of my main issues with Spuffy is that IMO, the writers tried to have their cake and eat it too. Many quotes indicate that the writers never intended the audience to really Ship It, and while I do believe that's true to an extent, there's also moments like these that frame Spike as sympathetic, and his love for Buffy as something endearing, and like, idk. I don't expect my media to be prescriptive in any way (given my personal taste in ships, that would be quite the opinion xD) but, ugh. Spuffy irks me. I also think Spike/Spuffy is highly Parasitic re: the show, and I would resent it less if it didn't take up so much narrative space. From season 5 on, there is no escape from Spuffy, and the dislike I have for it borders on show-ruining I do love how season 5 ends, though, I really do. I find it very moving, and I still cry like I'm watching it for the first time Season 6. For a season that was reviled in my memory, I enjoyed it quite a bit on rewatch. Buffy's coming back from the dead arc is good. I like the darkness of it, the depth of it - especially as an adult who's been through the Mental Health ringer - tho I do think the resolution of the arc in the finale is a little lacking. But in general, I really love it.

I also love Dark Willow, and I would love it even more without the addiction parallels, which I don't believe were necessary, and kind of muddled the whole arc. They had a perfect set-up with Willow's tendency to magic away problems. They didn't need the whole 'magic = drug' aspect. It makes the storyline worse, which is a shame, because I LOVE this version of Willow. The hubris of necromancy! The lack of self-awareness or willful deceit! It's good stuff, what can I say

I also enjoy the 'Xander leaves Anya at the altar' thing, if only because it means the end of Xanya for a bit xD and it's the first time I actually believed Xander didn't just settle for Anya. His regret over that decision was actually pretty well done, so, props for that. (Tho ofc, the show had to ruin it by making Anya 'in the wrong' by sleeping with Spike, which she had every fucking right to do, and shut up Xander.) Season 6 also has Spuffy. Now, when I saw season 6 for the first time, I was younger, and very uncomfortable with sexual content. So back then, the Spuffy sex, believe it or not, felt like Highly Explicit Porn to me xD which is funny to look back on today. I'll say on rewatch, season 6 Spuffy is probably the version of Shippy Spuffy I enjoy the most...? One problem in season 5 is that Spuffy was driven by Spike's feelings. Buffy was just along for the ride, and I feel like the narrative dragged her into caring for Spike because his obsession with her led him to do things for her and her family. But in season 6, Spuffy is a manifestation of Buffy's trauma, and I enjoy that, narratively speaking. I do still get that feeling of 'the writers tried to have their cake and eat it too' re: the shippability of Spuffy, but I do believe season 6 Spuffy was written with purpose. Seeing Red is very unpopular, for reasons I get, and it does drastically 'alter' the Spuffy dynamic for me, but it's not like... ooc for Spike, and likely a more honest outcome to that kind of relationship than usually portrayed in media (I say as someone who, in general, is a dark relationship enjoyer btw.)

Lastly: the trio annoys the fuck out of me for many reasons, but Warren was a chilling villain. Hateful, but well-suited to the role he played in the season. man, i wanted that guy dead so bad

