I think I heard when they were cast, they were given like a week's time to prep for their roles and their chemistry. So there was an effort to get the best from these two characters. From what I heard in interviews, not a lot of cast members (especially guest stars) get that much time to prepare for a tv role when cast.
@@magic713m Juilet sat down with Joss and the writers and gave her input to create her own character. That's why it's more unique and heavily designed. That got her the job because just as she was leaving the meeting, they called her right back to let her know they wanted her for the part.
Spike had the best iconic intro on the show. They made it look like we were already supposed to recognize him. Like, hey! Billy Idol just showed up! Or wait, it's Johnny Rotten!
Spike earns points even for the rare audience member who might not have liked him when he killed "The Annoying One." Spike was the first in-universe character to say it was good for the slayer (bad for him) to have family and friends helping. The Master was the same way in killing vampres after Buffy killed some. That's how and why The Three died.
sees Spike. Omg, it's happening. Everybody stay calm, it's happening. Everybody stay calm. Stay f calm. Also, Dru is my all-time favorite character in this show. She is so entertaining. I love her gothic style. Love how they actually show Spike's experience, rather than just say it. It really goes a long way. Overall you can just understand his character very well after just 1 episode, in a short amount of time you get what he is all about really fast.
One of the most iconic scenes in the whole show when Spike ( one of the greatest characters in The Buffyverse ) rolls into town and drives right over the Sunnydale sign. School Hard is one of the best episodes of S2. James Marsters was so impressive in the role, he became an instant fan favourite. Some great writing in this episode, when Xander goes to get Buffy's bag and pulls out a yoyo, tampon and then stake, this shows Buffy from child, to teenager, to adolescent showing how she is growing up. Great too when Joyce clobbers Spike on the head with the axe. All in all a great episode for early S2 with Angel/Spike/Drusilla who have a shared history through the centuries to add to the arc of the Buffyverse as a whole.
Love to see someone appreciating Spike from the start. I've seen reactors say he wasn't very threatening because he ran away, but that's just him being smart about it.
Yep. I worry more about the ones who are so commanded by ego as to stick around. Plus, the ones willing to run away might also not feel the need to come at you head on and for someone like Buffy who generally is a straight up fight em sort thats not good.
Regarding Buffy's pajamas, Drusilla also talked about planting flowers in her first scene. "Do you like daisies?" Coincidentally the flower most commonly placed on graves/associated with death. i.e. thw phrase "pushing daisies"
@@TheBuffSummer I think so. First, the bin Cordy and Angel found the body parts in was referred to as "in" the school ground, and from that the gang deduced that the perpetratons wherer studying there. I'm not familiar with US high school campuses but i figure an abandoned lab would still be in the school area ?
I don’t think you have to be on her wavelength to enjoy her. She’s meant to feel unpredictable and dangerous and deceptively vulnerable, which works so well in a show like this.
I think the parents thing was more him stating that "clearly no one is teaching you manners" sort of thing.... like "absentee parents", that's how I understood it anyways. Or he's making a "you were raised by wolves" joke lol
@@Madbandit77 a surprising number of reactors (but not these) are disappointed that spike runs away when things don't seem to be going according to plan. i'm always like, did you think he killed both of those previous slayers on the first try?
Spike and Dru are here! They're such fun baddies, and Joyce with the axe is iconic. The problem with having a child vampire: you can't actually stop the actor from aging. 😂 So he was never going to last long.
Notice the Vampire Spike sacrificed to Buffy at the Bronze was the same vampire that claimed to have been at the crucifixion. Not only was Spike testing Buffy, to see how she fights, but also he was getting rid of a potential rival. Someone who might try to challange him for leadership of the gang. He was sort of killing 2 birds with 1 stone in a way.
Ooooo! Fun fact about Xander rummaging through Buffy’s bag at 17:52- he first pulls a yo-yo, a symbol for childhood, then a tampon, adolescence, and finally a stake, adulthood…the overarching theme of the show. 🙂 Great reaction, you guys. Did not disappoint on such a memorable episode. 👏
Also, nobody ever comments on how Buffy, Willow, and Cordy have synchronized their cycles. Buffy has a tampon in her purse that Xander freaks out about while looking for a stake and Spike makes the comment about smelling blood. Cordy talks about not being responsible for being mean on "that time of the month". Finally, Willow tells her to ask for some aspirin, implying that she has a headache from listening to Cordy pray for hours (but headaches are also a PMS symptom).
Aww finally. Dru and Spike are heeeere. They are over the top, weird, crazy, non apologetic and they are having fun. The dynamic between those two were one of my favorite things in the early seasons. And it is an interesting concept to think about what happened if you turn a mentally not so stable person into a vampire. Juliette Landau plays her role with such joy, and she is creepy and scary, yet at the same time you can't stop watching her. Also I like the punk attitude of Spike. Screw tradition and prophecies and lets have fun. So good ❤
I feel like that final scene is the most important for the show going forward. The sort of old world traditional vampires of season 1 with their rituals are done. Spike and Dru are here to bring a totally new, fun villain energy that the master lacked.
I am happy that Sam enjoyed the episode so much. I knew he would like Spike, but was curious his feelings about Drusilla. I have never watched anyone react to this series on RUclips, but have had people in real life that immediately disliked her character. I personally found her an interesting character from the start and was very intrigued with her and Spike's relationship.
