Come on, you know you guys have been waiting for this one. :)

Mission Statement:

This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about making value judgments about events and/or characters but about analyzing the series from a feminist framework so as to see what patterns and themes emerge.

Rules:

1. If you do not consider yourself a feminist or do not see the point of dissecting a TV show from a feminist perspective, this is not the meta series for you. I don't mean this in a hostile way, however the intended audience of this series is feminists who want to turn a critical eye to the show.

2. This meta series is written well beyond a 101 level of feminism. If you are new to feminism, I ask that you please take a look at this blog for an introduction to concepts that will be discussed heavily here.

3. If you begin to feel yourself getting defensive on behalf of a character (or the show), take a break from commenting. The outlines as posted are not meant to condemn either the characters or the show, but to contextualize the dialogue and events within the patriarchal cultural in which they reside.

4. BtVS is a constructed media. The characters are not actual people but are written, dressed, and directed by a team of outsiders. Criticizing a character for, say, having sex could be a sexist insult or it could be a legitimate criticism of the writers who chose to go that route with the storyline. There are nuances here when discussing a television show, and I ask that everybody be careful about exactly what's being discussed. A couple helpful terms are Watsonian and Doylist. "Watsonian" indicates that the discussion is taking place within the Buffy universe as if the characters are real people. "Doylist" indicates that the discussion is focused on the construction of the narrative and, as such, deals with the decisions of the writers and/or producers.

5. The key goal here is open discussion. I'm not presenting you guys with any brilliant insights; I'm just laying out what's in the episode. Feel free to discuss or disagree with me and others. Also feel free to answer other commenter's questions. The comment section is an open floor.


2.13 Surprise

I. The Tallies

Criteria for Bechdel Check: The episode must have a) two women in it b) who talk to each other c) about something besides a man.

1. Bechdel Check: PASS on 3 counts
   
   
2. Deaths:
   Dead boys: 1
   Dead girls: 0
   

II. Agency

Criteria for Agency: Do the female characters a) exert power or influence over the plot b) through decisions based on their own characterization? Agency means more than providing information or support that helps the (usually male) characters resolve the conflict.

The Plot: Buffy begins to have Slayer dreams about Drusilla as her birthday approaches. Drusilla is planning to unleash The Judge. All at the same time, Buffy and Angel have sex for the first time.

The Big Question:
If Buffy were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Willow were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Cordelia were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Joyce were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Jenny were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes
If Drusilla were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.

• Decisive Buffy: Due to dreams of Angel’s death, Buffy instigates an investigation by going to Giles. She also makes the decision, at the beginning of the episode, to have sex with Angel.
  
  Midway through the episode, she ends up being swept along as Giles and Angel make plans for Angel to take the Judge’s arm out of the country. That changes when Drusilla’s man steals the arm back.
  
  
• Decisive Drusilla: The entire episode is centered around Drusilla’s party. She seems to be largely in charge of making the plans and shares command of the Judge with Spike.
  
  

III. The Feminist Fine-Toothed Comb

Criteria: Do any of the characters engage in sexist dialogue or action, whether overt or subtle? Does it receive an explicit rebuke or does it pass uncommented on? Further, what can be deduced from the various gendered comments that are made by the characters?

• Protagonists (Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Cordelia, Joyce, Jenny, and Angel)
  
  1. After the first Buffy/Angel smoochfest, Buffy discusses the sitch with Willow. This brings up a lot of interesting points about gender expectations in the dating scene with regards to sex.
  
  

  Willow: (giggles) And he was into it? I mean, he wants to see you at bedtime, too?
  
  Buffy: Yeah, I, I, I think he does. Well, I, I mean he-he's cool about it.
  
  Willow: Well, of course he is. 'Cause he's cool. I mean, he would never... you know...
  
  Buffy: Push.
  
  Willow: Right. H-he's not the type.

  
  
  First, we get an affirmation that, while Angel probably wants sex, he's "not the type" to push for it. Sexuality in boys/men is seen as predatory and dangerous so a man who isn't pushy, but who still wants sex when the girl wants it, is desirable.
  
  

  Buffy: Will, what am I gonna do?
  
  Willow: What do you wanna do?
  
  Buffy: I don't know. I... I mean, (they sit on a bench) 'want' isn't always the right thing *to* do. To act on want can be wrong.
  
  Willow: True.

  
  
  Then we get Buffy going back and forth on the idea of having sex, framing it as a right vs wrong dichotomy of acknowledging wants or rejecting them.
  
  2. Later in the scene, Buffy counsels Willow about Oz. She tells Willow to stop waiting for Xander to "wake up and smell the hottie".
  
