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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast 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 27 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast What's that sound? Why, 'tis the rare E flat diminished ninth chord, signaling that our interview with the delightful Seth Green hath arrived! We got to talk to Seth about his time on the show playing everyone's favorite part-time werewolf and full-time dreamboat, Oz! We also chatted about the new film he wrote, directed, and stars in, Changeland, which is out today! - rest assured this episode is 100% certified grade-A hootenanny! Be warned, this interview may contain spoilers. Many thanks to S...
Jun 07, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's the last episode of Season 4 (!!) which means that it is high time for Giles to sing us some rocking exposition, for Anya to tell us the funniest joke we've ever heard, and for Buffy to prepare her bedroom for what's to come... Today, alongside a fashion watch from Kate Leth and some very important thoughts from special guest Lauren Eggert-Crowe, we are talking about the second two dream sequences and *all of our feelings,* for S4E22: Restless. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen...
May 01, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast Push those VHS tapes into your VCRs and close your eyes, scoobies: let's dream of Sappho poems, ice cream trucks, Giles and Spike on a swing set, and Anya steering with no hands... We have special guests Alyse Knorr and David Wells (who plays the Cheese Man!) to help guide us through the first half of our Season 4 Finale! Today we are talking about the first two dream sequences in S4E22: Restless. Tune in next week for the second installment! LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs...
Apr 24, 2019•2 hr 33 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast Sophia Crawford, Sarah Michelle Gellar's stunt double from Seasons 1 - 4 of Buffy, and Jeff Pruitt, the show's stunt coordinator from 1997 - 2000 sat down to tell us all about their work! They are now *married* to each other (don't worry, their proposal story is on set...) and they have what might be the most exquisite collection of behind-the-scenes stories from the first four seasons of the series EVER?! Join us as we hear about the emotional nature of Buffy/Faith fight scenes, flirting as a P...
Apr 17, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast 4.21: Primeval Let's rip the uranium core out of Adam, SHALL WE?! Manus, Spiritus, Animus, and Sophus combine today to show us once more that the power of community can overcome evil, hatred, and men who store limitless hard drives in their chest cavities. Today we are discussing S4E21: Primeval. LOCATE YOUR HOSTS UPON THE INTERNET Jenny Owen Youngs: @jennyowenyoungs; jennyowenyoungs.com/buffering Kristin Russo: @kristinnoeline; kristinnoeline.com, everyoneisgay.com, mykidisgay.com Buffering the...
Apr 03, 2019•2 hr 31 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast 