I love James Marsters (Spike), he's an amazing actor. If you haven't listened to the Dresden File's book series, I suggest them highly! Marsters does an incredible job narrating them. :)
I can quote every spike line in this episode and most other lines. Some thing not a lot of people pick up on is Spike says “I smell the blood of a nice ripe girl.” But Buffy hasn’t been injured and they made a point of showing a tampon in her bag at the bronze earlier in the episode, so you can put two and two together with out being to blunt about it.
I think Snyder's comment ”assuming you have any [parents]" was to be a dig at them, that they're "feral" children and not even slightly showing the civilizing influence of parents
I think that the fire that Snider was referring to and the that Buffy alludes to a little later in the episode was from episode 2 of this season. If you remember the climax fight scene started a fire in the old science building in which Darryl throws himself on the body of the girl they were trying to create and subsequently is engulfed in the flames. At the end of the episode the school there were fire trucks and fire fighters all over the background. Also I do believe that James Marsters has said in interviews that Joss Whedon was not all that happy Spike became a fan favorite and so quickly. As far as Marsters knew he was only supposed to be in the 2nd season and because he was so well received by the audience they had to scrap the plan that they had for his character and come up with a new one. I think Joss just wanted Angel to be the only vampire that the audience would be rooting for and didn't like the idea of an "evil" vampire becoming a character that fans of the show were demanding to see.
Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler In an interview, James said Josh didn't want fans liking/routing for Spike because he intended for Buffy/Angel to represent teenage girls intrested in the wrong or bad guys and she would grow out of it, moving on from a vampire love intrest to humans or rather the "good" normal guys (Like Josh).
Please add the spoiler warning as the info in the second paragraph extends beyond where we are in the story. They said an old science lab, but the fact that the school has an old science lab that looks like an abandoned warehouse is odd to me, but if that's the story, that's the story - Maria
People always comment on Master's accent but I think it decent. I'm English and I've got older relatives who do sound like him but of course his accent is campier as is Juliet's as that's the point of the characters. One of the strongest lessons I learnt in drama school was you're voicing a character, not an accent, and so everyone sounds slightly different depending on who they are and their experience and genetics. So you can have a bit of american or a bit of other different regional accents in a voice because people do and charcters by default will do as well. I think his accent works perfectly for who Spike is.
And now all of the pieces are in place for this show to live up to its full potential. This is where it becomes the Buffy we all know and obsess over. Good job on guessing why they got rid of Colin/The Anointed One, btw. It was indeed because of sudden growth spurts that Whedon later ruefully admitted he should have taken into account as a likelihood.
The discussion of Angel’s past partners brought to mind the disturbing term “body count.”. That’ll be TWO troubling conversations with Angel. One of which could easily be TOO troubling.
Joss Whedon planned for Spike to only be in a few episodes and then be killed off. But Marsters' performance was so well received that Whedon reluctantly kept Spike in the series.
Spike DID almost kill Buffy, though. If her mom hadn't unexpectedly showed up and bashed him in the head with the axe, Spike would have killed Buffy. So, while he his attack on the school may have seemed rash, he did set things up for success. He came with numbers. He had patrols on the perimeter to keep Buffy confined in the school. He cut the power and the phones, so the advantage of darkness would be his, and so no one could call for reinforcements. So, while he is impulsive, he doesn't let those impulses get in the way of tactical awareness. And he doesn't let his impulses get in the way of making smart tactical retreats when the situation turns against him.
Gotta love how they build up the Anointed one just to have a bigger baddy kill him. Also, Angel never heard of "bros before ho3s" Love how they actually show Spike's experience, rather than just say it. It really goes a long way. Also, in this one is said that Angel sired Spike, but in future episodes, it is proven that it just isn't true. So a small plot hole here. Cordelia and Willow hiding and praying together will forever be funny. I also understand why they stayed in that closet all night. If i was in their place, I am not leaving till daytime, whether i hear noises or not. Spike may be the nvp of the episode, but Joyce is the ultimate badass.
Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Am I the only one who kind of wishes Angel had stayed Spikes sire? Not only does it mean no plot hole but I think it really could have worked well with things later on without messing up his dynamic with Dru.
@roxirock5455 Spoiler warning, please. The siring thing won't come up for a while, and that's def a spoiler. As for the rest, I agree, especially showing Spike's experience - Maria
Wow, thanks so much for the extra support and dedication! However, subscribing on both accounts is only beneficial if you actually are watching the videos on both accounts. Amount of minutes watched is the number one thing for a RUclips channel 😊 - Sam
A lot of people think that Spike is in charge, but really, Dru is the one in charge. If you watch their interactions carefully, you will see that Spike takes his ques from Drusilla. It's subtle, but it's there
I think Schneider would have known they had parents (or not) by checking their files before this meeting. He just likes to make snarky remarks, I'd say.
James has gone on record that Anthony Head tutored him in the English accent because he wanted the second hand embarrassment to stop. As a result he does get better. There are words he over pronounced that always made me cringe. Also his character over uses the same British slang over and over. That was a script issue though.
*Spoiler warning* Growing up I always thought Spike went overboard with the slang and the accent because he was compensating for what he was like when he was human, like a child trying to act tough and cool. I saw a lot of the same in school, honestly. - Also, I'm ashamed to say that as an English teen, I thought James was English too. I was so shocked when I got the Buffy game on PS2 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds) and heard him actually talk in the mini interviews they had on there haha!!
