Question: I recently watched the series for the first time on Hulu. (I'm located in the US if that makes any difference.) And I'm confused about something: the first three seasons are in 4:3 full-frame, before switching to 16:9 widescreen for the final four seasons. I know there is an infamous "HD remaster" that botched the series with bad cropped widescreen and poor color-correction work. But I've also heard the series was shown in widescreen in the UK for seasons 4-7. Is the version of seasons 4-7 on Hulu the HD remaster or the UK version?
Question: Are the official canonical comic book sequels (Buffy season 8, 9, etc./Angel: After the Fall, etc.) available for purchase digitally anywhere? I checked Amazon and didn't see them. Unfortunately, the trade paperbacks and collections are prohibitively expensive, since some of them seem to be out-of-print.
Question: At the last moment before leaving for good, Angel pauses to tell Buffy "I don't like him" [Riley], to which she replies with a large smile "Thank you." Why does she take this comment surprisingly well? From an ex boyfriend to her new boyfriend? It's not like it sounds like a friendly warning of any sort, nor a joke given the tense situation between the two guys in the episode. And the smile on Buffy's face does not make her response look ironic either, more like loving/caring. Is that a cross over reference to another dialogue in the Angel series?
Question: Was the process in which a vampire sires a human borrowed from Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula? Having seen that film recently, I noticed that, when Dracula sires Mina, the process was the same. Or was it taken from vampire mythology?
Chosen answer: It is classic vampire mythology.
Question: Is it ever explained how vampires can have sex when it is stated pretty explicitly that they don't have blood flowing around their bodies? I mean, I've studied biology and I hear it's pretty important for guys.
Answer: It's also stated pretty explicitly that vampires are dead, yet they're walking and talking, controlled by a demon inside of them, which could also control their sexual parts.
Question: I haven't seen the majority of all the BtVS episodes, so I could have missed something, but in the last episode Giles states that there are other Hellmouths' if that's true, and there is only one slayer (before Buffy had all the potentials powers unlocked) then are all the other people that live on them screwed? What keeps vampires from running rampant and killing everyone?
Chosen answer: Several factors restrict the demons besides the Slayer. The Watchers' Council is obviously much larger than it would need to be to simply guide the Slayer; much of their energy is directed toward gathering information for their own use against the demons. They have elite teams (seen in season 3) for Special Forces-style offensives. There are also innumerable witches and warlocks around the world, some of whom fight for good (like Giles' coven from the end of season 6) and all of whom would be attracted to the energies of the Hellmouth. Some demons like Whistler (end of season 2) exist to balance the forces of darkness with the forces of good and would handle their share as well. The existence of The Initiative (season 4) shows that the world's powerful elite are aware of the demon world to some extent and take measures to address it. Lastly, there are always some civilians who take part in the battle because they become aware of the existence of demons, like Kain from "Phases", Gunn's gang from Angel, and Wood from season 7. Obviously, there's a whole lot more than just the Slayer defending the world, but no one else can really match her firepower.
Question: Can someone please explain how exactly a Watcher knows who the chosen one is? In the season 2 episode "What's my line" Kendra explains that her parents gave her away to her watcher when she was young because they believed it would be best for her. How did they know about the slayer mythos and how did they know Kendra could be one? I always thought that when a new slayer is born it could be anyone; and that was no discernible factor in who would be the next one to become the slayer.
Chosen answer: From what we see in the series, certain girls are identifiable as potential Slayers - Kendra clearly fell into this category. The identification method is presumably mystical in nature, but the Watchers' Council are pretty effective at that sort of thing, so they're quite good at tracking down the potentials ahead of time. Not perfect, though - it does appear that Buffy herself may have slipped through the net - certainly she had no inkling of what she was until she'd already taken on the role of Slayer. It is possible, however, that this was actually cultural - an American family would hardly be likely to turn over their daughter to some strange man for 'training', so the Watchers might have chosen to keep an eye on her covertly, whereas some other cultures (like Kendra's Jamaican parents) might be more willing to believe.
Question: Specific answer needed, not a general "dialogue is sometimes re-recorded". Near the start of this episode, Buffy's talking to Giles about the significance of the earthquake. Buffy's dialogue sounds completely normal and recorded at the time, but all of Giles' dialogue is dubbed. I can only think he had a sore throat that day or similar, but does anyone know the specific reason he did his later?
