Special guest, avowed Spike fan, and all-around-badass Alanna Bennett joins us today as we ride a f*cking EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER together! We've got a Buffy Bot, we've got a pissed off hellgod with great hair and a penchant for torture, we've got Detective Minions, and hooooooboy we have got an... actual... kiss... between... Buffy... and... Spike?!?!??!? Also, Alanna coins the term "anti-bangs" for Angel. So, all in all, a win-win. It is time for S5E18: Intervention. LOCATE US UPON THE INTERNE...
Jul 15, 2020•2 hr 47 min
The absolutely brilliant LaToya Ferguson, Alanna Bennett, and Ira Madison III host today's conversation on race within the Buffy and Angelverse! This is the first in a larger series that will be produced and hosted by BIPOC Buffy fans here on the Buffering the Vampire Slayer and WOW — what a way to begin. These three TV geniuses bring their encyclopedic knowledge of both series to the table with questions like: What would have happened if Leonard Roberts played Riley? Why in the hell was Drusill...
Jul 08, 2020•1 hr 25 min
We’re back today to share new commitments here at Buffering the Vampire Slayer, all of which are focused on bringing an anti-racist base to the podcast & bringing the work of becoming & staying anti-racist into our larger community. You can also read more about our ongoing commitments at bufferingthevampireslayer.com/justkeepfighting & snag a transcription of this episode at https://www.bufferingthevampireslayer.com/transcriptions.We will be back in your ears this Wednesday with a *fucking bril...
Jul 06, 2020•14 min
No new episode today. We stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement and know that we need to do better in supporting and defending Black lives. We feel we have a responsibility here on our platform to share in our knowledge, learning, and conversation surrounding our white privilege, the Black Lives Matter movement, social and restorative justice, community work, and so much more, and hope that you will join us in fighting against the horrific injustices and centuries of violence ag...
Jun 03, 2020•4 min
Today we are moving from the shock of losing Joyce and along to the many paths of grief: some leave flowers, others listen to music that reminds them of different days, some hold their old, broody loves close. Then of course there are those who break Wiccan oaths, visit men in a bathrobes with a tail, steal eggs from totally innocent Ghora demons, and attempt to raise the deceased using forbidden magic. Standard Sunnydale stuff. PHEWF. It is Season 5 Episode 17: Forever. We love and miss you, Jo...
May 13, 2020•2 hr 35 min
The Body remains one of the most emotionally resonant television episodes of all time, and this week we are continuing our exploration of its many themes. We are first in conversation with Brittany Ashley, host and producer of "Don't Tell the Babysitter Mom's Dead," a grief podcast which explores the experience of losing parents, and specifically mothers. Brittany lost her own mom at age six, and talks about her ongoing journey through that loss, her relationship to this episode of television, a...
May 06, 2020•1 hr 9 min
Kristin had the chance to speak with the brilliant Jen Malkowski, an assistant professor of Film and Media Studies at Smith College with a specialization in death and dying in media, about Buffy the Vampire Slayer S5E16: The Body. More on Jen can be found here: smith.edu/academics/faculty/jennifer-malkowskiJen is also the author of Dying in Full Detail which can be accessed for free here LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristin Russo: @...
Apr 29, 2020•53 min
Today we journey together into one of the most impactful episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and — in our opinion — one of the most impactful episodes of television across time and genre, S5E16: The Body. We dig deep into the show's four acts, share in conversation with Professor Jen Malkowski from Smith University who studies representations of death and dying in media, hear selected poems as read by author & poet Alyse Knorr, and end with music composed together by Jenny Owen Youngs and Saul...
Apr 29, 2020•2 hr 15 min
Here we are at S5E15: I Was Made To Love You, which begs the eternal question: Why are men??????! UGHHHHH so yeah Warren is here and he makes a goddamn robot and then leaves her in his goddamn room to be with his new human girlfriend and Buffy is like GOD DAMN why don't you just hire a helicopter while you're at it, man?!?!?!?!?! Oh, also, Giles tells Spike where to stick it. Tada! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristin Russo: @kristi...
Apr 22, 2020•1 hr 25 min
We have mail about fish reproduction! We have mail holding Riley accountable! We have mail about mannequin nipples! We have mail including a song that proves, once and for all, that Sunnydale *is* Santa Barbara. Yes, friends, it is a MAILBAG and it is here for YOU — our first mailbag in the main feed in oh-so-long!! Thank you to everyone who sent us these perfect distillations of humanity which, as it would turn out, is still (somehow!!) thriving. AwooooOOoOoOoOoOOOOOO! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON TH...