Don't know if someone else told you this actually, but Anthony Steward Head was James Marsters accent coach, as that "Cockney" accent is Head's native accent! As this was the role that made Marsters famous, it blew everyone's mind in interviews when we realized he was American. He really nailed the accent when it comes to Spike.
Willow (to Cordelia): "Have some lemonade." Willow: "Ask for aspirin." 2 spectacular disses by Willow to Cordy. Those 2, along with "Deliver," are chef's kisses.
I always tell myself it sounds the way it does cause he's trying to hold onto it when his "ears" trying to pick up influences from all then places he's travelled/accents he's heard. Its the headcanon that lets me not monitor it constantl and just accept. The abuse of Brittish slang is a very different manor. I try not to but suddenly I'll become aware of just how many times things are shoving it in.
Spoiler alert! Sorry guys, didn't fully think that through, although it may be too late, I'll delete it for others, for future people who have not seen Buffy ♥️ Edit: Spike is very much like Billy Idol for a reason 😂
Couldn’t wait to get home to watch! Stef will surely be missed, but Maria is delightful (doesn’t hurt that she’s a Buffy fan😊). You guys have great energy together-your running fashion critique is slaying me (sorry)😅.
Fun fact about Colin a.k.a. the Anointed One, he was supposed to have a bigger role in this season, Whedon's original plan included giving Colin more powers such as telekinesis and be more dangerous, but due the fact that the child actor grew up so much between the end of S1 and the beginning of filming for S2 Whedon decided the character should be killed off, that's why Colin appears sitting during most of his scenes, so the audience would not notice how taller the child was. I think the only scene where he appears standing is at the end of S2E1 when he says "I hate that girl".
40:35 In point of fact, Spike wasn't meant to become a major part of the show, and his story was supposed to end in season 2; Whedon saw him as just a one time villain and irredeemable. However, in his short time on the show, Spike quickly became a breakout character and would remain on the show far longer than intended. On the _Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum_ podcast, Marsters spoke about how Spike evolved from a short-term villain into a main character and talked about Whedon's theme for the show - that vampires should be ugly and not be portrayed as love interests. Marsters revealed an incident when Whedon yelled at the actor: "And I remember he backed me up against a wall one day and he was just like, ‘I don’t care how popular you are, kid, you’re dead. You hear me? Dead. Dead!’ And I was just like, ‘Uh, you know, it’s your football, man. OK.’" Marsters elaborated, "He was angry at the situation," and went on to explain that Whedon was frustrated that Spike's popularity among the fans was adverse to his vision for the show: vampires were always supposed to represent evil and *not* be portrayed as cool, and he always wanted vampires to be ugly rather than sexy. Whedon reportedly said, "'I don't like that Anne Rice crap.'" It was the network that wanted David Boreanaz's vampire-with-a-soul Angel turned into Buffy's boyfriend. Whedon was not yet the powerhouse (and possible egomaniac) that this show's popularity would make him into, so he had to give in to the execs who wanted the love story and he always kind of resented that. (( *This is something we see expressed through Xander, who is based in part on Whedon himself in his high school years, which might explain the character's continuing snarky, immature, resentful attitude towards Angel.* )) To that same end, he didn't really want Spike to become a main character of the show, though I think that by season 4 he saw Spike being able to fill the role of hard-truth-teller for the gang because Charisma had gone over to the Angel spin-off, so it made sense to slot Spike in to fill that dynamic.
Please add a spoiler warning. I know this, Sam doesn't, and that's the whole point - some things he learns while we're watching, some I share with him, and some are shared here, which is great, but the majority of this info is about the future seasons and the overall story. I appreciate your input, just consider where we are in the story before giving us so much. Thank you :) - Maria
Iconic!!! Im so happy watching this series all over again. Thank you both! It's so cool hearing the name Angelus and my baby dog reacts to his own name. Can't wait for this great journey
Anthony Steward Head was actually training James Masters in an English accent closer to his own, rather than the posher one he's using. Generally for the most part Brits I spoke to end up thinking Spike's accent over the years is somewhat old timey at times ( which makes sense considering ) but alright.
Tbf the person who probably came closest to killing Buffy here was Shiela, and it really was her first time 😂 If it wasn’t for Giles shouting she might have managed it
18:24 according to Dr Google, the shortest distance between the heart and the skin is only 3cm…so mini stake wouldn’t need to be very long to be effective 🤷♀️
The "assuming you have parents" line from Snyder isn't insinuating the girls killed their parents, it's about shaming them for having bad manners "like they have no parents". I guess that's not such a common expression anymore.
@@TheBuffSummer I have loved all of the season two ones youse have put out so far 💚 in 2020 I met James Marsters and he signed my custom vampyre brooch
The sqeaky sneakers I mentioned were Willow's during parent teacher night. You can hear them every time she's walking. Spije is a contradiction. He does the research on Buffy, but has no patience and attacks early. School Hard, Die Hard in a school. My teachers stopped asking me for my homework. It wasn't that I refused to fo it. It was that the second I put my books in the locker, any memory that homework was assigned was gone. James is from Modesto, CA and Juliet is from Los Angeles, the daughter of actor Martin Landau and Barbara Bain both from the original TV show Mission: Impossible.