Chosen answer: He had larangitis and because of the shooting specifications they had to have him shoot the scene with a bad throat, they then re-recorded his lines and dubbed them. At various points during the scene and indeed the episode you can see him touch his throat or rub it.
Homecoming - S3-E5
Question: In this episode Oz says "As Willow goes, so goes my nation". Is this a variation on a famous quote, and if so, which?
Chosen answer: "So goes the nation" seems to have been used on many occasions, with various different US states in the "As .... goes" section. Most commonly it seems to be California that's considered to lead the way, but probably most other states have appeared in the lead role at some point or another. Other things have also been used - no less a person that Pope John Paul II said "As the family goes, so goes the nation...". The origin of the quote format is unclear - in US politics it goes back into the 19th century, when it was Maine that held the title spot, but, while no definitive origin is known, it seems highly likely that it goes back considerably further than that.
Question: Does anyone know where I can find the black and white blink-182 poster Dawn has in her bedroom?
Answer: Amazon might have one. Https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_5/135-6046169-9238005?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=blink+182+poster&sprefix=blink%2Cgarden%2C157&crid=1WYLSSHH0NT7F.
Question: In this episode Parker is seen in Professor Walsh's psychology class with Buffy, in spite of there having been no reference to them being in any classes together until this point. Furthermore, it is suggested in various conversations that they weren't taking any classes together. It seems inconsistent with Professor Walsh's character that she would allow anyone to sign-up last minute. Mistake? Or can someone come up with a reasonable explanation (other than a convenient writer's decision)?
Answer: Professors may allow students to sit in on a lecture if the subject matter that particular day has relevance to another course.
Once More, With Feeling - S6-E7
Question: Is there something wrong with Sweet (Hinton Battle)'s left eye? He seems to keep it closed or half-lidded during his introductory song, the camera and lighting keeps it out of sight most of the time, and when he does open it, such as at 29:58, it's looking ahead in comparison to his right, which is focused on something else.
Chosen answer: He could have a lazy eye, (aka Amblyopia) but doesn't in other work and interviews, so it's probably just selective camera/lighting work.
Question: In season 7 episode 10 we are introduced to a vampire that other vampires fear, called the Turok-Han. Buffy finally destroys the only one released after a long fight, but still gets many cuts and bruises whilst doing so. In the final episode of season 7 when all the slayers are activated, one slayer is fighting more than one Turok-Han without a problem. Why do they find it easier once all the slayers have been activated?
Answer: The first thing that happened to them when all the slayers were activated was a big surge of confidence. They stopped being afraid of the Turok-Han, making it much easier to fight them.
Question: Why didn't Buffy just kill Spike? I know that people liked him in the show, but Buffy put up with too much of his crap.
Chosen answer: She did try to kill him several times after he first arrived in Sunnydale, and nearly succeeded, putting him into a wheelchair on one occasion when he attacked Angel. Later on, they make a deal to team up against the evil Angel, after that Spike leaves town. When he comes back, he has the chip in his head, which essentially makes him harmless to humans and so Buffy decides to spare him. As things progress, he starts to be a help, if still an annoying one, making killing him not an issue. He only gets the chip removed (at Buffy's order) after his soul has been restored and by then Buffy has decided, against Giles' advice, to let him live even so, as she feels he can redeem himself. Of course, she's also sleeping with him for most of the last 2 seasons, so there could be a reason there too.
Revelations - S3-E7
Question: In one scene, Giles reminds Buffy that, when Angel lost his soul, he tortured Giles for pleasure. Since it is established that Angel and Angelus are separate identities, shouldn't Giles know that, technically, it was Angelus who tortured him, not Angel?
Chosen answer: Yes, and he does, but when you've been tortured by somebody, the technical niceties of different personalities tend to lose their importance. The two look exactly the same, plus Giles is well-aware that Angelus is the 'real' personality, with "Angel" only really being a magically empowered construct due to the curse that restored his soul. Giles is not going to want Angel around, whichever personality happens to be in control.
Chosen answer: Angel is saying that he is still jealous and Buffy recognizes that this is his way of saying he wishes that they could be together. That is why they both smile.