Buffy 3.3: Faith, Hope & Trick Part 2

Welcome to the second of our 2-part podcast of Buffy Season 3, Episode 3: Faith, Hope & Trick; wherein... OMG Faith is here!!! We pick up where we left off in our very long discussion of the introduction of one of Buffy's most enduring (in more ways than one) characters, and we are loving every minute of it. 

We discuss in greater detail the production coding showing Faith as a viable and very real romantic interest for Buffy (sorry, Scott... not), and also investigate Faith's introduction as a means by which the cast, audience, and plot can re-investigate Buffy's past as a slayer and come to new understanding and new ground. Faith is the introduction of a true shadow for Buffy, allowing her greater space to grow and flesh out as a character in ways the Scoobies couldn't accommodate. 

We also have a pretty awesome revelation at the end about the real trick in the episode and exactly how Angel returned when he did. Just listen... we think we're brilliant. 

We want to thank you so much for listening, sharing, and supporting us. We are approaching our first anniversary, and we have lots of expansions and new ideas in store. Stay tuned! 

**A note from Snard: I want to thank everyone for their comments, emails, and messages of concern and encouragement. Right before posting the last episode, I tried a new ADHD medication that disrupted the equilibrium of my normally happy brain chemicals and had to take time out for self care. We are back and ready to go though, and have been recording while I've taken a break from edits, so there's plenty more where this came from. **

Buffy 3.3: Faith, Hope & Trick Part 1

Welcome to our 2-part podcast Buffy Season 3, Episode 3: Faith, Hope & Trick; wherein... OMG Faith is here!!! Plus, Trick, some floppy-haired dink, and the return of Angel: now with more naked! We have been anticipating the appearance of Faith since our show's inception and have many, many things to say. As always, we discover deeper themes and meanings than what is meant to be seen on the surface, and we work to uncover what is really going on. 

Among the character developments as well as comings and goings around town, we discuss all that is hidden, including what Buffy's dream of Angel and the ring means (it's a trick... get it?), deeper myths that are beginning to come together, and, well.. a ton. Through Faith, we also get to discuss production coding as a way to recognize gay/bi/queer characters as discussed at greater length in The Celluloid Closet, which explains much of how we see such heavy queer themes where many have detected none: and boy, do we detect a few. 

Please remember that this is a 2-part episode, so make sure to check back this week for part 2 on this same post (in edits now). 

And as always, thank you so much for listening, sharing us with your Buffy-loving friends, commenting, and liking us on Facebook. And thank you SO very much for your patience with our schedule since things have slowed down to terribly this year. We promise we will be back to a regular posting schedule as soon as possible.  

**Please forgive us for any audio issues we have had and are having for the next few issues. Some failing equipment caused some serious anomalies that had to be edited around. We have since fixed the problems with massive equipment upgrades, but we have a few episodes yet to get past before it will get WAY better. **

Buffy Episode 3.2: Dead Man's Party

Welcome to our discussion of Buffy Season 3 Episode 2: Dead Man's Party; wherein Buffy's family and friends are incomparable assholes except for Giles who snaps off one of the funniest lines we have ever heard. We have had schnapps to wash down the bitter comments, and also work to try and understand why Buffy's friends are terrible. We postulate many ideas, among them that this episode is from Joyce's point of view, and have some very interesting ideas about the origin of Pat and where she fits into the greater Buffyverse (seriously, Snard found evidence). We also discuss the function of the mask as a reflection of Joyce's consciousness and her need to keep up appearances and activates in her absence of the ability to maintain control - a theme that feeds well into the mythological metaphors of this season. 

We have to do a lot of heavy metaphor and character gymnastics in this episode to arc Buffy from her freedom and slayer awakening back into the confines of Sunnydale and the role she is supposed to play as the hero who never shows emotion - setting her up in a way that will prevent her from opening up to Faith when she gets here, and thus creates tension in the story. Our metaphors broadcast all sorts of internal workings and conflicts, and the characters indicate many trends and issues that foreshadows upcoming actions. Love it or hate it, this is a pivotal and telling episode. Plus, Gile's car rant makes it all worth it.  