  Of course, Buffy is referring to Xander realizing that he's attracted to Willow, but the phrase of "smelling the hottie" emphasizes physical attractiveness as the determining factor in dating desirability. The primacy of physical appearance in dating is an artifact of our larger gendered social norms in that area.
  
  3. Xander and Cordelia have a disagreement about their relationship status. Cordelia declares: "Groping in a broom closet isn't dating. You don't call it a date until the guy spends money."
  
  As usual, we have Cordelia reinforcing gender roles with the expectation that the man will exchange financial security for a relationship.
  
  4. At the opening of Act Two, we hear the mention that Joyce is taking Buffy on a trip to the mall for her birthday. Shopping is a very stereotypically female activity.
  
  5. Jenny picks Buffy up to take her to the surprise party.
  
  

  Jenny: Sorry. Um, Giles wanted me to tell you that there's been a change of plans. Uh, he wants to meet you someplace near his house 'cause he had to run home and get a book or something.
  
  Buffy: 'Cause heaven knows there aren't enough books in the library.
  
  Jenny: Uh, he's... very thorough.
  
  Buffy: Oh, which is not to bag. It's kind of manly in an obsessive-compulsive kind of way, don't you think?

  
  
  Buffy declares attention to detail as being "manly". More importantly, she attempts to use “manly” as a compliment to offset what could be perceived as her griping about Giles. The designation of masculinity is supposed to assuage any insult.
  
  6. In Act Three, when Angel and Buffy have left to see Angel off, Xander ponders on their potential future:
  
  

  Xander: I mean, what kind of a future would she've really had with him? She's got two jobs - Denny's waitress by day, Slayer by night - and Angel's always in front of the TV with a big blood belly, and he's dreamin' of the glory days when Buffy still thought this whole creature of the night routine was a big turnon.
  
  Willow: You've thought way too much about this.
  
  Xander: No, no. That's just the beginning. Have I told you the part where I fly into town in my private jet and take Buffy out for prime rib?
  
  Willow: (sees Buffy come in) Xander...
  
  Xander: And she cries?

  
  
  Xander's fantasy plays along Nice Guy lines wherein Buffy ends up with a lout and Xander, the loyal friend, swoops in to rescue her, complete with Buffy's tears.
  
  
• The Rest (Enyos, Oz)
  
  1. From the second act:
  
  

  Enyos: So you just forget that he destroyed the most beloved daughter of your tribe?! That he *killed* every man, woman and child that touched her life?! Vengeance demands that his pain be eternal as ours is!

  
  
  The choice to make Angelus' victim a girl plays into fairly standard gendered tropes. The death of women and girls is thought to take a larger psychological toll than the death of men and boys (an argument that is sometimes used to keep women out of combat in the military). As such, the resonance of an entire tribe in pain as a result of one girl's death plays into rather Victorian ideals of women as sanctified and special.
  
  

IV. Objectification Watch

1. At the beginning of the episode, we get a brief moment of Angel without his shirt on, pandering to the female gaze.
   
   
2. We get a further instance of the female gaze as we're given a shot of Oz from Willow and Buffy's POV as they discuss him.
   
   
3. In contrast, we get a shot of Jenny from Enyo's POV as he arrives on a surprise visit.
   

V. Points to Consider

1. We’re going to have a lot more to discuss in the outline for Innocence, but let’s go ahead and look at the dynamics with regards to the Buffy/Angel sex given their gender and age/experience differences.
   
   
2. Oz's method of asking Willow out is interesting. Instead of being nervous about traditional dating scripts, he open acknowledges them and uses them to get past the awkwardness:
   
   

   Oz: I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night. And I'm kinda nervous about it, actually. It's interesting.
   
   Willow: Oh. Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes.
   
   Oz: Yeah, it helps. It-it creates a comfort zone. (Willow smiles) Do you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?
   
   Willow: (cringes and slaps her hand to her forehead) Oh! I can't!
   
   Oz: Well, see, I like that you're unpredictable.

   
   
   How does this exchange highlight traditional dating scripts?
   
   
3. Indeed, the opening scene gives us all three couples negotiating the dating arena: Buffy and Angel discuss the heightened longing of their relationship, Oz and Willow discuss their first date, and Cordelia and Xander discuss their own status as a potential couple.
   
   How does each couple navigate this territory?
   
   
4. This episode gives us the reveal of Jenny's Roma background. We're also introduced to her uncle, Enyos. How does the show portray the Roma ethnicity? And what about Jenny's character attempting to balance the demands of her heritage with her current attachments?