This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Fear Itself (Season 4 Episode 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy and her friends face their fears in a haunted house. This podcast episode looks at: (1) Buffy’s Post-Parker depression – does it make her angry? (2) whether the fears fit the characters; (3) slow pace, unclear plot turns, and repetition; (4) is there enough story here for a full episode? Spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning). Next Up: Beer Bad (...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – The Harsh Light of Day (Season 4 Episode 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy falls for a new guy and an old enemy returns to Sunnydale. This podcast episode looks at: (1) connecting vastly different scenes through dialogue; (2) themes of connection an distance; (3) which is the main plot and which the subplot? and (4) Buffy’s frame of reference for romance. Spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning).   Next Up: Fear...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Living Conditions (Season 4 Episode 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy's college roommate makes life and slaying tough. This podcast episode looks at: (1) was Buffy purposely written to act out of character – and is it justified? (2) few clear major plot turns until about two-thirds through, then the story rockets ahead; (3) audience misleads; (4)   repeated exposition; and (5) not much in way of episode subplots, but lots of groundwork laid ...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Season 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in Review, where listeners, patrons, and guest podcasters share their thoughts on the season, including: (1) the Mayor's deep love for Faith, and the way he manipulates her; (2) Faith's lack of faith in herself; (3) Xander's family life and his shining moment; (3) Willow's growth, identity, and happiness;  (4) recognition for Buffy at last; and (5) what Buffy Season 3 says about otherness, your crew...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Graduation Day Part 2 (Season 3 Episode 22 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy fights her last high school battle. This podcast episode looks at: (1) how character actions convey emotions and move the story; (2) costuming choices that reflect character growth; (3) strong foreshadowing; (4) a pyrrhic ending; and (5) the season arc and theme. As always, the discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty o...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Graduation Day Part 1 (Season 3 Episode 21 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Faith poisons Angel and Buffy prepares to fight the Mayor, including: (1) the way the theme (of what graduation means for each character) is woven into this fast-paced story; (2) callbacks to previous episodes that make this almost like part 1 of a series finale; (3) the interplay of key episode plot turns with the major plot twists for 2-episode finale; and (4)...

This week on the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story – The Prom (Season 3 Episode 20 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy fights monsters that threaten the Prom and Angel questions whether he and Buffy have a future together. Also:  (1) What looks like resolution of the Buffy/Angel relationship -- but is it? (2) A very subtle Story Spark or Inciting Incident; (3) Why the A plot is not obvious until we reach the episode's Climax;  (4) No real major plot turn at the three-quarter...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Choices (Season 3 Episode 19 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy takes the fight to the Mayor, including: (1)  comic moments that foreshadow key plot developments; (2) merging the last major plot turn, climax, and falling action; (3) thematic bookends; (4) a main plot that doesn’t change the Buffy/Mayor overall conflict but moves multiple longform story arcs Next Up: The Prom Last Episode: Earshot Work On Your Story ...

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story – Earshot (Season 3 Episode 18 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy gains a dangerous power and someone threatens the entire high school. And:  (1) A different kind of audience mislead than we saw in Enemies (2) The role of happenstance and luck  (3) What happens when you sideline your protagonist (4) How rewriting and revisions here heightened the dialogue and themes As always, the discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is spoiler-free...