Exploring the Untold Stories of the Buffyverse By Sabrina Boyer
Ever wondered what happened between seasons five and six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Buffy was dead and Willow became all veiny and scary? So did Tabitha Smith and Kim Butler, creators of Buffy Between the Lines, an audio podcast by and for fans of the Buffyverse. A full on plethora of episodes, the podcast explores the untold stories of the characters between some of the most intense and highly charged seasons, beginning season one with the exploration of the goings on between seasons five and six, the summer sans Buffy. What did the Scoobies do without her? How did they decide to use the BuffyBot as a decoy? How did Spike get drafted into helping out? How did Willow get uber-megawitchy? These were the questions fans Smith and Butler wondered about, and so, the podcast was born.
Join Kevin Cummings (Doc, Short Cummings Audio) as he talks with Tabz (Anya), Rachel (Janice), Larissa (Teenage Girl), and Laieanna (the Dybbuk) about episode 9 of Buffy Between the Lines.
“Los Angeles! Home of the Dodgers. Movies. And a broody vampire who…”
Buffy Between the Lines is back for Episode 2, and they’ve brought along the Angel Investigations crew for good measure. “Requiem for a Demon” takes on the daunting task of interlacing two separate storylines. Willow joins Angel and his team in LA to bring news of Buffy’s death, and sticks around for a little impromptu monster fighting. Meanwhile, the rest of the Scooby gang remains in Sunnydale, facing off with a demon that has started attacking the girls in Tara’s choir.
After breaking the news to Angel and Co, Willow realizes that demons aren’t just the Sunnydale town mascot when she gets wrapped up in the hunt for a hitchhiking demon that’s stalking the Hyperion Hotel. She also gets a taste of how they do things in L.A. while helping out her old friends Wesley and Cordelia.
Back in Sunnydale, Tara is put in charge when a “Puce colored Barney” starts ripping out the throats of her choir members. Without Buffy or Willow, the gang scrambles to put a stop to things before it’s too late. While unbeknownst to them, an even greater threat has just arrived on the Hellmouth.
It couldn’t have been easy attempting to tell two separate stories within the show, but the BBtL crew pulled it off nicely. With “California Blonde” serving as a bumper to segue into the Los Angeles scenes, it was easy to separate the two stories and keep things organized. And on top of everything else, we were given a great storyline with one of the shows more secondary characters. Tara, who is often overlooked because of her quiet nature or overshadowed by her relationship with Willow, was unexpectedly shoved into a leadership role. And while somewhat hesitant at first, she showed that she could handle herself, and proved herself to be an intricate part of the Scoobies. Any show that can manage all that in 50 minutes is worth a listen.
Quote of the Episode Award goes to:
Xander: You’re the new bearer of the Dork Baton. I knight you Dame Dork of Dorkshire upon Nerdom.
Feeling guilty for pushing Dawn off the tower, Buffy finds solace in the one person who understands how she feels. Or is it just the one person who looks good on everyone? Only time, a bit of insanity and a couple spells going wonky can tell. Oh yeah, Angel shows up too.
Feeling guilty for pushing Dawn off the tower, Buffy finds solace in the one person who understands how she feels. Or is it just the one person who looks good on everyone? Only time, a bit of insanity, and a couple spells going wonky can tell. Oh yeah, Angel shows up too.
Anya faces the wrath of a woman she cursed in the 1700s and finds out the perils of buying things off of eBay. Meanwhile, Dawn, feeling unwanted by the scoobies who are busy doing other things, runs into Javert.
Anya faces the wrath of a woman she cursed in the 1700s and finds out the perils of buying things off of eBay. Meanwhile, Dawn, feeling unwanted by the scoobies who are busy doing other things, runs into Javert.
[Editor’s Note: Present Memory has been writing reviews of BBtL on LiveJournal so I asked her (and she graciously agreed) if we could post them here for you guys to enjoy! – Tabz]
A Review of Episode 1 – Beginning at the End
The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
We all know the beautiful sacrifice that Buffy Summers made to save her sister and the world. Her gift. She saved the world. A lot. But what happened after? What was the Scooby Gang busy with during those months without the Slayer? How about dealing with a menacing group of demon…bunnies?
Episode one of Buffy Between the Lines, “Beginning at the End,” does just that. Beginning directly Buffy’s death, the group begins to pick up the pieces, saying goodbye to their beloved friend and trying to make sense of the world without her.
But life on the Hellmouth waits for no one, and the Scoobies find themselves facing Doc, the demon who just won’t die, and a hoard of evil demon bunnies summoned by Andrew Wells (who was hiding safely in the closet.)
In just forty-five minutes, we’re given back story, answers to unanswered questions, a brand new character, and enough witty dialogue to fill the Joss-shaped hole in all of our hearts.
What amazed me the most about this episode was all the groundwork that writer Tabitha Grace Smith was able to lay for future episodes. Not just for this awesome audio drama, but for the show as well. She showed us how lost Willow felt without her best friend, leading up to the spell which will bring the slayer back for Season Six. We got a glimpse of the nightmares that Spike spoke of, and a chance to see the inner turmoil of Rupert Giles through entries in his watcher diaries. And if you listen closely you might even catch a reference or two to the Buffy Season Eight comic series.
This show is a real treat for any Buffy fan that has been searching for more of their favorite slayer since the show ended its run in 2003. It’s already fantastic, and it’s only going to get better. The cast and crew deserve massive thanks for the enormous amount of effort and love they’ve put into bringing Buffy Between the Lines to life.
Quote of the Episode Award goes to:
Tara: We’re going to miss how you made us more. More than just—just friends. We’re family. Thanks for making us your family.
Javert makes a very special purchase to complete a plan to gain one of the items he needs for the final ceremony. And Buffy Between the Lines catches Infected fever.