Great Post, guys. I love this episode. Most of all, SPIKE & DRU. The only question I have, where did DRU come from. Shen wasn't with SPIKE, when he arrived at Sunnydale. She wasn't in Sunnydale already. Unless they never introduced her. Was she just following SPIKE and keeping her distance? But, that is not important. She is here. LOL. Great Post.
I adored the Spike and Dru dynamic the first time round and I still do. You can tell James and Juliet were loving playing off each other.
I think I heard when they were cast, they were given like a week's time to prep for their roles and their chemistry. So there was an effort to get the best from these two characters. From what I heard in interviews, not a lot of cast members (especially guest stars) get that much time to prepare for a tv role when cast.
I'm surprised at the number of people who just don't like crazy Drusilla.
@@magic713m Juilet sat down with Joss and the writers and gave her input to create her own character. That's why it's more unique and heavily designed. That got her the job because just as she was leaving the meeting, they called her right back to let her know they wanted her for the part.
Lobe their chemistry. Need to listen to the audible
@gungho1284 That's pretty great - Maria
I hold James Marsters/Spike personally responsible for my terrible taste in men later in life 😂 😂 🤤
Same sentiment. Different vampire. 😉
This made me laugh way too hard 😬😂
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimised by Spike’s hotness
@@kelseyj.c7828🙌
29:49 Maria’s smile knowing that’s EXACTLY what happens 😂
I try to sneak them in :) - Maria
"Assuming you even have any parents" - he's insinuating that they weren't raised right, or even at all
Yeah, I viewed it as a jab at the parents as well
Spike had the best iconic intro on the show. They made it look like we were already supposed to recognize him. Like, hey! Billy Idol just showed up! Or wait, it's Johnny Rotten!
Haha true - Maria
Sid Vicious, surely. Given the later episode of the show I just watched recently.
@@paulhammond6978Sid had the best version of My Way. And it fits perfectly with Spike.
"This won't hurt a bit."-Spike
"No, Spike, it's gonna hurt a lot."-Buffy
Quite possibly the truest thing ever said on television.
I like how you can interpret it in more ways then it might seem at first.
Spike earns points even for the rare audience member who might not have liked him when he killed "The Annoying One."
Spike was the first in-universe character to say it was good for the slayer (bad for him) to have family and friends helping.
The Master was the same way in killing vampres after Buffy killed some. That's how and why The Three died.
sees Spike.
Omg, it's happening. Everybody stay calm, it's happening. Everybody stay calm. Stay f calm.
Also, Dru is my all-time favorite character in this show. She is so entertaining. I love her gothic style.
Love how they actually show Spike's experience, rather than just say it. It really goes a long way.
Overall you can just understand his character very well after just 1 episode, in a short amount of time you get what he is all about really fast.
Haha, glad to see you’re hyped about this 😁 - Sam
I love Dru too. She's an interesting character. It's a shame how often she's overlooked.
At least some of it has to be in hindsight though.
@krose6451 Agreed - Maria
@@krose6451Same, honestly, no spoilers, but she deserved better. Also feel like they could have done more with her.
One of the most iconic scenes in the whole show when Spike ( one of the greatest characters in The Buffyverse ) rolls into town and drives right over the Sunnydale sign. School Hard is one of the best episodes of S2. James Marsters was so impressive in the role, he became an instant fan favourite. Some great writing in this episode, when Xander goes to get Buffy's bag and pulls out a yoyo, tampon and then stake, this shows Buffy from child, to teenager, to adolescent showing how she is growing up. Great too when Joyce clobbers Spike on the head with the axe. All in all a great episode for early S2 with Angel/Spike/Drusilla who have a shared history through the centuries to add to the arc of the Buffyverse as a whole.
Love to see someone appreciating Spike from the start. I've seen reactors say he wasn't very threatening because he ran away, but that's just him being smart about it.
Yep. I worry more about the ones who are so commanded by ego as to stick around. Plus, the ones willing to run away might also not feel the need to come at you head on and for someone like Buffy who generally is a straight up fight em sort thats not good.
That’s so true. He has survived by knowing when to quit.
Regarding Buffy's pajamas, Drusilla also talked about planting flowers in her first scene. "Do you like daisies?" Coincidentally the flower most commonly placed on graves/associated with death. i.e. thw phrase "pushing daisies"
We all love arguing about when the show “gets good” but I think we all secretly know deep down that it’s “when spike shows up” 😊
So I’ve been hearing 😊 - Sam
the scholl building burning they are all refering to is the science annex who burned in the last episode.
That makes sense! I didn't make that connection
The lab they were in last looked like an abandoned building. That was part of the school? - Maria
@@TheBuffSummer I think so. First, the bin Cordy and Angel found the body parts in was referred to as "in" the school ground, and from that the gang deduced that the perpetratons wherer studying there. I'm not familiar with US high school campuses but i figure an abandoned lab would still be in the school area ?
@@olivierbioret5206 I wouldn’t figure that, but I guess it’s possible 🤷♀️ - Maria
"Mini Travel Stake" this years must have Christmas stocking stuffer for the Slayer in your life! 😂
Ahhh that's golden :D - Maria
Maria, your face with his prediction...priceless. I'm crying
Thank you so much! I enjoy those little moments so much :) - Maria
I love how flabbergasted Sam is by Dru’s introduction. She makes a lot more sense as it goes along. Just expect bonkers and enjoy the ride.
