Yesterday was sucktastic. It started out bad, then got worse at every turn. I need a little R&R. And to step away from any and all serious topics on the blog. To that end:
(in no particular order)
1. Noel, The West Wing, Season 2. It’s Christmas Time at the White House, but Josh is feeling more PTSD than jolly. Adam Arkin guests.
2. Dopplegangland, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 3. Willow and a newly human Anya tear a hole through to a parallel universe and bring back vamp Willow, who proceeds to wreak havoc… deliciously. Contains one of my favorite Buffy moments: “Dude… check out your girlfriend.” “Get Buffy. Do it now.”
3. A Trip to the Dentist, Veronica Mars, Season 1. Veronica tells us she was raped in the pilot. In this episode, we find out what happened, and we do it Rashomonically. Also one of the coolest denounements I’ve ever seen to a season arc, and both the scene at the Kanes and the scene with Wallace, “So this is why I don’t talk about stuff,” is phenomenal.
4. Leave it to Beaver, Veronica Mars, Season 1. Wow. Wowowowowow. Except for the last scene. HATE how long I had to wait to find out who was at that door!
5. Fear Itself, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4. My first Buffy episode, and still one of my favorites. Odd because part of the reason it works is because they’d spent three seasons building up these characters and their fears, but it also worked for me as an introduction to them. It’s Halloween on campus, which means scary fun in Buffy world.
6. Hush, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4. Now this is good television. Who else can do a (mostly) silent episode? Brilliant!
7. Restless, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4. Some people thought this an anticlimactic end to the season. I thought it was perfect, and a great example of how dreams can work in fiction. (Oddly, though I maintain that Season 3 was the best season, most of my favorite episodes are from season 4. I think 3 had the best arc, though.)
8. In This White House, The West Wing, Season 2. Leo hires Ainsley Hayes. Has one of the best openings and best closings of a television episode ever.
9. Eye of the Beholder, The Twilight Zone (season unknown). A disfigured woman gets plastic surgery to look like everyone else.
10. Squeeze, The X-Files, Season 1. Creep. Eeee.
11. Piper Maru/Apocrypha, The X-Files, Season 3. I don’t think this is cheating, as it’s really one big episode. A huge chunk of mytharc, too, for a starved audience! And plenty of Alex Krycek, who was always one of my favorite characters.
12. It May Look Like a Walnut, The Dick Van Dyke Show (season unknown). Man, I love this episode. Do you know it was written by Carl Reiner?
13. To Serve Man, The Twilight Zone (season unknown). Corny as all get out, but I love it anyway. Who doesn’t love this episode?
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September 27th, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Wow, you actually remembered the episodes! I won’t be able to even recall which season it was shown!
Have a great day.
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September 28th, 2006 at 12:20 am
Of the shows on your list, the only one I watched was Buffy. But you’ve nailed several of my favorites, especially “Hush.” Incredibly creepy.
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September 28th, 2006 at 3:17 am
I love Noel aswell as Hush, and the ep where Ainsley finally gets introduced to the President still has me in stitches. Great list!
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September 28th, 2006 at 4:23 am
Welcome to Thursday Thirteen!
I haven’t watched any of the shows on your list, but I do enjoy Joss Whedon’s “Astonishing X-Men” comic – very well written.
Happy Thursday.
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September 28th, 2006 at 6:16 am
I’ve been watching Buffy 4 for the last few days, and I just saw HUSH myself.
My favorite part was where Xander bursts in and thinks Spike has attacked Anya, so he attacks Spike…when Anya tears them apart and he dives in to her arms, professing his love (silently). The part that cracked me up was when Xander paused from his love-fest with Anya to shrug over at Spike, like, “Sorry dude,” and then back to the noshing.
My other fave episode from that season so far is the one where Willow casts spells over everyone and Spike and Buffy decide to get married. Hilarious.
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September 28th, 2006 at 8:39 am
I loved both of the Twilight Zone eopisodes!
Thanks for stopping by my 13!
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September 28th, 2006 at 8:40 am
Here’s to digging a deep hole and burying Wednesday, September 27, 2006 in it at the bottom and covering it up with enough dirt to cover the stench of a horrid day.
Happy Thursday! = )
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:01 am
I’m ashamed to say that the only ones I remember seeing from your list are the Buffy episodes. I had to stop watching them because I started having vamp nightmares….
I like X-Files and remember that there are some creepy ones, but I don’t remember the episode titles.
13 Projects I Need to Finish
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:04 am
A Trip to the Dentist, Veronica Mars, Season 1
Yes-definitely one of the best! Can’t wait for the season premiere next Tuesday!
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:13 am
Sorry to hear yesterday was such a sucktastic day. But the weekend is near!
And as Colleen’s been doing the Thursday Thirteen for a while now, and you’re in on the action now, too… I guess I should succumb to peer pressure.
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:14 am
Sorry about the sucktastic day, D. Hope the rest of the week is completely suck-free.
Hugs!
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:19 am
I wonder if sucktastic is worse than craptastic?
Sorry your day blew.
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:20 am
I’ve had a sucktastic month, so I feel your pain.