Apr 15, 2020•1 hr 14 min
Behold the magnificence of her dulcet tones as they land against your unworthy eardrums, mortals - today is the day we give you our conversation with the GLORIOUS Clare Kramer!!! Her most wondrous smoothness talked with Kristin about her inspiration for the Glory audition, the on-set trials and tribulations of being a woman with naturally perfect curly hair, and loads more. As is always the case with our cast interviews, there are **SPOILERS WITHIN** so tread carefully, Scoobies, and enjoy!!! (O...
Apr 08, 2020•1 hr 4 min
You know that feeling when you used to date an undead guy with a soul but then he left town, and then you dated an alive guy who loved basketballs but then he also left town, so you've just been *trying* to mind your own business while you process your sister being a mystical key and fight off a god who wears silk and heels... but then ANOTHER undead guy, this time one with peroxide hair and a chip in his head, develops a massive crush on you?! Life can sure be the pits sometimes! We are here th...
Apr 01, 2020•2 hr 36 min
Last week we put out a call on social media to hear what you all were doing to help our communities during this scary and overwhelming time. We were so overwhelmed with your beautiful responses that we decided to read a selection of them here! One of the biggest gifts that Buffy continues to give us is community, and our Buffering community is something that we are thankful for each and every day. We will be back next week with our regularly scheduled programming (with S5E14: Crush ahhhhh!), but...
Mar 25, 2020•47 min
Dawn finds out she's the key while eating chocolates with Spike at the Magic Box, Glory gets to the hospital only moments after Ben left which was so weird, and Anya and Xander's role play includes firemen and shepherds... BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS THIS IS A DOOZY OF AN EPISODE, Y'ALL. Much trauma, many things revealed, and also RIP Dreg the Minion. Wow. It's S5E13: Blood Ties. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristin Russo: @kristinnoelin...
Mar 18, 2020•2 hr 40 min
The brilliant Ira Madison III returns to guest on his *very favorite episode* of the series and we get down and dirty with the patriarchal bullshit that is (and has always been) THE F*CKING COUNCIL. In the words of Jenny Owen Youngs, "fellas, she is not your commodity"!! Want to know why?! Because power. She has it. You don't. And we know it f*****cking bothers you!!!! MWAHAHAHAHA yes indeed it is S5E12: Checkpoint, and we couldn't think of a better time than right damn now to tell Quentin and h...
Mar 04, 2020•1 hr 21 min
Trixie Mattel is here CAN YOU EVEN STAND IT?!?! We are going to talk about Olaf the Troll and Anya and Willow fighting and Dr. Seuss and wigs and Xander's poor lil wrist and Tara's eyeshadow and running into Juliet Landau at the gym??!?! Wow. It's S5E11: Triangle!!! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristin Russo: @kristinnoeline; kristinnoeline.com Buffering the Vampire Slayer: @bufferingcast on twitter, facebook, and instagram SPECIAL ...
Feb 19, 2020•1 hr 27 min
Marc Blucas!!! Measures his hand size!!! Against Jenny's?!!! WHAT IS LIFE EVEN?! In addition to hand size comparison, we dig into topics like: how it felt to be surrounded by tin foil at The Initiative, whether or not Forrest had a crush on Riley, what that goddamn sexy boot removal was all about, and of course the ahem many varied and colorful opinions on our resident butterscotchian boyfriend. In the words of Jenny... WOW. **Spoilers contained within this interview!** LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON TH...
Feb 12, 2020•1 hr 23 min
Helicopter blades are whirring over the sound of our tears as Buffy comes face to face with her fear of needing some monster in her men, all while our cardboard prince heads deep into the unknown woods. Jenny also examines height differentials and thinks about how that might affect the use of the Buffy box. You're welcome. It's S5E10: Into the Woods. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristin Russo: @kristinnoeline; kristinnoeline.com Buf...
Feb 05, 2020•2 hr 45 min
A queller demon on the ceiling! A queller demon in a tree! A queller demon under your car! A queller demon with many teeth!! While we *hate* this extraterrestrial bug more than most things in this life, we’d still rather look at its horrible mouth than think about Joyce going into surgery. Sigh. It’s S5E9: Listening to Fear, and we must face it even though we don’t wanna. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristin Russo: @kristinnoeline; ...
Jan 22, 2020•2 hr 35 min
There's a snake! There's a snake! There's a great big snake!! With... arms?!?! WHATEVER. Glory, who now has a name and some new shoes, puts a cobra in a vase and kablam makes a giant snake who sniffs and sniffs until he finds THE KEY (it's Dawn, but nobody tell Glory)!! Luckily Big-Slayer-Sister Buffy rides on the back of the snake like Khaleesi on her dragons and kills it before it can reveal the truth to Glorificus. Meanwhile, Joyce is diagnosed with a brain tumor, and we do not want to talk a...
