Cynthia Kuhn

I Have Some Questions

Since we just passed a full year of pandemic quarantine life, I was planning to write something thoughtful and retrospective about that. It’s such a milestone. It’s important to think about, and I have been thinking about it for weeks. But when I sat down to write the post, I changed direction because–honestly, where I’m at right now is exhausted and in a mood. And I know I’m not alone.

So here goes. Something totally random and light instead for your Monday.

*clears throat*

I loved loved loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Epic themes, brilliant linguistic play, and engaging storylines. Plus, it became even more self-aware as the seasons progressed, which I considered to be a major bonus. The actors were wonderful too. Overall, it was an outstanding  and compelling series.

[source: giphy.com]
I was left with a few questions, though…

  • How come no one ever looks through the window before opening the front door? Living on the Hellmouth, people!
  • And a related question: why does Buffy sleep with her windows open? Again, Hellmouth! (True, vamps cannot come in unless invited, but there are all other kinds of hideous monsters zooming around Sunnydale.)
  • Is the high school never locked? Because those kids are hanging out there at all hours…
  • How come Giles can always find the answer in his books? He never even has to use interlibrary loan.
  • Why doesn’t Buffy ever take a back-up stake when she does patrol? Whenever her stake is broken, it’s big drama…and then she has to MacGyver another one.
  • How can Spike drive that car with all the windows blacked out?
  • If Buffy is The Chosen One, how can there be a Watcher convention? (I know, the alternate Slayer line exists but still, wouldn’t that be only two? So how is that enough Watchers for a whole conference in the Cotswolds?)
  • How can there be 300 people inside The Bronze, yet the main characters’ cars are always parked right out front? That’s just plain magical.

Do you have any lingering questions about any television shows? 

40 thoughts on “I Have Some Questions”

  2. I’m a fan of Death in Paradise. Love the tropical setting and the characters are wonderful. But are there really only 4 police officers in Honore? I mean, who works the night shift? And who sticks around when they have a prisoner overnight?
    Still, I adore the show and can’t wait for season 10 to arrive on BritBox!

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  3. My questions usually pertain to shows that were abruptly cancelled with no resolution. For example, Fairly Legal. I think it ended with the main character being surprised to discover she had moved in next door to her lawyer coworker/potential love interest. That was it. The end of the series.

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  4. An alternate parking observation. Whenever a detective, or visitor, or sometimes even the person who lives there–whenever they drive to a building with a door and a driveway that goes right up TO IT, why do they park 50 feet away and walk all the way over there? Getting in their steps? They’re not even wearing fitbits most of the time.

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  5. It’s been so long since I watched the show (the final two seasons and the final season of Angel pretty much ruined both shows for me), but you raise some very good questions. Of course, the answer is covered by “writing and filming conveniences” and “added drama.” But, you know, good logical questions.

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  6. “How come Giles can always find the answer in his books? He never even has to use interlibrary loan.” MADE ME LAUGH!

    That said, I’ve never seen Buffy. But hubs and I will be watching something and I’ll have to scramble for the remote to pause it, point out something I find illogical, we may or may not discuss it further, but then I can let it go. Stuff has to happen or there’d be no story. I get it. Hubs does the same thing, but it’s to point out some historical inaccuracy, lest I really start to believe …. um … trying to think of an example here, but his worries are well-founded. Can’t think of one.

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      1. That’s just J.J. Abrams for you–he never knows how to end any show. (He TOTALLY blew the end of Alias, alas.) I think he simply gets bored and decides to move on to another show, leaving the last one in the lurch.

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    1. Lisa, I feel that way about Breaking Bad. That story is so dense! I’ve watched the entire series twice and I’m astounded by the cookies they drop in the second episode of season one that payoff in the last episode of season 5! How’d they DO that??

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  9. I don’t usually watch shows on a regular basis, but I’m always dismayed when actors I love leave series. They either get killed or move away.

    However, I did watch WandaVision this past year, and it totally went in a direction I wasn’t expecting.

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    1. We just started watching WandaVision and it’s definitely….different. Had to read up about the characters’ backstories, since I haven’t seen a lot of the Marvel movies, and now very much looking forward to seeing more of the series.

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  10. These are all excellent questions! And another thing that bugs me about Sunnydale… why would you name a town perched on a Hellmouth “Sunnydale”? Like, using reverse psychology isn’t going to persuade demons not to hang out there, is it? But, to be fair, “Los Angeles” isn’t really the City of Angels it claims to be either, so I guess they are probably just playing with the ironic naming style California seems to embrace. 😉

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  11. Yes, one should always pack a secondary stake!

    My biggest plot gripe since I was a kid, when I first read the The Lord of the Rings (and don’t get me wrong–I LOVE the series!), has been why–if the eagles can whisk Frodo and Sam away from Mt. Doom at the end–couldn’t they simply have taken Frodo and ring there in the first place?! Woulda saved a lot of folks a lotta grief…

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  12. I loved Buffy, too, but you bring up some great points!

    I always wondered when Buffy found time to do homework. Willow seemed like she carved out enough evenings for it. Xander probably never did it. LOL. But Buffy? I don’t know.

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