Unless you're on her wavelength (not crazy, mind you), Dru's an acquired taste.
The thing I love about her is that sometimes she is making too much sense and you don't even realize it.
I don’t think you have to be on her wavelength to enjoy her. She’s meant to feel unpredictable and dangerous and deceptively vulnerable, which works so well in a show like this.
I think Buffy was also blamed for burning down the building at the end of the previous episode.
Fair enough 😊 - Sam
I think the parents thing was more him stating that "clearly no one is teaching you manners" sort of thing.... like "absentee parents", that's how I understood it anyways. Or he's making a "you were raised by wolves" joke lol
Yeah - but him saying other people have bad manners is... ironic.
@@paulhammond6978definately!
I think Spike's history of killing 2 slayers and his personality gave him the confidence to try and kill Buffy after only seeing her kill one vampire.
But when he saw that Buffy had friends and a mother, Spike had to level up in more ways than one.
@@Madbandit77
a surprising number of reactors (but not these) are disappointed that spike runs away when things don't seem to be going according to plan. i'm always like, did you think he killed both of those previous slayers on the first try?
@Madbandit77 Which doesn't really make sense, except in the context of the themes in the show.
@sirmoonslosthismind I know, right? - Maria
Spike and Dru are here! They're such fun baddies, and Joyce with the axe is iconic.
The problem with having a child vampire: you can't actually stop the actor from aging. 😂 So he was never going to last long.
Notice the Vampire Spike sacrificed to Buffy at the Bronze was the same vampire that claimed to have been at the crucifixion. Not only was Spike testing Buffy, to see how she fights, but also he was getting rid of a potential rival. Someone who might try to challange him for leadership of the gang. He was sort of killing 2 birds with 1 stone in a way.
Ooooo! Fun fact about Xander rummaging through Buffy’s bag at 17:52- he first pulls a yo-yo, a symbol for childhood, then a tampon, adolescence, and finally a stake, adulthood…the overarching theme of the show. 🙂
Great reaction, you guys. Did not disappoint on such a memorable episode. 👏
Been waiting for this episode!! James Marsters just made Spike so much fun!
Saaaame 😄 very much so! - Maria
Also, nobody ever comments on how Buffy, Willow, and Cordy have synchronized their cycles. Buffy has a tampon in her purse that Xander freaks out about while looking for a stake and Spike makes the comment about smelling blood. Cordy talks about not being responsible for being mean on "that time of the month". Finally, Willow tells her to ask for some aspirin, implying that she has a headache from listening to Cordy pray for hours (but headaches are also a PMS symptom).
love spike, but dru is hands down one of my favorite characters on this show..shes so awesome.
I can understand that. I started appreciating her more with time, for sure - Maria
Buffy’s pajama game has always been 🔥
I love that and I love some of the pieces she has - Maria
Aww finally. Dru and Spike are heeeere. They are over the top, weird, crazy, non apologetic and they are having fun. The dynamic between those two were one of my favorite things in the early seasons. And it is an interesting concept to think about what happened if you turn a mentally not so stable person into a vampire. Juliette Landau plays her role with such joy, and she is creepy and scary, yet at the same time you can't stop watching her. Also I like the punk attitude of Spike. Screw tradition and prophecies and lets have fun. So good ❤
I feel like that final scene is the most important for the show going forward. The sort of old world traditional vampires of season 1 with their rituals are done. Spike and Dru are here to bring a totally new, fun villain energy that the master lacked.
You weren’t wrong. Stabbing a teacher was still illegal in the 90’s. Lol
Spikes accent is brilliant speaking as a British person. It’s a London accent rather than Received Pronunciation
I love Spike, his whole arc 😍
This episode gets better with re-watches specially when you know what the series has in store for his character
@kateflanagan9355 Absolutely! - Maria
I am happy that Sam enjoyed the episode so much. I knew he would like Spike, but was curious his feelings about Drusilla. I have never watched anyone react to this series on RUclips, but have had people in real life that immediately disliked her character. I personally found her an interesting character from the start and was very intrigued with her and Spike's relationship.
6:45 actually the accent is Anthony Steward Head's natural accent he taught it to James Marsters.
I can’t wait for my local convention in a few months. James and Charisma are going to be there!
I saw an interview about how the costume designers made it their mission to find new strange shirts for Xander, each show.
Awesome! :D - Maria
I had a feeling Sam would enjoy Spike's sass lol
I heard James Marsters received coaching from Anthony Stewart for the British accent
I love Spike.
I love James Marsters (Spike), he's an amazing actor. If you haven't listened to the Dresden File's book series, I suggest them highly! Marsters does an incredible job narrating them. :)
I can quote every spike line in this episode and most other lines. Some thing not a lot of people pick up on is Spike says “I smell the blood of a nice ripe girl.” But Buffy hasn’t been injured and they made a point of showing a tampon in her bag at the bronze earlier in the episode, so you can put two and two together with out being to blunt about it.
I love that you caught the Die Hard similarity. There's a reason it's called "School Hard". It's Die Hard in a school. haha
Yep, that was great :D - Maria
I think Snyder's comment ”assuming you have any [parents]" was to be a dig at them, that they're "feral" children and not even slightly showing the civilizing influence of parents
That does make sense - Maria
Loved this ep. Spike is so much fun. I remember how happy we were he stayed.