As always, thank you fro much for listening and all you do for the show. Make sure to like us on Facebook, go to our website to comment and see what else we're up to, and contact us at info@diogenesclubpodcast.com. Until next time, when we get to the the thing Jen has been waiting for since we began.... FAITH!! 

And because you'll need it after this episode, Richard Simmons being fabulous:

Buffy Episode 3.1: Anne

It's hard to believe we're at season 3! And boy do we start out with a bang in our discussion of Buffy Season 3 Episode 1: Anne; Wherein Buffy, Slayer of the Vampires, falls down 6 times and gets up 7. In this episode we see Buffy once again coming to terms with her own resurrection - a theme that will last throughout for all season opening for this show. Her life as she knew it was over, and she is putting the pieces back together in a spartan apartment on the “poor side of town” (Hi, Faith) while her friends and mother still manage to scapegoat her from afar. We see a lot of interesting character movements coming down the pipeline from all characters in foreshadowing and misunderstandings and we also see a glimpse of the Slayer we know Buffy can be - despite being in mourning and trying to not be the hero, she steps up and kicks ass in glorious fashion when the times comes, all while paralleling Angel’s unseen journey through the underworld and also many clues into how to interpret his words and actions once he returns. Stay tuned for some dynamite work on the Greek Myth front with this development. 

We talk a lot about the movements of all Buffy's parts here, discuss Buffy's deeper slayer self, and also inspect many foreshadowings and deeper currents illustrated by the Scoobies that will come to light as time goes by in future episodes. Plus, we get a pretty dope costuming metaphor with Lily's Rocky Horror shirt and parallels to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. This is only the beginning of an amazing season of television.

And make sure to pay attention to our new feature of the podcast: Buffy-themed cocktails created by us and tailored for each episode. 

As always, thank you so much for listening and helping us boost our signal. Even though it's been two full seasons now, we feel like we're just getting started. Please make sure to like us on Facebook, visit our website, and share us with your Buffy-loving friends.

And because we mentioned Nathan Fillion, we have to share this: 

Brian and Nick discover their outer beauty. Buy BriTANicK T-shirts!!!! http://britanick.spreadshirt.com Cast: Christian Ani Mariel Booth Amanda Crew Frankie the Bulldog Nathan Fillion Christian Guidi Director of Photography: Jay Hunter (with an alley-oop by Danny Grunes) Song: "Safari" - Teen Girl Scientist Monthly Makeup: Bebe Gene Special Thanks: Dante Fernandez Ben Joseph Sam Kirsch Chris Knauer T.J.

Buffy Episode 2.22: Becoming Part 2

Today's episode is all about Buffy Season 2 Episode 22: Becoming; Wherein Buffy loses everything but herself and we need a f***ing truckload of Kleenex. We talk at great length about this masterpiece because So much happens in this episode, and all of it is crazy important; we discuss some (we think) theories about Whistler and his origins and why maybe we’re supposed to not like him, discuss how the story progresses through both metaphor and character in masterful strokes that show us what is happening to Buffy, defend and also discuss Xander’s worst lie ever and why he says what he does.

This episode transcends all that comes before it in many ways; marking an end of the innocence and previous reality for Buffy and all of her Scoobies, both as metaphor and as characters. One major hallmark of this is the strong and blatant correlation to Buffy showing her mom that she is the Slayer as a coming out, and coding Slayers as bi-sexaul, a trend that if you are watching for it (and believe us, as we're watching) is thick and fascinating as a motivator for much of the rest of the show. This is the event horizon that catapults Buffy into a new world of storytelling and metaphor from here on out. 

As always, thank you so much for listening! Please comment, like, share, and participate in any way you see fit to help us boost our signal. Make sure to like us of Facebook and feel free to email us at info@diogenesclubpodcast.com. 