Season 7. My least favorite season, which I know isn't a hot take either. I found it sometimes boring, and mostly hard to get into. I think the main reason is that season 7 made me lose sight of Buffy. Through all of BTVS, Buffy is an amazing protagonist IMO - I love her, tend to be firmly on her side in most situations, and her thought process/feelings have always been easy to track. I feel Buffy. On rewatch, she's definitely my favorite character on the show, period. But season 7 Buffy, I just don't feel her. I do like some things relating to her here - her role as a counselor at the school, and the leader role she has to take with the Potentials, but otherwise, Buffy in season 7 leaves me cold, and I truly wish that wasn't the case. Granted, season 7 is the only season I've seen only once, so maybe I missed something, but I found the evolution from season 6 to 7 hard to track - season 6 ends with Buffy wanting to live again, and season 7 has a Buffy that's very detached again, and narratively, it's a little awkward IMO. I also do not buy, for a second, the whole "Spike is the only one who has my back" thing, but that's my anti Spike bias, which is at its peak in season 7, but we'll get to that xD Willow in season 7 does nothing for me either - I wish her relationship with magic hadn't been solved so easily. Xander is, err, also there - I do remember enjoying the Dawn episode where she thinks she's a Potential and turns out to be. The Potentials are... fine? I know Kennedy is fandom-reviled, but I think she's fine tbh. Oh, I Barely talked about Giles, but Giles from season 6 onward... I do not Like This Man very much, and I miss Librarian Giles sm xD Season 7 also has Andrew - and god, GOD I hate Andrew. I can tell I'm supposed to be charmed by his whole thing, but I just hate his whole archetype, I hate his presence, I cannot stand him, and he's around too much, and just, make him go away. And then there is Spike, which, ah. I understand that mythos-wise, if we can't 'blame' Angel for Angelus's deeds, Souled Spike cannot be held fully accountable for the actions of No Soul Spike, so the events of Seeing Red aren't his 'fault' (using the term loosely.) But whatever the fault, he still did this to Buffy - Buffy, who has to defend him to her friends, who has to help him through his shit, and i just, nope! I won't lie, season 7 Spike is the version of Spike I hate the most. The episode where Robin (whom I really like, btw! My guy!) confronts him about the death of his mother filled me with a rage I didn't think possible. What do you MEAN you're not sorry you killed his mom? You say that to his face? And I'm supposed to take Spike's side and not want Robin to flay him alive, Willow-style? And now Buffy is telling Robin to bury his resentment or she'll let Spike kill him?

DUDE. This is where I need to breathe and remind myself this isn't real xD Season 7 has Faith's return, which I like a lot, but otherwise..... eh. Season 7 is not a season I'd ever watch again tbh. It just doesn't do it for me. The final shot is nice, though.

OVERALL. BTVS evokes in me emotions that no show could hope to match. Season 2 & 3 are immaculate to me, but the highs from those seasons mean that the lows of other seasons make for a steeply inconsistent experience. I don't think the show is ever that bad, though some episodes are definitely questionable, an inevitability when you run for 7 seasons, but in terms of my personal enjoyment? I feel pretty confident in my usual decision to watch season 2 & 3 alone. Though I'm sad to miss the good stuff from latter seasons, it's not worth the Stuff I hate, which there is plenty of

if you read all this, um, thank you? at the risk of sounding like a youtuber, lmk your BTVS thoughts in the replies or reblogs (though, if you're going to tell me you love spuffy and that i'm wrong, maybe keep that to yourself xD)

[descendantofthesparrow]

at the very least-i hope its fun

[luna---lovegood]

So...I did this, but I forgot the original creator...

This is the one I modified!

And this is the original!

[greenesmyfavcolor]

Seeing as the Oscars are today, I just wanted to remind everyone that this is the best thing to ever come out of it and nothing else will ever top it

[crooked-empire]

What BATIM/BATDR unpopular opinion you have?

Oooh, a good one!

Audrey and the Ink Demom never had or will have a sibling relationship and believing(in canon, couldn't give a damn if you hc this or not) that Joey for a second considered the Ink Demon his own is very weird, he barely considers him Bendy.

People got delusional after Joey in "The Illusion of Living" said he loves Bendy as his own, yeah, he did, the cartoon, not the "abomination" that came out of the machine.

Again, couldn't be bothered to care if you HC Audrey and the Ink Demon as siblings. But believing it is canon is just stupid in my opinion. Their relationship is also like, prey and predator, she just befriended the benevolant side of Ink Bendy and that's it.

[elisedonut]

seeing someone with a similar opinion to me when it comes to canon named oc characters just to see they consider characters like Ginny to fall into that category

just respectfully

no

like she has a character she is not someone you have to start from scratch with

[elvishdemigod]

Fallout 4 companions (including Tales From The Commonwealth) with songs from my YouTube playlist

Audrey: No Moon At All by Seth MacFarlane

Birdie: Matt Foley by O. A.