Spike was like my very first crash) 😅😍❤️
oh that's cute! Who was mine?... I wanna say Cole from Charmed, but there might've been someone else before that - Maria
I think that the fire that Snider was referring to and the that Buffy alludes to a little later in the episode was from episode 2 of this season. If you remember the climax fight scene started a fire in the old science building in which Darryl throws himself on the body of the girl they were trying to create and subsequently is engulfed in the flames. At the end of the episode the school there were fire trucks and fire fighters all over the background.
Also I do believe that James Marsters has said in interviews that Joss Whedon was not all that happy Spike became a fan favorite and so quickly. As far as Marsters knew he was only supposed to be in the 2nd season and because he was so well received by the audience they had to scrap the plan that they had for his character and come up with a new one. I think Joss just wanted Angel to be the only vampire that the audience would be rooting for and didn't like the idea of an "evil" vampire becoming a character that fans of the show were demanding to see.
Spoiler
Spoiler
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In an interview, James said Josh didn't want fans liking/routing for Spike because he intended for Buffy/Angel to represent teenage girls intrested in the wrong or bad guys and she would grow out of it, moving on from a vampire love intrest to humans or rather the "good" normal guys (Like Josh).
@krose6451 Spoiler warning, please, Kay :) - Maria
Please add the spoiler warning as the info in the second paragraph extends beyond where we are in the story.
They said an old science lab, but the fact that the school has an old science lab that looks like an abandoned warehouse is odd to me, but if that's the story, that's the story - Maria
@@TheBuffSummersorry Maria. I'll edit to add it
@@krose6451 thanks Kay 🙏🏻 - Maria
People always comment on Master's accent but I think it decent. I'm English and I've got older relatives who do sound like him but of course his accent is campier as is Juliet's as that's the point of the characters. One of the strongest lessons I learnt in drama school was you're voicing a character, not an accent, and so everyone sounds slightly different depending on who they are and their experience and genetics. So you can have a bit of american or a bit of other different regional accents in a voice because people do and charcters by default will do as well. I think his accent works perfectly for who Spike is.
Ladies and Gentlemen..... He's Here!!!!
Indeed :) - Maria
Our boy is finally here! Look at him having fun and killing people! Also you guys are the reason I'm curently rewatching Buffy. I'm on season 3!
It was quite a thing in the late nineties to have a guest band playing in shows. I mainly remember it from Buffy and Charmed.
That's true. Same for me. As far as I can recall right now - Maria
And now all of the pieces are in place for this show to live up to its full potential. This is where it becomes the Buffy we all know and obsess over. Good job on guessing why they got rid of Colin/The Anointed One, btw. It was indeed because of sudden growth spurts that Whedon later ruefully admitted he should have taken into account as a likelihood.
Lol, nice. I guess it just made sense cause there’s no way to explain the growth. Just gotta kill him 😂 - Sam
Spike's statement about 'a little less ritual and a little more fun' is I think a statement from the writers as much as anything else.
The discussion of Angel’s past partners brought to mind the disturbing term “body count.”. That’ll be TWO troubling conversations with Angel. One of which could easily be TOO troubling.
Joss Whedon planned for Spike to only be in a few episodes and then be killed off. But Marsters' performance was so well received that Whedon reluctantly kept Spike in the series.
Yep, we touched on that a bit in the vid, but I don't want to share too much considering where we are - Maria
When I tell you I was so damn excited for this specific episode reaction, you guys did not disappoint
I get you, it's one of my favourites.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed our vid :) - Maria
Don't forget Drusilla!!! I adore her ❤
She is way too underrated!!
Spike DID almost kill Buffy, though. If her mom hadn't unexpectedly showed up and bashed him in the head with the axe, Spike would have killed Buffy.
So, while he his attack on the school may have seemed rash, he did set things up for success. He came with numbers. He had patrols on the perimeter to keep Buffy confined in the school. He cut the power and the phones, so the advantage of darkness would be his, and so no one could call for reinforcements.
So, while he is impulsive, he doesn't let those impulses get in the way of tactical awareness. And he doesn't let his impulses get in the way of making smart tactical retreats when the situation turns against him.
Episode title is "School Hard"
"Omg it's Die Hard"
Lol
Sam didn’t see the title when we filmed, I renamed it, so he could see the reference when it happens 😄 - Maria
Go back to this Bronze song right around season 6 and see how spookily relevant it is.
Gotta love how they build up the Anointed one just to have a bigger baddy kill him.
Also, Angel never heard of "bros before ho3s"
Love how they actually show Spike's experience, rather than just say it. It really goes a long way.
Also, in this one is said that Angel sired Spike, but in future episodes, it is proven that it just isn't true. So a small plot hole here.
Cordelia and Willow hiding and praying together will forever be funny. I also understand why they stayed in that closet all night. If i was in their place, I am not leaving till daytime, whether i hear noises or not.
Spike may be the nvp of the episode, but Joyce is the ultimate badass.
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Am I the only one who kind of wishes Angel had stayed Spikes sire? Not only does it mean no plot hole but I think it really could have worked well with things later on without messing up his dynamic with Dru.
@roxirock5455 Spoiler warning, please. The siring thing won't come up for a while, and that's def a spoiler.