After some technological near-disasters where the audio of this episode was saved only by the talents of Michelle's techno-pagan boyfriend Alex, we are finally back on track and ready to go! You can ignore our discussion of taking a week off and get your engines running for what comes next. There will be custom cocktails, more explicit discussion of myth in Buffy, and maybe even some Mad Libs. 

Stay tuned!!! 

Buffy Episode 2.18: Killed By Death

In today's show we discuss Buffy Season 2 Episode 18: Killed by Death - Wherein tact is just not saying true stuff. We talk about why Buffy got sick and the possibilities of influence of the PTBs in early Buffy, Cordelia's continuing evolution as part of the Scoobies, get some hints of the amazing man Xander will become as well as some troubling indications of Willow's moral compass. 

This episode of Buffy helps to set the stage of the final episode of this season and chapter of Buffy's journey into becoming the person who can make the hardest decision anyone could ever make. We have the difficult task of moving her beyond just missing Angel and into some who can lose everything and still find a strength greater than the sum of her parts. We have more work yet to do next week in Go Fish.

As always, thank you so much for listening and for your patience while Snard finishes transitioning into her new job and new schedule. Please make sure to like us on Facebook, check out our website for new things and future developments. And as always, please email us any time at info@diogenesclubpodcast.com.

And because Der Kindestad reminds us of The ErlKing:

Buffy Episode 2.12: Bad Eggs

**Please note that we have received some feedback about quiet audio, and we hear you (even if you couldn’t hear us!) The latest episodes have had a volume boost, and Snard is hard at work remastering all of our previous episodes for re-release as soon as possible. Let us know if we sound better!**

In today’s episode, we discuss Buffy season 2 Episode 12 Bad Eggs wherein we are inexplicably entertained by what is supposed to be a bad episode. Though this episode is primarily a bit of fluff and fun to carry us through the tempestuous emotions of the season’s coming turn of fate, we uncover that a lot more is going on than meets the eye initially, including some musical foreshadowing and cues, a little potential backstory of Angel’s darker days (and a fantastic cult film reference), as well as the fluctuating dynamics between the truth about Buffy’s life and her mother that will come to a breaking point by the end of the season. It’s a pretty fascinating time. 

We also discuss some changes to our review incentives we’re offering: ten iTunes reviews and Michelle/Snard will perform One Night in Bangkok, fifteen, and we will allow a vote on what will be done, and at twenty reviews, we will give our analysis and attentive treatment to the masterpiece of crowdfunding and cinema: Kung Fury. 

We really want to do these extra things, so please, please help us by posting an honest review. Also, like us on Facebook for updates and conversation, and always feel free to comment on our website (www.diogenesclubpodcast.com) or email us at info@diogenesclubpodcast.com.

Buffy Episode 2.11: Ted

Today we celebrate Valentine’s Day Hellmouth-style with our discussion of Buffy Season 2 Episode 11 Ted: Wherein Buffy performs several acts that she will deny for the rest of the series. We investigate the possibly Greek myth themes of Ted and the other robots found on the Hellmouth (hint: it’s Pygmalion) and also it’s heavy foreshadowing of Faith’s character arc and vulnerabilities along with some incredibly strong similarities between Ted and the Mayor. We also track Joyce’s downward momentum as Buffy’s mom and introduce the Faith and Buffy Bell. 

One of the very interesting aspects of this episode is how much it exposes the vulnerabilities and character arc of Faith later on and sets the stage for a lack of understanding that leads to her to working with the Mayor. Once again, we see that there’s no such thing as a standalone episode of Buffy.  

We’re still trying to get 10 reviews on iTunes to help boost our signal, and Michelle (Snard) is eagerly working on incentives and rewards for as soon as our milestones of 10, 15, and 20 reviews are reached. 

Thank you so much for listening! 

For reference, Manslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as discussed in our episode.