"Helpless" REACTION - Buffy 3x12 Commentary (Early Access YouTube)
Added 2024-11-23 22:53:04 +0000 UTC
Comments
One of the best episode of the season (and it is something considering the number of amazing episodes this season). Once again, you perfectly pointed out the major theme of this one (and of season 3 in general): it is the senior year of high school and our beloved Scooby gang has to grow up, and especially Buffy given the incredible burden she has to carry on. I really love Kralik and the actor did a great job to bring life to the character in just a few scenes. We have already seen with Drusilla that someone who was insane during their life remains insane when they become a vampire. So a psychotic murderer turned into a vampire? Probably not a great idea to try to use him for anything. But I guess that particular choice was made on purpose by the watchers' council. They really showed their true colors in this one. As someone has already said in the comments, if the Slayer die during the test, it is not a problem for them. A new one will arise so they are, basically, dispensable (and perhaps easier to control). Last thing on this particular subject. The test is called cruciamentum from the latin crucio meaning torture or pain and mentum meaning an instrument or a medium. So the test is literally a way of torturing the Slayer. That tells a lot of the mentality of the watchers' council. Finally, I can only love an entire episode dealing with Buffy and Giles bond as it is my favorite relationship in the show. Once again, SMG was perfect on the scene when Giles comes clean to her about why she is suddenly "helpless". Great episode and great commentary from you as usual. By the way the red door behind you reminds me of The haunting of Hill house ;)
Aurelius 19
2024-11-26 20:26:28 +0000 UTCIt's interesting that you bring up that the council doesn't act very interested in making sure the Slayer gets to 18 years old. The theory in the fan community is that this ritual is actually meant to kill the Slayer, so that they can have a younger one they can more easily control. The fact that they gaslight the Watcher by saying they're too close and can't understand, they have a parent's love and that's not inline with the cause... well it doesn't exactly help their case against the theory.
Jennifer McIntyre
2024-11-24 21:43:19 +0000 UTCI appreciate the underlying "Little Red Riding Hood" theme running through this episode: Buffy's red coat, and the Big Bad (ahem) Wolf line from Kralick: "Why did you come to the dark of the woods?". It further paints Buffy as uncharacteristically weak and defenseless. But of course she doesn't need a big, strong hunter to come and save her at the end.
StephanieB
2024-11-24 18:55:20 +0000 UTCOne of my fav. episodes. Giles is Daddy- even when he makes us mad. And I love the fact you keep looking for Faith - can't wait to see your empathetic reactions to how things unfold from here. Have a lovely week, Tyler. Cheers.
Tanya TMS
2024-11-24 08:00:59 +0000 UTC👀
Tyler Alexander
2024-11-24 03:20:31 +0000 UTCI've covered it! My commentaries on it are in my playlists on YT 😊
Tyler Alexander
2024-11-24 03:19:44 +0000 UTCFab commentary on the themes of growing up and powerlessness! Yes, the watchers are terrible. You brought up an interesting point of debate within the fandom when asking why they even decided to conduct this test. Given the emphasis on Buffy's age and the repeated explanation that the test is given to a slayer "if" she manages to reach 18, there's a very popular fan theory that the Watchers' Council don't care if she loses, or even WANT the slayer to fail it - a child slayer, after all, is easier to control than an adult, and if the slayer dies during this test, a new, most likely younger and more easily malleable, slayer is awakened.
Lucy
2024-11-24 03:14:35 +0000 UTCOoh, I never knew this was originally a spec script! That explains so much about why the whole vibe of this ep feels a bit different than most others (the darker, horror movie feel). Fascinating!
StephanieB
2024-11-24 01:42:54 +0000 UTCSome episodes are thematic pillars and I consider Lie to Me from s2 and Helpless to be two of them specifically to Buffy as the Slayer. Love this episode as painful as it is. The Watchers Council thematically really represents some things opposed to the ways of Buffy and her gang. Also, who doesn't love Kralik, the actor does a great job.
Dutchkel
2024-11-24 00:07:00 +0000 UTCThis is probably my favourite episode of Buffy from a character standpoint, for exactly the reason you articulated. It’s brilliant writing to throw a spanner in the works of Buffy and Giles’ relationship after 2.5 seasons of building it up, and I find the resolution very touching. Yes, Giles shouldn’t have complied with the council but we can understand why he did, and he understands that it was wrong and is committed to making it better. This episode is also wonderfully directed as a horror set piece, with a lovely villain in Kralick. A standout within a stacked season of television. Great commentary as always!
Stephen Nicol
2024-11-24 00:04:07 +0000 UTCOne of my absolute favourite episodes and in my own top twenty of the whole show.
L F
2024-11-24 00:00:28 +0000 UTCComplete side note: have you seen 'Haunting of Hill House'? I'd think you'd love it and have a lot to say about it as well.
Corey
2024-11-23 23:57:05 +0000 UTCI have so much to say about this episode, even something that I wanted to say about the Watcher's Council regarding something that was said during the pilot but decided to hold off until you got to this episode to see if you noticed it as well. I'm looking forward to this reaction so much! I'll have more to say after I watch. :)
Land Howard Johnston
2024-11-23 23:05:18 +0000 UTCOmg I’m so excited for this one. One of my favorites, and I can’t wait to see what you say. My fun fact about the ep: the writer, David Fury, (who eventually joined the writers room) submitted this as a spec script. In his version, Giles was fired but gets his job back. The showrunners liked the idea and had Giles stay fired at the end of the episode…. And as a fan, David felt really guilty for getting Giles fired! After watching: It gets overshadowed by the whole rest of the ep, but I’m glad you noticed Giles is failing Faith here. It hurts but I also think it’s a realistic character flaw for him. Not that he needed another one pointed out for this episode! I **guess** it’s nice that Angel told Buffy about when he creepy-stalked her?? lol There’s honestly nothing else to say; it’s just great writing and I love it.
FandomReferenceHere
2024-11-23 22:58:15 +0000 UTCI haven’t even watched this yet but you must be a mind reader because I checked the app not even 10 minutes ago to see if it was here 😂
M C
2024-11-23 22:54:18 +0000 UTC