As for the rest, I agree, especially showing Spike's experience - Maria
@krose6451 again, spoiler warning. I think it could've worked out, yeah - Maria
@TheBuffSummer sorry, I didn't mean to spoil, I just wanted to point out an inconsistency I noticed.
@roxirock5455 that’s fair, and if the inconsistency you noticed comes up later on, gotta have the spoiler warning - Maria
Spike and Drew are inspired by Sid Vicious and Nancy.
That's what fans called them for years.
@@Shadowman4710 Vampire Sid and Vampire Nancy. :🧛🧛♀
Clearly :D - Maria
100 percent agree with Maria's reason for loving this ep! Thanks guys!
Nice to hear that :) Thank you so much! - Maria
Entering the Spike era, am so so excited had to subscribe on my 2nd account 😂 love this channel/concept so much, Sam and Maria!
Wow, thanks so much for the extra support and dedication!
However, subscribing on both accounts is only beneficial if you actually are watching the videos on both accounts.
Amount of minutes watched is the number one thing for a RUclips channel 😊 - Sam
A lot of people think that Spike is in charge, but really, Dru is the one in charge. If you watch their interactions carefully, you will see that Spike takes his ques from Drusilla. It's subtle, but it's there
His accent gets better 😄
I think Schneider would have known they had parents (or not) by checking their files before this meeting. He just likes to make snarky remarks, I'd say.
It was just the gym! And there were vampires in that gym! Or, um, gangs . . .
Buffy doesn't come up with the best excuses on the fly: wouldn't it be hard to burn down a building filled with asbestos?
@@not-that-Chris Or a stone building. I don't think it really burnt that much; there was fire set, shall we say?
James has gone on record that Anthony Head tutored him in the English accent because he wanted the second hand embarrassment to stop. As a result he does get better. There are words he over pronounced that always made me cringe. Also his character over uses the same British slang over and over. That was a script issue though.
James is really funny about discussion this stuff I watch a lot of his interviews and he has some great stories.
@@afry6400yeah, he’s really open about it. What I love is that he takes the feedback. He’s not offended and can laugh about it
The slang really is abused
*Spoiler warning*
Growing up I always thought Spike went overboard with the slang and the accent because he was compensating for what he was like when he was human, like a child trying to act tough and cool. I saw a lot of the same in school, honestly. - Also, I'm ashamed to say that as an English teen, I thought James was English too. I was so shocked when I got the Buffy game on PS2 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds) and heard him actually talk in the mini interviews they had on there haha!!
He has real trouble with some words throughout the show. Even when he gets (a lot) better, "bollocks" never sounds right.
He’s finally hereeeeeee!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Don't know if someone else told you this actually, but Anthony Steward Head was James Marsters accent coach, as that "Cockney" accent is Head's native accent! As this was the role that made Marsters famous, it blew everyone's mind in interviews when we realized he was American. He really nailed the accent when it comes to Spike.
Anthony Stewart Head helped James Marster with his English accent
4:00 i think he meant like, they’re so ill-mannered, that they must not have any parents to behave that way
I guess that makes sense - Maria
Willow (to Cordelia): "Have some lemonade."
Willow: "Ask for aspirin."
2 spectacular disses by Willow to Cordy. Those 2, along with "Deliver," are chef's kisses.
James Marsters' British accent _was_ really good! Maybe not completely British, but good.
I always tell myself it sounds the way it does cause he's trying to hold onto it when his "ears" trying to pick up influences from all then places he's travelled/accents he's heard. Its the headcanon that lets me not monitor it constantl and just accept. The abuse of Brittish slang is a very different manor. I try not to but suddenly I'll become aware of just how many times things are shoving it in.
Spoiler alert! Sorry guys, didn't fully think that through, although it may be too late,
I'll delete it for others, for future people who have not seen Buffy ♥️
Edit: Spike is very much like Billy Idol for a reason 😂
Spoiler warning, please :) - Maria
I think he meant parents as in "people who raise you and guide you," also includes guardians
Couldn’t wait to get home to watch! Stef will surely be missed, but Maria is delightful (doesn’t hurt that she’s a Buffy fan😊). You guys have great energy together-your running fashion critique is slaying me (sorry)😅.
Spike and Dru have entered the chat!
Fun fact about Colin a.k.a. the Anointed One, he was supposed to have a bigger role in this season, Whedon's original plan included giving Colin more powers such as telekinesis and be more dangerous, but due the fact that the child actor grew up so much between the end of S1 and the beginning of filming for S2 Whedon decided the character should be killed off, that's why Colin appears sitting during most of his scenes, so the audience would not notice how taller the child was. I think the only scene where he appears standing is at the end of S2E1 when he says "I hate that girl".