Jan 08, 2020•1 hr 29 min
Live from San Francisco's Brava Theater!! Spike has always been bad, baby... but this week we learn that, at first, he was only bad at poetry. We are taking a deep dive into our favorite peroxide-doused vampire and are joined by the effulgent Kate Leth & Joanna Robinson to discuss impeccable cheekbones, bad accents, snapping subway poles in half, and what to do when your finger *oops* gets covered in the blood of a slayer?! WOW. Buckle up and and get ready for a live barrel-jump by Jenny Owen Yo...
Dec 11, 2019•2 hr 4 min
Kate Leth guests and Tara's family makes a surprise visit to Sunnydale with a whole carload of patriarchal bullsh*t in tow (and also Amy Adams). Never fear! The scoobies do what scoobies do best in response: they punch Tara in the nose and promptly welcome her into their chosen family. Oh, and we spend no less than a half hour on a new, one-time segment with Kate called "Cornography." It's S5E5: Family, and you're all welcome. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoun...
Nov 27, 2019•2 hr 42 min
The Beast has arrived in her glorious red dress, tousling about her golden locks and also some very important monks. Spike is out for a walk bitch and Giles is in his most resplendent wizarding attire, Anya gets a job and Ben still looks great in scrubs. Oh, and although we still don't know what's in that Magic Eye poster... we now know that DAWN IS THE FREAKING KEY. It's S5E5: No Place Like Home! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com Kristi...
Nov 13, 2019•2 hr 38 min
Riley's heart beats 150 times per minute but he still can't find love and no one cares except for Jenny! JUST KIDDING. Buffy also cares. Joyce faints in the kitchen, Harmony smokes Morley Slims and cannot keep an arrow in a crossbow, and most importantly SPIKE LOVES DAWSON'S CREEK. It's Season 5 Episode 4: Out of My Mind. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com/buffering Kristin Russo: @kristinnoeline; kristinnoeline.com, everyoneisgay.com, my...
Oct 30, 2019•1 hr 24 min
Two Xanders, no waiting! Our favorite day-glo demon Toth is in town to kill the Slayer but, whoops!, his neon beam misses Buffy and instead splits Xander into two. While Anya contemplates the many things she can do in this kind of glorious double-boyfriend threesome, the scooby gang work on putting Xander back together again. Oh, and by the way? Spike made a Buffy mannequin! Whatever! It's Season 5 Episode 3: The Replacement! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoung...
Oct 16, 2019•2 hr 31 min
Mercedes McNab sat down to talk with Kristin about her role as our favorite Cordette-turned-vampire, Harmony! We talk about her audition, that epic fight scene with Xander, and the many takes it took to say Blondie Bear for the first time — and we also put out a call for anyone who knows who got Harmony's fangs from the set of Buffy?!?! So Mercedes, at last, we meet! **Spoilers contained within this interview!** LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyo...
Oct 09, 2019•45 min
BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT YOU (and because Gaby Dunn could never be contained to just a few lines), we bring you this extra special bonus chat between us, Gaby, and musical artist/general dreamboat Mal Blum. We talk to Gaby about her experience performing the role of Dawn for the song in S5E2: Real Me, and Gaby in turn explains to us the general concept of Harriet the Spy. Mal is on hand to be charming and delightful. You're welcome!! **Spoilers are contained within this interview so if you haven't ...
Oct 04, 2019•46 min
Harmony has brought her minions to Sunnydale to kill Buffy, Joyce is dressing up for someone at the gallery, Tara and Willow have officially U-Hauled (but where is Miss Kitty??), and Buffy still has... a little sister?! We have a segment from our Mercedes McNab interview, a fashion watch from Kate Leth, and we have cast Gaby Goddamn Dunn as the voice of Dawn in this week's song. Hold onto your gold pants, everyone, because its Season 5 Episode 2: Real Me! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenn...
Oct 02, 2019•1 hr 27 min
Hooooooooly Hellmouths -- Dracula's in Sunnydale! Mom is drunk! Dad is Vlad! And WE! ARE! BACK! We missed you a TON and there's SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT, so we are coming back to you with a super-sized, 2-freaking-hour episode. We've got incredible guests Joanna Robinson of Vanity Fair and The Storm, Ian Carlos Crawford of Slayerfest 98, and a very special VIDEO EDITION of Buffy FasionWatch from Kate Leth - you'll want to be sitting down for this one! PLUS Chris "Born Hot" Farren returns to reprise...
Sep 18, 2019•2 hr 14 min
It is here! It is time! Charisma Carpenter sat down with us to talk about the trope of the mean girl, that infamous spatula scene, the audition she almost didn't make it to, and how Cordelia got to stake her very first vamp! We dig into her time on Buffy and Angel, and also get deep on politics, parenting, religion, and so much more. As the saying goes: Cordelia, we love you, Cordelia, you're perfect, Cordeliaaaaaa. Be warned, this interview may contain spoilers. Many thanks to CHARISMA CARPENTE...
Jul 23, 2019•2 hr 31 min
