stillness is a lie, my dear
Joss Whedon temporarily set the internet aflutter yet again this year with commentary on sexism in Hollywood, as though he’s the ultimate authority on such subjects. First he called the industry “intractibly sexist” and then he took back his words in another interview, claiming that the industry had improved since the original commentary. Fair enough […]
Joss Whedon’s frequent return to themes about mental illness is one I’ve remarked on, as has my colleague Anna. His explorations of mental illness have not always been terribly nuanced or complex, and it’s notable that he keeps coming back to some core themes. Charitable readings might suggest that he’s exploring social justice issues and […]
Drusilla is one of the most interesting characters on Buffy and Angel. She flits in and out of storylines, often playing a very critical role, and she’s also one of Whedon’s Brunettes, the characters who recur over and over again in various forms in Whedon’s work. Fragile, but dangerous. Eerie, but in need of protection […]
Content note: This post discusses BDSM and rape. One of the more complex, troublesome, and ultimately frustrating relationships on Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the Buffy/Spike relationship. Spike, originally introduced as a bit character, wormed his way into being a central character on the series, and with good reason. He’s complex, he’s dynamic, he’s interesting, […]
I’ve been rewatching bits and pieces of Buffy for various projects and I am struck, yet again, by the notable abscence of Latino and Latina characters on the show. I am not the first person to have noticed this, nor will I be the last. tablesaw did an excellent and very thorough analysis looking at […]
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Angel episode ‘Billy’ and the embedded messages therein. This third season episode was kind of a one-off, but it raised some interesting questions. For those not familiar with the plot (or those who can’t remember back that far), the basic storyline is that Angel is forced to […]
This is the start of a new subseries in the Feminism and Joss Whedon posts, specifically discussing disability on Angel. Why is it its own series? Because there is a lot of disability stuff on Angel to explore and I’d rather do it piece by piece rather than in a single piece or in a […]
Cordelia Chase is one of the most maltreated characters in the Whedonverse, and her characterisation reflects troubling attitudes about women in television.
Content note: Before reading this post, please read ‘Feminism and Joss Whedon: Setting Some Boundaries‘ if you have not done so already. Cordelia Chase is one of the most fascinating characters in the Buffyverse, a world which is already quite full of very interesting characters. However, the way that Cordelia is handled makes her kind […]
I am dipping my toe back into this series, but before I do that, I would like to take a moment to be blunt with you, gentle readers. I know this post is long, but please read it all. I am a Joss Whedon fan. I love Buffy, Angel, and Firefly, and although I feel […]