So now that the episodes here….can I just say how much Maria reminds me of Dru?? (in looks, not mind!!!) I mean this in the best way! I love Dru 🥰
For sure, say it away 😎- Maria
This is why I couldn't wait until season 2 for Sam to meet spike
40:35 In point of fact, Spike wasn't meant to become a major part of the show, and his story was supposed to end in season 2; Whedon saw him as just a one time villain and irredeemable. However, in his short time on the show, Spike quickly became a breakout character and would remain on the show far longer than intended. On the _Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum_ podcast, Marsters spoke about how Spike evolved from a short-term villain into a main character and talked about Whedon's theme for the show - that vampires should be ugly and not be portrayed as love interests. Marsters revealed an incident when Whedon yelled at the actor: "And I remember he backed me up against a wall one day and he was just like, ‘I don’t care how popular you are, kid, you’re dead. You hear me? Dead. Dead!’ And I was just like, ‘Uh, you know, it’s your football, man. OK.’" Marsters elaborated, "He was angry at the situation," and went on to explain that Whedon was frustrated that Spike's popularity among the fans was adverse to his vision for the show: vampires were always supposed to represent evil and *not* be portrayed as cool, and he always wanted vampires to be ugly rather than sexy. Whedon reportedly said, "'I don't like that Anne Rice crap.'"
It was the network that wanted David Boreanaz's vampire-with-a-soul Angel turned into Buffy's boyfriend. Whedon was not yet the powerhouse (and possible egomaniac) that this show's popularity would make him into, so he had to give in to the execs who wanted the love story and he always kind of resented that. (( *This is something we see expressed through Xander, who is based in part on Whedon himself in his high school years, which might explain the character's continuing snarky, immature, resentful attitude towards Angel.* )) To that same end, he didn't really want Spike to become a main character of the show, though I think that by season 4 he saw Spike being able to fill the role of hard-truth-teller for the gang because Charisma had gone over to the Angel spin-off, so it made sense to slot Spike in to fill that dynamic.
Please add a spoiler warning. I know this, Sam doesn't, and that's the whole point - some things he learns while we're watching, some I share with him, and some are shared here, which is great, but the majority of this info is about the future seasons and the overall story. I appreciate your input, just consider where we are in the story before giving us so much. Thank you :) - Maria
So pushing custodian's cart at a vampire can give you time to run away. At least when it's Buffy pushing it at Spike. Whoa.
That's hilarious :D - Maria
This is before the actors found out how they were supposed to pronounce "Angelus."
Oh that's a fun little snippet. Don't think I know that but it does make sense - Maria
I just started the video but I’m already grinning 😀
Iconic!!! Im so happy watching this series all over again. Thank you both! It's so cool hearing the name Angelus and my baby dog reacts to his own name. Can't wait for this great journey
True true! Thank you so much! Glad you’re enjoying it with us ☺️
Aww cute! - Maria
Anthony Steward Head was actually training James Masters in an English accent closer to his own, rather than the posher one he's using. Generally for the most part Brits I spoke to end up thinking Spike's accent over the years is somewhat old timey at times ( which makes sense considering ) but alright.
Tbf the person who probably came closest to killing Buffy here was Shiela, and it really was her first time 😂 If it wasn’t for Giles shouting she might have managed it
I believe Snyder personally blames Buffy for the last episodes fire
That looked so much like an abandoned building 🤔 - Maria
Spike has the best lines Buffy asked him about the weapon he's holding and Spike respons I just like them they make me feel all mandly lol
Yesyesyesyes YEEEEEEESSSS I actually thought Spike appeared in the first episode but I’m so happy we’re there 💖💖💖
Yep, we sure are :) - Maria
18:24 according to Dr Google, the shortest distance between the heart and the skin is only 3cm…so mini stake wouldn’t need to be very long to be effective 🤷♀️
Can we talk about how Maria and Dru have the same chickbones?
Sure thing :) - Maria
Spike is my favorite 😊
Vampire or overall? - Maria
@@TheBuffSummer definitely vampire
The "assuming you have parents" line from Snyder isn't insinuating the girls killed their parents, it's about shaming them for having bad manners "like they have no parents". I guess that's not such a common expression anymore.
I subbed when you first started (original 10 subs, unite!) but was just waiting for season 2 to start watching. I’m so excited ❤
Wow, original 10 subs! Excited for you to get into it. Hope you enjoy the vids :) - Maria
@@TheBuffSummer I have loved all of the season two ones youse have put out so far 💚 in 2020 I met James Marsters and he signed my custom vampyre brooch
@kelseyj.c7828 Thank you! :) Awww that's cute - Maria
The sqeaky sneakers I mentioned were Willow's during parent teacher night. You can hear them every time she's walking.
Spije is a contradiction. He does the research on Buffy, but has no patience and attacks early.
School Hard, Die Hard in a school.
My teachers stopped asking me for my homework. It wasn't that I refused to fo it. It was that the second I put my books in the locker, any memory that homework was assigned was gone.
James is from Modesto, CA and Juliet is from Los Angeles, the daughter of actor Martin Landau and Barbara Bain both from the original TV show Mission: Impossible.
mentally preparing myself for the accent and the post spike world we are abt to enter into lmao
Yeah, not an amazing start to the accent lol. But I like spike so far 😁 - Sam
@@themoviebud1988 It gets better.
Love spike so much, I got to meet james at supernova years ago
Ahhhh he’s finally here! ❤
& all of Buffy is great as a whole, but seasons 2 & 5 are elite!
Great Post, guys. I love this episode. Most of all, SPIKE & DRU. The only question I have, where did DRU come from. Shen wasn't with SPIKE, when he arrived at Sunnydale. She wasn't in Sunnydale already. Unless they never introduced her. Was she just following SPIKE and keeping her distance? But, that is not important. She is here. LOL. Great Post.
Maybe she was in the trunk? Lying on the backseat? - Maria
@@TheBuffSummer a possibility. LMAO!!!