Cait: Moth by Hellyeah

Curie: Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer

Danse: Losing My Religion cover by 10 Years

Deacon: Gotta Get Away by The Offspring

Hancock: Rasputin by Boney M

MacCready: Nobody Praying For Me by Seether

Nick: Nights In White Satin by Moody Blues

Piper: The Truth by Nonpoint

Preston: It Has Begun by Starset

R4-04: Drive by Incubus

Strong: Evolution by Korn

X6-88: Too Sweet by Hozier

And finally, David (my OC): Zombie by The Pretty Reckless

[desastre-fag]

'less popular' just meaning like less than a mil streams on spotify :p

[mendellover69]

Better Audition Song for Audrey?

[lovecommajaime]

it does not feel real that my high school in holding auditions for lsoh next month

[adm-starblitzsteel-4305]

Alright, 1 week left before we said goodbye to my favorite month April and welcome the month of May, wherein flowers bloom everywhere (known as Flores de Mayo), yada yada get to the point.

Anyway, which among of these two I choose should be the winner of May (I've been drawing flowers for some reason you know, for something)?

~|[✿]|~

A plant Kaiju spliced with roses, deceased human (girl) cells and G-Cells?

Or this motherfucking talking, singing man-eating plant?

[piratedog64]

I headcannon Seymour and Audrey as a T4T couple

[teleportzz]

you can make a valid faun out of the entire artiodactyla order imo. goats and sheep, obviously, are covered by that. cows, antelopes, bison, and deer are also covered by that. "what about whales and dolphins tho? those are also artiodactyla" SEA FAUNS. THOSE ARE CALLED SEA FAUNS. mermaids encounter a creature with a human top half and an orca bottom half and go "omg fairies are real!!"

[reanimationstation]

Which batim/batdr ships you dislike or are uncomfortable with?

anon do you want my body to be found in a ditch /j. nah i think the bendy fandom is chiller than that. but i do have a list for you! i'll try not to be too critical of any of them, so in no particular order (also my definition of "dislike" is very broad):

Ink Demon x Sammy: i dunno, its just an angle i never enjoyed! i just dont think its interesting. But if you ship it, you do you. i know i follow at least one person who ships it. though if you do ship it please refrain from using those tags on my art of them, since thats nearly exclusively a father-son dynamic in my AUs

ok tbh Ink Demon x Anyone: honestly i just dont see him having romantic relations with anyone lol. just not my cup of tea

Constance x Brant: ok disclaimer i dont DISLIKE this ship i just dont like it in a casual sense. i am a TLO trio polycule truther (or rather, QPR truther), though this alone just kinda makes me wonder. they barely knew each other. honestly she had more chemistry with Bill, if any! good on you tho if you ship it, i guess

Dot x Buddy: shrug. theyre more compelling as friends to me.

i'm not putting the obvious ones on this list because that would make my list long and boring. also this is not an invitation to come into my inbox defending any of these, im not interested in further discussion.

FADE TO BLACK SPOILERS UNDER CUT

Rose x Evan: unpopular opinion, maybe? Look, her crush is cute, and I support her being adorable about it. But the age gap........makes me really uncomfortable. I know its the 50s, "things were different" and all that jazz, but its still fully within my right to be uncomfortable with it. shes 17, hes 20, its.....well its certainly something. Also, I really don't feel like Evan reciprocated the feelings at all? Hell, if he even noticed them. He treated her very little sister like, or just plain good friend, to me. regardless, i just plain don't like it. none of yall better come into my inbox defending it ill block you for being annoying

Dot x Evan: if i stumbled upon a REALLY compelling argument for it, exploring both their characters, then sure, good for you. but sometimes it feels like yall are just shoving any male and female together and calling it a ship. also Evan's a bit young ngl

Dot x Archie: same as before, though strangely i feel like it'd be easier to convince me of this one? They at least interact with each other.

[greencheekconure27]

Me:* quietly trying to slip out from under my sleeping cat without waking her*

Audrey the cat: *wakes up* oh no did I slip off in my sleep? So sorry! *Climbs back on top of me purring like a train and sprawls* Here, see, all fixed! Are you comfortable?

Me *is in fact dangerously comfortable*

Me *flops around helplessly trying to reach my phone to see how late it is* ...but I need to get up....

Audrey *puts a soft paw against my face* Shhhh honey it's just a dream.sleep now...