Coming up with favorite Buffy episodes is hard. I think most of my favorites are in season two (Becoming, Passion, I Only Have Eyes for You, Bewitched and Bothered) or season six (Once More with Feeling and Tabula Rasa). I agree with you about Hush, even though I haven’t seen season 4 in a couple years.
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:21 am
Hush is definitely one of the best episodes ever, of any series. Joss Whedon is a god.
Great list!
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:30 am
Loved all the Buffy ones!!! And the Twilight Zones. Though I think my fave TZ is “Time Enough At Last,” (I think that’s what it’s called,) the one where Burgess Meredith only wants time to read, and then he gets it, but… *g*
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:46 am
Love, love, triple LOVE Ainsley Hayes. That was a GREAT episode. Excellent list!
My TT is up, too, happy Thursday!
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:48 am
Diane, I can only recall the seasons of the ones I have on DVD.
Rachel, you should watch V. Mars. It’s amazing.
Silver, it was a toss up of those. “Blame it on the Bossonova!” Classic. Also, I like hte G&S one. However, I think Aaron Sorkin has about used up his Gilbert & Sullivan passes on network TV. What was WITH Studio 60 the other day?
Caylynn, thank you. I have not read Whedon’s comic.
Colleen, my favorite part of the episode is the slide show. Cracks me up.
Melissa, Squeeze is the one about the liver-eating mutant who can squeeze through air ducts. PM/A are the ones where Mulder and Krycek go to Hong Kong and find the black oil.
Jenny, neither can I! We don’t have TV in the house, so I’m goign elsewhere to watch it — just haven’t figured out where yet. SB’s mom watches LOST… I need a TV!
YES, Annie! Resistance is futile. Colleen’s looked so fun, I couldn’t resist.
Heather and Heather, thank you for hte well wishes. Today is goign to rock, I just know it. I’m talking to my editor today.
Stacy, I have not seen season 6 since it aired. (Except for once more with feeling). And I wish I’d never seen season 7. I have 1-5 on DVD though. I love that one from season 2 — I only have eyes for you.
Larissa, I love the Meredith TZ, too, but I can’t watch it. It’s TOO scary. LOL
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September 28th, 2006 at 10:06 am
Hush was phenominal and that whole Squeeze arc was so spooky.
If that WW ep with Ainsley was the one that ended with the party in Ainsley’s new office, I loved it.
Have a Happy!
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September 28th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Marley, I am with you on the burying of September 27. Six feet under isn’t deep enough. I say we gift-wrap the entire day and ship it to Iran.
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September 28th, 2006 at 10:52 am
You writer-types are evil, you know that? Heh. I have given in to the fun!
And I’m not much of a TV person, so couldn’t even begin to list individual episodes. Though I do remember my favorite Buffy episode was the musical one.
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September 28th, 2006 at 11:21 am
I USED to watch X-Files…too bad I haven’t watched Veronica Mars yet. X-Files is creepy…I absolutely can’t forget the episode where there was this man who eats bile. EWWWWWW.
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September 28th, 2006 at 11:50 am
I’m very impressed that you can recollect particular episodes.
I’ve never seen Buffy, but I’ve just started watching Veronica Mars. It’s tough to keep up with that show, but I’m hoping it gets easier as I catch up a little.
LOVED this week’s episode of Studio 60!
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September 28th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
I have not seen most of the episodes you listed, but you inspired a future thirteen. Things I love about my favorite TV show. You’ll have to wait to see what it is!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
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September 28th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
::sigh:: Krycek. How I miss him.
And yes, Buffy rules. I miss her, too.
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September 28th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
I love love LOVE Veronica Mars! Can’t believe people don’t watch it/know how awesome it is
Great choices Diana!
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September 28th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
We have more different taste in Buffy episodes than I would have expected. Sign, now I’m wasting time at work figuring out my 13 favorite TV episodes…
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September 28th, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Sigh. I used to watch TV. Now I spend my evenings doing middle school homework. Oh, well. Anything good will eventually make its was to DVD. As I notice much of Diana’s list already has.
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September 28th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
I loved Buffy. And I loved each episode you mentioned. Carl Reiner did a lot of work with Dick Van Dyke in those days. The walnut episode still makes me laugh today.
My Thursday 13, #13 “Things I am Thankful for Today” Edition is up. Stop by if you get a chance.
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September 28th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
I adore Veronica Mars and the episodes you mentioned, though I have to say I have a particular fondness for the episode “Ruskie Business” (sp?) because I think that is the episode where everything really ramped up.
And then there was the “Seriously, I can’t get away from Tom Cruise” line (giggles stupidly).
I had no idea it was starting up again next Tues. Squee!
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September 28th, 2006 at 11:34 pm
I used to love Twilight Zone and The Dick Van Dyke show. But, I don’t think I could remember episodes!
My TT is up.
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September 29th, 2006 at 12:44 am
You listed some great shows there.
Happy TT!
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September 30th, 2006 at 6:26 am
welcome to Thursday Thirteen! I’m looking forward to more TTs from you!
Wonderful list!
happy weekend1
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